June 2019

The nonfiction books that touch me the most are the ones where the authors are vulnerable and allow you to see all of their faults. Too many of us pose as our profile pictures, when the reality is much more mixed. Telesco’s journey through ups and downs reminds us all of the possibilities that exist, even when reach our lowest depths.

Listened to an interview with Robertson on Donald Miller’s excellent Building a Storybrand podcast and had to grab a copy of this book. Inspired by Robertson’s personal rags to riches story and couldn’t get enough anecdotes about various entrepreneurial ventures throughout American history. I’d actually like this book to be issued to every middle school student, as it is quite inspiring.

There are certain comedians I turn to when I have had a really crummy day, and one of them is Rita Rudner. This woman always seems to put a smile on my face. Read this book whenever you’re feeling down. It’s better than medication at lifting your spirits.

Fantasy fans – you’re in for a treat. Part four of five books in The Dark Is Rising Sequence Newbery Award-winning series, this one may be the best. It’s Will Stanton’s task to wake – with the golden harp – the six Old Ones (immortals dedicated to saving the world from the forces of evil) who must be roused from their long slumber in the Welsh hills to prepare for the last battle between the Dark and the Light.

I sound like a broken record, but one of the best ways to hook young readers is to find them a series or author that they cannot get enough of. Moyes was a British crime novelist best known for her Henry Tibbett series, and middle schoolers, in particular, devour these books.

Happened to pick this book up by pure chance in Carlsbad, California, where the bulk of the story takes place. Odder still, I read it on Memorial Day weekend, and it deals with a Vietnam vet’s struggles once he is back home. Found myself truly enjoying this book, which I acquired by happenstance!

Got a teenage boy who hates reading? One of the ways I have drawn a lot of boys’ interest in reading is through Westerns, like Louis L’Amour. This latest installment in the Callers Spring Ranch Western series is a great way to attract reluctant readers to read.

Part of the Explorer Academy series which has become a craze among upper elementary school boys. Cruz Coronado sets sail for the shores of Iceland and Norway aboard the Explorer Academy ship to continue his studies at sea. But things take a turn while exploring the icy north, when he embarks on a dangerous mission to uncover the first piece of an important puzzle his mother left behind.

Every year, a boy and his family go camping at Mountain Pond. Usually, they see things like an eagle fishing for his dinner, a salamander with red spots on its back and chipmunks that come to steal food while the family sits by the campfire. But this year is different. This year, the boy is going into first grade, and his mother is encouraging him to do things on his own, just like his older brother. And the most different thing of all: this year, a tiger comes to the woods! With lyrical prose and dazzling art, Pulitzer Prize finalist Susan Choi and Caldecott-honor winning artist John Rocco have created a moving and joyful ode to growing up.

Best friends Sofia and Maddi live in the same neighborhood, go to the same school and play in the same park, but while Sofia’s fridge at home is full of nutritious food, the fridge at Maddi’s house is empty. Sofia learns that Maddi’s family doesn’t have enough money to fill their fridge and promises Maddi she’ll keep this discovery a secret. But because Sofia wants to help her friend, she’s faced with a difficult decision: to keep her promise or tell her parents about Maddi’s empty fridge. Filled with colorful artwork by Vin Vogel, this storybook addresses issues of poverty with honesty and sensitivity while instilling important lessons in friendship, empathy, trust and helping others. Great book for all families.