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Rowan Hood

Rowan Hood - Children's book

Published: 2001 Theme: Women's Strength Best for: Girls, age 11 and up "Her band might somehow help folk to help themselves, Rowan thought, rather than just giving them gold stolen from rich men's packs, gold soon spent. But she could not say that, for she loved everything about Robin Hood." The book has a wonderfully clever premise -- that Robin Hood actually fathered a daughter by an aelfen woman... If you love tales of Robin Hood, this is a perfect complement, bringing in the feminine...

Posted on by Laura

Call It Courage

Call it Courage - Children's book

Published: 1967 Theme: Overcoming Fear Best for: 8 and older "Mafatu lay there under his lean-to, relaxed in every nerve. He had fire, food, shelter. He had faced Moana, the Sea God...There was a new-found confidence in his heart. He had found a new belief in himself." This tale is told as if on one long breath, an exhalation that ends in exultation. There is not a moment where you can rest until the tale is told, which of course, is what makes a great tale, and a great children's book.

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The Arkadians

The Arkadians - Children's Book

Published: 1995 Theme: Finding One's Path Best for: 9 and up "When our Bear tribe forefathers came to Arkadia, they found a shocking state of affairs: a country governed by councils of women, all devoted to that figment of female imagination, the Lady of Wild Things." It's breathtaking when you find someone has put it all together in one book: action, humor, morals, good writing, and a pace that doesn't let you put the book down till you are done.

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Mr. Popper’s Penguins

Mr Popper's Penguins Children's Book

Published: 1938 Theme: Dream Big Best for: all ages "Mr. Popper soon found it was not so easy to take a penguin for a stroll. He tied one end of the clothesline to the penguin's fat throat, and the other to his own wrist." Here's a delightful, simple, amusing book with nothing possibly true in it. Purely entertaining, with some sweet morals at the end..

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A Barrel of Laughs, A Vale of Tears

Barrel of Laughs Children's Book

Published: 1998 Theme: Kindness, Moderation Best for: all ages "I've left an important question unanswered. Once Tom walked out of the book, how and why did he come back? The answer to that question is: boredom. It's not much of a life for a character in a book to be out of the book." This is one unique, terrific, silly, and somewhat profound children's book. In Feiffer's hands, everything becomes just a little bit fantastical, out of the ordinary, and we get swept along believing every word of it...

Posted on by Laura

George’s Secret Key to the Universe

George's Secret key Children's Book

Published: 2007 Theme: Caring for the Planet Best for: 9 and up "His mind was full of clouds in space, huge explosions, and the millions of years it took to make a star. These thoughts took him far, far across the Universe--" What a wonderful discovery this children's book is, in so many ways. As a work of fiction, it makes great reading, with plenty of humor and drama all the way through. However, add to that the scientific accuracy of the genius of Stephen Hawking and...

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Amelia Bedelia Means Business

Amelia Bedelia children's book

Published: 2013 Theme: Daily Life Best for: 6 and up "You can't pick flowers in the park. They're for everyone who lives here to enjoy.!" "I live here," said Amelia Bedelia. "So does my mom. I picked these for her." For children struggling with the English language, especially if they are second language learners, words can be confusing. And no one demonstrates this better than Amelia...

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Hiawatha’s Childhood

Children's Book - Hiawatha's Childhood

Published: 1994 Theme: Epic Poetry Best for: 5-8 "By the shores of Gitche-Gumee, By the shining Big-Sea-Water, Stood the Wigwam of Nokomis, Daughter of the moon, Nokomis" It is so important for children to read and hear stories that have rhythm, repetition, and unusual words. Hiawatha is a great example of this...

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The Cats of Tanglewood Forest

Children's Book - Cats of tanglewood Forest

Published: 2013 Best for: 9 and older Theme: Choices in Life; Selflessness Five Stars "What's your name?" she asked the fox. "T.H. Reynolds." "What does the T.H. stand for?" "Truthful and Handsome. My mama always said that a child grows into his name, and I guess she was right because just look at me." I love everything about this fabulous, hot-off-the-press children's book. The typeface is the easiest to read that I've seen in a long time, the illustrations are lovely...

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Circle of Magic – Books 2, 3, and 4

Circle of magic Children's Books

Published: 1998 Best for: 12 and up Theme: Magic and Nature "Did Niko see this way all the time? Didn't his eyes get tired? There was magic everywhere in Winding Circle, she'd found...in the south gate..., in the stones in the path..., in windows and doors..." I decided to review all these children's books together because they are similar in many ways, and also, quite different than the first book in the series...