Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
I picked up Crossing the Farak River by Michelle Aung Thin at my local library because I noticed the name - and then when I read the description, realized it’s set in Myanmar (or Burma). My dad has travelled there many times, so I’ve developed an interest in the country and its people. Crossing the... Continue Reading →
Here’s a classic I have never read - until this weekend. I found it in the homeschool box, realized the kids all had to read it and thought I’d better read it, too. Who knew Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne would be so captivating? Maybe you did, but I didn’t! This... Continue Reading →
Wayne Grover met the real-life Ali in the mid-1970’s when he was in Saudi Arabia for his job. A lifelong mountain climber, he wanted to explore the deep rifts he’d heard about along the western edge of the Arabian desert. As he explored, he came upon a remote village deep in a rift larger than... Continue Reading →
When Turtle’s mom gets a maid position with a woman who doesn’t like children, her mom sends her to her aunt’s house in Key West. In the middle of the Great Depression, you do what you have to do to get by. Turtle’s aunt and cousins aren’t thrilled to see her. And she isn’t thrilled... Continue Reading →
Georgie knows that her sister is not dead. She believes it with all her heart - even after the sheriff brings back a body with long auburn hair wearing her sister's ballgown. Even after her mother identifies the body as Agatha, Georgie's sister. Even after the whole town turns out for Agatha's funeral. Georgie refuses... Continue Reading →
E.L. Konigsburg is best known for her wonderful book From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. She also wrote one of our family's favorite books, A View from Saturday. Now, I have to tell you about another of her books, A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver. This book focuses on the historical... Continue Reading →
Galwyn Varianus is down on his luck. His father is dead and his fortune gone, so Galwyn must apprentice to his uncle, a boat captain. He hates life at sea, but seeing no other option, does his best to fit in and work hard. Then, his uncle agrees to take on passengers - passengers who... Continue Reading →
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 →
Recently, my children and I learned quite a bit about the work women did to help the war effort during the Civil War. Quite a few women dressed up as men, and joined the army. Other women were couriers or spies. Behind Rebel Lines: The Incredible Story of Emma Edmonds, Civil War Spy by Seymour... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 