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

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

This epic saga pits Ahab, a brooding and fantastical sea captain, against the great white whale that crippled him.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

"More than a literary biography, with it's insights into family life, beliefs, standards, customs and conventions, tastes and fashions, is also a valuable contribution to social history".

Not much about Jane Austen's personality can be gleaned from her works.It is from her letters, from the evidence of the friends and relations, and above all from a knowledge of the kind of life led and ideas held by the society she was born into, that we are to know her.

**Description from Amazon: This simple, young, and satisfying story follows a Chinese American family as they celebrate the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. Each member of the family lends a hand as they prepare a moonlit picnic with mooncakes, pomelos, cups of tea, and colorful lanterns. And everyone sends thanks and a secret wish...

FOR THE PUBLISHER: 

A group of young cousins and their friends meet up for the summer on Prince Edward Island in Canada. They share many childhood adventures interspersed with stories told by one cousin known as the Story Girl.

FROM SARAH:

A St. Patrick's Day story worth seeing if your library has. Fun!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

On St. Patrick's Day, leprechauns are lucky. But on every other day of the year, they make for noisy neighbors -- and they're turning the entire town of Dingle upside down! Fortunately, Finn O'Finnegan always has a clever plan brewin . . .

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In My First Christmas, warm illustrations and easy-to-follow text celebrate the joys and traditions of this special holiday. From decorating the tree to putting cookies out for Santa, the Christmas spirit is beautifully captured by Tomie dePaola.

**Description from Amazon: Llama, Llama red pajama waiting, waiting for his mama.Mama isn't coming yet.Baby Llama starts to fret.In this infectious rhyming read-aloud, Baby Llama turns bedtime into an all-out llama drama! Tucked into bed by his mama, Baby Llama immediately starts worrying when she goes downstairs, and his soft...

**Description from Amazon: Illus. in black-and-white. This classic collection of poetry is available in a handsome new gift edition that includes seven additional poems written after The Dream Keeper was first published. In a larger format, featuring Brian Pinkney's scratchboard art on every spread, Hughes's inspirational mes...

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Princess Viola is great at skateboarding and karate-chopping, but she’s lousy at the royal wave, walk, and waltz. The king and queen are not pleased. What’s a princess to do? Attend the skill-polishing Camp Princess, of course.

**Description from Amazon: In a gorgeous and contemplative new picture book, legendary author-illustrator Tomie dePaola reminds us that mindfulness—being quiet, still, and present with one another—is a very special thing.Everything is in such a hurry, busy as busy can be. The birds are flying so fast, the dragonfly is zoo...

FROM SARAH:

A delightful and enchanting tale that will make you want to re-read your childhood fantasy favorites. Especially excellent for teen girls and mamas. The first in a new series from Read-Aloud Revival favorite, Sarah Arthur!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When fourteen-year-old American Eva Joyce unexpectedly finds herself spending the summer at the mysterious manor house of the English grandmother she’s never met, she soon discovers that her family, the manor staff, and even the house itself are hiding secrets.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

New firefighter, Rocky Hill, arriving at his first fire is confronted by a frantic mother shouting, "Save my Baby, Save My Baby." While his partners attack the fire Rocky, his heart pounding with the urgency of the situation, crawls through the upstairs searching for the baby trapped in her crib.

FROM SARAH:
Fast-paced, exciting, and based on a true story of heroic children from WWII-era Norway, this short middle grade novel is one that you don't want to miss!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In the bleak winter of 1940, Nazi troops parachuted into Peter Lundstrom's tiny Norwegian village and held it captive. Nobody thought the Nazis could be defeated—until Uncle Victor told Peter how the children could fool the enemy. It was a dangerous plan. They had to slip past Nazi guards with nine million dollars in gold hidden on their sleds. It meant risking their country's treasure—and their lives. This classic story of how a group of children outwitted the Nazis and sent the treasure to America has captivated generations of readers.

FROM SARAH:

See if your library has this delightful book, as well as others by the same author.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When a young boy discovers an abandoned book on the side of the road, it opens a window to another world just as real as his own. But what happens when the two worlds collide?

FROM SARAH:

Oh my, what a feast for the eyes this book is! All of the illustrations were created with pressed plants. Just see if you can tear your eyes away!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Helen Ahpornsiri's intricate artwork transforms leaves, petals, and seeds into bounding hares, swooping swallows, and blossoming trees. Using nothing but pressed plants, this journey through the seasons captures the wonder and magic of the natural world between the pages of a book. This standout title with beautiful nonfiction text will take readers through an extraordinary year in the wild.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

On June 23, 2018, twelve young players of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach enter a cave in northern Thailand seeking an afternoon’s adventure. But when they turn to leave, rising floodwaters block their path out. The boys are trapped! Before long, news of the missing team spreads, launching a seventeen-day rescue operation involving thousands of rescuers from around the globe.

