Great Reads for Hispanic Heritage Month

American Girl: Josefina (secular middle grade)... these books are set in New Mexico in 1824. I like the sweet, age-appropriate dilemmas and the faith + family life in these books but the culture is so rich that it speaks for itself too. We see the culture come alive in food, clothing, speech, day to day tasks, professions, and even holidays. Very well done. I would say that these books are ideal for the 4th through 6th grade crowd. 

A Bear for Miguel (secular, leveled reader)... I really love the message in this one, set in El Salvador, and the great conversation it brought about. 

Chato's Kitchen (secular picture book)... chato the cat lives in a Los Angeles barrio. He invites his new neighbors (a family of mice) to dinner with secret plans of serving them as the main course. Things naturally go awry and this is just a generally fun story. We first encountered it through a Scholastic book DVD in which it is read by Cheech Marin. He has a very distinctive voice and it really brought the story to life. 

Danza (secular, picture book)... This is the biography of dancer Amalia Hernández. I have a lot of dance in my background and just loved this one! 

Echo (secular middle grade)... this is one of my very, very favorite books. This is a World War II story told in three parts. I guess technically four because of the intro and outro. Part one is set in Germany and part two is set in Pennsylvania. Part three is the part that allows this beautiful book a place on this list. Part 3 is set in California and is about a Mexican-American family who agrees to take over the farm of a Japanese-American family while they are in an internment camp. I believe this is the first time I had ever encountered Japanese internment camps in middle grade literature, although I'm sure it exists elsewhere. I love this author and feel like she did such a beautiful job showing this Mexican-American family battling racism in the school system while helping a Japanese-American family battling racism in the form of the World War II spy fear of japanese-americans. I feel like this description is frustrating me though because it breaks this amazing, powerful book down into such a small portion of it. Just read it! I have recommended it to so many people and everyone who has read it has said it was wonderful. I've also enjoyed the music-filled audio book version. 

A Girl Named Rosita... This is a great picture book biography of Rita Moreno, Puerto Rican star of Westside Story. 

Esperanza Rising (secular middle grade)... this depression-era book is by the same author as Echo and I loved it as a kid. Esperanza and her mother have to flee their home in the dark of the night and start life over in a lower station than they previously lived in. Esperanza learns so much in this book and so do we. This author is a master storyteller I cannot recommend enough.

I Love Saturdays y Domingos (secular picture book)... this is a really fun look at bicultural families. This picture book is about a little boy who loves to visit his white, English speaking grandparents on Saturdays and his Spanish speaking grandparents on Domingos (Sundays). This is a very well done story that shows the cultural differences and similarities all tied in a neat little bow about family love.

Juana and Lucas (secular chapter book)... I have only read the first two books of these series and I thought they were fun and cute. I believe there were one or two things I didn't adore but that overall these are clean, wholesome, and fun. These ones are set in Bogota, Colombia and are so filled with fun culture details. 

Mango, Abuela, and Me (secular picture book)... when abuela comes to live with the family, everything changes! Abuela only speaks Spanish so Bridges must be gapped and this story just shows such a beautiful example of love knowing no limits.

Marisol MacDonald Doesn't Match (secular picture book)... Marisol MacDonald is Scottish and Peruvian. This one is another fun look at bicultural families as we see marisol's mixing of her two cultures in such a fun way. This is also a really great look at the fact that each one of us is a unique individual and that being true to who we are is beautiful.

Sisters in Time: Rosa Takes a Chance (Christian middle grade)... this Christian historical fiction series is full of standalone books about different girls set in different time. I have not read all of them and have not approved of every one of them but I did read and love this one. Rosa takes a chance felt a lot like a mixture of Esperanza Rising and Echo from above as it sort of deals with both themes. This one is set during the Dust Bowl and is about a family trying to figure out how to handle that situation as well as an issue of segregation in schools.

