Kiddy Litter

The Time Travelers (The Gideon Trilogy) By Linda Buckley-Archer

If you have an adventure lover in your home this is a good book to get in their hands.  Kate and Peter are modern day kids who are transported to the past (the 1700's) by a machine they happen upon when they accompany Kate's father to his office.  This is not your typical visit to the past book.  It is full of danger and humor and mystery.  It will keep the reader going and wanting more.  My only complaint about this intriguing tale is that it is truly a trilogy and you will not know the end of the story until you read the third book in the series which is due out this October.  But, even without everything being wrapped up neatly, this is well worth a read. 

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz By L. Frank Baum

Most of us are familiar with at least parts of this story thanks to Judy Garland and MGM studios.  I grew up on the movie and didn't lay hands on the book until my first child was in kindergarten.  Then I decided I would read it aloud to her.  We had so much fun and she was enchanted by the story.  It is quite different than the movie and has so much more to it, including more characters (very entertaining ones).  A great tale of fantasy that children will eat up and adults will enjoy feeding them. 

What to Read When By Pam Allyn

I am changing things up a little today to recommend a great resource.  This book is something every reading parent should have on their shelf.  It gives great tips on how to read aloud to kids and how to help your child become a lifelong reader.  It also has a section that lists different ages and suggests books for each age as well as giving insight into what type of books are best for that age group.  And to add to all that yummy-goodness...it has a list of fifty themes and book lists to go along with all of them, such as, adoption, courage, making a mistake, sleepovers, loving history...to name a few.  It's almost as necessary as kiddylitter :).

The Hobbit By J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien is a brilliant story teller.  His tales are full of adventure, mystery, and magic.  Lord of the Rings is a great read, but may be a bit difficult for younger readers to plough through.  The Hobbit is a great start for 9-12 year olds.  It is the story of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who enjoys staying home and doesn't care much for adventure.  He is persuaded to join a band of dwarves on a journey by the wizard, Gandalf.  It turns out to be a very exciting journey with giant spiders, dragons, goblins, trolls, a magic ring (which, of course, features more prominately in The Lord of the Rings series), and a strange creature called Gollum.  This is a classic for a reason.  I have loved reading this book myself, but it's also a good one to read aloud as a family. 

The Cricket in Times Square By George Selden

This is a fun friendship tale of a country cricket who hops into a picnic basket for a treat and ends up riding from Connecticut to Manhattan where he hops off the train at Times Square.  He becomes the pet of a little boy whose family owns a news stand in the subway and is befriended by a mouse and a cat (who happen to be best friends).  He is an extremely talented cricket and uses his talent to help the family that has adopted him, but soon discovers he longs to be back in the country.  This a quick read and a fun and imaginative story. 

The Mysterious Benedict Society By Trenton Lee Stewart

I just finished reading this book aloud to my 9 year old daughter and couldn't wait to recommend it!  She thinks it is just about the best book ever.  It is the story of 4 exceptionally talented orphans who answer a mysterious ad in the newspaper.  The ad reads "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?".  This book is great for those who loves puzzles and riddles.  There are many tests the orphans must pass that the reader can think through right along with them.  The story is full of secret missions, spying, mazes, brainsweeping (you'll see), and vomiting (OK...maybe it's not FULL of vomiting, but it does happen).  A great adventure story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and keep your kids begging for another chapter!  More good news...there are 2 more books in the series to keep you going.

Moses By Carole Boston Weatherford

This is such a moving book.  The illustrations are works of art...I would hang them on my wall!  This is not the Biblical account of Moses.  This is the story of Harriet Tubman, the Moses of her people.  It is her story told in conversations with God.  Her struggle for her own freedom and then her decision to go back and help others find freedom. She expresses her concerns and fears to God and He directs her and comforts her.  It is an emotional and beautiful retelling of the story. 

The Boxcar Children By Gertrude Chandler Warner

Seriously, what could be better than living in a boxcar with your siblings and rummaging through the dump to find what you need.  OK, maybe as an adult that doesn't sound so appealing, but kids eat this book up.  It's about 4 siblings who are orphaned and find an old boxcar to make their own.  It's a great story and an easy read alone or good read aloud with the family.  It also helps kids (especially siblings) see the value in taking care of each other.

Holes By Louis Sachar

This is the story of poor unfortunate Stanley Yelnats.  It is a quick and easy read for older kids.  It has a brilliant plot that ties past and present together in a series of incredible coincidences.  Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake for a crime he didn't commit.  Camp Green Lake is a desolate dry lake bed where the boys are forced to dig a hole everyday to turn them into good boys.  It's fun to watch the twists as they unfold in the plot and you begin to discover why they are digging.  Full of colorful characters and interesting connections.

The 7 Habits of Happy Kids By Sean Covey

Most of you will probably be familiar with Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.  This children's version is written by his son, Sean Covey.  It familiarizes kids with these habits in an easy way that they can understand.  My kids really enjoy this book.  It starts by introducing them to the cast of characters that are the stars of all the stories.  The front and back inside of the book contains a layout of the town they live in and my kids love to study it.  It does a great job of catching their interest and even has discussion and questions after each story.  A great teaching tool and fun story time for kids.