Since 2007

1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie

2. Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende

3. Eva Luna by Isabel Allende

4. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende

5. Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende

6. Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende

7. Zorro by Isabel Allende

8. Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

9. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

10. Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

11. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

12. The End of the Beginning by Avi*

13. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit

14. The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker

15. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum

16. The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin

17. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

18. The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron*

19. Gangster by Lorenzo Carcaterra

20. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

21. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

22. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

23. Two Times the Fun by Beverly Clearly*

24. Jake Drake Class Clown by Andrew Clements

25. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

26. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

27. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

28. Annabel the Actress Starring in Gorilla My Dreams by Ellen Conford*

29. Annabel the Actress Starring in Just a Little Extra by Ellen Conford*

30. Illustrated Fairy Tales by Sarah Courthauld*

31. The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman

32. Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl*

33. The Giraffe, the Pelly and Me by Roald Dahl*

34. The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl*

35. The Maze Runner by James Dashner

36. Wither by Lauren DeStefano

37. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

38. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

39. Twilight Before Christmas by Christine Feehan

40. Calico Bush by Rachel Field

41. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

42. Beastly by Alex Flinn

43. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia

44. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

45. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

46. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon

47. Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

48. The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

49. Emmaline and the Bunny by Katherine Hannigan*

50. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

51. The Foretelling by Alice Hoffman

52. Four Mothers by Shifra Horn

53. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Kahled Hosseini

54. The Kite Runner by Kahled Hosseini

55. Busybody Nora by Johanna Hurwitz*

56. Nora and Mrs. Mind Your Own Business by Johanna Hurwitz*

57. Rip Roaring Russell by Johanna Hurwitz*

58. Funny Frank by Dick King-Smith*

59. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

60. Buster’s New Friend by Stephen Krensky*

61. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

62. Catwings by Ursula Leguin*

63. Catwings Return by Ursula Leguin*

64. Jane on Her Own by Ursula Leguin*

65. Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings by Ursula Leguin*

66. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

67. Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel*

68. Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel*

69. Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel*

70. I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

71. Rules by Cynthia Lord

72. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

73. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

74. Life of Pi by Yann Martel

75. 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass

76. The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin

77. Picture Perfect by Fern Michaels

78. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

79. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer

80. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

81. Host by Stephanie Meyer

82. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

83. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

84. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

85. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

86. Animal Farm by George Orwell

87. Eldest by Christopher Paolini

88. Eragon by Christopher Paolini

89. Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine by Barbara Park

90. The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

91. Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

92. Dogsong by Gary Paulsen

93. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

94. Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

95. Spells by Aprilynne Pike

96. Wings by Aprilynne Pike

97. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

98. The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan

99. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Rioran

100. Playing With Boys by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

101. Divergent by Veronica Roth

102. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling

103. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling

104. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling

105. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Stone by JK Rowling

106. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban by JK Rowling

107. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling

108. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling

109. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

110. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

111. The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

112. Holes by Louis Sachar

113. Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

114. There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom by Louis Sachar

115. A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

116. The Sign on the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare

117. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

118. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

119. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

120. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

121. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

122. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

123. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

124. The Help by Katherine Stockett

125. Q & A by Vikas Swarup

126. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

127. The Kitchen God’s Wife by Amy Tan

128. Mermaid by Carolyn Turgeon

129. Moon Over Manifest by Claire Vanderpool

130. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

131. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

132. The Ghostly Screams of Stormhaven by Ciara Wimberly

133. The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Nonfiction

1. Once Upon a Quinceanera: Coming of Age in the USA by Julia Alvarez

2. American Parent: My Strange and Surprising Adventures In Modern Babyland by Sam Apple

3. The Art of Teaching Art to Children by Nancy Beal

4. The Flex Diet: Design Your Own Weight Loss Plan by James Beckerman

5. Build a Website for Free by Mark Bell

6. Baby Read-Aloud Basics: Fun and Interactive Ways to Help Your Little One Discover the World of Words by Caroline J. Blakemore

7. Writing Great Books for Young Adults: Everything You Need to Know, From Crafting the Idea to Landing a Publishing Deal by Regina Brooks

8. The Folklore of Florida Southern College by Alexander Bruce

9. Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children About Their Art by Eric Carle

10. The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate by Gary Chapman

11. 101 Rhythm Instrument Activities: For Young Children by Abigail Flesch Conners

12. The Big Turnoff: Confessions of a TV-Addicted Mom Trying to Raise a TV-Free Kid by Ellen Currey-Wilson

13. Raising Musical Kids: A Guide for Parents by Robert A. Cutietta

14. Mommy, Teach Me: Preparing Your Preschool Child for a Lifetime of Learning by Barbara Curtis

15. Sew What! Skirts 16 Simple Styles You Can Make with Fabulous Fabrics by Francesca DenHartog

16. The Funny Thing Is by Ellen Degeneres

17. You Can Write Children’s Books by Tracey E. Dils

18. The Power of Play: Learning What Comes Naturally by David Elkind

19. Show and Tell: Exploring the Fine Art of Children’s Book Illustration by Dilys Evans

20. Bossypants by Tina Fey

21. Reading Together: Everything You Need to Know to Raise a Child Who Loves to Read by Diane W. Frankenstein

22. Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever by Mem Fox

23. Blogging for Dummies by Susannah Gardner

24. Deconstructing Penguins: Parents, Kids, and the Bond of Reading by Lawrence Goldstone

25. Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children from Birth to Age Five by Lisa Guernsey

