Sweet, moving and mysterious - chapter books for 10 and older

I do like kid's chapter books. I can finish one in a day, and you can't beat that! Here are a few of my current favorites:

Wishing for Tomorrow by Hilary McKay

This is a sequel to one of my favorite books when I was eight or ten or twelve. In those olden days Scholastic was marketing the book with the title Sara Crewe. The story was written in 1905, and the original title is A Little Princess and the author is Frances Hodgson Burnett. Maybe you recognize her name from one of her very famous books, The Secret Garden.

But I digress. Wishing for Tomorrow was published in 2009, and I was interested in reading this sequel. When I finally had it in my hands, I realized I really liked Hilary McKay's books, so this should be good. And it is. Sara Crewe leaves the school and the girls, and we were left hanging for 104 years. The author has kindly brought about nice things to these girls, who mostly missed Sara Crewe, as well as the spinsters who ran the school. And who is the red-haired boy next door?

Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry
This is an astonishingly moving story of the youngest son, 11 year old Brother, who is left at home with his grandparents when his father goes to Iraq. His older brothers are off at boarding school, or beginning military careers. Brother wants everything to be just the same for his father when he returns, but an 11 year old cannot control the world. This is a ranching family, and the life and work are hard. Even with a hired shepherd, it is difficult.
Brother is not like his older siblings. Soldiering does not appeal to him. Gradually, his calling comes into focus. His grandfather is Quaker, and his grandmother Catholic; a living faith is a pillar of this family's life.

Being the youngest, Brother has not had to deal with a host of things his older brothers have always done - now he must step up and face fears.





The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer
Book 5 in the Enola Holmes series

These are strong girl, historical fiction mysteries. The time and place are historically grim at times, so these are not for the very young or very tender hearted.

Enola Holmes, Sherlock Holmes' little sister, does NOT want to go to girl's boarding school, then a finishing school, and host teas the rest of her life. Neither did her mother, who ran off, leaving Enola alone, when she was 14 years old. Her mother did leave clues, ciphers, indicating why she left. Enola has a knack for disguises, like Sherlock, and flees the family home to hide in the bustle of London. She also has a talent for solving mysteries. This series is all about her adventures as she tries to evade her brothers, who are certain she is nothing but a delicate, weak female who needs to be taken care of.

In book five, she meets Florence Nightingale, another strong minded woman for the times.

These are also great stories in the audio format.

You MUST read these in order!
1 - The case of the missing marquess : an Enola Holmes mystery
2 - The case of the left-handed lady
3 - The case of the peculiar pink fan
4 - The case of the bizarre bouquets
5 - The case of the cryptic crinoline

Let's get a pet

There are so many great stories about pets. Here are a few of my favorites.
Melody


I don't Like Gloria! by Kaye Umansky
This predictable pet story is told from the dog's point of view. The family got a cat, and they did not ask him. She eats his food, she sleeps in his basket, they forget to take him for his walk. And he gets in trouble for barking at and chasing the cat. Poor Calvin. Then a box arrives. With a pet rabbit - now Gloria AND Calvin are ignored, and now they agree on one thing... they really do not like that rabbit!

Ages 3-8 Dogs, cats, rabbits, jealousy




What Pet to Get? by Emma Dodd

Jack wants a pet, and his ideas are highly impractical. An elephant, a lion, a polar bear, a Tyrannosaurus Rex and many other ideas until he finally things of a dog for a pet! Big bold pictures and ridiculous choices make this a silly, fun book to read.

Ages 3-8 Pets


Really Rabbits by Virginia Kroll

Parents, this is a book about the ideal pets ... rabbits that get out of their cage at night and clean the house! The rabbits are doing little tasks that children could do, and perhaps children will get an idea from the story. If not, parents can dream!

Ages 4-9 Rabbits, chores, happy families


My Pup by Margaret O'Hair

Great book to read with a beginning reader, as the word 'puppy' is repeated three times on each page. And this is a very happy puppy who plays in the mud, gets a bath, plays fetch and more.

Ages 3-6 Puppies




Peanut by Linsas Alsenas

Mildred is lonely, until she finds Peanut. Peanut does not act much like other dogs, though. He is handy when it is time to water the pets. But one day, a man from the circus stops Mildred in the park. "Madam, you have found our missing elephant." and Peanut goes back to the circus. Mildred is lonely again, until she finds ...

