Chapters Indigo, a major chain of booksellers in Canada, surveyed 12,000 teachers to find out what books every child should read. Being a teacher myself, I was interested in the list. I see the 12,000 teachers decided to stick with a lot of the classics. I’ve bolded the ones I’ve read myself. Here’s the top books, as arranged by grade:

Grades K- 2 (Ages 5 – 7)

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? - Bill Martin Jr.
• Love You Forever – Robert N. Munsch
• Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom – Bill Martin, Jr.
• The Kissing Hand – Audrey Penn
• The Paper Bag Princess – Robert N. Munsch
• Something from Nothing – Phoebe Gilman
• Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse – Kevin Henkes
• Chrysanthemum - Kevin Henkes
• Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus! – Mo Willems

Grades 2 – 4 (Ages 7 – 9)

• Dinosaurs Before Dark - Mary Pope Osborne
• Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White
• The Giving Tree- Shel Silverstein
• Junie B. Jones And The Stupid Smelly Bus – Denise Brunkus
• Charlie And The Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
• Otherwise Known As Sheila The Great – Judy Blume
• Tales Of A Fourth Grade Nothing – Judy Blume
• Geronimo Stilton # 1 Lost Treasure Of the Emerald Eye – Scholastic
• Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day – Judith Viorst
• Where the Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak

Grades 4 – 6 (Ages 9 – 11)

• The Bad Beginning: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book the First – Lemony Snicket
• Bridge to Terabithia – Katherine Paterson
• Frindle – Andrew Clements
• The BFG – Roald Dahl
• Oh, the Places You’ll Go! – Dr Seuss
• Number the Stars – Lois Lowry
• Island of the Blue Dolphins – Scott O’dell
• A Wrinkle in Time – Madeleine L’engle
• Dragon Rider – Cornelia Funke
• Maniac Magee – Jerry Spinelli

Grades 6 – 8 (ages 11 – 13)

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – J.K. Rowling
• The Chronicles of Narnia – C.S. Lewis
• Holes – Louis Sachar
• The Giver – Lois Lowry
• The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton
• Anne of Green Gables – Lucy Maud Montgomery
• Breadwinner – Deborah Ellis
• Hatchet - Gary Paulsen
• The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien
• Artemis Fowl – Eoin Colfer

Grades 8 and up (ages 13+)

• To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
• The Catcher in the Rye – J.D Salinger
• Life of Pi - Yann Martel
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
• The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
• Eragon – Christopher Paolini
• Lord Of The Flies – William Golding
• Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
• Night - Elie Wiesel
• Nineteen Eighty Four – George Orwell

So I made a few mistakes when I decided to read this book.

First, I decided to give it a go right before bedtime, thinking I would just read a couple of chapters and then go to sleep.

Second, I decided to give it a go right before bedtime. And sure, if you consider that I went to bed at midnight but didn’t actually go to sleep until 9:00AM, then I suppose you can say I read this book at bedtime. This novel was so engaging, that I could not close it. I was so shocked to look up about half-way through the book to see the sun was rising and I no longer needed the light on to see the pages. It honestly felt as if only a couple hours had passed.

Third mistake, I didn’t pick up this book earlier. I should have, since my husband told me weeks ago how much he enjoyed Shinn’s writing and that I’d probably like it too. We don’t tend to read the same sorts of books, so I was somewhat skeptical. But then I read Shinn’s YA trilogy and liked it very much. I’m glad that I gave this book a chance, because it’s a very good book, and (yay!) I’ve got the rest Samaria series ahead of me to look forward to. (more…)

Okay… I have been visited many times with the search terms “lake house movie based on what book?” and “what book is lake house movie based on?” and “+”The Lake House” book movie NOT Patterson” and all that stuff that leads me to think there are many people out there that want to read a story that touches them the way The Lake House did.
Since the novella the movie is based on isn’t easily available… I did some research for you. Not a lot, but some. I used the Novelist database at my library and Storycode.com to search for stories about people who love each other but can’t be together because of that whole pesky time issue, and I tried to find some that deal with letter-writing. And here’s what I’ve come up with for all of you wanting to read something similiar to The Lake House. HTH… (more…)

Can I Bring My Pterodactyl to School, Ms. Johnson? — Lois Grambling, Illustrated by Judy Love

A little boy tries to convince his teacher that bringing his pterodactyl to school will be useful for the whole class. Really cute story, I enjoyed this book quite a lot. Will appeal to boys.

