Published: 1986 Theme: The Grass is always greener... Best for: 5th or 6th grade "What was he looking for, a prince in fine velvets and a crown cocked on his head? Was it clothes that made a prince, Jemmy wondered, just as rags made a street boy?" What a great children's book this is! I first heard of it last year when the fifth grade class in my Waldorf Charter school was reading it. A superb example of writing with humor, and capturing an era of the past...
Published: 1990 Theme: Breaking Conventions Best for: ages 12 and up "What could I do? All my life I had been trained to obey, educated to accept. I could hardly change in a moment. 'Please lead me,' I mumbled, as near to fainting as one could be without actually succumbing." What an unusual children's book. I admit I was riveted, despite the amount of drama and violent scenes. There was something so compelling about the way it was written, as a first person journal of a 13-year-old...
Published: 1971 Theme: Getting along with others Best for: ages 7 and up "When Toft got outside in the darkness he stood and waited on the steps. The sky was a little lighter than the mountains, whose undulating contours rose above Moominvalley." This little book from Finland is a wonder in character studies, and has delightful language.
Published: 2002 Theme: Valuing the Past Best for: Girls up to 12 "We speak the same language, but sometimes it's hard to believe. Some things have changed so much that it's hard for us to understand each other at all." Finally -- a multicultural story to enrich my list of children's books. This book reminds me how much we deprive children of interesting experiences when we don't invite them into other worlds.
Published: 2011 Theme: Courtesy Best for: 6 to 9 "King Arthur covered his eyes with his hands. Sometimes in those early days he wondered what it would take to prove to his knights that courtesy was as important as courage." In this series, Morris takes some of the same King Arthur legends, but reworks them for a younger audience. Children could read this book cover to cover, and enjoy both the writing and the message.
Published: 2003 Theme: Finding One's True self Best for: ages 12-14 "It's important to know stories. I felt the earth shift to make a place for you when you were born, and I came to tell you stories while you are young." Just as Ani's aunt knows the power of story, and passes it to her niece, so author Shannon Hale passes that same power to today's young readers...
Published: 2003 Theme: The Odyssey Best for: 10 and older "As rude laughter came from the courtyard, Penelope closed the shutters of her windows. She returned to her loom and began weaving. Desperate for help, she prayed for her true husband to come home soon, before it was too late." A very accessible series of children's books with the best of the Odyssey, in clear language.
Published: 2012 Theme: Ethical Choices Best for: 12 and older "What to do? She thought of History, Ethics, and Diplomacy, as well as Peder and Esa's ma, who said 'Truth is when your gut and your mind agree.' This sequel to Princess Academy is a wonderful way to bring the questions of change, ethics, and choices to young people.
Published 2005 Theme: Self-discovery Best for: Girls 11 and up "Miri woke to the sleepy bleating of a goat. The world was as dark as eyes closed, but perhaps the goats could smell dawn seeping through the cracks in the house’s stone walls. This beautifully written tale weaves fantasy, adventure and great lessons into a memorable read. Don't let the title put you off!
Published: 2012 Theme: Magic, Family Best for: 12 and up "Her mother and father, despite living in a small town, owning a mini-van, and sometimes wearing fanny packs, were kitchen magicians." A contemporary attempt at magic in daily life, this book can amuse kids, though it is not by any means a lasting piece of literature.
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