Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
I have to be honest. When I first finished My Happy Life by Rose Lagercrantz, I wondered, "What was that about?" It didn't particularly strike me as a great book. But the more I thought about it, the more the story grew on me and the more I liked it. Dani, the main character, is... Continue Reading →
A Scottie and his ball get separated, so he traverses his apartment building trying to find it. While searching, he makes friends with the other animals in his building, and when they eventually find his ball, they all play together. Scout by Gordon McMillian is a sweet story, full of simple illustrations which will catch... Continue Reading →
Emily lives a very quiet life. She never runs, never shouts, and hardly plays. She lives with her mother and the wealthy Miss Luella Nash, who doesn't like noise at all. But then, Emily finds herself alone in the world, after a horrible carriage accident. And suddenly, everyone wants to make decisions for her -... Continue Reading →
Visits to great-grandparents can reveal a lot about children, and about the great-grandparent. In The Matchbox Diary, a young girl meets her great-grandfather for the first time. As she explores his library full of collections, he invites her to choose something and he will tell her about it. She chooses a cigar box full of... Continue Reading →
Brush of the Gods by Lenore Look and illustrated by Meilo So tells the story of Wu Daozi, one of China's greatest painters. As with all historical great figures, his story has been enlarged and exaggerated, although his artistic ability was not. Look writes a fictional account of Daozi's life, based upon references in Chinese... Continue Reading →
I think James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl is almost as well-known as his Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (which I'm embarrassed to say, I've not read - yet!) - especially since it has been made into a movie. If you've only watched the movie, I urge you to read the book -... Continue Reading →
If I asked you, "Who is Golem?", you'd probably answer, "That horrible creature from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings who coveted the One Ring." You'd be right, even though Tolkein spells the name differently. But Golem is a mythical character from Jewish folklore - long pre-dating Tolkein's work. In fact, knowing the... Continue Reading →
Have you ever met that uber-confident child? The one who knows who she is and is not afraid to be herself? Gooney Bird Greene is such a child. Her presence lights up the classroom. Everyone looks forward to seeing her and hearing her stories. The kind of confidence Gooney Bird exhibits is endearing in a... Continue Reading →
The friendship between General George Washington & the Marquis de Lafayette is legendary. Author Selene Castrovilla tells the story of their first meeting in Revolutionary Friends: General George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette. She starts at the moment Lafayette is in City Tavern in Philadelphia, ready to meet his hero, George Washington. She then... Continue Reading →
Remember those joyful summer evenings spent playing by the light of the moon? Author Janice May Udry captures the fun frolicking in her book The Moon Jumpers, illustrated by Maurice Sendak (of Where the Wild Things Are fame). This picture book is truly a picture book - lots of colorful, and black & white, drawings... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 