Books

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

An Incan boy who tends llamas in a hidden valley in Peru learns the traditions and secrets of his ancestors.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Imagine microscopic worms living in the soil. They enter your body through your bare feet, travel to your intestines, and stay there for years sucking your blood like vampires. You feel exhausted. You get sick easily. It sounds like a nightmare, but that's what happened in the American South during the 1800s and early 1900s.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

From Christina Soontornvat, the visionary and versatile author of three Newbery Honor Books, comes a high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

All light in Chattana is created by one man — the Governor, who appeared after the Great Fire to bring peace and order to the city. For Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, the magical lights represent freedom, and he dreams of the day he will be able to walk among them. But when Pong escapes from prison, he realizes that the world outside is no fairer than the one behind bars. The wealthy dine and dance under bright orb light, while the poor toil away in darkness. Worst of all, Pong’s prison tattoo marks him as a fugitive who can never be truly free.

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.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

The remarkable true story of how former slave Isabella Baumfree transformed herself into the preacher and orator Sojourner Truth, an iconic figure of the abolitionist and women's rights movements.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

A young girl’s beloved uncle is a talented barber without a shop who never gives up on his dream in this richly illustrated, stirring picture book.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

Stone-in-the-Glen is a once-lovely town that has fallen on hard times. The beautiful Library burned down; the dazzling, dragon-slaying Mayor offers more speeches than action. And for all their resourcefulness, the fourteen clever Orphans at the Orphan House still struggle to get enough to eat.

FROM SARAH:

From the author of The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street comes a stand-alone story about a newly homeless New York City family. Karina Yan Glaser's classic hopeful writing style, in a completely new story. Excellent, I think, for ages 8-14.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

It's June’s first day at Huey House, and as if losing her home weren’t enough, she also can’t bring her cherished viola inside. Before the accident last year, her dad saved tip money for a year to buy her viola, and she’s not about to give it up now. Tyrell has been at Huey House for three years and gives June a glimpse of the good things about living there: friendship, hot meals, and a classical musician next door.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

Told with empathy and a storyteller's flair, Elliott's story is funny, touching, and unexpectedly relevant. Back matter about the history of Alcatraz and the US prison system today invites meaningful discussion.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

A must-have for any young reader, this wonderful boxed set includes Pinky and Rex, Pinky and Rex and the Bully, Pinky and Rex and the New Neighbors, Pinky and Rex and the School Play, Pinky and Rex and the Mean Old Witch, and Pinky and Rex and the Spelling Bee.

FROM SARAH:

This is Gary Schmidt's best yet (do I always say that? It's always true!). Hercules is about as lovable as they come, learning how to be here and how to be okay after the tragic death of his parents. This book will make you want to read Greek myths, listen to Vivaldi, and watch the sunrise on Cape Cod. The audio version is especially well done (Audible I Libro.FM).

Highly recommended for ages 14+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

From award-winning author Gary D. Schmidt, a warm and witty novel in the tradition of The Wednesday Wars, in which a seventh grader has to figure out how to fulfill an assignment to perform the Twelve Labors of Hercules in real life—and makes discoveries about friendship, community, and himself along the way.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

When devoted Anglophile Helene Hanff is invited to London for the English publication of 84, Charing Cross Road—in which she shares two decades of correspondence with Frank Doel, a British bookseller who became a dear friend—she can hardly believe her luck. Frank is no longer alive, but his widow and daughter, along with enthusiastic British fans from all walks of life, embrace Helene as an honored guest.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

This memoir tells the remarkable story of how Helene Hanff came to write 84, Charing Cross Road, and how its success changed her. Hanff recalls her serendipitous discovery of a volume of lectures by a Cambridge don, Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch. She devoured Q’s book, and, wanting to read all the books he recommended, began to order them from a small store in London at 84, Charing Cross Road.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

Some people collect stamps. Other people collect coins. Carol Otis Hurst's father collected rocks. Nobody ever thought his obsession would amount to anything. They said, You've got rocks in your head and There's no money in rocks. But year after year he kept on collecting, trading, displaying, and labeling his rocks. The Depression forced the family to sell their gas station and their house, but his interest in rocks never wavered. And in the end the science museum he had visited so often realized that a person with rocks in his head was just what was needed.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

The most cantankerous and skilled fisherman in Higgins Bend, Simon Henry, meets his match in a mischievous, stinkbait-stealing catfish named Oscar, in a funny, not-quite-epic tale of man and fish.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

Award-winning nonfiction author Melissa Stewart reveals the surprising ways seashells provide more than shelter to the mollusks that inhabit them.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

“I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.”

