How To Encourage Your Children to Read Over the Summer

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June 22, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

During the summer, you might try to find ways to keep your children productive and busy. While you do not want to interrupt their well-deserved break, you also want to encourage skills they will need for their upcoming school year, such as reading. If you want your kids to keep reading throughout the season, consider following these tips.

Use Technology to Help You

The younger generations are more familiar with technology than before. Your kids may be more comfortable with a computer or a tablet than with a regular book. For more text-heavy books, you can try using an e-reader for e-books. These tablets allow the young ones to read a book from a screen and change pages or settings via simple touches. You can even modify elements like amount of lines per page and text size to make it easier for them to read.

Connect Books With Adaptations

Adaptations of books to other media such as movies, television series and video games are increasingly popular, especially when it comes to children’s material. There is a strong chance your children might have consumed them, such as the streaming series based on Daniel Handler‘s books. If they like certain adaptations, you can recommend them their book versions and tell them how they offer additional content featuring their favorite characters or stories.

Pick Age-Appropriate Books

Children may sometimes lose interest because they are reading books that are either too advanced or not sophisticated enough for them. For instance, the deadpan humor of author Daniel Handler‘s works may fly over the heads of very young readers. Make sure the books have the appropriate reading level. If you find it difficult to tell which books are right for your kids, talk to the local librarian or see if the e-reader divides book by age levels.

Reading is a wonderful skill to develop and an excellent way for your children to entertain themselves. Encourage their interest over the break with this advice.

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Learning to Spell

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September 9, 2019 By Jennifer Lambert 5 Comments

I have never placed the emphasis on spelling that I think schools do.

With today’s technology for spell check and autofill, I just don’t feel that spelling is the most important skill for me to focus on with teaching my children.

I don’t like separating spelling from reading.

We read aloud and together and we complete vocabulary workbooks, but we don’t do any kind of formal weekly spelling lists like I did in elementary school.

Phonics or Whole Language?

Does anyone remember this reading war in the 1980s?

Read some results from the reading wars.

Consider this: during WWII, American public schools—first in urban areas, then everywhere—were converted from phonetic ways of instruction (the ancient “alphabet system”) to non-phonetic methods which involved memorizing whole word units, and lots of guessing for unfamiliar words. Whites had been learning to read at home for 300 years the old-fashioned way—matching spoken sounds to written letters—and white homes preserved this tool even when schools left it behind. There was a resource available to whites which hardly existed for blacks. During slavery, blacks had been forbidden to learn to read; as late as 1930 they averaged only three to four years of schooling. When teachers stopped teaching a phonetic system—known to work—blacks had no fallback position.
Weapons of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto

I think many children missed out when teachers, curriculum advisors, education “experts” decided that memorizing sounds and words was more important than sounding out syllables and building words.

Phonics is a way of decoding written letters and spoken sounds. This approach to learning to read encourages children to decode words by sounds, rather than by recognising whole words. In the early years, teaching focuses on synthetic phonics, where words are broken up into the smallest units of sound (phonemes).

Chunking is a reading strategy that helps increase reading fluency by having readers look for chunks or patterns within a word that they recognize so they do not need to sound out every letter.

Whole language is an approach to learning that sees language as a whole entity, and writing, speaking, reading, and listening should be integrated when learned. In whole language, learning is built upon the real experiences and background knowledge of the learner.

The Orton-Gillingham Approach is a direct, explicit, multisensory, structured, sequential, diagnostic, and prescriptive way to teach literacy when reading, writing, and spelling. This approach is research-based, not evidence-based. This is an important distinction. Evidence based programs means that there have been studies (typically a randomized-controlled trial) that report on the program’s effectiveness for the target population compared to another instructional approach.

I think kids need all the resources and tools in order to read fluently.

If left alone, most kids will learn to read on their own, without long winded techniques, textbooks, workbooks, spelling lists, standardized tests, or shaming from teachers, peers, siblings, and parents.

It’s ridiculous to force a learning timeline on children to read by a certain age. Each child progresses at his or her own rate and will read when ready.

Spelling Tips and Tools

Visual meaning

Orthographic meaning is picturing something inside your head.

Most of us can picture in our minds a very detailed ice cream cone when we are asked.

What does yours look like? Mine is chocolate almond on a sugar cone. I can see it in my mind’s eye, smell it, and imagine the flavor and feel in my mouth.

Some children and even adults struggle to visualize everyday objects or concepts. They don’t even know this is a problem.

Most kids progress with visualization and eventually use this skill to take word pictures in their minds.

Logographic meaning is making sense of words and pictures. Maybe you remember when you made the connection between a written word and its meaning. I had trouble realizing that “immediately” wasn’t pronounced emma-date-lee.

It’s also important to realize that spacing represents words and punctuation separates phrases and sentences.

Spelling Curriculum, Games, and Toys

We love all the hands-on and Montessori tools and toys.

Backward or reverse chaining

By letter or by syllable for more advanced. We can highlight the hard parts.

We like to use colored pencils and make rainbow words.

Say the word. Then write the word, saying each letter.
- W – O – R – D
Skip a line and say it and write it again — minus the last letter. Say the last letter, but don’t write it.
- W – O – R – ____
Skip a line and say it and write it again — minus the last two letters. Say them, but don’t write them.
- W – O – ___ ____

Spelling trains

Read a word aloud and write it down.

Using the last letter in the first word, write another word beginning with that last letter. Continue the “spelling train” using the last letter of words.

Extend the lesson by making up harder “rules” like words have to have at least 5 letters or 3 syllables. We even do this out loud for ultimate difficulty.

Trace, copy, and recall

Make three columns on paper. Here’s a nifty printable chart.

Say the word.
Trace the word.
Copy the word.
Recall or spell the word.

Counting Letters

To help visualize, hold up both hands and count out the letters in a word on fingers.

You’re essentially assigning a letter to each finger and number.

L-E-A-R-N-I-N-G

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

L1 is my left pinky finger and G8 is my right middle finger.

We play this game by saying a word, counting out the letters, saying a number, then the letter that corresponds to that number. We do this until we know the word backwards and forwards.

Word Families

My girls liked working through printables with word blends, word ladders, and sight words.

Notebooking

Montessori Spelling Task Cards

Spelling You See

Spelling You See was a lot of busy work and we only used the first book. It was a different approach than we’ve ever seen.

Logic of English

Read our reviews:

Spelling Workout

My girls have completed the series of Spelling Workout vocabulary workbooks. My son is about halfway through. They’re more than just spelling. Each lesson is 2-5 pages with puzzles, vocabulary, editing lessons, paragraph writing exercises, definitions, handwriting.

Love this instructional chart at the beginning of the workbook:

All About Learning

My middle girls completed AAR 1 and 2. My son completed pre, 1, and 2.

It’s a good program and my kids loved it. I thought it was just tons of cutting and coloring, so much paper.

All About Spelling was an extension for All About Reading. It seemed like an awful lot of work and we didn’t continue.

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Letter Recognition

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September 9, 2019 By Jennifer Lambert 5 Comments

My kids tell me when they’re ready to learn letters, begin writing, leading to reading. I don’t push, prod, or bribe.

They will learn without me, in spite of me – if I just leave them alone and provide plenty of opportunity and tools.

Letter Recognition Goals

Letter recognition: shape
Letter naming: shape association with the name
Letter sound knowledge: sound corresponding to shape
Letter writing: trace, form, write the shape

Letter Recognition Activities

Teach letter names, then sounds.
Point out letters whenever you see them.
Label everything.
Say the names of objects and point to labels.
Have lots of books and read, Read, READ.
Letter of the Week themes
Sing.
Rhyme.
Montessori toys

Letter Games, Tips, and Tools

I find plenty of printables online like matching capital and lowercase letters, holiday and theme letter games, bottle cap signs, alphabet journals, and cube games.

I love, love, love the Montessori tools for letters, reading, and spelling. They’re so child-focused and child-friendly. Sensory exploration comes naturally to kids and the sandpaper letter cards and sand trays along with other fun hands-on tools are great for kids showing interest in letters and reading.

My kids were obsessed with LeapFrog DVDs and they were really cute.

We loved the ABC printables from Confessions of a Homeschooler, 1+1+1=1, Homeschool Creations, This Reading Mama

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Amazon Prime Book Box for Kids

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May 21, 2018 By Jennifer Lambert 18 Comments

Story time just got better with Prime Book Box, a subscription that delivers hand-picked children’s books every 1, 2, or 3 months.

Discover new favorites that inspire a love of reading—new adventures await in every box!

Prime Book Box saves you up to 35% off List Price, and provides the best value on books sold by Amazon.com.

What’s in a Prime Book Box?

Each box contains 2 hardcover books or 4 board books.

Who’s It For?

The age ranges are Baby-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.

For babies and the little readers, you’ll get up to 4 board books in your box.

Older kids will get 2 hardcover books (picture books for the younger kids, middle reader books for the older kids).

How Much Does it Cost?

The subscription rate is $22.99 per box, charged at the monthly interval you choose.

It’s a 35% discount on the cover price. If Amazon’s advertised price happens to be lower when your books are shipped, they’ll give you back the difference!

But What If I Already Have the Book?

Amazon will keep an eye on your recent purchase history to avoid books that you’ve already purchased through them. They’ll also give you a notice before your books ship so that you can review what will be in the box.

If you don’t like the selections that month, Amazon provides a list of four alternates that you can choose. If you don’t like any of the titles that month, you can skip it, just like any Prime subscription.

I hope that the Amazon editors make a concerted effort to promote female authors, authors of color, and alternate viewpoints. We shall see!

Where Can I Sign Up?

Prime Book Box is currently only available to Prime members, and those interested must request an invitation on the Prime Book Box web page. I got an email and that’s how I first heard about it. There’s no word whether the subscription box will ever be made available for non-Prime members.

