Books

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A ripped down sign, a broken fire hydrant, and now Tundra, the alpha dog of Pembrook, is missing! There's trouble brewing in this quiet Minnesota town, and none of the humans seem to notice. But the dogs do! They can smell it in the air.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
Compact Classics Volume II

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

It was the time of the French Revolution — a time of great change and great danger. It was a time when injustice was met by a lust for vengeance, and rarely was a distinction made between the innocent and the guilty. Against this tumultuous historical backdrop, Dickens' great story of unsurpassed ...

**Description from Amazon: In the winter of 1846, the Donner Party was stranded by heavy snows in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The pioneers endured bitter hardships and many of them died. But some survived, including eight-year-old Patty Reed, a girl filled with dignity and determination in the face of mortal danger. This is ...

FROM SARAH:

Would you believe that I never read any Jane Austen until my 30s? And now I can't get enough! If you're having a hard time figuring out why everyone loves Austen so, I suggest watching the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice, and *then* start reading it for yourself. Just don't blame me when you start neglecting the laundry and housework so you can read a little more. 😉  Especially wonderful on audio (Audible | LibroFM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Pride and Prejudice is a novel of manners by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story follows the main character, Elizabeth Bennet, as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of the British Regency.

**Description from Amazon: This treasured historical satire, played out in two very different socioeconomic worlds of 16th-century England, centers around the lives of two boys born in London on the same day: Edward, Prince of Wales, and Tom Canty, a street beggar. During a chance encounter, the two realize they are identical...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

For fans of Old Yeller and Shiloh, Where the Red Fern Grows is a beloved classic that captures the powerful bond between man and man’s best friend.

**Description from Amazon: Patrick F. McManus's gently comic stories about outdoor life have earned him millions of fans worldwide. With Kerplunk!, McManus delivers a collection of folksy, wonderfully wise depictions of country life worthy of Mark Twain.In these tall tales, McManus and his buddies learn how not to net a fish,...

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.

**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: 

Featuring a carefully curated reading treasury of the best children's literature for each area of the globe, as well as practical parenting suggestions and inspiration, Give Your Child the World helps moms and dads raise insightful, compassionate kids who fall in love with the world and are prepared to change it for good.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

You can apply the same techniques of efficiency, intention, and purpose that you've used in other careers to your most important position in life-motherhood. Steady Days takes you through the process of becoming a professional mother: one who is organized and excited to spend time with your young children.

**Description from Amazon: Summer vacation turns into an adventure for the three Nicholl sisters when Mr. Gilbert Chesterton and his wife come to town. Eleven-year-old Clare hopes to write a detective story. Eight-year-old Cece wants to be a champion roller-skater. And ten-year-old Joan just wants to learn how to play the loc...

FROM SARAH:

Just when you thought all of Regina Doman's brilliant fairy tales retold were princess retellings. ;) This is #5 in the series and is a retelling of Arabian Nights.

Recommended for ages 13+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When his computer hacker dad discovers a secret website, Alex O'Donnell and his girlfriend Kateri become embroiled in a mystery that leads to sudden wealth, and murder. A modern retelling of the classic Arabian Nights tale "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves."

FROM SARAH:

All of Regina Doman's Fairy Tale Novels are works of genius. This is book #4 in the series, and is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

Recommended for ages 13.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When teenaged Rachel Durham finds a way that she and her eleven stepsisters can sneak out of their Chesapeake Bayside home after midnight, their troubled fundamentalist father enlists the help of Paul Fester, an ex-soldier and traveling juggler, to find out what the girls are up to. A modern retelling of Grimm's fairy tale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses."

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:

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.

FROM SARAH:

All of Regina Doman's Fairy Tale Novels are works of genius. This is the first in the series. 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:

When Bear, a mysterious young man, lands on Blanche and Rose Brier's doorstep in New York City, the two sisters have conflicting opinions on whether or not he is dangerous. Even as Blanche learns to trust him, her fears that Bear's friendship threatens their family prove terrifyingly true. A modern retelling of the classic Brothers Grimm fairytale.

**Description from Amazon: In this story about identity and independence, the gutsy girl from the bush tries being a farmer, a man, a teacher, and a pirate—all with dire consequences!Audrey is a 1930s outback girl with a lot on her mind. Her dad has gone away to work; her brother Price thinks he's too old for games; and l...

FROM SARAH:

Ten-year-old Naima excels at painting designs called alpanas, but to help her impoverished family financially she would have to be a boy— or disguise herself as one. Excellent (and short!) for all ages.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Naima is a talented painter of traditional alpana patterns, which Bangladeshi women and girls paint on their houses for special celebrations. But Naima is not satisfied just painting alpana. She wants to help earn money for her family, like her best friend, Saleem, does for his family.

When Naima's rash effort to help puts her family deeper in debt, she draws on her resourceful nature and her talents to bravely save the day.

FROM SARAH:

This whole series is utterly delightful. It's especially wonderful on audio narrated by Mutiyat Ade-Salu (Audible | LibroFM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Your kids will love hearing the tales of Anna's aunties and uncles, extravagant Aunt Comfort, and Double and Trouble (Anna's twin brothers)-- it all happens in Africa, Amazing Africa. This whole series is not to miss!

**Description from Amazon: This first book in the four-volume narrative history series for elementary students will transform your study of history. The Story of the World has won awards from numerous homeschooling magazines and readers' polls―over 150,000 copies of the series in print! What terrible secret was buried in Sh...

FROM SARAH:

You might remember this one from your own childhood, and it still holds the same appeal! A fabulous read-aloud.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In this Caldecott Medal winner, Mosquito tells a story that causes a jungle disaster.

FROM SARAH: 

A historical fiction read-aloud best for kids 10+. (Note: the parents die at the beginning, so preview for your sensitive kiddos.)

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

Africa is the only home Rachel Sheridan has ever known. But when her missionary parents are struck with influenza, everything changes. Like the lion, she must be patient and strong, awaiting the moment when she can find her way home again at last.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Tadessa from Ethiopia, Suchart from Thailand, Celina from Brazil...each has hopes and fears dreams and beliefs. Their cultures are different yet in many ways their daily lives are very similar as are their hopes for the future and their ways of looking at the world. Over the past two years a photographer and a teacher have travelled to more than 30 different parts of the world to meet these children.

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 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...

**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 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.

**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 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.

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.

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...

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 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.