Caminar by Skila Brown

 Carlos lives in Guatemala during the 1980s where the government army is attacking villages to prevent them from joining the rebels/guerillas. As the army creeps closer to his village, he believes he is old enough to defend his mother and village. His mother, however, tells him to hide in the jungle. He is obedient. He climbs a tree and clings there all night. The next morning he hears the rebels traversing the jungle. When he approaches them, he discovers that his village has been wiped out by the army. Guilt weighs his soul. Then a chance to redeem himself arises.

A novel in verse

I read this book in one sitting. I did not learn much about the actual civil war in Guatemala but more about how the country people must felt enduring this turmoil. I loved the variety of poems Ms. Brown incorporated.

-Borrowed via ILL

Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson

 Elsbeth Culpepper and her father move to Boston from Philadelphia after her mother and siblings die from the smallpox. Mr. Culpepper is employed as a sailmaker. Elsbeth is a kitchen maid in a separate location. She longs to apprentice as a seamstress. When her employer,a Loyalist, flees Boston, Elsbeth finds new employment, where the head kitchen maid is cruel and nasty. With the backdrop of the Revolutionary War, readers experience this era and the smallpox inoculation first hand through Elsbeth's first-person account.

I enjoyed this riveting tale. Ms. Anderson researches extensively and knows how to develop credible characters and how to immerse the reader into the historical event. 

Warning: Elsbeth is a liar. Lying is her natural defense and solution. Her lies eventually get her into trouble. I still liked her as a character-her compassion, her perseverance, her cleverness are all admirable. 

-Borrowed from the library.

The Tomten and the Fox adapted by Astrid Lindgren illustrated by Harald Wiberg

 Adapted from a poem by Karl-Erik Forsslund

A hungry fox, named Reynard, visits a farm hoping to capture a hen. The Tomten, who has watches the farm, approaches the fox and dissuades him from his pursuit with a bowl of oatmeal. The author talks to Reynard directly throughout the story. 

I just learned earlier this summer that tales about Reynard the fox were written during the medieval era. I wonder if the original poem is referencing the medieval fox tales?

-Borrowed via ILL.

Clackety Track Poems About Trains by Skila Brown illustrated by Jamey Christoph

 Clever, engaging poems about trains

Perfect way to introduce a train-loving child to poetry.

-Borrowed from the library.

The World of William Penn by Genevieve Foster*

 This "The World of" is longer and more hefty than other ones I have read by Ms. Foster (nine parts/sections, 188 pp).

Readers will not only learn about William Penn's entire life but about other men who impacted the world during his life. The format is narrative and very engaging. Her transitions from man to the next man are clever.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed via ILL.

Big Enough by Regina Linke**

 When Ah-Fu's grandfather asks him to bring the ox home, Ah-Fu's confidence dwindles as various creatures instruct what he should not do as he bring the ox home. The ox is a gentle creature and assists Ah-Fu to gain confidence.

A feast for the eyes-the reader will linger on each page. The artwork is beautiful and offers unique perspectives. 

A book that celebrates imagination

**Highly, highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Golden Road by L.M. Montgomery*

 The sequel to The Story Girl 

Readers can join Sara Stanley and her cousins  and friends for another year of fun, mysteries, and misunderstandings. Together they create a magazine, Our Magazine,where they report interesting tidbits and news from their lives and town. I love escaping into this world!

*Highly recommend. BUT consider-The Awkward Man creates a room for his fantasy woman, which was a bit weird--he escapes into his mind of  his fantasy of being married to her. Good opportunity to discuss living in a fantasy world & its dangers.

-I own this book.