The Mountain Lion

how the mountain lion lives -- their homes, families. 

Lynx

all about lynxes.  (I like that word!)  about how they hunt, mate, their cubs, their relationship with people.  They look like really fat cats.

Wolf

all about wolves, different kinds of wolves, social life, pack hunts.  The wolf pups are really cute, but there's one picture with blood on it (dead animal).

Powerless

I think there were a few holes in the plot that if filled could have made it a better book.  - Mom

 A bit too mushy. The story got kind of confusing.  - Paco, 13

Eyewitness Books: Money

This book is about money over the ages.  The pictures are somewhat boring.  The most interesting part is about Fort Knox and the gold. It showed how they minted stuff -- that was cool.  - Paco, 13

Amphibious Techniques

Amphibious Techniques (Modern Military Techniques)

This is a cool and informative.  Well-written.  Graphics could have been updated a bit, but overall a good book.  My favorite part was the illustrations.  I really liked the tactical section because of the strategies they used during the invasions. - Paco, 13

Thank You, Sarah

This book is about Sarah Hale.  She saved Thanksgiving by writing letters to presidents, but she didn't get "Yes" until Abe Lincoln was president.  - Yena, 8

The Little White Horse

My favorite part is where she got to show the black man the little white horse, because he said that if Maria showed him a little white horse he would keep his promise and quit stealing stuff with his gang.

This is a fantastic adventure story.  - Yena, 8

Our Abe Lincoln

The book tells about the life of Lincoln, our great President in a song. -- Migi

Mrs. Lincoln's Vanilla Almond Cake recipe is on the back of the book -- don't miss it! - Mom

Some dates this book would be good for:  

• February 12, Lincoln's birthday
• September 22, Emancipation Proclamation
• November 19, Gettysburg Address

What the book tells about Kids acting out  the story of Abe Lincoln.-- Yena  

Cougar

The book tells about the basic activities of Cougars and other habits and facts. --Migi

The World of Baseball

This baseball book tells about how baseball came to be played in so many places over the world. -- Migi

Heir of Mistmantle

The 3rd book of the Mistmantle Chronicles, is about the new baby named Catkin who goes missing.  Everyone is looking for the young daughter of King Crispin. --Migi

Lynx

The book is about what the Lynx does every day and about its young. -- Migi

Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve

The book tells about how Jack, Annie, and Teddy have to go help the children of a Duke bring back a special diamond. -- Migi

I love these books because Jack and Annie go on lots of adventures.-- Yena

The Mountain Lion

The book tells fun facts about the mountain lion and it's young, and how they mate. -- Migi

A hunting we will go!

The book is about two kids who don't want to go to sleep because their wide awake.  They go do fun stuff for hours. -- Migi

Journey Cake, Ho!

The book tells about a kid who is helped by a rolling cake when he is sent away from his home because the animals go missing. -- Migi

New Baby train

New Baby Train is about a kid who tells his siblings how babies came to them.  He goes to the baby train and gets on, looking for a baby for his family. - Migi, 11

A Ticket to Philippines

This book tells about the islands of the Philippines, tropical places, volcanoes, a little history, and what the people do there. -- Migi, 11

Hurricanes and Tornadoes

About the same as the other tornado books here, but still fun to read.  -- Migi, 11

****

Flint's Island

This is basically like Treasure Island and it has many of the same characters and there's a person looking for treasure.  It wasn't that great.  Treasure Island is better because it has a lot of action and this one doesn't.  - Migi, 11

***

The Loner by Ester Wier

It's about this kid, his parents are dead, and he's looking for something he can own, like a place where he can live.  It's about adventures in the wilderness.  At the end of the book, he's not a loner anymore.

*** - Migi, 11

Shadow Children (Among the Hidden, etc.)

My 11-yo and I loved this series from Margaret Peterson Haddix.  (She's the same person who wrote "Just Ella" which my 18-yo read and liked "a bit".)  Very pro-life message, but not overtly so.  Start out with "Among the Hidden" and go from there.  Rarely am I entranced with books like these, but I was pleasantly surprised -- you may be too.

Siberian Tigers (In the Wild)

Siberian Tigers (In the Wild) - read by 11-yo.  I never thought I'd say this, but Siberian tigers are adorable.  Or at least they are in the pictures in this book :)

Tornadoes by Peter Murray

Yet another tornado book read by 11-yo.  Do you know what willy-willies are?

Volcanoes by Seymour Simon

Who doesn't love Seymour Simon books?  One more volcano book for my 11-yo.  We should probably plan a field trip to a real volcano sometime.  Know of a good dormant one near 45011?

Mount Vesuvius: Europe's Mighty Volcano of Smoke and Ash

Another volcano book my 11-yo read.  He never gets tired of reading these!

