The Nine Moons of Han Yu & Luli by Karina Yan Glaser*

 Ms. Glaser interwines two character's stories across the centuries-Han Yu in Ancient China (731 AD) travels the Silk Roads to find a cure for his family who is suffering from tuberculosis & Luli sets out to save her family's livelihood in Chinatown, NYC in 1931

Both children accept the challenges and utilize their creativity to help their families. I loved discovering how Han Yu's life impacted Luli centuries later. Having a male main character  and a girl main charater will allow a wide audience to enjoy it. Although some of the solutions seemed a bit "too perfect" (especially with Luli), I loved this book. The plot was compelling and interesting. I liked this novel better than A Duet for Home and the later Vanderbeeker books.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Alice Atherton's Grand Tour by Lesley M.M. Blume

 After the death of her mother, Alice's father sends her to Antibes to spend the summer with his friends, the Murphys. Mr. Murphy decides to fill Alice's and his children's summer with educational experiences via famous people-Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, Serge Diaghilev, and F. Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald. The children embrace the adventures and learning provided by these individuals. The story seemed tacked on. . . it was more didactic than a rich story. I would not recommend it for a engaging story experience. On the other hand, if parents/teachers are looking for a fun way to introduce these artists/writers, this book would be an excellent choice. 

To discuss: worldview-that people with bad behavior have beautiful character ("distinguish behavior from character") 

-Borrowed from the library.

On the Frontier with Mr. Audubon by Barbara Brenner*

 Ms. Brenner creates an account of John James Audubon and his thirteen-year-old trainee/assistant, Joseph Mason, as they travel the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers for eighteen months. Together they observe, shoot, and draw birds. Using an unedited dairy of Audubon's, Ms. Brenner includes only actual incidents. Although the conversations are fictional, she based them on facts. I found this biography extremely interesting. Some readers may be upset how Audubon shoots or wounds some birds so he can draw them.

*Highly recommend for junior high and older.

Considerations/warnings: Mr. Audubon's dad had relations with a woman who was not his wife. The woman died soon after Audubon was born. His father's wife raised him with much love. Two swear words, killing birds in order to draw them, Mr. Audubon uses snuff, some people become drunk, Mr. Audubon becomes very friendly with a teenage girl whom he is tutoring (he is fired from this position because of his over-friendliness).

The Fantastic Journey of Pieter Bruegel by Anders C. Shafer*

 Mr. Shafer imagines what Pieter Bruegel's journey from Antwerp to Rome must have been like in 1551-1552. Narrated in 1st person via journal entries. Two-page illustration spreads enrich the experience. At the back Mr. Shafer includes small prints of Bruegel's art and comments on their significance. My favorite painting is Landscape with the Fall of Icarus. When I was researching ekphrastic poetry, I discovered two poems inspired by this painting. 

This book is over-sized.

*Highly recommend for art and history lovers.

-Borrowed from the library.

Bud & Me by Alta Abernathy**

 What an incredible story! Our world and human species has changed drastically from the early 1900s! This biography shares how five-year-old Temple and his older brother Bud, age nine, traveled across the country via horseback without an adult!! Their resiliency, their courage, and resourcefulness will astound readers. These brothers also travel the United States by a wooden car called the Brush, on elephant and donkey, and finally, motorcycle. By the time they are ages nine and thirteen they retire from their cross-country adventures but treasure the valuable lessons they learned along the way.

**Highly, highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

At Home in the World by Tsh Oxenreider

 Mrs. Oxenreider relates the adventures she, her husband and three children experienced as they traveled the world for a nine month time period. They plunged into unfamiliar cultures in China, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Morocco, France, Italy, Croatia, Kosovo, Turkey, Germany, and England. It seemed like she was going through somewhat of a crisis of faith during this trip. God was mentioned a few times but He was not the main focus. She seemed to emphasis saints.

Her writing is genuine and conversational. Although I found their travels admirable and interesting, her story confirmed my feelings about international travel!

If a teenager reads this book, the parent may want to discuss drinking alcohol with her. The adults drink alchohol throughout the trip but did not become drunk.

-Borrowed from the library.

