The Wee Free Men

Chilren's Book - Wee Free Men

Published: 2003 Theme: Self-Reflection, Service to Others Best for: 12 and older “The secret is not to dream,” she whispered. “The secret is to wake up. Waking up is harder. I have woken up and I am real. This powerful fantasy book by Terry Pratchett has so much depth to it that one realizes it needs several reads...

Fairy Realm

Fairy Realm Children's Book

Published 2000 Theme: Fairies Best for: 5 - 8 years old I love the Fairy Realm series, stepping from our human world into the world of the fairies, where magic, beauty, goodness, and yes, also a bit of evil, mingle together...

The Midwife’s Apprentice

Midwife's Apprentice Children's Book

Published; 1995 Theme: Women's Historical Fiction Best for: Girls, age 12 and up A wonderful book to use as class reading for bringing history, especially women's history, alive. Set in fourteenth century England, the story of an impoverished orphan and her role in the society of the day is compelling...

A Little Princess

by Frances Hodgson Burnett, first published 1905. "Perhaps there is a language which is not made of words and everything in the world understands it." A Little Princess is one the best children's books I've read so far. It turns out I'm not alone in my assessment, as it continually rates in the top 100 lists among teachers, education associations, and others. Illustrating through example the power of kindness and good thoughts, this book is a masterpiece...

The Penderwicks

Penderwicks

by Jeanne Birdsall, published 2005 "This is what made a book great, she thought, that you could read it over and over and never get tired of it."  The Penderwicks is another children's book recommended by my young friend Meera. It reminded me somewhat of her other recommendation, The Saturdays, because it too has a family…

The Lioness and her Knight

by Gerald Morris, published 2005 "To have arrived for an indefinite stay in this luxurious castle, where she would wear the finest clothes and most of all get to know a real enchantress, was more than Luneta could ever have hoped for." Here's an unusual story from Morris's wonderful collection of Squire Tale's. The heroine…