Our Favorite Books

Abraham Lincoln: a Photobiography - Russell Freedman - a nice collection of pictures and quotes accompany this biography to help you understand the great man
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day & others –Judith Viorst (picture)
Archimedes and the Door of Science - Jeanne Bendick - one of the "giants" whose shoulders Newton stood on. Read and do the experiments of this "alpha" mathematician (post-Alexander Egypt/Greek history).
Augustus Caesar's World - Genevieve Foster - learn about Cicero, Cleopatra, the history of our calendar, and just about the whole world during 44 BC to AD 14. A great read.
Beatrix Potter’s animal stories (fiction picture)
The Bear Came Over to My House - Rick Walton - (picture)
The Black Cauldron & other Prydain Chronicles - Alexander Lloyd (fiction)
The Bronze Bow – Elizabeth Speare - there might be a better answer to life's sufferings (fiction, Roman-occupied Palestine)
The Boxcar Children – Gertrude Chandler Warner (fiction)
Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White - warm and wonderful, this read will help you appreciate many things, including spiders (still wonderful fiction)
Chased by Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Predators of the Deep - Nigel Marven
Choosing Up Sides – John H. Ritter – a well-written “facing up” book that will make you think where it hurts but leaves you with hope (fiction)
Chronicles of Narnia 1-7 – C.S. Lewis - you can find yourself and a different perspective on life in these adventure books (fiction)
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type - Doreen Cronin (picture)
Cocoa Ice – Dianna Appelbaum - a delightful story about the connecting of cultures, the processing of cocoa, and river ice-cutting; has big, beautiful pictures (fiction, picture book)
Danny the Champion of the World - Roald Dahl (fiction)
Dealing with Dragons + all Enchanted Forest Chronicles –Patricia C. Wrede (delightful fantasy)
Dear Mr. Henshaw - Beverly Cleary (serious, gentle reality, fiction)
Detectives in Togas - Henry Winterfeld (historical fiction set in imperial Rome)
Dr. Jenner and the Speckled Monster: The Search for the Smallpox Vaccine – Albert Marrin - strive with Edward Jenner against diverse opposition to help make the world a better place
Duck for President - Doreen Cronin (picture)
Faithful Elephants - Yukio Tsuchiya (required tear-jerker picture book for those who strive for a better world)
Ella Enchanted – Gail Levine (absolutely enchanting fiction)
Finding Providence: the Story of Roger Williams- Avi (1600s)
Freckle Juice + Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing & other Fudge books - Judy Blume
Jean Fritz biographies & histories - there are too many good ones to list! Interesting, funny, and gently REAL. All five-stars!
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsberg (fiction)
Goblins in the Castle - Bruce Coville
The Golden Goblet - Eloise Jarvis McGraw - finding courage takes time (gold working in New Kingdom [1200ish BC?] Ancient Egypt, fiction)
The Great Kapok Tree - Lynne Cherry - learn to love the rain forest (picture book)
Harriet the Spy - Louis Fitzhugh (fiction)
Hatchet - Gary Paulsen (life-is-serious-coming=of-age - fiction)
The Hiding Place – Cory Ten Boom - how can you be at peace in a world at war? (WWII Europe)
Hinds’ Feet on High Places – Hannah Hurnard - a wonderful allegory of the journey through life (for older teens & adults)
Hittite Warrior - Joanne S. Williamson (historical fiction)
The Hobbit – Tolkien - FUN! (fiction)
Hog-eye - Susan Medaugh -what is the REAL truth, and can you read it? (hilarious picture book)
Holes – Louis Sachar (clever fiction)
An Introduction to Shakespeare - Marchette Chute (late 1500s)
Joan of Arc - Diane Stanley (1400s)
Johnny Tremain - Esther Forbes (thought-provoking historical fiction)
Just So Stories – Rudyard Kipling - explains the inexplicable wonderings of life (fiction-audio tapes recommended)
The Jungle Book – Rudyard Kipling - (fiction)
The Lantern Bearers - Rosemary Sutcliff - a story of really tough decisions and coming to terms (historical fiction, Saxon invasion of Britain)
Little House in the Big Woods– Wilder - even boys find Laura's life in the wilderness exciting (fiction based on Wilder's life)
Little House on the Prairie - Wilder - an early perspective (not so PC) on settling the west (fiction)
The Librarian Who Measured the Earth - Kathryn Lasky - an intriguing story of how Eretosthanes, head librarian at Alexandria, used geometry to help figure out how far it is around the earth. You can use his strategy and figure it out yourself! (picture book, post-Alexander Egypt/Greek history)
The Lion in the Gateway - Mary Renault - the best read on the Persian Wars in Greece. (historical fiction)
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear - Audrey & Don Wood (picture fiction)
The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint Exupery - what's really inside the human heart? (picture fiction)
The Lord of the Rings series- Tolkien (fiction)
Lucky Science, Accidental Discoveries from Gravity to Velcro - Royston M. & Jeanie Roberts - an introduction to "serendipitous" discoveries and the minds who were prepared for them, experiments included that really help you to understand; a good springboard for further study
Magic School Bus books - Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen - a great way to spark interest in science
Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl - for older teens & adults
Many Moons – James Thurber – humorous & delightful princess story (picture fantasy)
The Monster at the End of this Book (Golden Book)
The Monster's Ring (and other magic shop books) - Bruce Coville
My Teacher is an Alien (the series) – Bruce Coville - have fun with kids who have to save the world, and learn about an intriguing explanation for our big problems (fiction)
Number the Stars – Louis Lowry (historical fiction)
Once There Was a Bull (frog) - Rick Walton (picture)
Onion John - Joseph Krumgold – who are we really trying to help? (fiction)
Our Most Dear Friend: Bhagavad-gita for Children - Vishaka - learn about India's spiritual culture (you'll be surprised at how much of it sounds like yours)
The Paper Bag Princess – Robert Munsch (off-beat picture fantasy)
Perfect the Pig - Susan Jeschke – (warm & fuzzy picture book)
Pink and Say - Patricia Pollacco - a warm and true story of courage and brotherly love (picture book)
The Prince and the Pauper – Mark Twain - you never know when you've got it good! (fiction)
The Princess and the Goblin - George MacDonald - an exciting adventure (fiction)
Puddin’head Wilson – Mark Twain - "Where is fancy bred?" Mark Twain at his sarcastic and clever best! (fiction)
Ramona and Her Father – Beverly Cleary - a charming father-daughter relationship (fiction)
The Revolutionary John Adams - Cheryl Harness (1735-1826)
Saladin, Noble Prince of Islaam- Diane Stanley (1100s)
The Search for Delicious - Natalie Babbitt (fiction)
The Shakespeare Stealer & others in the series - Gary Blackwood (historical fiction -1500s)
The Sign of the Beaver – Elizabeth George Speare (historical fiction)
Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims – Clyde Bulla (historical fiction)
Starry Messenger - Peter Sis (picture book about Galileo)
Stellaluna - Janell Cannon - charming book about a fruit bat (picture book)
Stuart Little – E.B. White - MUCH better than the movie! (fiction)
A Symphony of Whales – Steve Schuch - did you know music had so much power? Based on a true story (picture book)
Tales from Shakespeare - Lamb - when it's too hard to read the real thing
The Table Where Rich People Sit – Byrd Baylor (picture)
The Talking Eggs - Jerry Pinkney/Robert D. San Souci (picture)
Tom Sawyer – Mark Twain (fiction. Sorry guys, I didn't love Huck Finn so it's not here)
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee - the real world shown through a child's eyes as gently as it can be presented; the movie is also wonderful (1930s Mississippi, fiction)
The Trumpeter of Krakow – Eric P. Kelly (historical fiction)
The Velveteen Rabbit - Margery Williams (fiction, picture book)
Verdi - Janell Cannon - you'll love this snake! (picture book)
The Watsons Go to Birmingham – Christopher Paul Curtis (historical fiction)
Weslandia - Paul Fleischman (fiction, picture book)
Where the Red Fern Grows – Wilson Rawls - tear-jerker (fiction)
Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak - (picture book)
Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May & ALL of Jean Fritz's biographies & histories
The Whipping Boy - Sid Fleischman - hilarious! (fiction)
Whose Mouse are You - Robert Kraus (picture)
The Witch of Blackbird Pond – Elizabeth George Speare
Winnie the Pooh books– A.A. Milne - only the originals will do. (all ages, fiction)
Woolbur - Leslie Helakoski (picture)
A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle (fiction)