26. The Write Start: A Guide to Nurturing Writing at Every Stage, from Scribbling to Forming Letters and Writing Stories by Jennifer Hallissy

27. Are You There Vodka? It’s Me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

28. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler

29. Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halpern

30. Kids Make Music!: Clapping & Tapping from Bach to Rock by Avery Heart

31. Art Activities from Award-Winning Picture Books by Judy Hierstein

32. The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J. Jacobs

33. The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by A.J. Jacobs

34. The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs

35. The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp

36. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracey Kidder

37. Making Make Believe: Fun Props, Costumes, and Creative Play Ideas by Mary Ann Kohl

38. Preschool Art: It’s the Process, Not the Product by Mary Ann Kohl

39. The Toddler’s Busy Book: 365 Creative Games and Activities to Keep Your 1 ½-3 Year Old Busy by Trish Kuffner

40. Montessori Read and Write: A Parent’s Guide to Literacy for Children by Lynne Lawrence

41. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner

42. The Case for Make Believe: Saving Play in a Commercialized World by Susan Linn

43. Fish!: A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results by Stephen Lundin

44. A Caldecott Celebration: Seven Artists and Their Path to the Caldecott Medal by Leonard S. Marcus

45. The Art of Reading by Leonard S. Marcus

46. The Reading Promise: My Father and the Stories We Shared by Alice Ozma

47. Forbidden Knowledge: A Wickedly Smart Guide to History’s Naughtiest Bits by Will Pearson

48. Art is Fundamental: Teaching the Principles of Art in Elementary School by Eileen Prince

49. Story Stretchers for Infants, Toddlers, and Twos by Shirley Raines

50. Kandinsky: The Pioneer of a New Art Form by Paola Rapelli

51. From Phonics to Fluency: Effective Teaching of Decoding and Reading Fluency in the Elementary School by Timothy V. Rasinski

52. Florida’s Farmworkers in the Twenty-First Century by Nano Riley

53. And the Cow Jumped Over the Moon: Over 650 Activities to Teach Toddlers Using Familiar Rhymes and Songs by Pam Schiller

54. The I Can’t Sing Book: For Grown-ups Who Can’t Carry a Tune in a Paper Bag but Want to Do Music With Young Children by Jackie Silberg

55. The Left-Hander’s World by Alvin and Virginia Silverstein

56. Bright from the Start: The Simple, Science-Backed Way to Nuture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Jill Stamm

57. Young at Art: Teaching Toddlers Self-Expression, Problem Solving Skills, and an Appreciation for Art by Susan Striker

58. Hello Cupcake!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make by Karen Tack

59. The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

60. Mexican Papercutting : Simple Techniques for Creating Colorful Cut-Paper Projects by Kathleen Trenchard.

61. How Reading Changed My Life by Anna Quindlen

62. 1-2-3: Open Ended Art for Young Children by Jean Warren

63. Exploring Wood and Forest by Jean Warren

64. Nursery Rhyme Theme-a-Saurus: The Great Big Book of Nursery Rhyme Teaching Themes by Jean Warren

65. Will Write For Shoes by Cathy Yardley

Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner

Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner is both a contemporary and historical fiction book. The author achieves this by weaving the stories of two women, one a woman living in modern day Manhattan and the other the historical Lady Jane Grey. The women have two things in common, both their name and the ring they possess.

I found myself wrapped up in the stories of both of the women. Modern day Jane is dealing with the fact that her husband left her unexpectedly. Meissner has a great way with characterization, as I could really feel what she was experiencing. Through the interactions with her parents and sister I got a real feel for who she is. She lived her life letting her parents making decisions for her.

The 16th century Jane was a product of her times. This part of the book was told through the eyes of the dressmaker Lucy. Political ambitions were the deciding factor in relationships.

I have read several books where there is shifting between two (or more) different time periods and I usually find that I am having to get back into the story but I didn’t get that feeling this time. I felt like both stories kept my full attention and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened with both Janes.

I received this book for free for review purposes.

Deconstructing Penguins

Deconstructing Penguins: Parents, Kids, and the Bond of Reading by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone.

This book is about the book clubs that the authors have conducted with elementary school aged children. Each chapter gives an example of how one of their sessions would go. They describe a book that they read such as Charlotte’s Web and the literary discussions that would occur. They try to emphasize going deeper into the meaning of a book. They also demonstrate how they discuss things such as protagonist and antagonist.

At the end of the book, they give a few examples of books that they have used with the children in their book clubs. The list includes many examples of classic literature such as Treasure Island and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Sleepless Beauty

 

Sleepless Beauty by Frances Minters and illustrated by G. Brian Karas.

