This is the fifth (and final) post in my "Precocious Princesses" series, reviews of inspiring alternatives to traditional princess tales. Spindle's End by Robin McKinley Ace Books, 2001 354 pages If "Rapunzel" is progressive as princess tales go, "Sleeping Beauty" is at the opposite end of the spectrum. However embellished, the story usually goes something … Continue reading Precocious Princesses: Spindle’s End
When You Reach Me
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead Wendy Lamb Books, 2009 208 pages When You Reach Me is a fantasy that doesn't know it's a fantasy, a typical coming-of-age novel made atypical--even brilliant--by its sci-fi undercurrent and ever-shifting web of connections and revelations. Set in the late 1970s, the novel centers on Miranda, a sixth-grader … Continue reading When You Reach Me
When Mindy Saved Hanukkah
When Mindy Saved Hanukkah by Eric A. Kimmel; ill. by Barbara McClintock Scholastic Press, 1998 32 pages Courage is a difficult, even counterintuitive, quality to cultivate in our children. By definition, it requires direct exposure to danger or adversity--the very kinds of circumstances from which we try to protect our kids. And when dealing with … Continue reading When Mindy Saved Hanukkah
Read Like a Girl 