The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado

by Carol1 Comment
The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado, illustrated by Liz Bonham (Suggested reading level: Ages 4-8) This story was read aloud during an Advent workshop we attended at our church. It is a perfect Christmas story to share with kids. Joshua is the crippled lamb of the title. He hates being different from all the other lambs, but he has a special friend, Abigail the cow, who always reminds him that he is special. One night, Joshua has to stay in the stable, because he can't keep up with the rest of the flock who are heading to a new pasture. That night, though, he is one of the first to meet Jesus, and gets to help him stay warm. This is a touching story, but not a tear-jerker. The sweet story reminds us that we are all special and that our difficulties can end up being blessings, a wonderful lesson for all of us, not just kids. I wish I had gotten this book...
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Quest for the Tree Kangaroo by Sy Montgomery

by Carol2 Comments
Quest for the Tree Kangaroo by Sy Montgomery, photographs by Nic Bishop (Suggested reading level: Ages 9-12) This is the third collaboration between Montgomery and Bishop that Amber and I have read. We're huge fans and this book was as great as we expected it to be. The book follows biologist Lisa Dabek and her team of scientists and local guides through the rugged, remote cloud forest of Papua New Guinea in search of the Matschie's tree kangaroo. This elusive, adorable creature is fascinating. The team first has to find and capture the kangaroos and then they can fit them with radio collars to learn more about them. It is certainly not an easy effort, but Dabek's love for the animals shines through, and conservation efforts of the local people are also highlighted. Bishop's photographs capture the expedition in brilliant detail. Stunning close-ups of plants, insects, and birds vie for attention with panoramas of moss-draped trees in the eerie, ancient forest. And the tree...
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The Handy Answer Book for Kids (and Parents) by Gina Misiroglu

by Carol5 Comments
The Handy Answer Book for Kids (and Parents) by Gina Misiroglu The title sums this book up. It answers a myriad of questions with brief, usually only one or two paragraph, clear responses, so while you may have to look elsewhere for more in-depth info, this gives you at least an answer to start with. It covers everything from outer space to math to animals. It answers questions like "What is a booger?" and "How does a cellular phone work?" The sheer variety of topics is amazing, really. "What is Euclid's elements?" I had no idea. "How thick is a lightning bolt?" I never even considered the question. It even explains why women in some countries wear veils. Of course, it can't cover everything. For example, I wanted to see what it said about Christmas - nothing. But I did find "Are angels real?" In many religions, angels are powerful spiritual beings who live with God but who sometimes become involved in the...
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Secrets of a Christmas Box by Steven Hornby

by Carol7 Comments
Secrets of a Christmas Box by Steven Hornby (Suggested reading level: Ages 9-12) This book is a magical read for December. One of the tree-dwellers, Larry, a glass snowman, has waken up on the tree after a long sleep only to discover that his brother is missing. Larry, his girlfriend Debbie, their pet Tinsel and a new-comer to the tree, break the rules, leave the tree and set off to find Larry's brother. On their journey through the house they face many dangers, not the least of which is the cat, and learn a deadly secret about their safe world on the tree. Amber (9) and I read this together and both enjoyed it. To use Amber's words, "Larry and Splint rock! It's awesome." It was a fun read, with lots of adventure for the pint-sized heroes and Amber definitely did not see the twist coming at the end. I did, but that's partly because I had to peek ahead, just to make...
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You Wouldn’t Want to Be Sick in the 16th Century! by Kathryn Senior

by Carol6 Comments
You Wouldn't Want to Be Sick in the 16th Century! by Kathryn Senior, illustrated by David Antram (Suggested Reading Level: Ages 9-12) This is the first of the You Wouldn't Want to... series that I've read, but I was definitely impressed. Fun and factual history go hand in had in this short book, and parts are just downright gross, which is always attractive to kids. The introduction sets the stage. Your name is Nicholas Knight, and you are a barber surgeon in the 16th century, known in England as Tudor times. (pg. 5) We then learn about how patients were diagnosed, "surgery" techniques, infections and the plague. We travel to a battlefield in northern France and aboard a ship during the Spanish Armada. We're even present at the bedside of Queen Elizabeth I. This is not always a pleasant experience—she becomes bad-tempered and bitter as she gets older. (pg. 28) To be honest, I learned a lot about medicine in the 16th century, most of which I...
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Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson

by Carol4 Comments
Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by Matt Faulkner (Suggested reading level: Ages 4-8) I hate to admit that I had no idea Sarah Hale was before reading this. She was a writer, a teacher, a publisher. She argued against slavery and fought for schools for girls. She was a "superhero," which is what Thanksgiving needed. People were forgetting about the holiday, but Sarah Hale believed that the whole country should celebrate it, together, and made it happen. Never underestimate dainty little ladies. This book, for me, celebrates the power of a woman and the power of writing. Sarah Hale wrote letter after letter, article after article and never gave up. Finally, in 1863, President Lincoln delared Thanksgiving a national holiday. I love reading books with Amber (9) that talk about real women who changed the world, in small and big ways. This story was a little young for her, but sometimes it's nice to just sit down and read a couple of...
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