MrsK's K-8 Books Worth Reading

my best-reads-for-k-8 shelf:
MrsK Books's book recommendations, liked quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists (best-reads-for-k-8 shelf)

Saturday, August 2, 2025

Seasoned Readers Summertime Retreats


ISBN: 9780593201459
Publisher's Synopsis:
Brooklyn has been happily settling into married life with her hunky husband, security expert Derek Stone, when a little black book arrives in the mail on a quiet Saturday afternoon. The book is a rare British first edition of Rebecca, and inside, Brooklyn finds a note from her old friend Claire Quinn, asking her to restore it to its former luster. The two women met while working as expert appraisers on the television show This Old Attic. Brooklyn appraised books on the show and Claire's expertise was in antique British weaponry, but they bonded over their shared love of gothic novels.

The day after the book arrives, Claire shows up at Brooklyn and Derek's home--in disguise. She believes her life is in danger, and as soon as Derek sits her down and questions her, Claire reveals that in the last few weeks she has experienced two near-fatal attacks, along with weird notes left in her mailbox, hang-up phone calls, and one very scary car chase. She's afraid that her past is catching up to her. When Claire was only nine years old, she witnesed several men, one of whom was her father, planning a terrible crime. And now it seems that she's been followed, bringing the threats against her literally to Brooklyn's doorstep. Can Brooklyn page through the clues to keep her friend's past from destroying their future?
"How can I make you whole again? 
How can I improve your life?"
MrsK's Review: Bibliophile Mystery
Meet Brooklyn a bookbinder who specializes in rare book restorations. She and her husband, Derek, has just returned from a trip to Dharma. Even though she was preparing to begin repairing the latest book in need of repair, her husband informed her that someone has sent her a book from Oddlochen, Scotland. What brought momentary joy became one of the most "life-threatening" journeys for both of them.

Derek is a security expert who is charming, considerate, and the one man you would want around when so many mysterious and murdering situations are part of your everyday life. 

Alex is a former CIA operative who has her own business. She enjoys baking some of the "tastiest" cupcakes any friend in need would appreciate. As a neighbor who just happens to be as dangerous as Derek, obviously joins the hunt for those who are in a violent "race" to steal Rebecca.

Gwyneth is someone that worked with Derek. Why would she be sending Derek a book? It should have come for Brooklyn. Even though a first, British, signed edition of Rebecca is beyond value, a suspense novel is not necessarily a gift that Derek would be interested in. Until... 

Claire once worked on a television show that featured treasured heirlooms, she and Brookly once shared a bookish comradery. It's a while since they were in contact with one another. Claire is an antique weaponry specialist. Why is she at their door looking for Derek? 

Inspector Lee can be cynical, yet she is fair with precision instincts and will do what is needed to get these killers before anyone else succumbs. 

Could a book in need of repair really cause murderers to begin showing up? Would any of Derek's Interpol contacts be of assistance? Will they locate Gwyneth? Why would an "odd and dramatic" gothic mystery be so important that killers would travel to and from Scotland? Evidently, it is true... 
"Books can kill!"

"It's all about the book. Every time Brooklyn and Derek are dragged into something dangerous... well let's just say... even owning a book could cost you! 

With excellent story-weaving threads, perfectly crafted characters, many moments of playful bantering, an intriguing Victorian castle by the Loch, and cryptographic codes... this book will fulfill your hours with every page turned.
MrsK

Meet the Author:
 Golden Heart and Daphne du Maurier Award winning author Kate Carlisle spent over twenty years working in television production as an Associate Director for game and variety shows, including The Midnight Special, Solid Gold and The Gong Show. She traveled the world as a Dating Game chaperone and performed strange acts of silliness on The Gong Show. She also studied acting and singing, toiled in vineyards, collected books, joined a commune, sold fried chicken, modeled spring fashions and worked for a cruise ship line, but it was the year she spent in law school that finally drove her to begin writing fiction. It seemed the safest way to kill off her professors. Those professors are breathing easier now that Kate spends most of her time writing near the beach in Southern California where she lives with her perfect husband.
A lifelong love of old books and an appreciation of the art of bookbinding led Kate to create the Bibliophile Mysteries, featuring rare book expert Brooklyn Wainwright, whose bookbinding and restoration skills invariably uncover old secrets, treachery and murder. Kate is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers and Romance Writers of America. She loves to drink good wine and watch other people cook.

ISBN: 9780425242186
Publisher's Synopsis:
Lindsey is getting into her groove as the director of the Briar Creek Public Library when a New York editor visits town, creating quite a buzz. Lindsey’s friend Beth wants to sell the editor her children’s book, but Beth’s boyfriend, a famous author, gets in the way. When they go to confront him, he’s found murdered—and Beth is the prime suspect. Lindsey has to act fast—before they throw the book at the wrong person.

"There is nothing better than sharing..."
MrsK's Review: Mystery + Book about Books
Meet Lindsey, the director of the Briar Creek Library. Currently she is learning to knit during the "crafternoon" book club. The book club is discussing du Maurier's Rebecca and its comparison to Jane Eyre. Lindsey knows what is like to find out that there's another woman in a relationship. She will be the one who will help Beth uncover the truth about Rick's true identity.

Violet is a retired actress who volunteers at the Briar Creek Community Theater. She will be stepping in for Beth. As a Little Red Hen storyteller, she will captivate the fun of Storytime even when her young audience lets her know "she stinks."

Beth is the perfect children's librarian. If I was back in the classroom/library, I would take her Mrs. Potts Storytime into a real book-stomping experience. Currently, Beth has just finished her picture book. Given that her boyfriend, Rick, is an author, she was hoping he would help her get her treasured story published, yet that unfortunately becomes a challenge... especially since he is found dead! Now Beth is determined to find out "who" she was really dating.

Finally, there's Ms. Cole, the librarian who has lived out her life in Briar Creek. As with every older and steadfast librarian, well let's be kind and just say she is very set in her ways of how all employees should be following the protocol and steps that were designed years ago. I wonder, will Lindsey's kindness create a new measure of possibilities to Ms. Cole's daily routines?

Sydney is an editor, which just happens to be Rick's editor. A friend of the library mentioned Beth's book and set up a lunch date for Beth to discuss publishing her book. Unfortunately, this editor believes that Beth is not the author of the picture book she's looking at. Why would an editor have such a strong reaction to an author's manuscript? What does she know? Will she be willing to reveal "who" Rick really is?

