Cassandra

1) Book Type: Intermediate   Genre: Biography   The Royal Diaries: Victoria, May Blossom of Britannia   By: Anna Kirwan   Did you ever keep a diary as you grew up? Ever wish you were a princess or prince? Well, whether you did or not this book will capture your attention and pull you into the mind of young royalty. Victoria may have been royalty and she may have gone through some things that we can only imagine, but she was also a human child with desires and secrets. Anna Kirwan does a great job at recreating the life of young Victoria and touches base on the need of privacy, being respectful to unpleasant adults, loving and losing family, religious acts, and politics. This book introduces readers into a familiar and yet reconstructed vocabulary. When you pick this book up be ready to smile, tear up a bit, have your heart twisted, and laugh at young innocence. 

2) Book Type: Intermediate Genre: Realistic fiction Luv Ya Bunches By: Lauren Myracle An interesting book that covers the short time of the first week of school and drama that unfolds in 5th grade at an elementary school with four very different girls. Walk into these girls lives and find out how lonely, confused, and hurt they feel at times and the ways that life helps them to feel liked, sure of themselves, and healed. I did enjoy this book however, there were a few pieces that I would not want to expose my future students to. Some controversial items in this book include lesbian parents and language. Apart from that, the book was a decent read. 3) Book Type: Intermediate Genre: Historical Fiction <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">The Midwife’s Apprentice <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Karen Cushman <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">This was a very interesting book to read through. Not only was it well written, it gave readers a look into the past where people relied on superstitions and young folk were on their own. The medieval ages were a time of uncertainty and magical practices. Within the pages of this book readers follow an unnamed child through her struggle to survive in a world most of us have never imagined. This is a short read, but it gives readers a lot to think about and to realize how much things have changed over the decades. <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">4) <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Intermediate <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Genre: Fairy Tale <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Rapunzel’s Revenge <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Shannon and Dean Hale <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Illustrated By: Nathan Hale <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Graphic Novels are rising in popularity, and I think for good reasons after reading this graphic novel. This is a twist off of the classic fairy tale of Rapunzel with the main elements, but many new details added in to an entire new ‘world’ setup. The authors and illustrators do a fantastic job on connecting everything within the story to create a plot line that smoothly flows with pictures that capture attention and flow in good sequence. 

<span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">5) <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Intermediate <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Realistic Fiction <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">The Strange Case of Origami Yoda   <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Tom Angleberger   <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Within the pages of this book readers find themselves in the junior high setting on the ‘side’ of the odd ball boys and a dilemma: to or to not ask a girl to dance. The un-coolest of un-cool boys has created a paper origami yoda who apparently is real and connected to the force. The book is a collection of stories about an encounter with origami yoda, all gathered to determine if origami yoda is real and thus worthy of taking advice from. This book was very cute and provides readers with a good laugh.

<span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">6) <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Intermediate <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Historical Fiction <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">The Lacemaker and the Princess <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley <span style="color: #7b0eb9; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">This is a story created around the French Revolution that bring together common girl Isabelle and Therese, a girl who has known nothing but luxury. The two are brought together by Queen Maria Antoinette who wants her daughter Therese to have a friend and playmate. So, Isabelle daily goes to the castle and lives in luxury during the day to go home and work in evenings at to sleep on her rickety bed. After a while Isabelle is forced to choose which life to keep living and what to give up. Charming, touching, and realistic this book wraps up a very real event into an exciting adventure taken by Isabelle.

<span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">7) <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Historical Fiction <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">The Hole in the Hill <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Marion Seyton <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Illustrated By: Leonard Shortall <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Mr. and Mrs. Stone are an average couple, with average kids, who do average things. Well, average for a family living in the Stone Age. And just like every other family, they want a pet. They knew that something was missing from their little hole in the hill, but they didn't know what it was. So join a father who likes to hunt, a mother who is too clean, a smart sister, a playful brother, and the unappreciated baby of the family. What pet could possibly be perfect for them all? As readers we get to join each family member on a journey to find the perfect pet! Pay careful attention to how the family treats the youngest and learn an important lesson. Jump into this book and see if your childhood pet is lurking in the pages. Make animal noises as you read to your kids, and enjoy the happy ending we all know is coming.

