Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
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 →
This short book by John Reynolds Gardiner must have been a reader for my children when we were homeschooling, because I don’t ever remember reading it before this morning. Little Willy is concerned for his grandfather, who suddenly took to his bed and quit talking and laughing with Willy. Doc Smith says nothing is wrong... Continue Reading →
Coronavirus quarantine has me revisiting old friends. I pulled a box of books from the storage unit and my daughter went through it, looking for familiar faces she wanted to re-read. She can’t read them all at once, so I grabbed a few I wanted to read again from her stack. Detectives in Togas by... Continue Reading →
Do you need a good sobfest? Read The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin. Suzy has decided to stop talking. Something really bad happened the last time she talked to her good friend, so she’s not saying anything. Not to her mom. Not to her dad. Not to her brother. Not at school. Then her... Continue Reading →
Matthew J. Kirby is back! I was so very happy when I found The Lost Kingdom, his latest book, at the library. I actually grabbed the audio book, which is excellently read by Charlie McWade. The Lost Kingdom is another entry into Kirby’s unique genre, which I call historical fantasy. It’s historical - set right... Continue Reading →
It seems like a crazy title - how on earth can a war save someone's life? But the title is true to the book. In The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Ada tells her story first-hand. It's a difficult story of abuse and neglect. Ada is crippled, and her mother refuses... Continue Reading →
If you're looking for a tiny little gift for your valentine - one that won't die in two days, or add inches to her waistline - I encourage you to pick up She Loves Me... She Loves Me Not... by Robert Keeshan. Although you will read through this tiny picture book quickly, it's a fun... Continue Reading →
Marcia Williams has created a fun companion to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in Lizzy Bennet's Diary. Williams follows the storyline of Pride and Prejudice closely, including illustrations and small details of life not included in the book - like the fancy buttonholes Elizabeth is embroidering on a new waistcoat for her father. She also includes the "letters"... Continue Reading →
Can a kite really bridge two nations? Homan Walsh wonders the same thing. But Homan loves to fly kites, so when he finds out about a contest for kite flyers, he is ready to compete. The winner will receive $10 and the honor of determining the place to build a bridge between the U.S. and... Continue Reading →
