The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

Minnia (a rabbit) and her classmates are to draw a picture of an act of kindness they choose to do.  Over the weekend Minnia struggles selecting just one act so she comes up with an idea that captures the entire school's attention.
The idea in this book could easily be incorporated into a classroom, home school situation or Sunday School room.
Ms. Wallace has written quite a few titles about Minnia and her family.  They are worth checking out.

I Yam a Donkey! by Cece Bell

A yam tries to correct a donkey's grammar but really just confuses the donkey about what the yam is.
Funny ending!
A humorous grammar lesson.

Geronimo Stilton The Enchanted Charms (The Seventh Adventure in the Kingdom of Fantasy)*

My eight year decided not to buy toys with his spending money but this book and another book!  He loves this Kingdom of Fantasy series!  This is his review.
"He went to find seven enchanted charms so he defeat the wizard of the Black Pearl.  He liked it because it was exciting and he defeated the wizard of the Black Pearl."
*Highly recommend.
Guided Reading Level: S (4th grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 4th grade

The Knights' Tales The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great by Gerald Morris illustrated by Aaron Renier

My eight year old needed new books to read so I found a recommendation for this series online.
He devoured this book in one evening!!  He said it was funny and that every girl wants to marry Sir Lancelot (he is brave and they say he looks handsome!).
Some chapters are individual stories and some chapters lead into the other ones.
*Highly recommend.
Others in this series: Adventures of Sir Givret the Short, The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True, The Adventures of  Sir Balin the Ill-Fated 

Sprout Helps Out by Rosie Winstead*

Focus on the Family recommended this book in their Thriving magazine.
Sprout helps around the house and causes more mess!
Humorous writing which requires readers to infer.  Illustrations also assist in the inferring process.
This book will make moms smile and relate!
*Highly recommend.
Strategy: inferring, character traits (for the mom and Sprout)

Stone Soup by Jon J. Muth*

Mr. Muth sets this traditional tale in China where three monks teach a village about sharing and being happy.
My five year old and I loved this book!  The paintings are beautiful.
Mr. Muth incorporates many Chinese folklore and Eastern culture aspects.
*Highly recommend.
Strategies: main idea, author's purpose

Monsters Love Underpants by Claire Freedman illustrated by Ben Cort

This rhyming books declares why monsters love underwear.
Read also Aliens Love Underpants and Dinosaurs Love Underpants.
I liked Dinosaurs Love Underpants better but my boys liked this one best.

Brave Ben by Mathilde Stein illustrated by Mies van Hout

I thought this book was a bit odd.  The volunteer reader at the library had it displayed and my preschooler picked it out.
Ben calls himself a "coward" and seeks out help from a magic tree.  On his way to his appointment to the tree, he must travel through a dark forest which contains a dragon, a spider, a witch, and skeletons.
Warning: a witch and spook under Ben's bed may scare younger readers.

Real Life Sea Monsters-Anglerfish by Ruth Owen*

This book shares the amazing life of an angler fish.
We were amazed at its unique capabilities.
Text features: table of contents, headings, labels, colored/bold font, fact boxes, photographs, glossary, "read more", index
Strategies: summarizing, main idea/details
Other books in this series: Box Jellyfish, Giant Squid and Octopuses, Great White Shark, Moray Eels, Stringrays

Dive! A Book of Deep-Sea Creatures by Melvin Berger

Hello Reader! Level 3 Grades 1 and 2
Explore the deep ocean and discover amazing creatures that live there.
Text features: chapter headings, different color font
Strategies: summarizing, main idea/details

Adventures with Waffles by Maria Parr translated from Norwegian by Guy Puzey illustrated by Kate Forrester**

Trille lives in Mathildewick Cove with his large family.  Right next door resides his best friend Lena who is quite adventurous and rambunctious.  Life is rarely dull-putting out a bonfire with manure, reenacting Noah's Ark on Trille's uncle's boat, posting a want ad on the general store's store-for a dad (for Lena), concussions, playing a Christmas carol on their recorders in town to earn a soccer ball . . .almost every chapter had me chuckling at the children's creative antics and activities.
Each chapter is a stand alone story but each chapter leads into the other.  By the end of the book the reader has spent an entire year with Trille and Lena.
Lena reminds me of Pippi Longstocking!
A refreshing read about active kids not glued to some screen!
**Highly, highly recommend.
Points to discuss: Lena's dad left her and her mom when she was born; Trille's beloved Great Aunt passes away in the middle of the story.

