Picture Books
by Deborah Hopkinson
Knitting is for girls, or at least that's what young Mikey has always believed. When his teacher challenges the class to contribute to the "Knit In," a city-wide contest being held at Central Park, Mikey doesn't want to be outdone. He rallies some friends, and together, they form the Boys' Knitting Brigade, determined to win one of the prizes. Partway through making a pair of socks, Mikey wants to give up. Then, he meets a veteran who lost his leg in combat and is encouraged to keep going and "do his bit."
This historical fiction is based on the 1918 Navy League Comforts Committee knitting competition, which provided dozens of sweaters, hats, scarves, and socks for the troops.
by Phyllis Root
With the swipe of his pen, 19th-century surveyor Josiah R. King lost an entire 40-acre forest in the pinewoods of Northern Minnesota. While updating a map, he accidentally labeled the area a lake. So, while thousands of mighty pines were being cut down by the lumberjacks, one patch of acreage was left to grow. And grow it did! Over a hundred years later, the Lost 40, as it was dubbed, was finally discovered. Today, Kings' lost forest stands as one of the last remaining old-growth woods of the Midwest.
The final few pages of this narrative nonfiction include information on forestry, surveying, and the woodland creatures that call the Red Pines area home.
by Tololwa M. Mollel
Each day that he helps his mother in the market, Saruni earns five ten-cent coins. Passing many vendors on his way home, he's tempted to buy something sweet to eat or something fun to play with. Instead, he stashes the coins away in a money box in hopes of one day buying a bicycle to help his mother with her deliveries. When he finally collects three hundred and five coins, he heads to the bike seller only to find that thirty shillings and fifty cents isn't enough to purchase a coveted two-wheel. He's faced with disappointment and an important life lesson.
This sweet living book about a young boy's desire to help his mom will teach young readers about the food, culture, and even seasonal weather of 1960s Tanzania.
by Karma Wilson
One day, Molly and Mabel Cow sneak the truck keys right from the farmer's pocket. They climb in and go for an afternoon joy ride all around town--a real-life cattle drive! With flashing lights and blaring sirens, the town sheriff gives chase. The pair speeds toward town with crowds cheering, assuming it's a parade. The truck eventually comes to a stop, and the flummoxed farmer rounds up his bovine fugitives.
This action-packed picture book is a humorous play on words.
Leveled Readers
by Arthur Yorinks
Flappy and Scrappy are the best of friends. They know just what to say to cheer each other up. They both play even when one of them may not actually want to. They both celebrate one another in adventurous ways. And they both encourage each other to make new friends in order to widen their circle of fun!
This Level 2 reader contains three chapters, each of which is a stand-alone story about friendship.
by Avi
According to nine-year-old Noah Bidson, boys living on the prairies of Colorado in the 1880s don't require reading. His mother and father disagree. They ask his Aunt Dora, who was recently injured in a wagon accident, to come by train to teach Noah. When she arrives, Aunt Dora sets up a classroom indoors. But, a boy who has only ever known wide open spaces doesn't want to sit still and do bookwork. With a little bit of creativity and a whole lot of sunshine, the two discover new ways of learning that inspire them both.
Fans of Little House on the Prairie will enjoy this Level 4 reader.
Illustrated Chapter Books
Ratnip: Lost and Found in the City
by Cam Higgins
Ratnip and his rat siblings are out of food. He must leave his home in the abandoned pizzeria and search the city to find grub. Along the way, he meets up with his raccoon pal Cookie, who always knows where to find the best treats. While dumpster diving, the pair find a lost cell phone. Ratnip knows exactly who it belongs to and is determined to return it despite the dangers that lie ahead.
This is the first in a series-in-progress about a big city rat who loves adventure. Ratnip, his siblings, and his friends treat each other with compassion and show the kind of honesty and integrity that parents want their children to emulate.
Please note: In order to return the lost cell phone to its rightful owner, Ratnip must scurry through a park that is believed to have ghosts. A precocious squirrel assures him that "ghosts aren't real." The ghost turns out to be an automatic sprinkler system and an alley cat.
Willie McLean and the Civil War Surrender
by Candice Ransom
Willie has complete confidence in General Lee and his Confederate army. His younger sister, Lula, is not so sure. If the rail-thin deserter who arrived at their home begging for food is any indication, the war is not going well for the Southern soldiers. One spring day, Lee and nearly 28,000 of his men arrive on the McClean homestead. Willie watches as the defeated General signs a letter, surrendering to the Federalist leader, Ulysses S. Grant. Immediately, the soldiers begin pillaging the house for souvenirs, which they believe will be worth much in the years to come. One soldier even takes Lula's treasured rag doll.
This is the true story of a pair of siblings who witnessed history.
Middle-Grade Novels
The Case of the Missing Moonstone
by Jordan Stratford
A family heirloom is stolen from a soon-to-be-married heiress, and the hasty confession of a lady's maid seems a bit too convenient. Who actually committed the crime, and why would an innocent girl confess? These are the questions that 11-year-old Lady Ada Byron and 14-year-old Mary Godwin determine to answer when they join forces to solve the first case of their newly created Wollstonecraft Detective Agency.
Using their powers of persuasion and plenty of scientific know-how, the girls sneak into the notorious Newgate Prison to discover the truth. But once in, will they be able to make it out?
First in the four-part Wollstonecraft Detective Agency Series, this book is a fan-fiction of The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, the first great English detective novel. The author takes some literary license with the historical timeline to introduce several real-life literary and scientific characters, including the two main protagonists, Ada Lovelace (the world’s first computer programmer) and Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein). Percy B. Shelley, the English Romantic poet, and Charles Dickens, the Victorian novelist and social critic, also play key roles.