Can anyone resist the joy of discovery when you first enter a public library. So many books, quiet contemplations, whispering discussions, the enticing book spines... just awaiting its newest reader.
Match a library + a reader and add a dash of murder. 

Is there a better way to curl up in your favorite spot for an evening of sleuthing?
MrsK
"Perhaps no place in any community 
is so totally democratic as the 
town library.
The only entrance requirement...
is interest."
Lady Bird Johnson
Meet the Author:
 Jenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with books, pets, and her husband’s guitars.

ISBN: 9780593724729
Publisher's Synopsis:
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.

"Yet within these pages, like specimens threaded with pins
and trapped behind glass...
is every species of faerie yet encountered by man..."
MrsK's Review: Fantasy
Emily is not an easy character to figure out, especially since she tries to be self-sufficient with a streak of stubborn focus that leads to many difficulties. Granted, I knew nothing about fairies beyond Tink. Yet, spending a lifetime exploring the "Hidden Ones," their cultural homelands, their folklore, and some of their magic explains Emily's newest exploration of Hrafnsvik, Ljosland (a five-day journey from London). Though she is an excellent researcher, a scholar from Cambridge, and an authority on Dryadology, she is not at ease around people. Emily is at her best with her books, research, as well as her devotion of her quest in completing the first encyclopedia of faeries.

Shadow is Emily's faithful companion and protector. With what appears to be an "accusatory resignation," he will be more than an overgrown... slightly blind... boarhound.

Finn is the landowner's son. He is kindhearted, willing to help Emily in the rough weather of winter (especially with the wood-cutting), and the one who will gather the villagers when Emily is in dire straits. Finn's understanding of the "Wee Folks" is that they are child sized. The "Brownies" are the ones that involve themselves in the lives of mortals (thefts, curses, or blessings). The "Trouping Fae" is those who travel in groups, especially the winter ones. Then there are the "Tall ones," who are more than unkind to the humans. Finn will be the one who introduces Emily to Aud, the village headwoman.

Bambleby is Emily's coworker, co-author, and prolific professor at Cambridge. Even though he appears entertaining, there is much about him that Emily doesn't trust. Self-assured and extremely knowledgeable about the most unknown Fae behaviors, he tends to tell Emily what she shouldn't do. Why he has decided to come and "stay" with her is beyond what Emily wants. He has an extreme way of irritating her to the point of distraction. Will he try to be the sole author of her research? Will he be a guardian over Emily or will Emily be his guardian? 

Aud, the headwoman in the village. Displease her, and everyone will follow her decision. She is more than wise; she knows firsthand the way of the Faes. She is wise about healings and curses. Will she encourage the village to welcome Emily and discuss their stories of the Hidden Ones, or will she shun Emily? She will be needed for Emily to be accepted and out of danger.

Poe is the first brownie that Emily meets in Ljosland. He admires Emily's coat and becomes willing to barter with her for his fresh baked bread (a staple that her landlord doesn't have any chef ability other than burnt). Poe's tree is not far from where Emily is staying. He has met Bambleby and isn't comfortable around him. Poe will be instrumental in the knowledge about the hidden ones. As he fellowships with Emily, he becomes the most endearing of characters.

Throughout the weaving of the story, you will be delighted that Emily has provided foot notes to educate you about all things dealing her faerie research. For a reader like me, this proved beneficial, especially on the pages in which your mind swirls around the lore of the Hidden Ones. A brilliant addition to Emily's research is the inserted tales from the village. These are delightful folklore that helped you stay connected to the thread that the village knows life with the Hidden Ones.

If fantasy, folk tales, and fairies have been your reading destination. You can't miss this series. If you once enjoyed Disney's Tink or Lady Cottington's Fairy Album or Fairies by Brian Froud and Alan Lee, then you will want to add this series to your forever shelf...
MrsK
"The forest has a different quality now, girded with winter.
It no longer dozes among its autumn finery...
but holds itself in tension, watchful and waiting."
"A faerie stone with a crack running down it, has been spent and is thus harmless.
An intact stone should be left untouched..."
Meet the Author:
 I'm the author of books for adults and children, including Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Even the Darkest Stars, Ember and the Ice Dragons, The School Between Winter and Fairyland, and more.
ISBN: 9780593594391
Publisher's Synopsis:
From dealing with your mean teenage daughter to rebelling against the latest diet trend, America’s newest standup sensation packs a hilarious punch with her real talk about what it’s like to be a regular woman today. For a long time, no one pulling the strings in the comedy world thought that an over-fifty woman from rural Tennessee could make it in the industry. But Leanne Morgan has defied the odds, reaching millions with her musings on menopause, Weight Watchers, and her opposites-attract relationship with her husband, Chuck. In her charming, Southern-accented voice, Morgan brings readers inside her quest to find her calling after so many years trying to figure out what that meant. Along the way, she discusses everything from growing up as a butcher’s daughter, to her strategy for landing a husband with health insurance, to the glories of aging and the comfort of wearing big old grannie panties. Equal parts warm and hilarious, this book is a must-read by one of comedy’s rising stars—reminding you that every time life leaves you asking, “What in the world?”, something good is going to come out of it someday.

"Is there a more beautiful sight than thousands of darling,
women laughing so hard they wee-wee themselves?"
MrsK's Review: Reality Fiction/Humorous
Were you someone who took home economics back in the day? Do you talk enough for you and your spouse? Have you ever been to a convention or comedy hour in which it was pure wisdom that you were wearing a pad? If so, this could be the book that brings a smile, an outright laughing spree, or a moment in which you discover you really aren't as off balanced as others might think you are!

In her mid-fifties, Leanne has found her calling as a Grand Ole Opry and Netflix comedian. She has an unabashed outlook on life. She is a southern woman who has "ridden the roller coaster" of life. Family life on a ranch brought many skills, including stocking shelves, watching her daddy butcher their livestock, and sitting at the cash register to spin her tales.

She was influenced by Clorox TV ads, Vanna White's ability to turn those letters, and Paul Lynde's dazzling wit. In college, she was influenced by Erica Kane, crazy right? With a failed marriage she began searching for her future. With a degree and husband, what comes next... babies with maybe a side career in showbiz.

While Leanne begins believing in herself, she was still being a mom. Sometimes we are in a wait room for God's timing. Sometimes there's a reason that interrupts our journey, yet when all is aligned the past pathways always makes sense as we grow into our new seasons. As a mother of three, doing comedy clubs where college-aged kids enjoyed her take on life as a T-Ball mom and jokes about "confusing poop with chocolate" were funny.

