Shiloh & Shiloh Season by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

When eleven-year-old Marty discovers a dog that ran away from Judd Travers, an important connection is made between the dog and Marty. The beagle, Shiloh, as Marty names him, is scared to death of Judd; he shakes and cringes any time he hears Judd or nears Judd’s property. After returning Shiloh, Marty witnesses Judd kick him. From this time on, Marty spends much of his free time trying to find a way to convince Judd to let him have Shiloh. Finally, an opportunity appears and Marty takes it. Although, he often wonders later on if he had made the right decision.

In Shiloh Season, the story continues but the relationship with Judd has dramatically worse. Judd has never had much respect for animals and limited respect for humans, but now it is obvious that his drinking is taking away any remaining. Marty and his family do everything they can to keep the relationship from Judd getting worse. They wonder if he will change or if he will always be a threat to the area’s safety.

Many students hear this story for the first time at school. It is a great one that talks about making good decisions, telling the truth to parents, and treating people (and animals) as they should be. This is a great book for kids to have read to them at a young age or for them to read it when they are in mid-elementary school.

Canadian West Series by Janette Oke

Elizabeth moves west to Calgary, Canada, to teach school in a growing settlement. But the superintendent of the new district has a different idea-he intends her to marry him. After she declines his offer, he sends her to a remote area, a day’s train ride from her western family. She is to be the first teacher to this small rural community. Compared to her lavish upbringing in the East, Elizabeth struggles to overcome living in a less comfortable situation. Elizabeth becomes friends with many of the families. She meets the local Mountie, Wynn Delaney, and quickly develops a crush. After several embarrassing situations, Wynn proceeds to take her as his wife. The rest of the series tells of their life living in the far north of Canada. There are many heartbreaks for them along with many wonderful times. Lessons are learned and through everything, they strive to keep their eyes on God.

This series is encouraging. There are many struggles that they go through that are not likely to ever happen in my life. They handle circumstances with human responses that are striving to see God work in situations. Being easy to read, someone in late elementary school or middle school would enjoy reading these books.

Night Cry by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

The last few years of Ellen’s life has brought many changes. Her mother dies suddenly of spinal meningitis. Not too long after, her brother, Billy, is thrown from his horse and dies. Ellen is left with her dad and his eccentric and not often well-paying endeavors. As Ellen takes over responsibilities, she regularly visits Granny Bo, their elderly neighbor. Granny Bo is very superstitious and Ellen begins to wonder if there may be some truth in them. When a former resident who has made it big in the city returns, his son is kidnapped and the townspeople blame Granny Bo. Ellen wonders if Granny Bo might have something to do with it until she hears a cry in the night that is in a different direction.

This book is very interesting and is a good example of how superstitious ideas can be harmful and cause problems. The author relates a young girl’s thought process as she works through ideas of superstition. With the subject matter, it would be a good book for someone in third or fourth grade to read with their parents. It would not be a bad thing (depending on the child) for parents to read it to a slightly younger child and discuss the topic.

What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge

Katy is a girl who is turning into a young woman. She takes pleasure being outside, running, creating stories, and making decorations out of plants and flowers. Aunt Izzie wishes, above all, to tame her wild niece. The other children in the family seem to follow and do whatever Katy has in mind. This results in extra laundry and mending much of the time. Shortly after a visit of their Cousin Helen, Katy suffers an accident that changes the course of not only her life but the family as well.

Most accidents and other occurrences in our lives are out of our control. What is in our control is how we respond to them, determining how we treat those around us during the tough times. This concept seems to be the theme of the second part of the book. It’s an easy-to-read book. Girls in later elementary school would be a good age to read it but girls who are younger would probably enjoy having it read to them.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

In a world that is much different than our own, Jonas has grown up not knowing what it is like to make many decisions a day. Everything is predetermined by the elders. They have no idea that a different life could exist. Each generation, things progress as they did in the past generations. No one is special, no one is left behind. As Jonas becomes a Twelve and is given his life assignment, he soon finds out that he has been set apart in a community where it is best to fit in. He trains with the The Giver and Receives the memories he has held since he was assigned-the memories that tell them that life used to be different. Jonas realizes that the feelings the community is taught to identify are mere shades of true emotion. And even though they have eradicated pain and fear, they have also dissolved the capacity to truly know and feel love.