Ages 3-8 Elephants, silly stories



The Birthday Pet by Ellen Javernick

This fabulous new books has great rhyming text and features a boy who wants only a turtle. His family isn't listening, though, and gets him other animals. Your kids will catch onto the phrase that Danny keeps saying to his family, "All I really want is a turtle."

Ages 4-9 Turtles, pets, families with pets



Dino-Pets by Lynn Plourde

What child does not want to hear a story about the possibility of having dinosaurs for pets? None that I have met so far. The story begins before you get to the text - make sure you start with the title page. The text is fairly short, but has great rhythm and rhyme to it. Each dinosaur this child goes home with gets away. Finally, there are no more dino-pets at the dino-pet store. The child goes home sad, sad, sad and discovers all the dinosaurs had gone back to the child's house, too.

Ages 4-10 Dinosaurs!

Bridget Fidget and the Most Perfect Pet by Joe Berger
This new and eye-popping red book is about a little girl who wants a unicorn for a pet. When a box arrives, she assumes it is her unicorn. But the box is too small, and filled with 'snow' (packing peanuts) and a smaller box is inside all of that snow. Eventually we find the box holds a cuckoo clock, which isn't what Bridget had in mind for a pet. Then a ladybug flies out of the side of the clock and Bridget has an 'ah-ha' moment. The ladybug is better than some other pets, you know!

A little of this, a little of that

This odd smattering includes a simple picture book, another with a flashy, eye-catching cover, history in several, and a book with a DVD (watch the DVD first!) I really enjoyed each of these diverse findings, and I hope you do, too!

Melody



Night Lights by Susan Gal
Night has fallen. Mother and daughter are home from their shopping trip. It is dog's birthday. That is the setting. All of the words in the book have to do with lights that you would see at night. The first two pages read, "streetlight headlight porch light."
Let your non-reader tell you the story.
Ages 3-7 story telling, vocabulary


Muktar and the Camels by Janet Graber
Muktar is the boy who loves camels, understands camels and has no camels. As an orphan, he is no longer working with camels as he did when his family was still alive. And on day, the camel library arrives, and this visitor does not understand camels like Muktar. Set in Africa, on the border of Kenya and Somalia, this picture book gives us a glimpse into life in the region. The author has added very brief notes about what is true in this book.
Ages 6-10
Africa, Somalia, camels, and alternative libraries


One Shoe Blues by Sandra Boynton
First of all, there is a DVD with the book. Watch the DVD first. It is five minutes of calm, soothing singing by B. B. King about a missing shoe. And we, the viewers SEE his missing shoe is on his foot. Then watch all the 'making of' specials. THEN read the book.
Ages 2-102
Cuddle up with a preschooler and watch this. All ages will enjoy the music, the visuals and the sock puppets.


Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton
History, biography, and beautiful illustrations by Raul Colon - how many more reasons do you need to read this book? The author tells us that the story is based on her memories, and those of her family, and takes place when she is four years old. If you know lots about the Civil Rights Movement, or very little, this is a great kids book with which to start. The author includes biographical information in the back of the book about some of the people included in this story.

Ages 6-10

American history, 1965; Civil Rights Movement



You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! by Jonah Winter

The flashy cover will grab your attention - tilt the cover and see Sandy Koufax throw the ball!

Picture book biographies are so easy and fun to read, and this is no exception. Learn about Sandy Koufax - Jewish during a time where very few players were Jewish, a wild pitcher for years until one day. This is the story of personal perseverance.

Ages 6-12

Baseball, prejudice, perseverance

Three new chapter books

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin



2010 Newbery Honor winner

This book is as delightful to hold in your hands as it is to read. It is a set of stories within a story, of a little girl who tries to find a better life for her family. As she travels on her quest across the land, Chinese folktales come to life, and Minli is both clever and kind to those she meets. The author's illustrations are rich and beautiful.

Ages 8-12 Folk tales, fantasy

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements

First of all, I have to tell you that I read everything Andrew Clements writes. He is a good story teller, and children enjoy his books even more than I do!

This book is about an extra credit project assigned to a not-so-good student who does not want to repeat a grade at school. Her project ... write to a pen pal. The country she picks ... Afghanistan. Once she has written her letter, another story unfolds. The best student in the Afghan village is a boy, and it would be unwise, in the eyes of the village elders, for a boy to be writing an American girl. In the end, his sister is responsible for writing the letter that is in fact dictated and added to by this same boy.

