Canadian Summer

Title: Canadian Summer

Author: Hilda van Stockum

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Middle Grade

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    The three children certainly presented a sorry sight. Patsy dripped water all over the floor. A water lily had got entangled in her hair and hung rakishly down one side of her face. Green weeds entwined themselves around her muddy legs, and her face, already disfigured by mud and tears, looked so woebegone that Grannie had difficulty restraining a laugh. The other two were neither cleaner nor prettier, though slightly drier and more cheerful. 

    "Look at that," cried Mother, trembling with anger. "We are in this house exactly one hour, just one hour, mind you, and already Catherine has almost broken her neck, Angela was bitten, and the three oldest nearly drowned. And look at their clothes! How am I to get them clean when there is no bath and the water has to come by teacupfuls out of a well? How am I to keep an eye on the little ones when they disappear completely in long grass the minute they set foot out of the house? How am I to feed them when no one can get near here with a car? What am I to do if they should get sick without even a neighbor to call for help? I don't mind discomfort, I don't mind hard work, but we'll never get out of this place alive. So I've decided I'm going to pack up and go back to Washington this minute."

    

    After such a dramatic beginning, what more could possibly happen? Plenty! The six Mitchell children, ever aided and abetted by Grannie, are once again more than ready to take on life as it comes and are happily rewarded with a truly unforgettable Canadian summer.

Enna Burning

Title: Enna Burning

Author: Shannon Hale

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Young Adult

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

      Each time she contemplated fire, she felt surer that she could learn it and felt a place inside her, a place in her chest, yawn eagerly.

    Enna's brother, Leifer, has found the secret to an extraordinary power - to make fire without a spark. He can use the ability for good... if he learns to control it. But Enna can't decide if it's a power she wants for herself, or one that should be extinguished forever.

    When their home country of Bayern goes to war, the choice becomes unbearable. Enna never imagined the warm, life-giving energy of fire could destroy anything she loves, but now she must try to save Bayern and herself  before fire consumes her entirely. 

Saint Joan of Arc - Quest for Peace

Title: Saint Joan of Arc - Quest for Peace

Authors/Illustrators: Brunor & Dominique Bar

Rating: ★★★★☆

Age Category: Middle Grade

    The year was 1429, and the Hundred Years' War was raging. The Dauphin, the rightful king of France, had been denied his throne, his hereditary lands torn from him. His enemies schemed to crown the English king as monarch of both England and France. Only a few French strongholds remained loyal. Hope was trickling away...

    But outside the besieged town of Orleans, a seventeen-year-old girl from Domremy, her white and gold banner flying, would lead the French army to an improbably victory over their English oppressors. "What God commands must be right," she declared.

    Who was this astonishing young woman? How did she accomplish the feats that military experts called impossible? And what would become of her - and of her heroic quest for peace?

A Bear Called Paddington

Title: A Bear Called Paddington

Author: Michael Bond

Illustrator: Peggy Fortnum

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Middle Grade

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    "A bear? On Paddington station?" Mrs. Brown looked at her husband in amazement. "Don't be silly, Henry. There can't be!"

    Paddington Bear had travelled all the way from darkest Peru when the Brown family first met him on Paddington station. Since then their lives have never been quite the same... for ordinary things become quite extraordinary when a bear called Paddington is involved. 

The Blue Castle

Title: The Blue Castle

Author: L. M. Montgomery

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Young Adult/Adult

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    "If it had not rained on a certain May morning, Valancy Stirling's whole life would have been entirely different."

    At twenty-nine, Valancy had never been in love and it seemed romance had completely passed her by. Her only consolation were the "forbidden" books of John Foster and her daydreams of the Blue Castle.

    All her life Valancy lived on a quiet little street, in an ugly little house, never daring to contradict her overbearing mother and meddlesome aunt. Until the fateful day a letter came from Doctor Trent - and Valancy decided to throw caution to the wind once and for all...

    For the first time in her life, Valancy said and did exactly what she wanted. Soon she discovered a world full of fine surprises and real adventures that she never knew could exist outside of her secret Blue Castle.

The Life of Jesus - a Graphic Novel

Title: The Life of Jesus - a Graphic Novel

Author: Ben Alex

Illustrator: Jose Perez Montero

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Middle Grade

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    The birth of our Lord

    The death of our King

    The resurrection of our Savior

    A dramatic Scripture-based presentation of the story of Jesus Christ as you've never seen it before!

