FROM SARAH:

All of Regina Doman's Fairy Tale Novels are works of genius. This is book #2 in the series, and is a retelling of Snow White. Your library probably doesn't have them, but just buy them. You'll want to read them for yourself, too!

Recommended for ages 13+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Over the summer in New York City, seven friars who work with the homeless find a runaway girl named Nora, while Bear Denniston searches for his missing girlfriend, Blanche, in a suspenseful retelling of the Snow White story.

**Description from Amazon: Can it ever get better? This is the question Benjamin Watson is asking. In a country aflame with the fallout from the racial divide―in which Ferguson, Charleston, and the Confederate flag dominate the national news, daily seeming to rip the wounds open ever wider―is there hope for honest and hea...

FROM SARAH:

A lively and interesting history, told in biographical form. Many homeschool curriculums recommend this book. I suggest quickly scanning Cathy Duffy's review to determine if you read more than the first 130 pages. :)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

It was Ben Franklin who coined the phrase, "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God," and if any historical drama fulfills that maxim, it is surely the saga of King John and the drafting of the Magna Charta. Out of the rich turbulence of English history, June 15, 1215 stands apart as a significant milestone in the progress of human liberty. On that day, a brave band of barons, led by the noble Stephen Langton, and calling themselves the Army of God, stood up to the wicked King John and demanded that he restore the ancient laws of England that he had so unabashedly trampled underfoot.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Jade Blossom never ventures beyond the walls of her family's Inner Court. In seventeenth-century Korea, a girl of good family does not leave home until she marries.

She is enthralled by her older brother's stories about trips to the market and to the ancestral grave sites in the mountains, about reading and painting, about his conversations with their father about business and politics and adventures only boys can have. Jade accepts her destiny, and yet she is endlessly curious about what lies beyond the walls. Will she ever see for herself?

FROM SARAH:

We have the board book version of this one, and it's a regular favorite in the fall, especially for the younger set. A great gift for toddlers.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

This simple, charming story of a young bear's first autumn is perfectly suited to board book format. Bear is surprised when the leaves start falling off the trees, but when he tries to reattach them, it doesn't work. Eventually, he gets sleepy, and burrows into the fallen leaves for a long nap.

**Description from Amazon: Sara Hagerty masterfully draws from her own story of spiritual and physical barrenness to birth in readers a new longing for God. With exquisite storytelling and reflection, Hagerty guides readers to a tender place that God is holding just for them—a place where he shapes the bitterness of lost ex...

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Dogs love to dig but one dog named Doug takes digging to new heights (and depths) in this laugh-out-loud picture book from New York Times bestselling author Karma Wilson and celebrated illustrator Matt Myers.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Lively, colorful characters decorate a new slipcase for Jan Brett's Little Library, home to three favorite board books: The Mitten, The Hat and Gingerbread Baby. This new look is sure to pull in gift-givers who will find this little library the perfect gift year round, especially during the holiday season. It's the easy, surefire present to give to board book fans and a great way to make future readers of Jan Brett picture books!

**Description from Amazon: Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson brings us the first new Dear America diary in years, taking readers through the attack on Pearl Harbor, the start of World War II, and the Japanese incarceration. With this sweeping tale of life on the World War II homefront, Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson brings...

Illustrator Ralph Masiello brings a haunting twist to his popular drawing series. Step-by-step diagrams show young artists how to draw ghosts, witches, jack-o'-lanterns, skeletons, a haunted house, and more.

*Rabbit Ears Audiobooks are Highly Recommended*

NARRATED BY: Jeremy Irons

BEST FOR AGES: 4+

LISTENING LENGTH: 25 min

FROM SARAH:

A classic Christmas tale by the author of the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books. Orphan sisters, the horrid Mrs. Monday, and Christmas shenanigans. There's a lot to love about this one.

Recommended for ages 6+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Adventure, warmth, unforgettable characters, and unexpected kindness abound in this classic story by Betty MacDonald, which was originally published in 1952. With illustrations by the acclaimed Mary GrandPré and an introduction by Jeanne Birdsall, National Book Award–winning author of The Penderwicks, this edition introduces the spunky, beloved heroines to a new generation of fans.

FROM SARAH:

Continue on in the delightful, and rather unexpected, adventures of Emma. Our team is in love with this series, and we will often say to one another, "Volume 3 is when I become really invested!"

