Family Reads

Quick Pick: Behind the Curtain

2008-08-07T20:28:57-05:00

Behind the Curtain

by Peter Abrahams
© 2007, 400 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

Behind the Curtain reminded me of just how much I enjoy a good mystery. The second novel in the Echo Falls series picks up right where Down the Rabbit Hole left off. Our hero, 13-year-old Ingrid, once again finds herself in the middle of a multi-layered mystery involving her brother, his friends, her Grampy, her father (and his job), and the local police. With an attempted kidnapping, car chase, and lots of close calls, it's hard to stop turning the pages in this action-packed book. Behind the Curtain is definitely at the older range of books you'll find on Family Reads, and there are some mature situations and profanity you should be aware of, but for the right reader, it's just too much fun to miss. If you're looking to share some reads with your older kids, this book is a great choice!

Quick Pick: Squirrel is Hungry

2008-07-31T07:00:00-05:00

Squirrel is Hungry

One of our favorite books when Ben was young was the delightful Squirrel is Hungry. It's a lovely, simple board book with just a few short words on each page. We read it again and again and again, until all of us had it memorized. It's a bit hard to find now, but worth tracking down if you know of a young one who loves backyard friends.
The reason this book came to mind recently is we've had quite a few squirrel visitors of late. In the spring, five baby squirrels were born in our backyard and lived for a couple of months in one of our trees. Watching them slowly explore the world, and then quickly get on with the task of playing and chasing one another was incredibly fun for all of us.

The heat of the summer has brought us another squirrel friend, this one in our front yard. It likes to nap in the afternoon on one of our branches. As we come and go, it watches us carefully and we finally decided to offer it a little food. Though it's still deciding whether we can be trusted, it certainly enjoys our pecans.

Enjoy our own Squirrel is Hungry tale through these photos!

Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories

2008-07-27T17:32:03-05:00

Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories

by Joyce Lankester Brisley
© 2006, 240 pages Level 3 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

I read about the Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories when Ben was four, but since our library didn't carry it and I just couldn't bring myself to buy a copy for our boy, I never had a chance to see what they were all about. Well, like most decisions I've made along those lines, I regret it. These are such sweet little stories and they are well-suited to children of both the snip-and-snails and sugar-and-spice varieties.

Milly-Molly-Mandy is just one child: a little girl whose real name is Millicent Margaret Amanda. She lives in a nice white cottage with her Father, Mother, Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle and Aunty. Originally published in Great Britain in 1928, these stories are good, in the purest sense. Milly-Molly-Mandy is a happy, well-behaved child who's eager to help out her loving family and experience simple adventures with her nice friends.

It might sound a little over-the-top, saccharin sweet, but the stories are actually matter-of-fact and told in plain language. In the edition I read, each story is about 5-10 pages long, featuring fairly large print and at least one illustration. Think of them like warm milk, perfect for the young child who's just barely ready to move beyond picture books. And for kids who enjoy Milly-Molly-Mandy, the Betsy-Tacy series is not to be missed!

Martha Speaks Comes to PBS

2008-07-24T19:09:27-05:00

What if your pet suddenly gained the ability to talk? This is just what happened to a dog named Martha after she ate some alphabet soup. You can read all about it in Martha Speaks and the hilarious books that follow, all by Susan Meddaugh. And soon you can watch a Martha Speaks show on PBS!

The animated show debuts on September 1, created by the same people who bring us Arthur and Curious George. The author will be serving as creative producer and the goal of the series is to help kids increase their vocabulary. With a purpose like that and Ben's love for these books when he was in the Level 2 stage, we hope Martha Speaks will be a success!

Quick Pick: Simon's Dream (The Fog Mound, Book 3)

2008-07-23T21:10:26-05:00

Simon's Dream (The Fog Mound, Book 3)

by Susan Schade
Illustrated by Jon Buller
© 2008, 198 pages Level 4 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

The final book in the Fog Mound trilogy, Simon's Dream, does not disappoint. It maintains the same easy-to-read format as its predecessors with an even better plot. I was able to read this in less than 24 hours, so it should be a quick read.

Thelonious, Cluid, Bill, and Brown get separated from their bear friends at the Mattakeunk Institute. While they try to get back to the building, they learn a little more about the end of the human occupation, and meet Upsilon the Wolfman. They get back to the institute, but the bears are no where to be found.

This charming adventure is a good read for anyone who likes animals or mysteries.

Quick Pick: The Misadventures of Maude March

2008-07-21T10:48:20-05:00

The Misadventures of Maude March

by Audrey Couloumbis
© 2005, 304 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

I never thought I'd have so much fun with a Western, but The Misadventures of Maude March proved me wrong. Orphaned at an early age, 11-year-old Sallie March and her 15-year-old sister Maude live a sober yet peaceful existence with their Aunt Ruthie. When their aunt is killed as a bystander to an accidental shootout, they go to live with a local preacher's family. When conditions there become unbearable, Maude and Sallie decide to head west in hopes of finding their mother's brother, whom they haven't seen in years. Between their hurried departure and incidents along the way, Maude gains a reputation for being a crazed outlaw. Told in the wry point of view of Sallie, who is so excited to try out life as a range rider after all the dime-store novels she's read, the story is mostly about the girls trying to survive their journey and the people they meet along the way. It's funny, smart, and a perfect introduction to the Western genre for those who've never experienced it before. I listened to this as an audiobook, and it would be an ideal choice for any road trip across western territory!

Family Reads Library List: 2nd Quarter 2008

2008-07-17T07:19:25-05:00

Grab your library card and turn on the printer, because the Family Reads Library List for the second quarter of 2008 is ready! It's organized by level, so you can concentrate your efforts on the appropriate reading level for your kids. If you missed the Library List for the first quarter of 2008, you can find that post here. Feel free to share the love and pass along some copies to your friends!

Download Family Reads Library List for 2nd Quarter 2008

Interview with Recent Quick Pick Author Lisa Brown

2008-07-16T22:50:42-05:00

Well Looky there! I get email updates each week from Lookybook (a picture book viewer site I wrote about earlier this year), and today they featured an interview with Lisa Brown, author of the most recent Quick Pick on Family Reads. Get a peek at her creative process and read the newsletter here.

Quick Pick: How to Be

2008-07-14T20:57:54-05:00

How to Be

by Lisa Brown
© 2006, 32 pages Level 1 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

How to Be is a simple picture book that highlights the unique qualities of several different animals. For example, if you want to be a snake: "Shed your skin. Slither. Dance in a basket. Be charming." The illustrations are a cheerful mix of watercolor and line drawings that show a boy and a girl acting out the traits. This isn't a bedtime book, but it's a perfect pick for an active storytime. I could picture reading this to a toddler right before it's time for mom to make dinner...there's plenty to set the imagination in motion as the wee one imitates animals all through food prep. How to Be would make a fantastic gift for a child turning one.

Explore New Territory

2008-07-13T13:00:00-05:00

Finding books for last week's featured America reviews took me way out of my library comfort zone. I love a good story, so I usually stick pretty close to the fiction aisles. But you know what? I had a great time roaming in the kids nonfiction section! I found all kinds of great selections there, including poetry, history, biographies and more. And during my wandering, I was reminded that some of the best stories of all are ones that actually happened. So if your library is like ours and separates kids fiction and non-fiction, make sure to take some time this summer and expand your library territory. How about you? What are some of your favorite non-fiction books for kids?