Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon by Paula Danziger

Book Title: Amber Brown is Not a Crayon
Author: Paula Danziger
Audiobook Narrator: Alica Witt
Book Series: Amber Brown series
Reading Level: early middle-grade (3rd through 4th grade)
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Content Rating: G

I've seen the Amber Brown books around since my days of working in the Children's Department of my local library (that was 1999, by the way). I never thought to pick them up. At 18, they were not high on my interest-level list. 

But I'm a mom now, and I have a 3rd grader. So I read a lot of middle-grade and YA. A friend gave me 3 bins of old books a year or so ago, and two Amber Brown books were inside! So I gave them a try (actually I did audio for time purposes). Well I loved the books! The first 3, at least (that's all I've listened to).

Amber Brown is in 3rd grade with her best friend Justin Daniels. Aside from her parents' recent separation (and her dad's job moving him to Paris for a year), life is pretty good. Amber and Justin help each other with school, hang out at recess, and save chewed gum to their joint chewed gumball. But Justin's dad has taken a new job in Alabama, and now their house has sold. Nothing will ever be the same again. 

So I'm actually grateful I never picked this up before now. Because I'd have probably forgotten all about it if I'd read it years ago. But this is perfect for my daughter right now. We currently live in Alabama, but we're moving to a new state soon. My husband, in fact, has gone ahead to start his new job, much like Justin's dad in the story. I'm hoping this book might help my daughter not feel quite so alone in this big move. 

Anyway, cute and fun and quick early middle-grade about growing up and learning that life changes. And the audio was well done too! Also recommend You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber Brown and Amber Brown Goes Fourth.

The Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman

Book: The Dark Hills Divide
Author: Patrick Carman
Series: The Land of Elyon
Reading Level: Middle-grade (I'd recommend for 5th to 7th)
My Rating: 3/5 stars
Content Rating: PG

Alexa is 12 years old when she travels with her father to Bridewell. She's lived her whole life behind the walls that protect the major cities from the mysterious and dangerous things in the Dark Hills. She's curious, though, about what lies beyond those walls. So when a chance presents itself to find out, she takes it. She learns about some sinister plots and a traitor in the city.  Soon she isn't sure who to trust. 

Well. I'm torn. I had really high hopes for this one. And while it doesn't have bad language or any obviously inappropriate content, there were things that really bug me about it. And I'm hesitant to give the go-ahead to my 8 year old at this point. For one thing, Alexa, the main character, does a lot of lying. She's very sneaky, and while this is practically required to further the story, it bugs me. I also found one of the characters very creepy. And yeah, he's supposed to be her nemesis, so he's written to be that way, but I felt uncomfortable with an adult character whose interactions with a child were what they are in the book, at least initially. The character's name doesn't do him any favors either. 

For me as a reader, the book also felt really unbelievable. I can let that go, though, as I'm obviously not the target audience. That said, I think there are many middle-grade reads that are well-developed and believable (even in the fantasy genre) even for adult readers. 

I did like the author's message about the walls we build and whether or not we should. 

In the end, I have decided we'll keep the book on our shelves and give it a couple years. This is strictly my feelings for my kids, and others may feel differently. 

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

 

Book Title: Ramona Quimby, Age 8
Author: Beverly Cleary
Book Series: Ramona Quimby series
Reading Level: middle-grade (3rd through 5th grade)
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: G
Tidbit: Eight-year old Ramona Quimby is just trying to survive 3rd grade and do as well as she possibly can at the job she's been assigned in her family.

Third grade isn't for wimps! Just ask Ramona Quimby. When Ramona's father decides to quit his job and go back to school, some things in the Quimby household have to change. Ramona's biggest responsibility is getting along with 4 year old Willa Jean, the granddaughter of the woman who watches Ramona and her sister after school. It's not a job Ramona enjoys. She also doesn't enjoy the cheaper meat her mom prepares for meals; nor her new classmate, whom she refers to as Yard Ape. When Ramona overhears something her teacher says after an egg-fad gone wrong, Ramona is sure this will be the worst year ever. She'll soon learn, however, that there are bright spots on even the cloudy days. 