Welcome Home, Bear by Il Sung Na*

"A Book of Animal Habitats"
Bear is tired of his home so he leaves the familiar forest to find a more exciting home.  As he visits his friends all over the world, he realizes the best home for him is well. . . home!
I highly recommend using this book on the start of a habitat unit.  Simple enough for toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners to understand what a habitat is.
*Highly recommend.

The Night World by Mordicai Gerstein

A young boy is awaken by his cat in the middle of the night.  Together they explore the night sounds and sights.
Mr. Gerstein celebrates the miracle of the every day sunrise!
Beautiful ending.
Most of the illustrations are in black, white and gray.

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler by Phillip Hoose*

"Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club"
I knew the Danes resisted Hitler and its German occupation but had no clue that its strong resistance began with a group of ninth grade boys!
Knud Pedersen, his brother Jens and a group of boys are disgusted at their country's lack of resistance against the German occupation.  Unlike Norway, the government decided not to fight against the Nazis so to spare the lives of the people.  The boys admired Norway and Britain's will to fight.  As a group they stole Nazi's weapons, smashed signs and used arson to fight against the German occupation.  When Knud and Jens move with their family to Aalborg, they start another group called the Churchill Club which involved riskier tasks.  Eventually they are arrested and jailed.  Their arrest and trail breaks the Danes out of their slumber and gives them the courage to fight against the Germans.
When this book was written, Knud was still alive.  First hand narrations are frequent throughout the entire book.
*Highly recommend.
Warning/points to discuss: young boys smoking, violence, Knud is told not draw naked women in a notepad provided to him when he was in prison-he defiantly fills it with naked women and hangs them in cell

Pair this book with:
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps by Andrea Warren
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

For a similar theme-- Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin

The Complete Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem*

When I saw that this book was to be published this spring (2015), it immediately went to the top of my list of books to be purchased when I had the funds.
A kind parent blessed me with a gift card to Barnes and Noble and I bought this copy.  My boys and I enjoyed several afternoons this summer visiting Brambly Hedge.
I first read the individual books to my oldest son when he was between the ages of three and four.  We loved the detailed illustrations of the miniature homes of the mice who reside at Brambly Hedge.
All eight stories are included in this volume:
Spring Story, Summer Story, Autumn Story, Winter Story, The Secret Staircase, The High Hills, Sea Story and Poppy's Babies.
*Highly recommend.
Strategy: vocab. expansion/context clues
Here is a link to Jill Barklem's site.  A word description of her work will not do it justice!
http://www.bramblyhedge.co.uk/Home

Amazon link to book:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Brambly-Hedge/dp/0007450168

Look! by Jeff Mack*

Although this book has just two words, my eight year old and five year old both reread this book on separate occasions.
A boy is enthralled with watching television.  A gorilla throughout the story tries to engage the boy in reading books by saying "Look!" in which the boy replies often "out!".
It amazed how many different ways the words "look" and "out" can be used to create a solid story!  The book's message is one, unfortunately, many children need to hear in this screen addicted world.
I would utilize this book when teaching how to read for expression and how one must THINK about the story and its events to read it properly.
*Highly recommend.
Strategies: reading for expression/fluency, author's message, main idea

The Wing on a Flea-A Book About Shapes by Ed Emberley

In rhyming text, readers learn where to spy the shapes of a triangle, rectangle, and circle in everyday objects.  I like this later version with black background and colorful shapes/pictures.
If your child wants to learn to draw, Mr. Emberley has published lots of "how to draw" books.

I Can Read-Pete the Cat's Train Trip by James Dean*

"My First Shared Reading" Level (ideal for sharing with emergent readers)
Pete, his mother, and his brother Bob take a train to visit boys' grandmother.  Peter is given a detailed tour of the train while he travels.
A sweet ending!
Perfect for beginning readers (who know long vowel sound words).
*Highly recommend.

