A Little Prairie House
With the My First Little House picture book series, the youngest readers can share in the joy of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books in these illustrated adaptations of the beloved series!
Laura, Pa, Ma, Mary, and baby Carrie have traveled from the Big Woods to the prairie in their covered wagon, driving through tall grass until they found just the right spot for their new home. With the help of their kind neighbor, Mr. Edwards, Pa builds a snug little house for the family in the middle of the wide-open prairie.
Renee Graef’s illustrations are based on Garth Williams’ classic artwork.
C: Cute version of the Little House books. Perfect for little readers and listeners.
Island of the Blue Dolphin
Island of the Blue Dolphins is a 1960 children's novel by American author Scott O'Dell, which tells the story of a girl named Karana, who is stranded alone for years on an island off the California coast. It is based on the true story of Juana Maria, a Nicoleño Native American left alone for 18 years on San Nicolas Island during the nineteenth century.
Karna and her brother are left on the island by accident and find ways to survive. Karana's brother dies when a pack of wild dogs attack. Karana befriends one of the dogs and together they survive for several years, until someone happens to land on the island.
This book won several awards, and was made into a film in 1964.
C: I love love love this book. I read it over and over when I was a tween. It inspired me to let go of my fears of the unknown and gave me confidence to take adventures as they come.
Charlotte's Web
This beloved book by E. B. White, author of Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children's literature that is "just about perfect."
Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.
E. B. White's Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come. It contains illustrations by Garth Williams, the acclaimed illustrator of E. B. White's Stuart Little and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series, among many other books.
C: I have loved Charlotte's Web since I first read it when I was 9 years old. I could sympathize with Wilbur and Fern, but best of all with Charlotte, who teaches us a huge life lesson. PS Garth Williams also illustrated the Little House books. as well as other favorites.
Black House
This sequel to The Talisman finds Jack Sawyer now a retired Los Angeles homicide detective, living in a rural Wisconsin town. Jack is called in to assist the local police chief in solving a gruesome series of murders that causes him to experience inexplicable waking nightmares.
Although you can read The Black House without having read The Talisman, it is very entertaining. Both books were written by Stephen King and Peter Straub, author of Ghost Story and others.
C: This book was different that The Talisman, but it was still a great read. Stephen King and Peter Straub are two of my favorite story-tellers.
Life After Death
What happens after we die? Is this one question we were not meant to answer, a riddle whose solution the universe keeps to itself? Deepak Chopra tells us there is abundant evidence that “the world beyond” is not separated from this world by an impassable wall; in fact, a single reality embraces all worlds, all times and places. At the end of our lives we “cross over” into a new phase of the same soul journey we are on right this minute.
In Life After Death, Chopra draws on cutting-edge scientific discoveries and the great wisdom traditions to provide a map of the afterlife. It’s a fascinating journey into many levels of consciousness. But far more important is his urgent message: Who you meet in the afterlife and what you experience there reflect your present beliefs, expectations, and level of awareness. In the here and now you can shape what happens after you die.
C: This is a question I have always wondered. After reading this book, I have formed my own ideas about what happens after we die.
The Way of the Wizard
The Way of the Wizard presents twenty spiritual lessons that help the reader transcend ordinary reality by creating a shift in perception that opens the mind to the value of spiritual transformation in everyday life. This transformation was the real alchemy of the wizard.
Deepak Chopra invites the reader on a quest. He conjures up the voice of Merlin as the personification of our wisest self. Presented in the form of classic teacher-student stories, Merlin's instructions to a young Arthur reveal the art of transforming self-imposed limitations into mastery of the infinite possibilities for achieving love, fulfillment, and spiritual connection.
C: Awesome read! I learned so much about myself while reading an entertaining retelling of the Arthur-Merlin story.