11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass is an amusing read about the challenges of middle-school friendships with a “pay it forward” theme. As Amanda relives her 11th birthday with her best friend Leo, she gets the chance to learn about their shared family history, pursue the dreams she too scared to attempt, and help those around her. Maybe we all should get a Ground Hog day experience!
Chinese King Arthur: The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen (ages 8-14)
Lloyd Alexander’s The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen reminds me of Percy Jackson but the zen version or even a more swashbuckling version of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. For ages 8-14.
Loss of a Pet: Picture Book for ages 4-adult (The Tenth Good Thing…)
The circle of life thing. Yes. That is a hard lesson for anyone, much less a child and their beloved pet. And with a puppy, the circle of life will eventually come around. When this happens, I recommend this book, The Tenth Good Thing about Barney by Judith Viorst.
Advanced eBook for Kids The Crystal Mountain
eBook, The Crystal Mountain, by Ruth Sanderson for ages 6-10. Sanderson combines folk tales from China and Norway in this lushly illustrated book. This is the perfect eBook for reluctant readers as it can be treated as a portable “book on tape” with rich language and gorgeous illustrations.
Shapes with Asian American Twist: Round is a Mooncake
Round is a Mooncake written by Roseanne Thong and illustrated by Grace Lin, is an ebook for the iPhone or iPad about shapes with an Asian American Children’s Literature twist.
eBook app for Learning Colors: Delightful for Toddlers!
Once upon an App has these two cute iPhone or iPad applications for learning colors called Fruits and Veggies. This is a delightful way to occupy toddlers or preschoolers who want to learn their colors while waiting at a restaurant.
Peter Rabbit eBook App combines Classic with Puzzle
Once Upon an App has made the classic story Peter Rabbit into an eBook for the iPhone or iPad. This is a delightful iPhone ebook. The story and puzzle is a classic “Highlights” magazine of spotting the hidden picture in the illustrated line drawing page. When you find the picture, you move an easter egg to locate it and the picture turns into a beautiful colored illustration