A Few of Miss Amy's Favorite Chapter Books

 This week I'm sharing a few of my favorite chapter books for kids . . .

Bo at Ballard Creek by Kirkpatrick Hill

It's the 1920s, and Bo was headed for an Alaska orphanage when she won the hearts of two tough gold miners who set out to raise her, enthusiastically helped by all the kind people of the nearby Eskimo village.

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper

On his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.

Mouse Noses on Toast by Daren King

Paul Mouse gathers a group of mouse activists to uncover the mystery behind the delicacy known as "Mouse noses on toast" which is served in a fancy human restaurant.

Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer

Ten-year-old Frederick, who is surreptitiously watched over by a household elf, is plucked from a London orphanage to be a servant to a wealthy wizard, and eventually his uncanny abilities lead him to become the wizard's apprentice.

Naked Bunyip Dancing by Steven Herrick

This novel in verse follows the school year of Australian students in classroom 6C, as their unconventional teacher encourages them to discover their own strengths and talents and perform in a memorable concert.

More Favorites --

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

The Floods: Good Neighbors by Colin Thompson

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman

Horton Halfpot by Tom Anglberger

A Long Line of Cakes by Deborah Wiles

The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy

Ms. Rapscott's Girls by Elise Primavera

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

Shivers! The Pirate Who's Afraid of Everything by Annabeth Bondor-Stone

The Spoon in the Bathroom Wall by Tony Johnston

The Unlucky Lottery Winners of Classroom 13 by Honest Lee

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through December 11, 2020.

My Favorite Christmas Books

With Christmas only a few days away, I thought I would share some of my favorite Christmas books with you . . .

Santa Duck by David Milgrim
When Nicholas Duck, wearing a Santa hat and coat he found on his doorstep, goes looking for Santa to tell him what he wants for Christmas, all the other animals mistake him for Mr. Claus.
A sweet story of Christmas cheer.

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper
On his eleventh birthday Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.
While not a traditional Christmas book, the story does take place during the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany.

Sweet Rein series by Sakura Tsukuba
Sad at the thought of spending Christmas alone, Kurumi Sagara goes out for a walk. While she's crossing the street, a boy bumps into her, and a rein suddenly appears that binds them together. The overjoyed boy tells her she's his master and that she's a Santa Claus. Kurumi dismisses him as a crazy person, but then he transforms into a reindeer?!
A whole manga series based on an original Christmas myth.

A Winter Wonderland of Reading

This past weekend saw our first snowfall of the season.  While the snow didn't last but an hour or two, it did bring back fond memories of some of my favorite children's books that take place during the winter . . .

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper
On his eleventh birthday Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.

The Leanin' Dog by K.A. Nuzum
In wintry Colorado during the 1930s, eleven-year-old Dessa Dean mourns the death of her beloved mother, but the arrival of an injured dog and the friendship they form is just what they need to change their lives forever.

North by Donna Jo Napoli
Tired of his mother's overprotectiveness and intrigued by the life of African American explorer Matthew Henson, twelve-year-old Alvin travels north and spends a season with a trapper near the Arctic Circle.

Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library by Eth Clifford
Two girls spend an adventurous night trapped inside the public library during a terrible blizzard.

Twelve Kinds of Ice by Ellen Bryan Obed
From the first ice, a thin skin on a bucket of water, through thickly-iced fields, streams, and gardens, a girl, her family, and friends anticipate and enjoy a winter of skating, ending with an ice show complete with costumes, refreshments, and clowns.


More Winter Stories --
Blackwater Ben by William Durbin
The Ice Dragon by George R.R. Martin
The Snow Spider by Jenny Nimmo
The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Winter According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birtney
The Winter Pony by Iain Lawrence

'Tis the Season: Books for the Holidays

The holidays are quickly approaching.  And while I couldn't find a chapter book focusing on the Kwanzaa holiday, we do have several books for both Christmas and Hanukkah.  Here are some of my favorites . . . .

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper
On his eleventh birthday Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark as they battle during the twelve days of Christmas.

Sam I Am by Ilene Cooper
Twelve-year-old Sam, the son of a Jewish father and Christian mother, struggles to understand religion and its role in his family's life during the Hanukkah and Christmas holidays.