Wonderful Picture books
Exodus - Brian Wildsmith
Joseph - Brian Wildsmith
St. George and the Dragon – Margaret Hodges
Jumanji – Chris Van Allsburg
Free Fall – David Wiesner

Audiovisual
Rabbit Ears Productions The Legend of Sleepy Hollow sound recording
The Black Pearl sound recording - Scott O'Dell

Easy & Appealing Books For Early Readers
Clifford, the Big Red Dog – Norman Bridwell
Berenstain Bears series - Stan & Jan Berestain
Magic Treehouse series - Mary Osborn Pope (good for stimulating curiosity about the world + research guides for more advanced readers)
Arthur series - Marc Brown
Little Critter books - Mercer Mayer
Frog and Toad books - Arnold Lobel (these are great for all ages)
Little Bear books - Else Minarik (as good as a hug)
Henry & Mudge books - Cynthia Rylant (warm and fuzzy)
It's Me, Hippo & Hippo Lemonade - Mike Thaler - (lots of laughs)
Commander Toad books - Jane Yolen
The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss
Green Eggs & Ham by Dr. Seuss
Miss Nelson is Missing & others in series – Harry Allard
Rosie & Michael are Friends – Judith Viorst
The Fire Cat – Esther Averill
No More Monsters for Me – Peggy Parish
Owl at Home - Arnold Lobel
Are You My Mother? - P.D. Eastman
Corduroy & A Pocket for Corduroy – Don Freeman