The new subscription box offering also comes shortly after Amazon announced a price increase for Prime memberships—up from $99 to $119 annually. The company cited new Prime features and increased costs as the reasons it will raise the annual Prime fee starting May 11, 2018, for new members and June 16, 2018, for existing members. So now might be the time to join if you haven’t already!

Our first Amazon Prime Kids Book Box opening:

The kids were excited to get a fun mail surprise!

In the future, I will have them help choose the book selections, but I wanted to surprise them the first time.

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones by Wendelin Van Draanen

We may do these as family read alouds or the girls may just read them on their own. These are great for a summer book club!

I requested a 2nd invitation for my son, who’s 8.

We can’t wait for next month!

Learn more about Prime Book Box here:

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Favorite Chapter Books

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January 18, 2018 By Jennifer Lambert 24 Comments

We love reading.

I read aloud to my babies with my finger following the words on the page.

Later, I help my preschoolers to sound out letters and then words.

Then, they begin reading picture books and early readers. These tools are helpful during this time.

Pretty soon, they’re reaching for chapter books and we alternate reading aloud pages, then whole chapters…

And finally, they’re off on their own, reading in corners, in the car, in the bathroom…during chore time.

I still love to read aloud, and we often have family reading time in the mornings and evenings.

We like high quality books, and historical fiction is a favorite.

I hated reading in school. I hated reading class and the comprehension workbooks. I aced spelling tests, but it was all so contrived and boring.

I read all the Sweet Valley High and Baby-Sitters Club books when I was in middle school. I didn’t have a mentor to introduce me to good reading material and I feel like I missed out on so much great juvenile fiction that I’m just now discovering with my own kids.

I want my kids to love reading for pleasure. We don’t analyze all the fun out of it.

Our favorite chapter books:

The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The nine books in the timeless Little House series tell the story of Laura’s real childhood as an American pioneer, and are cherished by readers of all generations. They offer a unique glimpse into life on the American frontier, and tell the heartwarming, unforgettable story of a loving family.

Dear America books

Dear America is a series of historical fiction novels for older girls published by Scholastic.

The Royal Diaries series

The Royal Diaries is a series of 20 books published by Scholastic Press from 1999 to 2005. In each of the books, a fictional diary of a real female figure of royalty as a child throughout world history was written by the author.

Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne

Meet Jack and Annie! Jack and his younger sister, Annie, are just regular kids. But when they discover a tree house in the woods, something magical happens. Jack and Annie are whisked back in time to the Age of Dinosaurs, a medieval castle, ancient pyramids, and treasure-seeking pirates. Every visit to the magic tree house leads to adventure!

The Imagination Station series by Paul McCusker

While visiting Mr. Whittaker at Whit’s Soda Shoppe, Beth and Patrick find a mysterious letter in the Imagination Station requesting a Viking sunstone. The letter is old and says that someone named Albert will be imprisoned if the sunstone isn’t found. Mr. Whittaker sends cousins Patrick and Beth to Greenland circa 1000. On their quest for the sunstone, the cousins meet Vikings Erik the Red and Leif Eriksson―and find the sunstone as they join Leif on his first voyage to North America. But the adventure is just beginning, for when they return to Mr. Whittaker’s workshop with the sunstone, there is another note waiting for them, requesting a silver goblet.

Geronimo Stilton books

Who Is Geronimo Stilton?
That’s me! I run a newspaper, but my true passion is writing tales of adventure. Here on Mouse Island, my books are all best-sellers! What’s that? You’ve never read one? Well, my books are full of fun. They are whisker-licking good stories, and that’s a promise!

Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol

Leroy Brown, aka Encyclopedia Brown, is Idaville neighborhood’s ten-year-old star detective. With an uncanny knack for trivia, he solves mysteries for the neighborhood kids through his own detective agency. But his dad also happens to be the chief of the Idaville police department, and every night around the dinner table, Encyclopedia helps him solve his most baffling crimes. And with ten confounding mysteries in each book, not only does Encyclopedia have a chance to solve them, but the reader is given all the clues as well. Interactive and chock full of interesting bits of information—it’s classic Encyclopedia Brown!

Roald Dahl books

We especially like Matilda!
Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she’s just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a kid-hating terror of a headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It’ll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!

The Littles by John Peterson

Meet the Littles, a family like any other but with a few tiny differences! They live in the walls of the Bigg family house where they get everything they need. In return they make sure the Bigg house is always in good repair.
When the Biggs go away for the summer the Newcombs come to stay in their house. And the Newcombs are slobs! The mess the Newcombs make attracts one of the Littles biggest enemies: mice! Just when it seems like things can’t get any worse, they bring a cat to live with them. How will this little family get out of such big trouble?

Stuart Little by E. B. White

Stuart Little is no ordinary mouse. Born to a family of humans, he lives in New York City with his parents, his older brother George, and Snowbell the cat. Though he’s shy and thoughtful, he’s also a true lover of adventure.

Stuart’s greatest adventure comes when his best friend, a beautiful little bird named Margalo, disappears from her nest. Determined to track her down, Stuart ventures away from home for the very first time in his life. He finds adventure aplenty. But will he find his friend?

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte’s Web, high up in Zuckerman’s barn. Charlotte’s spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur’s life when he was born the runt of his litter.

The DATA Set by Ada Hopper

Danger! Action! Trouble! Adventure! Introducing The DATA Set, a brand-new chapter book series for young readers.

What would happen if your next-door neighbor were a mad scientist?

Gabe, Laura, and Cesar live on a quiet cul-de-sac. They are the whiz kids of Newtonburg Elementary and each specializes in their own subject. In fact, everyone in town lovingly refers to them as the Data Set. However, their quiet days of learning take a sudden turn for the exciting when they meet Dr. Gustav Bunsen—a mad scientist who throws the kids into a wild spiral of adventures.

When Dr. Bunsen’s latest invention, a growth ray, hits several tiny animal toys, the mini beasts don’t just grow, they come to life! The DATA Set love their new tiny pets…until they continue to grow. Now there’s an actual elephant in the room—not to mention a chimp, a giraffe, and a dinosaur. When the beasts wander off, it’s up to the DATA Set to track them down. But will they catch the mini beasts before they grow big enough to start trouble in town?

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah Howe

Before it’s too late, Harold the dog and Chester the cat must find out the truth about the newest pet in the Monroe household — a suspicious-looking bunny with unusual habits…and fangs!

Goosebumps by R.L. Stine

Discover the fan-favorite thriller and chiller that first introduced the world to the wooden face of fear. The puppet who pulls all the strings. None other than Slappy the Dummy!

Now with all-new bonus material revealing Slappy’s secrets and more.

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

Tommy and his sister Annika have a new neighbor, and her name is Pippi Longstocking. She has crazy red pigtails, no parents to tell her what to do, a horse that lives on her porch, and a flair for the outrageous that seems to lead to one adventure after another!

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The Aldens begin their adventure by making a home in a boxcar. Their goal is to stay together, and in the process they find a grandfather.

The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon

A dying criminal confesses that his loot has been stored “in the tower.” Both towers of the looted mansion are searched in vain. It remains for the Hardy boys to make an astonishing discovery that clears up the mystery and clears the name of a friend’s father.

Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene

Eight-year-old Nancy Drew has her first case to crack! Can you help?

Nancy and her two best friends, George and Bess, are so excited! They have been invited to Deirdre’s sleepover party! There will be pizza, cake, and even a pajama fashion show. But the most exciting thing is that the party has a City Girls doll theme. All of the guests are bringing their dolls with them!

But then Deirdre’s City Girls doll — Hollywood Heather — goes missing. Is her sleepover ruined? Or is there a detective in the room who can make sense of this mystery?

Also, the classic Nancy Drew are still great!

Ramona Books by Beverly Cleary

Kids everywhere feel connected to Ramona’s unique way of looking at the world as she tries to adjust to new teachers, feels jealous about Susan’s curls, and is secretly pleased by Yard Ape’s teasing. The scrapes she gets herself into—like wearing pajamas to school or accidentally making egg yolk shampoo—are funny and heartwarming, and sometimes embarrassing. No matter what—Ramona’s lively, curious spirit shines through.

The Ralph Mouse Collection by Beverly Cleary

When the ever-curious Ralph spots Keith’s red toy motorcycle, he vows to ride it. So when Keith leaves the bike unattended in his room one day, Ralph makes his move. But with all this freedom (and speed!) come a lot of obstacles. Whether dodging a rowdy terrier or keeping his nosy cousins away from his new wheels, Ralph has a lot going on! And with a pal like Keith always looking out for him, there’s nothing this little mouse can’t handle.

Ribsy by Beverly Cleary

Nothing exciting ever happened to Henry Huggins until the day that a dog named Ribsy walked into his life. From then on, the duo’s hilarious scrapes have never ceased to amuse. Whether Henry is scheming to raise money for his paper route or Ribsy accidentally overturns a boat during a fishing trip, these two will charm even the most reluctant readers.

Socks by Beverly Cleary

Socks is one happy cat. He lives the good life with his affectionate owners, Mr. and Mrs. Bricker. Ever since the day they saved him from a life spent in a mailbox drop slot, Socks has been the center of their world. And he always has everything he needs—tasty kitty treats and all the lap room he could want!

But when a new baby arrives, suddenly the Brickers have less and less time for Socks. Little Charles William is the one getting all the attention. Socks feels left out—and to show it, he starts getting into all sorts of trouble! What will it take to make Socks realize just how much the Brickers care about him?

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (Fudge series Book 1) by Judy Blume

Two is a crowd when Peter and his little brother, Fudge, are in the same room. Grown-ups think Fudge is absolutely adorable, but Peter and his pet turtle, Dribble, know the truth. From throwing temper tantrums to smearing mashed potatoes on the wall, Fudge causes mischief wherever he goes!

Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel

From writing letters to going swimming, telling stories to finding lost buttons, Frog and Toad are always there for each other—just as best friends should be. These five adventurous tales are perfect for Level 2 beginning readers.

Wayside School by Louis Sachar

There’d been a terrible mistake. Wayside School was built with thirty classrooms one on top of the other instead of next to each other! (The builder said he was very sorry.)

That may be why all kinds of funny things happen at Wayside School…especially on the thirteenth floor. You’ll meet Mrs. Gorf, the meanest teacher of all; terrible Todd, who always gets sent home early; and John, who can read only upside down—along with all the other kids in the crazy mix-up school that came out sideways. But you’ll never guess the truth about Sammy, the new kid…or what’s in store for Wayside School on Halloween!

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

Set in the late nineteenth century and told from young Anna’s point of view, Sarah, Plain and Tall tells the story of how Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton comes from Maine to the prairie to answer Papa’s advertisement for a wife and mother. Before Sarah arrives, Anna and her younger brother Caleb wait and wonder. Will Sarah be nice? Will she sing? Will she stay?

Homer Price by Robert McCloskey

Welcome to Centerburg! Where you can win a hundred dollars by eating all the doughnuts you want; where houses are built in a day; and where a boy named Homer Price can foil four slick bandits using nothing but his wits and pet skunk.

The Borrowers by Mary Norton

Pod, Homily, and their daughter, Arrietty live under the kitchen floor in a quiet, half-empty house and get their livelihood by borrowing from the “human beans.”

Billy And Blaze by C.W. Anderson

Billy was a little boy who “loved horses more than anything else in the world.” Imagine how happy he was when he got his very own pony for his birthday! From that day on, Billy was seldom seen without his new friend, Blaze.
Riding through fields and woods, Billy and Blaze learned to trust and understand one another — and to jump over fences and fallen trees with ease. They were a great team, but were they good enough to win the gleaming silver cup at the Mason Horse Show?

Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace

There are lots of children on Hill Street, but no little girls Betsy’s age. So when a new family moves into the house across the street, Betsy hopes they will have a little girl she can play with. Sure enough, they do—a little girl named Tacy. And from the moment they meet at Betsy’s fifth birthday party, Betsy and Tacy becoms such good friends that everyone starts to think of them as one person—Betsy-Tacy.

Betsy and Tacy have lots of fun together. They make a playhouse from a piano box, have a sand store, and dress up and go calling. And one day, they come home to a wonderful surprise—a new friend named Tib.

The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh

In 1707, young Sarah Noble and her father traveled through the wilderness to build a new home for their family. “Keep up your courage, Sarah Noble,” her mother had said, but Sarah found that it was not always easy to feel brave inside. The dark woods were full of animals and Indians, too, and Sarah was only eight!
The true story of Sarah’s journey is inspiring. And as she cares for her father and befriends her Indian neighbors, she learns that to be afraid and to be brave is the greatest courage of all.

The Matchlock Gun by Walter D. Edmonds

In 1756, New York State was still a British colony, and the French and the Indians were constant threats to Edward and his family. When his father was called away to watch for a raid from the north, only Edward was left to protect Mama and little Trudy. His father had shown him how to use the huge matchlock gun, an old Spanish gun that was twice as long as he was, but would Edward be able to handle it if trouble actually came?

Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski

The land was theirs, but so were its hardships

Strawberries – big, ripe, and juicy. Ten-year-old Birdie Boyer can hardly wait to start picking them. But her family has just moved to the Florida backwoods, and they haven′t even begun their planting. “Don′t count your biddies ′fore they′re hatched, gal young un!” her father tells her.

Making the new farm prosper is not easy. There is heat to suffer through, and droughts, and cold snaps. And, perhaps most worrisome of all for the Boyers, there are rowdy neighbors, just itching to start a feud.

In Grandma’s Attic by Arleta Richardson

A young girl delights in her grandmother’s stories of days gone by, sparked by keepsakes and simple questions, Grandma shares marvelous stories of mischief , discovery, and laughter, such as the time she accidentally lost the family buggy.

All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor

Meet the All-of-a-Kind Family — Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte, and Gertie — who live with their parents in New York City at the turn of the century.

Together they share adventures that find them searching for hidden buttons while dusting Mama’s front parlor and visiting with the peddlers in Papa’s shop on rainy days. The girls enjoy doing everything together, especially when it involves holidays and surprises.

But no one could have prepared them for the biggest surprise of all!

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater

A humble house painter is sent a male penguin by the great Admiral Drake and, thanks to the arrival of a female penguin, soon has twelve penguins living in his house.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien

Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service.

Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink

Caddie Woodlawn is a real adventurer. She’d rather hunt than sew and plow than bake, and tries to beat her brother’s dares every chance she gets. Caddie is friends with Indians, who scare most of the neighbors — neighbors who, like her mother and sisters, don’t understand her at all.

Justin Morgan Had a Horse by Marguerite Henry

Joel Goss knows that Little Bub is a special colt, even though he’s a runt. And when schoolteacher Justin Morgan asks Joel to break the colt in, Joel is thrilled! Soon word about Little Bub has spread throughout the entire Northeast — this spirited colt can pull heavier loads than a pair of oxen. And run faster than thoroughbreds!

This is the story of the little runt who became the father of the world-famous breed of American horses — the Morgan.

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

About a young boy, Elmer Elevator, who runs away to Wild Island to rescue a baby Dragon. The narrative mode is unusual, in that the narrator refers to the protagonist only as “my father”, giving the impression that this is a true story that happened long ago.

Old Mother West Wind by Thornton W. Burgess

Welcome to the timeless world of the Green Forest, the laughing Brook, and the Smiling Pool. Here young readers will meet a menagerie of funny and fascinating animal friends — Peter Cottontail, Jimmy Skunk, Reddy Fox, Grandfather Frog and many more — and learn about their exciting adventures. Discover the answers to such questions as why Grandfather Frog has no tail and why Jimmy Skunk wears stripes. There’s also great fun to be had in reading or hearing about the grand goings-on at Mink’s swimming party, Little Joe Otter’s slippery slide, and Reddy Fox’s fishing expedition. These and many other adventures are told in a warm, whimsical way that combines gentle lessons about nature and wildlife with the fun of a good story. It’s a whole series!

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo

Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other’s lives. What happens then?

See all my book lists here.

What are your favorite chapter books for kids?

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Favorite Fantasy Books

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January 13, 2017 By Jennifer Lambert 6 Comments

Fantasy novels are books that contains unrealistic settings, magic, often set in a medieval universe, possibly involving mythical beings or supernatural forms as a primary element of the plot, theme, or setting.

Many lists include horror, sci-fi, and dystopian fiction in the fantasy category. I do not.

I do not enjoy reading certain undesirable themes, like some popular TV shows based on book series have glorified: pornography, incestuous relationships, and torture. I have excluded books that have those themes, if my memory serves right.

There are lots of great fantasy series and books out there, but I haven’t read them all so I can’t attest to their quality.

If you’re not into fantasy books, or think that reading fiction about magic is evil, just move along. We love reading make believe stories!

This list has something for everyone, for all ages, for every fantasy interest – from talking animals to epic quests, medieval knights, and imaginary creatures.

These are some of our favorites:

Fantasy Series

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit. In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Fantastic creatures, heroic deeds, epic battles in the war between good and evil, and unforgettable adventures come together in this world where magic meets reality, which has been enchanting readers of all ages for over sixty years. The Chronicles of Narnia has transcended the fantasy genre to become a part of the canon of classic literature.

Shannara by Terry Brooks

Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil ruined the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. But the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races.

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. Let the dragon ride again on the winds of time.

The Dark Tower by Stephen King

Set in a world of ominous landscape and macabre menace, The Dark Tower features one of Stephen King’s most powerful creations—The Gunslinger, a haunting figure who embodies the qualities of the lone hero through the ages, from ancient myth to frontier Western legend. As Roland crosses a desert of damnation in a macabre world that is a twisted image of our own, he moves ever closer to the Dark Tower of his dreams—and nightmares.

The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin

Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death’s threshold to restore the balance.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That’s because he’s being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he’s really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

“Wild nights are my glory,” the unearthly stranger told them. “I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I’ll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract.”

A tesseract (in case the reader doesn’t know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L’Engle’s unusual book. A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O’Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg’s father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.

Oz by L. Frank Baum

The story chronicles the adventures of a young girl named Dorothy Gale in the Land of Oz, after being swept away from her Kansas farm home in a cyclone.

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A mischievous boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang, the Lost Boys, interacting with mermaids, Native Americans, fairies, pirates, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside of Neverland.

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black

It all started with a mysterious letter left at a tiny bookstore for authors Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. Its closing lines: “We just want people to know about this. The stuff that has happened to us could happen to anyone.” Little could they imagine the remarkable adventure that awaited them as they followed Jared, Simon, and Mallory Grace and a strange old book into a world filled with elves, goblins, dwarves, trolls, and a fantastical menagerie of other creatures. The oddest part is in entering that world, they didn’t leave this one!

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

An intrepid little girl discovers a surreal, beautiful, and dangerous land inhabiting the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, and Queen of Hearts.

Xanth by Piers Anthony

Xanth was the enchanted land where magic ruled–where every citizen had a special spell only he could cast. That is, except for Bink of North Village. He was sure he possessed no magic, and knew that if he didn’t find some soon, he would be exiled. According to the Good Magician Humpfrey, the charts said that Bink was as powerful as the King or even the Evil Magician Trent. Unfortunately, no one could determine its form. Meanwhile, Bink was in despair. If he didn’t find his magic soon, he would be forced to leave…

Fantasy Books

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Far from fading with time, Kenneth Grahame’s classic tale of fantasy has attracted a growing audience in each generation. Rat, Mole, Badger and the preposterous Mr Toad (with his ‘Poop-poop-poop’ road-hogging new motor car), have brought delight to many through the years with their odd adventures on and by the river, and at the imposing residence of Toad Hall.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Anyone who lived through the 1980s may find it impossible—inconceivable, even—to equate The Princess Bride with anything other than the sweet, celluloid romance of Westley and Buttercup, but the film is only a fraction of the ingenious storytelling you’ll find in these pages. Rich in character and satire, the novel is set in 1941 and framed cleverly as an “abridged” retelling of a centuries-old tale set in the fabled country of Florin that’s home to “Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passions.”