Pain is part of life that none of us really like. This book is a good reminder that it is difficult (on this earth) to have love without the pain. I am always reminded that the pain and sadness makes love that much better and helps me appreciate it more. Rated at a 4.5 reading level, elementary students who read this will be able to understand it. The topics discussed would be easier to understand and think about if the student has someone to read with.

Angels Series by Lurlene McDaniel

Leah had always been independent. Her mother who married many times over to better their lives worked long hours, leaving Leah to care for herself. While her mother was on her honeymoon with her most recent husband, Leah’s finger started to hurt and later found it to be broken when she went to the doctor. When he did not like how it was sudden, he had her check into the hospital for further evaluation. With the eventual diagnosis of cancer, Leah was in for the fight of her life. The only hope she found during this time was the Amish family she grew to know and love; and Gabriella who came to her in her most desperate times. While no one else saw Gabriella besides Leah and her Amish roommate, Rebekah, she brought hope to many people. As Leah recovered from cancer and moved forward with her life, she still hoped for connection to Rebekah and her family, especially her brother Ethan. Ethan was struggling with his place in his family and the Amish community. Although they came from such different backgrounds, they found love that they had not experienced before. Being from such different worlds, they struggled to find a way to make their love possible.

I first read these books in elementary school and enjoyed them immensely. While they have a romantic tone, they are appropriate and not indecent. I also had a chance to learn about the Amish community, which I had not experienced personally. The books are easy to read and understand. These books would probably be enjoyed by girls that are in 3^rd or 4^th grade and older.

Child of the Silent Night-Edith Fisher Hunter

Laura Bridgman was only about two when she came down with scarlet fever. Even though she survived, she was left blind, deaf, and mute, with much of her smell and taste abilities gone. Her parents recognized her intelligence and eagerness to learn as she grew. She often went on walks with her friend Asa Tenney who introduced her to nature and taught her how to be gentle with live animals. Through his walks, she stayed interested in learning and paved the way for her to be one of the first deaf/blind/mute people to learn to communicate with other people. She was taken to a school and was taught to feel the alphabet’s raised letters, to write, and signing the alphabet into someone’s hand and understanding them signing in her hand.

Being at a lower reading level, this book is great for kids to start learning about people that are different from them. Since it takes place over 100 years ago, it would be helpful for parents to read the book with the child in order to explain some topics.

Thriving, Not Just Surviving by Officers' Christian Fellowship

Deployments have become one of the phases of military life. The anticipation of a coming deployment, the good-bye, the absence, and re-integration are times where it is difficult to do much more than see it through. But many people have asked, “Isn’t there a better way?” And there is: when soldier, spouse, and family trust in God to take care of each other, there can be “peace” in the midst of war.

While my husband is not currently deployed and I borrowed this book from a friend, I have been able to relate to the emotions, fears, and longings that were expressed by those telling their stories. I plan to get my own copy and keep it on hand for the next time my husband is called to war. It is ideal for spouses that have been through several deployments and those who are on their first one. It also might be good for soldiers to read to see what their spouses may be feeling or thinking and having a difficult time expressing.

Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

Frank and Lillie Gilbreth led lives different than many people. Frank was a scientist and involved their twelve children in their studies on motion and efficiency. Although, it often took Lillie's psychology to get them to agree to work with their father. Though their parenting was not traditional in many ways, their children thrived on waiting to see what would happen next. Frank was the life of the family and encouraged his children to think and learn beyond their age requirements. Lillie offset Frank by providing real life examples of the things they were learning from their father. While they were often seen as a circus, the love and endearment of the family was evident to those who knew them.

Written by two of Frank and Lillie’s children, the perspective given is clear of what it can be like to live in a family with a dozen children. It is fun to read of their adventures and experiences. The time period is in the early 1900’s and while it is quite appropriate for grade school readers, there may be some explanations needed about society in that time period.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Trapped by society, 7 young men try to find where they can be at peace with the world. While they are wilder than others their age, their source of survival is wrapped up in being tough and banding together with others like themselves. Through one unlikely evening, their lives are dramatically altered forever. Nothing would be able to return things to the way they had been but they all would be changed through the events.

This book gives a glimpse of what life is like for those who live differently than I do. While this book is older, there are many similar groups of teens that have many of the same struggles that these teens do. It can be easy to get swept up in the hopelessness and futility that many lives are ended but there are some people who live with this all their lives. This book would be great for students in middle school but it would be more beneficial for the parents to read and discuss it with them.