★★★★ Freddie has been alone on the streets for a long time, ever since being kicked out by his alcoholic father. He has nothing to his name except for a couple of pounds and his backpack. When he sees a family leave on vacation, he only means to close the banging front door for them... Continue Reading →

★★★★★ Smithsonian's Volcano: Where Fire and Water Meet is a fabulous resource book for elementary kids. The full color photos and graphics are beautiful and expertly done. The text is informative and interesting. This would be a great science addition to any children's library. Disclaimer: An advance copy was provided by Capstone.

★★★★ Captain Sofia by An Leysen is a lovely story of imagination. She is brave and strong. She can be so many things in her mind. The illustrations add to the story of play pretend and sweet joy. I will note the copy I received was digital, and hence we did not have the option... Continue Reading →

★★★★ Megan Forrester is independent. Raised by her grandmother, she has only had the two of them her entire life. She won't rely on other people, who have a tendency to leave. When she gets called in for a job as horse trainer for her best friend's new resort, she meets Nick, an architect on... Continue Reading →

★★★★★ Gertie is the tiniest yak, but she has a plan to change that. She eats her veggies, exercises, and reads a lot of books, determined to grow big like all of the other yaks and do the things they do. Nothing seems to be working and Gertie is tired of waiting. Then one day... Continue Reading →

★★★★ Kathy Simmers' (Amazon affiliate link) Jump the Moon is a beautiful story loosely based on true events. Me Too has been abused by humans and distrusts them, until the girl with the blonde hair offers her friendship. Not expecting anything from Me Too, the girl with the blonde hair meets her where she is,... Continue Reading →

★★★ Mika is a shy girl who doesn't make talk to others easily. She doesn't have any friends at school. When she finds a hurt dragonfly, her attempts at taking care of it end up helping her make friends. The illustrations in Ellen DeLange's (Amazon affiliate link) Mika and the Dragonfly are cute and add... Continue Reading →

★★★★ Edward Miller's retelling of I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly is a fun read for grown ups and their kids. I expected an exact retelling with just new artwork but was pleasantly surprised to read that text had been updated. This was a hilarious read with my 7 year old, who... Continue Reading →

★★★★ Reluctantly going along to his sister's dance class, Varun finds he is fascinated by the rhythm and movement of bharatanatyam. He secretly tries it at home and falls in love. When he begins dance lessons he is teased when others think that boys can't dance. However, Thatha points out that he used to dance... Continue Reading →

★★★★★ Do you like hiking? Do you have kids? Do you live in New England or have plans to visit? (Amazon affiliate link) 50 Hikes with Kids New England is definitely worth checking out. Wendy Gorton has put together a fabulous resource. First, this book is organized. Split between adventures in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts,... Continue Reading →