Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
The whole town of San Lorenzo is preparing for the annual Christmas parade. Eleven-year-old Maria Gonzaga listens longingly to her friends' plans for their floats. Their families are hiring designers to create breath-taking floats - and Maria longs to participate. But San Lorenzo's parade has long been for the wealthy Anglo ranchers, not the Mexican-Americans.... Continue Reading →
It does seem odd putting "Lemony Snicket" and "Christmas Books" together in a title. Snicket is best known for his children's book series A Series of Unfortunate Events - books which I tried reading. However, I could not enjoy them because they were so depressing. So what inspired me to pick up Lemony Snicket's Christmas... Continue Reading →
Children may think that Americans have celebrated Thanksgiving since the very first Thanksgiving the Pilgrims celebrated with Squanto and his friends. While in one sense this is true, Thanksgiving wasn't established as a national holiday until much later in history. Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson explains the history of Thanksgiving as a holiday,... Continue Reading →
Tom Hawkins does not remember his parents. He feels compelled to climb around the buildings at his boarding school in England - especially on stormy nights. One night, as he climbs to the school's bell tower, he runs into trouble. He's not sure what kind of trouble, exactly, which makes it worse. Men in black... 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 →
As a child, I read Beverly Cleary's books over and over and over again. I couldn't get enough of Ramona, Beezus, Henry Huggins and Ralph S. Mouse. Cleary's books reflect childhood wonderfully - a simple childhood, with simple problems, like what are the real words to the national anthem? How will I get this dog... Continue Reading →
Almost every child has harbored the desire to run away from home. For those who haven't worked up the courage to do so, Jennifer Larue Huget's The Beginner's Guide to Running Away From Home will help. Or will it? The main character is running away from home. He has many reasons to do so, and... Continue Reading →
Over my toes goes the soft sea wash see the sea wash the soft sand slip see the sea slip the soft sand slide see the sea slide the soft sand slap see the sea slap the soft sand wash over my toes. Readers will find fun, rhyming poems, silly stories and funny illustrations in... Continue Reading →
The cover illustration of children riding stone winged lions through the air caught my attention. It looked interesting - and unusual. And Through the Skylight by Ian Baucom certainly was both interesting and unusual. Set in modern-day Venice, siblings Jared, Shireen and Miranda are stuck exploring every. single. art. exhibit. in this Italian city. Their... Continue Reading →
A fairy tale written by George MacDonald, The Light Princess has echos of Sleeping Beauty - a forgetful king does not invite a guest he should have invited to his daughter's christening. But there the similarities end. The king forgets to invite his own spiteful, but terribly clever, sister. She comes anyway. In her clever... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 