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London Neighbourhood of St. Crispian's. But Emma's plan for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian's.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Follow the red canoe from page to page as it journeys down river carrying the family on a camping tour. It's the next best thing to paddling it yourself.

**Description from Amazon: Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction They tell Jip he tumbled off the back of a wagon when he was small, and no one ever came back for him. He never had a reason to question this tale--but then a stranger shows up and begins asking about him around town. Who is this man, and could...

FROM SARAH:

Sarah and her mom, Sally, are long-time friends and have truly led "storyformed" lives. In this beautiful book, Sarah's thoughtful reflections and personal stories remind us that great books shape brave hearts.

FROM PUBLISHER:

What is imagination, and why is it vital to childhood education? What role do great books play in shaping a child's perception of self, life, and even God? In Caught Up in a Story, Sarah Clarkson answers these vital questions, demonstrating how great books can be a parent's best ally in shaping a child to love what is beautiful, pursue what is good, and grasp what is true. Drawing on her own storyformed childhood and her long study of children's literature, Sarah Clarkson explores and celebrates the soul-forming power of story to help children imagine, and live, a great story of their own.

FROM SARAH:

Robert McCloskey is perhaps one of the greatest children's book authors/illustrators we've ever known. This story is especially perfect for any child who has recently lost a tooth!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Today is a special day for Sal because she gets to go to Buck's Harbour with her dad. But when she wakes up to brush her teeth with her baby sister, she discovers something shocking.... Her tooth is loose!

FROM SARAH:

Inspired by a true story, this quietly powerful chapter book is full of grit, trust and bravery that blooms when a child faces the wilderness with a heart wide open. It's a perfect independent read for kids that are ready for more text on the page, but not quite ready to read longer novels on their own.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In 1707, young Sarah Noble and her father traveled through the wilderness to build a new home for their family. “Keep up your courage, Sarah Noble,” her mother had said, but Sarah found that it was not always easy to feel brave inside. The dark woods were full of animals and Indians, too, and Sarah was only eight!

The true story of Sarah’s journey is inspiring. And as she cares for her father and befriends her Indian neighbors, she learns that to be afraid and to be brave is the greatest courage of all.

FROM SARAH:

Kevin Henkes is a favorite of many RAR families, and this classic of his is worth popping off the shelf for a read every spring!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The girl in this book grows chocolate rabbits, tomatoes as big as beach balls, flowers that change color, and seashells in her garden.How does your garden grow?

FROM SARAH:

These short, themed adaptations of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder are wonderfully done. The short-story vignettes are pretty near the originals and contain multiple quotes from the books. Highly recommended.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Join the original pioneer girl in this Little House chapter book, adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved classics. Illustrated with beautiful new black-and-white artwork, this repackaged edition includes bonus material such as games, activities, and more!

Laura Ingalls and her bulldog, Jack, have been together for as long as she can remember—and he’s no ordinary dog. Jack travels with Laura and her pioneer family all the way from the Big Woods of Wisconsin to the West. He protects them from wolves, cattle that go astray, and sometimes even a friendly neighbor. And he can always help Laura find her way home.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The game under the tree looked like a hundred others Peter and Judy had at home. But they were bored and restless and, looking for something interesting to do, thought they'd give Jumanji a try. Little did they know when they unfolded its ordinary-looking playing board that they were about to be plunged into the most exciting and bizzare adventure of their lives.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

One starry night, a cow watches over her calf, a nanny goat watches over her kid, and a pig watches over her piglet. For this one moment, every family in the animal kingdom is peaceful, just like Mary and Joseph watching over their own newborn nearby.

NARRATED BY: Sophie Thompson, BEST FOR AGES: 7+

From the publisher: A picture-book biography of celebrated poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize

A 2021 Coretta Scott King Book Award Illustrator Honor Book
A 2021 Robert F. Sibert Informational Honor Book
A 2021 Association of Library Service to Children Notable Children's Book

FROM SARAH:

The important story of Williaminia Stevens Fleming is told in this interesting picture book. Excellent to pair with your astronomy studies.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Ever since Williamina Fleming was little she was curious, and her childhood fascination with light inspired her life’s work. Mina became an astronomer in a time when women were discouraged from even looking through telescopes. Yet Mina believed that the universe, with its billions of stars, was a riddle—and she wanted to help solve it.

