Why I Picked It Up: This was just one of those books. It’s the book that you see on multiple lists, New York Best Sellers, Amazon, Barnes and Noble. It’s the book that all your friends are reading. It’s the book you see in connection with all the other books you are reading. However, for […]
Characterization
Book Review: The Screaming Staircase and W.A.R.P.: The Reluctant Assassin
The Screaming Staircase, by Jonathan Stroud W.A.R.P.: The Reluctant Assassin, by Eoin Colfer Why I Picked Them Up: The primary reason for reading these two books is for the 2015 Battle of the Books. The secondary reason is that my husband and I were going on a 14 hour drive to visit my parents and needed […]
Book Review: Half Upon a Time, by James Riley
Why I Picked It Up: Fairy tales. Actually, it goes back a little further than that. In preparation for one of our most popular sessions, Jessica was at the bookstore and I got a text with a picture of this book cover. Beanstalk, kid in a tunic, a play on the traditional fairy tale opener – […]
Book Review: Flat Broke, by Gary Paulsen
Why I picked it up This book is the companion book to Liar, Liar which I read last year for a session. I created lesson ideas that correlate with the state standards. I really enjoyed the fast paced story and convinced my middle son, Cole, to read it as well. I was completely unaware that […]
Book Review: Sparky! by Jenny Offill & Chris Appelhans
I picked it up I was casually browsing through the New York Best Sellers list of books and chuckled out loud at the cover of this book. Normally, I’m not drawn to soft watercolor pictures, but this one caught my eye. It is simple, but so very clever. There is a brownish-black sloth who seems […]
Book Review: One Came Home by Amy Timberlake
Why I picked it up As Sherry and I giddily browsed the book shelves at Barnes and Noble with gift cards in hand, I picked up this book that is on the Lone Star list for 2014. After reading the teaser on the back I wasn’t entirely sure if it was a “Jessica book” or […]