SarahKate's Notes:
We all enjoy listening to Jim Weiss, and this particular CD about Giants has been a favorite of Ella's.
 | author: Jim Weiss rating:  asin: 1882513177 binding: Audio Cassette list price: $10.95 USD amazon price: $10.95 |
Our Current Favorites
Below you will find all of our favorites. The most current of our favorites are at the top.
Giants! A Colossal Collection of Tales and Tunes
The Pencil
SarahKate's Notes:
This book is similar to the Harold and his purple crayon books, but we really enjoyed it so much more. Ella (then 7) has selected this book and checked it out from the library on numerous occasions.
 | author: Allan Ahlberg rating: asin: 0763638943 binding: Hardcover list price: $16.99 USD amazon price: $15.95 USD |
The creators of THE RUNAWAY DINNER and PREVIOUSLY team up to imagine the comical world that comes to life when a lonely pencil starts to draw.
"One day that little pencil made a move, shivered slightly, quivered somewhat . . . and began to draw."
Welcome back Banjo, the boy from THE RUNAWAY DINNER! Once a pencil draws him, there's no telling what will come next — a dog, a cat, a chase (of course), and a paintbrush to color in an ever-expanding group of family and friends. But it's not long before the complaints begin — "This hat looks silly!" "My ears are too big!" — until the poor pencil has no choice but to draw . . . an eraser. Oh no! In the hands of Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman, can anything but havoc and hilarity ensue?
Little House in the Highlands
SarahKate's Notes:
This is truly an outstanding book that will appeal to a large audience. Our girls (then 10 and 7) hung on every word. I loved that this was about Laura Ingalls Wilder's great grandmother! There was a lot of research put into it and I loved reading all about Scotland, as my own mother was born there. I especially enjoyed how the author wove in retellings of fairy stories and myths. This is the first the series and we are very excited to continue on. PLEASE NOTE I am referring to the unedited version with the painted cover, not the one with the photographed cover (which amazon insists on linking to). I have not read both but I have heard that the 2nd version is considerably abridged.
 | author: Melissa Wiley rating:  asin: 0061148172 binding: Paperback list price: $5.99 USD amazon price: $18.82 USD |
It's 1788 and Martha lives in a little stone house in Glencaraid, Scotland. Her father is Laird Glencaraid, which means Martha must behave like a young lady even when she would much rather run around the Scottish hillside!
The Mysterious Benedict Society
SarahKate's Notes:
An unusual tale of adventure and teamwork. We listened to the audio book, which is about 13 hours long. Our girls both give it 5 stars.
 | author: Trenton Lee Stewart rating:  asin: 0316003956 binding: Paperback list price: $6.99 USD amazon price: $12.95 USD |
"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?"
When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious, mind-bending tests. (And you, dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) But in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules.
As our heroes face physical and mental trials beyond their wildest imaginations, they have no choice but to turn to each other for support. But with their newfound friendship at stake, will they be able to pass the most important test of all?
Welcome to the Mysterious Benedict Society.
A Little House Christmas Treasury: Festive Holiday Stories
SarahKate's Notes:
I bought this book for our Christmas Collection and I am so grateful I did. I love to hear these stories of the simple Christmases long ago, when children were thrilled to get a penny in their stocking. Each story if from a different time in Laura's life and paints such a beautiful picture of their lives.
 | author: Laura Ingalls Wilder rating: asin: 0060769181 binding: Hardcover list price: $12.99 USD amazon price: $27.15 USD |
Celebrate the holidays with Laura and her family with stories from the beloved Little House books!
If I Built a Car
SarahKate's Notes:
What a great book! I love the illustrations and how this boy imagines such a neat car. I read this book several times already this week.
 | author: Chris Van Dusen rating: asin: 0142408255 binding: Paperback list price: $6.99 USD amazon price: $6.99 USD |
"If i built a car, it’d be totally new! Here are a few of the things that i’d do. . . ." Jack has designed the ultimate fantasy car. inspired by zeppelins and trains, Cadillacs and old planes, with brilliant colors and lots of shiny chrome, this far-out vision is ready to cruise! there’s a fireplace, a pool, and even a snack bar! After a tour of the ritzy interior, robert the robot starts up the motor . . . and Jack and his dad set off on the wildest test drive ever!
Beethoven's Wig
SarahKate's Notes:
I would love to spread the word about some amazing children's music - Beethoven's Wig. There are 4 volumes out and we love them all, but the last one is our favorite. These are classical tunes with really funny lyrics for half the CD, the other half is just the music as it was meant to be played. Because of this our girls really love classical music and the lyrics actually teach you a little bit about the composer too.
 | author: Richard Perlmutter rating:  asin: 1579401120 binding: Hardcover list price: $18.95 USD amazon price: $14.21 USD |
The book follows the outrageous goings on in the tremendous, stupendous, monumental, colossal wig of Beethoven.
Best Witches
SarahKate's Notes:
Last time this year I checked out Best Witches by Jane Yolen and our girls loved hearing the silly poems, and they each picked out one to commit to memory. We got it again this year and it's still a book they love to hear from to get into the Halloween spirit.
 | author: Jane Yolen rating: asin: 0399215395 binding: Hardcover list price: $14.95 USD amazon price: $14.95 |
The author presents her own poetry on witches, ghosts, magic, and other aspects of Halloween.
Farmer Boy (Little House)
SarahKate's Notes:
What an amazing look at how families used to farm - what a lot of work! We all really enjoyed this one.
 | author: Laura Ingalls Wilder rating: asin: 0060581824 binding: Paperback list price: $8.99 USD amazon price: $8.99 USD |
For the first time in the history of the Little House books, this new edition features Garth Williams’ interior art in vibrant, full color, as well as beautifully redesigned covers.
While Laura Ingalls grows up in a little house on the western prairie, Almanzo Wilder is living on a big farm in New York State. Here Almanzo and his brother and sisters help with the summer planting and fall harvest. In winter there is wood to be chopped and great slabs of ice to be cut from the river and stored. Time for fun comes when the jolly tin peddler visits, or best of all, when the fair comes to town.
This is Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved story of how her husband Almanzo grew up as a farmer boy far from the little house where Laura lived.
Seven at One Blow: A Tale from the Brothers Grimm
SarahKate's Notes:
The fairy tale Seven at One Blow retold by Eric A Kimmel has been read in our home several times this week. The illustrations are very engaging. This is a typical fairy tale, with 3 giants using iron bars to smash the bed that they think our hero is in and may other instances of peril. But our hero overcomesthem all with ridiculus confidence.
 | author: Eric A. Kimmel Jacob Grimm Wilhelm Grimm rating:  asin: 0823413837 binding: Hardcover list price: $16.95 USD amazon price: $16.95 |
Relates how a tailor who kills seven flies at one blow manages to become king.
