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 →
Elephant and Piggie
Children just beginning to read will greatly enjoy reading any Elephant and Piggie book by Mo Willems - and better yet, their parents will enjoy listening to them! Mo Willems has a great sense of humor, which comes out in all his books. I reviews his Pigeon books earlier, but felt that the Elephant and... Continue Reading →
Small Acts of Amazing Courage
Rosalind wonders again and again, "How can kindness get you into so much trouble?" Her father is away at war, and her mother is sick, so Rosalind is left on her own. Well, not exactly her own. There are always plenty of servants around her house in British India. She gets rather tired of hanging... Continue Reading →
Apple
Apple by Nikki McClure will delight very young readers. Each page includes one word detailing the journey an apple takes. Each word is illustrated with McClure's beautiful paper cuts in black and red. Recommended for infants through age 5.
Great Joy
Kate DiCamillo, the author who brought us Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tiger Rising, and other great books, has now ventured into the picture book category. And nailed it. Great Joy tells the story of Frances, who is greatly concerned for the monkey and an organ grinder, who appears on the street below her apartment. She... Continue Reading →
The True Gift
In The True Gift by Patricia MacLachlan, Lily and Liam are glad to be at their grandparents' farm, preparing for Christmas. They are looking forward to reading lots of books, visiting the "lilac library" in town, and baking Christmas cookies. But then Liam spots the White Cow in the meadow at Gran and Grandpa's farm. ... Continue Reading →
An Orange for Frankie
In the modern age of consumerism and materialism at Christmas, Patricia Polacco's An Orange for Frankie tells a beautiful story of gratefulness and generosity. Based upon Polacco's own family history, the picture book tells the story of Frankie, the youngest boy in a large family. It's close to Christmas during the Great Depression, and the... Continue Reading →
The Third Gift
How many times have you heard the Christmas story, and the gifts of the wise men from the East? How many times have you wondered, "what exactly is myrrh?" The Third Gift by Linda Sue Park is beautifully illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline, and tells the story of a young boy who is learning his father's... Continue Reading →
The Trees of the Dancing Goats
Author and illustrator Patricia Polacco had a wonderfully interesting childhood, which makes for delightful pictures books (read more here) - and her holiday books are no exception. In The Trees of the Dancing Goats, Polacco describes one Hanukkah she celebrated with her mother, brother and grandparents in snowy Michigan. She tells about her family's traditions... Continue Reading →
Little House Christmas
Generally, I am not a fan of repackaging beloved stories for marketing purposes, but I make an exception for the Little House story books. (See my review of other Little House story books here.) For the holidays, HarperCollins Publishers pulled out all the Christmas's Laura Ingalls Wilder described in some of her Little House on... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 