Favorite Reads

Abraham Lincoln-a Photobiography - Russell Freedman - a nice collection of pictures and quotes accompany this biography to help you understand the great man 

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day & others – Judith Viorst (pb fiction)

Archimedes and the Door of Science - Jeanne Bendick - one of the "giants" whose shoulders Newton stood on. Read and do the experiments of this "alpha" mathematician (post-Alexander Egypt/Greek history).

Augustus Caesar's World - Genevieve Foster - learn about Cicero, Cleopatra, the history of our calendar, and just about the whole world during 44 BC to AD 14.  A great read. (textbook)

Beatrix Potter’s animal stories (pb fiction)

The Black Cauldron & other Prydain Chronicles - Alexander Lloyd (high fantasy)

The Bronze Bow – Elizabeth Speare - there might be a better answer to life's sufferings (hist. fiction, Roman-occupied Palestine)

The Boxcar Children – Gertrude Chandler Warner (fiction)

Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White - warm and wonderful, this read will help you appreciate many things, including spiders (fiction)

Choosing Up Sides – John H. Ritter – a well-written “facing up” kind of book that will make you think where it hurts but leaves you with hope (fiction)

Chronicles of Narnia 1-7 – C.S. Lewis - you can find yourself and a different perspective on life in these adventure books (fiction)

Cocoa Ice – Dianna Appelbaum - a delightful story about the connecting of cultures, the processing of cocoa, and river ice-cutting; has big, beautiful pictures (fiction, picture book)

Danny the Champion of the World - Roald Dahl (fiction)

Dealing with Dragons + all Enchanted Forest Chronicles – Patricia C. Wrede

Dr. Jenner and the Speckled Monster: The Search for the Smallpox Vaccine – Albert Marrin - strive with Edward Jenner against diverse opposition to help make the world a better place

Faithful Elephants - Yukio Tsuchiya - a tear-jerker (pb fiction based on true story)

Ella Enchanted – Gail Levine – an enchanting book, but don’t bother with the movie

Freckle Juice + Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing & other Fudge books - Judy Blume

Goblins in the Castle - Bruce Coville

The Golden Goblet - Eloise Jarvis McGraw - finding courage takes time (gold working in New Kingdom [1200ish BC?] Ancient Egypt, fiction)

The Great Kapok Tree - Lynne Cherry - learn to love the rain forest (picture book)

Harriet the Spy - Louis Fitzhugh (fiction)

Hatchet - Gary Paulsen (fiction)

The Hiding  Place – Cory Ten Boom - how can you forgive murderers and torturers? (nonfiction; WWII Europe)

Hinds’ Feet on High Places – Hannah Hurnard - a wonderful allegory of the journey through life (for older kids & adults)

Hittite Warrior - Joanne Williamson (hist. fiction)

The Hobbit – Tolkien - FUN! (fiction)

Hog-eye - Susan Medaugh - what is the REAL truth, and can you read it? (picture book)

Holes – Louis Sachar - really clever! (fiction)

Johnny Tremain -  Esther Forbes (hist. fiction)

Just So Stories – Rudyard Kipling - explains the inexplicable wonderings of life (fiction)

The Jungle Book – Rudyard Kipling - (fiction)

The Lantern Bearers - Rosemary Sutcliff - a story of really tough decisions and coming to terms (fiction, Saxon invasion of Britain)

Little House in the Big Woods– Wilder - even boys find Laura's life in the wilderness exciting (fiction based on Wilder's life)

Little House on the Prairie - Wilder - an early perspective (not so PC) on settling the west (fiction)

The Librarian Who Measured the Earth - Kathryn Lasky - an intriguing story of how Eretosthanes, head librarian at Alexandria, used geometry to help figure out how far it is around the earth.  You can use his strategy and figure it out yourself! (picture book, post-Alexander Egypt/Greek history)

The Lion in the Gateway - Mary Renault - the best read on the Persian Wars in Greece.  You'll laugh with, triumph with, despise, and anxiously urge on the characters in this history.