This was a gift of joy and giggles. We all reach those seasons when we can get "stuck" in the corners of our minds. If you need an uplifting, straight talking discovery, you will enjoy these short passages of hope, can-do, and definitely relatable moments of truth. We aren't in this alone, sometimes it takes an honest voice to get us going for it...
MrsK 
"I needed to learn to be grateful for the valleys because
God had me there for a reason... and Hallelujah,
it gave me great stories to tell."
  
Leanne Morgan is a comedian, actress, writer, producer, wife, mother, and grandmama. Her first Netflix special, I’m Every Woman, was one of the most-watched specials on Netflix in 2023. Leanne has been named to the Forbes 50 Over 50 list and Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch list. When she’s not on the road, Leanne loves to be at home in Knoxville, Tennessee, with her husband, three children, two grandbabies, and beagle.

ISBN: 9780312571429
Publisher's Synopsis:
"A truly inspiring story, in gorgeous prose, about one family's journey into blueberry farming. Delicious reading.", Naomi Wolf, author of "The End of America". The Blueberry Years is a mouth-watering and delightful memoir based on Jim Minick's trials and tribulations as an organic blueberry farmer. This story of one couple and one farm shows how our country's appetite for cheap food affects how that food is grown, who does or does not grow it, and what happens to the land. But this memoir also calls attention to the fragile nature of our global food system and our nation's ambivalence about what we eat and where it comes from. Readers of Michael Polland and Barbara Kingsolver will savor the tale of Jim's farm and the exploration of larger issues facing agriculture in the United States like the rise of organic farming, the plight of small farmers, and the loneliness common in rural America. Ultimately, The Blueberry Years tells the story of a place shaped by a young couple's dream, and how that dream ripened into one of the mid-Atlantic's first certified-organic, pick-your-own blueberry farms.

"They come to fill buckets and pans, canning jars, freezer bags,
pie crusts, and always the ever-waiting tongue. They come to visit
and eat, to sate the hungers of loneliness and body."
MrsK's Review: Memoir/Autobiography
Once in a while a book's cover attracts your attention and you pick it up to see what journey would await you. This wasn't a typical find, I wasn't considering it as a summer read, and yet since my days with Blueberries for Sal... my absolute favorite berry of the summer... and our garden's need for rejuvenation... this book came to our small-town home.

Meet Jim and Sarah... two young schoolteachers who purchased ninety aches of dirt. They began with six varieties of blueberries that would bloom throughout the summer of 1991. With grit and dreams of staying home and enjoying the "good life," they purchase land and moved to Floyd County, Virginia. Their farm had creeks, a spring, and a long history. Of course, a long history might suggest ready to farm, or it could mean that they would begin their first seasons with the same type of hard work that the early homesteaders experienced (this is when I began my delightful summer journey... a few chapters at a time... eating our own blueberries on our patio swing).

Preparing the land, falling trees, bees or no bees, watering systems, planting, all they knew with confidence was that their blueberries would be organic, pesticide free. The long-long days of prep began. So did their investigation with their neighbors, with other blueberry field owners, with many research items and hope that they could keep their newly planted bushes alive for their first season of pickers.

"The field...became the course work... so heavy and complex..." Tucked in between their story you will discover: choosing the type of blueberries; blueberry history, research about roots and fungi; the National Organic Standards; as well as my personal favorite insight... Henry David Thoreau's Faith in a Seed and Wild Fruits.

So much goodness in such a small fruit. Jim's writing entices you with every page turned. His and Sarah's passion for their blueberry fields lays dormant amongst a world "plugged in."  Treat yourself to an endearing journey that should not be over-looked... it is an essential summertime discovery,
MrsK
"The blooms, those beautiful hanging cups of white.
Oh, just for an hour to be a bumblebee and buzz through 
this fragrance-filled air!"
Meet the Author:
Jim Minick is the author of five books, including the novel Fire Is Your Water (Ohio UP, 2017), and The Blueberry Years: A Memoir of Farm and Family (St. Martin’s, 2012), winner of the SIBA Best Nonfiction Book of the Year Award. Minick has also written a collection of essays, finding a Clear Path, two books of poetry, Her Secret Song and Burning Heaven, and he edited All There Is to Keep by Rita Riddle. His honors include the Jean Ritchie Fellowship in Appalachian Writing, and the Fred Chappell Fellowship at University of North Carolina-Greensboro. He has also won awards from the Southern Independent Booksellers Association, Southern Environmental Law Center, The Virginia College Bookstore Association, Appalachian Writers Association, Appalachian Heritage, Now and Then Magazine, and Radford University. His poem “I Dream a Bean” was picked by Claudia Emerson for permanent display at the Tysons Corner/Metrorail Station. Minick’s work has appeared in many publications including Poets & Writers, Oxford American, Orion, Shenandoah, Encyclopedia of Appalachia, The Sun, Conversations with Wendell Berry, San Francisco Chronicle, Appalachian Journal, The Roanoke Times, and Still. He completed an MFA in fiction from UNC-Greensboro, where he was Fiction Editor for The Greensboro Review. Currently, he teaches at Augusta University and in Converse College’s low-residency MFA program.

Miss Read
ISBN: 9780618219131
Publisher's Synopsis:
GOSSIP FROM THRUSH GREEN returns readers to the delightful English village, neighbor to Fairacre, for a golden summer. But this sleepy, pristine setting conceals a flurry of activity amongst the villagers. Rumor has it that Mr. Venables is considering retirement just as the village's teacher is about to make an important decision. Molly Curdle prepares for a new baby. The kindly vicar, Charles Henstock, works on his sermon -- quite unaware of the disaster that will overtake him. However, there is never any doubt that all will end well in this very English village.

"Taking tea is a highly civilized pastime, and fortunately
is still in favour at Thrush Green, 
where it has been brought to a fine art."
MrsK's Review: Fictional/Historical/Village Life
Almost everything you would want to know about this journey and its author is found in the above quote. Everything except for the purity of a delightful storyteller and her universally unique characters.

Venture with me... in the days of yesterday, Miss Read is a delightful narrator. She is gracious, steadfast, and very eloquent in her observations of her village and her village characters. She would never presume what her characters are thinking, yet she is profoundly insightful about their choices, their personalities, as well as their good-natured quirks.

In the peaceful village of Thrush Green, you will visit the Village school in which the Headmistress, Miss Watson is considering retirement and Miss Fogerty is considering the daily school matters, and Betty Bell is cleaning up the school day mess. 

