Our 3 New Finds at the Library!

Went to the library yesterday with my two little bookworms and we found three new books that we absolutely love.  I wanted to share them with you!

Aunt Lucy Went To Buy A  Hat by Alice Low, is the hilarious tale of Aunt Lucy who can't find her hat, which you will see is hilariously close to her, and so she sets out to buy a new one. Instead of a hat she comes back with a cat!  The entire books is based on Aunt Lucy's forgetfulness and how she still gets the hat for which she went out in the first place.  My four year old couldn't stop laughing!

Princesses Are NOT Perfect by Kate Lum is the amusing tale of three princess sisters who each have their own specialty.  They decide they are tired of doing the same thing over and over and so try their hands at each other's jobs.  They fail miserably, but in the end they realize they should stick to doing what they love and the children's party is a great success.  It's a great story with a happy ending!

Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie by Laura Rankin just kept getting better and better as we read!  My four year old is at the age to start learning about lies and telling the truth. This story was the best one I have ever read on the subject.  My Kaitlyn was captivated by the story and we had a great discussion about telling the truth after it was over.  This story really took honesty and put it on a preschooler's level.  The story shows how much trouble dishonesty causes and how much happier we are when we finally tell the truth.  Great story with a very well written moral!




I hope you enjoy these with your little people as soon as possible. They are great and my two little ones ask for them over and over.  We almost have the Aunt Lucy story memorized because it is written in rhyme! Happy Reading!!

Summer Reading List for Girls 6th- 12th

This is the list I have been dying to get to! There are so many books on this list that just make me so excited and giddy to share with you!!  I know! I know! I'm weird! :)  I just get so excited and can feel the blood pressure rising when I talk about so many of these books.  I stopped it at 12th grade, but again I don't really like the labeling.  Any college girl to adult woman would enjoy reading all of these books. They are fantastic!

If you look up books for young teen girls, you get all kinds of books dealing with issues from dating and sex to divorce and leaving home.  I don't understand at all why our young girls need to read about these issues.  They know they are there.  Many of them are living it.  Why should they have to read about it too? If we want our girls to stay pure, why would we allow them to read the romance novels of today?  A good book should be a refuge from the stresses of life, not enhance them.  These books are wholesome, innocent, and just plain fantastic! You won't find any witches, sexual talk, drugs, vampires, or any of the "garbage" of today's world.  These books will make you feel good after you read them, not more depressed about the awfulness that can sometimes invade our every day lives!

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Pat of Silver Bush by L.M. Montgomery
Mistress Pat by L.M. Montgomery (Don't tell my mom or sister, but I like the Pat books better than the Anne books! Gasp!! ;)
The Chestry Oak by Kate Seredy  This is a MUST read.  If you can get your hands on this book, you have to!!  It is out of print and quite costly on line, but if you find it somewhere or your public library, like mine does, has it in their circulation, you must read it!!
Not My Will by Francena Arnold  (Again, a must read for every high school girl!)
The Light In My Window by Francena Arnold
Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Diebler Rose  (I think you will have to go online for this one, but it's only around $7.  It's an amazing story of a missionary lady and her husband during WWII)
Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Mother Carey's Chickens by Kate Douglass Wiggin
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglass Wiggin
Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter (I can hardly type this title without smiling! It's so good!)
Heidi  by Johanna Spyri
Promises in the Attic by Elisabeth Hamilton Friermood  (This author takes little known historical events in the Midwest and writes about them in a fictional setting based on true facts.  They are all excellent!)
Carney's House Party  by Maud Hart Lovelace
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
The Witch of Blackbird Pond  by Elizabeth George Speare  (NOT witchcraft. It is set during the Salem Witch Trial era of our country.)
Calico Bush by Rachel Field
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I'm sure I'm leaving out some and that worries me. It really does, that's how crazy I am about reading! :)  If and when I think of others, I will post them as well.  I have not included the Janette Oke books.  To me they are ok, they aren't my favorite. I know the teen and college age girls may enjoy them because they are pretty decent romance novels.  I've read most of them and I guess if I had to recommend one it would be The Gown of Spanish Lace.  I love the twist at the end of that book.  Other than that, I can take or leave them.
Happy Reading!

Summer Reading List for Boys 3rd-6th Grade

In my recent posts, we have been dealing with summer reading.  As stated before, it is very important that the summer does not become a break from all things educational, especially reading! Not always, but typically, it is the young men who have trouble with sitting still long enough to read.  However, if a parent is diligent in creating an atmosphere and interest for reading, then the task of instilling a love for reading in the most active of boys can be accomplished!
If you haven't read my last two posts, I encourage you to do so.  It will help motivate you to motivate your children to read this summer.  Even if you only have boys, take a minute to read the post entitled, Summer Reading List for Girls 3rd-6th Grade.  I talk about labeling books according to age and gender.
So, here is a list of  books for your young boys to enjoy this summer!  Happy Reading!

