The kids and I were recently looking back over the books that we read through in 2008 and remembering the ones that were our favorites. Here's our countdown of our top 10 favs.
Standing at number 10 is this exciting novel based on real life events. The story is actual exploits of 19th-century pirate captain Hippolyte de Bouchard, and 11-year-old Carlito, who lives in the settlement of Monterey. Carlito watches his father die at the hands of the pirates and becomes an unwilling stowaway on their ship when he seeks to avenge his death. Sharks, pirate battles, and cliffhanger chapters were just a few of the things we encountered in this story. As you can imagine that any 11 year old boy would, Houston loved it all! I have to say that the girls enjoyed it just as much though. The author provides insights into life in Alta California and nicely integrates Spanish words into the text. One the things that the kids loved was knowing that Bryan and I had been to the very areas in California that the book mentions. Their are also historical notes in the back of the book.
At number 9 is this TRUE story about a ceramic music box pig that was on board the titanic when it sank. Edith Rosenbaum, a prominent fashion designer of the day, is sailing on the Titanic, accompanied by a music-box pig given to her by her mother as a good-luck charm. As the pig explains, after the collision with the iceberg, Edith wants to let someone else take her place in the lifeboat, but a sailor, mistaking the pig in her arms for a baby, grabs it and throws it into a lifeboat and Edith follows. Throughout the long cold hours until rescue, Maxixe plays his little tune over and over, buoying the spirits of the children onboard.
At number 8 is yet another titanic title. A man by the name of Leighton H. Coleman III. was exploring the attic of his relative Daisy Corning Stone Spedden, when he found many personal treasures, including a charming book Daisy had written for her 8-year-old son, Douglas, in 1913. In the attic he discovered the letters, diaries, and photo albums that revealed what had happened on the night the titanic sunk. The story is full of actual family photographs, keepsakes, and historic postcards. The story begins in the toy workshop where Polar is born, and quickly moves to the point where he is given to "Master," Daisy Spedden's son Douglas. Soon the boy and bear are inseparable! As the wealthy Speddens are world travelers, Polar and his new family sail from New York to Algiers and on to the French Riviera, until it comes time for them to return to America on the Titanic. On the fateful night of the sinking, Polar and the Speddens are lucky enough to be lowered down the side of the luxury liner in a lifeboat, but when the family boards the rescue ship, Polar finds himself left behind! Does he make it back to his best friend? You'll have to read the story yourself to find out. ;-)
At number 7 is this amazing book. You might remember my long post this past year about this story. I ran across it while we were studying the great dust bowl and it intrigued the kids and I. It is about "Okies'' driven to California by the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s and the formidable hardships they faced. In it is the true story of Weedpatch camp which was located right outside of Bakersfield, CA, where Bryan and I both grew up. In fact my grandparents house is a hop skip and a jump from weedpatch and I have driven down weedpatch hwy probably thousands of times in my lifetime. It may be that we were drawn to the book a bit more than most people would be because it is a piece of history that we had these small ties too, but I do think most people would enjoy this book, especially if you are studying the dust bowl or just wanting to read about it. The one thing that the kids and I really enjoyed about it was the real photographs from the dust bowl that were spread throughout the book.
At number 6 is Pancakes Paris. The setting for this book is post war Paris. A young boy receives some pancake mix from two soldiers as a token of their gratitude after he gives them directions and the boy isn't sure what to do with the mix. The directions are all written in English and he cannnot read English. His family is poor and pancakes would sure be a yummy treat for his hard working momma. He sets out to find someone that can read the directions to him. I won't spoil the end for you.....you'll just have to read it yourself to find out what happens. This is a great book to read around Mardi Gras as it includes some mardis gras traditions and foods. It also gives a very realistic and incredible feeling as to the affects of war on families.
At number 5 is a book we just read in November. The year is 1860, and "pea-brained" Simon Green, a brawny 15 year old, is "graduated" from school after his fourth year of third grade. Wondering what to do next, he seizes upon the complaint of a local turkey farmer: that birds worth $5 in turkey-starved boomtown Denver are worth only 25 cents in Missouri. With the financial assistance of his beloved former teacher (and new business sponsor), who risks her life savings to help him, Simon buys 1000 birds. From their he sets out to buy supplies and plan his trip of escorting 1000 turkeys from Missouri to Denver, Colorado. The trip is full of unexpected surprises and adventures and if you want to know if he makes it all the way to Denver with 1000 turkeys.....then you will have to grab a copy of the book and read for yourself. ;-) The kids really got a kick out of this story. It was a fun read and we learned some interesting tidbits about turkeys and were able to incorporate the geography in the story into some lessons.
