Picture Books

Lentil by Robert McCloskey

Lentil by Robert McCloskey. First published by Viking, 1940. Reading Level: Picture Books, 4-8Recommended for: Ages 4-8 Lentil, McCloskey's first picture book, is now 74 years ...
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Water Can Be… by Laura Purdie Salas

Water Can Be… by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Violeta Dabija. Millbrook, 2014, 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture BookMaturity Level: All Water Can Be is a fun ...
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A Leaf Can Be…by Laura Purdie Salas

A Leaf Can Be... by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Violeta Dabija. Millbrook, 2012, 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture BookMaturity Level: All Who would have imagined that ...
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Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by Steve Jenkins

This book is a "Best of the Best" pick from ourWinter Book Fair. CLICK HERE to see more gift ideas! Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer ...
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Achoo! Bang! Crash!: The Noisy Alphabet

Achoo! Bang! Crash!: The Noisy Alphabet by Ross MacDonald. Neal Porter Books, 2003. 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, 4-8 Recommended for: Ages 4-8 This ...
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Count on the Subway

Count On the Subway by Paul Dobois Jacobs and Jennifer Swender and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. Knopf, 2014. 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, 0-4 ...
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What in the World?: Fun-Tastic Puzzles for Curious Minds

What in the World?: Fun-Tastic Puzzles for Curious Minds by Julie Vosburgh Agnone. National Geographic Society, 2014. 48 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, 4-8 Recommended ...
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This Plus That by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

This Plus That: Life's Little Equations by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Jen Corace. Harper, 2011. 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture Book, Ages 4-8 Recommended ...
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One Smart Cookie by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

One Smart Cookie: Bite-Size Lessons for the School Years and Beyond by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Jane Dyer and Brooke Dyer. Harper, 2010. ...
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Flight School

Flight School by Lita Judge. Atheneum, 2014, 32 pages. Reading Level: picture books, Ages 0-4, Ages 4-8Recommended for: Ages 0-4, Ages 4-8 An ambitious penguin ...
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Hickory Dickory Dog by Alison Murray

Hickory Dickory Dog by Alison Murray. Candlewick, 2014 (first published in U.K. in 2012), 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture BookRecommended for: All ages Murray applies her ...
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*National Wildlife Federation World of Birds by Kim Kirki

*National Wildlife Federation World of Birds: a Beginners Guide, by Kim Kirki. Black Dog & Levanthal, 2014, 80 pages including glossary and index. Reading Level: ...
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For the Birds II

Feathers: Not Just for Flying, by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen. Charlesbridge, 2014, 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture Book, Ages 4-8 Maturity Level: ...
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Shakespeare: life, theater and historical context

Here are some resources that weave together the life of William Shakespeare with the world he lived in, how the plays were produced, and what ...
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Ukraine: Lessons in Liberty and Compassion, Pt. 2

Last week, we began our Ukrainian series with a personal reflection from our executive assistant, Hayley.  Having recently visited orphans in Ukraine,  Hayley gave us insight ...
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Retro Reads: Lloyd Alexander’s Picture Books

In reading Lloyd Alexander’s picture books, I observe three things: 1) he is well-versed in a broad range of folklore traditions, 2) he loves cats, and 3) ...
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*The Man with the Violin

 One ordinary Friday morning in January, a famous musician in disguise descended into the busy Metro station in Washington D.C.to share the glory of his music ...
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Presidents Day–What the Hayes?

There didn’t used to be a Presidents Day; instead, Americans observed Lincoln (Feb. 12) and Washington (Feb. 22) separately.  But since those two had thoughtfully ...
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Valentine’s Day

As Christians we are called to practice so many forms of love besides the romantic kind. Themes for Valentine's Day can be broadened to emphasize ...
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Award-Winning Science Picture Books

The Animal Book: a Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest—and Most Surprising—Animals on Earth, by Steve Jenkins.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013, 208 pages.  ...
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A Quick Trip around the World

Maps, by Eleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski.  Candlewick, 2013, 107 pages.  Age/interest level: 4-up You like maps?  We’ve got maps!  After a view of the ...
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Nurturing a young reader’s literary tastes

Parents with avid readers often find themselves with a dilemma: after my child has read all the age-appropriate books, where do we go from here? ...
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Nostalgic Christmas Picture Books

Many of our cultural Christmas celebrations are just that--cultural, not biblical. That being said, we can be Christians and still enjoy many of our cultural ...
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*Twelve Kinds of Ice by Ellen Bryan Obed