The Very Lazy Ladybug — Isabel Finn, Illustrated by Jack Tickle

A lazy ladybug didn’t bother to learn how to fly. When she gets bored sitting on her leaf, she decides to hitch a ride on passing animals, and discovers that the movements of these animals don’t suit the ladybug. Cute story to read with kids and help them learn about different animals and their movements.

Shelly — Margie Palatini, Illustrated by Guy Francis

Shelly’s big sisters have all hatched from their shells, but Shelly isn’t ready to leave his yet. His sisters want him to come out and do all the fun things they’re doing, but Shelly isn’t interested in those things. When he’s finally left alone, Shelly discovers there’s all kinds of things he’s ready for, but he’s just not ready to share them with his sisters yet. Very cute story, and the illustrations are even more cute.

The Marvelous Misadventures of Fun-Boy! — Ralph Cosentino

Very unique in that this story is told in pictures with minimal words. Really cool pictures, and the stories they tell are fun (thus, Fun-Boy!). I really liked this book.

Clumsy Crab – Ruth Galloway

Nipper the crab doesn’t like his claws. They’re clumsy and sharp and make it difficult to play with his friends. He wishes he looked more like his friends, but when a situation arises that only Nipper can solve, he discovers that his claws are good for some things. Good story about self-image and learning to like yourself the way you are.

This is my book club’s pick for August. I had actually borrowed this book from the library last year but hadn’t gotten around to reading it by the time it had to go back. I remember that I hadn’t been in a rush to read it when I had it, and I wasn’t in a hurry to get it again.

Why? The front flap gave the entire story away. I don’t need to be spoon fed the plot. Yes, I know this is chick lit and it’s commonly understood that the girl and the guy are going to get together once they get over whatever is keeping them from realising they should be together, and I’ve read enough Chick Lit that I shouldn’t be surprised I was able to figure it all out just from the flap, but still… maybe I just shouldn’t read the flaps.

So I expected this novel to be predictable. And it was. But I was happy to find that once I actually started reading it, I didn’t want to put it down and I ended up finishing it in the same day. So while it was predictable, it was clearly a good read. Why? Charming, very funny, and well-written, the feel of this book was comfortable and quite entertaining, reminding me very much of Jennifer Crusie’s Bet Me, a book I really enjoyed. (more…)

Overboard! – Sarah Weeks, Illustrated by Sam Williams

The story of a little bunny who likes to toss things overboard, whether it’s over the crib, over the top of the stairs. It reminded me of my niece when when she’d sit in her high chair and throw things you’d give her and then laugh when you’d retrieve it for her so she could do it again. Adorable (the book and my niece). I particularly like the illustrations, the first word that popped into my head when looking at the bright colors and cute drawings was “primary.” Good for pre-school aged kids. You’ll have fun reading it together and saying “Overboard!”

Gumboot’s Chocolatey Day — Mick Inkpen

I love Mick Inkpen’s books, not so much for the stories as for the illustrations. They’re too cute for words. This is the story of Gumboot, the little pig that loves chocolate (and is working on counting higher than 10, a skill that’s much handier than he knew it would be). He gets a chocolate bar and tries to make it last throughout the day, and he decides to go for an outing to the park where he makes friends with the local ducks, who (thankfully) don’t like chocolate. But that doesn’t mean his chocolate is safe!

Benny and Beautiful Baby Delilah – Jean Van Leeuwen, Illustrated by Leuyen Pham

Benny doesn’t like his new baby sister Delilah. She takes up (his) space, (his) playing time with the parents, (his) attention from the family and relatives. He thinks she’s ugly and she cries too much. But when Delilah won’t stop crying, it takes her big brother to make her smile. I really liked the illustrations in this book, they have the look of watercolor that’s been outlined in the inky strokes of Asian calligraphy. Very pretty.