Mina ultimately helped to create a map of the universe that paved the way for astronomers. Newbery Honor–winning Kathryn Lasky shares her incredible true story.

FROM SARAH:

All of Mr. Magee's adventures are boatloads of fun, and this is no exception! I'm a big fan of both Chris Van Dusen's rhymes and his art.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

One winter morning, Mr. Magee and his little dog, Dee, head out bright and early to learn how to ski. But what begins as a pleasant day in the snow quickly goes downhill when a run-in with a curious moose sends them flying through the air and hanging above an abyss! How will Dee and Magee find their way out of this snowy situation? Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee is another fun-filled adventure for Magee fans old and new.

**Description from Amazon: Every Story Whispers His Name The award-winning Jesus Storybook Bible invites children to discover—through full-color illustrations and three read-along CDs—that Jesus is at the center of God’s great story of salvation… and at the center of their story, too. This beautifully crafted deluxe e...

FROM SARAH:

All of Regina Doman's Fairy Tale Novels are works of genius. This is book #3 in the series. Just try to put it down! ;) I recommend this one for teens and for mama's own reading, too.

Recommended for ages 13+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The third book in the "Snow White and Rose Red Trilogy" featuring the adventures of Blanche, Rose, Bear, and Fish finally tells the story of Rose's long-lasting love for Fish. Unbeknowst to lovelorn Rose, Fish has been struggling with problems that make him want to keep his distance from Rose, problems he doesn't think she could understand or appreciate it. But when circumstances throw them together as a nasty rival stalks Rose, Fish finds himself revealing more and more to Rose.

But it's only after a tragedy strikes that threatens to separate Rose and Fish forever that Fish realizes that he could truly love her ... and that maybe, just maybe, he has a second chance.

FROM SARAH:

It's one of the best books I've read all year! The writing is fantastic, the pacing is perfect, and the plot makes this book impossible to put down. If you're looking for a novel to pull you out of reading slump, this is a fantastic option. P.S. This is technically considered a thriller but it's not scary, just fast-paced.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In the heart of the Maine woods, an experienced Appalachian Trail hiker goes missing. She is forty-two-year-old Valerie Gillis, who has vanished 200 miles from her final destination. Alone in the wilderness, Valerie pours her thoughts into fractured, poetic letters to her mother as she battles the elements and struggles to keep hoping.

**Description from Amazon: When a novel like Huckleberry Finn, or The Yearling, comes along it defies customary adjectives because of the intensity of the response it evokes in the reader. Such a book, we submit, is Old Yeller; to read this eloIquently simple story of a boy and his dog in the Texas hill country is an unforget...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Winner of a Caldecott Honor. A shy Japanese boy having difficulty adjusting to school is misjudged by his classmates. Chibi has been an outcast since that frightening first day of school when he hid under the schoolhouse. .

**Description from Amazon: This collection of magical tales brings to life the boggarts, gowks, fools, hobgoblins, and other strange and wonderful creatures that populate English and Welsh folklore

From the publisher: The Caldecott Honor-winning true story of Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, who in the midst of the Syrian Civil War courageously offered safe haven to Aleppo's abandoned cats.

FROM SARAH:

This simple story is perfect for the younger crowd. Would be a lovely birthday gift for a 1-2 year old!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In the middle of fall, it takes only one gust of wind to turn the whole world yellow and red and orange. Caldecott Medalist and award-winning author Kevin Henkes’s striking text introduces basic concepts of language and the unique beauty of the fall season.

**Description from Amazon: The Sketchnote Workbook, the follow-up to Mike Rohde’s popular The Sketchnote Handbook, shows you how to take the basic sketchnoting skills you learned in the Handbook and use them in new and fun ways. You think you have fun taking sketchnotes in meetings? Try using them to record your travels....

FROM THE PUBLISHER

New York Times bestselling author Karma Wilson and renowned New Yorker cartoonist Barry Blitt have created a brilliantly entertaining poetry collection sure to be a source of pleasure and inspiration to kids everywhere.