Standing Together (Christian nonfiction)... this Christian nonfiction is a memoir about faith and how faith got this couple through the very trying time of Carlos losing his limbs after stepping on an IED and of Rosemarie's determination to be the wife he needed to get through that trying time. The couple is from Puerto Rico and we see bits and pieces of that shine through throughout this memoir. This is not specifically a culture-focused memoir but because their cultural heritage is so strong I felt like it still deserved a spot on this list. 

Sylvia & Aki (secular, middle grade)... This one, much like part of Echo, talks about a Mexican-American family working a Japanese family's farm during their time in a Japanese Internment Camp. This is a true story but it reads like a fiction novel. I really enjoyed this one.  

Tacos for Two (contemporary Christian romance)... this contemporary Christian romance tale is one I really enjoyed because of its fun You've Got Mail vibes. Our main heroine is biracial and is I believe half or one quarter Mexican. She owns a Tex-Mex food truck in Texas and we see a lot of Mexican food culture here. Plus, it's just a really fun read! 

The Three Little Tamales (secular picture book)... this fun picture book is essentially The Three Little Pigs but instead of pigs we are dealing with tamales. This one is set in Texas so we are looking at Tex Mex foodie culture and it's just a generally fun read since we love factured fairy tales. And tamales 😉

Waiting for the Biblioburro (secular picture book)... I really love books about mobile libraries in their various forms and adored this book set in Columbia. This is a fictionalized account of Luis Soriano and his biblio burro, a donkey he used to transport a small mobile library to rural areas. We read this book multiple times when we borrowed it from the library.

Book-filled vacation

We just got back from a little mini vacation in Lubbock, Texas, and it was so filled with books! 

First, the amazing stack of books we got for $1 each at Mardel, a Christian bookstore. 

This morning we stopped by a Sugar Browns coffee shop and I did morning time at the table while I waited for them to make my husband's coffee + my chai! (I haven't had a chai in 2-3 years and gosh, I had forgotten how delicious they are!) 

(Current morning reads: the book of Luke, Nothing to Prove, Theodore Roosevelt)

4 books I finished on this trip: 

The Dragon and the Stone by Kathryn Butler* (middle grade, Christian)... This fantasy delight is going to be so fun for my kids! It wasn't super deeply spiritual in this first installment but it certainly could be and I'm just happy for the clean read anyway! This is a fast-paced, well-written, engaging adventure that I happily added to our sixth grade shelf. 

Elysium Tide by James R Hannibal* (suspense, Christian)... I'll be honest- the surgery in the first chapter had me feeling quite squeamish. There's some medical description + insensitive talking in the book that was almost too much for me and it took me a couple chapters to get used to the Hawaiian speaking style but this is a riveting suspense fans of detective novels will enjoy. 

Lewis and Clark by George Sullivan (chapter book, secular)... I liked this offering from the Good and the Beautiful Book List, now on our 4th grade shelf. 

Science Book of Volcanoes by Patricia Lauber (chapter book, secular)... This is a simple nonfiction and I liked it just fine. I put it in our 4th grade shelf just because of some difficult names but it's probably about a 3rd-4th grade reading level otherwise. 

* I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Historical nonfiction chapter books we love

Apollo 13... (Bookshop // Amazon) 

Balto and the Great Race... (Bookshop // Amazon)) 

Climbing Everest... (Bookshop // Amazon) 

The Curse of King Tut's Mummy... this one was particularly interesting to my son. This is about the excavation of King Tut's tomb, but there is also information about further back ancient Egypt to explain what's going on. (Bookshop // Amazon) 

Five True Dog Stories (Bookshop // Amazon) and Five True Horse Stories (Amazon)... both of these books are so much fun for animal lovers! There is also one called Nine True Dolphin Stories (Amazon) and I am always hoping to get my hands on a copy but have never been able to yet.