On Lulling High Street, the three Lovelock sisters (Violet, Ada, and Bertha) are always delightfully entertaining during all afternoon teas. Set in their ways, always on the search for delightful household items, and very unique "treasure" like characteristics, these ladies are called to provide their village with their support.

Of course, the village's rector and his wife (Charles and Dimity) live in Thrush Green's most hideous Victorian eye sore. They are about to take a vacation and will be pondering how their future will be unfolding. St. Andrew's has Sexton Piggott, whose gloom can be felt by his congregation. His daughter Molly tries to look after him while taking care of her husband Ben and young George. If only Sexton Piggott wasn't so obstinate his digestion and personality might bring an answer to the prayers of many.

Every village must have their wise and aging "Tea Ladies," Winnie and Ella. Who else would gather others for tea? Who else would have the perfect recipes for tea delectables? Who else will, with concerned hearts, know what their village community is experiencing, thinking, as well as in need of guidance? These ladies are truly the dearest of friends and precious to all in Thrush Green.

Small town life is comforting, chaotic, supportive, and full of troubles. How could a vacation create a mishmash of chaos? Who are the temporary borders at Tulliver's? Will there finally be a proposal and wedding for two of the villagers? What will happen to the Village school if Miss Watson retires?

As Jan Karon has stated, "relish a visit to Thrush Green..."
MrsK
"Now, we'll just get this place to rights, and
have a quiet evening with our knitting..."

Meet the Author:
Dora Jessie Saint MBE née Shafe (born 17 April 1913), best known by the pen name Miss Read, was an English novelist, by profession a schoolmistress. Her pseudonym was derived from her mother's maiden name. In 1940 she married her husband, Douglas, a former headmaster. The couple had a daughter, Jill. She began writing for several journals after World War II and worked as a scriptwriter for the BBC.

She wrote a series of novels from 1955 to 1996. Her work centered on two fictional English villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green. The principal character in the Fairacre books, "Miss Read", is an unmarried schoolteacher in a small village school, an acerbic and yet compassionate observer of village life. Miss Read's novels are wry regional social comedies, laced with gentle humor and subtle social commentary. Miss Read is also a keen observer of nature and the changing seasons.

Her most direct influence is from Jane Austen, although her work also bears similarities to the social comedies of manners written in the 1920s and 1930s, and in particular the work of Barbara Pym. Miss Read's work has influenced a number of writers in her own turn, including the American writer, Jan Karon. The musician Enya has a track on her Watermark album named after the book Miss Clare Remembers, and one on her Shepherd Moons album named after No Holly for Miss Quinn.

In 1996 she retired. In 1998 she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. She died 7 April 2012 in Shefford Woodlands.



Thursday, April 24, 2025

Spring2Summer Explorations: Pre-K-YA

ISBN: 9780063018433
Publisher Synopsis:
Enter the world of Charlie's four unlikely friends, discover their story and their most important life lessons. The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse have been shared millions of times online - perhaps you've seen them? They've also been recreated by children in schools and hung on hospital walls. They sometimes even appear on lamp posts and on cafe and bookshop windows. Perhaps you saw the boy and mole on the Comic Relief T-shirt, Love Wins?

"Life... frightening sometimes but beautiful..."
MrsK's Review: Fantasy Read Aloud
In the springtime, a boy meets a mole. "In their wanderings," they discover that size is relative. They discuss what success might be. They ponder if there is a "school of unlearning." Do you know what is the biggest waste of time? What is the greatest freedom? "Is doing nothing with friends, doing nothing?"

Beautifully crafted wisdom. The quiet and gentleness within these pages ignites a desire to ponder, to share, and enter into a reflective moment or two. This is a book that every grandparent, educator, and homeschooling parent should read... because it is a perfect gift for graduations, birthdays, and especially for Christmas. I believe that the giver should personalize this book journey with little comments here and there between the pages... that would be my definition of loving gift in action,
MrsK
"This book is for everyone...
whether you are eighty or eight...."

Meet the Author:
Charlie Macksey was born during a snowy winter in Northumberland. He has been a cartoonist for The Spectator and a book illustrator for Oxford University Press. He has collaborated with Richard Curtis for Comic Relief, and Nelson Mandela on a lithograph project, 'The Unity Series.' Collectors of Mackesy's works include Elizabeth Gilbert, Whoopi Goldberg, Roger Waters, Richard Curtis, The Murdoch Freuds, Tim Bevan, M. Night Shyamalan, Bear Grylls, Howard Goodall, Harry Enfield, and Sting. He has lived and painted in South Africa, Southern Africa, and New Orleans. He co-runs a social enterprise, Mama Buci, in the Zambian copperbelt, which helps families of low and no income to become beekeepers.

ISBN: 9781955550413
Publisher's Synopsis:
A Town Worth Defending is a children's book written by David J Harris Jr. BRAVE Books has partnered with David Harris Jr. to write A Town Worth Defending, a children's book that teaches kids about patriotism. In every BRAVE Book, we partner with people of moral integrity, like David Harris Jr., to teach complex Christian and Conservative values.

"To the Defenders of Freedom..."
MrsK's Review: GR. 1-2 Fantasy
Rowdy Raccoon has written a Dirt Creek letter to inform all citizens that a posse of possums is attacking all the towns. His request is to save Dirt Creek. With a high noon, rubber-band shoot out, Rowdy faces down Greasy the Possum. With the help of the Defenders of Freedom, the villains high tail it out of town. But will that be the last show-down? 

Greasy has proclaimed that he and his gang will be returning with a train of dynamite if the town isn't turned over to them!

Written with delightful characters, a rowdy gunfight and showdown, as well as entertaining artwork by Andre Ceolin, this is an Americana western that will inspire many re-readings... 

Gather around a flashlight campfire and spin this tale of a dust-uppin' peck of trouble!
MrsK
Meet the Author:

Unapologetically patriotic, David Harris Jr. endeavors to help society discover what it truly means to keep America great. David Harris Jr. is an entrepreneur, author, and podcast host who delivers thought-provoking and engaging presentations that challenge audiences to pay attention to important political, social, and economic issues. Listeners appreciate his honest and relatable approach to topics focusing on the conservative culture and pro-life movement. Using his own life experiences and faith-based direction, he brings a passionate and unique message tailored to each event.

