Books

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

May the verse be with you! Return once more to a galaxy far, far away with this retelling of George Lucas’s Star Wars® Trilogy in the style of the immortal William Shakespeare.

FROM SARAH:

A nonfiction picture book packed with info about the man who was Shakespeare, the Globe Theatre, and many of Shakespeare's plays. An excellent resource to keep in your home library.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

From Hamlet to Romeo and Juliet to A Midsummer Night′s Dream, Shakespeare′s celebrated works have touched people around the world. Aliki combines literature, history, biography, archaeology, and architecture in this richly detailed and meticulously researched introduction to Shakespeare′s world.

From Sarah:

If you're going to read just one biography about Shakespeare himself, I'd suggest making it this one. It makes for a quick and enjoyable read-aloud for all ages.

From the Publisher:

The beloved plays of Shakespeare are still produced everywhere, yet the life of the world's most famous playwright remains largely a mystery. Young Will left the town of Stratford to pursue theater in London, where his work eventually thrived and made him a famous and wealthy man. With black-and-white illustrations that include a diagram of the famous Globe theater, Celeste Davidson Mannis puts together the pieces of Shakespeare's life and work for young readers.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

**Description from Amazon: Avon the snail has never had an adventure. And adventure, he has heard, is the key to a happy life. So with his new friend Edward the ant, Avon sets out on a journey to find the excitement his life has been missing.    This modern fable is filled with funny--and profound--insights about the me...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

All the best-loved fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen, including “The Ugly Duckling,” “Thumbelina,” “The Red Shoes,” "The Princess on the Pea,” and “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” fill the pages of this beautiful leather-bound collector’s edition.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Often rated as important as the Bible as a Christian document, this famous story of man's progress through life in search of salvation remains one of the most entertaining allegories of faith ever written. Set against realistic backdrops of town and country, the powerful drama of the pilgrim's trials and temptations follows him in his harrowing journey to the Celestial City.

FROM SARAH: 

A haunting and beautifully written account of young lives impacted by World War II. There's a reason this book received worldwide critical acclaim, and took the author a decade to write.

Recommended for ages 18+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the beautiful, stunningly ambitious instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.

FROM SARAH:

Whether an early reader can get better than Little Bear is up for debate. My opinion holds: these books are perfection.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

To celebrate Little Bear's thirty-fifth anniversary, three paperback editions in the series—Little Bear, Father Bear Comes Home, and Little Bear's Visit—have been slipcased in a boxed gift set for a whole new generation of children.

**Description from Amazon: 81 Complete Works of G. A. Henty

A Chapter of Adventures
A Final Reckoning
A Girl of the Commune
A Jacobite Exile
A Knight of the White Cross
A March on London
A Roving Commission
A Search For A Secret (Vol 1 of 3),
A Search For A Secret (Vol 2 of 3),
At Aboukir and Acre
At Agincourt
At the Poin...

**Description from Amazon: The tales and travels of the Sugar Creek Gang have passed the test of time, delighting young readers for more than fifty years.Great mysteries with a message for kids, The Sugar Creek Gang series chronicles the faith-building adventures of a group of fun-loving, courageous Christian boys. Your ...

**Description from Amazon: Another book in the Nancy Drew series featuring a teen-age girl as a mystery solver.

FROM SARAH:

It's possible these are best early readers on the list! I just can't get enough of Mr. Putter, Tabby, or any of their friends. I was always delighted when my kids chose these books to practice reading on. (I also just enjoyed reading them aloud!)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

"The gentle, affecting first volume introduces elderly Mr. Putter, who decides that a cat will keep him from feeling lonely. Rylant’s texts reflect admirable concern for brevity and meticulous consideration of every word.