**Description from Amazon: The Saints Chronicles bring vividly to life the stories of courageous Christians from the earliest days of Christianity to modern times. All four volumes of this Graphic Novel Series are packed with engaging texts and dramatic images that captivate and inspire readers of all ages.In this first volum...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Curious George, the beguiling little monkey, is one of the most beloved of all children"s book characters. Now this collection of four board books featuring Curious George is available in a sturdy, reusable, carry-along box. Brightly colored and suitably scaled for the youngest readers, the books feature art from the original storybooks by H. A. Rey.

For many children, "icky" bugs are endlessly fascinating. This book helps children discover why farmers like the praying mantis, how the water spider breathes underwater, and other intriguing facts about the world of bugs and insects.Jerry Pallotta's lighthearted text and Ralph Masiello's vivid illu...

*Rabbit Ears Audiobooks are Highly Recommended*

NARRATED BY: Graham Greene

BEST FOR AGES: 4+

LISTENING LENGTH: 23 min

FROM SARAH:

This series is hands-down my favorite collection of folk tales. Anything by Paul Galdone is worth adding to your permanent collection.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When a teeny-tiny woman finds a teeny-tiny bone in the teeny-tiny village churchyard, she takes it home to boil for her teeny-tiny supper. She never expects the bone will object.

Available on audio (Audible I Libro.FM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

P. L. Travers wrote with a signature blend of sugar and spice; her characters, including Mary Poppins, are endearing, outsized, and cozy. Her talent for capturing the perspective of children shines through Aunt Sass Christmas Stories.

Each of the stories in this audiobook was written as a holiday gift, sent to her friends and family and never published. Now her millions of readers and listeners and generations of filmgoers will recognize how she used her life story to inform her fiction. Whether it is Aunt Sass herself - who Travers admits is partly her inspiration for Poppins - or the Chinese cook whose "heathen" ways show the narrator the path to salvation or the crass ex-jockey whose life work is not at all what it appears, the characters are unforgettable

FROM SARAH:

A longer picture book, especially great for slightly older kids (ages 5-8, perhaps). If you're going to a beach with sea glass, read this first!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

One summer, a boy named Thomas visits his grandmother at her seaside cottage. She gives him a magnifying glass that once belonged to his grandfather, and with it Thomas explores the beach, turning grains of sand into rocks and dark clamshells into swirling mazes of black, gray, and white. When his grandmother shows him a piece of sea glass, Thomas is transfixed. That night he dreams of an old shipyard and the breaking of a bottle. Could the very piece of sea glass on his nightstand have come from that bottle? For the rest of the summer, he searches for more sea glass and hopes to have dreams that will reveal more of the sea’s secrets.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Ever since she was a little girl, Cora has dreamed of designing truly fantastical things, awe-inspiring structures that everyone recognizes as world wonders…and that’s exactly what she does!

As Cora ages and her accomplishments and acclaim grow, she returns to her hometown to fulfill her childhood dream—to transform the house on top of the hill into a true world wonder. In the process, Cora learns that living a meaningful life isn’t all about amazing achievements or always making bigger and better things, but about building community, giving generously of your time and talents, and loving others along the way.

**Description from Amazon: In an engrossing historical novel, the Newbery Medal-winning author of Bridge to Terabithia follows a young Cuban teenager as she volunteers for Fidel Castro's national literacy campaign and travels into the impoverished countryside to teach others how to read.When thirteen-year-old Lora tells her p...

FROM SARAH:

One of my all-time favorite children's classics. My kids all loved this book (boys and girls alike). We're reading it as our RAR Premium Family Book Club novel in spring 2024, in fact! Also great on audio! (Audible l Libro.fm)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

What secrets lie behind the doors at Misselthwaite Manor? Recently arrived at her uncle's estate, orphaned Mary Lennox is spoiled, sickly, and certain she won't enjoy living there. Then she discovers the arched doorway into an overgrown garden, shut up since the death of her aunt ten years earlier. Mary soon begins transforming it into a thing of beauty--unaware that she is changing too.

FROM SARAH:

I feel like I recommend a book by David Macaulay just about every week. This is one of my favorites, and it inspired my then-twelve-year-old daughter to create an entire, accurate castle out of clay. Macaulay's work is the epitome of illustration you want to look at longer than necessary. Highly recommended.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The word itself conjures up mystery, romance, intrigue, and grandeur. What could be more perfect for an author/illustrator who has continually stripped away the mystique of architectural structures that have long fascinated modern man? With typical zest and wry sense of humor punctuating his drawing...