So I loved this book! I dont think I ever read it when I was young. But I'm glad my daughter did! There were a few parts that made me chuckle out loud. I loved seeing things from an 8 year old's perspective. True, I was 8 once. But that was a very long time ago, and I don't remember how things felt. It was good to be reminded that the things that are hard for my daughter right now may not be hard for me, but they ARE hard for her! I also could identify so well with Ramona's parents, now that I'm of that general age.

My daughter loved this book. She is continuing the series (though I know now that this is book 6... oops).

April 2022 Mom & Me Book Club: Ramona Quimby, Age 8

 

Because this is my daughter's last full month of being 8 years old, I thought it'd be fun for us to read Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary for our Mom & Me Book Club!  I'm so glad I did.  I don't know if I read this when I was around 8 or not.  I mean, I've known it existed for as long as I can remember (I was born in 1980, and this book was originally published in 1981, so it's been around for as long as I can remember ;)).  Yet I can't recall ever reading it on my own.  

Well, I loved it!  I will write more about that in my review.  But I loved it.  And so did my daughter!  She is now wanting to read the whole series.  Turns out this one is #6 in the series, which I didn't realize.

We had a lovely little book club meeting.  And we even included my 6 year old son, since his siblings were napping and I know he gets bored.  Plus, he told me he read a little bit of it too (I'm guessing the first few pages, since he remembered that Beezus and Ramona are watched in the afternoons by a grandmotherly lady).  We enjoyed graham crackers and apple juice -- the after school snack Ramona has to eat every day at Mrs. Kemp's house after school.  And we had white chocolate Reese's eggs, since it's just after Easter and I actually had some!  And because we weren't going to have raw eggs to match the cover.  LOL.  

Here were the questions I asked and we discussed:

What did you think of Ramona Quimby, Age 8?

What was your favorite part of the book?

This book was written in 1981, and a lot of things have changed since then... do you think this is a book that stands the test of time (can be popular even after 40 years)?

Do you think Ramona's job in her family (to get along with Willa Jean) was a fair one for her? Or was it too much to ask?

What did you think about the egg fad? Would you be an egg rapper or an egg whacker? Are there fads at your school?

What did you think about the kind stranger at the end? Do you think things like that happen in real life?

I appreciated the opportunity to talk about fads and whether or not to follow along.  While the egg fad was no big deal (well, Ramona might disagree!), I was able to talk to my kids about more recent fads in our society which weren't so innocuous.  Like the tide pod challenge fad.  It was a great way to talk about thinking things through and not being afraid to say, "No I'm not doing that."  I also loved that I already knew the answer from both my kids about whether they'd be an egg rapper/tapper or an egg whacker.  Ha!  I have one of each (of the two who were at our book club), and I knew who would choose what!  I'm a total egg tapper.  

I also loved our discussion about the kind stranger at the end of the book.  When I asked if they thought those kinds of things happen still today, they kind of had to stop and think about it for a bit.  My daughter decided that it could if people wanted to.  I was so glad I could share examples of it actually happening in our day too.  There is still so much good in this world and in people.  And I loved that our discussion could touch on that!

I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, 79, A.D. by Lauren Tarshis

 

Book Title: I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, 79 A.D.
Author: Lauren Tarshis
Book Series: I Survived (this one is book 10 out of 21 currently published)
Reading Level: middle-grade
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: G (no concerns, though there are more mature themes present, such as slavery and gladiator violence mentioned)

I really love this book series! They are short (about 100 pages) historical fiction stories about kid characters who survive the various disasters. What a FANTASTIC way to introduce historical events to young readers. Home-schooling has long been a consideration for our family, and I feel like it may be coming sooner than later. I am almost positive this series will play a role in our history curriculum!

