As we look at a new year with many uncertainties, it is an excellent opportunity to encourage families to return to a truly affordable source of entertainment - reading! Plan to spend at least one evening a month reading books together; each week would be even better! Visit your local bookstore or library, select books you can read through individually and as a family, pop a big bowl of popcorn and read! Allow your imaginations to be engaged and talk about how you picture the characters in the stories! Hand out paper and markers, crayons and even colored chalk and have your family members draw their own illustrations for the stories you read! Make reading and being read to a valued part of your family life during 2009!
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Woolbur Author - Leslie Helakoski Illustrator - Lee Harper Ages 3-6 |
- Favorite Features -
- unique, fun illustrations with "texture" - you can practically "feel" Woolbur's wool!
- excellent story, clever characters and unexpected ending
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The Nutcracker a Pop-up Book Author - E.T.A. Hoffmann Adapted/designed by Patricia Fry Ages 6+ |
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- Favorite Features -
- adapted story throughout
- incredible color, detail and design
- each pop-up has so many parts - you can see something new each time you enjoy this book
Lovely book to treasure for generations! If you have a fan of the Nutcracker in your family, this is a book they will love! Excellent way to introduce this story to children! Tremendously well done!
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How to Drive Your Sister Crazy
Author - Diane Shore Illustrator - Laura Rankin Level 2 Reader - ages 4-8 |
- Favorite Features -
- funny story children, particularly younger brothers, will enjoy
- colorful illustrations
Families will recognize the interaction of brothers and sisters in this book, and will be delighted by the way it all comes together in the end! Extremely well done!
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The Pet Dragon Author/Illustrator - Christoph Niemann Ages 4-8 |
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- Favorite Features -
- fun illustrations fit well with the story
- creative way to help children, and adults, learn basic Chinese
- story of friendship and courtesy
I love this book! Unique, creative and fun for the entire family! I hope to see many more stories from this Author/Illustrator with additional Chinese characters! Tremendously well done!
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If You Give a Cat a Cupcake Author - Laura Numeroff Illustrator - Felicia Bond Ages 3-7 |
- Favorite Features -
- colorful illustrations bring the story to life
- another fun "If you give . . . " story
Children will be delighted with this new installment to the "If you give . . ." stories! Extremely well done! It would be great fun for families to make up their own, "If you give . . ." story!
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Roscoe Riley Rules #2 - Never Swipe a Bully's Bear Author - Katherine Applegate Illustrator - Brian Biggs Ages - 7-10 |
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- Favorite Features -
- Excellent chapter book for early elementary readers
- humor throughout makes it a joy to read
- excellent story with a message to remember
- drawings throughout add to the fun
I love Roscoe Riley Rules! What child can't identify with Roscoe sitting in the corner and explaining how he ended up in trouble? This book will have the family laughing and talking, tremendously well done! Don't miss a single Roscoe Riley Book!
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Mother Goose Favorites Illustrator - Mary Englebreits Ages 3-8 |
- Favorite Features -
- features 23 nursery rhymes
- Mary's colorful illustrations make this a book to have for any home library
We all grew up with Mother Goose nursery rhymes, Mary's illustrations make them even better! Extremely well done!
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Splat the Cat Author/Illustrator - Rob Scotton Ages 3-7 |
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- Favorite Features -
- a truly fun and entertaining story
- Illustrations fit as they are fun and entertaining as well
- added "plus" for the illustrations by searching for Seymore the mouse on nearly every page
New situations and experiences can be scary for cats, and children! Splat the Cat is a great book for helping children think and talk through how they feel about new experiences! The entire family will enjoy this book! Tremendously well done!
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God's
Little Devotional Book for Boys/Girls |
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- Favorite Features -
- 152 short devotions
- each devotion includes a saying to ponder, story about a real life situation for a boy/girl, verse and "You can do it" challenge to live what they learn
Short, interesting with real life challenge, this is a great devotional book for kids and parents to work and talk through together! Extremely well done!
| The Cooper Kids Adventure Series Author - Frank Peretti Ages - 10-14 |
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Trapped
at the Bottom of the Sea The Door in the Dragon's Throat Escape from the Island of Aquarius The Tombs of Anak |
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- Favorite Features -
- strong message of trusting God throughout each book
- excellent job of showing how family members interact with each other - both positive and negative - and how to resolve conflicts correctly
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In the Shadow of Lions Author Ginger Garrett |
- Favorite Features -
- historical fiction with unique characters
- unique place in time to set a novel - not many books set in this era
- not your typical, predictable novel
I really enjoyed this book except for the current day/angel portions which I found to be confusing and disjointed. The historic/real/fictional characters made for a gripping story on their own. I'd like to see more from this author. Extremely well done!
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Incomparable Andrew Wilson |
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- Favorite Features -
- walks through 60 names/descriptions of God in 60 short studies
- every so often you find a "Selah" to help you worship, pray Scripture , think and encourage you to further study
- four sections - Who God Is, God's names, the Trinity and God's Attributes
I appreciate how this book focuses on Theology and challenges the reader to increase knowledge and understanding of God so their worship of God will increase as well! Tremendously well done!
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Songs in the Key of Solomon Authors - John & Anita Renfroe |
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- Favorite Features -
- 60 devotions for couples to work through together
- includes two interludes and an encore!
- humor utilized effectively to engage couples
Not your typical couple's devotional book, this is a book couples will be so glad they read! Designed to evoke conversation and encourage connecting - all couples can benefit from this book! Tremendously well done!
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All I Have to Give Author - Melody Carlson |
- Favorite Features -
- short, quick-read
- tugs on heartstrings
Little book with a strong message of a love that gives. Extremely well done!
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As High As the Heavens Author - Kathleen Morgan |
- Favorite Features -
- extremely descriptive of the setting - I almost felt like I was there
- engaging characters we want to care about
- historical fiction
I prefer historical fiction as it gives me both a good story and an opportunity to learn about a point in time. This book did both well, and wasn't too predictable. Extremely well done!
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Washington's Lady Author - Nancy Moser |
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- Favorite Features -
- historical fiction
- well researched, interesting characters
Enjoyable historical fictional story about someone I knew little of. Excellent character development, this author succeeded in taking me back to the early days of our country for a glimpse into the life of our first, First Lady. Tremendously well done!
Copyright © Lynda Freeman
Last Updated Jan. 17, 2009
Web Page by Lynda Freeman
Send an e-mail to Lynda at LyndaFreeman@thereviewsource.net
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