Both boys and girls will enjoy this short story set in Medieval times, shortly after the Crusades. Roger and Alice's father left them when Roger was very young to fight in the Crusade. Their mother keeps hoping that he will return, but it's been many years, and Roger is sure he won't see his father... Continue Reading →
Strawberry Girl
I enjoyed Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski as a girl, but I love Strawberry Girl as an adult. Perhaps it is because we lived in Florida for about eight years, and reading this book as an adult helped me to understand my neighbors. Perhaps it is because as an adult I can appreciate the humor,... Continue Reading →
The Master Puppeteer
Katherine Paterson is the author of the well-known book Bridge to Terabithia, which has also been made into a movie. In The Master Puppeteer, Paterson takes readers to ancient Japan in days when chaos reigned. Jiro is the only son of a puppet-maker, but longs to be a puppeteer for the great Yoshida. He feels... Continue Reading →
10 Lucky Things…
My oldest daughter found 10 Lucky Things That Have Happened to Me Since I Nearly Got Hit by Lightning by Mary Hershey this book on the library shelf and asked if she could check it out. I read the first page and told her, "yes." "When you're the kid of a crook, and you live... Continue Reading →
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
My oldest daughter and I read this book for our mother-daughter book club at our local library. I remember reading it in junior high, but couldn't remember the story. I asked my husband if he had read it, and he said, "We only read classics in school." "This is a classic!" I told him. From... Continue Reading →
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
My nephew is obsessed with the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series. He has read them all, and has sparked my son's interest in reading these books. I like to know what my kids are reading, so when The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan came in at the library, I grabbed it to read it... Continue Reading →
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes
This year, my older two children and I are studying the Eastern Hemisphere in school. I was very excited to finally start this year's curriculum - I'd been looking forward to studying the Eastern Hemisphere since I first decided on using Sonight curriculum in our homeschool six years ago. We've already studied Australia, Antarctica, New... Continue Reading →
Princess Academy
My seven-year-old daughter brought me the audio book of Princess Academy by Shannon Hale this week when we were in the library. I'd never heard of it, but she told me her friend had told her that it was a really good book. Her friend is in junior high, so I thought I'd better read... Continue Reading →
The House of Sixty Fathers
Meindert Dejong is probably one of the best children's literature authors you may have never heard of. I had never heard of him before I started using Sonlight's homeschooling curriculum. Over the past few years, we have read Wheel on the School, Shadrach, and Along Came a Dog in school, so when I saw this... Continue Reading →
Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree
For the past two years, Anna has been longing, longing, longing to be a part of the Mother-Daughter book club at our library. It is for girls in 4th through 6th grade. She's been waiting and waiting and now, tonight, will be her first opportunity to participate. She is beyond excited. And I, her mother,... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 