Listology
Pigs Galore
This past September, after years of writing and teaching the writing of realistic YA fiction, I was pleased to launch into the world a set of four early chapter books. Not surprisingly, the challenge of telling a story in 1000 words instead of 60,000 was huge. It was not the only challenge. Instead of focusing on a teen girl
Theater Geeks!
If your children (or you) are captivated by talent shows on TV, or dreams of acting on the stage, or the next theater production at school, there are a chorus line of books just waiting to audition for your next favorite. Here’s a mixture of classic and new stories, ranging in interest from grades 3 through 7. All
Read Out Loud for Easter
As you prepare to celebrate Easter, we encourage you to include books in your celebration. A tradition of reading out loud before Easter dinner, after Easter dinner, as you awaken on Easter morning … perhaps each day during Holy Week? Here are a few gems we believe you and your family will treasure. Happy Easter! At
Thanksgiving is a Good Time for a Book
As food is being prepared and family gathers, as food is being digested and some people are napping, as sports and shopping beckon, perhaps it’s a good time to take out a stack of Thanksgiving books to read aloud as a family.
Third Grader Reading at a Sixth Grade Level
Responding to a parent request for books that would interest her third-grader-reading-at-a-sixth-grade-level, we crowd-sourced a list. Big thanks to Sara Alcott, Linda Baie, Lesley Mandros Bell, Karen Cramer, Caren Creech, Melinda Fant, Ellen Klarreich, Vickie LoPiccolo, Ellen McEvoy, Laura Moe, Tunie Munson-Benson, Vicki Palmquist, Carrie Shay, Faythe Dyrud Thureen, Cindy Walker, and Sharon J. Wilson. Unlike our
Books about Chocolate
February is National Chocolate Month, so how could we let it pass by without an homage to chocolate … in books? Far less costly on the dental bill! “In 2009, more than 58 million pounds of chocolate were purchased and (likely) consumed in the days surrounding February 14th — that’s about $345 million worth. (Kiri Tannenbaum, “8
Books about Chickens
Whether a chicken makes you cluck, BAWK! or cheep-cheep-cheep, books about chickens make us laugh. We may not have been introduced to a chicken in real life but, trust me, some people keep them as egg-laying wonders and other people keep them as pets. These fowl have been around in many colors, types, and breeds in most
Books about Trees
With hats off to our friends at the tree-festooned Iowa Arboretum, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chicago Botanic Gardens, and Omaha’s Lauritzen Gardens, this list is dedicated to arborists everywhere, professional and amateur … you take care of an essential part of our ecosystem. Thank you. Here’s a list of books for younger and older children, fiction and nonfiction. We hope
Quirky Book Lists: Classroom Pets
Thinking about adding a classroom pet? Read and think again! 8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel [÷] 1 Dog = Chaos written by Vivian Vande Velde illustrated by Steve Bjorkman Holiday House, 2012 Squirrel likes living near a school playground. He’s not so sure about going inside, though, especially when he’s chased there by a dog and all the
A Trip to the Art Museum
by Vicki Palmquist Arlo’s Artrageous Adventure! David LaRochelle Sterling Children’s Books, 2013 When Arlo’s grandmother drags him to the art museum, he can’t imagine how he’ll be interested. Something odd catches his eye and he soon realizes the paintings have things to say that surprise and delight him — and the reader. Fun and quirky, with
Quirky Book Lists: Go Fly a Kite!
by The Bookologist Curious George Flies a Kite H.A. Rey HMH Books for Young Readers, 1977 (reissue of 1958 edition)Ages 5 – 8 First George is curious about some bunnies, then about fishing, and then about his friend Billy’s kite. All’s well that ends well. Ages 5 – 8. Days with Frog and Toad Arnold Lobel 1979 HarperCollinsAges 4 – 8 Five
Books Starring Dachshunds
Dozens of Dachsunds Stephanie Calmensonillustrated by Zoe PersicoBloomsbury, 2021 A parade of dachsunds! There are seventy-eight dachsunds in all, dressed in costumes as other animals, insects, birds, and dinosaurs! They waggle by in groups of two, three, four … all to aid young readers in counting. Maybe best of all is the song included so you