A-Z Mysteries The Talking T-Rex by Ron Roy*

I read this book aloud to my preschooler and my 8 year old read it to himself.
Jud, a friend from the book The Ninth Nugget, comes to town with a large  dinosaur.    Jud's best friend Dean sits inside the hollow dinosaur and runs a computer to make the dinosaur talk and move.   Jud, Dean and Scoop (a friend who is their manager) travel from town to town charging a dollar for people to view the dinosaur.  The money is going to be used to build a museum in Jud's hometown.  Then one morning Jud discovers that all the money they have earned so far is gone.
Can Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose figure out who stole the money and where the money is hidden?
*Highly recommend for transitional readers and for preschoolers who like hearing chapter books read aloud.
Guided Reading Level: N (Beginning of 3rd grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.5

Lions by Catherine Ipcizade*

"Pebble Plus"
Large book with more than one page spread photographs and simple text-perfect for the beginning reader and younger child learning about research and nonfiction.
This lion book is the most comprehensive out of the lion books my preschooler and I read.
Text features: headings, table of contents, labels, maps, map key, glossary, index
*Highly recommend.
If I had a PreK-2nd grade classroom, I would make sure I had all the Pebble Plus nonfiction African animal books in our classroom library.
Other titles in this series (African Animals): Cheetahs, Giraffes, Pythons, Elephants, Leopards, Meerkats, Zebras
Guided Reading Level: I (end of 1st grade)
http://www.capstonepub.com/library/products/african-animals/

My First Animal Library -Lions by Mary Lindeen*

My preschooler wanted to research lions since his brother was researching platypuses so we read a few lion books this week!
"Bullfrog Books" publication
Ms. Lindeen focuses on the lion family and each member's role.
Full page photographs and large, simple text for beginning readers and researchers.
Text features: table of contents, heading, label, diagram, picture glossary, index.
If I had a PreK-1st grade classroom, I would make sure this title and the rest of the titles in the series were part of our classroom library.
*Highly recommend.
Other titles in series: Bats, Bullfrogs, Elephants, Foxes, Giraffes, Mice, Monkeys, Owls, Penguins, Polar Bears and Raccoons.
Guided Reading Level: E (1st grade)

Lions by Kate Riggs*

A Seedlings Publication
A perfect nonfiction book for toddlers, preschoolers, Kindergartners and 1st graders.
Full page photographs with large, easy font.
Text features: bold print, table of contents, index, "words to know", diagrams, close ups
*Highly recommend.
Other titles in this series: Dolphins, Elephants, Giraffes, Monkeys and Penguins.
If I had a PreK-1st grade classroom, I would have this series in our classroom library.

The Reading Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo*

"Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Readers"
Another professional book I wish I could give to every teacher who teaches reading!
By reading through a chart on one page, a teacher will be to determine how to teach a specific strategy, learn a teaching tip and have prompts ready to use.  The page also shares which level readers can "handle" this strategy and genre it best suited.  She also references other professional books so if a teacher  is wanting additional professional reading, you have a plethora your fingertips!
Example charts with each strategy.
**Highly, highly recommend.
This book can be used no matter what reading approach you use (reading workshop, Daily 5/CAFE, Guided Reading, Balanced Literacy, Core Reading Programs).

Way Down Deep by Ruth White*

Ruby June has lived at the boardinghouse-The Roost-with Miss Arbutus the proprietor for ten years.  The town of Way Down Deep, West Virginia has become her home.  She has little recollection of her life before 1944 expect she was found on the front steps of the town's courthouse.
Now pieces her past life are surfacing.  Relatives in Virginia are found and she finds herself taking care of her cankerous grandmother on top of a lonely mountain.  Will she ever return to Way Down Deep, her true home?
*Highly recommend.
A perfect "good feeling" book.  Readers will feel part of the town and love the characters.
Warning: Cedar, a boy, is sad and angry about his mother's death so he curses often.  The actual curse words are not written-just symbols.  There is a town drunk.

There is a sequel which I am excited to read-The Treasure of Way Down Deep.

