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Book Thoughts: Treasure Island (Stevenson)

Type: chapter bookAges: 10-15Author: Robert Louis Stevenson The classic adventure story! Countless books and movies reference Treasure Island in some form or fashion. With the quintessential “x marks the spot” map, trickery from pirates, and a fast-paced journey by ship,…

Book Thoughts: A Boy Called Dickens (Hopkinson)

Type: picture book biographyAges: 5-9Author: Deborah HopkinsonIllustrator: John Hendrix Readers who are less familiar with his novels might be a bit confused during parts of this book. It doesn’t always flow well as the author attempts to insert various components…

Little People, Big Dreams: Charles Dickens (Vegara)

Type: picture book biographyAges: 4-9Author: Maria Isabel Sánchez VegaraIllustrator: Isobel Ross I appreciated this gentle introduction to the life of such a famous author. Kids should be exposed to Dickens’ works, and this is one way to plant that seed.…

Book Thoughts: Dear Mr. Dickens (Churnin)

Type: picture bookAges: 4-8Author: Nancy ChurninIllustrator: Bethany Stancliffe There are ever so many tangents we could go down, on a very deep level, in discussing the topic of this brief picture book–from rightly calling out prejudices against people groups to…

Book Thoughts: The Rescuers (Sharp)

The Rescuers (Sharp) | keenlykept.com

Type: chapter bookAges: 6-10Author: Margery SharpIllustrator: Garth Williams One of the most delightful read-alouds we’ve encountered! The words flowed so well when spoken, the subject was light and family-friendly, and sweet bits of humor were woven throughout. * This portion…

Book Thoughts: The Enchanted Castle (Nesbit)

Type: chapter bookAges: 8-12Author: E. Nesbit If we judged by how much my children laughed and reacted the first time through, this is one of Nesbit’s better books. (My personal favorite, however, is Railway Children.) The magic interwoven throughout mostly…

Book Thoughts: Detectives in Togas (Winterfeld)

Detectives in Togas (Winterfeld) | keenlykept.com

Type: chapter bookAges: 8-12Author: Henry WinterfeldIllustrator: Charlotte KleinertTranslators (from German): Richard & Clara Winston The story never lags for a moment after you begin it! And if you, as a parent, think you’ll solve the mystery quicker than your child,…

Book Thoughts: Lad: A Dog (Terhune)

Type: chapter bookAges: 10-15Author: Albert Payson Terhune This book is sure to pull on the heartstrings of readers of any age, though not in the same way as, say, Where the Red Fern Grows. The ordering of the chapters (each…

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