Category Archives: Middle Grades

Immigration Picture Book: How Many Days to America? A Thanksgiving Story

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Mrs. N

After soliders visit a small boy’s home, his family immediately leaves for America under the cover of night.  They take nothing with them except a change of clothes and money to pay their fare on a small boat.  Across the … Continue reading →

Share
+1
Pin
Shares 0
Posted in Middle Grades, Primary Grades | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Arrival

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Mrs. N

Shaun Tan’s book, The Arrival, completely overwhelmed me.  Despite not containing a single decipherable word, the story is complex and layered; so much so that I immediately re-read it in order to make sense of things. Using only pictures, Tan … Continue reading →

Share
+1
Pin
Shares 0
Posted in Middle Grades | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Dragon’s Child – A Story of Angel Island

Posted on November 6, 2010 by Mrs. N

Laurence Yep, who has written many children’s books about China and Chinese-Americans has carefully crafted a fictional account of his own father’s immigration to the US from China. Gim Lew Yep’s situation is an interesting one. His father was born … Continue reading →

Share
+1
Pin
Shares 0
Posted in Middle Grades, Primary Grades | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Blue Jasmine

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Mrs. N

Seema has mixed feelings about leaving her home in India to move to America. While she’s excited for something new, she’s leaving behind her extended family. The move ends up making Seema really think about what she considers necessary for … Continue reading →

Share
+1
Pin
Shares 0
Posted in Middle Grades, Tween | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Which Witch?

Posted on October 25, 2010 by Mrs. N

Arriman the Awful is simply sick and tired of being the darkest wizard around.  He consults a fortune teller and is promised that a new wizard will come to take his place as master of black magic, but after nine … Continue reading →

Share
+1
Pin
Shares 0
Posted in Middle Grades | Tagged | Leave a comment

House of Many Ways

Posted on October 23, 2010 by Mrs. N

I have to say, I love this nearly as much as Howl’s Moving Castle. Charmain has been brought up to be very respectable but not at all useful.  When she goes to watch over her Great-Uncle William’s house her only … Continue reading →

Share
+1
Pin
Shares 0
Posted in Middle Grades, Teen, Tween | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Castle in the Air

Posted on October 21, 2010 by Mrs. N

This book is billed as the second book in the Howl’s Moving Castle trilogy, but if your kids (or you) are anything like me, they’ll spend the whole book waiting for Howl to show up and not really enjoy or … Continue reading →

Share
+1
Pin
Shares 0
Posted in Middle Grades, Teen, Tween | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Howl’s Moving Castle

Posted on October 19, 2010 by Mrs. N

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones We’ve been a little witch heavy this month to be sure, but here is your remedy.  One powerful, vain, girl-crazy wizard plus his incredible moving castle. I seriously love this book.  I love … Continue reading →

Share
+1
Pin
Shares 0
Posted in Middle Grades, Teen, Tween | Tagged , | 2 Comments

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Posted on October 17, 2010 by Mrs. N

When my husband spotted this on my nightstand he said, “Hey, didn’t I have to read that for school?” And even though I didn’t actually know him back then, I can say with confidence “Probably.” Because I’m pretty sure every … Continue reading →

Share
+1
Pin
Shares 0
Posted in Middle Grades | Tagged | 2 Comments

The Witches

Posted on October 13, 2010 by Mrs. N

Those of you who only are familiar with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory may not know that no one does creepy like Roald Dahl.  A collection of his short stories that I read when I was eight has traumatized me … Continue reading →

Share
+1
Pin
Shares 0
Posted in Middle Grades, Tween | 2 Comments