January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The story concerns Anne Elliot, a young Englishwoman of twenty-seven years, whose family moves to lower their expenses and reduce their debt by renting their home to an Admiral and his wife. The wife's brother, Navy Captain Frederick Wentworth, was engaged to Anne in 1806, but the engagement was broken when Anne was "persuaded" by her friends and family to end their relationship. Anne and Captain Wentworth, both single and unattached, meet again after a seven-year separation, setting the scene for many humorous encounters as well as a second, well-considered chance at love and marriage for Anne in her second "bloom".

FROM SARAH:

A lovely and simple invitation to get quiet for Advent. When it comes to Advent, I prefer simple—there's so much noise in the world at this time of year. This book is my favorite set of reflections for a simple, sweet, and holy Advent season. For all Christians—Catholic or otherwise. We're reading this as our RAR Premium Mama Book Club in 2023.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

From bestselling author Tsh Oxenreider, Shadow and Light is a rich yet approachable experience that invites you to explore the historical meaning of Advent. Drawing from liturgical tradition, Tsh provides fresh insights for new and longtime believers alike. Each day includes Scripture, a reflection, a question, and a simple activity to engage the senses, such as lighting candles, listening to music, and viewing artwork both old and new.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

You know the authors' names. You recognize the title. You've probably used this book yourself. This is The Elements of Style, the classic style manual, now in a fourth edition. A new Foreword by Roger Angell reminds readers that the advice of Strunk & White is as valuable today as when it was first offered.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

Newbery Award-winning author Richard Peck is at his very best in this fast-paced mystery adventure. Fans of The Tale of Desperaux, A Little Princess, and Stuart Little will all be captivated by this memorable story of a lovable orphan mouse on an amazing quest.

FROM SARAH:

My very first picture book, inspired by something Jeanne Birdsall (yes, THAT Jeanne Birdsall) said to me during a walk through her neighborhood in Northampton. Hear about the making of this book here and here!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Sly as a fox and swift as a bird, Lou Alice is determined to leave each day a little more beautiful than she found it. But when she moves away from her little house, no one in town notices she's gone. No one, that is, except a little girl, who sets out to carry on Lou Alice's work. But doing so is not enough. Can the girl find a way of her own to make the world a little more beautiful?

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

It's easy to count three of something-- just add them up. But how do you count zero, a number that is best defined by what it's not? Can you see it? Can you hear it? Can you feel it? This important math concept is beautifully explored in a way that will inspire children to find zero everywhere--from the branches of a tree by day to the vast, starry sky by night.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

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

FROM SARAH:

In this continuation of Little Women, we head to Plumfield, the school Jo March runs with her husband. This school for boys is one-of-a-kind, and may feel a lot like your homeschool on its craziest days! Delightful in every way.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

From the author of Caroline, a revealing retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved Little Women, from the perspective of Margaret “Marmee” March, about the larger real-world challenges behind the cozy domestic concerns cherished by generations of readers.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

This lavish, four-color edition features over 220 curated illustrations, including stills from the films, stunning art by Norman Rockwell, and iconic illustrations by children’s-book illustrators Alice Barber Stevens, Frank T. Merrill, and Jessie Wilcox Smith.

From Sarah:

From Read-Aloud Revival's very favorite picture book author and illustrator comes a legend your kids won't soon forget, all about how the Indian Paintbrush flower got its name. This book is not to be missed!

From the Publisher:

Many years ago, when the People traveled the Plains, a young Indian boy had a Dream-Vision in which it was revealed that one day he would create a painting that was as pure as the colors of the evening sky at sunset. The boy grew up to become the painter of the tribe, but although he found a pure white buckskin for a canvas and made paints from the brightest flowers and the reddest berries, he could not capture the sunset. How the young Indian artist finally fulfills his Dream-Vision is lovingly told and illustrated by Tomie dePaola, in words and pictures that capture the spirit and beauty of this dramatic legend.

FROM SARAH:

I loved Joy's reflection on seeking enjoyment and delight in the midst of life's unpredictable circumstances. This book is an invitation to cultivate happiness in your daily life and experience the beauty of cherishing those around you.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

Beloved writer Joy Marie Clarkson leads the way, crafting an audacious case for happiness no matter what you're going through.

FROM SARAH:

One of my all-time favorite summer picture books. This book makes me want to go to the beach! Illustrated by Marla Frazee, who illustrated The Seven Silly Eaters. 

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

Following a circle of family and friends through the course of a day from morning until night, this book affirms the importance of all things great and small in our world, from the tiniest shell on the beach, to the warmth of family connections, to the widest sunset sky.