<span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">8) <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Genre: Fantasy <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Good Morning, Muffin Mouse <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Lawrence DiFiori <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Good Morning, Muffin Mouse is a book your two year old will beg you to read over and over, morning and night! There is an unexplainable joy in reading about a cute mouse saying good morning to all of her friends. When you read this book to your child, they will see examples of how important nature and life is. Enjoy an easy read and say good morning to your things, your food, the sky and sun, animals and bugs, and greenery! It is a big big world, so start getting to know it and say good morning!

<span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">9) <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Genre: Science Fiction <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Moosel’s Special Gift <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Douglas Hutchinson <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Illustrated By: Pat Paris <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Bill is a young boy who starts off his day at the beach with a book about his favorite character, Moosel. As Billy starts to read his book readers jump through the pages and see Moosel and the dilemma he is in. He has to get his friend a birthday present, but his friend has everything. What is he to do? When all hope seem lost, Billy is magically transported into the book and saves the day by helping Moosel decide what to do for his friends birthday.

<span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">10) <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fantasy <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Ridiculous! <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Michael Coleman <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Illustrated By: Gwyneth Williamson <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">A small family of tortoises trudges along in their process of hibernating…all of them but one. Young and curious Shelly is not ready to hibernate. For one she is not sleepy and two she wants to know what winter is like. Join our tortoise on her short journey into the snowy unknown and find out what really is so ridiculous about this book!

<span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">11) <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fantasy <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Big Bear Little Bear <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: David Bedford <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Illustrated By: Jane Chapman <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">This heart warming story depicts an adventure baby bear goes on with mama bear. Little bear wants to be big like mama, but little bear is too small. However, with the help every mom willingly give to her baby, big mama bear can show little bear a glimpse of what it is like to be a big bear.

<span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">12) <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Historical fiction <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Going to Sleep on the Farm <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Wendy Cheyette Lewison <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Illustrated By: Juan Wijngaard <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">There are many books that focus on the father-son relationship. This picture book zooms in on a young boy asking his father about how different animals on the farm go to sleep. Factual, well illustrated, and written as a catchy poem, learn and see the cow, duck, horse, and more in their sleeping habits. You and your child will love how the book goes from father and son to animals falling asleep ending, of course, with a sleepy boy and a happy father.

<span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">13) <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fantasy <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Fix-it-Duck <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Written and Illustrated By: Jez Alborough <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">From page to page this cleaver book rhymes its way through the story of Fix-it-Duck! In weather sprinkling down rain, Duck sits down for a cup of coffee after a bath only to have a drop of water drip into his cup. Follow Fix-it-Duck in his attempt to fix the leak in his roof to the problem with sheep’s house, along the way meeting goat and frog. The ending of this book with not only make you smile, but be a reminder to you and your children of an important house rule.

<span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">14) <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fantasy <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Newton <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Written and Illustrated By: Rory Tyger <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Sometimes at night scary noises echo through the house, so join Newton, a precious toy, who goes to discover what causes the scary noises with his toys! As you read this book to your children, not only can they laugh at Newton and the things he does but this book will remind them to not be afraid! After all, Newton shows us that every scary noise at night has a reason.

<span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">15) <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fantasy <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Chester’s Way <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Written and Illustrated By: Kevin Henkes <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">This book focuses in on many positive aspects that goes along with being and having best friends. Chester and Wilson are the best of friends who do every thing together. They both love croquet, play together all the time, and share everything. That is the way it has always been, until Lilly moves to the neighborhood. Lilly has her own way of doing things, which are not the same as Chester and Wilson. It takes a while, but eventually the three bond and suddenly the three start doing everything that best friends do! Read this book for a charming story on acceptance and the joy of friendship.

<span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">16) <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fantasy <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Dinosaurumpus! <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">By: Tony Mitton <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Illustrated By: Guy Parker-Rees <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">This book is jam-packed with many different dinosaurs and tons of fun sounds to make! Travel back in time to an age with dinosaurs who not only come in all shapes and sizes, but do dances of all kinds! Dancing Dinos really create a ruckus until they dance their hearts out and fall asleep for a solid nights rest.

<span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">17) <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Realistic Fiction <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">God Inside of Me   <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Edlla Reese   <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Illustrated By: Yvonne Buchanan   <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">This book seemed like it would be enjoyable and Biblical, but reading through it, the message it sends is very universalistic. Kenisha is a young African-American girl who loves attending bible school every Sunday morning, but at home she is very inpatient and everything about everyone who is not her gets on her nerves. Then she has conversations with her toys that remind her about how everything has a little piece of God within them, and to love everyone and everything you must see that pieces of God within them. The pictures were very nice, but the story line was too unbiblical to be enjoyed.