Clanless

Title: Clanless

Author: Catherine Witzaney

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Middle Grade

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    Wingless sprite Asher Song feather is adjusting to life in the Bat Colony. To atone for his role in the recent poisoning, he frees a Dragonfly slave girl and vows to reunite her with her sister. But her sister has joined forces with rebel leader Ryn. 

    Halfwing Siobhan Eirwensa is struggling to reconcile the past with her newfound loyalties. When she learns her father is fighting for his life as a captive of the Arena, she is determined to rescue him. But she has much to learn about trust. 

    As Asher and Siobhan work toward solutions, they uncover Ryn's newest plan - one that will lead to full-blown civil war if he isn't stopped. They're running out of time. 

    And beneath it all lurks an unforseen threat that will shatter life as they know it. 

    Clanless is the sequel to Wingless. If you like, you can view that post here. 

The Story Book of Science

Title: The Story Book of Science

Author: Jean Henri Fabre

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Middle Grade

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    The wonders of plant and animal life told with rare literary charm by Uncle Paul in conversations with three children, who ask their uncle to tell them "true stories." Besides such stories as the ants' subterranean city, the spider's suspension bridge, and the caterpillar's processing, he unlocks the mystery behind thunder and lightning, clouds and rain, the year and its seasons, volcanoes and earthquakes. 

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Title: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Author: Ian Fleming

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Middle Grade

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    "Crackpot" is what everybody calls the Pott family. So when they go to buy a new car and come back with a wreck, nobody is surprised. Except for the Potts themselves. First, the car has a name. And she tells them what it is. Then they find that she can fly. And swim... Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a car on a mission to stop a criminal gang in its tracks - and she is taking the Potts with her!

Blaze Finds the Trail

 

Title: Blaze Finds the Trail

Author and Illustrator: C. W. Anderson

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Children's Literature

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    Billy and Blaze Are Lost

    Billy and his pony Blaze love to explore the forest. So one day they set out on an old woodland road that is new to them. They have a wonderful ride, but their adventures soon lead them off the trail and deep into the woods. Before they know it, the sky grows dark with a coming storm, and Billy can't find the way out of the woods. Can Blaze find the trail and get them safely home again?

Blaze and the Forest Fire

Title: Blaze and the Forest Fire

Author and Illustrator: C. W. Anderson

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Children's Literature

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    Billy and Blaze Spread the Alarm

    Billy and Blaze are more than just friends - they're heroes! When they spot smoke in the brush, they race around the woods to sound the alarm. 

    At the end of the day, Billy and Blaze are rewarded for their bravery - with carrots for Blaze, chocolate cake for Billy, and a very special present that they can share. 

Billy and Blaze

Title: Billy and Blaze

Author and Illustrator: C. W. Anderson

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Children's Literature

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    A Boy and His Horse

    Billy was a little boy who "loved horses more than anything else in the world." Imagine how happy he was when he got his very own pony for his birthday! From that day on, Billy was seldom seen without his new friend, Blaze.

    Riding through fields and woods, Billy and Blaze learned to trust and understand one another - and to jump over fences and fallen trees with ease. They were a great team, but were they good enough to win the gleaming silver cup at the Mason Horse Show?

    This is the first book in the classic Billy and Blaze series. Sensitive drawings and easy-to-read words capture the warmth and gentle understanding between a boy and his horse. 

Now We Are Six

Title: Now We Are Six

Author: A. A. Milne

Illustrator: Ernest H. Shepard

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Children's Literature

    Dust Jacket Synopsis: 

    For all who are six or sixty-six, or anywhere in between, A. A. Milne wrote this collection of verses about Christopher Robin and, of course, his great friend, Winnie-the-Pooh.

    Readers will be moved by the gentle humor and playful rhythms of what have become some of the best-loved poems for children. And they will find delight and reassurance in Milne's world - an always accessible, sun-filled realm of the imagination - a world perfectly rendered in Ernest Shepard's enchanting illustrations.

    The essential book for that all-important birthday, Now We Are Six is much more than a worthy successor to When We Were Very Young. It is a classic in its own right, treasured by every new generation of readers.

When We Were Very Young

 

Title: When We Were Very Young

Author: A. A. Milne

Illustrator: Ernest H. Shepard

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Children's Literature

    Dust Jacket Synopsis: 

    A. A. Milne's classic celebration of childhood, When We Were Very Young, is a collection of verses that reach to the heart of the youngest listener. His poems sing with a playful innocence, weaving together the worlds of reality and enchanting make-believe. They are matched perfectly by Ernest Shepard's whimsical illustrations, which have delighted and reassured countless readers. Those who look carefully will discover the very first appearance of that Best Bear in All the World, Winnie-the-Pooh. 