The Mouse and the Motorcycle  by Beverly Cleary (She has many books young boys would enjoy.  Check them out!)
Mr. Popper's Penguins  by Richard and Florence Atwater
The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
Buffalo Knife by William O. Steele
Old Yeller by Fred Gipson
Black Stallion series  by Walter Farley (Amazing and full of adventure!)
The Sugar Creek Gang mystery series  by Paul Hutchens
Encyclopedia Brown  by Donald J. Sobol
Stuart Little by E.B. White
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard
Ben and Me  by Robert Lawson
When the Soldiers Were Gone  by Vera Propp
Carry on, Mr. Bowditch  by Jean Lee Latham
The Eddie series by Carolyn Haywood (These are more on the level of 3rd-4th grade boys. Great books!)
Homer Price by Robert McCloskey
The Hardy Boys mystery series  by Franklin W. Dixon
Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry (This authors books are good and should not be overlooked, but I personally feel they are best as read alouds.)
Childhood of Famous Americans biography series.  (I love these!)
A Tree for Peter by Kate Seredy
Lone Hunter and the Cheyennes by Donald Worcester.  (This book may be one you have to go online to find, but it is SO VERY worth it! )
Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan

Summer Reading List For Girls 3rd - 6th Grade

Along with my post about summer reading ideas, I thought it might be helpful if I gave you a list of books to encourage your child to read.  This is in no way an all inclusive list.  These authors have many more books that are great.  I have broken my lists down by age and gender.  The first one I have ready to publish is for 3rd-6th grade girls.

I have recently developed the opinion that I don't really love labeling books by age or gender.  There are so many books that can be enjoyed by both girls and boys and by all different ages.  For example, there is no reason why a boy could not enjoy When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr and why a high school girl could not enjoy this book.  It is set during WWII  and is about a girl and her brother who have to keep moving with their parents because they are Jews. The entire books is about how they stay one step ahead of the Nazis.  It's an amazing book and I would hate for a boy to miss out on it because it is labeled for girls and I would be sad if a teenage girl did not read it because it is labeled 3rd - 6th grade.

I especially believe this is true for girls.  While you probably don't want your young boys reading books about princesses, there is no reason why a girls could not read, My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, or Black Stallion by Walter Farley, or The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare.  I read all of these as a young girl, high school girl, and adult and have loved them all! Don't limit your child's reading because the book may have an age or gender on it!

Also, 3rd-6th grade is a broad label.  Some third graders have very high reading levels while some 6th graders may struggle with the same books.  I have tried to give you a vast assortment of interest and reading levels.  You, as the parent, should know your child's reading capabilities and interest.  If a child is handed a book that is too hard or is not in the least bit interesting to them, they will not enjoy it. If you find one you think may be a bit above their reading level, try reading it aloud to them.  Children have a higher understanding of what they hear than what they sometimes read on their own.

So, with that said, I am going to label these lists just for the sake of  giving you a place to start, but please do not only stick to the label that applies specifically to your child(ren).  They will miss out on some great books!
Here's the first list, 3rd-6th Grade Girls.  I will get the others posted as quickly as possible for your summer reading enjoyment! Happy Reading!

Summer Reading List for Girls

3^rd -6^th Grade

Betsy-Tacy  by Maud Hart Lovelace

The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

The Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski

The Little House on the Prarie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Mandie mystery series by Lois Gladys Leppard

Mandy by Julie Andrews

Ramona series by Beverly Cleary

 Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald

Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright

Calico Bush by Rachel Field

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare  (Historical fiction placed during Salem Witch Trial era, NOT witchcraft!)

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig

Roller Skates by Ruth Sawyer

A Tree for Peter by Kate Seredy

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen

Appleseed Farm by Emily Douglas

The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz

Summer Reading Tips

Summer is coming up quickly and soon school will be out and, if we aren't careful, books will be forgotten until September rolls around again!  Here are just a few ideas to help you and your children enjoy reading together this summer!

1.  Take your children to the public library on a consistent basis during the summer.  Make sure they have their own library card, if they are old enough to handle it themselves, and provide them with opportunities to use their card.  Most libraries have a summer reading program even for the little ones.  Last summer, my three year old enjoyed the reading program at our library.  For every 10 books I read to her, she got to pick a prize.  It was usually some little prize she lost interest in after a day or two, but she gained the value of having read so many books.  There was a huge increase in her interest of being read to when the summer reading program was over!

2.  Take time, even just 10 minutes, every day possible to read to your children.  Even the older kids will enjoy being read a book that is on their level.  In previous posts, I've mentioned how reading aloud is an advertisement to our children for good books.  Read to them and you will be amazed at how their interest in good books will grow.  Pick a book you know they will enjoy.

3.  Challenge your children to read a certain amount of books and reward them when they do.  For younger readers, you could do a weekly challenge.  When the goal is met then reward them with something simple such as ice cream, a trip to the park, their favorite fast food restaurant, etc.  For the older kids, you could make it a monthly or the entire summer challenge and let them earn something they would really enjoy and you can afford!! :)  Whatever amount of money, (reasonably), and time, (there's never too much), you invest in inspiring your children to read, will be worth the monetary or "time" sacrifice.

4.  Make your children reading important to yourself.  If it's not important to you that your children read this summer, then it's going to go by the wayside.  The best of intentions are often forgotten because they were just that, intentions.  There was not preparation, planning, or effort put behind those intentions.  Summer gets very busy with vacations, zoo trips, little league, holidays, etc.  Make reading one of the top priorities this summer for your family!

I hope you all have a wonderful summer and when September rolls around again I hope your family has added several new favorites to your book list!
Happy Reading!