This particular book is about Marcus, a young slave boy in Pompeii. He was separated from his father, who was sold away 2 months before. In recent days, the city has been experiencing tremors and rumbling. While most simply endure the brief shakings and move on with life, believing its just the beast asleep in the mountain, Marcus has reason to believe there's more to it. When his dad miraculously arrives in the city as a Gladiator contender, his beliefs are affirmed. Now he must free his father and they must both escape before the "beast" inside Mount Vesuvius awakes.

Mario and the Stones by Katy Sloop Roberts

Book Title: Mario and the Stones
Author: Katy Sloop Roberts
Series: Luna and Fortuna
Reading Level: early middle-grade
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Content Rating: G

Superstitious Mario has broken a mirror and anticipates many years of bad luck. Mario is also grouchy and lazy, and the result is people shy away from him in every town. Hungry and bedraggled, he rests among olive trees. Thus he meets Luna, the owner of the trees; and her black cat Fortuna, who he studiously tried to avoid crossing. For trespassing, she requests he help her build a higher wall around her trees. She agrees to feed him while he works. Mario isn't very good at holding up his end of the bargain, but then, Luna and Fortuna have a few secrets too.

This is a cute and fast read, and it is full of great lessons to discuss with kids! Honesty, work ethic, integrity, choices and consequences... There are some great discussion starters here. My husband read this one a few weeks back, and he still talks to me about some of the things he found interesting in the book. 

I also love the inclusion of Italian words! What a fun way to introduce a language to young readers!

My daughter read this one and said she thought it was great!  I asked her what she learned from the book, and she said she learned being lazy doesn't pay.  She was also super excited to learn there is another book coming out all about Fortuna in April!

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Book Title: The Wednesday Wars
Author: Gary D. Schmidt
Reading Level: middle-grade and up (I'd recommend for upper-middle grade)
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG (no language or other concerns, but the content is a bit more mature as it is a coming-of-age type novel)
Tidbit: In this coming-of-age story, 7th-grader Holling Hoodhood tries to navigate his life with his work-obsessed father, his on-the-sidelines mother, his flower-child sister, and his teacher Mrs. Baker, who he is pretty sure hates him; while also figuring out life during the political unrest of the Vietnam War and Civil Rights issues in America.
Fun Quote: "I never thought being in seventh grade would mean so many death threats."

This book was nowhere on my radar until I saw a popular bookstagrammer share her top 10 most recommended books. I'm SO glad I stumbled upon that post, because this book is an absolute gem! I'm almost 100% sure it'll make my top 10 list for this year. I loved it!

This coming-of-age story follows Holling Hoodhood, a 7th grader at Camillo Junior High on Long Island. It's the Fall of 1967, and between the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, there is a lot of turmoil. But Holling's more immediate concern is how he going to survive Mrs. Baker's class on Wednesday afternoons when he is the only student who has neither Catechism nor Hebrew Class. Holling is pretty sure she hates him for that. 

Meanwhile, at home, he is trying to navigate the "perfect house," built by his architect father who can build houses but not homes; his high school sister who wants peace and not war; and a mom who watches from the sidelines. Yet in the middle of all this, Holling will learn about love, friendship, forgiveness, miracles, hope, and Shakespeare.

I can't even explain how much I loved this book. I laughed out loud so many times. And I FELT so much.  If you haven't read it, it is 100% worth your time. No content concerns, but it feels more mature in terms of understanding and relatability, so I recommend for 12 and up.

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

 

Book Title: Mr. Popper's Penguins
Authors: Richard and Florence Atwater
Reading Level: Middle-Grade (all middle-grade)
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: G (no concerns)
Tidbit: When house-painter Mr. Popper receives a package from Australia containing a penguin, hilarious antics ensue!

Mr. Popper makes a living by painting houses and wall-papering walls. But his real dream has always been to travel, especially to Antarctica. Since that isn't a possibility, he instead immerses himself in books and radio shows about penguins, the Antarctic, and the explorations there of Admiral Drake. One day, Mr. Popper gets the surprise of his life when he opens a large box shipped to him from Antarctica, and life gets kind of crazy in the Popper house!