**Description from Amazon: An epic adventure and one of the most enduring fables in Western literatureEdmond Dantés has a life that any man would envy. A promising young sailor about to be made a captain, he has come home to Marseille to marry his beautiful fiancée, Mercédès. But on the eve of his wedding, Dantés is betr...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Don Quixote of La Mancha is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. It was originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, but this edition brings both parts into a single book. Obsessed with chivalric tales, an aging nobleman named Alonso Quijano renames himself Don Quixote of La Mancha and sets off, delusional yet noble, to revive chivalry in a world that's forgotten it. With his trusty but weary steed Rocinante and his practical peasant squire Sancho Panza, Don Quixote charges windmills, knights barbers, and rescues damsels in distress (mostly farm girls). Hilarious chaos ensues as his delusions clash with reality, revealing both the beauty of idealism and the dangers of losing touch with the world. Through their adventures, Quixote and Sancho embark on a journey that explores sanity, madness, and the human spirit's capacity for hope, all woven into a timeless masterpiece of laughter and reflection.

**Description from Amazon: The fairies of Pixie Hollow celebrate the birth of a new fairy--Tinker Bell! Tink quickly discovers her talent for tinkering--but that's no fun. She'd rather do something else! Read all about Tinker Bell's first lesson on being a fairy in this illustrated leveled reader storybook.Passport to Reading...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A dying criminal confesses that his loot has been stored "in the tower." Both towers of the looted mansion are searched in vain. It remains for the Hardy boys to make an astonishing discovery that clears up the mystery and clears the name of a friend’s father.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

If a hungry little mouse shows up on your doorstep, you might want to give him a cookie. And if you give him a cookie, he'll ask for a glass of milk. He'll want to look in a mirror to make sure he doesn't have a milk mustache, and then he'll ask for a pair of scissors to give himself a trim...

FROM SARAH:

This is an absolute favorite. It’s a bit longer than other versions, and divided into chapters, but excellent illustrations are provided along the way. Easy to follow, delicious to read aloud, contains plenty of Shakespeare’s original language, and captures (better than most retellings) the real comedy of the play. Might be out-of-print, but worth searching for! Great for ages 6+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Humorous, romantic, and thoroughly enchanting, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most delicious confections. Now, with this stunningly illustrated and accessible retelling, his gossamer tale of mixed-up love among humans and fairies will captivate today’s young readers.

From Sarah:

This Young Reader's Shakespeare series is a favorite.The series is out of print but still worth hunting down.

From the Publisher:

The latest entry in a successful new series."Are you Romeo, and a Montague?""Neither, fair maid, if either you dislike."Juliet smiled.This wonderfully contemporary retelling features enticing art on nearly every page and provides an excellent introduction to the story. Written by an outstanding scho...

**Description from Amazon: When Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published their Children's and Household Tales in 1812, followed by a second volume in 1815, they had no idea that such stories as "Rapunzel," "Hansel and Gretel," and "Cinderella" would become the most celebrated in the world. Yet few people today are familiar with the ...

FROM SARAH:

Hands-down, the #1 resource you want at your fingertips when embarking on reading Shakespeare with your kids! Listen to Ken and my conversation on the Read-Aloud Revival podcast. In order to make sure you're ordering the new copy with additional chapters, we recommend ordering directly from the Penguin Random House here.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Winner of the Falstaff Award for Best Shakespeare Book, How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare is a foolproof, enormously fun method of teaching your children the classic works of William Shakespeare by Tony-Award winning playwright, Ken Ludwig.

FROM SARAH:

There are many wonderful audio productions of Shakespeare's plays. Those done by Arkangel are reliably well done.

Recommended for ages 7+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Shakespeare's most sophisticated comedy is a riotous tale of hopelessly unrequited passions and mistaken identity. Duke Orsino is in love with the noblewoman Olivia. She, however, has fallen for his servant Cesario, who is actually Viola, a woman disguised as a man, who loves Orsino: Confusion is rife. Meanwhile, Olivia's arrogant steward Malvolio is cruelly tricked by her uncle Sir Toby Belch, his friend Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and the maidservant Maria into believing his mistress loves him.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Bruce Coville follows his earlier critically acclaimed retellings of Shakespeare's works with a lively interpretation of one of the Bard's most beloved comedies. In this boisterous tale of hidden identities and misplaced love, Coville once again weaves his own lyrical prose together with pivotal lines from Twelfth Night.

