Mockingbird

Mockingbird is a touching story that should not be missed. Caitlin has Asperger's syndrome and for her everything is straightforward, black and white with no inbetween. She has trouble making friends and turns to textbooks for answers. But the tragic death of her brother causes her to seach for closure for herself and her father. Kathryn Erskine creates a story with warmth and insight.

My Life as a Book

After a break from blogging, I'm starting back.

I want to highly recommend the book: My Life as a Book by Janet Tashjian.

Derek is a reluctant reader who finds himself in a Learning Camp for the summer with three books to read. Derek is an active boy who loves to draw. He discovers a family mystery from the past which causes him to see that stories are all around.

This book would be great for fans of Diary of the Whimpy Kids. The nicely paced story with sketches in the margins, will entice readers to become engaged in Derek's story.

Read Across America

This week I'm reading these two books by Dr. Seuss in celebration of Read Across America. Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Sam and the Lucky Money

Sam and the Lucky Money is my favorite book to read in celebration of Chinese New Year. My kids love it. It's a wonderful story of giving. We have a nice size population of Vietnamese students at my school who celebrate Chinese New Year and give the beautiful red envelopes. Over the years, I have been blessed by their spirit of giving and am grateful.

Valentine Books

These are two books I like to read at school for Valentine's Day. Share the love!!

Rule of Three

Have you ever been in competition with your sister? Megan McDonald writes a story about three sisters, Alex, Stevie, and Joey, discovering who they are in the second book of the Sisters Club series, Rule of Three.

I was a little hesitant to read this one, for fear of it being typical but was pleasantly surprised. The characters were warm and realistic. Each sister had her area of strength and through the difficulty of Alex and Stevie wanting to both star in the class musical, they learn to value those strengths. Middle school girls will sympathize with these characters. Anyone who has a sister will see themselves in some small way feeling a part the of the Sisters Club.

Favorite Christmas Books

These are a few of my favorite Christmas books. Each is special in it's own way. Hope you enjoy this wonderful season of the year as we celebrate the birth of Jesus! Merry Christmas!