I thought this story was cute, though definitely unrealistic. But my 8 1/2 year old LOVED it.  She kept laughing while reading, and when I would tell her what part I was in, she would say,  "isn't that hilarious!?!" That alone endears the book to me a bit more. And I think it would make a super-fun family read-aloud!

There was a movie made of this book in the 2010s, I believe.  It stars Jim Carrey.  I checked it out from the library and planned to have an enjoyable movie night with my kids.  Well, we lasted about 15 minutes.  My kids weren't all that interested, and honestly, they changed the details of the book almost from the word go; with Mr. Popper being a saavy and somewhat conceited sales-man in the movie. I was bummed we couldn't enjoy it, but it may be fun for others!

Look for my Mom and Me Book Club post coming soon for this book!  (I'm just slacking a bit on it.)

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

 

Book Title: Al Capone Does My Shirts
Author: Gennifer Choldenko
Book Series: Tales From Alcatraz (Book 1 of 4)
Reading Level: Middle-Grade (I'd recommend for upper)
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG
Tidbit:  Twelve-year old Moose Flanagan's family has just moved to Alcatraz Island where his dad is now a prison guard and electrician.  Moose will have to come to terms with all the growing up which will come along with the move.

"Now I understand. When you love someone, you have to try things even if they don't make sense to anyone else."

The Flanagan family has moved to Alcatraz Island, home (though not by choice) of the infamous Al Capone who is a resident of the prison. Moose Flanagan, whose father has taken on employment as a prison guard, is 12. He misses his old home and his old friends, and nothing about this new situation seems ideal. But it's 1935, good jobs are scarce, and Moose's parents are desperate to get his older sister Natalie (who loves lemon cake and counting things) into the Esther P. Marinoff school in San Francisco, a school that specializes in children with special needs. Though none of this is what Moose wants, he will learn that he can make new friends (even if one of them is the warden's daughter Piper, with whom Moose has a confusing relationship), and he'll learn a lot about love and what you might do for those you love. 

I love this book. I first read it when I was in library school, and the ending just gave me all the warm fuzzies. It's a beautiful coming-of-age story about a boy who comes to terms with being the younger brother of an autistic sister (though at the time the story is set, there was no term or diagnosis for Natalie's behaviors). 

We read this as a family read-aloud. My kids really enjoyed it, and I love that it gave us opportunities to talk about autism and how important it is for us to be loving and kind when others act differently. And the ending gave me just as many warm fuzzies this time as it did 15 years ago. 

That said, there are some mature themes in the book, which also led to some important conversations (like protecting our bodies and recognizing if someone is doing something wrong and what to do). And some puberty-related aspects of boyhood. I would definitely recommend parents be aware of the themes. And I would recommend for solo reading for 12+. I personally did some censoring while reading aloud to my 4 kids.

This is book 1 of the series of 4. I've read them all, but this one is my favorite.

Frindle by Andrew Clements

 

Book: Frindle
Author: Andrew Clements
Reading Level: Middle Grade (3rd through 5th grade would be most interested)
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: G

Fifth grader Nick Allen is a good student. At the same time, he is known for his streak of mischief. He's gifted at getting teachers side-tracked, thereby getting he and his classmates out of work. But the 5th grade Language Arts teacher has a reputation too: she knows all the tricks students try to pull, and there is no nonsense in her classroom. Nick has other plans, however, and after a class lesson about words, he decides to invent a new one and see how his teacher likes it. Then things go a little further then he had intended. 

Definitely a cute story! I chuckled out loud a couple times. A very fun premise, too!  Word origins have actually intrigued me, and I think it's funny that we have seen the creation of new words in our lifetimes, like texting and Instagram and Facebook!

