Twelve year-old Maya Davidson is spending the year in Paris for her scientist father’s work, along with her ill mother and her annoyingly charming, five year-old brother James. They’ve been invited by the strange Society of Philosophical Chemistry. Turns out the society is run by distant cousins who’ve been… waiting for Maya. Nesbet’s sure storytelling… Read more »
New & Noteworthy
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
Eleven year old Melody Brooks was born with Cerebral Palsy. Confined to a wheelchair and unable to walk, talk or feed herself, Melody longs to communicate and be just like a “normal” kid. Thousands – maybe millions – of words swirl inside her head. Trapped. With her fierce determination and encouraged by her family, Melody… Read more »
The Dragon of Cripple Creek
This is the year of the dragon, more specifically, the water dragon. To continue a fun romp with books that are squirming with a dragon or two, I suggest THE DRAGON OF CRIPPLE CREEK by Troy Howell (Amulet/Abrams 2011, for readers 8 – 12.) . This tall tale takes place in the wild west of… Read more »
Doodles and Colors
WHAT COLOUR IS YOUR WORLD? by Bob Gill Look at the world in a new way. What colors do you see? What color is your world? What colour is your world? To a gardener, the world is shades of greens. Ask a bricklayer and he’ll say, “My world is red.” And if you asked a… Read more »
The Other Felix by Keir Graff
Graff’s intriguing The Other Felix is a metaphorical menagerie exploring the fine line that divides the dream world and its counterpart. The story unfolds as Felix, a isolated, somewhat lonely school boy, experiences nightmares so authentic that he’s unsure where reality ends and fantasy begins. In the dream world, Felix not only encounters fearsome gnashing and snarling monsters, he also… Read more »
Red Sled
A little bundle of a girl in a white coat and a red hat leans a red sled against a small cabin surrounded by snow, and a glorious, heartfelt journey begins. A brown bear spots it and takes it for a ride. He’s joined by a rabbit, and a porcupine, and a moose … using… Read more »
Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World
There are some pretty amazing schools around the world and many are thanks to the vision of some equally amazing people. When most of us think of elementary school, the ones we attended as children or the ones our own children attend, odds are what comes to mind are nicely kept buildings filled with books,… Read more »
