Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
Moses Thomas lives in Wilmington, North Carolina, and spends most of his time with Boo Nanny, his grandmother who was born into slavery. Boo Nanny is steeped in the old ways and the signs, and Moses listens to her stories with rapt attention. But as he grows older, and sees more of the world, he... Continue Reading →
Jack Plank loved being a pirate. His fellow pirates liked him a lot too. But after a bit, it became clear to everyone that Jack was no good at plundering. That was OK, because someone needed to stay behind and keep the soup warm. But then hard times hit pirating, and the pirates couldn't keep... Continue Reading →
Hope grew up moving from location to location as her Aunt Addie moves from job to job in the restaurant industry. The most recent move from Brooklyn to rural Wisconsin was forced by Addie's former business partner stealing all the diner's money - from the cash register and the bank accounts. Hope is frustrated and... Continue Reading →
Ani was supposed to meet her best friend Weevil. She was NOT supposed to be arrested by the governor's wardens. And Weevil was certainly not supposed to allow himself to be arrested too. And neither of them were supposed to be tested for the deadly plague running through the land - the Scourge. The River... Continue Reading →
Lily can’t wait to get away from school and the city and head to Rockaway Bay with her grandmother and father. But when she arrives, she realizes this summer is going to be different. Her best friend, Margaret, is moving to a war factory town. Then Lily discovers her father is leaving for the war,... Continue Reading →
Henry Bower loves rocks. He’s read about them, dug for them, studied them as much as possible - which is a lot, since he’s homeschooled. One night, he sees a meteorite fall from the sky - and it lands in his family’s field in rural Maine. What a day! He and his little sister, Birdie,... Continue Reading →
Pinmei's grandmother is the neighborhood storyteller and always has the perfect story for Pinmei and the villagers. But the emperor's soldiers break into Pinmei's house and kidnaps her grandmother. Fortunately, Grandmother was able to hid Pinmei in a large pot, so the soldiers didn't kidnap her. So Pinmei and her friend Yishan set out to... Continue Reading →
What fascinates me is how author Laura Marx Fitzgerald can write such compelling books and interest me in art at the same time. I thought Blue Balliett did a fairly good job merging art and plot in her books Chasing Vermeer, etc. Laura Marx Fitzgerald takes it to another level. I enjoyed Under the Egg,... Continue Reading →
At the end of Pax, Peter and his pet fox, Pax, were separated. Pax, Journey Home picks up a year later. Pax is living in the wild with his mate, Bristle, and her brother, Runt. Peter is living with Vola, lonely and unwilling to let anyone into his heart. He’s grieving his father’s death in... Continue Reading →
The subtitle is what really made me pick up The Inquisitor's Tale by Adam Gidwitz - Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog. Gidwitz tells the story of these children through the recounting from many different people, all gathered at an inn in rural France during the Middle Ages. It's a fascinating tale... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 