I have not read the other three books. However, they appear to follow a similar style, format, and content focus.
by Amanda Cleary Eastep
Jack's family's move from his grandparents' farm in rural Chicago to the suburbs has sent his entire world into a tailspin. He misses his hayloft hideaway and his beloved chicken, Henrietta. Jack devises a plan to earn enough money to save the farm so life can return to normal. While canvassing the neighborhood for lawn-mowing jobs, he forms some unexpected friendships. He knows he has to hold these relationships loosely because he doesn't plan to live in the neighborhood for much longer. While helping an elderly neighbor in need of home and lawn repair, Jack and his new pals discover a secret underground bunker. Little does he know that this secret lair will come in handy when a tornado hits.
This is the first book of The Tree Street Kids, a Christian fiction series about the adventures of a band of friends growing up in the mid-90s.
Please note: There are some minor sibling squabbles in the first few chapters between Jack and his younger sister, Midge. But the two clearly love each other and look out for one another as the plot progresses. One character says, "heck."
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
England is on the brink of war with Germany. Twelve-year-old Altas Wade joins his father and a team of other climbing enthusiasts on a trek up Mt. Everest. Each group member has their reason for wanting to make it to the top. For Atlas, the expedition will be a much-needed distraction after the death of his mother three years earlier. No one has ever reached the summit, but this team hopes to do it. Days into the journey, Atlas learns that he, Maddie (the daughter of an American scientist), and Chodak (an injured Sherpa) will have to stay at a lower base camp while the rest of the group continues. His dream of planting a flag at the peak in honor of his mom is lost.
Then, the unthinkable happens: an avalanche tears down the mountain, and the trio loses all radio contact with the other climbers. Though they have reason to believe Nazi soldiers could be lurking, the kids and the not-yet-recovered Chodak make their way up the peak to find the missing crew.
Please note: Before the climb, some Tibetan Sherpas refer to Mt. Everest as "the goddess mother of the world." Later, during a storm, one person mentions, "The gods of this mountain..." Toward the end of the book, the children find an ice axe with what appears to be a carving of a Nazi swastika on the handle. It turns out to be a Buddhist symbol of peace. These are all brief, in-passing mentions that are culturally accurate beliefs of the area.
by Andrew Clements
What makes a word a word? And why can't we call an object by a new name if we want to? For instance, what if pens weren't called pens but frindles instead? These are the questions that young Nick Allen seeks to answer. His determination to test the limits of vocabulary starts off innocent enough, but soon things take a rather abrupt turn and his new word spreads like wildfire. Will his curiosity get the better of him? Get the better of his entire class? The whole school? His town? The country? Or will his little language experiment prove to be a social and financial investment in his own future?
Please note: Nick's relationship with his teacher is troubling at first. She appears to be overly strict, and he seems rebellious and disrespectful. That said, the final chapters of the book reveal so much more about them both. Keep reading until the end!
Parents, Be Aware
by Douglas Wood
Long ago, before people roamed the earth, all the animals, plants, and land formations began to argue about who or what God was. Some thought he was a twinkling star. Others thought she was a great tree. Still others thought he was a fish in the deep blue sea. Their quarrel grew louder and louder until Old Turtle stepped in to set them straight. He said that God had characteristics of all of those things but that he was so much more. He also said that soon, God would send people to the earth, and they would be a reminder of all that God is.
Things to know: The book takes a pantheistic view of God and equates the Creator with His creation. Additionally, it uses both male and female pronouns when referring to God.
by Gary Blackwood
Orphaned Widge has learned a special skill. He can write in shorthand, something that his new master--a playwright and rival to the famed William Shakespeare--hopes will come in handy. Widge is sent to the Globe Theatre and told to write down the script of the newly released Hamlet in order that his master might steal the text and produce the play himself. But when Widge meets the players and finds protection and belonging in their ranks, he struggles to complete his task. At a moral crossroads, Widge must decide whether to come clean or risk losing the only place that has ever felt like home.
Things to know: This fascinating book, which is featured in many homeschool curriculum guides, contains similar explicit language and cultural references as Shakespeare's original works, including "d*mned," "*ss," and heavy drinking. God's name is used in vain a few times.
One of the characters jokes that Shakespeare might be experiencing a lover's quarrel with his mistress, implying that the married playwright was having an affair.
Additionally, since females were not allowed to participate in the theatre at this time in history, there are a few off-color costume comments mentioned in the text including one man's "bosoms migrating south" when his female costume pieces begin to slip out of place. Widge makes a shocking discovery--his best friend is not a boy, but a girl who has bound her chest in order to appear to be a male playing a female role on stage.
Just for you, Mom
by Steve Saint
Little Steve was just five years old in 1956 when he said goodbye to his Dad, Nate, and watched him fly off to minister to the Waodani people in the Ecuadorian jungle. The flight was supposed to be a routine trip—a simple touch-and-go visit to gain the tribe's trust and build relationships. But Nate Saint and his four missionary companions never returned, leaving young Steve fatherless.
Years later, a grown Steve makes a trek to the same jungle to bury his aunt, Rachel Saint, who, along with Elisabeth Elliot, the wife of martyred missionary Jim Elliot, had been living among and ministering to the very men and women who had killed Nate.
Confronting the man who jabbed a spear into his father decades before, Steve must make a choice: forgive or allow bitterness to destroy him.
While not necessarily the best writing, Steve Saint's compelling autobiography explains why the five missionaries of Operation Auca were killed, how the tribesmen became so dear to him that he unofficially adopted them into his own family, and what convinced Steve to move his entire family back to the jungle to help the Waodani face the modernization of the 20th century.
After reading the book, be sure to watch the 2005 movie adaptation.