Reading Ahead
You Should (Not) Read These Books
I remember my neighborhood friends standing on opposite sides of a driveway, angry, yelling loudly at each other. I don’t recall why, but I can still feel those emotions. That’s how strong feelings are. Our children deal with a multitude of emotions every day. You were probably remembering similar instances from your childhood. And what happened afterward? Most likely you
Wild Girl
WOW!*!&! I want to carry a backpack with me wherever I go, handing out a copy of this book to every person I see. I loved every daredevil, detailed, astonishing minute of reading this book. I believe you will, too. Mind, I grew up at a time where I heard two phrases constantly: “Sit still” and “Ladies don’t roughhouse.” Roughhouse meant any kind of running, climbing,
The Book Rescuer
I have had The Book Rescuer on my desk for several months. I immediately knew I wanted to write about it because I feel such a strong attraction to this story (a true story) but I had a hard time putting into words how deeply I am moved by the actions of this book hero. The story begins this way: “Kum aher. Sit down.
Yasmin
Once I finished reading Yasmin the Zookeeper, I was charmed. I wanted to find out more about this young Pakistani American girl who is curious about everything.
The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs
Our collection of cookbooks is vast. Some of them are in use more than others, and some of them are in rough shape from too much use. I’m always on the lookout for good cookbooks that will encourage young people to cook and to read about cooking, just as I did with the gift of my
The Next President
Who the next U.S.A. president will be is pre-occupying many minds around the world right now. This book takes a stance by telling us about the distinctive presidents of the past, a couple of sentences about every one of them, #1 through #45, and asks us to realize that the next ten presidents are probably alive right
Girls Garage
Don’t miss adding Girls Garage by Emily Pilloton to your bookshelves. It’s a terrific book specifically written to help young women gain the confidence they need to build anything they want to build. Highly recommended.
Bedtime for Sweet Creatures
Such a charming book! From Nikki Grimes, we hear the story of a young boy stalling his bedtime, all the while collecting a menagerie of imaginary creatures. This is a child who has well-practiced ploys for avoiding bedtime. His parents respond with playfulness and good humor. Mom and dad are patient but, finally, the child is too sleepy to
Equality’s Call
Written by Deborah Diesen in readable-out-loud verse with a refrain that reflects the cumulative action in the preceding pages, this picture book traces the diligent efforts of those who worked for decades to make America’s voting rights more inclusive. There is history here for everyone to know. The illustrations add passion and understanding to the text, helping
Under Threat
This oversized book is unforgettable. Both the art and the text are strong testaments about animals that are “threatened with extinction: critically endangered (the most threatened), endangered, and vulnerable (the least threatened).”
A to Zåäö
A to Zåäö is an alphabet book, a museum exhibit catalog, an introduction to the Swedish language, and a picture book illustrated by a mother’s watercolors and her son’s pen-and-ink drawings.
Humanimal
This book is a page-turner in all of the right ways. It’s an immensely readable nonfiction book that delivers memorable information. Best of all, I believe it will change hearts and minds about our relationship to animals, a necessary step in our evolution if we’re engaged in saving our planet.
I’m Gonna Push Through!
Have you felt like you couldn’t, wouldn’t, shouldn’t attempt something you really want to do? Maybe you’ve done a good job of convincing yourself you’re not up to making your goal. This is the book for you, your classroom, your book club, your dance troupe, your family … literally everyone who needs positive encouragement. As the author
The Big Book Adventure
You’ll never guess Where I have been Or who I met Or what I’ve seen. Shall I tell you? A pig and a striped-tail fox each begin with that refrain, leading the other one through an exciting revelation of the books they’ve just read. They become a part of the story they’re telling, just as one does when one falls in love
McDuff Moves In
When I was young, my mother and I lived in a succession of apartments, none of which allowed pets. I had a fervent hope for a dog or a cat, an animal friend to love. Every year for Christmas, I received a new stuffed animal, usually a dog because my mother didn’t care for cats. I still have those stuffed animals, but I’ve never had a pet.