*My son was actually clapping with glee and told me it was the BEST BOOK I'd ever gotten for him: Greek Myths for Young Children by Marcia Williams. I was just going to read him one story before getting some chores done but he would NOT let me be finished after reading "Orpheus and Eurydice." We ended up reading them all! Pandora's Box, Daedalus and Icarus, The Twelve Tasks of Heracles and, his favorite, Perseus and the Gorgon's Head. So much blood and guts! He loved it! It's written in a friendly, comic book style so the stories are so accessible and tame-ish. They are still the same stories, just...not completely horrible or terrifying. Plus, the characters are always saying witty little things in their speech bubbles that make it really fun to read aloud :)
Imogene's Last Stand by Candace Fleming - if you have a child interested in history at all, GET THIS BOOK! I cannot recommend it enough. Imogene is a history nut who finds a way to save her local Historical Society from being bulldozed to make room for a shoelace factory. She quotes all kinds of historical figures and has such a spunky spirit. I read this to Xavier one day and for the next three days he brought it to me to listen to again. Two of those days, we read it twice in a row, it was that fun for him :)
Redwoods by Jason Chin - a boy starts reading a book about Redwoods and suddenly he's in a redwood forest, learning all about these seriously fascinating trees. This one had me captivated! Non-fiction that reads like fiction.
The Curious Garden by Peter Brown - this book floored me with its message and its beauty. A brown and gray city is transformed by the gardening efforts of one small boy. My boys were enthralled and the illustrations are incredible.
Golden Delicious: A Cinderella Apple Story by Anna Smucker - This is the true story of the discovery of the first Golden Delicious apple true - all apples on the planet are descendants of this one tree! A great look at an interesting subject, especially if you like apples!
Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp-Stride by Andrea Pinkney - this book actually made me both laugh and cry (yes, while reading out loud to my children). I knew the name Sojourner Truth, but I didn't know anything about her - what a powerful, amazing woman, led to an interesting discussion on slavery (that's when I cried) as well as standing up for what you know is right. Beautifully written, almost like poetry.
Mermaid Queen by Shana Corey - another picture book biography, this one about the first female who turned swimming into a sport for women! The illustrations are whimsical, the story is so "shocking" - my kids loved the old time swimming suits and how Annette stood up for women everywhere. Really fun story.
Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin by Gene Barretta - Xavier loved this look at how we are still using Ben Franklin's inventions today. Each page shows Ben and his invention and opposite is our modern day take on it. I learned a lot too!
2 comments:
What is it about boys and myths? My son's a senior in college and is really excited that he's taking a class on Greek and Roman Myths this semester. Gorgeous collection of books.
I'm putting ALL of these on HOLD at the library! Thanks!
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