ISBN: 9780307977243
Publisher's Synopsis:
Chicago sixth graders Ruthie and Jack think they’ve learned everything about the magic of the Art Institute’s Thorne Rooms. But the magic starts to act strangely when Ruthie and Jack discover two rings that are out of place—and out of time—and a portal that shouldn’t be open but somehow is. Ruthie and Jack follow the clues to seventeenth-century England and the Brownlow house, where they meet the Brownlow’s governess, Rebecca. But Rebecca has a few secrets of her own—and she might even be in the wrong century! Can Ruthie and Jack discover the truth about Rebecca’s mysterious past, or will they end up stuck in the wrong century themselves? Their quest for answers takes them from 1930s New York City and San Francisco to turn-of-the-century China. The only one who can truly answer their questions may be the woman who started it the room’s creator, Narcissa Thorne. But to talk to Mrs. Thorne, they’ll have to go back in time and find her!

MrsK's Review: GR 3-4 Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Ruthie and Jack are excited to be working for Mrs. McVittie's Rare and Antique Bookshop during the summer. Besides their new summer job, Ruthie and Jack will be encouraged to revisit the Thoren Rooms at the Art Institute. While unpacking an antique box, they discover an old newspaper with an article about an unsolved missing teen case. Could they travel back in time and try to discover a clue about what really happened with Becky Brown?

Once they've discovered a hidden letter from Narcissa Thorne, they learn more about the mysterious key. Even though the letter was written in 1939, it sounds as if it was directly written to them... especially since they now have the key. What places in time will they travel? Will they discover the truth about Becky Brown? Should they try to return the key to an elderly Narcissa Thorne? It's up to you to open the covers...

If you haven't met Ruthie and Jack and their amazing journeys into the 68 rooms, well this book will be an excellent exploration. Each book can be a stand-alone, or you can begin with the first title... The Sixty-Eight rooms, simply pic one and enjoy the journey...
MrsK
Meet the Author:
 I was born and raised in the Chicago area. I was not a nose-in-the-book sort of kid, like many authors. Rather, I could be found climbing trees or building forts or making something with my hands. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy reading, it’s just that it was hard to squeeze it in with all the other things I wanted to do in a day. My mother was an artist – lucky me! – who taught me all kinds of wonderful ways to make art and to live a creative life. She also took me to the Art Institute of Chicago frequently, which is where I fell in love with the Thorne Miniature Rooms. Many years later, after I’d studied art in college, began raising my family, co-founded a middle school for girls, and became an art teacher, the Rooms still captured my imagination. In fact, they turned me into a writer when I could no longer ignore the stories they planted in my head.

I wanted to create the kinds of books I would have loved when I was young, the kind of books that would have made me stop what I was doing, the kind of books I couldn’t put down. I had to work hard to learn how to turn these stories that lived in my head into books that young readers would enjoy. But that was half the fun of it – learning a new way to be creative!

ISBN: 9781951305215
Publisher's Synopsis:
Heather and Picket are extraordinary rabbits with ordinary lives until calamitous events overtake them, spilling them into a cauldron of misadventures. They discover that their own story is bound up in the tumult threatening to overwhelm the wider world. Kings fall and kingdoms totter. Tyrants ascend and terrors threaten. Betrayal beckons, and loyalty is a broken road with peril around every bend. Where will Heather and Picket land? How will they make their stand?

"All right, my dears, ... I will tell you of...
The Rise and Fall of King Jupiter the Great."
MrsK's Review: GR 3-6 Fantasy
Meet Heather and Picket. They have been raised in the Hollow, in an Elm tree, in the meadow between West and East Wood. While playing their game of catching a star, neither of them worried about anything, nothing could take away their joy as they leaped and dashed through the meadow... not even the rolling rumble of a storm. Sure, their father had warned them about not entering East wood, but right this moment they needed to get Heather's ribbon from the old maple tree.

Once morning, a visitor had arrived at their home, she was introduced as Lady Glen, yet Heather had never heard of her. Why was she there? Why did their mother decide to send them to pick berries when they had company? Unfortunately, Heather and Picket would never see their home, their mother or father, nor Baby Jacks. That was the day that Nick Hollow was attacked by Redeye and his wolves. Heather had only one decision... to send Picket to the hidden cave and then to distract the wolves by out running them. Would Picket stay hidden, even if she didn't meet him?

A harrowing escape, a boat ride with an uncle they never met, Heather and Picket have made it to the Mended Wood and Lord Rake. Heather wasn't sure about trusting these rabbits, yet she had no option. Picket needed medical help. She would have to learn what she could about these "heralds" of Mended Wood. 

Who are the exiles, the orphans from the Great Wood? Will the Forest guard protect all of them who dwell in this city above the clouds? 

Green Ember isn't just captivating; it is a powerful page turner. There are swash-buckling sword fights, dangerous escapes, heroes and heroines, a legend worth fighting for, and a secret search that must bring an heir to the Kingdom of Jupiter. With delightfully crafted characters, detailed visualization, and hope this is a perfect read aloud for any family gathering and or classroom,
MrsK
"... this community has had to learn the hard way to be
cautious with our trust."
"The Green Ember burns; the seed of the New World smolders.
Healing is on the horizon, but a fire comes first.
Bear the flame."
Meet the Author:
S. D. Smith is the author of The Green Ember Series, a million+ selling adventure saga featuring heroic #RabbitsWithSwords. The Green Ember spent time as the number one bestselling audiobook in the world on Audible. He is also the author of the madcap Mooses with Bazookas: And Other Stories Children Should Never Read as well as the touching throwback adventure, The Found Boys. Finally, he has co-authored two fantasy adventure novels with his son (J. C. Smith), Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key and Jack Zulu and the Girl with Golden Wings. Smith’s stories are captivating readers across the globe who are hungry for “new stories with an old soul.”

Though packed with old school virtue and moral imagination, Smith doesn't merely create "safe" stories, but bold, daring, truthful tales of light that help shape children who become dangerous—dangerous to the darkness.

Smith is a founder and owner of Story Warren, a publishing, events, and IP development house based in rural West Virginia. Story Warren exists to serve families as “allies in imagination.”

