Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
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 Granddaughter Necklace by Sharon Dennis Wyeth is loosely based upon a necklace handed down from her grandmother. She imagined it had been handed down from the most distant relation she was able to find - a woman who had immigrated to America from Ireland. Instead of starting with Frances, the most distant relative, Wyeth... 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 →
Most people are familiar with the American folk song, Yankee Doodle: Yankee Doodle went to town, riding on a pony... (Are you singing it now?) Even if you're not familiar with the song, you'll enjoy reading Tom Angleberger's book Crankee Doodle. In this picture book, the soldier of the American Revolution is - you guessed... Continue Reading →
Some of my kids are afraid to attend the public schools because they've read so much about bullies. It doesn't matter what I say, what their public-schooled siblings say - they have seared into their brains the stories they've read or listened to about bullies at school. Bully by Laura Vaccaro Seeger will be a... Continue Reading →
My cousin is having a baby, and instead of cards they requested that we give books. I scoured my shelves, looking at the board books and picture books I had saved from when my children were tiny. Of course I couldn't find a single book I could give up! In my scouring, I came across... Continue Reading →
How odd is it that an otter would fall in love with his food source? Everyone agrees, it's pretty odd. Unusual. Impossible, even. Otter cannot love a fish. It is just not right. After much consternation, wondering and questioning, Otter realizes that he does love a fish. And the fish loves Otter. So they buck... Continue Reading →
As Penny plays outside with her doll, she spots a beautiful blue marble in her neighbor's yard. She wonders if she should take it, and she decides she can. But Penny hadn't asked permission to have the marble, and as her conscience nags her, she loses interest in life. When she finally decides to return... Continue Reading →
I have to be honest. When I first finished My Happy Life by Rose Lagercrantz, I wondered, "What was that about?" It didn't particularly strike me as a great book. But the more I thought about it, the more the story grew on me and the more I liked it. Dani, the main character, is... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 