A-Z Mysteries The Kidnapped King by Ron Roy*

I read this aloud to my preschooler.  He loves this series.
Dink has the privilege of hosting  Sammi, a prince from another country during spring break.  Sammi confines in him and informs him that his parents have been kidnapped.  Then during his first night sleeping at Dink's house, he too is kidnapped!  Yellow pieces of glass from Sammi's kaleidoscope  are the only clues.  As Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose (and Pal, Josh's blood hound) follow the clues, they do not realize that they are helping to solve a much bigger crime.
*Highly recommend for transitional readers.
Guided Reading Level: M (2nd grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.3

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen*

Cole Matthews should be in jail for beating Peter Driscal so severely that Peter has slight brain damage.  Yet the Circle Justice, based on the Native American traditions to bring healing for the perpetrator, the victim, and the community, has given him an opportunity to change by banishing him to a remote Alaskan island.  On this island he is let go of his anger, take responsibility for his actions and realize that once something is done, there are eternal consequences.  But Cole is a con and deceives the Circle Justice.  He does not want to change and plans his escape from the island.
Then he encounters Spirit Bear (a huge white bear only known to exist off the coast of British Columbia).  The Spirit Bear is not afraid of him.  How dare the bear not be afraid of Cole Matthews!  Cole, of course, with his anger and rage, attacks the bear.  The bear leaves him for dead.  As he wallows in mud and endures a raging thunderstorm, the storm within his soul rages and slowly dissipates as he faces his anger, loneliness and death.
A very compelling book.  Action packed.  Although Mr. Mikaelsen exposes a Cole's feelings and shares his transformation over a span of a year, he knows how to keep the story moving and makes each word count.  Reluctant older readers will be drawn into the book.
*Highly recommend for teenage readers (although the reading level is fifth grade, the subject manner is not appropriate for this age group.).
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.4
Guided Reading Level: Y (6th grade and older)
Warnings: Very violent and descriptive at times (Cole beating up Peter; the bear mauling; Peter attacking Cole at the end of the book), Cole's angry thoughts are shocking. Cole's parents are alcoholics. Cole's father abused him physically.  Word "d" is used a couple of times.
This book was highly recommended in Dr. Steven Layne's book In Defense of Read-Aloud  Sustaining Best Practices.
Strategies: asking questions, synthesizing, analyzing characters

A-Z Mysteries Super Edition #5 The New Year Dragon Dilemma*

My eight year old read this boo to himself.
Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose travel to San Francisco's Chinatown where they are able to witness the Chinese New Year parade.  Then Miss Chinatown and the crown go missing and their tour guide, Holden, is accused of the crime.  The three friends work together to clear their friend's name.
*Highly recommend the series for transitional readers and for building stamina.
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.2

Good Morning to Me! by Lita Judge

Beatrix, the parrot, is exuberant and greets each day with enthusiasm.  The cat is less than thrilled about her typical morning greeting and threatens Beatrix's existence.   Beatrix's  best friend mouse daily rescues her from Kitty's paws and the goldfish bowl.
Adorable characters which celebrate loyal friendship.
Some illustrations boxes are wordless and require inferring to interpret the story.
Strategies: inferring, fluency, reading with expression

Monkey Not Ready for Kindergarten by Marc Brown

The author/illustrator of the endearing Arthur series has written a new book about a monkey not feeling very sure about going to kindergarten.  Monkey's family members assure him how great Kindergarten will be but Monkey is not convinced.
This book addresses many Kindergartners'  fears.  Through Monkey's experience on the first day, soon-to-be Kindergartners may not be as apprehensive.
Great to read with your new Kindergartner.

Water is Water by Miranda Paul illustrated by Jason Chin*

"A Book About the Water Cycle"
The reader joins a family to experience the different seasons in one year and also, the different forms water can be.
Rhyming, lyrical text make a joy to read.  Readers who are familiar with the water cycle can predict which form is next as the repetitive word "unless" leads to the next page.
In the back the author shares more information about the water cycle and correlates it to the specific pages, percentage of things that contain water, and further reading.
Illustrations by Jason Chin are fabulous as always!
*Highly recommend.

The Hallowed Horse by Demi*

My eight year old selected this book from our local library.
In this folktale from India, a king seeks the hallowed horse.  With this beautiful white horse, the king can defeat Kaliya, the Multi-Headed Snake.
*Highly recommend.