I Have a Dream... this Martin Luther King book is so well written and so powerful. I highly recommend this one. (Amazon) 

Helen Keller... this one is also very well written and Powerful. I don't even know how many Helen Keller books I have read at this point in my life but this one is particularly well done. (Bookshop // Amazon) 

A Horn for Louis... we love this book about Louis Armstrong's start as a musician. (Bookshop // Amazon) 

Magic Tree House Fact Trackers: Titanic... truthfully, I do not care for the fiction versions of the Magic Tree House books but quite a few of the fact trackers have made their way onto our shelves book lists because they are so jam-packed full of information written in great language for the third grade reading level. (Bookshop // Amazon) 

New Toes for Tia... I found this gem in a yard sale where they just gave it to me and I was so delighted. This is a missionary story about a little girl named Tia who had burned her toes in a fire. The missionaries helped to provide the necessary medical treatment for her and it is overall just a great look at her life and culture. (Amazon) 

You Choose: The Dust Bowl... I loved Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid and this was such an awesome way 2 teach kids history! Although this is kind of fictional in that you decide which path to go down and the story is sort of written from that perspective, this is jam-packed with factual information and I think it is allowed to count as nonfiction for that reason. (Bookshop // Amazon) 

Wholesome time travel books we love

Imagination Station... This Christian series is a lot of fun! I grew up listening to Adventures in Oddyssey so I like it for that reason but these books are fun, exciting, and packed with interesting history. The main characters are boy and girl cousins and this series works fine for boys and girls. Ideal for kids with a 2nd or 3rd grade reading level. 

Imagine series... This Christian series is ideal for 4th or 5th graders. Each book has a different male or female main character who unwittingly travels back in time and experiences a Bible story in person. These are a lot of fun! 

Ranger in Time... This secular series, ideal for I'd say 3rd graders, is about a dog who is sent to a different point in time in each book and can't get home until he rescues someone in need of rescuing. 

The Serpent Slayer... I adored this new Christian novel, the first in an upcoming series, about a brother and sister who get to travel back to Bible stories. This one is so clever and intriguing with riddles. Ideal for 4th-ish grade readers. 

Time Hop Sweets Shop... This secular series of short early chapter books is ideal for 2nd or 3rd grade readers. A brother and sister help in their family bakery and travel back in time with famous historical figures to experience historical moments in person. 

17+ beloved books about toys coming alive

There is a reason Toy Story is such a hit. It's the same reason so many of us love The Island of Misfit Toys in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. (Little Golden Book versions here and here) 

I, like so many children, desperately believed as a kid that my toys came to life when I left the room. I remember setting them up in specific positions so that I could sneak into the house and then burst through the door when we got home, just so I could see if they had moved. I even remember loudly proclaiming that we were headed to church and that I was coming right behind my family but then running back to my room and flinging the door open to see if they had moved yet. 

There is something so magically delightful about imagining your very favorite dolls and stuffed animals coming to life and this is one of my favorite book lists yet just for that reason! I hope you will find some old favorites and some new goodies on this list.

Babushka's Doll (picture book) ... This is a fun way to kick off this list because unlike the other toys on this list, this one is very naughty! Babushka's doll makes all kinds of mischief but all's well by the end so it's a fun read. 

The Christmas Dolls (chapter book) ... This book is about a little girl in an orphanage who ends up with two less-than-desirable dolls and loves them to pieces. It's a simple but sweet story and it made a fantastic Christmas buddy read with my five and six-year-old daughters. 

Corduroy (picture book)... All four of my kids have loved the original Corduroy books and several others about this talking teddy bear and his adventures... A Pocket for Corduroy, Corduroy's Garden, Corduroy Takes a Bow, and Corduroy's Christmas Surprise (just off the top of my head!) 

David McPhail's toy love board books (board book)... We don't have any of these anymore but my little ones all loved Bella Loves Bunny, Ben Loves Bear, and Olivia Loves Owl. The toys aren't super alive in these ones and in fact remain perfectly still, but they're still personified by way of "Bella loves Bunny. Bunny loves Bella." 