<span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">18) <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fantasy <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Fairy Wings <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Lauren A. Mills <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Illustrated By: Dennis Nolan <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">As soon as you open Fairy Wings, you will be absorbed into a completely different world through illustrations magnificently drawn and colored. To be an outcast fairy is all Fia has ever known. She has no fairy friends and her own sisters don’t want her around. The only friends she can claim as her own are animals around her home. Animals don’t care if a fairy doesn’t have wings, which happens to describe Fia, unlike everyone else who is appalled at the idea of a fairy without wings. Fia is an outcast until suddenly she must be a heroine and save everyone else. Will Fia be able to put all of her hurt and pain behind her and save those she loves, or has her life of abandonment been to much?

<span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">19) <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Genre: Multicultural <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Written and Illustrated By: Yuyi Morales <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">When you pick up this book, not only will you get a taste of the Mexican Culture, but you will get a taste of counting in Spanish. Grandmother Beetle is at the end of her time on earth and so Senor Galavera has come to take her away. But Grandmother Beetle is a smart woman and knows just what it takes to evade Senor Galavera for one more year. Read along and see how Grandmother Beetle tricks Senor Galavera into wasting the day away until time is too late to ‘take her home’.

<span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">20) <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Genre: Fiction <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Dinosaur ROAR <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Henrietta Stickland <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Illustrated By: Paul Stickland <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">This book is very short and simple, but will be easy to love for your little tykes. Read about how different dinosaurs can be, whether strength, size, noise, nature, or speed. Then at the end be satisfied with watching each and every dinosaur eating lunch together! Look at the illustrations that are colorful and very diverse, the little children’s eyes will be wide with wonder. With words that flow and rhyme, you child will ask you to pick it up every time.

<span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">21) <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fiction <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">A Star So Bright: A Christmas Tale <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: M. Christina Butler <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Illustrated By: Caroline Pedler <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">This book is a precious Christmas story that will entrance young kids with the shinny star that gets bigger and bigger and you turn from page to page. To add to its worth, this book not only has magnificent drawings and features, but it is a rhyming book. Follow the star as it gets brighter and bigger. Pass by a fox and her pups, a hare, a momma bear and her cubs, deer, an owl, geese, mice, cats, and a little lamb to finally enter into a barn with a baby surrounded by warm farm animals.

<span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">22) <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fiction <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Demi’s Find the Animal: ABC <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Written and Illustrated By: Demi <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">This book has two pages devoted to each letter of the alphabet, but don’t expect to find a book full of words and clever sayings. Demi has taken a rather cleaver twist to this alphabet book and has taken out almost all words and put in their place pictures. And not just any pictures, but pictures of animals that have animals inside them. The reader must look within each animal or array of animals for spot the exact on the book wants you to find. Parents and their children will spend a lot of quality time with each other looking and searching for each animal in accordance with the alphabet.

<span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">23) <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fiction <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">The Napping House <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">By: Audrey Wood <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Illustrated By: Don Wood <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Everyone loves to listen and read a rhyming book! The rhythm flow of this book is one that will make each reader laugh as the story progresses. In a little house there lives a grandmother and her grandchild, along with their pets. The book starts off as everyone in the entire house starts to settle down for a time of rest and sleep. The words flow along and make the reader sleepy until a small surprise sets everything on a bit of a rush and excites the reader! It is amazing how one little thing can disrupt such a peaceful and calm environment!

<span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">24) <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fiction <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Donald Duck’s Tallest Tale <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Written and Illustrated By: The Walt Disney Company <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Donald, Mickey, and Goofy are the best of friends. They do lots of stuff together, like fishing and going on picnics. However, Donald likes to always have the last word and so he likes to make up stories that top his friends’ stories. It gets to a point where no one believes his stories, but they listen to amuse Donald. Then comes a time when Donald and his nephews go on a hike and Donald really discovers ancient cave drawings. He takes pictures of them and tells everyone his story. Unfortunately the pictures don’t turn out and no one believes him. This story holds a good lesson for children to learn and ends with a moral: tell the truth.