Sheep Take a Hike — Nancy Shaw, Illustrated by Margot Apple

Another in the Sheep series by Shaw, this one follows the sheep as they take a hike and lose their way. I like the illustrations in the Sheep stories, and the stories are always fun. This one has a nice rhyming to it that makes it a good one to read aloud.

Come Along, Daisy! — Jane Simmons

Daisy and her mother are out for a swim on the pond. Mother calls to Daisy to come along and stay close, but Daisy is easily distracted by the bugs and the lilypads to listen. When Daisy finally looks up, she can’t see her Mother and gets very worried. A good story about listening and consequences when you don’t. The illustrations are very nice too. I can’t tell what medium was used; could be a type of paint, or oil pastels or even watercolors. Maybe even a mixture. They have a sort of wishy-washy feel to them, with sharp, clean lines around Daisy and soft, feathery details around her. Cute.

Think you know your chick lit? If so, take the chick lit quiz.

I thought I read a good amount of chick lit, but I only scored 60%.

According to Kellen Carmichael’s mother, she was born a boy and was magically changed into a girl the day after the birth. She is so certain Kellen was born a boy that she refuses to allow Kellen to behave as a girl, as she is sure that one day the magic will return to change her back into a boy. So throughout her youth, Kellen is dressed as a boy and introduced by her mother to people as her son. As you can imagine, Kellen grows up with much confusion about herself.

The Carmichaels are a poor family that live in a small village named Thrush Hollow. Kellen’s father is not home much of the time as he is a traveling merchant, and her mother brings in little money taking in small mending jobs for neighbors. One day, they hear that a Truth-Teller has come to visit the village and Kellen’s mother insists that they visit her to finally learn the truth about Kellen’s birth. But the Truth-Teller does not tell them what the mother expects to hear. She tells them that Kellen is indeed a girl, was born a girl, and had never been anything but a girl. Kellen’s mother refuses to believe her, and despite the Truth-Teller’s words, she will not allow Kellen to be addressed or treated as a girl. Kellen’s father can no longer take his wife’s insanity and the next time he leaves to sell his goods on the road, he never comes back, only sending money from time to time to help support his wife and their “son.” (more…)

“What would you say if I told you there was a time a Safe-Keeper told a secret, a Truth-Teller told a lie, and a Dream-Maker did everything in her power to make sure a wish went astray? Believe me when I tell you, for I am a Truth-Teller, and every word I say is true.”

The Inn-keeper of Merendon’s daughters, Adele and Eleda, are identical twins with opposite personalities. One day the Dream-Maker comes to the Inn and announces that the Queen has given birth to a daughter and has invited all the Truth-Tellers and Safe-Keepers in the kingdom to visit the new princess, and so of course the twins must go. The twins and their parents look astounded at this news, but it makes sense. Adele has always been the quiet, sometimes deceptive child, while Eleda, the tattle-tale, has never been able to tell a lie.

Their father is overjoyed by the revelation. He immediately orders a kirrenberry and a chatterleaf tree to be planted in the inn’s courtyard. The kirrenberry tree is silent, the symbol of a Safe-Keeper, while the chatterleaf tree always makes sound, the symbol of the Truth-Teller. Their presence is a signal to the townsfolk that they can always come to the inn to share the burden of a secret or seek the truth. It is another source of income for the inn, as those who seek these services will often leave some coins or whatever goods they can offer in gratitude. Their presence begins to attract the townsfolk and the neighboring villagers, and the inn is busier than it’s ever been before. (more…)

My husband has been on a Sharon Shinn reading kick lately. He’s really been enjoying the Samarian series, so I put all of Shinn’s books on hold at the library for him. There are a lot of them. I looked through them, thinking I might give one a try because I’m sort of tiring of the chick lit lately (which is why it seems I’ve been “currently reading” Jane Green’s Swapping Lives forever), and I hadn’t read a fantasy story in a while, with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince being the last one almost exactly a year ago. So I chose The Safe-Keeper’s Secret.

