The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stuart; ill. by Carson Ellis Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2007 485 pages As a girl, I loved mysteries, and I especially loved Nancy Drew. Most of the mystery stories and TV shows of my childhood starred heroes, not heroines (think Columbo, Encyclopedia Brown, and Magnum). But … Continue reading Girl Sleuths and the Boys Who Appreciate Them
Courage: It’s not just for boys anymore
The Adventures of Isabel by Ogden Nash, ill. by Bridget Starr Taylor Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2008 32 pages Some of the best, most enduring stories in kid lit started out as improv. The Hobbit, for instance, started out as a bedtime story for J. R. R. Tolkien's children. Peter Rabbit first appeared in a letter Beatrix … Continue reading Courage: It’s not just for boys anymore
Of Fairy Tales, Family, and Friends
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall Alfred A. Knopf, 2005 262 pages The Penderwicks is a fresh but near-timeless novel. Even without its National Book Award trophy, it would be a classic-in-waiting, destined to entertain many generations of readers. Set on an estate … Continue reading Of Fairy Tales, Family, and Friends
Read Like a Girl 