Tornado (Wild Weather)

My 11-yo just LOVES reading about tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanoes, etc.  This is just one more added to his list of tornado books he's read.  Maybe he'll be one of those stormchaser dudes when he grows up?  Or at least he'll have lots of tornado knowledge to spice up those stories he's writing.

** from me, Mom

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Another charmer from the Jim Aylesworth/Barbara McClintock duo.  Don't miss the "Porridge Cookies" recipe on the back of the book! - Mom

Holi

A Read About Holiday book about India's Holi.  Very interesting, especially the part where people throw paint on each other.  Maybe the precursor of paintball?

The Milliner

Chock-full of illustrations and pictures telling you about the milliner's art, especially the way it was in the 18th century.

Flower Fairies of the Summer

Here you'll find:  the Buttercup Fairy, the Herb Robert Fairy (new to me!), the Forget-me-not Fairy, the Poppy Fairy, the Foxglove Fairy (a favorite), and loads more, several of which I had never heard of before.  Use this book when planning your flower gardens!

Flower Fairies of the Autumn

Another Cicely Mary Barker winner.  See my post on the winter compilation.

DK Superguides: Ballet

Little ballerinas and ballerina wannabes (and even moms who wanted to become ballerinas but didn't) will love this book!  As with most DK books I like the way the information is organized and presented.  The book is informative but since it's packed with pictures and chunks of descriptive paragraphs here and there, it doesn't get overwhelming and doesn't take away from the beauty and artistry of the dance.  Most of the pictures are of girls, but there are lots of pictures of boys as well. :)

One Morning in Maine

Sigh.  We miss you, Robert McCloskey!  I'm sooo glad he didn't title his books "The Adventures of Sal" or that would have been totally unimaginative -- *I* would do that, but not Robert McCloskey.  One Morning in Maine is the perfect title for this book!  I love this book as a read aloud, and as an idea book for what to do with kids if you ever find yourself near the sea.  I have never gone clamming and this book is one of the reasons clamming is still on my list of "things to do before I die".  Love the sweet parent-child relationship depicted here.  And love how Mr. McCloskey could take such simplicity, and highlight it in this elegant vignette of family life, as it could and should be.

Flower Fairies of the Winter

Now who doesn't like fairies?  And who doesn't like flowers?  Well, okay, maybe not my boys.  But this is -- as all Cicely Mary Barker books are -- magnificently illustrated, and such a delight to read.  Ideal for nature journal copywork, art, and to accompany plant/flower identification lessons.  I love this book, especially in the wintertime when everything outside is grey and dreary.  This book helps to put things in the right perspective! - Mom

I love this book! - Yena, 8

Betsy-Tacy

Wonderful book on girls' friendships.  Like the simplicity (and at the same time, complexity) of their play.  Excellent introduction to chapter books for young readers.  Yena loves these books!

The thing i love about these books is the adventures and fun Betsy and Tacy have.-- Yena 

Betsy-Tacy and Tib

Fun book for girls!  They can be naughty and nice, but always enjoyable.  It's the kind of book that stays with you and becomes part of you (it's also part of a series so don't neglect the others).  You can grow with Betsy, Tacy and Tib.  Good for a history supplement too (19th-20th century). - Mom

Waiting for Wings

So bright and colorful!  A perfect read for spring.  Goes well with a study of butterflies and life cycles, and flowers.  The art lends itself easily to "copywork".  Has a sampling of butterfly and flower identification.

Easter Parade

While there is nothing in this book that speaks to the religious origins of Easter, this book is sweet and appealing.  Great book for Dad to read to and with his daughter. - Mom

Things to Do With Dad

There's lots of things to do with Dad here.  My favorite is "How to Turn the Kitchen Into Dad's Diner". - Yena, 8

The Tale of Tricky Fox

"Don't pretend that something is different from what it is." - Yena, 8

A Time to Keep

This book is beautiful.  I love it for the old-fashioned ideas you can use to celebrate the seasons and holidays in your home.  Tasha Tudor's illustrations, of course, are always lovely.  Makes you want to live *in* the book, if you could :).  A Time to Keep is a keeper.  - Mom

The Mitten by Jim Aylesworth

When the mouse tried to fit in, he fit but the others, when they took a big breath, the mitten broke.  - Yena, 8

Aunt Pitty Patty's Piggy

No one would help her until she came to Farmer Brown.  - Yena, 8

Cork and Fuzz

How they fought was kind of cute.  - Yena, 8

***

Hanna's Christmas

I wish I had known about this book before!  Written by fellow homeschooling mom Melissa Wiley for the Hanna Andersson company in 2001, it is an utterly charming book that tells about family, home, and Christmas!  It was also a joy to learn about Swedish traditions while reading this book.  I'd buy one except it's now a collectible so yikes, pricey!