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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
I absolutely loved this story! The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane was written by Kate DiCamillo, the same author who wrote Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Desperaux, among many others. You take the journey of a china rabbit named Edward Tulane, from his quiet existence with his little girl Abilene,…
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Childhood Favorites
My brother and sister-in-law came out to visit me for a long weekend and as we were catching up with each other’s lives, my brother turns to me and asks if I remember a certain book from our childhood that my mom read aloud to us. Let me…
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Step Gently Out
Step Gently Out written by Helen Frost with photography by Rick Lieder is a beautifully written poem about being outside and noticing the small things in nature. The brief, descriptive language is paired beautifully with close-up photography of insects in nature. At the end of the poem there is a section…
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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 –…
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Robot Zombie Frankenstein
I have found the cutest, most fun book to share with boys (and girls!) in preschool through first and even second grade. The book’s title is Robot Zombie Frankenstein and it is written by Annette Simon. This book uses a child’s imagination and sense of play as two robots who…
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It’s Never Too Early to Think About the Newbery Award
In recent years, I’ve begun following the Newbery Award more closely. It’s extremely interesting because the Newbery Committee does not provide the public with a short list of books that they are looking at for receiving the award, but there are plenty of blogs circling the blogosphere that offer their own opinions…
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The False Prince
The False Prince written by Jennifer A. Neilsen is an exciting new book, the first in a trilogy ( The Ascendance Trilogy), that stars characters so well written, it feels like you know them in real-life. The book is described by Booklist as a action-oriented fantasy, but it’s less fantasy and…
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The One and Only Ivan
The One and OnlyIvan written by Katherine Applegate is a “first-gorilla” narrative about Ivan’s life as he lives and works at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. When he makes a promise to an old friend, it is up to Ivan to help a new baby elephant find…
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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…
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Skippyjon Jones Party
If you have never heard of Skippyjon Jones, I beg you, please run to your nearest bookstore or library and pick up a copy. Skippyjon Jones is a rambunctious Siamese kitten who, with the help of his closet and his imagination becomes El Skippito, the great Mexican sword fighter and…