The Once And Future King by T.H. White

A masterful retelling of the saga of King Arthur, a fantasy classic as legendary as Excalibur and Camelot, and a poignant story of adventure, romance, and magic that has enchanted readers for generations.

EVERYTHING by Roald Dahl

Who doesn’t LOVE Roald Dahl books?!

Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was born in Llandaff, South Wales, and went to Repton School in England. His parents were Norwegian, so holidays were spent in Norway. As he explains in Boy, he turned down the idea of university in favor of a job that would take him to “a wonderful faraway place.” In 1933, he joined the Shell Company, which sent him to Mombasa in East Africa. When World War II began in 1939, he became a fighter pilot and in 1942, was made assistant air attaché in Washington, where he started to write short stories. His first major success as a writer for children was in 1964. Thereafter, his children’s books brought him increasing popularity, and when he died children mourned the world over, particularly in Britain where he had lived for many years.The BFG is dedicated to the memory of his eldest daughter, Olivia, who died from measles when she was seven – the same age at which his sister had died (from appendicitis) over forty years before. Quentin Blake, the first Children’s Laureate of the United Kingdom, has illustrated most of Roald Dahl’s children’s books.

Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit

When Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and their baby brother go digging in the gravel pit, the last thing they expect to find is a Psammead – an ancient Sand-fairy! Having a Sand-fairy for a pet means having one wish granted each day. But the children don’t realize all the trouble wishes can cause…

The Kitchen Knight: A Tale of King Arthur by Margaret Hodges

Here noble Gareth, King Arthur’s nephew, is knighted by Sir Lancelot, vanquishes the dreaded knight of the Red Plain, and wins the hand of a fair maiden. We love reading this story and enjoying the beautiful pictures when we study medieval times in history.

Reader Suggestions:

Blood of Kings trilogy by Jill Williamson
Given the chance to train as a squire, kitchen servant Achan Cham hopes to pull himself out of his pitiful life and become a Kingsguard Knight. When Achan’s owner learns of his training, he forces Achan to spar with the Crown Prince–more of a death sentence than an honor. Meanwhile, strange voices in Achan’s head cause him to fear he’s going mad. While escorting the prince to a council presentation, their convoy is attacked. Achan is wounded and arrested, but escapes from prison–only to discover a secret about himself he never believed possible.

The Ascendance trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielson
In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king’s long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner’s motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword’s point — he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage’s rivals have their own agendas as well.

The Staff and the Sword trilogy by Patrick W. Carr
The Fate of the Kingdom Awaits the Cast of Stones

In the backwater village of Callowford, roustabout Errol Stone is enlisted by a church messenger arriving with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Eager for coin, Errol agrees to what he thinks will be an easy task, but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he’s joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.

Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom’s dynasty nears its end and the selection of the new king begins–but in secret and shadow. As danger mounts, Errol must leave behind the stains and griefs of the past, learn to fight, and discover who is hunting him and his companions and how far they will go to stop the reading of the stones.

The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini
Not so very long ago, Eragon—Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider—was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

What’s your favorite fantasy book?

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Books about Siblings

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December 6, 2016 By Jennifer Lambert 8 Comments

I love using great books to teach my children about positive relationships.
We love to read and these books represent siblings with amazing adventures, struggles, yet loving relationships.

It’s important to me that my four children grow up to love and respect each other.

I am diligent about cultivating great relationships among my four children.

I am saddened by many other families and how their kids don’t even seem to like each other. The parents seem amused and resigned to the sibling rivalry, fighting, bickering, and other negativity. A lot of popular media perpetuates this stereotype that siblings don’t get along.

My parents didn’t have great relationships with their siblings. My husband has little interaction with his two sisters. I’m an only child and I refuse to give in to stereotypes.

I have a vision for my children when they are grown and love to be around each other, friends for life.

My 30+ books and series about brothers, sisters, siblings, and family relationships:

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The Aldens begin their adventure by making a home in a boxcar. Their goal is to stay together, and in the process they find a grandfather.

You’re All My Favourites by Sam McBratney

Mummy and Daddy Bear reassure their three little bears that each is equally special. But the little bears start to wonder: do their differences mean one is loved less? After some love and affection, the bears are satisfied that they really are all their parents’ favourites!

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

Raina can’t wait to be a big sister. But once Amara is born, things aren’t quite how she expected them to be. Amara is cute, but she’s also a cranky, grouchy baby, and mostly prefers to play by herself. Their relationship doesn’t improve much over the years, but when a baby brother enters the picture and later, something doesn’t seem right between their parents, they realize they must figure out how to get along. They are sisters, after all.

A Wrinkle in Time Quintet by Madeleine L’Engle

The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis

Fantastic creatures, heroic deeds, epic battles in the war between good and evil, and unforgettable adventures come together in this world where magic meets reality.

Swallows and Amazons Series by Arthur Ransome

The first title in Arthur Ransome’s classic series, originally published in 1930: for children, for grownups, for anyone captivated by the world of adventure and imagination. Swallows and Amazons introduces the lovable Walker family, the camp on Wild Cat island, the able-bodied catboat Swallow, and the two intrepid Amazons, Nancy and Peggy Blackett.

The Penderwicks Series by Jeanne Birdsall

This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel’s sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel’s owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures.

The icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is not as pleased with the Penderwicks as Jeffrey is, though, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Which, of course, they will—won’t they? One thing’s for sure: it will be a summer the Penderwicks will never forget.

Deliciously nostalgic and quaintly witty, this is a story as breezy and carefree as a summer day.

Five Children and It by E. Nesbit

The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit

When Father goes away with two strangers one evening, the lives of Roberta, Peter and Phyllis are shattered. They and their mother have to move from their comfortable London home to go and live in a simple country cottage, where Mother writes books to make ends meet. However, they soon come to love the railway that runs near their cottage, and they make a habit of waving to the Old Gentleman who rides on it. They befriend the porter, Perks, and through him learn railway lore and much else. They have many adventures, and when they save a train from disaster, they are helped by the Old Gentleman to solve the mystery of their father’s disappearance.

Ramona Series by Beverly Cleary

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Lovely Meg, talented Jo, frail Beth, spoiled Amy: these are hard lessons of poverty and of growing up in New England during the Civil War. Through their dreams, plays, pranks, letters, illnesses, and courtships, women of all ages have become a part of this remarkable family and have felt the deep sadness when Meg leaves the circle of sisters to be married at the end of Part I. Part II, chronicles Meg’s joys and mishaps as a young wife and mother, Jo’s struggle to become a writer, Beth’s tragedy, and Amy’s artistic pursuits and unexpected romance.

Little House on the Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Set during the pioneer days of the late 1800s and early 1900s, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books chronicle her life growing up on the Western frontier. Come along for the adventure with this collector’s set of the first five Little House books, featuring Garth Williams’ interior art in vibrant full color.

The Little House books have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America’s frontier history and a heartwarming, unforgettable story.

The story begins in 1871 in a little log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Laura lives in the little house with her Pa, her Ma, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their trusty dog, Jack. Pioneer life is sometimes hard for the family, since they must grow or catch all their own food as they get ready for the cold winter. But it is also exciting as Laura and her family celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do the spring planting, bring in the harvest, and make their first trip into town. And every night they are safe and warm in their little house, with the happy sound of Pa’s fiddle sending Laura and her sisters off to sleep.

My Neighbor Totoro by Tsugiko Kubo

Eleven-year-old Satsuki and her sassy little sister Mei have moved to the country to be closer to their ailing mother. While their father is working, the girls explore their sprawling old house and the forest and fields that surround it. Soon, Satsuki and Mei discover Totoro, a magical forest spirit who takes them on fantastic adventures through the trees and the clouds–and teaches them a lesson about trusting one another.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

The remarkable story of Esperanza Cordero. Told in a series of vignettes – sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous – it is the story of a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, inventing for herself who and what she will become.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, this is the story of one family’s struggle to maintain their integrity, pride, and independence in the face of racism and social injustice. And it is also Cassie’s story—Cassie Logan, an independent girl who discovers over the course of an important year why having land of their own is so crucial to the Logan family, even as she learns to draw strength from her own sense of dignity and self-respect.

The Tillerman Cycle by Cynthia Voigt

“It’s still true.” That’s the first thing James Tillerman says to his older sister, Dicey, every morning. It’s still true that their mother has abandoned the four Tillermans in a mall parking lot somewhere in the middle of Connecticut. It’s still true that they have to find their own way to Great-aunt Cilla’s house in Bridgeport. It’s still true that they need to spend as little as possible on food and seek shelter anywhere that is out of view of the authorities. It’s still true that the only way they can hope to all stay together is to just keep moving forward.

Deep down, Dicey hopes they can find someone to trust, someone who will take them in and love them. But she’s afraid it’s just too much to hope for…

So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

In the final days of World War II, Koreans were determined to take back control of their country from the Japanese and end the suffering caused by the Japanese occupation. As an eleven-year-old girl living with her Japanese family in northern Korea, Yoko is suddenly fleeing for her life with her mother and older sister, Ko, trying to escape to Japan, a country Yoko hardly knows.