**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:

An oldie, but a goodie. This one has stood the test of time and continues to make kids giggle. :)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The wind blew, and blew, and blew! It blew so hard, it took everything with it: Mr. White’s umbrella, Priscilla’s balloon, the twins’ scarves, even the wig on the judge’s head.

FROM SARAH:

On Tuesdays, the Castle changes. Sometimes it adds a new room, a turret, a staircase... or even a whole wing. This one is fun, fun, fun. I bet you'll hear "Just one more chapter, pleeeease!" from everyone in the room. Your kids can meet author Jessica Day George in RAR Premium in 2020. Also wonderful on audio (Audible | LibroFM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Tuesdays at Castle Glower are Princess Celie's favorite days. That's because on Tuesdays the Castle adds a new room, a turret, or sometimes even an entire wing. No one ever knows what the Castle will do next, and no one-other than Celie, that is-takes the time to map out the new additions.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Hank, Emerson, and their friends have returned to Camp Outlier for another summer of fun and shenanigans. Hank won’t let his RISK (Recurring Incident of the Strange Kind) factor of inconvenient invisibility stop him from having the best summer ever, even when it starts mysteriously turning people and objects around him invisible too. But between his invisibility and an internet celebrity joining their cabin, camp clown Hank is struggling to maintain his spotlight.

Hank knows that if he can win the camp-wide challenge for his team, all eyes will be back on him (or, at least, on where everyone thinks the invisible kid is standing). But as the finish line approaches, it becomes clear that someone is trying to sabotage Camp Outlier—and Hank’s pursuit of camp-wide glory puts him in serious danger.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Despite their differences, twins Mokie and Bik know how to work well together in everything and anything they do, in an amusing tale of sibling love from the author of Ark in the Park.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade's worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, and the next he was a patient struggling to live. And just like that, the future he and his wife had imagined evaporated. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi's transformation from a naïve medical student into a patient and new father confronting his own mortality.

When barbarians invade Rome, Miranda the cat and her daughter Punka must find a safe place to hide from the chaos. They make their way through the burning city, collecting motherless kittens as they go. At last they reach the Colosseum, but even there, danger lurks!
How these fortunate felines sur...

FROM SARAH:
I recommend this book for fans of Peter Nimble who are 14+. Please note that the protagonists in The War of the Maps are older in this book, and the violence and intensity escalates quite a bit from earlier books in the series.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
This epic middle-grade adventure—companion to Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes and Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard—will take readers to the very ends of the earth . . . and beyond. From the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of The Night Gardener and Sweep.

FROM SARAH:

Kevin Henkes... need I say more? Okay... Kevin Henkes + a dog. That's all you need to know. :)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Snow falls, animals burrow, and children prepare for the wonders winter brings. Caldecott Medalist and award-winning author Kevin Henkes’s striking text introduces basic concepts of language and the unique beauty of the winter season. Laura Dronzek’s expressive paintings beautifully capture the joyful wonders of winter.

FROM SARAH:

A sweet story about a little bear who doesn't want to hibernate—he wants to find spring! Illustrated in collage.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Instead of hibernating as he should, a little bear cub goes out in search of spring—and he thinks he's found it!

Gloriously illustrated with dioramas and cut-paper collages by the award-winning designer and illustrator Carin Berger, this stunning picture book celebrates the changing of the seasons.

FROM SARAH:

Emma continues to shine in this series. This volume introduces such depth as we learn more of her backstory. Our team loves this series!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

"It all began very innocently. Truly."

The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighborhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.

FROM SARAH:

A fascinating look at a young girl's observations in Medieval times, when insects were believed to come from the mud, and therefore were "evil." Delightful!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In the Middle Ages, people believed that insects were evil, born from mud in a process called spontaneous generation. Maria Merian was only a child, but she disagreed. She watched carefully as caterpillars spun themselves cocoons, which opened to reveal summer birds, or butterflies and moths. Maria studied the whole life cycle of the summer birds, and documented what she learned in vibrant paintings.

This is the story of one young girl who took the time to observe and learn, and in so doing disproved a theory that went all the way back to ancient Greece.