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Recent Reads - Juvenile Fiction

I'm three books away from reading 50 books this year, which is wonderful and a bit dissappointing because my goal was 100 before the end of the year. I've read a ton of JV books since last posting about books and here are the good ones (Because some of the ones I read aren't worth mentioning.)

Poppy - AVI
Good book for adults or children. Illustrated by the same man who wrote and illustrated "Locomotive" This is a story about bravery and extreme odds. The books falls under the secular realm, and has boyfriend/girlfriend and opposition to parents.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle - AVI
Written by the same author as "Poppy" This book will keep you on your toes, wondering who did what and why.

The Trumpet of the Swan - E.B. White
I don't like this book as well as "Charlotte's Web" but it's still a great book. I love the many details of natural history that this book explains.

Homer Price - Robert McCloskey
Robert McCloskey is fast becoming my favorite children's author. (Louisa May Alcott being my favorite adult author) Homer Price is a chapter book, and full of small town humor. (think Mayberry) I highly recommend this book as a read aloud to the whole family!

Strawberry Girl - Lois Lenski
This is an amazing book about southern cultural during the early 1900's. Lois Lenski knows how to explain the lives of a time we can't hardly imagine anymore.

Babe, the Gallant Pig - Dick King-Smith
I saw the movie version a long time ago and thought it was boring, but after seeing it recommended several times by people I trust I gave it a try. My 5 year old and I used it for a read aloud and we loved it. She loved the animals, I loved the English landscape!

Okay for Now - Gary Schmidt
I listened on audio book for "Okay for Now". This is a much more modern setting than I usually read about. It's all about how one boy deals with hardship and abuse. It's not graphic, but I would recommended it for twelve years and older. The writing style is amazing and will pull you through the book quickly. And you'll be wanting to go to the art museum when you're finished too.

The Boxcar Children - Gertrude Chandler Warner
This is a nice beginner chapter book read aloud. A little slow for the adults, perfect the kids. A nice family story of adventure and resourcefulness.


The Bark of the Bog Owl - Jonathan Rogers
This is the first book in a series of three. I haven't been able to get my hands on the other two books so I unfortunately have no idea how this series turns out. But the first book is intriguing. It's a play on David and Goliath from the Bible, but in no way is it trying to rewrite the story. Give it a try and may you have better luck than me reading the whole series without purchasing it.

The Borrowers - Mary Norton
Perspective! This book is hilarious. Ever wonder what happened to all the little things you've lost? The book is fun, but the ending is priceless.

Out of Darkness, Louis Braille  - Russell Freedman
Child's read about how braille for the blind came to be. Very interesting read.

Mary on Horseback - Rosemary Wells
A child's read about Mary Breckenridge and her work in the Kentucky hills. Her story is fascinating and now I want to read an adult version. Also the scenery is very familiar to me as I am just across the border in West Virginia.

Some Writer - Melissa Sweet
This is a fun illustrated biography of E.B. White. Author of "Charlotte's Web", "Trumpet of the Swan", and "Stuart Little"

Pippi Longstocking - Astrid Lindgren
This book is more than I could handle, but my 5 year old loved the ridiculousness of it, so we kept reading. It's a classic.

The Year of the Baby - Andrea Cheng
Not my typical recommendation, it is a newer book and bit twaddly. The story line is about a big sister who helps out with her little adopted sister. So many of the things that happened with the family  my Emma related to because she has a little brother. And she got so excited to hear about the baby dumping food off of her plate, or learning first words. The book just came at a good time in our lives, otherwise I probably wouldn't have liked it.

Johnny Appleseed - Will Moses
This is a really neat story about a man who did his own thing, and was a minister to other's needs. Johnny Appleseed ( a nick name of course) worked his way west planting and tending apple orchards to help those who came along and settled the land.

Betsy-Tacy - Maud Hart Lovelace
This is a cute book about two little girls who become best friends. It's a story about everyday life of two 5 year olds, their siblings, and their escapades.

Wow! That was a lot of books. What have you been reading? Are any of these on your bookshelf?

Sarah 

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