My boys absolutely love Henry Huggins. These books may be over fifty years old, but the world of Klickitat Street still rings true. Families still have dogs. Little sisters are still pests. Neighbor kids still have squabbles. And boys still have dreams. Henry and the Paper Route, ten-year-old Henry Huggins dreams of having a paper […]
The Monster Ring, by Bruce Coville, 1982, Book Review
This is my favorite Halloween story, one I’ve shared with my kids this time of year a couple times. One that’s scary, yet appropriate, fun and yet, well…scary! Within, eleven-year-old Russell Crannaker is tired of putting up with Eddie. The school bully is continually stealing his lunch money and pushing him around. But that’s about […]
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo, 2006, Book Review
This is an adorable novel with the sweetly nostalgic feel of an old classic, which Bagram Ibatoulline intensifies with his stunning illustrations. It reminded me greatly of Margery William’s The Velveteen Rabbit. I would estimate the independent reading level suitable for tweens, but the story is a fabulous read-aloud for children as young as four and five, […]
Sea Cutter (Chronicles of Nathaniel Childe, Book One), by Timothy Davis, 2011, Book Review
“He’s not dead!” “Please Nathaniel. It’s been two years. He’s not coming back,” my mother begged. “How can you give up on him?” I yelled. Nat’s heart tells him his father survived the shipwreck. But where is he? Why has he left Nat and his mother to a pauper’s existence in New Bedford? Then […]
Found (The Missing: Book One), by Margaret Peterson Haddix, 2008, Book Review
This book was recommended to me with little explanation, and I expected it to be just another run-of-the-mill, edgy adventure story, with a little too much language and content a little too old to comfortably call it a tween book. Wrong! Found is much more than I bargained for. It’s a fantastic, clean page-turner entirely suitable for […]
A Dog’s Life: Autobiography of a Stray, by Ann M. Martin, 2005, Book Review
I’m a huge dog-lover and a sucker for any story featuring man’s best friend. Buck, Lad, Kitty, Marley, Lassie, I’ve read them all. Add to that list Squirrel, a loveable stray who tells her story in the first person. Born in a deserted shed, Squirrel was content to live and play with brother, Bone, and […]
Dear Mr. Henshaw, by Beverly Cleary, Book Review
Dear Mr. Henshaw is Beverly Cleary’s highest award-winner, capturing the Newbery and Christopher Awards in the early 80’s, yet it is one of my least favorites. Written as a series of letters and journal entries, with absolutely no narration, Mrs. Cleary somehow, miraculously, weaves together a plot, a central-California setting and a well-rounded character. This accomplishment […]
Tango: The Tale of an Island Dog, by Eileen Beha, 2009, Book Review
Tango: The Tale of an Island Dog is a cute story that will appeal to dog lovers. Tango is a Yorkshire terrier accustomed to the good life. But when he’s swept off his yacht and washed ashore on Prince Edward Island, he finds himself in need of a friend. Fortunately, he finds lots of them. Miss […]
Ramona and her Father, by Beverly Cleary, 1977, Book Review
Ramona and Her Father is another installment in the life of the Quimbys. Within, Mrs. Cleary maintains her characteristic anecdotal style, but she’s tied her chapters more fully together to give us a glimpse inside the mind of this precocious child. And to our surprise, we find a regular girl with logical reasons for her outlandish behavior. Ramona is […]
Mr. Popper’s Penguins, by Richard and Florence Atwater, 1938, Book Review
I really liked this book! I was hesitant at first, not knowing what to expect. The sentences seemed a little simplistic, the details redundant, and the humor a bit corny. But I quickly realized this is not a middle grade novel but one aimed at a slightly younger audience, unusual for a Newbery winner. It’s […]