ISBN: 9780593707944
Publisher's Synopsis:
Do you have what it takes to be the new owner of Mr. Lemoncello’s epic gaming empire? Find out in this fantabulous finale to the beloved, New York Times Bestselling Mr. Limoncello's Library series! Mr. Limoncello's ENTIRE game-making empire is up for grabs! It's time for one last fantabulous challenge with Mr. Lemoncello-the world's most famous gamemaker! This time everything is on the line—literally! Mr. Lemoncello has invited thirteen lucky 13-year-olds—including his biggest fan, Kyle Keeley— to compete in the final games. The winner of these games will become the new owner of Mr. Limoncello's ENTIRE GAME MAKING EMPIRE!!! But uh-oh--someone is trying to destroy Mr. Lemoncello empire and all it stands imagination, games, books . . . knowledge! Can Kyle Keeley stop them and make his dreams come true? Get ready for a whirlwind adventure that takes us from the lions of the New York Public Library to the Choose Your Own Thrill-Venture Roller Coaster inside the brand-new Lemoncelloland amusement park, filled with codes and clues, adventure and mystery, and surprise cameos from across Chris Grabenstein's many series. So, sit back, relax and prepare to have your imagination take flight...you are on your way to Lemoncelloland!

MrsK's Review: GR 4-7 Fantasy
Have you been to Mr. Lemoncello's library? Do you enjoy competition? Are you a reader who enters into the world within any book's cover? This, the finale book that will ignite your imagination of possibilities.

Meet Kyle, at thirteen, he is now on the board of trustees for Mr. Lemoncello's Library. He's already won a titanium ticket which allows him to automatically be entered into the finale "ultimate" game. A game in which he could become the one heir to all Mr. Lemoncello has created. When all is said and done... will he emerge as the one who is loyal to Mr. Lemoncello's vision of his heir?

Out of 13 contestants, who will be the winner? Of course, it will be the one who plays the game to win!
Why 13 players who have turned the age of 13? It all began when Mr. L turned 13 and realized his "true calling." "Hidey-Ho!"... Let the games begin...

Are you ready for a rollercoaster ride through storybook lands? Maybe a book-rafting ride through rapids on the Plot Twist River is more adventurous. Could flying game pieces carry you off on the Speed Reader zip lines? Expect haunted characters, giants, dragons, gadgets, robotic authors, space rockets, and fairy-tale characters.

Are you ready to riddle your way through the fantabulous finale? So much to enjoy, a wealth of reading extension titles... delightfully tantalizing puzzling connections... extraordinary inventions... characters to root for or to be leery of... and a story so well woven that you know you've entered the library that is beyond your wildest imagination...
MrsK 
Enter into Mr. Lemoncelloland...
where "books and games from all over this wondermous
will come to life."
Meet the Author:
 CHRIS GRABENSTEIN is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. His books include the LEMONCELLO, WONDERLAND, HAUNTED MYSTERY, DOG SQUAD, and SMARTEST KID IN THE UNIVERSE series, and many fun and funny page-turners co-authored with James Patterson.

ISBN: 9780312368586
Publisher's Synopsis:
A flash of lightning, quivering ground, and, instead of her grandparents' farm, Polly sees mist and jagged mountains—and coming toward her, a group of young men carrying spears.

Why has a time gate opened and dropped Polly into a world that existed 3,000 years ago? Will she be able to get back to the present before the time gate closes—and leaves her to face a group of people who believe in human sacrifice?

A quiet visit with her grandparents turns into a lesson in the fluidity of time for Polly O'Keefe when she meets several strangers from overlapping temporal planes and, with them, plays a key role in a prehistoric confrontation.
"...words have power,
intrinsic power. 
I love you.
What could be more powerful than that small trinity?
On the other hand,
malicious gossip can cause horrible damage."

MrsK's Review: GR 6+ Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Once upon a time, I entered into a Winkle in Time, and for this moment... I have returned to a family I once knew so well. This journey began with a sense of excitement for characters I've missed throughout my seasoning years. Of course, the characters have grown up. The farmhouse has been expanded, and the Grandfather Oak has been "disease resistant."

Meet Polly, she has returned to her grandparent's farm, a place that brings her contentment. She is on her way to her mother's favorite place... back to the "star-watching rock." 

Meet Zachary, a young man Polly had meet in Athens, last summer, while she was attending a literature and literacy conference. He had been charming and volunteered to drive her around Athens. Why had he decided to seek her out on her grandparent's farm. He should have been at UCLA.

Meet Bishop Nason, since he has retired, he enjoys walking in the woods while his wife is at her clinic. He has found another stone by the ancient stone wall on the Murry's farm... he has discovered that some of the stones have Ogam petroglyphs (a Celtic alphabet0. How did it get to this location? Who brought it or carved it here in America over 3,000 years ago? 

Meet Anaral, a young girl that will befriend Polly. Their friendship could lead to an old custom that might endanger Polly's life. A long with Anaral, Polly is introduced to Karralys, a druid that is concerned about his ancient village. And then there is Tav, another strong druid who is sure that Polly is the key to saving his people from the attacks of the ancients.

Who will survive? Has a tesseract reopened the circles of time?
Return to the Murry's farm...
MrsK
"Our books are like keepers of the memory.
In them we have the stories of many people,
many times,
many cultures."
Meet the Author:
 Madeleine L'Engle was an American writer of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and young adult fiction, including A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels: A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time. Her works reflect both her Christian faith and her strong interest in modern science.

Friday, April 4, 2025

Spring Retreat for Seasoned Readers


  
ISBN: 9780063025288
Publisher's Synopsis:
Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in the London Borough of Ealing after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.

Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.

When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list… hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.

"Everyone needs to ask for help sometimes..."
MrsK's Review: Reality Fiction
Meet Mukesh, a gentle man who is in a season without his beloved Naina. Not really alone since his daughters have lives that are full. Yet, there is a cloak of loneliness that covers him in aloneness. Until the day he chooses to step forward. Those steps lead him to the small library in his community. Naina's books kept her company, he never took the time to "enter" into her world of books... maybe it's time?

Meet Aleisha, she has taken a summer job at the Harrow Road library.  Her brother, Aiden, always claimed that this library was peaceful, the people were "endlessly fascinating," and that he could find a "sense of quiet companionship" within its endless shelves of journeys. Currently, her "Mum shift" was all she did outside of the library job. Aiden and she shared the care of their mother, well truth be told Aiden did the most for her Mum, he always had.

Meet Priya, who is carrying on her grandmother's legacy. Naina had encouraged her desire for good books. Now, her grandfather is opening his life to her as he discovers his relationship with her. Is there an avenue for them to grow together?

Meet Nilakshi, Naina's friend. It's been so long since she had seen Mukesh. Out of concern, she has decided that it was time for her to move beyond her grief and reach out to Mukesh. Companionship is valued when grief has moved on. 