FROM SARAH:

TK

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Auggie loves his job at the Fabled Stables, but he fears the day when it will come to an end. Fen keeps dropping hints that caretakers don’t stay forever, and it’s giving Auggie the grumps. Thankfully, there always seems to be a new stall to fill. This time, the stables set Auggie on a quest to rescue a beast called the Shibboleth—but the portal leads Auggie and Fen to the lair of the evil Rooks!

FROM SARAH:

The inspiring and heartwarming story of Norvia, an Ojibwe girl making her way through upheaval in her family life. A book full of sweet sibling relationships, soda shops, and literary references that will make you smile. I loved it. (Pssst... this book was written by an RAR Premium member!)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Despite a move, family upheaval, and the looming threat of world war, Norvia and her siblings—all five of them—are determined to make 1914 their best year ever. Norvia is certain that her future depends upon it... and upon her discretion. But how can she have the best year ever if she has to hide who she truly is?

FROM SARAH:

First published in 1917. Utterly delightful and totally readable. I think it should have been titled The Revolt of Helen McGill, As Told By Herself. One of the best reads of the year, easy. It’s only 75 pages long. I wish more books were like this one! (fiction)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Helen McGill lives with her older brother Andrew until one day, when Roger Mifflin shows up on their farm. "When you sell a man a book," says Mifflin, "you don't sell him just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue; you sell him a whole new life." And just like that, Helen treats herself to a long-overdue adventure of her own.

FROM SARAH:

A collection of essays, articles, letters, and passages from the works of C.S. Lewis reflecting on the delight and depth that reading gives our lives. My favorite chapters were “Why Children’s Stories Are Not Just for Children” and “On Encountering a Favorite Author for the First Time.” (nonfiction)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The revered teacher and best-selling author reflects on the power, importance, and joy of a life dedicated to reading books in this delightful collection drawn from his wide body of writings.

FROM SARAH:

Oh, to write like Mary Laura Philpott! Mary Laura is one of my new favorites, and in this memoir she tackles the biggest questions we face as mothers in a way that'll make you both laugh and cry. Heads up: there's some bad language, and one slightly annoying essay that you'll know I didn't like when you read it. 😉 The rest? Gold.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Hailed by The Washington Post as “Nora Ephron, Erma Bombeck, Jean Kerr, and Laurie Colwin all rolled into one,” Philpott tackles the big questions of life, death, and existential fear—not to mention the lessons of an inscrutable backyard turtle—with hope, humor, and joy.

FROM SARAH:

Our lives are full of anxiety, but what might we experience if we truly understood that we were safe all along? This book (by the author of Kisses from Katie and Daring to Hope) is balm for a weary mama's soul. It's the kind of book you need when you want a big sister to tell you the truth you knew all along, but forgot.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Rich in biblical explorations of lament and praise, forgiveness and hope, service and surrender, Safe All Along asks, What practical choices can we make to experience the peace Jesus promised amid disappointment and uncertainty? How can we live with joy and confidence even when we’re pulled into the rapids of life?

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

This beautifully illustrated collection has been carefully refreshed with its thirty-one classic Christmas carols illustrated by the beloved Tomie dePaola that will be perfect for making the holidays merry and bright.

FROM SARAH:

A  book that will refresh both your mothering and your reading life. I love this book so much, we've chosen to feature it as an RAR Premium Mama Book Club in spring 2024!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In Mothering by the Book, Jennifer takes you on a fascinating, whimsical journey that will bring freedom and fun to your parenting—one great book at a time.

FROM SARAH:

From our very own Waxwing Books, this picture book with gorgeous illustrations by Gabrielle Grimard will, we hope, become a bedtime favorite!

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

Just before first morning light, Little Shrew is awakened by the moon.

A mysterious fragrance leads her to a garden of moonflowers, where moths flutter, crickets hum, and frogs and peepers keep the beat. Join Little Shrew’s merry romp in the moonlit garden in this bedtime story for adventurous souls.

FROM SARAH:

My first picture book biography! This one tells the story of one of the world's greatest picture book illustrators, Barbara Cooney, and is illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen. Order now wherever books are sold!

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

Legendary picture book creator Barbara Cooney once noticed that the library in her little town by the sea needed attention. A library, she knew, should be a kind of paradise. And because Barbara did whatever she set her mind to, she made it one.

Follow Barbara from New York to Maine, from the shores of Greece to the mountains of Appalachia, as she captures their beauty and creates some of the most magnificent books for children ever published.

FROM SARAH:

One of my new favorite picture books. This is three stories in one—of the past, the present and, the future. You'll never look at a pecan tree the same way again. I love this book so much, we chose it as our Family Book Club pick at RAR Premium in the fall of 2023.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

This gorgeous picture book shows how one little girl’s careful tending of a pecan tree creates the living center of a loving, intergenerational Black family. For Earth Day and every day! Perfect for fans of Matt de la Peña and Oge Mora.