The Doll People (middle grade) ... I never read these books as a kid and have only read the first so far (there are four books in the series, plus a Christmas story that may just be a picture book?) but I really enjoyed it! This is the story of a doll family who wake up when the humans aren't around. A new doll family moves in and some big adventures happen as a result! 

Hitty's Travels (chapter book) ... I never read the middle grade original but B and I enjoyed buddy reading these chapter book adaptations about a 100-year-old doll and all the life she's seen! This is a four-book series featuring Civil War Days, Gold Rush Days, Voting Rights Days, and Ellis Island Days. Slavery is portrayed in a very mild and gentle way in Civil War Days--mild and gentle enough that slavery doesn't seem like a big deal at all--so you may want to skim this one and then determine how you'd like to further that discussion. 

Honk Honk Beep Beep (board book) ... This one was such a hit for little A! This is a simple rhyming board book that shows a father and son figurine riding a toy jeep up to the window to watch the sunrise. They stop to help (and be hindered by) other toys along the way. This is a classic picture book in the sense that the majority of the story is told through the illustrations. 

The Little Engine That Could (picture book) ... A bit of a stretch for this particular list since the dolls and toys are just bit players asking the train to help them get to the other side of the mountain but I still had to include it since it's such a classic! 

The Nutcracker (picture book, chapter book, and middle grade!) ... One of our favorite secular Christmas traditions about a Nutcracker doll who comes to life to battle a giant mouse kind with a toy soldier army and then sweep Marie/Clara (depends on the version) off to the land of sweets! As blasphemous as it may sound, ETA Hoffman's original isn't actually my favorite version! (But check out the Susan Jeffers illustration version if it's one of yours). The seven-headed mouse king and the Perlipat story line kinda creep me out. My son enjoyed Scholastic's chapter book adaptation last Christmas and all four of us love Mary Engelbreit's super simplified picture book version. We love Jan Brett illustrations though and enjoyed peeking at her new version in a bookstore last month. 

Raggedy Ann and Andy collection (leveled readers)... Raggedy Ann and Andy are characters and dolls) who have survived for ages! My mom still has my old Raggedy Ann doll and my mother-in-law still has hers, too! 

The Steadfast Tin Soldier (picture book) ... I have a picture book copy of this one my mom gave me for one of my childhood Christmases! (Side note: Save some of your kids' favorite picture books, goodness. It felt so special to watch my children pour over the same illustrations from my same old copy!) This one is about a play room that comes to life at night, but in particular about a defective toy soldier and the paper doll ballerina he's in love with. 

The Story of Holly and Ivy (chapter book*)... A little girl who longs for a doll and a doll who longs for a little girl--a perfectly heartwarming Christmas tale! *I've categorized this one as a chapter book for its length and ideal age level but unless I'm misremembering, it's actually just one long picture book without any chapter breaks. 

The Teddy Bears' Picnic (picture/board book) ... Simple and sweet, an oldie but a goodie. I never remember the tune to the song so this book makes teddy bear-loving D very happy. 

The Velveteen Rabbit (chapter book) ... This book shows up as a picture book too but the chapter book original is my favorite. It's sad in a lot of ways but brings me the feels, as they say. 

Winnie the Pooh (middle grade) ... For some reason Winnie the Pooh has become a baby-and-toddler icon in US culture so I find that it's often "outgrown" just before the best age for appreciating it! Really, these books are ideal for fifth-ish grade readers and pack such a delightful punch! Some of my very favorite quotes come from Winnie the Pooh and I tell Ryan every year on our anniversary, "I knew when I met you an adventure was going to happen." 