The Angel Tree by Daphne Benedis-Grab
Every Christmas in the small town of Pine River, a tree appears in the town square and people tie wishes to it, but nobody knows where the tree comes from--but this year four children are determined to solve the mystery of the Angel Tree.

The Very Best Hanukkah Gift by Joanne Rocklin
During his family's eight-day celebration of Hanukkah, eight-year-old Henry learns the pleasure of giving and overcomes his fear of dogs.

Winterfrost by Michelle Houts
Left in charge of her home and infant sibling when her parents are called away at Christmastime, Bettina disregards a family custom about leaving out rice pudding for the nisse, who make their magic known when the baby disappears.


More Holiday Reads --
Certain Poor Shepherds: A Christmas Tale by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
The Christmas Barn by D.L. Davis
Clementine for Christmas by Daphne Benedis-Grab
How I Saved Hanukkah by Amy Goldman Koss
Jake by Audrey Couloumbis
Kringle by Tony Abbott
On Christmas Eve by Ann M. Martin
Rover Saves Christmas by Roddy Doyle
A Shiloh Christmas by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
The True Story of Christmas by Anne Fine
Who Is Stealing the 12 Days of Christmas? by Martha Freeman


Check out these book on display at the Arnold Branch through December 30, 2015.

Happy Birthday!

Other than Christmas, one of a child's most favorite days of the year is his or her birthday.  Today I'm sharing chapter books featuring birthdays . . . .

The Big One-Oh by Dean Pitchford
Determined not to be weird all his life like his neighbor, Charley Maplewood decides to throw himself a tenth birthday party, complete with a "house of horrors" theme, but first he will have to make some friends to invite.

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper
On his eleventh birthday Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass
Just before his thirteenth birthday, Jeremy Fink receives a locked box -- set aside by his father before his death five years earlier -- that purportedly contains the meaning of life.


More Books About Birthdays --
The 13th Sign by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb
Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
The Birthday Ball by Lois Lowry
Celia's Robot by Margaret Chang
A Cool Moonlight by Angela Johnson
Ereth's Birthday by Avi
The Ghosts of Gribblesea Pier by Deborah Abela
Happy Birthday, Mallory! by Laura Friedman
Happy Birthday, Sophie Hartley by Stephanie Green
The Misadventures of the Magician's Dog by Frances Sackett
Savvy by Ingrid Law
The Secret Box by Whitaker Ringwald


These books will be on display at the Arnold Branch through March 27, 2015.

Have You Read the Movie (Book)

There is an explosion in the past few years of movies based on children's books.  Here are some of my favorite children's chapter books that have been adapted . . .

The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith
In 1930, on the coast of Scotland, eight-year-old Kirstie finds a large egg which hatches into an unusual sea creature, and as he grows her family must decide what to do with him.

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater
The unexpected delivery of a large crate containing an Antarctic penguin changes the life and fortunes of Mr. Popper, a house painter obsessed by dreams of the Polar regions.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Looking for excitement, Coraline ventures through a mysterious door into a world that is similar, yet disturbingly different from her own, where she must challenge a gruesome entity in order to save herself, her parents, and the souls of three others.

The World of Pooh by A.A. Milne
The World of Pooh is a world of enchantment.  It is a world where Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga and the others share unforgettable adventures with Christopher Robin.

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper
On his eleventh birthday Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.

We're Not in Kansas Anymore . . .

I love The Wizard of Oz -- the fantastical setting, the frightening witch and her minions, the quest to find their way home.  Here are some more books that feature elements from The Wizard of Oz . . .

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper
On his eleventh birthday Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.

The Great Good Thing by Rod Townley
Twelve-year-old Princess Sylvie's storybook kingdom really is a storybook, where nothing ever changes, even the character's mad scramble to reach their places whenever the book is opened, until Sylvie discovers she can enter new worlds with the Reader, and find new adventures.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
A little girl falls down a rabbit hole and discovers a world of nonsensical and amusing characters.

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
When eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister are pulled into a strange underground world, they trigger an epic battle involving humans, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders while on a quest foretold by ancient prophecy.