Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
Normally, I am not a fan of diary-form fiction, but I am making an exception for Karen Cushman's excellent book Catherine, Called Birdy. Birdy is an energetic, sharp-tongued girl living in medieval England. She hates wearing skirts, hemming sheets, spinning, and needlepoint - basically everything about being a daughter of a knight. She is especially... Continue Reading →
Sage is an orphan, always getting into trouble - but the worst sort of trouble is upon him. Bought from the orphanage by a nobleman, Sage finds himself in the company of Conner (the nobleman), his servants (Mott and Cregan), and three other orphans. Conner's plan is to position one of them as the missing... Continue Reading →
Jonas' world sounds perfect. Everyone realizes when they've given offense, and apologizes. Those who've been offended always accept the apology. Each evening over dinner, Jonas' family discuss their feelings, and every morning over breakfast, they discuss their dreams. Their lives are regimented. Controlled. Everyone does what he or she is supposed to do. Jonas knows... Continue Reading →
Mrs. Frisby, a timid, widowed mouse, has a dilemma. And it’s dire. Her youngest son, always weak, has taken seriously ill. Thankfully, he’s recovering, but he cannot move to their summer home before the plow comes through the garden and wrecks their winter home. What can she do? Courageously, she seeks advice from some unlikely... Continue Reading →
P.K. Pinkerton is in deep trouble... in more ways than one. He is at the bottom of a silver mine, trying to figure out a way to outwit Wittlin' Walt, the Very Bad Man after his inheritance. This is where we find P.K. at the beginning of The Case of the Deadly Desperados, by Caroline... Continue Reading →
What is truly amazing about Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy is that this young man could write such a beautiful book from the first-person perspective of a young Afgani girl. Zulaikha (thankfully, there’s pronunciation guide in the back of the book) loves her family, especially her older sister and her father. They don’t... Continue Reading →
Maggie Fortini listens to every game her beloved Brooklyn Dodgers play, usually at the firehouse with her father’s former co-workers. When Jim joins the firehouse, she is shocked to discover he is a huge fan of the Dodgers arch-rivals, the New York Giants. She determines to never be his friend. But slowly, he wins her... Continue Reading →
Before the dreaded plague swept through London in 1665, Michael Cornhill lived a very happy life with his foster family. But Master Cornhill by Eloise Jarvis McGraw is not a book about the plague. The story opens with Michael returning to London after spending a winter in the countryside to escape the plague. But the... Continue Reading →
Moose is not happy about leaving his best friend in Santa Monica to move to Alcatraz Island. He knows its not easy for his dad to find a job in the middle of the Great Depression, but it just isn't fair. His mom has pushed this move on his family because the Esther P Marinoff... Continue Reading →
Author Jon Scieszka has a gift for writing books that he would love to read. The more excellent news is that lots of children - especially boys - love to read his books too. For boys ready for short chapter books, I’ve found the pickings quite slim - especially if you’re not into the latest... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 