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (middle grade)... This one is a major, major stretch. There's a chapter about china doll people so I threw it in here but I'm 99% sure there's only the one chapter and the whole rest of the book is just about Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion and their quest. (No, you're not crazy... if you've only seen the movie then you only really know about the Wicked Witch, flying monkeys and munchkins but not the china doll people, Winkies, or any of the other characters) 

You are Special (picture book) ... We love Max Lucado and really like this one. The Wemicks are wooden dolls but they're never really talked about as being someone's dolls, aside from their discussion with/about their creator. This is a fantastic book of spiritual allegory, though, and I can't recommend it enough! 

Great books to complement a budding sewing interest

Five-year-old C has been interested in learning to sew! We made some ornaments for our Christmas tree together and she's already daydreaming about future projects. (She's hoping I'll buy this or this any day now 😉)

I thought I'd tell you today about some sewing-focused books I have loved... Actual sewing books I adore and sewing-heavy fiction for children and adults alike! 

American Girl's Addy, Isabelle, Josefina, and Kirsten books feature quite a bit of sewing. Isabelle isn't my favorite but I adore the other three! (See my full list of American Girl reviews here) 

Beneath the Seams... This grown-up contemporary Christian fiction novel is all about sewing! This is a really great look at the fashion industry, humanity, and balancing motherhood with career aspirations. Definitely recommend! 

The Canada Geese Quilt... I love Natalie Kinsey Warnock's writing. This one is ideal for 4th-ish grade reading level readers. Ariel and her grandmother work on a quilt for the arrival of Ariel's baby sister. 

The Josefina Story Quilt... This leveled reader is about Faith's family's journey west and Faith's quilt chronicling her chicken Josefina's life. 

Little House books are filled with sewing stories and are probably the very reason she wanted to learn! We've enjoyed the full series as audio books read by Cherry Jones, B loves the chapter books, and all four kids have enjoyed the picture books for years. 

The Nesting Quilt by Cathryn Falwell... This sweet book is like a picture book version of Canada Geese Quilt... A young girl and her grandmother make a quilt to prepare for the arrival of her new sibling. 

One Yard Wonders... I also like their Fabric by Fabric One Yard Wonders and Little One Yard Wonders books, too. These are great books full of small sewing projects using only one yard of fabric. 

The Quilt by Ann Jonas... This is a short and simple picture book showing a young girl's love for the various fabrics in her patchwork quilt. 

The Quiltmaker's Gift... I love this gorgeous book about a woman who makes the most beautiful quilts but only for those who need them, and a king who doesn't need one but is willing to do anything to get one. Touching and heartwarming, a clear favorite for my family. 

Sew Dolled Up... This is a fun project book of simple felt dolls of a few styles and all kinds of outfits. 

Sew Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp... This is my very favorite sewing book because it taught me how to use my sewing machine! It's very informative and easy to understand with several adorable projects. 

Storybook Toys... The prettiest project book! These projects are a little too advanced for me but I'm still trying to learn them because I just love them! 

American Girl reviews

I loved American Girl books as a kid! Now there are lots more and I'm enjoying (or occasionally not enjoying) getting to re-read the ones I loved and discover the new ones as I review the books for my kids' shelves. I wanted to put all my American Girl reviews in one place so now here they are! I'll update this list as I read new ones. 

Addy... One of my very favorites! I think this was my first American Girl book and I have fond memories of it. Addy and her mother are slaves who run away to avoid being separated after they have already just been separated from her father and brother. This was my first book that touched on something deep and it opened up my compassionate young heart to a world I'd never known. As an adult I particularly appreciate her relationship with Momma and their faith. I also wrote a short essay about the book and made an Ida Bean doll which my entry into a special American Girl tea party. 

Chrissa... I have read far too many bully books that just fell flat, where the bullying was almost glorified until the last two pages. This book was well done and was very realistic in my opinion. Bullying comes in many forms but this one mirrored some of my own experiences from the same time period. 

Felicity... This Colonial story seems to be a fan favorite, maybe because of the horses or Felicity's spunky personality. I didn't care for the attitude, or Felicity sneaking out at night for a good cause, so DNF (did not finish). 

