From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

by Carol15 Comments
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg (Suggested reading level: Grades 3-6) Sometimes classic children's books just don't work for me, probably because I'm too critical. Amber (10) and I both adored this one, though. Claudia is determined to run away from home to teach her folks a lesson. She knows herself well and realizes that she wants to run to somewhere comfortable and beautiful. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the perfect place. Taking her brother Jamie, who has a fair amount of cash, with her, she settles in for a nice stay. There she becomes intrigued by Angel, a statue that may or may not have been carved by Michelangelo. Claudia is determined to discover the statue's secrets. Her quest leads her to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the remarkable old woman who sold the statue, and to some equally remarkable discoveries about herself. "Returning with a secret is what she really wants. Angel had...
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Secrets of Sound by April Pulley Sayre

by Carol2 Comments
by April Pulley Sayre (Suggested reading level: Grades 4-7) Amber (10) loves science, especially topics dealing with animals, and the Scientists in the Field series is perfect for her. Amber and I read this together and we both enjoyed this look at bioacousticians, scientists who study sounds made by mammals, insects, birds, frogs and other creatures. Squeaks. Wails. Whistles. Snorts. Songs. Drumming. Allover the globe, animals are making sounds, and these days, more than ever, scientists are listening to them. (pg. 7) Dr. Christopher Clark listens whale songs.  Katy Payne studies elephants' communication and their use of infrasound which is too low for humans to hear. Bill Evans listens to night migrating bird and has set up a website, oldbird.org, to help others listen from their own homes. Others work on projects studying hippos and kangaroo rats. The variety of information they collect and how they do it is fascinating. One thing they all seem to have in common, aside from their love of...
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Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

by Carol8 Comments
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (Suggested reading level: Grades 3-5) To be honest, I don't know if I read this as a child or not. I don't remember it, but that doesn't really mean anything one way or the other. My memory truly is terrible. So when I sat down to read this with Amber (10), I knew the basic plot, but that's about it. Harriet is an eleven year old girl whose ambition is to be a writer, but in the meantime she's a spy. She has a spy route staked out and she regularly writes down everything, good and bad, about the people around her, neighbors and friends. She keeps all her information in her precious notebook. She is encouraged by her nanny, Ole Golly. Ole Golly says there is as many ways to live as there are people on the earth and I shouldn't go round with blinders but should see every way I can. (pg. 32) Of course when Harriet...
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S is for Shamrock by Eve Bunting

by Carol1 Comment
S is for Shamrock by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Matt Faulkner (Suggested reading level: Age 4 - Grade 3) Happy St. Patrick's Day! Did you know that St. Patrick wasn't born in Ireland? He was actually born in Wales or maybe France around 385 and was named Maewyn, but he grew to love Ireland. That's just one of the tidbits of Amber (10) and I learned from S is for Shamrock. We read the book together last night and it was an enjoyable book. Each letter stands for a person, concept, folktale or event associated with Ireland. For each there is a 5-line verse, with further information in the sidebar. We read all of the verses and only the sidebars that interested us, which turned out be be most of them. U is for Ulster Ulster is a province in the North of Ireland. On its flag it's plain to see a red and bloody hand. There's trouble still in Ulster. It's very sad to see Irish fighting...
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We the Children by Andrew Clements

by Carol7 Comments
We the Children by Andrew Clements (Suggested reading level: Grades 3-6) This is the first in a new series featuring Benjamin Pratt. His harbor-side school is about to be demolished to make way for a nautical theme amusement park.  Ben is not a big fan of change, especially with his parents' recent separation, and when an dying janitor entrusts him with a gold coin he knows he has to do something. He read aloud, still whispering, "'If attacked, look nor'-nor'east from amidships on the upper deck.'" He turned the coin over. "'First and always, my school belongs to the children. DEFEND IT. Duncan Oakes, 1783.'" (pg 6. Advance Reader's Copy) The school is definitely under attack and it's up to Benjamin and his friend Jill to decipher the clues, find out what's going on and save the school. Can they do it? I assume so, but we don't find out in this book. Like I said above, it's the first in the series and there's...
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Tomorrow’s Groundhog Day!

by Carol5 Comments
The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun by Wendie Old, illustrated by Paige Billin-Frye (Suggested reading level: Grades 2-5) Tomorrow morning, I'll wake up to hear whether or not Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. I'm hoping, as always, that he doesn't. I'm not a winter lover. But why groundhogs and why February 2nd? This fun little book answers those questions and has a lot of other info packed in. It starts off with a description of Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where the event has turned into a three day festival. It also gives facts about groundhogs, their lives and mating habits, and discusses hibernation. I found the most interesting chapter "The Beginnings of Groundhog Day." The author traces it's history, beginning with the spring festival, Imbolc, celebrated by the Celts in ancient Ireland through the day becoming St. Brigit's Day, eventually known as Candelmas. An old German saying is, When the bear sees his shadow at Candlemas, he will craw back into his hole for...
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