• Reviews

    The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

    I have been waiting for December 1st to be able to post this book.  This has got to be one of my all time favorite Christmas stories – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by, Barbara Robinson.  This story was published in 1972 and it shows if you read it now,…

  • Reviews

    The Penderwicks at Point Mouette

    Jeanne Birdsall has done it again, this time with the story, The Penderwicks at Point Mouette.  Birdsall captures the joy and heartache that comes with growing up.  Rosalind, the oldest Penderwick goes on vacation with a friend while the rest of the sisters go to Maine to visit Aunt Claire with their good…

  • Reviews

    Breadcrumbs

    Breadcrumbs written by Anne Ursu and illustrated by Erin Mcguire is a modern-day fairy tale based on Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen.  This retelling is about two best friends Hazel and Jack who do everything together even when it’s deemed uncool by the other kids at school.  They have wonderful imaginations,…

  • Reviews

    A Monster Calls

    A Monster Calls written by Patrick Ness is a dark tale of loss surrounded by the pen-and-ink illustrations of Jim Kay.  Ness weaves a beautifully haunting story with illustrations that become part of the text.  The idea behind this novel came from Siobhan Dowd, but due to her premature death from…

  • Activities

    Read-Aloud Program for Elementary Age Kids

    Probably, my fondest memory of school was being read-aloud to by any number of teachers that I was lucky enough to have from elementary school all the way through high school.  Not only my teachers, but my parents also read aloud to all of my siblings and me.  Now, that in…

  • Reviews

    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…

  • Reviews

    Maze Runner

    So, I finally got a chance to read Maze Runner by James Dashner and I loved it!  That being said, I also loved The Hunger Games trilogy.  Maze Runner is fast paced with interesting characters and a plot that makes you want to know more. Thomas, the main character, wakes up…

  • Activities

    Yoga Story Time

    Let me begin my post by letting you know that I have gone to maybe a total of 6 yoga classes in my entire life.  I love yoga, it’s just that class schedules never seem to work with my schedule.  But, I had heard about yoga story time at a…

  • Reviews

    Eight Keys

    Eight Keys written by Suzanne LaFleur is the coming-of-age story of a sixth grade girl named Elise whose entire world is changing and she can’t manage to keep up.  She starts her 6th grade year at a new middle school where her locker partner bullies her, her best friend Franklin seems to…

  • Reviews

    Love, Inc.

    Zahra, Kali, and Syd met at group therapy for teens whose parents have divorced.  These three teens are complete opposites with one thing in common – the same boyfriend!  The girls combine forces to take revenge of the cheating scumbag and in doing so create their own consulting  business for teens…