Gossamer
by Lois Lowry
Ever wonder where dreams come from? Lois Lowry has imagined a world of dream givers, whose job is to collect memory fragments and bestow them on humans as they sleep. This is the story of one of the dream givers, the Littlest One and the humans to whom she bestows. The characters Lowry creates are vivid and real. Lowry is a master of psychic distance, where you feel fully immersed in the story as well. It reminded me of a beautifully wrapped present. Everything from the outside in is wonderful and enjoyable.
Read aloud 7-10
Read alone 9-12
The Green Glass Sea
by Ellen Klages
This was my favorite children's book for December. It is about 2 misfit girls who grow up in Los Alamos during WWII. Although how the girls interact and their adventures are typical and realistic, which makes it appealing to children, the setting is anything but typical! Set amidst the back drop of the top-secret Manhattan Project, it provides a view into life "on the hill" for the children of the scientists.
It is a wonderful look at life during WWII, as well as the a great introduction to the Manhattan Project without it being overkill on the destruction and implications for the Cold War. Ellen Klages is an incredibly talented writer; she creates realistic characters and plots that speak to both children and adults.
The story moves a bit slow as a read alone, but it is a wonderful read aloud because Klages is such a master of words. They are a joy to hear aloud.
Additionally she is also an excellent researcher. She adds touches about the era that make it vivid and believable to adults, as well as children. I was hooked when she described "Woolworth Specials." Anyone who has spent time in New Mexico around the Taos/Santa Fe area know about Woolworth Specials - a bag of Fritos with chili and cheese. The cameos of Richard Feynman and Robert Oppenheimer also make the story a delight to read.
This book just won the Scott O'Dell award for historical fiction. It is a delight and really is a terrific look at WWII.
Read aloud grades 3-6
Read alone grade 5-8
Shakespeare's Storybook
Folk Tales that Inspired the Bard
This book, and the accompanying CD, was a huge hit in my house last year. It is a collection of stories that were popular around the time of Shakespeare's childhood. The book contains stories that have been told and retold for hundreds of years, along with a short introduction to the corresponding Shakespearian play. The stories themselves are wonderful, and the connection for any child who knows the stories of Shakespeare is terrific. I'll even go out on a limb here and say that in the hands of Patrick Ryan these folk tales are some of the best. Even better they aren't part of the steady diet of folk tales typically introduced in school anthologies, etc.
Make sure to find the book with the CD if you can.
Read aloud 5-12
