These books are aligned with Waldorf Education curriculum and principles. For more information on what I mean by that, please visit this page: What is Waldorf-Aligned?
Published: 2000 Theme: Women Heroines Best for: 5 to 10 "In the dark time of the year, when the days are short and a cold wind blows from the north, a serpent came to live in an old cave on the mountain of Yung Ling..." From time to time, it's great to read about a young girl who takes on the challenge of slaying the perennial serpent. This children's book is a lovely collection of such stories.
Published: 2017 Theme: Multicultural Stories Best for: 9 - 12 "You plead with the guys standing on the sidelines. "You gotta let me play, man. I can ball. I swear." But these outbursts of self-promotion will fall on deaf ears." This collection of short stories is part of the mission for Diversity.org, where every child can see themselves in the pages of a book. A great mission...
Published: 2017 Theme: Holding Loss Best for: 9 and up " I closed my eyes, feeling a point of infinite love and infinite grief, and comfort in knowing, for the first time, that I have infinite space inside for both." This well-written and creative book takes on the grieving process with skill and courage, and shows the beauty of a life can include both joy and sorrow.
Published: 2016 Theme: Defending the Truth Best for: 12 and up "The year I turned twelve, I learned that what I said and what I did mattered. So much, sometimes, that I wasn't sure I wanted such a burden. But I took it anyway..." A worthy piece of literature for young readers, somewhat a milder version of Kill a Mockingbird, but with less brutality and perhaps more heart.
Published: 2017 Theme: Speaking up Best for: 8 and up "All through math I sucked on my braids and imagined all the awful things that would happen if I was caught with all those books in my locker. Every parent...would like up to sue me." This is a not-to-be-missed book about helping children understand how to speak up against injustices, small and large.
Published: 2017 Theme: Content with Life Best for: 7 to 9 "I remembered a large, fancy poster with a picture of my mother and James, looking happy and famous. How could she leave that behind to live on a farm in the middle of the prairie?" The magic of Patricia MacLachlan comes through again, this time with a young girl wondering how one can give up fame and still be happy!
Published: 2017 Theme: Girls and Science Best for: 9 to 12 " 'That's all it took for you to cave in? You're some kind of lousy negotiator. That's what we get for sending a dumb girl to do a man's job. ...' It was so unfair I could have smacked him." This sequel continues to explore the theme of loving science and holding to one's own truth...
Published: 1999 Theme: The Natural World Best for: 9 and up "Frightful awoke as the morning sun brought color to the ops of the trees. Still ravenously hunger, and growing weak from lack of food, she left the pine and circled above an alfalfa field." This children's book is written so deftly that we feel like we are hearing about the habits of a dear friend, rather than some dry science about falcons...
Published: 2017 Theme: Imagination Best for: 5 to 7 "Roxy prides herself on making the best grape jelly sandwiches of anyone in the family, and for this reason, she's in charge of the sandwich assembly line..." A delightful short collection of three imaginative stories, perfect for reading aloud...
Published: 2017 Theme: Kindness Best for: 8 and up "The five kids started exchanging ideas for winning over the man on the third floor. Operation Beiderman had officially begun." Each of the five siblings in this story have to dig deep to find out how to be kind to someone they don't know...
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