1

Kids’ Books to Remember and Some Links for Mom and Dad

I hope you’ve had a good week beginning with the school holiday on Monday. It was wonderful to have such warm temperatures on President’s Day! We had a great dinner with my sister, brother-in-law and niece and nephew on Monday. It was fun to catch up! Then on Thursday, we visited old friends and on Friday we got to take one of our niece’s out for dinner. Now I’m ending my week by sharing some Kids’ Books to Remember with you.

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: READ ALOUDkids' books to remember

Hank the Cowdog  by John R. Erickson

Agnes and Clarabelle  by Adele Griffin and Courtney Sheinmel. This is the first book of a new beginning chapter book series that you won’t want to miss.

Judy Moody Predicts the Future  by Megan McDonald

 

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: PICTURE BOOKSkids' books to remember

Freedom Summer  by Deborah Wiles. This is an excellent book that will help your kids better understand our country before the Civil Rights Act was law.

Four Feet, Two Sandals  by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed. This story will help your children develop an understanding of, and develop empathy for the refugee children of our world.

Magic Beach  by Alison Lester. This story will help you prepare for your trip to the beach for spring break!

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: CHAPTER BOOKSkids' books to remember

Trixie Belden mysteries, along with Nancy Drew books were my first true favorite series. I was surprised and so happy when I found this on the library shelf!

Trixie Belden, The Mystery at Bob-White Cave  by Kathryn Kenny

Mallory vs. Max  by Laurie Friedman

The following two books are part of a fun series that appeal to both boys and girls.

The Girls Get Even  by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Boys in Control  by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

 

LINKS FOR MOM AND DAD

In celebration of President’s Day:

Fantastic Kids Books about American Presidents

As you begin to get ready for spring break, here are some audio books that will help your trip go much faster.

Great Audio Books for Kids

This link tells about one of my favorite chapter books of the past year.

Survival and Wildness with Peter Brown

This is a new blog you will want to follow. The Loud Library Lady shares a new series that is bound to become a favorite with your family.

We Love Fenway and Hattie!

Thank you for once again inviting me into your inbox. I’m taking a few weeks off, so Kids’ Books to Remember will return on March 19th. Have a good few, hopefully warm, weeks!




Kids’ Books to Remember and Some Links for Mom and Dad

It may just be the nineteenth of February, but it feels like May! I don’t think I could ask for more perfect weather – 70 degrees, sun and low humidity. Can we just keep this until it actually is May?? In addition to enjoying this amazing weather, I’ve had a good week. On Thursday, National Read Aloud, I read to two second grade classes at my old school. We had a fun afternoon learning about the author, Mac Barnett, and reading three of his books, Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, Extra Yarn and The Skunk. We watched some fun video clips of interviews with Mr. Barnett, explaining his inspiration for his stories. and had lots of discussions about how they could get inspiration for stories they might write. Then on Friday I had the opportunity to spend time with both of my sisters, which is rare. Between living in different places and our schedules, that is a rare occurrence and a real treat! So now, after those fun days, and a delightful walk downtown yesterday, I’m ready to share another addition of Kids’ Books to Remember with you.

kids’ books to remember: read aloudkids' books to remember

These are great choices to read to all ages. 

Amber Brown is Not a Crayon by Paula Danziger

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins

 

 

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: picture bookskids' books to remember

Max and the Tag-Along Moon by Floyd Cooper

Grumpy Gloria by Anna Dewdney

Thidwich the Big-Hearted Moose by Dr. Seuss

 

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: chapter bookskids' books to remember

The first two books are historical fiction titles. The first tells the story of a boy living in a California internment camp in 1942. The second book tell’s about Sofia’s life after her family immigrates from Italy in 1903.

My Name is America series: The Journal of Ben Uchida by Barry Denenberg

My America series: Home at Last, Sophia’s Immigrant Diary by Kathryn Lasky

Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes

links for mom and dad

The author of Wonder, R.J. Palacio, is a person I greatly admire. In this first link she shares her ideas about a subject that is very close to my heart.

The Author of Wonder on Why Parents Need to Teach their Middle Schoolers Kindness 

Building a World of Empathy Simply by Reading Aloud

Why The Bridge to Terabithia is Still as Relevant as it was 40 years Ago

Thank you for inviting me into your inbox to share my stories and some Kids’ Books to Remember. Do you have any old favorites you’d like us to know about? I’d love to hear about them in the comments.

Have a wonderful week and enjoy the amazing weather!




Kids’ Books to Remember and Some New Links for Mom and Dad

Well, February has arrived and that means we’re one week closer to spring! However with our warmer than average temperatures and our below average snowfall, I’m not feeling quite as anxious as I usually am. In fact, we were able to walk downtown for lunch yesterday (a four mile round trip) on February 9th. That’s amazing! Usually, even if the temperatures warm up, the sidewalks are a sheet of ice, so we’re trapped at home. This has been great! I hope you and your families have also had a chance to spend sometime outside this week, to prevent the usual February cabin fever!