History Mystery 12: Riddle of the Prairie Bride... I thoroughly enjoyed it. I knew the gist of what was going to happen but I didn't have all the details completely worked out so that made for a good mystery in my opinion. I believe the History Mysteries are meant for a 5th or 6th grade reading level. 

History Mystery 17: Mystery at Chilkoot Pass... This one had a few fibs but I overall liked it alright. Definitely a fun setting! 

Isabelle... This modern story (with strong dance and fashion design elements) was generally fine, though I didn't love the altercations with a bratty classmate. I liked the movie even more and we'll be watching it in December since it's Nutcracker-themed. 

Josefina... I love Josefina's gentle spirit, her family dynamics, and her faith. These books have a lot of fun Spanish words to go along with all the rich culture. Set in New Mexico. 

Julie... This one is set in 1970s San Francisco. I wanted it to work out but there were a bunch of little things that eventually all added up to make this one a no for my kids. 

Kaya... DNF because I didn't love some meanness. 

Kit... Name-calling and general mean-spiritedness made this depression-era series a DNF for me. 

Kirsten... I loved this pioneer series as a kid and as an adult I also appreciate the information about Sweden. Kirsten and her family are brand new American citizens (the first book starts on the ship!) making a new life for themselves in Minnesota. 

Maryellen... I didn't finish the first book. I didn't necessarily give it a fair chance but it was a three-minor-strikes-and-you're-out approach. I know one strike was for a somewhat anti-stay-at-home-mom sentiment and one was for a comment about parents getting mad if you try to take too much of their time (not completely untrue I guess, but definitely a negative approach to relationship!) But I can't remember the third now. Nothing huge, just felt like I'd rather quit and focus on books that align more with my familial values. 

Meet Claudie and Adventures with Claudie... I was happy with the two books I read in this new historical series from American Girl, set in 1920s Harlem and followed by a trip to visit family in Georgia. The Harlem Renaissance is something I didn't know a lot about so i enjoyed this.

Melody... I've still only read the first one so far but I really enjoyed their family dynamics and faith along with the compelling look at the Civil Rights movement. 

Molly... Name-calling and general mean-spiritedness made this WWII series a DNF for me. But the movie was a yes! 

The Night Flyers... This history mystery had a few bratty parts and a few issues that weren't addressed as well as I like but I was overall okay with it for the age group (6th ish grade).

Rebecca... Rebecca's series takes place at the start of WWI and focuses a lot on her starlet dreams and her Jewish heritage. I like her big family and generally enjoyed this series. My son has read five of the series now and this one was his favorite. 

Saige... I've only read the first book but I like this modern story, mostly focused on Saige's friendships and her relationship with her grandma and how those two things like up with her love for art and horses. Set in New Mexico. 

Samantha... General mean-spiritedness made this early 1900s series a DNF for me. But I did enjoy The Stolen Sapphire: A Samantha Mystery 

Wellie Wishers... This series is about a modern group of friends and is for an earlier reading level, I'd say 2nd or 3rd grade reading level. I love the gentle lessons on being a good friend and my girls adore the realistically whimsical nature of their garden-themed lives. This series became a TV show so there are also Wellie Wisher leveled readers available for even younger fans. 

Homeschool History: Revolutionary War

We've been working through American history and I've decided to list our favorite resources for a specific time period ever so often. We'll start today with the Revolutionary War and the resources I've used for ages 5-7.

Adventures in American History... My mom got us this Adventures in Oddysey audio drama and it's a huge hit. They just want to plow through it and I'm constantly having to convince them to wait for the next episode until we've read books and explored other resources for the subject they just learned about! 

Bedtime History Podcast: Paul Revere's Ride // George Washington part 1, 2 & 3

The Good and the Beautiful's History Year 1... These lessons were a bit lengthy if you're only working with the early elementary crowd but my son still loved it. The lesson book, the Big Book of History stories, the Keys of History board game, all of it.