Ice Cream Summer by Peter Sis

Joe corresponds with his grandfather during the summer, reassuring him that he is learning.  Joe is slightly obsessed with ice cream so all of his learning involves ice cream in some way.
 I really enjoyed learning a bit about the history of ice cream and its progression as a product.  Illustrations contain many outlines and shapes of ice cream and cones.
A sweet read!

The Rattlebang Picnic by Margaret Mahy illustrated by Steven Kellogg*

When Mr. and Mrs. McTavish marry, they make a huge decision-do they purchase a fancy, expensive car or have a large family?  They choose a large family (seven children) and purchase a rattlebang car.  In this car, the family and Granny McTavish like to go on picnics.  One day they decide to venture onto the tip-top of Mount Fogg for a picnic.  As they ascend to the top, pieces fall off the rattlebang car.  A very exciting adventure awaits them at the top!
*Highly recommend.
A fun read with Mr. Kellogg's humorous illustrations.
Guided Reading Level: N (beginning of 3rd grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.6

The Sky is Falling! by Mark Teague

With bold, colorful illustrations and dry humor, Mr. Teague shares his version of Henny Penny.
I did not like the use of the word "dumb" two times.
Strategy: connections (T-T)

My Mother Goose by David McPhail*

"A Collection of Favorite Rhymes, Songs and Concepts"
This collection is more didactic than some other nursery rhyme anthology (rhyme about the months, two page spread about getting dressed, ABC pages, transportation pages, days of the week, counting to 10, action words, shapes, colors, ).
It is subtly organized and ends with night time poems and nursery rhymes.  The last poem is especially sweet (but I may be biased since I have two boys!!).
Warning: One poem is about a witch on Halloween.  Don't think babies need to learn about witches. . . then again some of the nursery rhymes are disturbing!

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes illustrated by Annie Kubler*

Another sweet book with babies depicting the words to the song.
*Highly recommend.

If You're Happy and You Know It illustrated by Annie Kubler*

A sturdy board book which depicts sweet babies acting out the actions to the song.
*Highly recommend.

Toes, Ears, and Nose! by Marion Dane Bauer illustrated by Karen Katz*

"A Lift-the-Flap Book"
An over-sized board book which will delight babies and toddlers as they lift the flap to see what body part is there. Some young children have a bit of a difficult time learning where their elbows and knees are. This book will help this process!
*Highly recommend.

Where is Baby's Puppy? by Karen Katz*

Babies and Toddlers will love lifting the flap to see if the puppy is hiding there.  Along the way they will learn the names of other pets and animals.
*Highly recommend.

All Kinds of Kisses by Nancy Tafuri*

The story begins with a blue bird in her nest and then as the blue bird flies over the farm, we see other animal parents with their babies, giving kisses.  A great opportunity to introduce your young child the correct names of baby animals (like "kid" for goat, "chick", "calf" etc).
A sweet book.  Toddlers will enjoy finding the blue bird on each page.  I also liked how the book begins in the morning and ends at night with a mother and her baby.
*Highly recommend for babies and toddlers.
Highly recommend all books by this author/illustrator.

Harriet and the Promised Land by Jacob Lawrence *

My eight year old selected this book at library story time.  He liked the cover illustration.
Prior to the main text, Mr. Lawrence shares background information about Harriet Tubman and why he chose to write and illustrate a book about her.
Simple, rhyming text shares Harriet Tubman's powerful story.
Illustrations are strong and depict  the emotion of the fleeing African Americans.
*Highly recommend (some readers may not like this style of illustration-bold, dark, interpretative)

Australian Animals-Platypuses by Julie Murray*

Very well organized nonfiction book containing lots of information about platypuses.
Text features: table of contents, picture captions, headings, maps, bold font, fact boxes, photos, close ups, cut away, important words (glossary), index
*Highly recommend.
Point to discuss: evolution, old earth view

Duncan The Story Dragon by Amanda Driscoll*

Duncan loves to read stories.  His imagination, however, causes him to breathe fire and burn up the book.  So the dear dragon has never had the satisfaction of finishing a book.  With determination he sets off to solve his problem.
Adorable illustrations.
A great book to read in the beginning of the year to set the tone for a love of reading and books.
*Highly recommend for primary grades.
Strategy: predicting