**Description from Amazon: In his characteristically wise and gentle way, the host of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood challenges the stereotypes that often plague children with special needs and celebrates six children who are extraordinary friends.

FROM SARAH: 

My first book for 2022 and wow, what a book! I loved everything about it. For fans of Susan Meissner and Patti Callahan, this WWII story set in a London bookshop will steal your heart. Teens who like historical fiction may enjoy it too. Wonderful on audio (Audible | LibroFM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

August 1939: London prepares for war as Hitler’s forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and drawn curtains that she finds on her arrival are not what she expected. And she certainly never imagined she’d wind up working at Primrose Hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of London.

This one probably isn't for your kids-- just for you. I've lost track of how many times I've read it, but every time I get it out, I feel re-inspired to live my creative best. Highly recommended.

**Description from Amazon: The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! Getting the facts behind the fiction has never looked better.Track the facts with Jack and Annie! When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in Magic Tree House Mer...

FROM SARAH:

The classic folk song, brought to life on the page. A delight!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A favorite old nursery ballad now appears in resplendent new dress. . . . Illustrator Feodor Rojankovsky somehow manages to combine quaintness with sophistication and his doughty frog, the coy mouse . . . and others make charming company.”--The New York Times Book Review

"The day she was born, her grandfather made her a ring of silver and a polished stone, because he loved her already." Through the years, the little girl and her grandfather share so many happy times -- playing by the sea, walking in the mountains, working in his store. And when he grows sick, she ta...

FROM THE PUBLISHER

A simple, engaging, guided journal/habit planner to help you have the best mornings.

FROM SARAH:

Tim Egan's charming tales of Dodsworth around the world are worth adding to your collection!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Dodsworth wanted adventure. He wanted to see the world. He especially wanted to visit New York City. What he didn’t want was to be joined by a duck. A crazy duck. A duck that misbehaves.

FROM SARAH:

An illustrated version of A Christmas Carol worth seeking out. See if your library has it!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In this luminous picture book adaptation of Charles Dickens' immortal classic, the story of Ebenezer Scrooge leaps off the page to warm the soul of one and all.

NARRATED BY: Mary Sarah, DIRECTIONS: Buy the Kindle version for FREE, then select "Add Audible narration for .99" BEST FOR AGES: 15+

FROM SARAH:

I first stumbled across this book when I did Five in a Row with my older kids. It's not your standard fall book... but pumpkiny all the same! Note that it's longer than you might expect, so feel free to read it over a few sittings, if it suits you.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

"Nearly all the sheep ranchers in Blue Gum Valley rode horses or drove jeeps to check on their sheep. But Joshua Summerhayes liked to run...with Yellow Dog trailing behind him." So it's no surprise when Joshua decides to enter a race from Melbourne to Sydney.

FROM SARAH:

This novel is based on the true story of the start of the American Morgan horse breed, originating in the Northeast. We love it both as a read-aloud and as an audiobook!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In 1791, a Vermont schoolmaster by the name of Justin Morgan comes home with a two-year-old colt named Little Bub. Taken as payment for an outstanding debt, the little colt doesn’t seem like he’s worth much, but the teacher asks one of his students, Joel Goss, to train the horse. Joel knows that the horse has great potential, and soon word about Little Bub spreads throughout the entire Northeast for his ability to work harder, run faster, and perform better than any horse in the area!

FROM SARAH:

A short story from the author of The Wind in the Willows, and just as beloved, read aloud by the inimitable Jim Weiss (Audible). This is a wonderful audiobook for kids of all ages. It's only an hour long, so it's a quick (and worthwhile) win. A gentle, funny fantasy.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The people call for that famous dragon-slaying knight Saint George to defeat the monstrous beast. But when one smart little boy actually meets the dragon, he finds a harmless, friendly creature who would much rather write poems than burn villages.

Can the boy find a way to make peace before the knight and the dragon have to fight?

FROM SARAH:

A fun read-aloud for St. Patrick's Day. See if your library has it!

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

Welcome to the rival towns of Tralee and Tralah, where the annual St. Patrick’s Day decorating contest is under way. Every year, Tralah defeats Tralee. This year, though, little Fiona Riley has a wonderful idea that will help Tralee win the contest for sure. But neither town has counted on a stranger arriving—a funny little man with pointed ears and boots trimmed with bells—who will turn the contest upside down!