FROM SARAH:

Ten of Shakespeare's plays retold by the inimitable Geraldie McCaughrean. This one makes for a great read-aloud.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Geraldine McCaughrean has won many awards for her brilliant versions of classic texts. Here she retells the ten Shakespeare plays children are most likely to come across: Romeo and Juliet, Henry the Fifth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth a...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A retelling of Shakespeare's plays, aimed as an aid to revision or for a quick reminder of the plot before seeing a play.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Named for the twelfth night after Christmas, the end of the Christmas season, Twelfth Night plays with love and power. The Countess Olivia, a woman with her own household, attracts Duke (or Count) Orsino. Two other would-be suitors are her pretentious steward, Malvolio, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek.

Onto this scene arrive the twins Viola and Sebastian; caught in a shipwreck, each thinks the other has drowned. Viola disguises herself as a male page and enters Orsino’s service. Orsino sends her as his envoy to Olivia—only to have Olivia fall in love with the messenger. The play complicates, then wonderfully untangles, these relationships.

FROM SARAH:

This is easily one of the most enjoyable retellings to read aloud. I love how Garfield weaves his own strong storytelling into the dialogue which is all (or almost all!) pulled directly from Shakespeare. Heads-up for one illustration we don’t love (you’ll know which one), but it would be easy to read this aloud without sharing that small spot illustration. 

Best for kids age 12+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Here twenty-one of the Bard’s plays are refashioned into stories that are true to the wit, the humor, the wisdom, the sublime heights, the terrifying depths, and above all the poetry of their great originals. Throughout, Garfield skillfully weaves in Shakespeare’s own words, accustoming young readers to language and lines that might at first seem forbiddingly unfamiliar. Leon Garfield’s Shakespeare Stories is an essential distillation—a truly Shakespearean tribute to Shakespeare’s genius and a delight for children and parents alike.

*Description from Amazon: This volume about the Globe Theatre in London is a history both of how it was used in Shakespeare's time, and of its rebuilding over the past 15 years. One artist, June Everett, has recorded the rebuilding of the theatre from the beginning in a series of watercolours. They record the detail as well ...

FROM SARAH:

A picture book biography that is especially good for older kids. There's a lot of text here, but it's very well done and not to miss. Spread out your reading over several days so you can enjoy the whole thing! Highly recommended.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

William Shakespeare was the son of a glovemaker, a small-town boy with a grammar school education. Yet he grew up to become the greatest English-speaking playwright in the world. Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare is both his story and that of a great art rediscovered in the modern world.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Joining Bruce Coville's earlier prose adaptations of Shakespeare's plays is this picture book treatment of the Bard's most popular work ever. The tender story of the young star-crossed lovers from warring families, Romeo and Juliet has moved audiences to tears for four hundred years.

FROM SARAH:
This is one of my favorite picture book retelling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It has everything going for it — clear and excellent storytelling, plenty of use of Shakespeare’s original language, great illustrations (though they are a bit darker in nature than the other illustrated versions on this list), and easy read-aloud-ability.

You can also check out the fantastic audio versions (BBC Radio I Folger Library).

Great for ages 4+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A simplified prose retelling of Shakespeare's play about the strange events that take place in a forest inhabited by fairies who magically transform the romantic fate of two young couples.

**Description from Amazon: Written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes, the nationally bestselling and celebrated creator of Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Owen, and Kitten's First Full Moon, Chrysanthemum is a funny and honest school story about teasing, self-esteem, and acceptance to share all year round. Chrysanthemum thinks he...

**Description from Amazon: Owen had a fuzzy yellow blanket. "Fuzzy goes where I go," said Owen. But Mrs. Tweezers disagreed. She thought Owen was too old for a blanket. Owen disagreed. No matter what Mrs. Tweezers came up with, Blanket Fairies or vinegar, Owen had the answer. But when school started, Owen't mother knew just w...

