Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
Set in ancient Mongolia, I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade by Diane Lee Wilson follows the story of Oyuna, a young girl who brought bad luck to her family. How? When she was a baby, a horse crushed her foot. Now that she's nearly grown, she's determined to bring good luck to her... Continue Reading →
Some older elementary students will be too sensitve to read The Wreckers by Iain Lawrence. But those who love adventure stories will enjoy this action-packed book. John Spencer is fourteen-years-old and on his first voyage with his father, who is a merchant. They've been to Spain and are on their way back to London when... Continue Reading →
Have you ever wondered why? When studying the American Revolution, I often wondered, Why did Benedict Arnold betray his country? If you have shared my curiosity, one of my favorite authors, Jean Fritz, has written a fascinating biography of him: Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold. From Fritz's research, it seems Arnold has a forceful... Continue Reading →
One of my favorite books as a child was Snow Treasure, about children in Norway who smuggled millions of dollars worth of gold out of the country under the nose of the Nazi invaders. Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus is also about Norway after the Nazi invasion, but it's not as innocent as... Continue Reading →
Jonah has always knows he's adopted. It's never been that big of a deal, until now. Jonah discovers that he and his new friend Chip have both been getting strange messages, the first of which says "You are one of the missing." The quest to decipher the meaning of these messages involve Jonah, Chip and... Continue Reading →
The world's most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, is experiencing a resurgence in popularity - multiple TV shows, movies, and books. Now author Andrew Lane has delved into Holmes' teen years with his book Death Cloud, the first in a new series Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins. The 14-year-old Sherlock Holmes is forced to spend the... Continue Reading →
Robin McKinley does a masterful job of retelling the classic "Beauty and the Beast" fairytale in her classic book, Beauty. Beauty hates her nickname. She feel thin and awkward compared to her beautiful sisters. After her father's business failures forces them to move to the country, she and her sisters make the best of their... Continue Reading →
My 12-year-old told me over and over again, "Mom, you need to read Once Upon a Marigold!" When she checked it out, for the third time, I decided to see what she was so excited about. And I'm glad I did. Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris is a delightful read - a funny,... Continue Reading →
Private Voytek of the transport company of the 2nd Polish Corps of the British Army in World War II turned lots of heads, and made many other soldiers scream in fright. Why? He was a bear. Yes, a Syrian brown bear. A few Polish soldiers who had escaped Russia into Iran picked him up somewhere... Continue Reading →
In 1939, those European Jewish families who could sent their children to Sweden - a safe haven from the Nazi soldiers. Twelve-year-old Stephie Steiner and her seven-year-old sister Nellie are two of the lucky ones to escape Vienna. At first, they don't feel so lucky. Once in Sweden, they are placed with separate host families. ... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 