This book is a modern day version of Sleeping Beauty set in a big city. A wicked witch is scorned when she doesn’t receive an invitation to a welcome party for the newborn baby named Their Own Little Beauty (yes, that’s the baby’s name). She then curses the baby with the traditional Sleeping Beauty curse—that she will prick her finger and then fall into a deep sleep for a hundred years until a rock star will awaken her with a song. The girl’s family then tries to protect her by keeping everything sharp away from her. But the wicked witch visits her and the girl pricks her finger on the needle of an old record player. The girl has tricked the witch and therefore does not fall victim to the curse. Rather than a prince rescuing her, she uses her own clever wit to saver herself.

The book is written in rhyming verse. My favorite part is when the girl says that she couldn’t use a pencil until someone used it twice. There are two women at a nail salon and a jazz player who appear at various times in the margins of the book making comments about the story such as: “they actually named her Their Own Little Beauty”.

The illustrations are dark and gloomy and give the book a little bit of a sinister look. There are a few hidden happy faces that I found throughout the book, including on the alarm clock (perhaps foreshadowing to how the girl will rescue herself at the end of the book).

Princesses Are Not Quitters by Kate Lum

Princesses Are Not Quitters by Kate Lum and Illustrated by Sue Hellard.

The story is about three princesses who live in a huge silver palace by the sea but all that they can think about is how boring their lives are. They soon decide that it would be much more interesting to be a servant and they become servants for a day. They are in for quite a surprise when they find out how much work actually goes into a servant’s day. Through it all, they don’t give up because, “princesses are not quitters”. At the end of the day, the three girls make a proclamation that servants should not be overworked and all should have fun.

There are many good messages to be taken from this story. Try to walk in a day in someone else’s shoes. Don’t give up even when something is hard. Stick to something once you start. Take satisfaction in a job well done. All of these are wrapped up in an entertaining and funny tale. When all of their chores are being listed, “SWEEP the floors and WHITEWASH the walls and DUST the ceiling free of webs….” the reader can just imagine all the little details that go into running a palace. Details that the princesses likely didn’t pay attention to before but are now sure to appreciate.

I loved the soft watercolor illustrations. They were comical and filled with lots of little details. Upon closer inspection, each of the illustrations had small jokes, like spider webs in their hairdos. The faces of the characters had great expressions. The story could have been told even without the words.

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

I’ve read a few books and articles on reading to children and many of them have referred to or suggested The Read-Aloud Handbook: Sixth Edition by Jim Trelease. The author is very passionate about the message to read-aloud to children. Throughout the book, he gives his message with some studies as well many anecdotes.

Of course, if you are reading a blog devoted to children’s books, you probably already know the importance of reading. We started reading to my first daughter while she was in the womb, mostly because I wanted my daughter to hear her father’s voice a little more often. I read to her from birth. She is now 24 months old and loves being read to. So I definitely agree with his message to start as soon as possible. One thing that I didn’t really think about was when I was going to quit reading aloud to my children. He thinks you should continue reading aloud to them even as teenagers. To be honest, the idea sounds really intriguing to me. I will see how that works out in eleven years or so.

The book not only encourages parents to read aloud to their children but teachers as well. The name of my blog is Thank You, Mrs. Jones. It is dedicated to my fourth grade teacher who made a big impact on me. One of the things that I remember vividly from that year was the books she read aloud. Specifically, Where the Red Fern Grows, The Hundred Dresses, and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

I think that the most valuable section of the book is at the end where he lists many books that are great for reading aloud. He mentions that some books such as those with too much dialogue or those with uncomfortable subjects are not really the best suited for read-aloud. While reading through the suggested books, I was brought back to many childhood books that I hadn’t thought about in years (by the way, all of the books that I mentioned that Mrs. Jones read to her class were listed). I was smiling just reading the descriptions.

I read many pictures books to my children and I treasure those moments. I am really looking forward to the coming years when we will be able to share novels together.

You can visit Jim Trelease’s website: www.trelease-on-reading.com He lists many of his book reviews there as well as other topics related to reading.

Reading Together by Diane W. Frankenstein

Reading Together: Everything You Need to Know to Raise a Child Who Loves to Read by Diane W. Frankenstein is a great resource for parents who aren’t sure what to read next with their children. This book is also great for anyone who needs a starting point for conversations with children about books.

In the introduction of the book, Frankenstein points out that reading is about finding the right book and often children who don’t like to read just haven’t found the right book to read yet. She gives some helpful hints about how to help children love what they read including “help your child find the hook of the story—what taps into their curiosity and captures their interest quickly”. One of the main focuses of the book is conversational reading, starting conversations with children about the books after they are done reading. She also gives helpful hints on how to do that as well.

The rest of the book highlights a book (1 book every 2 pages) with Frankenstein providing a synopsis and pointing out a list of subjects the story explores (friendships, responsibility, perseverance). She also has a list of further suggestions that your child could read if that particular book appealed to her. She has age recommendations on the books as well, both the read together age and the read alone age.

Frankenstein said that she wanted to go beyond just the award winners so within this book I am sure you will come across some old favorites as well as discover some ones you have never heard of.

What questions do you ask your children to get the conversation started?

I did not receive anything for this review.