Books

NARRATED BY: Kate Forbes, BEST FOR AGES: 7+

NARRATED BY: Allyson Johnson, BEST FOR AGES: 12+

NARRATED BY: Pedro Pascal, BEST FOR AGES: 7+

NARRATED BY: Tom Stechschulte, BEST FOR AGES: 12+

NARRATED BY: Jeff Woodman, BEST FOR AGES: 10+

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In winter, spring, summer, and fall, Frog and Toad are always together. From sledding in winter to eating ice cream on hot summer days, these two friends have fun the whole year round!

Also available on LibroFM.

FROM SARAH:

This was one of the first books that was ever recommended to me for our homeschool history reading. A well-told narrative style history book. Read a chapter and have your kids tell it back, and you'll be delighted by how much they learn!

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
One of the finest history books for children, this well-loved Hillyer classic features stories of world history from prehistoric man through the 20th century, inspiring an appreciation of how events relate to one another.

FROM SARAH:

I'm not actually sure poetry for children gets better than Robert Louis Stevenson. I love this collection!

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

A Child's Garden of Verses is a collection of poetry for children about childhood, illness, play and solitude by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson.

NARRATED BY: John R. Erickson, BEST FOR AGES: 5+

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Frog and Toad are always together. Here are five wonderful stories about flowers, cookies, bravery, dreams, and, most of all, friendship.

Also available on LibroFM.

NARRATED BY: Eleanor Erika Davis

BEST FOR AGES: 8+

LISTENING LENGTH: 45 min

NARRATED BY: Cathy Dobson, BEST FOR AGES: 7+

NARRATED BY: Julius Lester, BEST FOR AGES: 5+

NARRATED BY: Bill Wallis, BEST FOR AGES: 5+

NARRATED BY: Jean Fritz, BEST FOR AGES: 6+

NARRATED BY: Jean Fritt, BEST FOR AGES: 6+

NARRATED BY: Natalie Ross, BEST FOR AGES: 10+ (heads up: young earth creationists may want to skip this one)

NARRATED BY: Barbara Caruso, BEST FOR AGES: 10+

NARRATED BY: Gabra Zackman, BEST FOR AGES: 8+

NARRATED BY: Sisi A. Johnson, BEST FOR AGES: 10+

FROM SARAH:

All of the historical American Girl books are excellent on audio (yep, even my boys enjoy them, and we all learn a whole lot while listening). Highly recommend! (Audible | LibroFM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Kaya is an adventurous Nez Perce girl growing up before America became a country. When her courage is tested, Kaya draws strength from the traditions and legends her elders share.

Wonderful on audio (Audible | LibroFM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Kit Kittredge has a nose for news—but she never dreamed that the news stories about the hard times of the Depression would become her own story. First Mother’s bothersome friends move in with the Kittredges. Then Dad loses his business, and Kit’s family could lose their house! Things look hopeless, but a clever idea might let her family keep their home. Can Kit help pull it off?

NARRATED BY: Chris Ensweiler and George Mount, BEST FOR AGES: 8+

FROM SARAH:

An absolute delight of a read-aloud, and a testament to the transformative power of nature, family, and kindness. You can visit the Hurry Hill Maple Farm & Museum in Pennsylvania, which pays tribute to the Newbery-Award-winning book!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A father's wounded heart. A mother's patient love. An eager boy, an impetuous girl, and, above all, the healing power of nature. These are the classic ingredients that fill Virginia Sorensen's Newbery Award-winning novel with a tender power and lift it to classic status. First published in 1956, Miracles on Maple Hill is almost uncanny in its appeal for today's young listeners. For here is the story of a father returned from war in a distant land, wounded in body but even more in spirit, and a family desperate for him to be returned to wholeness, a wholeness they hope can be found on Maple Hill.

NARRATED BY: Katherine Kellgren, BEST FOR AGES: 6+

FROM SARAH:

All of the historical American Girl books are excellent on audio (yep, even my boys enjoy them, and we all learn a whole lot while listening). Highly recommend! Available on (Audible | LibroFM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When her cousin Ana’s family needs money to leave Russia, Rebecca puts on a sidewalk show, but all she earns is a scolding. Once Ana arrives in New York, Rebecca shares her room and her clothes and helps her cousin learn English. But when Ana is assigned to sing with her in a school program, Rebecca’s heart sinks. Ana’s Russian accent will ruin the show! Rebecca realizes her performance is one thing she does not want to share with her cousin. But how can she explain that to Ana?

NARRATED BY: Pamela Garelick, BEST FOR AGES: 8+

NARRATED BY: Keith Nobbs, BEST FOR AGES: 8+

NARRATED BY: Ilyana Kadushin BEST FOR AGES: 10+

NARRATED BY: Channie Waites, BEST FOR AGES: 8+

NARRATED BY: Christina Moore, BEST FOR AGES: 10+

NARRATED BY: Ed Sala, BEST FOR AGES: 8+

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Anastasia's tenth year has some good things, like falling in love and really getting to know her grandmother, and some bad things, like finding out about an impending baby brother.