I haven’t spent all of my time outside, though. For one thing, I just baked a heart shaped cake, a family Valentine tradition for us, as well as when I was growing up. It’s something I love to do. It brings back so many happy memories! And after a trip to the library, I’ve been able to find several good titles for this week’s Kids’ Books to Remember. Finally I found some links to articles that I think you’ll find very interesting. So here we go!

kids’ books to remember: read aloud

These are great choices for read alouds for all ages, or for the independent reader. kids' books to remember

Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes

The Moffats by Eleanor Estes

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

 

 

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: picture books

The picture books this week are all about strong, courageous girls who are not afraid to work hard to achieve their goals.kids' books to remember

Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio

Miss Rumphius Barbara Cooney

Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: chapter books

Back in Time with Thomas Edison: Qwerty Stevens Adventure by Dan Gutman, time travel and historical fiction.kids' books to remember

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, fantasy.

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Giff, realistic fiction.

 

 

 

 

 

links for mom and dad

Books to Help Kids Understand What It’s like to be a Refuge

These choices are for all ages including picture books, chapter books and young adult.

For Girls and Their Besties (A Valentine’s Day Post)

This is a great one for Betsy Tacy fans or for those of you looking for your next family read aloud.

spreading kindness

Here are some more picture books about kindness, which are perfect for Valentine’s Day week or any week of the year.

life is good when there is love

A truly lovely post that will make you think about the love in your lives.

I want to thank you for inviting me into your inbox today! I’m always looking for links to share with you and remembering books I don’t want you to miss. Have a wonderful week and Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

 




5 Middle Grade Books for your New Year

It’s hard to believe that it is February and we’re already one month into 2017!  I’m so fortunate to have many, many happy memories from 2016. We’ve spent lots of time traveling to reconnect with old friends and to visit with family. We got to visit two national parks, Shenandoah and Cumberland, the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Michigan, to see the deserts of Texas and New Mexico, as well as the mountains of Colorado. We got to spend lots of time with both of our sons (it’s so wonderful to have our older son living in Virginia and our younger son close by!), and to visit my brother and sister-in-law in New Jersey. And of course we had the opportunity to be part of the joy and love at two of our nieces’ weddings. Finally, we ended our year by adopting a greyhound named Brandy. She’s two years old, very sweet and certainly has a mind of her own. There are days when I’m ready to give her back, but most of the time we’re thrilled to have her in our family! So now it’s time to get back to my happy place of writing about kids’ books. There are so many new ones, as well as some older ones that I want to share with you. I’ll begin with 5 middle grade books.

middle Grade books: Some Writer! The Story of E.B. Whitemiddle grade books

by Melissa Sweet

I knew that I greatly admired E.B. White, the author of many books including, Charlotte’s Web, The Trumpet of the Swan and Stuart Little, before I read this book, but now I have to admit I’m a little obsessed! And I definitely want to move to Maine and live on a farm! Melissa Sweet’s story and illustrations pulled me into Mr. White’s life from his early years when he won his first literary prize at age nine, throughout his almost sixty year career at the New Yorker. I learned that during his teenage years, he had stories published in St. Nicholas, a monthly children’s magazine, along with some other budding authors, Edna St. Vincent Millay, William Falkner and Rachel Carson. That fact, along with learning that his best friend was James Thurber, his office mate at the New Yorker, was fascinating to me, because it made me realize all of these amazing literary talents were of the same era and were indeed friends.  I learned about his farm in Maine, his barn where he was inspired to write, Charlotte, and about his love for his family.

Melissa Sweet’s illustrations are a combination of her watercolors, photographs and collages of “a box of vintage office supplies, which she imagined were akin to what might’ve been in stock at the New Yorker offices.” She has included many photographs from the White family albums, which were shared by Mr. White’s granddaughter, Martha White.5 middle grade books5 middle grade books

I flew through this book and felt a loss when I finished. It was inspirational and a real pleasure to get lost in the pages for a few hours. Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White would be a great choice for any of your kiddos who are looking for a biography for a school assignment, or for a family read aloud after sharing one of Mr. White’s novels. Mom and Dad would enjoy it just as much as the kids!

 

MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS: Gertie’s leap to greatness

by Kate Beasley5 middle grade books

Gertie is a fifth grader who is on a campaign to be “100% Not-From Concentrate AWESOME!” Her mom, who abandoned her at birth, lives in the same small Alabama town, and refuses to acknowledge Gertie’s existence. However, Gertie is a spunky, creative and determined little girl that you can’t help but admire. She’s a great problem solver, and when an obstacle appears in her path to success, she always finds a way to overcome it. But your heart breaks a bit when she struggles unsuccessfully to win her mother’s love and admiration. The story is full of friendship, kindness and humor that will bring many smiles and a few tears, but will also fill your heart with joy.

MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS: half a chance

by Cynthia Lord 5 middle grade books

Lucy has moved once again, and this time it’s to a small lakeside town in New Hampshire. Her dad, a famous photographer often feels the need to have a change in scenery, and as a result Lucy’s family has lived in many different towns in the ten years of her life. Lucy decides to make the most of her new home and becomes good friends with her next door neighbor, Nate. They spend their summer taking photos of the lake, the loons and Nate’s grandma, for their anonymous entry into a photography contest Lucy’s dad is judging. But will her pictures ever stand up to her dad’s high standards? And can Nate face what the photographs are showing about his precious grandmother and his summers at the lake? This is a very moving story. It would be especially helpful for any of your kids who are dealing with the struggle to understand a grandparent who’s memory is slipping away. Even if that is not the case, and hopefully that is not happening in your family, you won’t want to miss this warm, touching book.

MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS: confessions of an imaginary friend, a memoir of jacques papier

5 middle grade booksas told to Michelle Cuevas

I discovered this delightful book, because I was hunting for more books by Michelle Cuevas, after I read her magical book, The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles. I was so taken by the story, that I was hoping to find more like it and this chapter book didn’t disappoint. Jacques is eight years old and suspects that no one likes him. He is never chosen for the sports teams and even his parents have to be reminded by his sister to set his place at the table. So he’s feeling a little insecure when he meets a skating cowgirl on the school playground and she shares some astonishing news. Jacques is imaginary and so is she! In fact, the school playground is full of imaginary kids who have been forgotten by their human friends after they find a true person to be their buddy. You will be smiling throughout this book as Jacques meets many quirky, imaginary friends, as well as some fascinating real kids, but in the end learns that life is best, if you are yourself. Confessions of an Imaginary Friend can definitely be shared with your little ones as a read aloud, but your older kiddos will love it too.

MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS: raymie nightingale

by Kate Dicamillo5 middle grade books

Raymie’s dad has run off with a dental hygienist and Raymie MUST win the Little Miss Florida Contest to insure his return. If she wins, he will realize just what he has left behind – a kind and talented girl (after all she IS going to learn how to twirl a baton) who is worth a lot more than the dental hygienist. However, Raymie has some competition and a few stumbling blocks in her summer plan, Louisiana Elefante and beautiful Beverly Tapinsky. They are determined to stop Raymie from achieving her goal, but as the summer progresses the three girls find themselves drawn together by loneliness, loss and their hope to save each other. This is a great book about friendship, which would make a wonderful read aloud with your elementary kids, or one for them to curl up with on their own.

 

Have you or your kids found some favorite new middle grade books? I’d love for you to share them in the comments!




Kids’ Books to Remember and Links for Mom and Dad

kids' books to rememberIt’s Super Bowl Sunday and I was once told this means spring is coming soon. I’m definitely ready! As I write this week’s Kids’ Books to Remember, we’re up in Michigan for the weekend and the snow and frozen lake are beautiful and peaceful. However, I’d happily give it up for some warm breezes!

 

Here are some kids’ books to add to your library list this week. Enjoy!

kids’ books to remember: read aloud

Once again, these are appropriate for all ages.

Little Dog, Lost by Marion Dane Bauer

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

 

 

 KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: picture books

KIDS' BOOKS TO REMEMBER: READ ALOUDWemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes

Jolly Tall: An Old Bear Story by Jane Hissy

Bigfoot Cinderrrrrella by Tony Johnston

This is a fun version of Cinderella. If you like this one and are interested in more titles, just let me know in the comments, or if you have a favorite Cinderella, let us know that as well!

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: chapter books

kids' books to rememberLilly’s Crossing by Patricia Reilley Giff

This is one of my favorite historical fiction books about World War II.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean George

This is a survival fiction book, which is full of adventure.

Jackie and Me by Dan Gutman

The characters in this historical fiction book travel back through time to visit Jackie Robertson in 1947, and develop an understanding of how Jackie broke the “color barrier” in the major leagues.

links for mom and dad

stem books for kids

For all of your little ones who are interested in math and science, this article offers some good titles to add to your library list.

Literacy and math

This is an enlightening article about some old favorites, that offers some great suggestions about how you can use these books with your kids.

authors share their favorite children’s books

This is a fun article, which includes both some old, and some new titles. It gives you a little more insight into some of your favorite authors.

Finally, thank you for inviting me to share some titles of old favorites for your kids. Have a great library visit and a wonderful week! And if you find any titles of books you would like to share, please let us know in the comments.