Favorite Nursery Rhymes from Mother Goose illustrated by Scott Gustafson*

With a new nephew arriving in August, I am investigating newer baby books and nursery rhyme books.
With forty-five nursery rhymes, this collection will expose your child to the well know rhymes and some not so well known ones (at least to me!).  I do not recall ever reading Under a Hill or Bat, Bat or An Old Woman.
This over-sized book would be great to use during story time and the beautiful illustrations will capture any child's imagination.  Very expression illustrations.  Some scenes invite you to enter the sweet, ideal world (I wanted to run down the hill to Mary's school and explore the hills beyond in Mary Had a Little Lamb and in Under a Hill I wanted to sample the old woman's pies and chat with her.)
Children from different ethnic backgrounds are represented too.
*Highly recommend.

All the Answers by Kate Messner*

Ava perpetually asks "What if?" and her life is characterized by worry and fear.
Then one day during her math test, she discovers her seemingly ordinary pencil can give her the answers to her questions.  Initially she and her best friend Sophie delight themselves with fun questions (like who likes whom; what their favorite pop singer ate for dinner) but then the questions become a bit more personal.  Ava then realizes having all the answers may not always be the best.
Warning/points to discuss: Spoiler Alert-A sliver of Ava's deceased grandmother is the voice of the pencil-so really a spirit is talking to her via the pencil.  A family member passes away during the story and another family member has cancer.  One family member has a gambling problem but is not a main action of the book (a past addiction).  All the family members have different beliefs about God-one is an atheist, another one a Buddhist (an aunt), and the Grandmother who lives with them seems to have a personal relationship with God-always praying to Him about specific concerns.
*Highly recommend.
Lexile Measure: 720 L

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne*

Wow!  A must read!
Nine year old Bruno is quite upset at his family's relocation to "Out-With".  He misses Berlin, his grandparents and three best friends.  Now is he stuck in house with only three floors, a massive outdoors with barbed wire separating him from long gray cabins and his twelve year old sister for a playmate (who only plays with her dolls and attempts to flirt with a solider).
Since his father's recent promotion to Commander, this move is vital for his career advancement under "The Fury"  (Hitler).  Out of boredom, Bruno decides to explore and discovers a friend on the other side of the fence.  Secretly they meet and form a friendship that lasts their short lifetime.
A shocking, sad ending.
This book could be read in one sitting it is so compelling.
Mr. Boyne writes from the naive point of view of Bruno with misunderstandings that a nine year old would have during this time.  Very well written.
**Highly, highly recommend.
Although the reading level is such that a fourth grader could read all the words, the content and subject manner are best for those in junior high or high school.
Strategey: inferring

In Defense of Read Aloud by Steven L. Layne**

"Sustaining Best Practice"
Daily CAFE recommended this book in their weekly email letter.  "The Sisters" love Dr. Layne!
I could have read this professional book in one sitting!
Dr. Layne's writing style is conversational.  He is motivating -sometimes in your face!  He is humorous.  Most importantly he is not afraid to speak the truth in an articulate manner.
All of his points are backed by solid research.
This book will not only motivate a teacher (and parent) to read aloud to their students/children but it also gives vital suggestions on how to read aloud well and provides a long list of great books to share.
**Highly, highly recommend.
If I could , I would give a copy of this book to every teacher I know!

The Cottage in the Woods by Katherine Coville*

Ursula, a bear, narrates her life story while she was a governess for the Vaughn family.  Teddy, her charge, is delightful and intelligent.  The ideal situation, however, is clouded by a malicious nurse ( a badger), the Anthropological Society intent on causing division between humans and the Enchanted, and a woman who lives in a shoe and her band of thieves.
Secrets abound among the family members and when a girl with golden hair is discovered hidden in the manor, Ursula's and the Vaughns' lives encounter life-threatening events.  And what is Ursula to do about her feelings for Mr. Bentley, a viscount, well above her station as governess?
I enjoyed reading a book for junior highers with religious overtones and high regard for morals/virtues.
If you want your junior higher to develop his/her vocabulary, this book will certainly challenge them!
Perfect for advanced readers in 3rd-5th grade, too as the content is morally fine and not edgy as some books are at this reading level.
Other reviewers state the reading level is for 12-15 years old.
The book is rather long-389 pages- and I am wondering if it is too long for readers in this age group?
*Highly recommend.
Strategies: expanding vocab/word choice, connections (T-T-to fully appreciate the story, readers must be familiar with folk tales/fairy tales)