**Description from Amazon: (star) "A compelling and inspirational portrait of the author emerges from these vivid snapshots of life's joyful, sad and surprising moments."--Publishers Weekly, starred review   In this moving autobiography, Lois Lowry explores her rich history through personal photographs, memories, and recall...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Thirteen-year-old Meg and her sister Molly couldn't be more different. Molly is beautiful and popular, and Meg is brainy and introverted. Accepting these differences has always been difficult for Meg. When Molly falls ill, however, Meg must learn not only to accept Molly and her life, but to accept death.

**Description from Amazon: There are things to be afraid of in the woods at the end of Autumn Street. But the year she goes to live in her grandfather's big house—while her father is fighting in World War II—Elizabeth can't put a name to those dark, shadowy fears. But she finds solace in her friendship with Charles, a boy...

**Description from Amazon: "Fun and lighthearted." —Publishers WeeklyA resilient and quirky colony of church mice fears another Great X more than they fear cats. Under the Mouse Mistress Hildegarde’s leadership, a resilient group of church mice save themselves from one danger after another—sometimes by the skin of their...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The beloved, worldwide bestselling creator of The Dot and I Am Human inspires readers of every age to find their own unique path to happy, and to always follow their dreams.

Picture book and creativity guru Peter H. Reynolds's inspirational book is a wonderful gift for graduations, new babies, milestone moments, and any happy occasion throughout the year. Discover a universally poignant celebration of the colorful spectrum of what it means to dream and the many ways to find happy!

**Description from Amazon: JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world . . .ISABEL is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to fi...

**Description from Amazon: Presented as a thoughtful, poetic exchange between two characters -- who don't realize they are thinking and asking the very same questions -- this beautiful celebration of our humanity and diversity invites readers of all ages to imagine a world where there is no you or me, only we.If the first ste...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Eleven-year-old Elijah lives in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway slaves near the American border. He's the first child in town to be born free, and he ought to be famous just for that. Unfortunately, all that most people see is a "fra-gile" boy who's scared of snakes and talks too much.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Benji and Red couldn't be more different. They aren't friends. They don't even live in the same town. But their fates are entwined. A chance meeting leads the boys to discover that they have more in common than meets the eye. Both of them have encountered a strange presence in the forest, watching them, tracking them. Could the Madman of Piney Woods be real?

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

This treasury features a special introduction and five full-length picture books—Five Little Monkeys Jumping on a Bed, Five Little Monkeys Bake a Cake, Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree, Five Little Monkeys with Nothing to Do, and Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car.

FROM SARAH:

Jan Brett's storytelling skills are unmatched, and I just love a treasury full of her beautiful, detailed pages that you and your family can linger over! This treasury is out-of-print, but check your local library or secondhand bookstores for a copy.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The fun includes stories of two mice couples who agree to swap homes with unexpected results; an armadillo on a rootin’-tootin’ adventure at the Curly H Rodeo; a crowd of rain-forest animals on a surprising river ride in an umbrella; and a snow bear family finding an Inuit girl asleep in their igloo.

Four stories in this treasury to cherish:
Town Mouse, Country Mouse
Armadillo Rodeo
The Umbrella
The Three Snow Bears

FROM SARAH:

Sometimes a treasury is just the thing. We especially love them when we travel, because we can bring so many stories with us! This collection of Beatrix Potter is worth adding to your own permanent collection.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Ten of Beatrix Potter's most popular tales are brought together in this beautiful jacketed hardcover treasury. The tales trace the life of Beatrix Potter from her first publication of The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902 to her later tales, set around her farm, Hill Top.

FROM SARAH:

Richard Scarry's books are those delightful stories that are full of memorable characters and pages that you turn ever-so-slowly! I love the way Scarry books invite fun observation and conversation. This book is out-of-print, but check your local library or secondhand bookstore for a copy!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Featuring Bedtime Stories, The Please and Thank You Book, A Day at the Fire Station, A Day at the Police Station, A Day at the Airport, Nicky Goes to the Doctor plus a bonus section full of fun activities, this is truly a treasury to celebrate, from the one and only Richard Scarry.

FROM SARAH:

A treasury just perfect for existing Eric Carle fans, or for those who experiencing his wonderful stories and memorable illustrations for the first time! A great addition for any home library!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A treasury tailor-made for the holidays, perfect for the whole family to share! Four favorite "Very" stories from beloved author Eric Carle, with all-new recipes, activities, projects, and more! Featuring The Very Busy Spider, The Very Quiet Cricket, The Very Lonely Firefly, and The Very Clumsy Click Beetle, this collection of Eric Carle stories offers readers four complete "Very" books in one gorgeous package.

FROM SARAH:

Virginia Lee Burton's stories may have graced your own bookshelves when you were young. I bet your kids will enjoy them every bit as much! This treasury is a wonderful way to enjoy some of her best stories, starting of course, with Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel plus three other classic picture book favorites, in one handsome hardcover.