From the publisher:

Learn to make art like the masters with art masterclass! In each book, undertake 12 lessons including drawing, coloring, and sketching activities that are designed to show you how the artist worked. Like Monet, you'll use dabs and strokes to show light, do a painting outside, and use bright colors to show different times of day. Then you can use everything you’ve learnt to create your masterpiece on the pull-out poster at the back using the sticker sheet.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Tomie dePaola's glorious paintings are as luminous as the farolitos that light up on the Plaza in Santa Fe for the procession of Las Posadas, the tradition in which Mary and Joseph go from door to door seeking shelter at the inn on Christmas Eve.This year Sister Angie, who is always in charge of the clebration, has to stay home with the flu, and Lupe and Roberto, who are to play Mary and Joseph, get caught in a snowstorm. But a man and a woman no one knows arrive in time to take their place in the procession and then mysteriously disappear at the end before they can be thanked.That night we witness a Christian miracle, for when Sister Angie goes to the cathedral and kneels before the statue of Mary and Jospeh, wet footprints from the snow lead up to the statue.

**Description from Amazon: When little Etta the Elephant goes to her Aunt Ellen's house, she takes a journey through bicycle-filled Cycle City, a town filled with bikes of all kinds! At the end of the day, a special surprise awaits Etta—the most amazing bicycle parade imaginable. Detail-rich illustrations in this fun seek-a...

**Description from Amazon: Beloved author-illustrator Tomie dePaola’s take on traditional “Jack tales”—in which a young hero ventures out to seek his fortune and gains it through luck or pluck—is perfect for preschoolers. His hero’s reward is a wealth of animal friends who increase in number—and volume—as the ...

**Description from Amazon: CONNECTION PARENTING is based on the parenting series Pam Leo has taught for nearly 20 years. Pam’s premise is that every child’s greatest emotional need is to have a strong emotional bond with at least one adult. When we have a bond with a child we have influence with a child. Pam teaches us th...

FROM SARAH:

A sweet picture book with lovely illustrations about courage during times of change. Lovely!

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

FROM SARAH:

A continuation of fairy tales and folk tales, and just as good as the first one!

Recommended for ages 4+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Children and adults alike will delight in reading aloud these enduring and enchantingly told stories, richly illustrated and fabulously reimagined by award-winning artist Scott Gustafson. Stories include “The Little Red Hen,” “The Princess and the Pea,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” “The Ugly Duckling,” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
This delightful picture book explores questions and concerns about physical disabilities in a simple and reassuring way. Younger children can find out about individual disabilities, special equipment that is available to help the disabled, and how people of all ages can deal with disabilities and live happy and full lives.

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 SARAH:

On a moonlit night in the segregated south, Stella and her little brother see something they’re never supposed to see, something that is the first flicker of change to come— unwelcome change. This story will leave you and your kids with an inspired sense of hope and wonder. (Make sure your kids are ready to hear about the Ku Klux Klan before starting this one. There's nothing graphic, but it's intense.)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Stella lives in the segregated South--in Bumblebee, North Carolina, to be exact about it. Some stores she can go into. Some stores she can't. Some folks are right pleasant. Others are a lot less so. To Stella, it sort of evens out, and heck, the Klan hasn't bothered them for years. But one late night, later than she should ever be up, much less wandering around outside, Stella and her little brother see something they're never supposed to see...

**Description from Amazon: The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! Getting the facts behind the fiction has never looked better. Track the facts with Jack and Annie!! When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in Magic Tree House Me...

FROM SARAH:

Leo Lionni is one of those illustrators you should know! This one is especially charming, especially if you have any children who are struggling a bit with generosity. ;)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Three selfish frogs live together on an island in the middle of Rainbow Pond. All day long they bicker: It’s mine! It’s mine! It’s mine! But a bad storm and a big brown toad help them realize that sharing is much more fun. With characteristic clarity, simplicity and exuberance, Leo Lionni makes it possible for kids to see themselves through the antics of others who share our world.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Buckley and his Mama live in a cozy cabin by the ocean. He loves to carve boats out of the driftwood he finds on the beach nearby. He makes:big boats long boats short boats and tall boats, each one more beautiful than the last, and sends them out to sea.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
Celebrate High School equips parents and students of any educational philosophy with easy-to-follow explanations, ready-to-use examples, and experiential narratives from families who have successfully walked the home education high school path.

FROM SARAH:

Natalie Babbitt's short novels are also the kind that stay with you long after you've turned the last page, and this is no exception. An excellent discussion starter for kids age 12+ about mortality and what makes life worth living. Also wonderful on audio (Audible I Libro.FM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on the Tucks' disturbing family secret, nothing is ever the same. But how can a spring that grants eternal life be anything but wonderful?