Classic Starts-Grimm's Fairy Tales retold from Brothers Grimms originals by Deanna McFadden illustrated by Eric Freeberg*

Recently we went with some friends to see a play featuring Grimm's Fairy Tales so to reinforce the experience we have read through an anthology of their writings.  My eight year old could have read this book to himself no problem but it was fun for the three of us to enjoy the stories together.
Stories included:
The Tale of the Boy Who Learned Fear
Little Brother and Little Sister
Rapunzel
Hansel and Grethel
Cinderella
Briar Rose
Snow White
Rumpelstiltskin
The Golden Goose
The Worn-Out Dancing Shoes
The Brave Little Tailor
We liked stories which were not about princesses!
*Highly recommend.

A Platypus, Probably by Sneed B. Collard III illustrated by Andrew Plant*

Out of the platypus books we read, this one contains the most information.
I like how the text will appeal to a wide range of ages.  The bigger font text is more poetic in form and has simpler facts for younger children.  On most of the pages, the author provides additional facts about the topic in smaller font which will appeal to older readers.
*Highly recommend.
Points to discuss: old earth view (million years), mating rituals are explained

Beach House by Deanna Caswell illustrated by Amy June Bates*

A must read at the start of summer or before the family leaves for the beach.
Ms. Caswell captures children's excitement, impatience and anticipation.
I love how the story begins before the title page-on the end pages and two pages before the title page!
Rhyming text make the story fun to read aloud.
The watercolor and pencil illustrations capture the mood and the beach feel well.
Love the word choice and creative phrases too (waning, "waves in view. out of reach. wishing for less house, more beach."  squint, "sun-kissed knees",  "towel cocoon").
Strategies: connections (t-s), word choice/expanding vocab
*Highly recommend.

Special Delivery by Philip C. Stead illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Sadie is determined to deliver an elephant to her Great -Aunt Josephine who "lives almost completely alone and could really use the company".   Readers will be amused by her attempts and her choices of transportation.  When she finally arrives to Great-Aunt Josephine's residence, readers will be delighted to view what Sadie means by living almost completely alone!
A fun book!

Platypuses by Sara Louise Kras *

Pebble Plus publishing
Gail Saunders-Smith, PhD., consulting editor
I love Pebble Plus books-large pages which contain over one page spread of photos and text on the larger size.  Perfect series to use when introducing nonfiction to younger children.
Lots of fact about platypuses plus great photographs.
Text features: contents, headings, bold/colored font, glossary, index, "read more section"
*Highly recommend.

Step into Reading Step 2-Platypus! by Ginjer L. Clarke illustrated by Paul Mirocha

My eight year old is into platypuses right now so he is reading a few books about them.
Simple book which follows a platypus and its routine.  Lots of facts packed into an easy reader.

Honk, Honk! Baa, Baa! by Petr Horacek*

I love Mr. Horacek's books!
This board book is very simple (animals and their sounds) but the surprise ending is fun!
Great for babies and beginning readers.
*Highly recommend.

The Founding Fathers! by Jonah Winters illustrated by Barry Blitt

Mr. Winters presents each gentleman with two fact boxes.  The top box contains a overview paragraph of the person and his contributions.  Also in this fact box are famous quote.
Then the bottom fact box offers information about the gentleman's height, weight, shoe size, jobs held, education, hobbies, wealth, nickname, political party, human slaves owned, position on slavery, religious faith, achievements etc.
Interesting and at times, humorous.
Great book to utilize when studying beginnings of our country.
Older students (grades 4th-7th) would appreciate it the most.

