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The Truth of Me
I have loved Patricia MacLachlan’s writing since I read Sarah, Plain and Tall. I couldn’t have been very old when I read it, but I remember it so clearly. The Truth of Me is MacLachlan’s newest book and still her voice and writing is as strong as ever. She is…
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White Fur Flying
White Fur Flying by Patricia MacLachlan was a quick read – perfect for young readers just starting to read chapter books. This story hit home for me because my aunt rescued a Great Pyrenees/Golden Retriever mix and the story surrounding these loving giants was exactly how her dog, Madison, is…
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe written by Benjamin Alire Saenz is a coming-of-age story about an angry, young Mexican boy and how he learns the secrets to his own universe and learns about himself and his family. Aristotle is essentially an only child, his twin sisters are much older…
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The Second Life of Abigail Walker
Bullying has become a huge issues in schools across America and it has clearly bled into children’s literature as well. The Second Life of Abigail Walker by Frances O’Roark Dowell is a book about rising above the bullies and believing in yourself, even when you’re not quite sure what that means. …
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Kids & Family Reading Report ~ 4th Ed.
The percent of children who have read an ebook has almost doubled since 2010 (25% vs. 46%).Scholastic published their Kids & Family Reading Report, 4th Edition today with results both expected and surprising. Check out Scholastic’s website for the full report. A few highlights: The percent of children who have…
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When Santa Fell to Earth
As many others out there do, I drove multiple hours to get to my parent’s house for the Christmas holiday and I have found that if I can find a really good book on CD that the trip goes that much more quickly. As I was perusing the shelves before…
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Twas the Night Before Christmas
Create a new tradition and read a few Christmas stories on your own or share some with you family today! One of my favorites is The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. Every time I read it, I can hear my mom’s voice reading this story to us when we…
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Family Place Library Training
I’m away from my library for most of this week at a 4-day training so that our library can become a Family Place Library which means more offering more services to our families and young children. I’m so excited to learn more about early childhood development and how our library…
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Dear Blue Sky
There are a number of middle grade stories about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but Dear Blue Sky written by Mary Sullivan, is one of the most realistic, heart wrenching, and real accounts of what life is like both for Americans and for people across the globe. The story begins…
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Liar & Spy
Written by Newbery Award Winning writer, Rebecca Stead, Liar & Spy is a tale of mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. When Georges (the s is silent) moves into an apartment building in Brooklyn, he meets Safer a kid his own age and a self-appointed spy…