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White

 

Book: Charlotte's Web
Author: E. B. White
Reading Level: Middle-grade
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: G

My daughter's 3rd-grade class started reading this, and I realized I've never actually read it! I've seen the cartoon movie (was it made in the 1980s? That's when I watched it!), so I knew the story. But I'd never read the book! So I set about to remedy that.

That cartoon movie follows the book so well that I almost feel as though I HAD read the book. And while reading the book, I couldn't help but hear the movie's songs in my head:

I open up and talk! Talk talk talk talk, I can talk!

The fair is a veritable smorgasbord...

I guess what struck me most with reading this book as an adult was how it deals with the topic of death (quite a bit) for a young audience in a way they can relate to. Death is a hard and heavy subject for most people, but especially for children. I think it's handled well here.

There are other, happier themes in the book too, though. Friendship, of course, and love. I think those themes help balance the heavier topics.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

 

Book Title: Heidi
Author: Johanna Spyri
Reading Level: Middle-Grade/YA (grade 5 through 8)
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Content Rating: G

I'm 41 years old and this is the first time I've ever read this sweet Children's Classic! This was our most recent family read aloud. I thought it was wonderful! My husband and kids enjoyed it as well (though my 6 year old son wasn't as enthralled as my girls were).

Heidi is a little orphan girl whose aunt takes her to live with her grandfather, the crotchety old man the villagers all call Alm-Uncle, high up in the Swiss Alps. But Heidi's innocence and pure love change her grandfather and all who come to know her in both the Alps and in Frankfurt where she is later taken to be a companion for a young girl who is wheelchair-bound.

There were some laugh-out-loud moments, and a lot of sweetness. And while I don't think it's an accurate depiction of real life, I still think it's a wonderful book with so much goodness. I can see why it's considered a classic.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

 

Book Title: The Mysterious Benedict Society
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Audiobook Performer: Del Roy
Series: The Mysterious Benedict Society
Reading Level: Middle-Grade (grade 5-7)
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Content Rating: G

I thoroughly enjoyed this middle-grade book!

Reynie, Kate, Constance, and Sticky are all very intelligent kids who never knew each other before they all passed Mr. Benedict's strange test - and who all happen to be orphans. But now they are the only hope to prevent the really bad thing that looms on the horizon. To fulfill their mission, they find themselves enrolled at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened in order to spy on Mr. Curtain and the curious things happening on Nomansan Island. But the mission is very dangerous, and they'll have to rely on each other if they hope to succeed.

The story was engaging and had a lot of depth. I definitely recommend! I enjoyed listening to it on audio and thought the performer did a fantastic job.

InvestiGATORS Take the Plunge

 

Book: InvestiGATORS Take the Plunge
Series: InvestiGATORS (book 2 of 5 currently published + 1 announced)
Author: John Patrick Green
Reading Level: Middle-Grade
Genre: Graphick Novel
My Rating: 5/5 Stars!
Content Rating: G (potty humor present)
Tidbit: Mango and Brash are the InvestiGATORS, and they may or may not be responsible for some of the chaos in the city they've now been tasked with fixing.

I LOVE THIS SERIES! It makes me laugh! And I love all the allusions to other things that I'm certain go right over kids' heads, but hit their parents (like me) right on the target (Aisle of Dr. Morrow). And I love the way the end of each book leads you right into the next one. I'm so glad I have numbers 3 and 4 on my shelf already, and number 5 was just published! I need to get that one!

In this fun story, Mango and Brash inadvertently cause catastrophic Combinotron chaos. While being tasked with finding their nemesis Crackerdile in the sewers (using their cool plumber V.E.S.T.s), they will also have to figure out how to uncombine all the strange combinations which are cropping up following a city-wide flood!

Prior to picking up this series, I was totally not a fan of graphic novels. Kudos to Mr. Green for making a believer out of me!

If potty humor bugs you, be aware there is some of that in here.