The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers

Recommended by the Daily CAFE under "Book Looks".
A girl was full of curiosity and wonder about the world and loved sharing her wondering with an adult.  When that adult is no longer there, she decides to keep her heart in a bottle so she cannot be hurt.  As a result, her love for life is contained also.
Simple text but potential for deep conversations with older students.
Strategies: inferring, connections, ask questions, author's purpose, cause/effect

Using Math to Design a Roller Coaster by Hilary Koll, Steve Mills and Korey T. Kiepert*

Mathworks! series
Ever have a child or student ask when they will ever use a particular math concept?
This series presents various situations where individuals must know how to utilize math to accomplish a great task.
The layout makes it accessible to different ages.  One could just read the main paragraph and fact boxes to younger children.  4th-7th graders would enjoy solving the math problems on each page.
The clipboard boxes share math problems while the data box gives information to solve the math problems.
This particular book is focused on designing and building a roller coaster.
I learned a lot!!
Other books in the series: 1. Using Math to Climb Mount Everest
                                        2.  Using Math to Build a Skyscraper
                                        3. Using Math in the ER
                                        4. Using Math on a Space Mission
                                        5. Using Math to Be a Zoo Vet
                                        6.  . . .to Conquer Extreme Sports
                                        7.   . . .to Create a Movie Stunt
                                        8.   . .  . to Fly a Jumbo Jet
                                       9. . . . to Solve a Crime
                                    10. . . .to Win a Grand Prix
So, almost every career requires a knowledge and a good understanding of math!
Perfect for enrichment in a classroom or for home schooling.  I would also use it in the beginning of the school year to introduce the first math lesson to create excitement and necessity.
*Highly recommend.

Winnie-The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker illustrated by Jonathan D. Voss*

Ms. Walker shares the story of Winnie in such an interesting manner that my five year old did not protest that it was "nonfiction" (he is not a nonfiction fan!)!
Harry, an veterinarian for the army, is traveling on a train with his group when he spies a cub with a gentleman at a train station.  Discovering that the man had become a reluctant caretaker because he had shot the mother bear without realizing she had a cub, Harry offers to take the cub and raise it.  The reader hears about Winnie's life as military bear and her eventual residency at the London Zoo where Christopher Robin first encounters her.
Readers will fall in love with Winnie as prior generations had.   Very effective writing.
Mr. Voss' playful, expressive illustrations also disguise the fact this book is nonfiction.
End pages contain photographs of Winnie, Harry, A.A Milne and Christopher Robin.
*Highly recommend!
Strategy: connections (T-T -Winnie the Pooh books), schema building

Great Illustrated Classics-The Call of the Wild by Jack London (adapted by Mitsu Yamamoto illustrated by Pablo Marcos Studio*

My 8 year old read this book to himself.  He loves the Classics!
This book is about Buck who is transported from an easy life in CA to the Klondike.  This book shares how he survives and thrives in the wild.
*Highly recommend.

We Dig Worms! by Kevin McCloskey*

*Toon -Books- Easy to Read Comics- Level One (Brand new readers-Grades K-1st)
One of our county's library story teller's husband wrote and illustrated this book.
Through cartoon-like illustrations, readers learn about worms.
I love how he drew on paper bags for the illustrations.
**Highly recommend.
Guided Reading Level:  L (2nd grade)
Here is a link which contains school activities designed by Mr. McCloskey and his librarian wife:
http://www.toon-books.com/we-dig-worms.html

Local author.

The Skunk by Mac Barnett illustrated by Patrick McDonnell

In this humorous story, a gentleman is followed by the skunk all over town-even into the opera house.  No matter what he does he cannot lose the skunk.  When he begins a new life without the skunk, he suddenly wonders about the skunk.
Funny ending that requires some inferring.
I really liked the illustrations and the color choices by Mr. McDonnell.  Readers can infer the meaning of the color palettes and what they mean in reference to the story.
Strategy: inferring

Miss Hazeltine's Home for Shy and Fearful Cats by Alicia Potter illustrated by Birgita Sif

Where do cats who are shy and fearful go to overcome their fears?  Why to Miss Hazeltine's home, of course.  With diligence she tries to help transform the cats.  She confides in Crumbs, one of the cats, her own fears.  Then one evening she finds herself in a predicament.  Will the shy and fearful cats push aside their insecurities and rescue their beloved mentor?