It’s late at night and a horse and its rider are galloping towards the village of Tambleham looking for the house with the kirrenberry tree. This is a tree that is silent, making no sounds whether the wind rips through its leaves, or an axe chops its trunk. A house with a kirrenberry tree signals the home of a Safe-Keeper, one whose job is to listen to a person’s secrets and never reveal them until the secret is made known separately of the Safe-Keeper or the time arrives when the secret would be safe to tell.

The rider arrives at the house with the kirrenberry tree, which is owned by the Safe-Keeper Damiana. The door opens and Damiana’s sister Angeline, who is also a Safe-Keeper, welcomes the rider into the house. But the rider does not want to stay, only wishing to leave a bundle for Damiana, which turns out to be a baby. The rider leaves the baby with Angeline, whispering the secret of its birth to her before riding away. The next morning, the rider is discovered dead on the road not far away. (more…)

I’ve mentioned before that I work in a library. Part of my job is going to schools to plug library programs and reading lists. This fall, I’ll be going to schools to plug the Young Readers Choice Awards (YRCA). These are books that are nominated by young people in Canada and the US as their favorites, and then judged by young readers in three categories: the junior, middle and senior divisions. For a list of the books in each division, click here.

To ready ourselves for the school visits, a team of people in the library system are asked to prepare book talks for each book so that the people that go into the schools to plug the books don’t have to actually read the books to tell the kids about them.

I’m one of the people asked to prepare a book talk, and the book I was given was Chasing Vermeer, which is in the junior division and is aimed at children in upper elementary, though middle school readers could read it as well. At first, I was disappointed with the book chosen for me (I was hoping for the senior division, which has some interesting books in it), but I don’t get to choose these things. So it took me a while to actually pick up the book and read it , as I’m not keen on doing work things on my own time, and contrary to many people’s beliefs, working in the library does NOT mean you get to read at work. But I finished reading this book in one sitting after I actually gave it a chance, and I liked it. (more…)

What Eddie Can Do – Wilfried Gebhard

Eddie’s mom notices Eddie’s shoes are untied and she offers to teach him how to tie them, but Eddie doesn’t want to learn, he’d rather go on a diving adventure! He can do all sorts of things in his adventures, but when it comes time to tie up a monster, Eddie discovers he needs mom’s help.

Sally and the Some-Thing — Goerge O’Connor

Sally is bored. She decides to go fishing at the pond, as as she’s waiting for a fish to bite, she notices Some-Thing is watching her. Some-Thing slithery and slurpy-sounding. When Some-Thing reveals itself, Sally tries to get it to do fun things with her, but Some-Thing isn’t interested in her fun. And it turns out, Sally isn’t interested in Some-Thing’s ideas of fun. Together, they decide to come up with new things they’re both interested in. A nice story about making friends with someone you don’t have much in common with. I suppose it would be a good book to gift a politician ;)

Down the Back of the Chair — Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Polly Dunbar

Dad’s lost his car keys and he can’t start the car. If he can’t start the car, he can’t go to work. If he can’t go to work, he can’t make money! If they can’t make money, they’ll be poor and lose the house! So the kids suggest he look down the back of the chair, and you’d be surprised how many things Dad finds down there! Lots of repetition in this story, a good one to read aloud with the kids.

Milo The Really Big Bunny — Stephen Krensky, illustrated by Melissa Suber

Milo doesn’t fit in with the other bunnies. He’s really big, his tail isn’t fluffy, and he eats too much. He wants to do something to fit in, and he hears that the Easter Bunny could use some help this year. He applies for the job, but it turns out he can’t paint eggs or weave baskets. He feels like a failure until a particularly stormy Easter comes along and the Easter Bunny is in need of some really big help. This story is pretty much the same as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, only Rudolph is replaced by Milo, and Christmas is replaced by Easter.