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

 Lemuel Gulliver relates his travels about various singular countries and his encounters with their inhabitants. He travels to Lilliput, a land filled with tiny people, to Brobdingnap, a land of giants, to Laputa, a land in the sky & to Houyhnhnms, a land where horses rule man (aka Yahoos). By the end of his travels, Gulliver despises mankind (whom he calls Yahoos) and can barely live with his family.

 Initially, I was charmed by the creativity and humor. By the end I was ready to be finished with the book! A lot of people love this classic . . .so maybe I need to reread it at a later time.

A satire that includes every type of person . . .and finally, the human race as a whole.

To be honest I was surprised to encounter the below "warnings" in this classic book.

Points to discuss/warnings: a description of a child nursing the giant's humongous breast, maids of honor in Brobdingnap would have Gulliver strip naked and lay upon their breasts, these same maids would undress and dress in front of him, one maid had him sit astride one of her nipples, in Laputa the women often have affairs with men from other lands, one woman from Laputa returned to her physically abusive lover, to cure an illness, they insert a pair of bellows eight inches up the anus, read (by tasting, touching, smelling) feces to make decisions, the words whore, pimp,  sodomity and incest are mentioned, in Houyhnhnm, a eleven-year-old girl (aka Yahoo) aggressively "goes after" him when he is bathing naked.

-I own this book.

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M.M. Blume*

 My friend recommended this delightful book to me.

Cornelia despises being known as the daughter of famous pianists. She rarely interacts with her traveling pianist mother; her father disappeared from the familial scene when she was young. To protect herself, she memorizes, utilizing them as weapons with annoying people.  Her loneliness dissipates when elderly Virginia Somerset moves in next door. Virginia fills Cornelia's afternoons with colorful stories about her adventures with her older sisters as they traveled the world. Slowly Cornelia emerges from her protective shelter of words and ventures into the real, exciting world.

This book certainly promotes vocabulary development! It also transports the readers to different countries and cultures around the world (Africa, France, England, India) from 1949-1954.

*Highly recommend.

Points to discuss: Cornelia's father does not involve himself with her and has numerous wives/girlfriends, Lucy, Cornelia's mother, smokes, a dear character dies

-Borrowed from the library.

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

 When the warden drops off Emmett at his Nebraska farm after serving for fifteen months in a juvenile work farm, he immediately begins to pack for CA, where he and his eight-year-old brother, Billy, can start a new life together (and also where Billy hopes they can find their mother, who disappeared when Billy was a baby).  Their father died from cancer while Emmett served his time. Their Nebraska farm is bankrupt. Nothing is encouraging them to stay in the farming community. To Emmett's surprise, two friends from the work farm, Duchess and Woolly, had hidden in the warden's trunk and ask Emmett to drop them off at a train station so they can head east. Soon the simple trip west to CA becomes a complicated road trip to New York City where adventure and heartache abound.

Mr. Towles is an intentional and superb writer. He masterfully develops complex characters. Throughout the entire novel he weaves in each character's backstory into the main plotline. I found myself wanting to bring each character home to nurture them and to offer them hope. I still do not know if I like how the story ended for Duchess. I was sad about his "lot". I definitely do not like how the story ended for Woolly. He and Billy were my favorite characters . . .although, I my heart ached for Duchess. The characters' worldviews differ drastically from mine (especially their beliefs about God). 

The chapters alternate with points of view. Only two characters are first person (very effective choices too!); the rest of the characters are third person. 

My friend who works at the library did not like this book. She did not care about the characters. She thought it did not have a plot and that the characters did not accomplish anything. As we talked about it, she stated she doesn't know why she finished it! If the reader values characterization in novels, this novel may appeal to him. If plot is the main reason the reader picks up a book, this novel may not be a good choice.

I loved it. At times the themes were heavy so I needed to take a break and read a humorous middle grade novel! 

