-
Secret Letters
I love all things Sherlock Holmes (if haven’t seen the BBC show, Sherlock – it’s definitely worth your while), so it wasn’t surprising that when I saw Secret Letters come across my desk I picked it up immediately. Secret Letters, written by Leah Scheier, is an interesting take on Sherlock…
-
Ghost Knight
Ghost Knight written by Cornelia Funke is an entertaining read for children in grades 3 – 6. The story is about an 11-year-old boy named Jon Whitcroft who is sent away to boarding school where he encounters a vengeful ghost wishing for his head. A classmate by the name of…
-
The Crowfield Curse
If the deepest secret has been spoken… can the deadliest curse be broken? So begins, The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh a medieval story about an orphan 14-year-old, William, and the abbey he serves. After finding a magical hobgoblin in the woods, in dire need of help, William learns that he…
-
Book Review: Promise the Night
Over the weekend I read Promise the Night written by Michaela MacColl. It’s a historical fiction novel about Beryl Markham, the first pilot to fly solo from England to North America. I’ll be honest, before I read this book, I had never heard of her but, after reading about her life –…
-
May B.
May B. by Caroline Starr Rose is a sparsely written story in verse that conjures pictures of the rolling prairies and the vast emptiness that they used to be. May B. is a 12-year old girl sent to a neighboring homestead 15 miles away “just until Christmas” as her Pa…
-
The Lions of Little Rock
The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine is a story about two young girls growing up in the late 1950s during the time of the Little Rock Nine. Marlee, a white girl, meets Liz on the first day of school and they become friends almost right away. Liz is the…
-
The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale
The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale is written by Carmen Agra Deedy, the author of The Library Dragon, and Martina, The Beautiful Cockroach, and 14 Cows for America, among many others and Randall Wright. I was hesitant to pick this book up because I’m not really one for…
-
Lively Listening (read aloud) Program
This post is actually a cheat, because I’ve posted on this topic before. I think reading aloud to kids of all ages is just as important as it is to babies and toddlers. This week for our Lively Listening program I focused on informational texts, biographies, and historical fiction. These…
-
Jefferson’s Sons
Jefferson’s Sons written by Kimberly Bradley is a very interesting historical fiction novel about Thomas Jefferson children he had with his slave, Sally Hemings. Although these children received better work assignments, better clothing and shoes, and even violin lessons, they were still considered slaves on their father’s plantation, Monticello. I really…
-
Between Shades of Gray
Between Shades of Gray is a beautifully written novel about a part of World War II that is often overlooked. Lina’s family is deported from Lithuania and are forced to work in labor camps in Siberia. The story follows their harrowing journey by truck, cattle car, and boat to the…