Children’s Chatter

Heart of a Shepherd is a beautiful novel of love, family, and faith.  Here are some of the reviews for the book:

I finally got a chance to read some great books that have come out in the last few years.  These are ones I have check out multiple times over those years but never had time to read.  But they were well worth the wait!  Here are some titles I have been enjoying over the last week.

All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn is a great, chilling ghost story.  Travis and Corey are spending the summer at their grandmother’s inn when they awaken the mischievous ghosts that have been sleeping for years.  Now they must discover the secrets surrounding the ghosts in order to bring peace back to the inn and the ghosts themselves.  All the Lovely Bad Ones just recently won the 2010 Rebecca Caudill award as well!

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau tells the tale of Lina and Doon who must unravel a secret lost years ago in order to bring light and life back to their decaying city.  I cannot wait to read the next in the series!

In Gregor the Overlander, by Suzanne Collins, Gregor and his baby sister fall through the air vent in the laundry room of their New York City apartment building and end up in Underland.  There, Gregor must help fulfill an ancient prophecy in a war with humans, crawlers (roaches), spinners (spiders), and gnawers (rats) to restore peace and rescue his father who went missing two years before.  An exciting adventure, I again cannot wait to continue the series.

After reading Ain’t Nothing But a Man, I was inspired.  Here are some great biographies that I recently came across.  These selected titles read more like a story and are absolutely wonderful!  Happy Reading!

  What to do About Alice?: How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove Her Father Crazy!

  Action Jackson

  Manfish

  Frida

Ain’t Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson is a fascinating search to find out if there was a real man behind the legend and songs of John Henry.  Follow Nelson’s research as he finds clues, looks through prison records, and decodes song lyrics to help him in his quest.  I couldn’t put it down!  It was so exciting to see the search unfold.

To find out more about the legend of John Henry, click here.

Here are some of my favorite books about friendship and caring.  I hope you enjoy them!

  A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker

  Bob and Otto by Robert O. Bruel

  Oddly by Joyce Dunbar

  Cold Paws, Warm Heart by Madeleine Floyd

  Willoughby & the Lion by Greg Foley

  How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham

  Toot and Puddle series by Holly Hobbie

  How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers

  Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers

  The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers

  Mr. Pusskins: A Love Story by Sam Lloyd

  Your Pal Mo Willems Presents Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

  Bear’s New Friend by Karma Wilson

I have fallen in love (no pun intended) with Big Wolf & Little Wolf: The Little Leaf that Wouldn’t Fall!  It is a tale of friendship, patience, and beauty. Little Wolf must wait season after season for a leaf that hangs on a tree branch to fall.  When winter comes and the leaf still remains in the tree, Big Wolf climbs up to retrieve it for his friend.  As he reaches for it, the fragile leaf breaks apart and falls down onto Little Wolf.  Instead of disappointment, Little Wolf’s reaction is one of wonder. 

Nadine Brun-Cosme’s Big Wolf & Little Wolf was just named a Batchelder Award Honor book.  Learn more about the Batchelder Award here.

I just finished reading The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O’Connor and found it quite touching.  Popeye is a lonely young man with nothing to do until a motor home gets stuck next door to his grandmother’s house.  The motor home is full of curly-haired children and it is the eldest, Elvis, who takes Popeye down the creek and off on a small adventure to find the source of little boats that come floating down the stream.

These last few days, it has been so nice to see a few snowflakes whirling about in the wind.  In light of the upcoming weather, I’ve put together some favorite snowy-time tales.  I hope you enjoy them!

  Snow by Uri Shulevitz

  White Snow Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt

  Winter Poems selected by Barbara Rogasky

  The Jacket I Wear in the Snow by Shirley Neitzel

  Toot & Puddle: Let it Snow by Holly Hobbie

  The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

  Thomas’ Snowsuit by Robert Munsch

  The Lemon Sisters by Andrea Cheng

  Flannel Kisses by Linda Crotta Brennan

A Child’s Garden: a Story of Hope by Michael Foreman is just that: a beautiful story of hope.  It is the tale of a young boy, living in a rundown community, who discovers a small, green plant growing amid the rubble.  He cares for it and nurtures it until it blooms and is enjoyed by all.  Even though those on the other side of the fence attempt to destroy their happiness, hope prevails when both sides of the fence come together to grow something.

Willoughby & the Lion is one of the newest books by Greg Foley.  Foley is also the author of Don’t Worry Bear, Good Luck Bear, and Thank You Bear.  Willoughby & the Lion follows the story of a boy who is granted ten wishes by a golden lion.  Though he uses his wishes selfishly at first, Willoughby has a change of heart and chooses to use his gift to help a friend.  The illustrations, a mix of gold and black, are eye-catching and intriguing.  There is also a special surprise at the end of the book for the children.