Ages 8-12 School story, multicultural - a fast read

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

2010 Newbery Honor winner

I love this book! It is long (340 pages), and I was sad to finish it. The time is 1899, the place is Texas. Calpurnia, the only girl in the seven siblings, begins to look at the wild world around her and to ask questions. Her grandfather, an avid, reclusive naturalist, pays no attention to any of the children until Calpurnia one day audaciously asks a question of him. It turns out the two make wonderful science companions, as they go on walks, collect insects and plants, and work on grandfather's continual experiment - to distill a decent alcohol from pecans. Calpurnia is 11 and is expected to marry, and raise a family. She is learning about herself, her interests and is thinking that maybe she wants to go to college.

Ages 10-16 Science, history, and reminders of what girls can do today that was unthinkable not so long ago.

Australia, the Arctic and South Africa ...

Wombat Walkabout by Carol Diggory Shields

What a fun story to read aloud! This is a counting backwards story, as six woolly wombats go on walkabout. A dingo spies them and as one by one they fall back, they end up in the dingo’s sack. Of course, all ends happily. The rhythm and rhyme are a delight. I will be using this at story time until it wears out.

Ages 4-8 Australian animals, Australian words




Ocean’s Child by Christine Ford and Trish Holland

Enjoy this peaceful bedtime story, set in the far north. David Diaz illustrated this book; reason enough to borrow it from your library. A mother and child paddle through the cold ocean waters, seeing otter, walrus, dolphin, beluga and more. As they pass each animal, they bid them good night.

Ages 4-8 Animals, art



Adventures of Riley: Safari in South Africa by Amanda Lumry and Laura Hurwitz

The Adventures of Riley series combines on-site photos with watercolor illustrations for a fun field trip. One of the truly remarkable parts of each book is how the author integrates information from particular scientists; a text box on the page has both the information AND a watercolor of the scientist. This will be fabulous for kids. That bit of information came from a real person, here is his/her picture. And just think, you could be a scientist someday, too.

Ages 5-10 Science, geography

One, two, three more books

Higher! Higher! By Leslie Patricelli

This exuberantly happy book is all about a little girl on a swing who wants her daddy to push her higher. Each time she goes higher, she progresses from being the same height as a giraffe, skyscrapers, a mountain top, an airplane, over the earth, as high as a rocket in outer space – where she meets a little alien girl, also swinging higher. The two high five each other, say, ‘Bye!’ and the little girl and her father are shown on the last page where we see her saying, ‘Again!’

I have read this several times. The cover makes me happy every time I come across the book. Read this to your playground happy, swing happy, happy-happy little one.

Ages 4-8 Fun



Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson

Have you read Bear Snores On or any of the other Bear books by Karma Wilson? There are over one million in print, and for a very good reason. The books are all great fun to read. In this book, Bear is out late and Bear gets scared. His friends come and find him and help him to calm down. Then all is right with the world and they all go to sleep.

Ages 3-8 Fun



Ron’s Big Mission by Rose Blue and Corinne Naden

This fictionalized version of a true story seems amazing to read in 2010, but not that long ago (1959) our black neighbors were not allowed in the public library. This is the story of astronaut Ron McNair who walked into the public library all those years ago and insisted on checking out some books. I like the illustrations – they feel contemporary, as if it took place not that many years ago, and that really is an important part of the story.

The author includes information about Ron McNair in the back of the book.

Ages 5-10 American history, Civics

One winner

This week the winners for a myriad of awards in Children's Literature were announced. I was delighted to see that one of my favorites was given a Caldecott Honor Medal. Now there are twice as many reasons to read All the World.

All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon
I love, love, love this book. The text is soothing to read. I keep reading it. The illustrations by Marla Frazee so beautifully match the text that they seem to be one and the same – I read the words and see the pictures; I see the pictures and hear the words:

Rock, stone, pebble, sand
Body, shoulder, arm, hand
A moat to dig, a shell to keep
All the world is wide and deep

Treat yourself to a delicious delight of a book – read All the World to someone you love, or enjoy it alone.

All ages

Winner of a 2010 Caldecott Honor Medal