age 8

author: Dorothy Canfield Fisher rating: asin: 1887840133 binding: Paperback

A warm and charming portrayal of life in the early 1900s. Sheltered 9 year old Elizabeth Ann has always heard her Aunt Frances talk about "those horrid Vermont cousins." Now she is terrified. Aunt Frances can no longer take care of her, and she has been sent to stay with her New England relatives. "Betsy" gradually comes to enjoy the challenge of living with her country cousins, and she has a difficult choice to make. A delightful book.

author: Marguerite De Angeli rating: asin: 0440407400 binding: Paperback list price: $3.50 USD amazon price: $3.50

A meager Christmas seems to be in store for a turn-of-the-century New York family when its widowed mother is able to get work only occasionally, until a wonderful event occurs in her absence. Reprint.

author: Edward Eager rating: asin: 0152020683 binding: Paperback list price: $6.99 USD amazon price: $6.99 USD

Edward Eager has been delighting young readers for more than 40 years with stories that mix magic and reality. Half Magic, the most popular of his tales about four children who encounter magical coins, time-travel herb gardens, and other unlikely devices, is a warm, funny, original adventure. The title refers to a coin that the children find. Through a comical series of coincidences, they discover that the coin is magic. Well, it's not totally magic--it's only (you guessed it) half magic. That means there's a certain logic to the wishes one must make to generate a desired outcome.

author: Bruce Robertson rating: asin: 089236372X binding: Hardcover list price: $19.95 USD amazon price: $13.57 USD

Paris in the 1400s. A young girl named Marguerite delights in assisting her father, Jacques, in his craft: illuminating manuscripts for the nobility of France. His current commission is a splendid book of hours for his patron, Lady Isabelle, but will he be able to finish it in time for Lady Isabelle's name day?

author: Ellen Jackson rating: asin: 0802789927 binding: Hardcover list price: $16.95 USD amazon price: $11.53 USD

The circle of life turns in unexpected ways.Earth Mother awakes with the dawn. As she walks the land, swims the seas, and climbs the mountains, nurturing all of creation, she comes across Man, Frog, and Mosquito. They each give her thanks for nature’s bounty, yet can’t help but give her advice about making their lives better. Everybody’s got an opinion, it seems, and Earth Mother is amused when it becomes clear that the circle of life is not without a healthy dose of cosmic humor.

author: Vera B. Williams rating: asin: 0688040748 binding: Paperback list price: $6.99 USD amazon price: $6.99 USD

After a fire destroys their home and possessions, Rosa, her mother, and grandmother save and save until they can afford to buy one big, comfortable chair that all three of them can enjoy.After their home is destroyed by a fire, Rosa, her mother and grandmother save their coins to buy a really comfortable chair for all to enjoy. "A superbly conceived picture book expressing the joyful spirit of a loving family."––Horn Book.

rating: asin: 0060840986 binding: Hardcover list price: $15.99 USD amazon price: $15.99

To say that this particular apple tree is a "giving tree" is an understatement. In Shel Silverstein's popular tale of few words and simple line drawings, a tree starts out as a leafy playground, shade provider, and apple bearer for a rambunctious little boy. Making the boy happy makes the tree happy, but with time it becomes more challenging for the generous tree to meet his needs. When he asks for money, she suggests that he sell her apples. When he asks for a house, she offers her branches for lumber. When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the tree, he asks the tree for a boat.