Sweet story set in a home for used toys awaiting new children to love them. This book contained such hope and wisdom that it has become one of my all-time favorites. Beautifully illustrated!
“‘Here at the Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured,’ Pocket said, ‘our only job is to wait with hope. Always with hope. And while we wait, to care for each other.’”
This book is a treasure. Katherine Applegate is one of my favorite middle grade authors.
Her books characteristically have a nugget of history at their core and a theme of love, caring, and kindness throughout. Pocket Bear is no exception.
This sweet middle grade read is a keeper and the book’s illustrations are beautiful throughout. I bought this one for gifting.
Ruby is a small elephant in a wildlife refuge. Part of an unlikely family made up of a gorilla, a small dog, a young girl, and a few special others, she finds acceptance and love within the circle of her friends. Joyful and hopeful read.
Another keeper by Katherine Applegate. Part of a group of books that began with another of her wonderful books, The One and Only Ivan, this is the story of a small elephant rescued when poachers killed her mother.
Ruby is being raised in a wildlife sanctuary. Her friends include “Uncle” Ivan, the gorilla from her earlier book, and Bob, the small dog who not only was in the first book, but has a book of his own, The One and Only Bob. She is being mentored in the ways of elephants by an older elephant whom she calls Aunt Akello.
Aunt Akello teaches Ruby the four lodestars of the elephants, “kindness, wonder, courage, and gratitude.” A lodestar, according to Aunt Akello, is a guiding principle for navigating the journey of life. Ruby finds a family within the sanctuary as the animals care for one another and bond together in their shared loss.
A heart-warming and wonderful book. Read the whole set: The One and Only Ivan (2012), The One and Only Bob (2020), The One and Only Ruby (2023), The One and Only Family ( 2024).
Growing up in a large family might result in someone feeling left out. Not so in this wonderful loving family of seven. Each of the five Vanderbeeker children will claim a place in your heart.
In the course of the series, we get to know Laney, four and three-quarters and the youngest Vanderbeeker; Hyacinth, who is six; Oliver, the middle one, who is nine and the only boy; and the twins: Jessie, scientist in the making, and Isa, a talented violinist. Their mom loves baking and their dad not only repairs computers, but serves as superintendent of their building and. In their close-knit Harlem neighborhood, this well-known and well-loved biracial family, is a wonderful example of reaching out and loving your neighbors.
Note to parents: In the seventh and final book, The Vanderbeekers Ever After, the family must face a serious medical diagnosis in one of their children. This poignant ending to the series was unexpected and I was reading the books in real time as they were being published. I experienced the emotions as if this were happening to someone I loved.
Full disclosure, I cried and was angry along with the family at the unfairness of it all. But the ending is hopeful and sweet and real. A colleague was going through the same situation with one of her children at the time and it gave me a window into what her family was going through and a heart for reaching out to support and encourage her. Read this series along with your middle-grader. Or, better yet, read them aloud as a family.
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street (2017),The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden (2018),The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue (2019),The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found (2020),The Vanderbeekers Make a Wish (2021),The Vanderbeekers On the Road (2022),The Vanderbeekers Ever After (2023)
The best of fantasy for children. Adventure, honor, courage, and valor make this worthy of reading aloud as a family and returning to again and again.
These C.S. Lewis classics for children are perfect for read-alouds as a family. The older BBC movie versions follow each of the stories faithfully, and the Disney versions, while condensing the stories, are wonderful to follow up with after reading the books. The Pevensie children– Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy, are evacuated from London during the Blitz. They are temporarily housed with an eccentric professor and his protective housekeeper, Mrs. Macready. Upon exploring the professor’s immense old mansion, they come across a wardrobe in which Lucy discovers a portal to the incredible world of Narnia
The children have many adventures in the land of Narnia and the character of Aslan will change their lives, both in the land of Narnia and in their real world after they return home. C.S. Lewis said, “…a children’s story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children’s story. The good ones last.” This is a good one. Fantasy for children at its best. Read them all. (Note: The prequel, The Magician’s Nephew, was actually published five books into the series.)
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Horse and His Boy, The Silver Chair, The Last Battle
Prequel: The Magician’s Nephew
In the tradition of Lord of the Rings, this series is epic in scope and thrilling in adventure. Read them all!
Ice pirates, sea dragons, and legends populate the land of Skree. The Igby children discover a mysterious cache of jewels and find themselves pursued by terrible creatures who serve the evil Gnag. The children must escape terrifying monsters, elude murderous thieves, and rescue each other from captivity. Along the way, they learn that family is the most precious possession of all. Together they draw on their new-found courage and embark on a quest to save their world from evil. Great series by Andrew Peterson.
On the Edge of the Sea of Darkness
North! Or Be Eaten
The Monster in the Hollows
The Warden and the Wolf King
Wingfeather Tales: Seven Thrilling Stories from the World of Aerwiar
Are We There Yet? 