Twelve Kinds of Ice, by Ellen Bryan Obed, illustrated by Barbara McClintock.  Houghton Mifflin, 2012, 64 pages.  Reading level: Middle Grades, Ages 10-12 Maturity Level: ...
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*Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

The Snow Queen, by Hans Christian Anderson, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline.  Harpers, 2013, 34 pages.  Reading level: Middle Grades, 10-12 Maturity Level: All Bottom line: ...
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Librarians’ List: Favorite Picture Books of 2013

It's time for another Librarians' List! Since it's picture book month, we're indulging our list-making hobbies and bringing you yet another list of our favorites. ...
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cover of rapunzel

Reading Rapunzel

Today I'm going to demonstrate a close reading of one version of a classic fairy tale. My favorite book to use in demonstrating the illustrative ...
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Take Me Out to the Yakyu by Aaron Meshon

Take Me Out to the Yakyu by Aaron Meshon. Atheneum, 2013. 40 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 4-8 Take Me Out to the Yakyu is a colorful, ...
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Character in the Midst of Diversity: 8 Titles to Note

2013 has given us lots of excellent diverse picture book titles: books about minority cultures, folktale retellings, and books by (or illustrated by) people of ...
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Flood by Alvaro F. Villa

Flood, by Alvaro F. Villa.  Capstone, 2013, 32 pages.  Reading Level: Picture books, ages 4-8 Recommended for: ages 8-10 It’s hard to imagine rain doing ...
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Mr. Wuffles! by David Weisner

Mr. Wuffles! by David Weisner.  Clarion, 2013, 32 pages.  Reading Level: Picture books, Ages 4-8 Recommended for: ages 4-8 and up Bottom Line: Mr. Wuffles, ...
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Bluebird by Bob Staake

Bluebird, by Bob Staake.  Schwartz & Wade, 2013, 32 pages.  Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8 Recommended for: ages 4-8 and up Bottom Line: This ...
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Journey by Aaron Becker. Candlewick, 2013. 26 pages

Journey, by Aaron Becker.  Candlewick, 2013, 26 pages.  Reading Level: Picture books, 4-8 Recommended for: ages 4-8 and up Bottom Line: Journey uses luminous illustrations--and ...
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*Hank Finds an Egg by Rebecca Dudley

*Hank Finds an Egg, by Rebecca Dudley.  Peter Pauper, 2013, 36 pages.   Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 0-4 Recommended for: ages 0-4 and up ...
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Some Words About Wordless Books

For our purposes, wordless books are either entirely wordless or have very little text. A classic example is Peter Spier's Noah's Ark which begins with ...
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*Unspoken by Henry Cole

*Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad, by Henry Cole.  Scholastic, 2012, 40 pages.  Reading Level: Picture Book, Ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-10 and ...
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Looking Forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas

Every holiday season brings forth a crop of shiny new picture books, and we're on the beat.  Today, two for Thanksgiving and two for Christmas--the ...
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How NOT to Read a Picture Book

Ten guaranteed ways to destroy a good picture book (without a Sharpie or a bonfire) Always read in the same tone of voice, without expression or ...
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The Power of a Picture

It’s picture book month!  And boy, do we have a lot of picture books to talk about.  I keep hearing that the pb market is ...
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Hear That Lonesome Whistle: Locomotive and Train

Every year children’s publishing offers at least one major picture book related to trains, but this year we’ve been blessed with three.  One of them, ...
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Anselm: An Interview with Simonetta Carr

Anselm of Canterbury (Christian Biographies for Young Readers) by Simonetta Carr.  Reformation Heritage Books, 2013.  64 pgs.  Ages 8-up. Simonetta Carr recently published Anselm of ...
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*A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet

*A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Knopf, 2013. 32 pages. Reading Level: ...
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Three delightful picture books based on historical events

Candace Fleming is blessed with a wonderful combination of skills as a writer. Since she enjoys both writing and research, as a result she writes fun ...
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Our Favorite Science Book Picks (and a Printable List!)

We've thrown a lot of titles at you during our Science September for science-related informational texts. Because we know many of you, like us, love ...
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More Favorite Science Books

Welcome back to Science September at Redeemedreader!  Last week, we heard from Janie on Science Biographies, as well as Betsy on some of her favorite ...
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The Secret Lives of Scientists

On a Beam of Light: a Story of Albert Einstein, by Jennifer Berre, illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky.  Chronicle, 2013, 50 pages.  Age/interest level: 6-9 Despite ...
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Science Picture Books: Authors and Illustrators of Note

It's Science September at RedeemedReader! The world of picture book nonfiction (or "information books, " as nonfiction is being called now) is exploding with very ...
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Laboring and Resting: Books about Both!