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear - Audrey & Don Wood  (picture fiction)

The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint Exupery - what's really inside the human heart? (fiction)

Love You Forever - Robert N. Munsch - when you need a hug (picture book)

Lucky Science, Accidental Discoveries from Gravity to Velcro - Royston M. & Jeanie Roberts - an introduction to "serendipitous" discoveries and the minds who were prepared for them, experiments included that really help you to understand; a good springboard for further study

Magic School Bus books - Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen - a great way to spark interest in science

Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl - for older kids and adults

Many Moons – James Thurber – humorous & delightful princess story

The Monster at the End of this Book (Golden Book)

The Monster's Ring (and other magic shop books) - Bruce Coville

My Teacher is an Alien (the series) – Bruce Coville - have fun with kids who have to save the world (fiction)

Number the Stars – Louis Lowry - courage in the face of humanity at its worst (hist. fiction)

Onion John - Joseph Krumgold – whom are we really trying to help here?

Our Most Dear Friend:  Bhagavad-gita for Children - Vishaka - learn about India's spiritual culture (you'll be surprised at how much of it sounds like yours)

The Paper Bag Princess – Robert Munsch - sassy & clever

Perfect the Pig - Susan Jeschke – (fiction picture book)

Pink and Say - Patricia Pollacco - a warm and basically true story of courage and brotherly love (picture book)

The Prince and the Pauper – Mark Twain - you never know when you've got it good! (fiction)

The Princess and the Goblin - George MacDonald - an exciting adventure (fiction)

Puddin’head Wilson – Mark Twain - "Where is fancy bred?"  Mark Twain at his sarcastic and clever best! (fiction)

Ramona and Her Father – Beverly Cleary -love the relationship, my favorite of Beverly Cleary's (fiction)

The Search for Delicious - Natalie Babbitt - delightful! (fantasy)

The Sign of the Beaver – Elizabeth George Speare

Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims – Clyde Bulla - we like to read this around Thanksgiving

Stellaluna - Janell Cannon - charming book about a fruit bat (picture book)

Stuart Little – E.B. White - Love the book, but don't bother with the movie. (fiction)

A Symphony of Whales – Steve Schuch - did you know music had so much power? Based on a true story (picture book)

Tales from Shakespeare - Lamb - when it's too much to read the real thing

The Table Where Rich People Sit – Byrd Baylor - having economic troubles?  Read this!

The Talking Eggs - Jerry Pinkney/Robert D. San Souci  (pb fiction) 

Tom Sawyer – Mark Twain (hist. fiction)

To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee - the real world shown through a child's eyes as gently as it can be presented; the movie is also wonderful.  This is probably my favorite book in the world. (1930s Mississippi, fiction)

The Trumpeter of Krakow – Eric P. Kelly (hist. fiction)

Velveteen Rabbit - Margery Williams (fiction, picture book)

Verdi - Janell Cannon - you'll love this snake! (fiction picture book)

The Watsons Go to Birmingham – Christopher Paul Curtis (hist. fiction)

Weslandia - Paul Fleischman - Who says you have to be like everybody else? (fiction, picture book)

Where the Red Fern Grows – Wilson Rawls - tear-jerker (fiction)

Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak - (picture book)

Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May - Jean Fritz biographies & histories - all wonderful!   Interesting, funny, and gently REAL.  All highly recommended. (pb nonfiction)

The Whipping Boy - Sid Fleischman - hilarious! (fiction)

The Witch of Blackbird Pond – Elizabeth George Speare (hist. fiction)

Winnie the Pooh books– A.A. Milne - only the originals will do. (all ages, fiction)

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle (fiction)

Wonderful Pictures

Exodus - Brian Wildsmith

Joseph - Brian Wildsmith

St. George and the Dragon – Margaret Hodges

Jumanji – Chris Van Allsburg

Free Fall – David Wiesner

Audio

Rabbit Ears Productions The Legend of Sleepy Hollow sound recording

Easy Books For Early Readers

Magic Treehouse - Mary Osborn Pope (good for stimulating curiosity about the world + research guides for more advanced readers)

Arthur books - Marc Brown

Frog and Toad books - Arnold Lobel (these are great for all ages)

Little Bear books - Else Minarik (as good as a hug)

Henry & Mudge books - Cynthia Rylant (warm and fuzzy)

It's Me, Hippo & Hippo Lemonade - Mike Thaler - (lots of laughs)

Commander Toad books - Jane Yolen

The Sneetches - Dr. Seuss

Green Eggs & Ham - Dr. Seuss

Miss Nelson is Missing & others in series – Harry Allard

Rosie & Michael are Friends – Judith Viorst

The Pain & the Great One – Judy Blume

The Fire Cat – Esther Averill

No More Monsters for Me – Peggy Parish

Owl at Home - Arnold Lobel

Corduroy & A Pocket for Corduroy – Don Freeman

The Bear Came Over to My House - Rick Walton