Their journey is terrifying—and remarkable. It’s a true story of courage and survival that highlights the plight of individual people in wartime. In the midst of suffering, acts of kindness, as exemplified by a family of Koreans who risk their own lives to help Yoko’s brother, are inspiring reminders of the strength and resilience of the human spirit.

Journey To Topaz: A Story Of The Japanese-American Evacuation by Yoshiko Uchida

Based on Yoshiko Uchida’s personal experiences, this is the moving story of one girl’s struggle to remain brave during the Japanese internment of World War II. In a bleak and dusty prison camp, eleven-year-old Yuki and her family experience both true friendship and heart-wrenching tragedy.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

The American classic about a young girl’s coming-of-age at the turn of the century.

Morning Girl by Michael Dorris

A tale based on an entry in the diary of Christopher Columbus that tells of a native family living in a vibrant community striving to coexist with the natural world.

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia McLachlan

This book gently explores themes of abandonment, loss, and love. The 30th Anniversary edition includes author Patricia MacLachlan’s Newbery speech, a discussion guide, and a reading list.

Set in the late nineteenth century and told from young Anna’s point of view, Sarah, Plain and Tall tells the story of how Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton comes from Maine to the prairie to answer Papa’s advertisement for a wife and mother. Before Sarah arrives, Anna and her younger brother, Caleb, wait and wonder. Will Sarah be nice? Will she sing? Will she stay?

Peter Pan by JM Barrie

A mischievous boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang, the Lost Boys, interacting with mermaids, Native Americans, fairies, pirates, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside of Neverland.

Wonder Series by R. J. Palacio

I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, “The Hunger Games,” a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most. Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

What’s your favorite book about siblings?

Do you have a good relationship with your siblings?

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Also see <a href=https://www.amazon.com/shop/influencer-43509681> my suggested resources</a>.</em></small></center><p class=entry-meta><time class=entry-time itemprop=datePublished datetime=2016-11-29T07:16:40-05:00>November 29, 2016</time> By <span class=entry-author itemprop=author itemscope itemtype=https://schema.org/Person><a href=https://www.jenniferalambert.com/author/jenalambert/ class=entry-author-link rel=author itemprop=url><span class=entry-author-name itemprop=name>Jennifer Lambert</span></a></span> <span class=entry-comments-link><a href=https://www.jenniferalambert.com/dystopian-book-list/#comments>16 Comments</a></span></p></header><center><iframe src="//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?o=1&p=26&l=ur1&category=amazonhomepage&f=ifr&linkID=4f3f1467d53d8557e73a0206e9f5c2cf&t=roylitlam-20&tracking_id=roylitlam-20" width=468 height=60 scrolling=no border=0 marginwidth=0 style=border:none; frameborder=0>

We like reading at our house.

I’ve always loved sci-fi and dystopian literature and I’m loving introducing my kids to my favorites now that they’re getting older.

The greatest books scare us with their accurate predictions, character portrayals we’re starting see in the current media, and possibilities that are coming to light right before our very eyes.

Some of these novels and series have been made into amazing movies, others into mediocre movies or TV series.

The books are always better than the movies!

Some of these books are listed as YA novels, but they’re great for kids, teens, and adults. We often do family read alouds. It’s fun to compare books and authors and contrast the books to the movies. We have lively discussions!

“Utopian” describes a society that’s conceived to be perfect. Dystopian is the exact opposite — it describes an imaginary society that is as dehumanizing and as unpleasant as possible.

Here’s my list of 50+ dystopian books and series:

1984 and Animal Farm by George Orwell

Written in 1948, 1984 was George Orwell’s chilling prophecy about the future. And while the year 1984 has come and gone, Orwell’s narrative is timelier than ever. 1984 presents a startling and haunting vision of the world, so powerful that it is completely convincing from start to finish. No one can deny the power of this novel, its hold on the imaginations of multiple generations of readers, or the resiliency of its admonitions—a legacy that seems only to grow with the passage of time.

Animal Farm is the most famous by far of all twentieth-century political allegories. Its account of a group of barnyard animals who revolt against their vicious human master, only to submit to a tyranny erected by their own kind, can fairly be said to have become a universal drama. Orwell is one of the very few modern satirists comparable to Jonathan Swift in power, artistry, and moral authority; in animal farm his spare prose and the logic of his dark comedy brilliantly highlight his stark message.

Taking as his starting point the betrayed promise of the Russian Revolution, Orwell lays out a vision that, in its bitter wisdom, gives us the clearest understanding we possess of the possible consequences of our social and political acts.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury’s internationally acclaimed novel Fahrenheit 451 is a masterwork of twentieth-century literature set in a bleak, dystopian future.

Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden.

Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television.

When Mildred attempts suicide and Clarisse suddenly disappears, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known. He starts hiding books in his home, and when his pilfering is discovered, the fireman has to run for his life.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Aldous Huxley is rightly considered a prophetic genius and one of the most important literary and philosophical voices of the 20th Century, and Brave New World is his masterpiece. From the author of The Doors of Perception, Island, and countless other works of fiction, non-fiction, philosophy, and poetry, comes this powerful work of speculative fiction that has enthralled and terrified readers for generations.

The Iron Heel by Jack London

Part science fiction, part dystopian fantasy, part radical socialist tract, Jack London’s The Iron Heeloffers a grim depiction of warfare between the classes in America and around the globe. Originally published nearly a hundred years ago, it anticipated many features of the past century, including the rise of fascism, the emergence of domestic terrorism, and the growth of centralized government surveillance and authority. What begins as a war of words ends in scenes of harrowing violence as the state oligarchy, known as “the Iron Heel,” moves to crush all opposition to its power.

Logan’s Run Trilogy by William F. Nolan & George Clayton Johnson

In 2116, it is against the law to live beyond the age of twenty-one years. When the crystal flower in the palm of your hand turns from red to black, you have reached your Lastday and you must report to a Sleepshop for processing. But the human will to survive is strong—stronger than any mere law.

Divergent Series by Veronica Roth

One choice can transform you. Beatrice Prior’s society is divided into five factions—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice must choose between staying with her Abnegation family and transferring factions. Her choice will shock her community and herself. But the newly christened Tris also has a secret, one she’s determined to keep hidden, because in this world, what makes you different makes you dangerous.

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

The Maze Runner Series by James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.
Outside the towering stone walls that surround them is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.
Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying: Remember. Survive. Run.

The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry

The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community.

The MaddAddam Trilogy by Margaret Atwood

Oryx and Crake is at once an unforgettable love story and a compelling vision of the future. Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss of his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful and elusive Oryx whom they both loved. In search of answers, Snowman embarks on a journey–with the help of the green-eyed Children of Crake–through the lush wilderness that was so recently a great city, until powerful corporations took mankind on an uncontrolled genetic engineering ride. Margaret Atwood projects us into a near future that is both all too familiar and beyond our imagining.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (She’s my favorite author!)

In the world of the near future, who will control women’s bodies?

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are only valued if their ovaries are viable.

Offred can remember the days before, when she lived and made love with her husband Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now…

Earthseed Series by Octavia Butler

Parable of the Sower: In the aftermath of worldwide ecological and economic apocalypse, minister’s daughter Lauren Oya Olamina escapes the slaughter that claims the lives of her family and nearly every other member of their gated California community. Heading north with two young companions through an American wasteland, the courageous young woman faces dangers at every turn while spreading the word of a remarkable new religion that embraces survival and change.

Parable of the Talents: Called to the new, hard truth of Earthseed, the small community of the dispossessed that now surrounds Lauren Olamina looks to her—their leader—for guidance. But when the evil that has grown out of the ashes of human society destroys all she has built, the prophet is forced to choose between preserving her faith or her family.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Robert Neville may well be the last living man on Earth . . . but he is not alone.

An incurable plague has mutated every other man, woman, and child into bloodthirsty, nocturnal creatures who are determined to destroy him.

By day, he is a hunter, stalking the infected monstrosities through the abandoned ruins of civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for dawn…

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

The three laws of Robotics:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
2. A robot must obey orders givein to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future–a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete.

Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-read robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world – all told with the dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction that has become Asmiov’s trademark.

The Children of Men by PD James

The human race has become infertile, and the last generation to be born is now adult. Civilization itself is crumbling as suicide and despair become commonplace. Oxford historian Theodore Faron, apathetic toward a future without a future, spends most of his time reminiscing. Then he is approached by Julian, a bright, attractive woman who wants him to help get her an audience with his cousin, the powerful Warden of England. She and her band of unlikely revolutionaries may just awaken his desire to live . . . and they may also hold the key to survival for the human race.

The Running Man by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)

A desperate man attempts to win a reality TV game where the only objective is to stay alive in this #1 national bestseller from Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman.

“Tomorrow at noon, the hunt begins. Remember his face!”

Ben Richards is a desperate man. With no job, no money, no way out, and a young daughter in need of proper medical attention, he must turn to the only possibility of striking it rich in this near-future dystopian America: participating in the ultra-violent TV programming of the government-sanctioned Games Network. Ben soon finds himself selected as a contestant on the biggest and the best that the Games Network has to offer: “The Running Man,” a no-holds-barred thirty-day struggle to stay alive as public enemy number one, relentlessly hunted by an elite strike force bent on killing him as quickly as possible in front of an audience all-too eager to see that happen. It means a billion dollars in prize money if he can live for the next month. No one has ever survived longer than eight days. But desperation can push a person do things they never thought possible—and Ben Richards is willing to go the distance in this ultimate game of life and death..

The Stand by Stephen King

When a man escapes from a biological testing facility, he sets in motion a deadly domino effect, spreading a mutated strain of the flu that will wipe out 99 percent of humanity within a few weeks. The survivors who remain are scared, bewildered, and in need of a leader. Two emerge–Mother Abagail, the benevolent 108-year-old woman who urges them to build a community in Boulder, Colorado; and Randall Flagg, the nefarious “Dark Man,” who delights in chaos and violence.

Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon

In a wasteland born of rage and fear, populated by monstrous creatures and marauding armies, Earth’s last survivors have been drawn into a final battle between good and evil that will decide the fate of humanity. There’s Sister, who discovers a strange and transformative glass artifact in the destroyed Manhattan streets…Joshua Hutchins, the pro wrestler who takes refuge from the nuclear fallout at a Nebraska gas station…and Swan, a young girl possessing special powers, who travels alongside Josh to a Missouri town where healing and recovery can begin with her gifts. But the ancient force behind earth’s devastation is scouring the walking wounded for recruits for its relentless army…beginning with Swan herself.

The Andomeda Strain by Michael Crichton

The United States government is given a warning by the pre-eminent biophysicists in the country: current sterilization procedures applied to returning space probes may be inadequate to guarantee uncontaminated re-entry to the atmosphere.

Two years later, seventeen satellites are sent into the outer fringes of space to “collect organisms and dust for study.” One of them falls to earth, landing ina desolate area of Arizona.

Twelve miles from the landing site, in the town of Piedmont, a shocking discovery is made: the streets are littered with the dead bodies of the town’s inhabitants, as if they dropped dead in their tracks.

The terror has begun . . .

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

A vicious fifteen-year-old droog is the central character of this 1963 classic. In Anthony Burgess’s nightmare vision of the future, where the criminals take over after dark, the story is told by the central character, Alex, who talks in a brutal invented slang that brilliantly renders his and his friends’ social pathology. A Clockwork Orange is a frightening fable about good and evil, and the meaning of human freedom. When the state undertakes to reform Alex to “redeem” him, the novel asks, “At what cost?”

The Ender Quintet by Orson Scott Card

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race’s next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew “Ender” Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn’t make the cut―young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender’s skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender’s two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, “each the other’s world entire,” are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

As children Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy were students at Hailsham, an exclusive boarding school secluded in the English countryside. It was a place of mercurial cliques and mysterious rules where teachers were constantly reminding their charges of how special they were.

Now, years later, Kathy is a young woman. Ruth and Tommy have reentered her life. And for the first time she is beginning to look back at their shared past and understand just what it is that makes them special–and how that gift will shape the rest of their time together.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick

By 2021, the World War has killed millions, driving entire species into extinction and sending mankind off-planet. Those who remain covet any living creature, and for people who can’t afford one, companies built incredibly realistic simulacra: horses, birds, cats, sheep. They’ve even built humans. Immigrants to Mars receive androids so sophisticated they are indistinguishable from true men or women. Fearful of the havoc these artificial humans can wreak, the government bans them from Earth. Driven into hiding, unauthorized androids live among human beings, undetected. Rick Deckard, an officially sanctioned bounty hunter, is commissioned to find rogue androids and “retire” them. But when cornered, androids fight back—with lethal force.

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick (Reader Recommendation!)

Also Season 1 is available on Amazon Prime Video!

It’s America in 1962. Slavery is legal once again. The few Jews who still survive hide under assumed names. In San Francisco, the I Ching is as common as the Yellow Pages. All because some twenty years earlier the United States lost a war—and is now occupied by Nazi Germany and Japan.

This harrowing, Hugo Award-winning novel is the work that established Philip K. Dick as an innovator in science fiction while breaking the barrier between science fiction and the serious novel of ideas. In it Dick offers a haunting vision of history as a nightmare from which it may just be possible to wake.

Dune Series by Frank Herbert (Some of my Favorites!)

The political, scientific, and social fictional setting of Herbert’s novels and derivative works is known as the Duneuniverse, or Duniverse. Set tens of thousands of years in the future, the saga chronicles a civilization which has banned artificial intelligence but has also developed advanced technology and mental and physical abilities. Vital to this empire is the harsh desert planet Arrakis, only known source of the spice melange, the most valuable substance in the universe.

Due to the similarities between some of Herbert’s terms and ideas and actual words and concepts in the Arabic language—as well as the series’ “Islamic undertones” and themes—a Middle Eastern influence on Herbert’s works has been noted repeatedly.

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

In a glass-enclosed city of absolute straight lines, ruled over by the all-powerful ‘Benefactor’, the citizens of the totalitarian society of OneState live out lives devoid of passion and creativity – until D-503, a mathematician who dreams in numbers, makes a discovery: he has an individual soul. It was suppressed for many years in Russia and remains a resounding cry for individual freedom, yet is also a powerful, exciting and vivid work of science fiction. Clarence Brown’s brilliant translation is based on the corrected text of the novel, first published in Russia in 1988, after more than sixty years’ suppression.

The City of Ember Series by Jeanne DuPrau

Escape the Dark. Discover the Adventure.

The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. But now with terrifying blackouts sweeping through the streets, Lina and Doon know it’s only a matter of time before the lights go out and never come back on again. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she’s sure it holds a secret that will save Ember. Together, she and Doon explore long-forgotten parts of their dying city as they race to solve the mystery. If they succeed, they will have to convince everyone to follow them into danger and an exciting new world. But if they fail? The lights will burn out and the darkness will close in forever.

Uglies Series by Scott Westerfield

In Tally Youngblood’s world, looks matter. She lives in a society created to function with perfect-looking people who never have a chance to think for themselves. And she’s tired of it. First as an ugly, then a pretty, and finally a special, Tally takes down the social infrastructure. And then, a generation later, a world obsessed with fame and instant celebrity—and filled with extras—will reap the consequences.

The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov (Reader Recommendation!)

For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Sheldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future–to a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save mankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire–both scientists and scholars–and brings them to a bleak planet at the edge of the Galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for a fututre generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation.

But soon the fledgling Foundation finds itself at the mercy of corrupt warlords rising in the wake of the receding Empire. Mankind’s last best hope is faced with an agonizing choice: submit to the barbarians and be overrun–or fight them and be destroyed.

The Complete Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman (Reader Recommendation!)

A dystology? YES!

After the Second Civil War, the Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. However, a loophole allows parents to retroactively get rid of a teenager through a process called “unwinding.”

Three teens defy the system and run away from their unwinding: Connor, a rebel whose parents have ordered his unwinding; Risa, a ward of the state who is to be unwound due to cost-cutting; and Lev, his parents’ tenth child whose unwinding has been planned since birth as a religious tithing.

As their paths intersect and lives hang in the balance, Connor, Risa, and Lev must work together to survive—and they may change the fate of America in the process.

The Testing Trilogy by Joelle Charbonneau (Reader Recommendation)

It’s graduation day for sixteen-year-old Malencia Vale, and the entire Five Lakes Colony (the former Great Lakes) is celebrating. All Cia can think about—hope for—is whether she’ll be chosen for The Testing, a United Commonwealth program that selects the best and brightest new graduates to become possible leaders of the slowly revitalizing post-war civilization. When Cia is chosen, her father finally tells her about his own nightmarish half-memories of The Testing. Armed with his dire warnings (”Cia, trust no one”), she bravely heads off to Tosu City, far away from friends and family, perhaps forever. Danger, romance—and sheer terror—await.

Razorland Trilogy by Ann Aguirre (Reader Recommendation)

New York City has been decimated by war and plague, and most of civilization has migrated to underground enclaves, where life expectancy is no more than the early 20’s. When Deuce turns 15, she takes on her role as a Huntress, and is paired with Fade, a teenage Hunter who lived Topside as a young boy. When she and Fade discover that the neighboring enclave has been decimated by the tunnel monsters–or Freaks–who seem to be growing more organized, the elders refuse to listen to warnings. And when Deuce and Fade are exiled from the enclave, the girl born in darkness must survive in daylight–guided by Fade’s long-ago memories–in the ruins of a city whose population has dwindled to a few dangerous gangs.

Have you read these?

What’s your favorite dystopian book?

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Our Favorite Christmas Books

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November 18, 2016 By Jennifer Lambert 18 Comments

We love reading holiday books during December.

I’ve compiled a list of our Christmas favorites!

There’s a little something for everyone on our list – animals, pirates, fun, history, and religious stories.

Our Favorite Christmas books:

CLASSIC: The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore – Illustrated by Tasha Tudor, Ted Rand, Will Moses, and/or Robert Sabuda. These versions of The Night Before Christmas are just lovely and should be read every single year!

The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristen Kladstrup

A funny and magical Christmas story about a gingerbread pirate, Captain Cookie, and his daring adventure on Christmas eve to rescue his crew from a mysterious cannibal named Santa Claus…
The Poky Little Puppy’s First Christmas by Justine Korman

t’s the poky little puppy’s first Christmas, and he’s not sure what to expect. When he meets an animal friend who’s lost his home, Poky’s quick to help–and learns all about the spirit of Christmas.
Holly Hobbie’s Christmas Book

An illustrated collection of original Christmas verses, together with some well-known Christmas poems by other authors, F.P. Church’s famous Santa Claus letter, and a recipe for sugar cookies.
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs

A wordless story. The pictures have “the hazy softness of air in snow. A little boy rushes out into the wintry day to build a snowman, which comes alive in his dreams that night.
The Animal’s Christmas Eve by Gale Wiersum

So begins a sweet rhyming story in which a group of animals recounts the events surrounding Jesus’ birth in the manger, and the parts some of their ancestors played in it. This is also a counting book.
Brigid’s Cloak by Bryce Milligan

Brigid’s Cloak retells an ancient tale about one of Ireland’s most beloved saints. On the day she is born Brigid receives a brilliant blue cloak from a mysterious Druid. Years later, the young girl still wears the now tattered but beloved cloak while she tends her sheep. Is it her imagination that suddenly takes her to an unfamiliar land? Or is it something far greater that leads Brigid to a crowded inn in a town called Bethlehem?
Little One, We Knew You’d Come by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Lush illustrations echo this simple retelling of the Christmas story for the entire family.
Olive, the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh

Olive is merrily preparing for Christmas when suddenly she realizes “Olive… the other Reindeer… I thought I was a dog. Hmmm, I must be a Reindeer!” So she quickly hops aboard the polar express and heads to the North Pole. And while Santa and the other reindeer are a bit surprised that a dog wants to join the their team, in the end Olive and her unusual reindeer skills are just what Santa and his veteran reindeer team need.
The Twelve Days of Christmas – so many gorgeous versions!
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

One dollar and eight-seven cents is all the money Della has in the world to buy her beloved husband a Christmas present. She has nothing to sell except her only treasure—her long, beautiful brown hair. Set in New York at the turn of the twentieth century, this classic piece of American literature tells the story of a young couple and the sacrifices each must make to buy the other a gift.
A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz

Christmas is almost here, which means ice-skating, Christmas carols, and sparkly lights everywhere—even on Snoopy’s doghouse! Everyone is enjoying the holiday celebrations except Charlie Brown. Can the Peanuts gang help Charlie Brown discover the true meaning of Christmas?
The Pine Tree Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs

The Pine Tree Parable tells the heartwarming tale of a farmer and his family who nurture tiny seedlings into fragrant Christmas trees.
When the trees are tall enough to offer to their neighbors, the farmer’s wife plans to keep the most beautiful pine tree for her family, until one snowy December night when a child teaches her the true meaning of Christmas.
The Christmas Tree that Grew by Phyllis Krasilovsky

The Adam family bought a live Christmas tree that grew so tall it reached into their neighbors’ apartments.
J is for Jesus by Crystal Bowman

I want a candy cane too! Everyone loves a candy cane-but it’s easy to overlook the meaning of this familiar Christmas tradition in all the hustle and bustle of the season. This sweet story reminds little ones that the candy cane represents Jesus’ birth and the gospel message too.
A Cup of Christmas Tea by Tom Hegg

The story of a young man’s reluctant visit to an elderly aunt at Christmastime, and the unexpected joy it brings.
The Polar Express by Chris van Allsberg
A young boy, lying awake one Christmas Eve, is welcomed aboard a magical trip to the North Pole . . .Through dark forests, over tall mountains, and across a desert of ice, the Polar Express makes its way to the city atop the world, where the boy will make his Christmas wish.
One Shining Star by Anne Vittur Kennedy

Help your child learn to count using the most beloved story of all―Jesus’ birth! With gentle rhyme and number fun from 1 to 10, this book is full of shepherds, kings angels, animals, a baby, and a shiny star, all waiting to be counted before bedtime.
The Littlest Christmas Elf by Brandi Dougherty

The newly-arrived and littlest elf at the North Pole feels lonely, fearful, and too small to do anything, until he is befriended by a kind old elf named Nicholas.
One Baby Jesus by Patricia A. Pingry

The birth of Jesus is presented in the pattern of the familiar “Twelve Days of Christmas.”
The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Ewell Hunt

Children will be deeply touched as they understand, perhaps for the first time, the significance of Christ’s life and his atoning sacrifice on the cross.
Jacob’s Gift by Max Lucado

Jacob is a young boy with a gift for carpentry who is busy finishing up a project for a contest. His teacher, Rabbi Simeon, not only instructs him in carpentry, but also teaches him important lessons about God. Rabbi has just taught Jacob that when you give a gift to one of God’s children, it’s like giving a gift to God. The night before the contest while working on his project, Jacob has fallen asleep in the workshop and is awakened by a bright light. The light is a star which is directly over Jacob’s father’s stable. As he approaches the stable, he sees a man, a woman, and a newborn baby which is laying in the straw. Remembering what Rabbi Simeon had told him, Jacob returns to the workshop and takes his project (a feeding trough) to the new family. The morning of the contest, the Rabbi pleased to find out that Jacob has acted upon the lesson he learned and has truly given a gift to God.
Alabaster’s Song by Max Lucado

Lying in bed, trying to fall asleep on Christmas Eve, a young boy spends his time asking questions of the angel that adorns the top of the Christmas tree, but Alabaster the angel does not answer him, until he asks “What was it like to see Bethlehem?”
Santa, Are You Real? by Harold Myra

Through colorful illustrations and a heartwarming story, children – and parents – will learn who the real Saint Nick was, when he lived, and why he gave gifts. Most importantly, you’ll see how the original Saint Nick set an example for us today by keeping Christ at the heart of Christmas.
The Donkey’s Dream by Barbara Helen Berger

He was just an ordinary donkey, but on his back he carried a miracle. He carried the Virgin Mary to Bethlehem on the night she gave birth. Along the way he dreamed he was carrying a city, a ship, a fountain, and a rose. He dreamed he was carrying a lady full of heaven–and he was. Barbara Helen Berger’s glowing artwork and lyrical text perfectly convey the beauty and majesty of the story of the Nativity.
We Three Kings by Gennady Spirin

Over two thousand years ago, three great kings journeyed across the desert, riding through the heat of day and dark of night. Each from a different region, each beckoned by the same gleaming star, each bearing treasures, each wishing to welcome a newborn asleep in a manger’s hay — a baby named Jesus, who would change the world.This beloved Christmas carol, written in 1857, celebrates the wise men’s journey and the first Christmas night. Internationally renowned artist Gennady Spirin pays his own type of homage with paintings so exquisitely detailed and wrought that they, too, are a gift — to that baby in the manger and to you.
The Other Wise Man by Henry van Dyke

Though not mentioned by name in Scripture, all know the legend of Caspar, Balthazar and Melchior, whose gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the newborn king are heralded in carols. But what if another had missed the rendezvous and then spent years, searching for the source of the light? Henry Van Dyke imagines that alternative in The Other Wise Man, originally published in 1895. The narrator tells us that along the way, the fourth Magi did not find the Messiah to worship, but found many to help.
Jotham’s Journey OR Bartholomew’s Passage OR Tabitha’s Travels OR Ishtar’s Odyssey by Arnold Ytreetide. We read one of these Advent stories each year!
Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl Buck

Rob wants to get his father something special for Christmas this year—something that shows how much he really loves him. But it’s Christmas Eve, and he doesn’t have much money to spend. What could he possibly get? Suddenly, Rob thinks of the best gift of all…
The Jesse Tree by Dean Lambert Smith or Geraldine McCaughrean. We read through one of these each year.

Familiar biblical tales that trace the family tree of Christ, from the Garden of Eden to Jesus’ birth.
Red and Lulu by Matt Tavares

Red and Lulu make their nest in a particularly beautiful evergreen tree. It shades them in the hot months and keeps them cozy in the cold months, and once a year the people who live nearby string lights on their tree and sing a special song: O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree. But one day, something unthinkable happens, and Red and Lulu are separated. It will take a miracle for them to find each other again. Luckily, it’s just the season for miracles.
The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden

Ivy, Holly, and Mr. and Mrs. Jones all have one Christmas wish. Ivy, an orphan, wishes for a real home and sets out in search of the grandmother she’s sure she can find. Holly, a doll, wishes for a child to bring her to life. And the Joneses wish more than anything for a son or daughter to share their holiday. Can all three wishes come true?
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski

Jonathan Toomey is the best woodcarver in the valley, but he is always alone and never smiles. No one knows about the mementos of his lost wife and child that he keeps in an unopened drawer. But one early winter’s day, a widow and her young son approach him with a gentle request that leads to a joyful miracle.
The Snow Angel by Debby Boone – We just love the message and illustrations. I bought this for me!

Rose and her grandfather seem to be the only people left in their village who know how to dream and experience the beauty of the world, until a snow angel comes to life and creates a wondrous event.
The Christmas Wish by Lori Evert

Long ago, a brave little girl named Anja wanted to be one of Santa’s elves. So she leaves a note for her family and helps her elderly neighbor prepare for the holiday, then she straps on her skis, and heads out into the snowy landscape. From a red bird to a polar bear to a reindeer, a menagerie of winter animals help Anja make her way to Santa. A generous trim-size, matte cover, extraordinary photographs, and foiled title make this a special book for the holiday season.And don’t miss the other “Wish” books:
The Reindeer Wish
The Tiny Wish
The Brave Little Puppy
The Puppy’s Wish — coming soon!
The Message of the Birds by Kate Westerlund

An old owl tells the Christmas story to the community of birds as he has done so many times before, but when he tells of the special message from the Baby Jesus, a little bird questions why they no longer sing the message. “People no longer listen,” is the sad realization. The birds decide to share the message once more, but this time to the children of the world. And what unfolds is surely a Christmas wonder.
Saint Francis and the Christmas Donkey by Robert Byrd

When Saint Francis stumbles upon a sad donkey, he feels obliged to tell him about the wonderful history the donkey has in the Christian religion as the animal who carried Mary to Nazareth when she was pregnant with Baby Jesus.
The Glorious Impossible (Illustrated with Frescoes from the Scrovegni Chapel by Giotto) by Madeleine L’Engle

The birth of Jesus was a Glorious Impossible. Like love, it cannot be explained, it can only be rejoiced in. And that is what master storyteller Madeleine L’Engle does in this compellingly written narrative, inspired by Giotto’s glorious frescoes from the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua.

38. The Tomten and the Fox by Astrid Lindgren

In this sequel to the classic The Tomten, the creator of Pippi Longstocking adapts a Swedish folk tale into a beloved children’s story. When a hungry fox wanders into a farm late at night looking for food, the guard troll Tomten finds a way to keep the farm animals safe and feed the fox at the same time.