At number 4 is this fun story set in 1885. The french are getting ready to present the statue of liberty to America. In fact, the statue is on it's way but can't be assembled until a pedestal has been built and paid for. Almost everyone in Miss Pearson's N.Y.C. class is contributing, but Lily can't find even the smallest job to raise money; and, anyway, her mother thinks it should go to the poor rather than to some statue. Then inspiration strikes: Lily will make cardboard crowns to sell. The timing is perfect, the crowns sell like hotcakes, and Lily even gets mentioned in Mr. Pulitzer's World. Later, she gives part of her earnings to an impoverished classmate who proudly adds the money to the Pedestal Fund. The author captures the excitement of the statue's arrival, while Lily's contacts with neighbors and local shopkeepers nicely evoke the flavor of old New York's close-knit ethnic communities. We really enjoyed this book!
In the number 3 spot is this book that almost got a post by itself from me. I have been dying to share about this book. I found it at Lindas Used books in December and we feel in love with it. If you are not familiar with Thomas Kincade, he is an artist. I was first introduced to his art in the early 90's when my aunt bought a piece from one of his gallerys in Pismo, CA. Shortly after I visited his gallery in Pismo and fell in love with his art. I know many artists today that do not approve of his art because it is unrealistic in several ways- mainly in his use of light. While I agree with that- I still very much enjoy his art pieces. After Emmy was born Bryan had a business trip to Seattle and while their he visited another gallery of Thomas Kincade and brought home one of his art pieces for me. It is a winter scene of Christmas carolers at the door of a beautiful home. We keep the painting up year round. I had no idea that Thomas Kincade had started writing children's book until I saw this title for sale on Lindas site. Curious, I just had to purchase it. It's incredible!! Whatever you might think of his art........this book is beautiful! His paintings are used throughout the book. the story is about a small town that received a telegraph on a snowy day in December but half way through the telegraph the lines break from the snow and all of the message does not come through. All the visitors know is that a special guest will be arriving at the train station. They think the guest will arrive later on that day and everyone crowds the station waiting to see who the special guest is. A salesman dressed up for sales is mistaken for the special visitor and taken to a party at the mayors house. A young boy is discovered outside the home, without a jacket, cold and lost. He accidently got off of the train when it stopped and with the crowds no one noticed. Another boy finds him and takes him back to his house to get him warm and the story from that point on is about giving and treating others as Christ would, after all, you never know when you might be entertaining an angel. It is such a touching story- but I don't want to give it all away so you will just have to read it yourself. ;-) Their are black and white photographs mixed in with Kincades beautiful paintings throughout the book. This one is beautiful enough to be a coffee table topper. We will be leaving our copy out year round, even after all of the other Christmas books have been put away.
In the number 2 spot is this truly amazing TRUE story. This one got a whole post from me this past year too. Man, we enjoyed reading this story while studying World War 11. This is a picture book and it was the combination of the true story and the beautiful illustrations that drew us in. The book has more words than normal for a picture book. The book depicts one of the lesser-known aspects of the Berlin Airlift following World War II as seen through the eyes of a seven-year-old girl. Operation Little Vittles was run by Lt. Gail Halvorsen who, out of the goodness of his heart, began dropping candy in parachutes made from handkerchiefs to the children of West Berlin. The story really shows how the Cold War impacted children, and how one child by the name of Mercedes struggled to find hope amid the ruins of postwar Germany. It is also a tribute to the thousands of people involved in the effort. Towards the end of the story Mercedes as a young woman with a family of her own gets to meet Lt. Gail Halvorsen. I still cannot read that part of the story with chocking up and the first time Bryan read it he got tears in his eyes too. This is a very well written picture book.
And drumroll please.......
The number one book on our list for 2008 was this FUN book! If you have ever wanted to travel to Venice- read this book. It will make you feel as if you have been their. We couldn't put the book down when we started it. It truly unveils the magic of Venice! Vendela lives in Stockholm, sometimes called the "Venice of the North," and her fondness for the copies of the magnificent Venetian horse statues at St. Mark's have created in her a desire to experience the Italian city firsthand. Thirty short chapters describe her weeklong sojourn there with her father. Information on glassblowing and gondola construction is presented as naturally as Vendela's disgust at the slaughtered animals in the market and her delight at tiramisu and almond-flavored milk. The book is full of photographs; reproductions of paintings, postcards, a map of Venice, and ticket stubs which just add to your feeling that you are walking the streets of Venice right along with Vendela and her father. At the end of the book is tips for travelers, historical tidbits, a time line, and a list of of guidebooks and adult fiction on Venice which makes this book far more than just a children's chapter book. If you are traveling to Venice- this book alone would be an incredible resource to take with you!! The kids and I find Venice enchanting and we wanted to scream from the rooftop after finishing this book......"We just went to Venice"!! GREAT book!
I would LOVE to hear what some of your favorite family reads in 2008 were. What did your children enjoy the most?