FROM SARAH:

Oh, how I *laughed* my way through this book the first time my kids read it to me! Bound to be a classic. Hilarious.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In a trio of stories for beginning readers, author David LaRochelle introduces the excitable Max, who lets the book know in irresistibly emphatic dialogue that the text is not to his liking.

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:

FROM THE PUBLISHER

When the time comes for Bernadette to go to Monster Academy, she's just a teensy bit nervous. Her classmates just don't understand her. They'd rather uproot trees than sing friendship songs. And they prefer fried snail goo to Bernadette's homemade cupcakes with sprinkles. Can Bernadette find a way to make friends at school and still be herself?

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

It is just before Christmas when an organ grinder and monkey appear on the street outside Frances’s apartment. When it’s quiet she can hear their music, and when she looks out her window at midnight, she sees them sleeping outside. Finally the day of the Christmas pageant arrives, but when it’s Frances’s turn to speak, all she can think about is the organ grinder’s sad eyes — until a door opens just in time, and she finds the perfect words to share. With this luminous tale, Kate DiCamillo pairs with Bagram Ibatoulline to offer a timeless holiday gift.

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

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

From the author of Miles to Go before I Sleep comes I, Julian, the account of a medieval woman who dares to tell her own story, battling grief, plague, the church and societal expectations to do so. Compelled by the powerful visions she had when close to death, Julian finds a way to live a life of freedom - as an anchoress, bricked up in a small room on the side of a church - and to write of what she has seen. The result, passed from hand to hand, is the first book to be written by a woman in English.

Tender, luminous, meditative and powerful, Julian writes of her love for God, and God's love for the whole of creation. "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well."

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A definitive collection of wisdom on every style of writing and a celebration of the transformative power of the written word from one of the most influential writers and thinkers of the modern age, C. S. Lewis, the beloved author of the Chronicles of Narnia series, Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and other revered classics.

Featuring over one hundred excerpts—some short and some essay length—drawn from his wide body of letters, books, and essays, On Writing (and Writers) brings together C. S. Lewis’s reflections on the power, importance, and joy of a life dedicated to writing.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Hana and her father used to love to walk in the garden in the evening and play their favorite game — the one where Hana is a Renowned Physician and Papa pretends to faint dead away on the bench. But ever since tulip fever struck Holland, Hana's father has been consumed by greed. Soon he is too busy to walk in the garden or kiss Hana good night or even realize how lovely the tulips are. Even worse, the tulip market is crashing, and now Papa is falling into despair. It's up to Hana — with a little help from the painter Rembrandt, a family friend — to find a way to remind her father of what's truly valuable and bring him back to his family.

FROM SARAH:

A spin on The House That Jack Built, this is the sandcastle that Lola built! Perfect for a summer afternoon (or any afternoon when you'd rather be at the beach).

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

A modern, summery spin on the classic The House That Jack Built, in which Lola's day at the beach leads to new friends and a giant sandcastle.

FROM SARAH:

You can't help but giggle when you read about the wacky adventures of Calvin and Hobbes. Share this one with the kiddo who brings their own delightful chaos to every ordinary situation, and remember that life would be oh-so-boring without them!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Beginning with the day Hobbes sprang into Calvin's tuna fish trap, the first two Calvin and Hobbes collections, Calvin and Hobbes and Something Under The Bed Is Drooling, are brought together in this treasury. Including black-and-white dailies and color Sundays, The Essential Calvin and Hobbes also features an original full-color 16-page story.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A gorgeous and inspiring picture book biography of Jane Austen, one of the most beloved writers of all time, from award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson.It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of our greatest writers.But before that, she was just an ordinary girl.

FROM SARAH:

One of my older kids just loved the Elsa Beskow books when she was younger. If you have a child who loves fairies and/or tiny things, this story will delight.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

This delightful autumn story describes woodland scenes when two acorn children get carried away to adventures by the blustery autumn wind. (Ages 4–6) This is the mini edition of the popular Woody, Hazel, and Little Pip.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Once covering almost 40 percent of the United States, native prairie is today one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. Plant a Pocket of Prairie teaches children how changes in one part of the system affect every other part: when prairie plants are destroyed, the animals who eat those plants and live on or around them are harmed as well. Root shows what happens when we work to restore the prairies, encouraging readers to “plant a pocket of prairie” in their own backyards.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: Blighted by recession and devastated by the loss, they must also come to terms with significant social change. Forward-thinking and ambitious, Sarah Burton is the embodiment of such change. After the death of her fiancé, she returns home to Yorkshire focused on her career as headmistress of the local school—but not everyone can embrace the new social order.