Warnings/considerations: drug addict, alcohol abuse, lying, stealing, suicide (hanging & drug overdose), Emmett spends the night with a prostitute (not by his own choice-he was tricked/trapped/drugged), parental abandonment, worldviews

Mr. Postmouse Takes a Trip by Marianne Dubuc*

 Mr. Postmouse and his family tour every possible ecosystem from the tropics to the arctic to the desert to even a cloud for their vacation.  Of course, Mr. Postmouse delivers unique packages to creatures living there.

It is fun to see the packages/letters dwindling in his wagon after each stop and what the creature receives. Cut-aways allow the reader to view the unique, clever homes.  Imagination and creativity abound in the illustrations.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

A Race Around the World by Caroline Starr Rose illustrated by Alexandra Bye

The True Story of Nellie Bly & Elizabeth Bisland
Nellie Bly, a New York reporter, decides she could travel around the world in seventy-five days (less than Jules Verne's book Around the World in Eighty Days).  After she has sailed away, Elizabeth Bisland's publisher at the Cosmopolitan magazine commands her to race Nellie.  Reluctantly, Elizabeth steps on a train, traveling west. 
The illustrations constantly compare the progress each lady is making. 
Who will win?
I like how Ms. Rose illuminates a little known historical figure, Elizabeth Bisland. 
The illustrations are rich, colorful and expressive.
-Borrowed from the library.

River by Elisha Cooper*

I read this beautiful picture book aloud to my sons since we are learning about New Netherlands (NYC) and Henry Hudson (Hudson River).
A woman (a mother) canoes the Hudson River from Henderson Lake into the Atlantic Ocean.  Her encounters with nature and the river are recorded in beautiful prose.  Mr. Cooper's attention to detail in his illustrations is amazing.  Observing the differences between the end pages in the beginning and the end and also the illustrations before the title page and on the author's note page is a worthwhile activity.
A great book to model asking questions while reading.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

National Parks of the U.S.A. by Kate Siber illustrated by Chris Turnham*

Divided by regions, this book shares an overview paragraph of each national park and then a two page spread of the various flora and fauna that can be sighted there.
Over-sized book
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

Traveling Man by James Rumford*

The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 1325-1354
I love the design, layout, and illustrations in this book.  Originally I borrowed this book for my nine year old to read to support our study of Medieval Africa, but I liked it so much that I had my twelve year old read it too!
Mr. Rumford shares the adventures and sights of Ibn Battuta as he travels from Morocco to China.  Ancient Arab maps and exquisite illustrations only enhance this book.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
Comprehension idea: (Both my sons did this.) With a Venn diagram, compare/contrast Ibn Battuta's travels/adventures to Marco Polo's. 

Who Was Marco Polo? by Joan Holub illustrated by John O'Brien*

I love how this series makes many historical figures and their story accessible to young readers.
My nine year old read this biography to himself to support our study of Marco Polo.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

The Little Travelers- Japan DVD

Two sisters travel to Japan and reside there for three months with their parents.  Through their eyes and experiences, viewers witness the culture, religion and landscape of Japan.
We watched this to support an upcoming unit about Japan.
The girls are preschool age so it was a bit immature for my boys, but they did not complain and learn a few things!
This mother and her daughters visit many other countries and produce movies while they tour (the DVD series is called Little Travelers.)
-Borrowed from the library.
Recommend this for preschoolers and young elementary students.

The World is Our Classroom by Cindy Ross

How One Family Used Nature and Travel to Shape an Extraordinary Education
What an amazing life story this family has!
Cindy and her husband Todd decided to continue their backpacking adventures even after they had children.  Before the children could walk, they carried them in backpacks.  This family traveled the country and world together and experienced nature and cultures up close by either hiking, biking, riding llamas or camels or elephants!
These adventures shaped and educated their children in unique ways, have a lasting impact on how they handle life and the careers they have pursued.
Inspiring!
I found one sentence that was repeated and a couple of grammar errors.
Included photographs only enhance the story.
-Borrowed from the library.

Drive Thru History -Turkey DVD

With Dave Stotts
Turkish Delight
Entertaining and humorous Dave Stotts takes viewers to various ancient sites around Turkey.
Viewers learn more about the churches mentioned in Revelation, about Ancient Colossae and Ephesus. 
*Highly recommend.
Our entire family enjoys watching videos in this series.