In this digital world of ours, I can post this blog entry "on" Labor Day without having to do any work on Labor Day: I'm ...
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Tea Rex cover

Three Tea Picture Books

Tea Rex, A Visitor for Bear, and The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig are lively variations on the traditional tea party. My ...
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Creative Math

When I was in elementary school it was called “arithmetic,” and one of the most terrifying aspects of that class was timed drills—the teacher would ...
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*The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins

*The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012, 40 pages Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8 Recommended for: ages 4-8 and up (especially ...
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*Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette Cate

*Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard, by Annette le Blank Cate.  Candlewick, 2013, 54 pages.   Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ...
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It’s Greek to Me!

This week in our Summer Reading Challenge, we're visiting Greece.  So, thanks to our newest addition to the Redeemedreader family, Hayley Schoeppler, for leading us today ...
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Interesting Picture Book Biographies (Librarians’ List)

Many people think picture books should be left behind in the preschool years. Megan and I heartily disagree with that sentiment, and we invite you ...
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American Lives

“There is properly no history, only biography,” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson—an exaggeration with a lot of truth in it.  When I was growing up, I ...
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Mission Work for Kids: Sewing School and Crafts for Hope

In our Summer Reading Challenge, we've just read the story of Nate Saint, one of the men who entered glory alongside Jim Elliot trying to ...
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Summer Reading Challenge, Wk 1: Interview with John Branyan

It's Thursday, and that means it's time for our Summer Reading Challenge (SRC) extras!  In case you missed it, here is the Introduction, our list of ...
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The Poppy Lady

Have you ever received a handmade tissue-paper poppy in exchange for a donation to the American Legion outside of a store on Memorial or Veteran's ...
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Steaming into Sunset: an Interview with Sherri Rinker

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site (see our review here) hurled Sherri Rinker’s star into the picture-book firmament.  Accepted by the first publisher she submitted it to, ...
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Hail and Farewell, Part 2: Russell Hoban

As noted in last Tuesday’s post,I encountered Maurice Sendak when I was myself a child.  My acquaintance with Russell Hoban had to wait until I ...
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A Novel in Verse and Verse in a Novel

We're rounding out our Poetry Month coverage with three books for middle-graders: Gone Fishing: a Novel in Verse, by Tamera Will Wissinger, illustrated by Matthew ...
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Inspiring (very) young artists

God is a God of words and pictures. He has revealed Himself to us through words in Scripture and visually in creation, and made us in ...
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Poetry Anthologies

A good poetry anthology is like going to a friend's house with a basket, and being told, "Oh, you must read this one, and this one, and ...
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cover of red sings from treetops

Red Sings from Treetops by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. Houghton Mifflin, 2009. 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages ...
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Waxing Poetic: a pop quiz and some homework from the teacher

It's National Poetry Month! Who cares, right? Well, YOU should care. Not because it's "National Poetry Month," per se, but because poetry is worth enjoying ...
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Final Four (Plus One)

This post should have gone up during March Madness, but even if the NCAA tournament is over this weekend, the NBA has few months to ...
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*Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens

Tops and Bottoms is a clever folktale that illustrates the wisdom of diligence and warning against laziness in the book of Proverbs. *Tops and Bottoms ...
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Cover of My Lucky Day

*My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza

My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza. Puffin, 2005. 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 4-8 When a fat pig shows up at a hungry ...
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Proverbs, Tricksters and Fools

The book of Proverbs is full of instructions for the simple to obtain wisdom and avoid disaster. Stories about tricksters demonstrate common-grace examples of using ...
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cover of The Gardener

*The Gardener by Sarah Stewart and David Small

Lydia shares her efforts to bring beauty to the world around her in this epistolary picture book. *The Gardener by Sarah Stewart and David Small. ...
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Toddling into the Word: First Bible Storybooks and Early-Reader Bibles

What could be more appropriate for Holy Week than a survey of children’s Bibles and Bible storybooks?  That’s what I foolishly thought, treatment but this ...
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Easter Picks from the New Crew

We thought we'd kick off our new partnership with Megan and Betsy with a few Easter book recommendations.  (If you missed their introduction, read about ...
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Classics for Kids: The Greek and Romans

Introduction With the popularity of Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series , kids' books containing themes and allusions to Greek and Roman mythology and culture ...
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*Greek Myths by Marcia Williams

*Greek Myths by Marcia Williams.  Candlewick, 2011.  Ages 4-up.  Reading Level: Picture Books, Ages 4-8, Ages 8-10, Ages 10-12 Marcia Williams' Greek Myths is a ...
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ALA Awards: Newberys and Caldecotts, Splendors and Glooms