Meet Indira, Izzy, Chris, and Zac those whose life will become interwoven by the book list and the "Big Library Get-Together." Their journey repairs the foundation for the Harrow Road Library. When a community center, an area's hub, seems to be "outdated" how can those who value its existence keep its doors open for tomorrow's readers?

Once in a while a book is in hand, a book that proclaims, "Here is a journey... crying open me... experience the journey within these pages." To be read by those who know the power of sharing... "in case you need it!"
MrsK
With a "quiet" gentleness of uniqueness, 
this book list weaves its characters' lives through their own reviews of these titles.
 As a book reviewer, I applaud Karen Hawkins for the crafting of this endearing journey.
" A Bookish Wonderland"
Meet the Author:


Sara is a writer and editor. She lives in London and was born in Hertfordshire to Indian and English parents. Her debut novel The Reading List is partly inspired by her grandfather, who lived in Wembley and immediately found a connection with his granddaughter through books.

ISBN: 9781982195960
Publisher's Synopsis:
When an antique tin of love letters is found hidden in her family home, noted historian Tay Dove rushes home to Dove Pond to investigate. Tay is still reeling from a romantic betrayal, so she’s relieved to refocus her energies on her latest a biography of her great-great-grandmother Sarafina, a star reporter who began her career in Dove Pond in the late 19th century before abruptly leaving town.

Tay believes the letters could be the key in solving what happened, but they only add to her questions—especially when they reveal a forbidden love affair with William Day, a wild youth who took part in a notorious train robbery. Some answers might be found in eighty-year-old Rose Day’s bookshop, which doubles as a town archive, but Rose is curiously resistant to give Tay access. Just when Tay thinks she’s reached a dead end, she finds an unlikely ally in Rose’s grandson, Luke, a fellow puzzle lover. Together, they set out to uncover what really happened all those years ago…and find the truth behind a love story that could be more precious than gold.

"I'm without you, and it's as if my soul has lost its way...
I think of you and all the darkness disappears,
because you are my brightness, my light..."
MrsK's Review: Mystery
Tay is dedicated to her writing, her research, and to her love for literature. She has a PhD in history and works at a University in Boston. Yet, an unexpected circumstance derails her current assignment. When Tay learns that her sisters discovered an antique tin of love letters belonging to her great-great grandmother Sarafina Dove, she feels "called" to return to Dove Pond. With such a delightful and intriguing discovery, the allure to the possibilities of a new research project might just be the distraction she needs to refocus and begin a better path. Who wouldn't want to know more about a famous ancestor? Will Tay be able to use the Dove family "gifted" talents to discover who and why someone was writing love letters to her "married" great-great grandmother?

Rose's Bookshop is a generational bookshop in Dove Pond. Every reader knows the "calling" of an established book shop. The smell of the "welcoming" pages that greets you when the bell over the door announces that arrival of a new discovery. Rose is the perfect guardian of the town's archives. At 82, Rose is perceptive, willing to let her readers wander the shelves, can match a reader with a book that is desperately needed, and is always "turning pages of her ever-present book" at the checkout counter.
Will Tay uncover the "hidden" truth of her ancestor William Day?

Luke is Rose's grandson. Currently he has returned to Dove Pond to help Rose raise Lulu, his sister's little, yet inquisitive daughter. Luke had received a full scholarship to Georgia Tech and graduated early. Everything seemed to come easily to Luke. For the present, his leaving his career to look after his niece was an unexpected characteristic. What will he do with this new journey home?

Sarafina showed talent in New York City, she had left Dove Pond for the big city and her dream as a writer for the New York World newspaper. All that anyone could remember about her move, was that at 19, in 1897, a young lady heading to New York to become a writer was quite an extraordinary decision. After a series of reports, as an "undercover" reporter, she gained high notoriety for being likened to Nellie Bly.

William, everyone in Dove Pond in 1890, knew how William and two other men had robbed a train ending in a gun fight. All three of the men went to prison. Why would a train robber write notes to a female reporter, especially one who was married to a wealthy man?

Such a delightfully crafted story. Within these pages, a story unfolds. One in which the main character will "hone" her craft, as well as her ability to discover relationships that will fulfill her heart's desire Another that recognized that living involves taking a risk when truth sends you on a pathway that must be derailed. Courageously crafted... a reader's delight with book quotes that must be remembered,
MrsK. 
Rose's was special... "the thousands of books that waited for new homes,
all carefully selected by the meticulous curator."
Meet the Author:
 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Karen Hawkins writes novels that have been praised as touching, witty, charming, and heartwarming. A native Southerner who grew up in the mountains of East Tennessee where storytelling is a way of life, Karen recently moved to frosty New England with her beloved husband and multiple foster dogs. The Dove Pond books are a nod to the thousands of books that opened doors to more adventures, places, and discoveries than she ever imagined possible.
ISBN: 9780385550369
Publisher's Synopsis:
When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.

Brimming with nuanced humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a literary icon, this brilliant and tender novel radically illuminates Jim's agency, intelligence, and compassion as never before. James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first-century American literature.
"Waiting is a big part of a slave's life...
Waiting for demands. Waiting for food. Waiting for the ends of days.
Waiting for the just and deserved Christian reward at the end of it all."

MrsK's Review: Excellent Rendition of Huck Finn and Jim
James, a man who meets life with courage, sincerity, and determined hope. Secrets are a given part of life. For many, they learn situational translations. Some learn to read and write. Some learn to "read" others... and then there are those who secretly must do what they must do.

This journey creates a woven backstory to Twain's classic tale of Huck and Jim. What I discovered was heart-warming. Revisiting characters that had planted seeds of explorations, daily adventures, and a common understanding of "goodness" in each other. When childhood matures into adulthood, there remains a hardship against the wrongs we meet in our world. 

When Jim must leave Sadie and Lizzie, it's not a runaway that is selfish, it's a grander love that signifies a determined hope. When Jim meets Huck on the island, it's a courageous friendship that helps them survive the escape. When Jim meets with evil... that's when what matters most must be action that will bring a renewed safety. Commonality can only become grace... when we seek to do what's right, life becomes a value statement of decency. 