FROM SARAH:

Jan Brett at her finest. This, along with The Mitten, are absolute must-haves for any home library.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When Lisa's woolen stocking flies off the clothesline, Hedgie finds it and pokes his nose in. He tries to pull it out, but the stocking gets stuck on his prickles--and the fun begins.

**Description from Amazon: A playful peek into the homes of dinosaur babies and their parents at bedtime. 'How does a dinosaur say good night when Papa comes in to turn off the light? Does a dinosaur slam his tail and pout? Does he throw his teddy bear all about?' Most certainly not! Dinosaurs give their mums and dads big h...

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Mary Celeste was discovered adrift on the open sea by another ship in 1872 -- with no sign of captain or crew. What happened? Did the crew mutiny? Were they attacked by pirates? Caught in a storm? No one ever found out. Inside this book are the clues that were left behind ...

**Description from Amazon: Using a town’s mayoral election as a model, this lively introduction to voting covers every step in the process, from the start of the campaign all the way to the voting booth. There’s even a recount! The cast of characters includes two dogs (and a cat), whose questions and comments mirror those...

**Description from Amazon: "Where are the girls?" When Grace's teacher reveals that the United States has never had a female president, Grace decides to be the first. And she immediately starts off her political career as a candidate the school's mock election! Author Kelly DiPucchio not only gives readers a fun introduct...

FROM SARAH:

This book of maps is a visual feast for readers of all ages, with lavishly drawn illustrations from the incomparable Mizielinskis. It features not only borders, cities, rivers, and peaks, but also places of historical and cultural interest, eminent personalities, iconic animals and plants, cultural events, and many more fascinating facts associated with every region of our planet.

FROM SARAH:

An absolutely stunning atlas with large pages and tons of detail that will keep your favorite geography buffs happy for hours.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Animalium presents the animal kingdom in glorious detail with illustrations from Katie Scott, an unparalleled new talent.Welcome to the Museum is a series of books set on the "walls" of the printed page, showcasing the world’s finest collections of objects — from natural history to art.

**Description from Amazon: Loving the Little Years is a bestselling book of thoughts for mothering young children. It's written by a mom, for you moms -- for when you are motivated, for when you are discouraged, for the times when discipline seems fruitless, and for when you are just plain old tired. When you're a mom, the op...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
A thoughtful follow-up to Loving the Little Years, Rachel's first book, Fit to Burst will help us to be moms who parent with the story in mind rather than the snapshot, who know how to give much and to require much from their children in the everyday mayhem, and who understand the importance of biscuits.

Description from Amazon: There's a corpse in the bathtub, wearing nothing but a pair of pince-nez spectacles. Enter Lord Peter Wimsey, the original gentleman sleuth. Urged to investigate by his mother, the Dowager Duchess of Denver, Lord Peter quickly ascertains that the sudden disappearance of a well-known financier is i...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Touted by its 1885 publisher as “the most amazing story ever written,” King Solomon’s Mines was one of the bestselling novels of the nineteenth century. H. Rider Haggard’s thrilling saga of elephant hunter Allan Quatermain and his search for fabled treasure is more than just an adventure story, though: As Alexandra Fuller explains in her Introduction, in its vivid portrayal of the alliances and battles of white colonials and African tribesmen, King Solomon’s Mines “brings us the world of extremes, of the absurdly tall tales and of the illogical loyalty between disparate people that still informs this part of the world.”

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The dark forces that were repulsed in Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra are massed for an assault on the planet Earth itself. Word is on the wind that the mighty wizard Merlin has come back to the land of the living after many centuries, holding the key to ultimate power for that force which can find him and bend him to its will.

FROM SARAH:

I have a special fondness for this whole series—it was one of the first that showed me the difference between a "just ok" picture book with a "truly wonderful" picture book. Also: there's a recipe in the book worth making!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Every year Grandmother invited a guest for Thanksgiving dinner and allowed Maggie to do the same."Ask someone poor or lonely," she always said. Thanksgiving was Grandmother's favorite day of the year. The cooking was done and her famous cranberry bread was cooling on a wooden board. But she wasn't happy to find out Maggie had invited the unsavory Mr. Whiskers to dinner. Would her secret cranberry bread recipe be safe with him in the house? After a long absence, this delightful 1971 classic is back. So is the recipe!

