Top 100: Children’s Novels from School Library Journal, grades 3-8th, for 2010. Great classics that have stood the test of time plus newly released Newbery award winners.
Category: Best Books for Kids
Best picture books, chapter books, young adult books, graphic novels and non fiction for kids.
Coming-of-Age Chapter Book as Appealing as Ice Cream in Summer
Rocky Road is the perfect summer read, as appealing as hot weather and ice cream! [chapter book, ages 9-12]
4th of July Picture Books with an Asian Twist
Happy Birthday United States on this 4th of July! To celebrate with picture books, I hope you enjoy two picks with an Asian twist. Both families are immigrants from China. The children in each book , like all children of immigrants, straddle between two worlds trying to be “more-American-like-their-friends” while immersed in the culture and traditions from their home country. But what is lovely in both these books is an acceptance that there is no one correct way to celebrate being an American. This is a homage to the United States of America, the great melting pot nation. Happy Birthday!
Best Non-Fiction for Kids: Fangs!
Fangs! is an appealing non-fiction series for preschoolers through 1st graders, particularly for reluctant young boy readers. The text is larger than most books and is composed in short sentences, usually about 3.
Top 10: Picture Books That Teach Life Lessons
I read the loveliest Top 10 Picture Books that Teach Life Lessons on the Simple Mom blog. She’s out on maternity leave so this post was from Simple Homeschool editor, Jamie Martin of Steady Mom. Click here for the link.
Picture Book Teaches Perseverance Through Karate (ages 4-8)
Julie Black Belt, The Kung Fu Chronicles by Oliver Chin is the kind of picture book I wished we read as we were taking karate. I really like that the main character is a girl who has dreamy notions of becoming a black belt like her favorite movie star but gets daunted by the actual training. This is the reality of karate — it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Percy Jackson + King Arthur = The Dark is Rising
I’d describe The Dark is Rising series as a mix of Tolkein (Lord of the Rings series) and Lloyd Alexander (The Black Caldron series) with difficulty level between the two series. Also, I’d describe it as mix of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, again with difficulty level between the two series. It’s an epic series pitting good versus evil and light against dark with the epicenter around an 11-year-old boy named Will Stanton who is the last of the six “The Old Ones” who are time-travelers and protectors of the world. The time traveling aspect is great because it introduces English history amidst a backdrop Celtic lore.