Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
Note: I wrote this review in 2015, but am just now publishing it. Excitement reigned at my house last month. My youngest daughter realized that the library finally had processed the newest book about one of our favorite literary families, the Penderwicks. The day we got the email that her hold was ready, I made... Continue Reading →
Abilene Tucker has only known life on the road. She and her daddy followed the railways, living in camps while her daddy worked odd jobs to keep them fed. Then one day, her daddy sent her away to live in Manifest, Kansas. Manifest, Kansas. Why there? Why now? Abilene feels abandoned. She knows how to... Continue Reading →
Jack Baker has lost his mother and his home all at once. He also gained a father he's not seen since before World War II began. They don't know how to be together without Jack's mom. And now Jack is at a strange boarding school in Maine - a continent away from his home in... Continue Reading →
Sora Pak and her family live by a very strict set of rules. The family Bible is hidden under the floor. They must attend the local communist meetings. Their friends and neighbors keep disappearing. But they are afraid to leave their North Korean village. Until the war comes so close, they decide this is their... Continue Reading →
Bronze and Sunflower are the names of two children in China who become inseparable friends - and eventually family. This sweet story by Cao Wenxuan was translated from Chinese by Helen Wang. Set during the Cultural Revolution, Bronze and Sunflower is a story of love, hardships and family life in the Chinese countryside (and not... Continue Reading →
Heroes of the Holocaust by Allan Zullo and Mara Bovsun may seem like strange reading for Christmastime. I found it to be the perfect book to read to remind me of all the blessings I have in the midst of a difficult year. This book highlights teens from around Europe and their stories of resistance... Continue Reading →
He has no memory of what happened. Or who he is. Because his past is blank, Brother Andrew decides to name him Alexander - Xan for short. So Xan joins the life of the Abbey, hoping that at some point he’ll remember what happened and find his real family. Shadow in the Dark by Antony... Continue Reading →
Retelling fairy tales is a popular pastime these days. Did Gail Carson Levine start this trend with her clever retelling of Cinderella and other fairy tales? It doesn’t matter, really. What matters are the fun and excellent books which have come about as authors give their spin on well-known stories. In The Cottage in the... Continue Reading →
How can anyone resist a book with such an adorable puppy on the cover? Not me, that’s who. Plus, one of my favorite authors, Joan Bauer, wrote Raising Lumie, so choosing it at the library was a no-brainer. Olive has done her research. She has saved her money and has started working towards her goal... Continue Reading →
I was surprised to find that Gail Carson Levine (Ella Enchanted) wrote a historical fiction novel, yet was willing to give it a try. Let’s just say my weekend to-do list is still waiting for me because I spent my time reading. Loma loves listening to her Bela’s bedtime stories, learning how to cook and... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 