I read all weekend!  Such a treat to have time to roam from one book to the next to the next.  I read some that are perfect for us in 3E and some that I’ll share with older readers at the other blog, Kids’ Books 101.  Your family might likes some of those  titles for family read alouds.

I finally read Abe Lincoln at Last by Mary Pope Osborn.  I appreciate how she weaves information into fantasy.  It is fun knowing that one of our most beloved presidents was a joker, a thoughtful brother, a great dad and a truly committed learner.  He really cared for everyone in our country – he made some amazingly difficult choices.  I’m glad Jack and Annie could give him some hope.

Ship’s Cat Doris by Jane Simmons is a great book for our cat loving class.  Doris is born in a house full of yelling and rough handling humans.  As soon as the kitten is old enough, he is chosen by Bosun to be the cat on his boat – to be the ratter.  He is teeny and inexperienced when he first arrives, but with the help of two dogs, a chicken and loving people, Doris learns to make his way in the world.  Doris learns about friendship, responsibility and what it means to be part of a family.  It’s not always easy, but for Doris it is definitely worth the effort.

Iva Honeysuckle Meets Her Match by Candice Ransom is the second book about Iva.  In this book Iva can’t believe how lucky she is to be going on an adventure.  She is actually going to leave Uncertain, Virginia to vacation at Stingray Point and she can’t wait.  She’ll be there with her two sisters, three cousins, aunt and mom – and of course she’ll have to spend most of her time with her annoying cousin, Heaven.  Even knowing that, Iva can’t wait.  She is determined to make a great discovery.  Why not make it at Stingray Point.  It seems to Iva that is just as good a place as any other to become famous.  But nothing goes right from the start and it only gets worse as the vacation comes to a close.  Poor Iva.  What would you do in her place?

I love Grace.  I love her super power.  I love her comics.  I think it is amazingly lucky that she has such a super good friend, Mimi, living next door.   I love how she sticks with things when they’re hard and how she accepts responsibility for the mistakes she makes.  I admire the fact that she doesn’t hide them or blame others for the choices she makes.  She deals with the consequences and sincerely apologizes when she knows she should. Grace has to deal with one disappointment after another, but by the end of Just Grace and the Trouble with Cupcakes by Charise Harper, she has made some new friends and has figured out how keep more than one friendship going.  On top of that, the spring fair sound really fun.  What do you think?  Should we give it a try?