Recently Reviewed Books

The Hundred Dresses

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, illustrated by Louis Slobodkin This is a story about Wanda.  But, it is also a story about Maddie, and about Peggy.  It is a story about being a little different, and a story about bullying and how a group treats someone who is a little different. Wanda was a…

An Undone Fairy Tale

An Undone Fairy Tale, by Ian Lendler, illustrated by Whitney Martin First, let me say that my daughter loves this book.  There is something about the illustrations, and the book not being ready yet, and the resourcefulness of those trying to get the book ready for the reader.  Well….this one is bound to leave readers…

Bear Snores On

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman This was one of my children’s favorite books when they were toddlers.  It has a little of everything they loved:  animals, suspense, friendship, and text that flows along with rhymes. “In a cave in the woods, in his deep, dark lair, through the long, cold…

Henry Climbs a Mountain

Henry Climbs a Mountain, by D.B. Johnson This is a story of Henry David Thoreau and of slavery.  It is a story of hope and freedom.  In this picture book, D.B. Johnson portrays Henry David Thoreau (and other characters) as a bear. On a trip to town to get a shoe that was being repaired,…

Unspoken

Unspoken, A Story from the Underground Railroad, by Henry Cole In this powerful, wordless picture book, Cole tells the story of a young farm girl in the South around the time of the Civil War. The girl goes about her daily chores around the farm.  While collecting vegetables from a storage area, the girl hears…

King Arthur’s Very Great Grandson

King Arthur’s Very Great Grandson by Kenneth Kraegel “On the day Henry turned six years old, he woke up early, ate a large breakfast, mounted his trusty donkey, Knuckles, and went out in search of adventure.” Henry is the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson of King Arthur.  He receives gifts of a helmet and a sword (just his size)…

Jacob’s Tree

Jacob’s Tree by Holly Keller Jacob is the smallest in his family.  He is too little to reach the table and see into the bathroom mirror.  Jacob’s mother tells him he’ll be bigger soon.  Jacob’s father measures Jacob on a big elm tree outside their house, painting a mark so Jacob can see how much…

Because of Winn-Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo “My name is India Opal Buloni, and last summer my daddy, the preacher, sent me to the store for a box of macaroni-and-cheese, some white rice, and two tomatoes and I came back with a dog.” So begins this compelling middle grade novel by Kate DiCamillo. Opal, the main…

Leaves

Leaves by David Ezra Stein A young bear enjoys summer flowers and late summer blueberries.  Life is good. “Everything was going well until the first leaf fell.” The young bear is worried, and wonders if the leaf is okay.  When colorful leaves begin falling all over, the bear tries to catch them and put them…

Akiak

Akiak – A Tale from the Iditarod, by Robert J. Blake Akiak was an experienced lead dog – an intelligent dog who was good at finding the trail, noticing hidden dangers (like thin ice or big rocks), and who understood what the human musher wanted the dog team to do.  She was part of a…

The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy)

The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy) by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham When Mark Twain’s (Samuel Clemens) daughter, Susy, was 13 years old, she wrote a biography about her father.  Susy watched her father and recorded things about him – appearance, family life, work habits, and some of the discussions they had. Susy…

The Cobble Street Cousins

The Cobble Street Cousins series by Cynthia Rylant has a sweet, old-timey feel – with everyday things making the stories, and nothing really upsetting happening.  These books are great for newer readers who are ready to tackle chapter books (around 55 pages), but still enjoy having smaller illustrations on most pages.  The series has at…