One month ago was “Oscar night for Librarians,” when the American Library Association announced their “best of” picks for children’s literature.  We’ve given some space ...
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Happy Birthday, Mr. Lincoln

I’ve heard that aside from William Shakespeare, more books have been written about Abraham Lincoln than any other historical figure.  That makes it difficult to ...
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Valentine Books for Little Ones

VALENTINE'S DAY PRESENTS With Valentine's Day creeping up on us, I thought I'd throw out a few of my favorite Valentine books for the little ...
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A Very LOGOS and Parnassus Christmas, Part Two

If you missed it, Part One of this series detailed my trip to a fantastic Nashville bookstore, Logos Bookstore.  Today, I follow up that Christian ...
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Picture Books for Sharing and Giving, Part Two

The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau, by Michelle Markel, Illustrated by Amanda Hall.  Eardmanns, 2012, 32 pages.  Age/interest level: 4-8 “Henri Rousseau wants to be ...
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Picture Books for Sharing and Giving, Part One

A post for grandmas out there: when we go to the bookstore at this time of year to pick out something with no plastic in ...
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A Very LOGOS & Parnassus Christmas, Part One

One Hip Town. Two Bookstores. And Lots of Great Books for Kids! Here in Nashville, we have at least two exceptional bookstores: Logos Bookstore and ...
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A Cold Night in Boston

Two hundred and thirty-nine years ago this month, a band of New England Patriots (not the NFL team) disguised as Indians swarmed aboard three ships ...
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The History of Faith: Wiliam Boekestein’s and Simonetta Carr’s New Books for Kids

This week in our library month theme, Janie took us back to the 8th century in a review of  Hand of Vengeance by Douglas Bond.  ...
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Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing: Savoring Sally Lloyd Jones’ New Book

This October, the team that brought you The Jesus Storybook Bible released a unique new book, Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing.  At 224 pages, ...
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Just Because: a Roundup of New Picture Books

The picture book is alive and well, to judge by the way the publishing industry keeps pumping them out.  Here are some of the more ...
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Kids and 9/11

To our children it’s already history, but to us it seems like “only yesterday.”  Too soon, really, to come to an informed conclusion about what ...
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Twisting Mother Goose

We have something to look forward to this fall: a new publishing house called Month9Books which will specialize in fantasy fiction.  First title, due in ...
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Legends in their Own Minds

Captain Awesome (series), by Stan Kirby, Illustrated by George O’Connor.  Little Simon, 2012, approx. 110 pages.  Age/interest level: 5-7 According to many K-3 teachers I’ve ...
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Rocket Reads and Writes; Charlie Joe Does NOT

In keeping with our back-to-school focus: if you haven't met little Rocket, you really should.  As for Charlie Joe, well . . . How Rocket ...
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Kids’ Books On My Wishlist

It'll be a few more weeks before we join in the Back to School rompus, but if you're like me, you've been out browsing for ...
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American Originals

Those delegates to the Second Continental Convention probably had no idea what they were creating when they signed a certain document back in July of ...
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Crazy Numbers

Some kids like numbers and are good with them; others aren’t.  Though no longer a kid, I fall in the latter category,but these two books ...
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Summer Vacation Audiobooks

Last year about this time, I did a vacation audiobook post. I'm actually on vacation myself right now, so I can't do as thorough a ...
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The Bible in Brickbats

The Brick Bible: A New Spin on the Old Testament, as told and illustrated by Brendan Powell Smith.  Skyhorse Publishing, 2011, 270 pages. In his ...
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In Memory – Picture Books For Memorial Day

Memorial Day, like Veterans Day, is one of those overlooked observances that to government, library, and bank employees means a chance to catch up or ...
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The Secret Lives of Animals

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate.  HarperCollins, 2012, 304 pages.  Age/interest level: 8-up. Last week, a little bluebird appeared in our wood stove.  ...
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Thinking Different(ly)

I'm way behind on my Saturday reviews, so it's time to catch up—with a Tuesday review tagging off of last Friday's Steve Jobs post. Jobs ...
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The Splendor of the Ordinary

I have a confession to make: I’m not a fan of poetry.  For someone who loves literature, I see this not as a mere preference ...
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Not-So-Secret Gardens for Kids

This week kicks off a fun week here at Redeemedreader: Poetry Week.  April is National Poetry Month, after all, and there are some great poetry ...
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Detectives: Hard Boiled and Four-Legged

Ever since Edgar Allen Poe, one of the most reliable publishing genres has been the mystery or detective novel.  I'm not a huge fan myself, ...
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