FROM SARAH:

A delightful cumulative tale. Is there room on the crowded bus in Zanzibar? You bet there is! Your kids will have fun looking for the chickens. Brilliantly designed by the same book designer who made A Little More Beautiful, While Everyone is Sleeping, and Because Barbara. This book is featured in our RAR Premium Family Book Club for 2023-2024.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A young boy on a crowded bus discovers that, after some wiggles and giggles, there’s room for everyone in this lighthearted rhyming picture book set in Zanzibar.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
Raising a boy, also known as being a “boy mom,” is tough in today’s culture. We want our sons to grow into strong men who will stand up for what’s right and take care of those they love, but we also want them to share their thoughts, show their feelings, and express emotions in appropriate ways. At its core, we need to teach our boys empathy. That’s where emotional intelligence comes in. Boys need to understand what they’re feeling in any given situation and be able to regulate themselves accordingly.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide use their impressive backgrounds in neurology and education to debunk the standard deficit-based approach to dyslexia. People typically define “dyslexia” as a reading and spelling disorder. But through published research studies, clinical observations, and interviews with dyslexic individuals, the Eides prove that these challenges are not dyslexia’s main features but are instead trade-offs resulting from an entirely different pattern of brain organization and information processing that has powerful advantages.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

This book outlines a unique and revolutionary program with a phenomenally high success rate in helping dyslexics learn to read and to overcome other difficulties associated with it. This new edition is expanded to include new teaching techniques and revised throughout with up-to-date information on research, studies, and contacts.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

This book contains an annotated bibliography of more than 300 books recommended for gifted students, as well as some good advice about the importance of reading and how to encourage it in children and adolescents.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
In Journeys of Faithfulness, author Sarah Clarkson explores their paths of faith while challenging today's young woman to reach higher and go deeper in her relationship with Jesus Christ by choosing well and staying the course in her walk with God. A wonderful gift for mothers and their daughters!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In this classic book, Madeleine L'Engle addresses the question, What does it mean to be a Christian artist? and What is the relationship between faith and art? Through L'Engle's beautiful and insightful essay, readers will find themselves called to what the author views as the prime tasks of an artist: to listen, to remain aware, and to respond to creation through one's own art.

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.

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:

I love visiting Port William and also really love a story that is short. This collection offers both! You can read these short stories one at a time, whenever you wish to slow down and step back into the land and heart that is Wendell Berry’s writing.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
Their contrasts are humorous, of course, and recall the tall tales of rural Americana. In the novella Watch with Me, we are given a story of such depth, breadth, and importance it earns being listed as one of the most important short stories written in the American language during the twentieth century.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

When it comes to authenticity, is being fully yourself always worth the risk? From the author of Blue Like Jazz comes New York Times bestseller Scary Close, Donald Miller's journey of uncovering the keys to a healthy relationship and discovering that they're also at the heart of building a healthy family, a successful career, and a trusted community of friends.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

For a quarter century, more than a million readers—scribes and scribblers of all ages and abilities—have been inspired by Anne Lamott’s hilarious, big-hearted, homespun advice. Advice that begins with the simple words of wisdom passed down from Anne’s father—also a writer—in the iconic passage that gives the book its title.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

Immensely helpful and illuminating to any aspiring writer, this special edition of Stephen King’s critically lauded, million-copy bestseller shares the experiences, habits, and convictions that have shaped him and his work.

Also wonderful on audio (Audible | LibroFM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
C. S. Lewis—the great British writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, Christian apologist, and bestselling author of Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, and many other beloved classics—takes readers on a spiritual journey through his early life and eventual embrace of the Christian faith.

Also wonderful on audio (Audible | LibroFM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

In Perelandra, Dr. Ransom is recruited by the denizens of Malacandra, befriended in Out of the Silent Planet, to rescue the peace-loving planet Perelandra (Venus) from a terrible threat: a malevolent being from another world who strives to create a new world order, and who must destroy an old and beautiful civilization to do so.

Also wonderful on audio (Audible).

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Inklings met each week to read and discuss each other's work-in-progress, offering both encouragement and blistering critique. How did these conversations shape the books they were writing? How does creative collaboration enhance individual talent? And what can we learn from their example?

Also wonderful on audio (Audible | LibroFM).

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
Why do we read literature and how do we judge it? C. S. Lewis's classic An Experiment in Criticism springs from the conviction that literature exists for the joy of the reader and that books should be judged by the kind of reading they invite. He argues that 'good reading', like moral action or religious experience, involves surrender to the work in hand and a process of entering fully into the opinions of others: 'in reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself'.