<span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">25) <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fiction <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Goofy and the Miller <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Written and Illustrated By: The Walt Disney Company <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Work ethic and honesty are values that are treasured by most but are lacked by many. Jump back in time where princesses, spells, and old mills are all within walking distance of each other. In this short tale, Goofy helps prove how rewarding it is to be not only a hard worker and honest, but also humble and kind. In the end of Goofy’s hard work he is rewarded a prize none thought to imagine, and those who lived lazy lives had to learn to step up and work hard.

<span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">26) <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fiction <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">A Dragon in a Wagon <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">By: Jane Belk Moncure <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Illustrated By: Linda Hohag <span style="color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">This cute book has witty rhymes and not only covers many animals that exist, but also many ways to travel. A dragon in a wagon is only one thing you will see if you refuse to open up “A Dragon in a Wagon”. Open the pages to see the many different ways to travel. Follow Megan as she hops onto cars, plains, boats, and trains. With each new vehicle they hop onto they meet a few new friends! By the time Megan and her dragon have hopped onto the plain, they have met an elephant, hippo, moose, cow, duck, pig, mice, and many more friends.

<span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">27) <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Picture Book <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Genre: Fiction <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">The Sneetches <span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Written and Illustrated By: Dr. Seuss

<span style="background: white; color: #001fff; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin: auto 0in 6pt;">Dr. Seuss is known for writing the silliest, craziest, and most amusing rhyming books out there. He does not fail us with "The Sneetches". Not only is this Dr. Seuss book funny and witty, it also has a moral to it. The book starts by telling readers, in a rhyme of course, that for as long as any can remeber there have always been two kinds of Sneetches. Ones with green stars on their bellies and ones without the green stars. It has been that way for as long as any can remeber. So when Sylvester McMonkey McBean comes to town with his machine that puts on and takes off green stars, all are in for a surprise. They waste their money to be the same as everyone else, but then things get complicated and mass confusion erupts. Read this book and learn an important lesson about being content with yourself the way that you are, and its easy to mess things up when you go to far.

28) Book Type: Young Adult <span style="color: lime; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Historical Fiction <span style="color: lime; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Thorn in My Heart <span style="color: lime; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">By: Liz Curtis Higgs <span style="color: lime; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Fall back into the 1700s of Scotland where the idea of God is still mixed in with the pagan ideas of demons and midwives. Social standing is still a huge issue, as is the idea of pure bloodlines and living a life of pure luxury on the labor of others. Two brothers battle each other for the blessing and birthright from their father while two sisters battle each other for the love and marriage of one man. This book covers a large amount of time and weaves both families together. The one thing you can count on within this book is that within each circumstance and situation, no matter the outcome the characters give the Lord Almighty praise and adoration.

<span style="color: lime; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">29) <span style="color: lime; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Book Type: Young Adult <span style="color: lime; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">Genre: Multicultural <span style="color: lime; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">A Bride for Donnigan <span style="color: lime; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">By: Janette Oke Living a life controlled by her step mother, whom she loathes, Kathleen’s only chance of escape comes when she is told about mail order brides. Her entire life, Kathleen has been looked down upon and informed that all she will amount to is a beggar or a bread seller. She was born with a limp leg and walks at a slow pace that goes hand in hand with constant back and leg pain. At age 13, Kathleen has already grown up and considers herself as a woman. So, taking the chance of her life she signs on as a mail order bride and is swept away from Ireland to America. The journey there is hard enough, until she realizes upon arrive that the man she will be marrying still considers her to be a child. Throughout the rest of her life Kathleen learns to be bold, have pride in herself, and love in only the way one can love once they find the love of a heavenly Father.

30) Book Type: Young Adult  Genre: Historical Fiction  Freedom’s Promise  By: Dianna Crwford  Growing up, all Annie ever knew was the confines of a father’s word. When she overhears discussion of a wagon train heading into the new wilderness, she desires to grab a hold of such an opportunity and tag along. Unfortunately, the leader of the wagon train refuses to take her on because she has no men that would be able to take care of her and her belongings. Infuriated at being looked down upon, Annie takes matters into her own hands and leaves town a few days before the wagon train and waits for them to catch up and forces them to allow her to travel with him. Annie is a woman of spunk, independence, and beauty. Read how she charms her way into everyone’s good charms except for the leader of the wagon train, who while being stubborn is also ruggedly handsome. When romance starts to blossom, can she allow herself to willingly give up her independence to a man?