Book Reviews

The Empty Pot, by Demi. All the children are given the task of growing the most beautiful flower from a seed given them by the emperor. See what Ping does when his seed won’t grow.

Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen, illustrated by John Schoenherr. A girl and her father go on a late-night walk through the snowy woods looking for the great horned owl. Hidden in the shadows, a fox, raccoon, field mouse, and deer watch them pass. Will they see the owl?

The Three Questions, by Jon Muth. What is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? Nikolai knows that he wants to be the best person he can be, but often he is unsure if he is doing the right thing. See how he finds the answers.

Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney. As a child, Miss Rumphius dreams of traveling to faraway places and living by the sea. Her grandfather assures her that this is possible but also tells her to make the world more beautiful. Read how Miss Rumphius does just that.

Giraffes Can’t Dance, by Giles Andrea Anderson, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees. Gerald the giraffe wants to dance more than anything. But with thin legs and crooked knees, it’s harder than you would think. An unlikely friend gives him some encouraging words, and finally he is able to dance to his own tune.

Girls Who Choose God: Stories of Strong Women from the Book of Mormon, by McArthur Krishna and Bethany Brady Spalding, illustrated by Kathleen Peterson. Read 10 stories about women from the Book of Mormon who chose to follow God—to choose the right, defend those in trouble, and break from false traditions. Their choices can inspire girls and boys to choose the right too.

Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, illustrated by Garth Williams. Laura lives with her family in a log cabin in the woods of Wisconsin in the 1870s. She dances to Pa’s fiddle, eats maple syrup candy, puts food up for the winter, and listens to stories of frontier adventures. This book gives a warm look at a family loving, working, and playing together.

Candy Bomber: The Story of the Berlin Airlift’s “Chocolate Pilot,” by Michael O. Tunnell. After World War II, a heroic pilot began to drop candy and gum into the city of Berlin, bringing children not only a little joy, but a lot of hope. Learn the amazing true story of Lt. Gail Halvorsen and how his small kindness lifted a nation.