    These poems have been read and reread to generations of children. Today, more than sixty years after their first publication, they still ring so true that they will surely find a cherished place on every bookshelf.

The House At Pooh Corner

 

Title: The House At Pooh Corner

Author: A. A. Milne

Illustrator: Ernest H. Shepard

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Children's Literature

    Dust Jacket Synopsis: 

    "Pooh, promise you won't forget about me ever. Not even when I'm a hundred."

    "How old shall I be then?"

    "Ninety-nine."

    Winnie-the-Pooh already has one wonderful book about himself and his friends. So we are fortunate indeed that A. A. Milne thought to provide us with this delightful companion volume. 

    Here you will rediscover all the characters you met in Winnie-the-Pooh: Christopher Robin, Eeyore, Owl, Piglet, Kanga, tiny Roo, and, of course, Pooh himself. Joining them is the thoroughly bouncy and lovable Tigger, who leads the rest into some very colorful adventures. 

    Christopher Robin is not yet a hundred, nor is Pooh ninety-nine. But we are sure to remember them, even when they are.

Winnie-the-Pooh

Title: Winnie-the-Pooh

Author: A. A. Milne

Illustrator: Ernest H. Shepard

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Children's Literature

    Dust Jacket Synopsis: 

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    More than sixty years ago, Christopher Robin took his friend Edward Bear - who came to be known to millions of fans as Winnie-the-Pooh - by one chubby paw and brought him unceremoniously downstairs. Pooh had endured, still slightly rotund, a Bear of Very Little Brain, but very generous of heart: the immortal creation of A. A. Milne, who wrote this book for his only son, Christopher Robin, and Ernest H. Shepard, who lovingly gave Pooh and his companions shape. 

    The adventures of Pooh and Piglet, Owl, Trigger, and the ever doleful Eeyore are timeless treasures of childhood. These tales still speak to all of us with the freshness that distinguishes true storytelling.

Just So Stories

Title: Just So Stories

Author: Rudyard Kipling

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Children's Literature

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    How did the camel get his hump? How did the leopard get his spots? How did the elephant get his trunk?

    These are questions that children around the world have asked for centuries, but it took Nobel Prize winner Rudyard Kipling's lively, hilarious stories to give them the answers. For one hundred years, these classic tales - drawn from the oral storytelling traditions of India and Africa and filled with mischievously clever animals and people - have entertained young and old alike. 

    Intertwined within these delightful tales are little pearls of wisdom about the pitfalls of arrogance and pride and the importance of curiosity, imagination, and inventiveness. Kipling's rhythm prose makes these tales perfect for sharing aloud with the whole family. 

American Tall Tales

Title: American Tall Tales

Author: Adrien Stoutenburg

Rating: ★★★★☆

Age Category: Middle Grade

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    "Here... are the most robust characters in American legend. Told by a poet with a poet's ear for the impact of words, these American mavericks walk and talk across the pages in a free, wide way, as they walked and talked across the free, wide America of pioneer days." - Publisher's Weekly -

Pippi Longstocking

Title: Pippi Longstocking

Author: Astrid Lindgren

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Children's Literature, Middle Grade

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    The beloved story of a spunky young girl and her hilarious escapades. 

    Tommy and his sister Annika have a new neighbor, and her name is Pippi Long stocking. She has crazy red pigtails, no parents to tell her what to do, a horse that lives on her porch, and a pet monkey named Mr. Nilsson. Whether Pippi's scrubbing her floors, doing arithmetic, or stirring things up at a fancy tea party, her flair for the outrageous always seems to lead to another adventure.

The Trumpet of the Swan

Title: The Trumpet of the Swan

Author: E. B. White

Rating: ★★★★★

Age Category: Middle Grade

    Back Cover Synopsis: 

    Louis is a trumpeter swan. He is born one summer on a little pond in Canada, a long with four brothers and sisters. But Louis has a terrible problem. Unlike the rest of his joyfully noisy family, Louis can't make a single sound. And without a trumpet sound, his true love - the beautiful swan Serena - just ignores him. Louis's father promises to help. So does Sam Beaver, a boy who loves all wild animals. First Louis goes to school with Sam and learns to read and write. But swans can't read, so Louis still can't make himself understood. That's when Louis's father puts his honor aside and steals a brass trumpet to give his son a voice. Louis's determination to pay off his father's debt and to woo his own true love takes him far from the wilderness he loves. But his faith and his joy in life are always with him.