39. On Winter’s Eve by C.D. Alexander

On winter nights, when the snow is falling, Pippa goes to sleep knowing she’ll wake up to tracks in front of her farmhouse. The tracks are small, and they come from the woods—those same woods that her mother says are full of witches and elves and trolls, and her father says are full of wolves and bears and demons. But these tracks are the Tompte’s, and he is a friendly creature. Or at least that’s what Pippa hopes. . . The Tompte borrows and mends things, he takes and he sometimes leaves things, and such is life on a farm at the edge of the realm. Her mother calls it tradition. Her father calls it a curse. And when things start going missing and trouble comes their way, Pippa’s not sure what to believe. Soon enough, she’ll have no choice but to go into the woods to find out. . .

40. The Yule Tomte and the Little Rabbits by Ulf Stark

Grump the Yule Tomte lives all alone, which is exactly how he likes it! He’s waiting for Christmas to arrive when all of a sudden a gust of wind steals his mittens from the washing line and his hat from his head. That’s the last straw — he won’t be the Yule Tomte any more!

Binny and Barty, the rabbit children, live with their family in the forest. They’ve never heard of Christmas, or the Yule Tomte, until the wind brings them some strange gifts…

All the animals in the forest prepare for the arrival of Christmas. They make presents, bake sweet treats and even write a song. But will the Yule Tomte ever bring Christmas to the big forest?

41. Tomten by Viktor Rydberg

In the middle of winter and late at night, an old friend returns for his annual visit to take care of the animals and look after the inhabitants of the old farmhouse. He goes through his regular routine but becomes perplexed by an undying question for which he cannot find the answer. Generations come and generations go. “But where do they come from and to where do they go?”

42. Otto and the Secret Light of Christmas by Nora Surojegin

One day Otto, an elfin adventurer, finds a postcard on the seashore showing pictures of beautiful sparkling lights in the night sky with the words, ‘The light of Christmas!’ If this ‘Christmas’ can brighten even the gloomiest Finnish winter, Otto decides he must find it. So he heads north, trudging through dark forests and skiing towards the fells of Lapland, in search of the secret light of Christmas.

On his way he meets the mighty Kekri, king of the forest, Niiu, a beautiful leaf fairy, a hungry badger, a friendly bear and the infamous Ironworm. But will he ever find the mysterious light he’s looking for, and will Christmas brighten Otto’s winter?

43. Little Tomte’s Christmas Wish by Inkeri Karvonen

Little Tomte lives happily in his cosy house beside a beautiful tree. When winter arrives, he’s worried that Christmas won’t come. So he makes a special Christmas wish and embarks on a candle-making plan which will help make his wish come true.

44. Fotinoula and the Christmas Goblin by R.G. Fraser-Green

11-year old Fotinoula doesn’t believe her grandfather when he warns her about the Christmas goblins. After all, the Kallikantzaroi were just an old Greek myth. Creatures with blood-red eyes didn’t really climb up from the underworld during the Twelve Days of Christmas to steal little children, and certainly not in a busy city like Athens.

45. Joy to the World by Tomie dePaola

This collection unifies three of the incomparable Tomie dePaola’s most beloved Christmas stories into one handsome volume. Vividly portrayed and expertly crafted, The Night of Las Posadas, The Story of the Three Wise Kings, and The Legend of the Poinsettia are sure enchant and mesmerize the whole family during the holiday season.

46. Jan Brett’s Christmas Treasury

This deluxe Christmas collection is the perfect holiday gift! It includes seven of Jan Brett’s most beloved Yuletide titles: The Night Before Christmas, Trouble with Trolls, Christmas Trolls, The Mitten, The Hat, The Twelve Days of Christmas, and The Wild Christmas Reindeer.

47. The Nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffmann

Written in 1816 by one of the leaders of German Romanticism for his children, nephews, and nieces, The Nutcracker captures better than any other story a child’s wonder at Christmas. The gift of a handsomely decorated nutcracker from a mysterious uncle sets the stage for a Christmas Eve like no other for the little girl Marie. That night, Marie’s extraordinary present comes to life, defends her from the taunting Mouse King, and whisks her off to the Kingdom of Dolls.

48. Letters From Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien

Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien’s children. Inside would be a letter in a strange, spidery handwriting and a beautiful colored drawing or painting. The letters were from Father Christmas.

They told wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: how the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place; how the accident-prone North Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas’s house into the dining room; how he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden; how there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lived in the caves beneath the house, and many more.

49. The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree: An Appalachian Story by Gloria Houston

This unforgettable tale, illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Barbara Cooney, has become a seasonal classic-a touching and joyful story about courage and the power of family.

50. Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem by Maya Angelou

In this beautiful, deeply moving poem, Maya Angelou inspires us to embrace the peace and promise of Christmas, so that hope and love can once again light up our holidays and the world. “Angels and Mortals, Believers and Nonbelievers, look heavenward,” she writes, “and speak the word aloud. Peace.”

Read by the poet at the lighting of the National Christmas Tree at the White House on December 1, 2005, Maya Angelou’ s celebration of the “Glad Season” is a radiant affirmation of the goodness of life.

51. The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale by Philip Van Doren Stern

For almost seventy years, people the world over have fallen in love with Frank Capra’s classic Christmas movie It’s a Wonderful Life. But few of those fans know that Capra’s film was based on a short story by author Philip Van Doren Stern, which came to Stern in a dream one night.

Unable at first to find a publisher for his evocative tale about a man named George Pratt who ponders suicide until he receives an opportunity to see what the world would be like without him, Stern ultimately published the story in a small pamphlet and sent it out as his 1943 Christmas card. One of those 200 cards found its way into the hands of Frank Capra, who shared it with Jimmy Stewart, and the film that resulted became the holiday tradition we cherish today.

52. Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever by Matt Tavares

Dasher is an adventurous young reindeer with a wish in her heart. She spends her days with her family under the hot sun in a traveling circus, but she longs for a different life — one where there is snow beneath her hooves and the North Star above her head. One day, when the opportunity arises, Dasher seizes her destiny and takes off in pursuit of the life she wants to live. It’s not long before she meets a nice man in a red suit with a horse-drawn sleigh — a man named Santa. And soon, with the help of a powerful Christmas wish, nothing will be the same.

What’s your favorite holiday book?

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10 Classics to Read When the World Seems Too Bleak

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August 10, 2016 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

If you’ve checked the news recently…maybe you wish you hadn’t. These are anxiety-provoking times, overwhelming and draining times; times that make it seem four horsemen may just be galloping ever closer on the not-so-distant horizon.

Since I learned how to read, books have been where I’ve turned for consolation, hope, and a clarifying dose of perspective.

Lately, my solace seems to come from classic literature. Classics remind me how resilient humans are, how much beauty exists in the world. They remind me of the cyclical nature of human history. They illuminate all that humans have survived—insane rulers, endless wars of all kinds, devastating plagues, more devastating plagues…yet another devastating plague.

We have survived it before, and we can survive it all over again.

10 Classics to Read When the World Seems Too Bleak

The Iliad by Homer

That this poem, set in the 10th year of the Trojan War, has survived thousands of years provides hope in itself. Gruesome battle scenes play counterpoint to moments of grace, as when a Greek and a Trojan honor their past friendship by refusing to strike each other down. Woven throughout the poem are timeless snapshots familiar in any time and place – the pleasure of a cozy sleep, a satisfying meal, children at play.

Antigone by Sophocles

In Sophocles’ tragedy, conflicting duties between Antigone and Creon lead to, well, tragedy. As the play progresses, our loyalty shifts according to who is telling the story and how. By the end, we understand that the deepest impediment to reaching consensus isn’t Antigone and Creon’s incompatible loyalties but their pride and refusal to engage with each other.

Plutarch’s Lives by Plurtarch

Plutarch’s collection of biographies of famed Greeks and Romans is quite the tome. But the biographies don’t demand to be read cover to cover. Readers can dip into them as they might a recipe book, in this case, a recipe for recognizing that our little planet has survived millennia of turbulence. As a starting point, I recommend Spartan Lycurgus and Athenian Solon.

Beowulf

The poem begins with a young Beowulf presenting himself to Danish king Hrothgar. A monster called Grendel threatens to destroy Hrothgar’s kingdom, and Beowulf offers to fight the beast. He wins, but his labors are far from over. Until our time has passed away, the poem seems to suggest, the next beast forever lies in wait.

The Decameron by Boccaccio

This collection of tales dates to the mid-14th century and features a frame narrative readers won’t envy: A group of men and women fleeing the Black Death who hole up together in Florence. They wile away the hours swapping stories that run the gamut, from bawdy to funny to moral.

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

Like Boccaccio, Chaucer wraps a frame narrative around a collection of stories that fall along a broad continuum. Here, it’s pilgrims headed to Canterbury and Thomas Beckett’s shrine. The pilgrims represent a range of classes and occupations, which creates moments of tension as well as connection.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

After Macbeth hears a prophecy that, he believes, predicts he’ll become King of Scotland, he hastens to bring that prophecy to fruition: With his wife’s encouragement, he kills the King of Scotland. His act of murder leads to a downward spiral of paranoia and violence until he meets the same end. Apparently, there is nothing terribly new about power-obsessed madness…

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley

When we need help reconciling ourselves with humanity’s imperfection, with all that is unknowable, Shelley’s novels makes excellent company. Budding scientist Victor Frankenstein becomes obsessed with solving the riddle of human existence. The thrill of success lasts approximately 4.7 seconds before things go horribly wrong, and then go worse from there.

A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley

Uttley’s moving story reminds us that even when we cannot change outcomes, there is power in witnessing. Young Penelope travels from the 1930s back to the late 16th century, where she becomes embroiled in a plot to save Mary, Queen of Scots. The plot, however, is doomed to fail, and Penelope is powerless to change it. All she can do is listen and provide comfort.

Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost

When all else fails, I find comfort reading Frost’s gentle poem. It captures a simple but painful truth culled from his observations of the physical world: Nature is cyclical. The moment of perfect beauty inevitably dies away. And that is precisely what enables it to be reborn.

Which books do you love to read?

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