The four complete and unabridged picture books by Virginia Lee Burton in this volume are:
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
The Little House (a Caldecott Medal winner)
Katy and the Big Snow
Maybelle the Cable Car

Virginia Lee Burton wrote and illustrated stories that have been entertaining children, parents, and grandparents for more than sixty years. Many of her books—with themes that honor a simple way of life and celebrate heroes who endure through determination and by adapting to change—have become classic American tales.

FROM SARAH:

Robert McCloskey's picture books are the very essence of childhood favorites. This treasury is beautiful, vibrant, and large - the perfect size for reading aloud together!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

From those famous ducklings to Homer Price's delicious donuts, generations of children have grown up delighting in the timeless stories of Robert McCloskey. Here, for the first time, all of his published works--Make Way for Ducklings, Blueberries for Sal, Lentil, Time of Wonder, One Morning in Maine, Burt Dow, Deep-Water Man, Homer Price and Centerburg Tales--are brought together.

FROM SARAH:

A hardcover full-color book containing Renee Graef's beautiful illustrations and Laura Ingalls Wilder's stories. These picture book versions are wonderfully true to the novels they're based on. Worth reading again and again.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The Little House series introduced generations of readers to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life on the frontier. Now with this illustrated storybook collection, the youngest readers can share in her world as well.

Laura Ingalls lives in a snug little log cabin with her ma, her pa, her sisters, Mary and Carrie, and their dog, Jack. Almanzo Wilder lives on a farm with his family and lots of animals. These pioneer children have all sorts of adventures, including trips to town, county fairs, cozy winter days, and holidays with family.

The six stories included in this treasury were originally published as stand-alone picture books: A Little Prairie House, Going to Town, County Fair, Sugar Snow, Winter Days in the Big Woods, and Christmas in the Big Woods.

**Description from Amazon: Readers today are still fascinated by “Nat,? an eighteenth-century nautical wonder and mathematical wizard. Nathaniel Bowditch grew up in a sailor?s world—Salem in the early days, when tall-masted ships from foreign ports crowded the wharves. But Nat didn?t promise to have the makings of a sailo...

FROM SARAH:

First read A Wrinkle in Time. Then read this one. They aren't the same at all, but you'll understand once you do it! :) Best for ages 12+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Shortly after a fall-out with her best friend, sixth grader Miranda starts receiving mysterious notes. It would be easy to ignore the strange messages, except that whoever is leaving them has an uncanny ability to predict the future. If that is the case, then Miranda has a big problem—because the notes tell her that someone is going to die...

**Description from Amazon: In the opening pages of Jamie Ford’s stunning debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry Lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle’s Japantown. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery:...

**Description from Amazon: Generations of children have fallen in love with Horton the elephant!  “I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. . . . An elephant’s faithful, one hundred per cent!” Horton is kind and trustworthy, but unfortunately, the lazy bird Mayzie takes advantage of his good nature when she leaves...

**Description from Amazon: In an ancient Arab nation, one woman dares to be different.Buran cannot -- Buran will not-sit quietly at home and wait to be married to the man her father chooses. Determined to use her skills and earn a fortune, she instead disguises herself as a boy and travels by camel caravan to a distant city. ...

Available on audio (Audible I Libro.FM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Long ago in London Town, at a time when the muffin man's cries began the day and the lamplighter ushered in the night, two young orphans lived together in the bleak, cold shelter of a public workhouse.

Lucy Wolcott and her little sister Glory have no one in the world but each other. Every day, they labor from dawn to dusk stitching blankets and sacks. There is scant little to eat and the nights are cold and damp. The only ray of light in their lives comes from the stories that Lucy invents, stories about a family she barely remembers, and a lot doll named Morning Glory who, Lucy promises, is destined to return to them someday.

Available on audio (Audible).

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Christmas has been canceled in the town of Gloomsbury, and something must be done. So the Prince and Princess of Gingerbread attempt to save the day in this fun-filled holiday classic, written by Tim Raglin and Eric Metaxas and read by Susan Saint James.

Available on audio (Audible).

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Fluff is the smallest and weakest of the farm kittens, but she surprises everyone with her strength and spirit. Ella falls in love with Fluff straight away, but Ella's mother won't let her have a cat. What happens to kittens that nobody wants?

FROM SARAH:

A sweet story with gentle text and charming illustrations.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A nativity play that tells the real Christmas story! Told to you by those who saw it--a donkey, a star and some shepherds. Based on the best-selling audiobook, "A Christmas Surprise," this script is designed to capture young minds with the nativity story.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Christmas has come, and with it a sparkling white winterfrost over the countryside. But 12-year-old Bettina's parents have been called away unexpectedly, leaving her in charge of the house, the farm, and baby Pia. In all the confusion, Bettina's family neglects to set out the traditional bowl of Christmas rice pudding for the tiny nisse who are rumored to look after the family and their livestock. No one besides her grandfather ever believed the nisse were real, so what harm could there be in forgetting this silly custom? But when baby Pia disappears during a nap, the magic of the nisse makes itself known. To find her sister and set things right, Bettina must venture into the miniature world of these usually helpful, but sometimes mischievous folk. A delightful winter adventure for lovers of the legendary and miraculous.