Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin
If you stopped reading Breaking Stalin’s Nose after chapter 1, you might think Communism was a noble ideology. Everyone shares everything. There are 48 people living in Sasha’s little apartment and only one bathroom. He is often hungry, but never complains. Good Communists learn to repress cravings for such unimportant matters as food. It’s a…
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
I greatly enjoyed reading A Single Shard last week with our middle two girls, ages nine and ten. Tree-Ear is an orphan boy who lives under a bridge in 12th century Korea with Crane-man, a homeless man with a bad leg. He epitomizes the saying, “The wisdom of the wise is an uncommon degree of…
It Could Always Be Worse by Margot Zemach
It Could Always Be Worse is a good book to read with young children when the temptation to self-pity is high. (For us, that was last week when the stomach bug made its way through the family over Thanksgiving!) Humor can be an effective way to drive a needed message home without causing offense, and…
God’s Names by Sally Michael
“Cows have two ears. Truth? Or lie? Rocks are hard. Truth? Or lie? Horses have eight legs. Truth? Or lie? How do you know that last statement is a lie? You know because you have seen horses. You know they have four legs. Since you know the truth about horses, you know the lie is…
Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling C. Holling
I’m not sure if there’s a more delightful way to learn about the geography of the Great Lakes and the surrounding area, than with Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling Clancey Holling! The story begins with a young boy who places his wood carving of an Indian in a canoe into a stream near Lake Superior. Underneath the…
The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Hoberman
This book was a fun one! The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman was suggested to me a few times and it did not disappoint! Flipping through the pages, I knew they would be drawn in by the hilarious story and accompanying illustrations set to catchy rhyme (the artist, Marla Frazee deserves as much…
Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat
Owls In the Family by Farley Mowat was one of the books we enjoyed reading over a Winter break. If you have outdoor-loving, animal-hoarding, adventure-pursuing kids, this humorous account of boyish fun will only serve to deepen their interests (or spark it, if it’s not already there! ) A fun narrative involving a young boy,…
A Better Ending by Doreen Tamminga
Sometimes, when things get hectic (while dinner is cooking and everyone is tired and hungry, for example, or when it’s raining and there’s “nothing to do”), I find reading a short story generally puts everyone back in a good mood (including myself) and changes the atmosphere of the house for the better. Good short stories…
Tree in the Trail by Holling C. Holling
The kids unanimously agreed that after Paddle-To-The-Sea, Tree in the Trail was their next favorite Holling C. Holling geography book, followed by Seabird, and Minn of the Mississippi (we didn’t care so much for the last one, but looking forward to Pagoo next!) Tree in the Trail explores the history of the Great Plains by…
Spurgeon Stories for Children by Tony Hutter
Tony Hutter’s 5-book series, Spurgeon Stories For Children, is a family favorite! We bought them a few years ago to read with our older kids, and I just pulled them out again so our younger ones don’t miss out on this excellent introduction to the ‘Prince of Preachers,’ Charles Haddon Spurgeon. There are 52 stories…
Twenty Texans by Betsy Warren
Twenty Texans: Historic Lives for Young Readers by Betsy Warren was another book we greatly enjoyed about the Lone Star state! It was recommended to me by a “born and raised” Texas mama, and it appealed to our whole crew as we learned about 20 mostly famous and a few lesser known Texans through the…
Journey to America by Sonia Levitin
Journey To America by Sonia Levitin was a much enjoyed read aloud from the Word War 2 Era. If you are concerned about the worst of history repeating itself in our children’s lifetime, this is an eye-opening book to read. Much of what happened in 2020 was happening in Germany, circa 1938. The story is…