**Description from Amazon: One of the most popular picture books for children, The Story About Ping is the adventure of a young duck in search of home.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

This wonderful library includes four classic stories, all told and illustrated by the award-winning Paul Galdone: The Three Bears, Three Little Kittens, The Little Red Hen, and The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. Pair this gift box with the Folktale Classics Heirloom Library!

FROM SARAH:

A perennial favorite. Both fun and fanciful, and littles and adults alike love it.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A small boy and a big friendly bear embark on a berry-picking extravaganza, looking for blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Their fun adventure comes to a razzamatazz finale under a starberry sky.

FROM SARAH:

Frog and Toad, need I say more? Worth owning. Obviously. :)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Celebrate the power of friendship with all four of the beloved Frog and Toad I Can Read stories by Arnold Lobel—now in one volume! This treasury includes the complete art and text from four classics: Frog and Toad Are Friends, Frog and Toad Together, Frog and Toad All Year, and Days with Frog and Toad.

**Description from Amazon: "Alborough's simplicity results in another gem." —School Library JournalBobo needs a hug. But his friends don't seem to understand. "Hug," he implores, time and again. Time and again his puzzled pals—from the smallest chameleon to the tallest giraffe—shrug and cuddle with their jungle mothers....

**Description from Amazon: A subject dear to children’s hearts is in the spotlight as Leslie Patricelli’s beloved baby character returns. Everybody does it: Kitty, Doggie, Daddy — even Mommy! And when Leslie Patricelli’s beloved bald baby does it while running, it sounds like a train. This frank and very funny look at...

**Description from Amazon: Yanking cat by tail: no NO. Gentle pat on back: yes YES. And it’s funny how dumping a bowl of food gets a very different reaction from mastering the use of a spoon. An expressive baby demonstrates familiar behaviors — and their predictable responses — in an amusing toddler-friendly offering th...

FROM SARAH:

Oh goodness, I'm willing to bet that your kids will erupt in giggles when you read it aloud. You just have to try it for yourself to see what I mean. :)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A #1 New York Times bestseller, this innovative and wildly funny read-aloud by award-winning humorist/actor B.J. Novak will turn any reader into a comedian.You might think a book with no pictures seems boring and serious. Except . . .here’s how books work. Everything written on the page has to be said by the person reading it aloud. Even if the words say . . .

BLORK. Or BLUURF.

Even if the words are a preposterous song about eating ants for breakfast, or just a list of astonishingly goofy sounds like BLAGGITY BLAGGITY and GLIBBITY GLOBBITY.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon! Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! Beige Crayon is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown Crayon. Black wants to be used f...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Meet the animals of Maple Hill Farm and learn about their antics as they bring joy, laughter, and life to the people who live in a house that needs painting at the end of a road full of holes.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

One special day is Almanzo's birthday. He gets to stay home from school, and even better, Father gives him a yoke for his calves, Star and Bright, and a beautiful hand-sled. Almanzo spends the morning learning how to break the calves, and then he spends the afternoon flying down the hill in his brand-new sled.

FROM SARAH:

Do yourself a favor and add this whole collection of Little House picture book adaptations to your home library! The text is faithful to the original, and Renée Graef's illustrations are a perfect pairing.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

With this illustrated adaptation from the beloved Little House series, the youngest readers can share in the joy of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved classics. Winter has come to the Big Woods! Laura and Mary help Ma with chores around the house. When the frost comes, they draw pictures in their windows. Renee Graef’s illustrations are based on Garth Williams’ classic artwork.

**Description from Amazon: “This is George. He lived in Africa. He was a good little monkey, and always very curious.” With these words, H. A. and Margret Rey introduced the world to Curious George in 1941, and the world has loved him ever since. The tales of this cheerful and resilient little hero have kept generations o...