My co-author for this blog is my ten-year-old daughter, Caryn. She’s been reading a lot this year and we’d like to share with you some of the books that she has enjoyed the most.
1. “The Pixie Tricks” series by Tracey West. Violet Briggs is given the job of tricking pixies who have escaped from the Otherworld and come into ours. Her helper in this quest is Sprite, a green pixie who has been given the title of Royal Pixie Tricker by Queen Mab. (Click here for a complete review)
Caryn says: “Pixie Tricks are very fun books. It’s well written and I think they’re very good books.”
2. The “Junie B. Jones” books by Barbara Park. Junie is a precocious kindergartner with a whole lot to say about a whole lot of stuff. Sometimes praised and sometimes criticized for the childish vernacular used throughout, these books appeal to Caryn because: “It’s very funny. I could mostly understand why she does things. This is a book I think anyone would like. My dad likes it.” (Click here for a complete review)
3. “Pollyanna” by Eleanor H. Porter.This is the story of an orphaned girl with a bright disposition who seeks to cheer up everyone around her until one day, when she loses the use of her legs in an accident. Now she needs to be comforted by those around her.
Caryn says: “Pollyanna is a heart-warming, great book.” Her thoughts on the Disney movie made with the same name: “The movie was not exactly like the book but it was still pretty fun and very heart-warming.”
4. “Peter Pan” by J. M. Barrie is the story of a boy who never wants to grow up. He lives in Neverland, but flies over to England every night to sit in the window and listen to Wendy tell bedtime stories. He takes Wendy and her brothers with him to Neverland, where they have many wild adventures.
Caryn says: “Peter Pan is a fun, exciting book. It is good for all ages, just like Pollyanna. It is very fun and clever.”
5. “Make Me a Memory” by Tamra Norton. Allie’s father is serving in Iraq and her mother is pregnant. They decide to go live with Allie’s grandmother and great-grandmother while her father is away. Allie’s great-grandmother is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and Allie learns the importance of having good memories to look back on. (Click here for a complete review)
Caryn says: “Make Me a Memory” is a very nice book. It is clever and pretty smart. Allie figures out a lot of things, like how to tame a grumpy brown goat named Abraham Lincoln who keeps chasing her around Grandma’s back yard. It made me feel not bored and I just really think it’s a good book for a lot of reasons.”
6. “The Magic Tree House” books by Mary Pope Osborne. Jack and Annie travel through time and around the world with the help of the magic tree house near their home. As your child reads, they will learn world history, geography, social studies, science, and literature. I’ve been impressed by these books and the wide range of topics they cover.
Ask the expert – Caryn says: “These books are very educational. You can use them for school or just for, well, you know – education. And they’re fun.”
Take it from the horse’s . . . er, make that, the little girl’s mouth. If you’ve got a child who is looking for something to read, pick up one of these books today.