In life, there are some who enter into our seasons, they experience our moments that we aren't sure we can get through... that someone speaks volumes into your story... blessing or not.... they are etched within your heart. Gratitude is an aged seasoning that becomes a fondness that is lifeless...
MrsK
"I kin keep me a secret, Huck. I kin keep yo secret, too."
Meet the Author:
 There might not be a more fertile mind in American fiction today than Everett’s. In 22 years, he has written 19 books, including a farcical Western, a savage satire of the publishing industry, a children’s story spoofing counting books, retellings of the Greek myths of Medea and Dionysus, and a philosophical tract narrated by a four-year-old.

James Patterson and Dolly Parton
ISBN: 9780759554344
Publisher's Synopsis:
From America’s most beloved superstar and its greatest storyteller—a thriller about a young singer/songwriter on the rise and on the run and determined to do whatever it takes to survive.
Every song tells a story.
She’s a star on the rise, singing about the hard life behind her.
She’s also on the run. Find a future, lose a past.
Nashville is where she’s come to claim her destiny. It’s also where the darkness she’s fled might find her. And destroy her. Run, Rose, Run is a novel glittering with danger and desire—a story that only America’s #1 most beloved entertainer and its #1 bestselling author could have created.

"Is it easy... No, it ain't.
Can I fix it... No, I cain't."
MrsK's Review: Reality Fiction
Meet AnnieLee a spirited and talented songwriter. She is fleeing someone, someone who will hunt her, someone who haunts her, someone who is a dangerous reminder of a life she had to leave. As long as she can remember, she's been making melodies. Her story begins when the "dazzling" red brake lights offer her a ride to her Nashville destination.

Meet Ruthanna, one of country music's "grandest queens." She's determined to remain retired, yet her writing songs and gathering her small group of musicians into her home for her "recording" of songs is baffling since... she would never release them to the public. Would she even agree to receive another honor award at this year's Country Music Awards?

Meet Ethan, a guitarist who is grateful to be hired by Ruthanna for her "recording" sessions. Often times, Ethan, plays at Ruthanna's bar. When he hears this young girl with a borrowed guitar, he knows that Ruthanna must hear her "celestial" voice. What he isn't prepared for is the job he is given. A matter of life or death.

When AnnieLee steps into the perfect dive bar... she is determined that this will be her Nashville debut. "Will you be the one to give me my first big break?" Boldly, she has entered the Cat's Paw Saloon. Would anyone recognize that she sang for joy? This was the moment that she would "woman up and take like a man." Her life depended on it!

AnnieLee's story is a true country melody. From rags to promised riches. From a fear that causes a leap beyond faith. From a bold acceptance to an acclaimed future. However, you, the reader, interprets this story... I'm sure you will discover a melody that is endearing... 
MrsK
"But I sure ain't gonna take it lyin' down."
Meet the Authors:
 Dolly Rebecca Parton is a Grammy Award-winning country music singer/songwriter, author, actress and philanthropist. To date, she remains one of the most successful country artists, with 25 number-one singles (a record for a female performer) and 42 top 10 country albums (more than anyone else).
 James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton and collaborated most recently with Michael Crichton on the blockbuster Eruption. He has told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

MrsK's Reading Bio

Reading is important! No questions asked, not even a blink of the eye from any student I grew up with. On the first day of the First grade, we were given our first books. Day two we all read aloud, round robin of course. Day three we were place in our first basal, now known as a lit circle group. Books were so important, publishers designed new curriculum so that every student was reading by the end of the first week. These early readers had images that looked like what we could see in the classroom, beyond the classroom, even on the big screen. Reading is important, throughout history every generation has believed that “Reading” opens up the world for endless possibilities.

I adore the 1950’s Dick and Jane books. Actually, most reading specialists and experienced (45+) educators believe that every student learned to read with Dick and Jane. Since these books are being re-issued, I have heard many parents, grandparents, and students claim that Dick and Jane stories of repetition does teach students to read.

Early influences from my mother influenced my desire to read. I would watch her read and we would go on “secret” excursions to the library. The library became my playground. I owned every book I could carry home, of course they needed to be taken back to their home after visiting with me for a week or two. My first book that I could pull off of the library shelf and read was, Father Bear Comes Home. I only saw my dad on Sundays for a few hours. I would pull this beginning reader off of the library shelf every week. Every week I would try to read the first chapter. Every week I got further in the story. My mom would let me check it out, only if I could read it myself (She didn’t like the illustrations therefore she didn’t want to take time to read it to me). One day, I pulled the book from the shelf and when mom came to get me from the children’s corner, I realized that I had read the whole story. I ran to the check out desk and the Librarian KERCHUNKED the checkout card. My mother, brother and neighbors read. My teachers read. We all read aloud all day long in school. The Priest read aloud every day at mass, even in Latin. Everybody in the Doctor’s office read. People on the bus read. Dad’s waiting in their cars as the Mom’s and children grocery shopped, read. In fact, once you could read and write, Sunset Magazine considered you a reader and sent you mail every day.

Reading is important; I’ve spent my life reading. I’ve traveled around the world and into space through books. My favorite genre is whichever book I have open at the time. Children’s Literature is my passion. Book clubbing is one of the best past times, especially if food is involved. In fact my friends of old are in a book club and we are about to embark on a beach trip to “read” and discuss our newest selection.

My “home-run” book story has helped every student find his or her own “home-run” reads. Every year, I have shared my, Father Bear Comes Home, and every year my students have brought in their “home-run” books. That’s the “diving board” into our Lit. Studies.

In “Growing Up Digital,” Tapscott’s insights into the new generations enthusiasm for the Net reminded me of my generation’s enthusiasm for reading, movies, TV, parties and our driving permits. The Net-Generation, as Tapscott describes, “are learning, playing, communicating, working, creating communities, and enforcing a social transformation.”
N-Geners are interactive “techies” who are always looking for a way to “work it” verses the TV Generation of “Baby Boomers” who started out looking for “how it works.” Reading development is tougher today, society moves too fast to invest their “non-working” free time into a book or even “home work.” Since I stepped into my own classroom, I have seen students being told to read, being forced to read, and threatened into reading. Homework is not any longer the vehicle for students to gain their future lifestyles or careers with. Yet, the Internet does create an enthusiasm for learning. Since I have been enrolled in these courses, I have used the computers in every subject. My students are using the newest technology in the classroom because I am giving them investigative sites to use as they learn from each other and books. I agree with Tapscott, in order to bridge the gap with this up and coming generation we must “live and learn with them.”


FTC Required Disclaimer: I receive these books from the publishers. I did not receive monetary compensation for these reviews. These reviews have been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

2014

Traits of Writing: Inking Thoughts

Booked 4 Success: Inspired Learning