Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
If you or your child is studying the Middle Ages, you must get a copy of Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz. In it, you'll read from nearly two dozen viewpoints about life in a medieval village - from the lord's nephew, to the begger, from the blacksmith's... Continue Reading →
Children and teens sometimes wrestle with the question of courage - what does it mean to be courageous? How can I have courage when I'm so scared? Hobie Hansen constantly asks himself those questions, especially since his dad is courageously fighting in World War II. He finds great comfort in his dog Duke, who accompanies... Continue Reading →
Children can have a hard time thinking of history in personal terms. It happened so long ago, to strangers - it's hard to imagine they are real people. That's why I like Pearl by Debby Atwell so much. Pearl traces the history of America from it's roots to the 1960's through the story of one... Continue Reading →
The newspapers today are full of stories of soldiers struggling to re-adapt to civilian life, living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among other things. It made me ask the question - what about the soldiers of the past? Did veterans of World War I or II suffer from similar issues? What about those who fought... Continue Reading →
It's hard to imagine a time when books were expensive and not readily available, especially for children. Clara and the Bookwagon by Nancy Smiler Levinson tells the story of Clara, who badly wants to learn to read, but does not have anyone to teach her. Clara lives on a small farm, where there are no... Continue Reading →
I am continually in awe of author Patricia Polacco's childhood. She must have grown up in a family rich in storytellers, because many of her picture books come from her own experiences, or family history. Uncle Vova's Tree is one such book. Some of her ancestors came from Russia, and celebrated the Russian Orthodox Christmas... Continue Reading →
Lucy and Glory are orphans living in a workhouse in London. Lucy remembers having a family, and a home, but Glory was only a baby when the fever took their parents. In order to survive deplorable conditions, Lucy whispers stories in Glory's ear after lights out - stories of their mother, their father, their home... Continue Reading →
If your library does not include the Little House books, the semi-autobiographical novels by Laura Ingalls Wilder, put them on your Christmas list! Every home should have a set of these. The series start with Little House in the Big Wood, where Laura and her sisters live with their parents. She includes all sorts of interesting... Continue Reading →
Letty Wright is beside herself. The British are coming, and she doesn't have time to catch her flock of geese. Instead, she tries to chase Solomon, her gander, and his wives out of the barnyard. But he won't listen, and her family is about to leave without her. Letty gives up the chase, and instead... Continue Reading →
Ranofer dreams of becoming a goldsmith in Ancient Egypt. He was well on his way to becoming one too, until his father died. Now Ranofer lives with his truly awful half brother, and instead being apprenticed to a goldsmith, works as a laborer in a goldsmith's shop. He dreams of changing his destiny, but cannot... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 