Picture Books: American Girl: The Story of America (this is such a fun timeline book! Each time period is much too brief to be used alone but it's a great sidekick!) // George vs George // George Washington's Teeth 

Early readers:  George Washington: the First President by Sarah Albee // Imagination Station books 13-15 // Ranger in Time: Night of Soldiers and Spies

Middle Grade: Toliver's Secret by Esther Wood Brady (we read this a read-aloud, as recommended by TGTB's history unit. I liked it. A was on the fence at first but loved it by the end).

Videos: America: the Story of Us (definitely best for ages 10 or 12 and up) // Animated Hero Classics: George Washington

I've shared before that my childhood history lessons were dry and lackluster. I retained very little of it so I've been enjoying learning alongside my children. Those elements of history that did stick for me all involved historical fiction making it all come alive so I'm reading a historical fiction grown-up book with some units, too. For this one I read Rachel Hauck's Christian fiction timeslip The Love Letter. Romantic stories are never my favorites but I did like this one (she's a great writer) and it did indeed help this time period come alive for me! I don't necessarily recommend it for high schoolers but you know your kid better than I do! 

*Many of these links are affiliate links. I'll receive a small commission for referring you to the product/website but you won't pay anything extra.

Children's Graphic Novels I Love

Waaaay back in the day I had a great love for the Betty and Veronica comic books staring me in the face while my poor mom just tried to pay for the groceries in her cart. My brother went on to become an even bigger aficionado and now my seven-year-old is finding great love for graphic novels.

These are some kid graphic novels I have really enjoyed.

Action Bible- I've talked about this graphic novel bible story here before but I'm still a fan. Some people have reviewed it negatively since it's a bible story book instead of a bible but I love it. You can easily read straight from the Bible and let your kids explore this book to help the story come alive.

Book Love- I adored this fun and funny book of cartoons about book lovers. It's probably meant for adults but since it's perfectly appropriate and just a fun book about loving books (cartoons showing a girl stopping at the bookstore just after leaving the library or devoting an entire suitcase to vacation books, for example) I passed it on to my advanced reader son who loved it just as much as I did.

Boxcar Children- We're big fans of the Boxcar Children in this family and the graphic novels are a fun way to re-explore the same stories we already know and love.

Comics: Easy as ABC- this one is more of a how-to for kids who'd like to make their own comics but it's filled with fun cartoons and recommendations. I think this is probably best for kids with a 4th grade + reading level. A is seven and can read complex things but really skimmed this one despite his burgeoning interest.

Epic Bible and Epic Devotions- I like these just as much as Action Bible but feel like this one is slightly younger... Maybe 4th grade?

Good Rosie- We already liked Kate Dicamillo for her Mercy Watson series but this simple, short-but-sweet story of a lonely dog was A's favorite read this week. I'd recommend it for readers with a 2nd grade reading level.

The Hobbit- I actually won't give this to my kids until they're teens and have read the original but the illustrations in this Hobbit graphic novel are just delightful! Except Gollum 😉

Little Robot by Ben Hatke- This is a wordless graphic novel but that makes it perfect for beginning readers learning to piece a story together with context clues. You could give this one to a kid of any age. I believe A was three the first time we checked it out!

New Kid- This is a fantastic book for 5th or 6th graders. This is just a fun look at all kinds of awkward middle school issues, but we also get to see a few gentle examples of microracism. I enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the sequel!

White Bird- This is marketed as a middle grade novel and I've heard it recommended for 5th and 6th graders. I positively adored this book but I do NOT recommend it for that age group. I added it to my list for 8th grade. This is a beautiful WWII story, which regular readers know I'm a sucker for, but it touches on many different themes and is just so well-done! 

Aaaaand a few on my list, some I haven't yet read but plan to read: Anne // Benjamin Bear // Class Act // El Deafo // Hansel and Gretel