The Hundred Dresses -- Eleanor Estes

 

Book Title: The Hundred Dresses
Author: Eleanor Estes
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG (Content warning: bullying)
Tidbit: After a girl who was teased by the kids in class moves away, Maddie contemplates her own actions and what she could have done differently.

Wanda is different.  Her last name is foreign, and she always wears the exact same blue dress.  When Wanda claims to have a hundred dresses in her closet at home, the other girls in class know it's a lie.  So Peggy begins to tease Wanda every day about those hundred dresses.  Maddie, not wanting the teasing turned on her, doesn't intervene.  So when Wanda stops coming to class, Maddie begins thinking about her own actions and contemplating what she could have done differently.  And when the drawing contest winners are announced, a new discovery is made about Wanda.

This short book is a must-read for every kid!  But especially for girls heading into their tween years.  It's a book about not being afraid to stand up for what's right, even if we stand alone.  It's a story of regret.  It's a book about choosing kindness and not fearing what is different.  Though the story is set in a completely different time period (1930s, maybe?), the story itself is timeless.  It's also a very quick read.  I think this will be a perfect read-aloud for my kids, so I'm adding it to my list to read aloud as a family, even though my 8 year old has now read it for our Mom and Me book club.

I really loved that the author's daughter included a little note to the reader at the beginning of the book.  This adds so much perspective to the story and I think is a great way to talk with kids about the choices we make and how we treat others.  This is another Newbery Award Book, and I think it's a wonderful one!

A Single Shard -- Linda Sue Park

     

Title: A Single Shard
Author: Linda Sue Park
Reading Level: Middle-grade
My Star Rating: 4.25/5
Content Rating: PG

Tree-Ear is a 12 year old orphan who lives with his friend Crane-Man under a bridge in 12th century Korea. Fascinated by the process of pottery-making, Tree-Ear spends many hours surreptitiously watching Min, one of the most talented potters in his village. One day, while Min is away, Tree-Ear decides to take a closer look at the potter's creations. When he accidentally breaks one of the pieces, he becomes Min's apprentice to pay off the debt of the broken piece. In time, Tree-Ear will be entrusted with Min's most prized work in order to seek a royal commission, and his life will never be the same again. 

This was such a good story! I am going to use it as a read-aloud in the not-too-distant future! It was the 2002 Newbery Winner, and I think it was well-deserved.

Pony -- R.J. Palacio

 

Book: Pony
Author: R.J. Palacio 
My star-rating: 4.25/5
Content Rating: PG-13 (mainly for violence and some more mature themes)

"The connections that bind us are astounding, as I've noted. The invisible threads weave in and around us, and tug at us in places and at times that we may not ever see, or that only make sense over time." 

When 12 year old Silas Bird watches his father ride off into the night, a captive of armed men, he doesn't fully realize he's about to leave his childhood behind. But he senses his father needs him, so he determines face his fears and go after his father, though doing so is a direct violation of what what his father has told him to do. So Silas sets off, with a white-faced horse he names Pony, and Mittenwool, a ghost only Silas can see, to rescue his father. What he finds along the way will teach him about his past and the connections which bind us to each other.

I really liked this story! I found it very engaging and beautifully written. The end definitely got my emotions swelling. The characters are rich, and I loved the spiritual aspect of the book that came with Silas's unique abilities. The book takes place in 1860 in the frontier regions, and that setting is so perfect for this novel.

There were some more gruesome and violent events and depictions in the book and some more mature themes, so I'd probably recommend this for 13 and up, based on my own readers.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

 Book Title: Hatchet
Author: Gary Paulsen
Book Series: Brian's Saga (book 1)
Reading Level: middle-grade to Young Adult
My Content Rating: PG (recommend for more mature readers)
My Star Rating: 4/5 stars
Tidbit: Coming of age survival story geared toward upper-middle grade and younger YA readers.

I've seen this book around a lot over the years. Since my very first job was in the Children's Room of a public library, and then I continued in the library world for years after that, I probably shelved it a time or two. But until now, I'd never read it. I didn't even know what it was about, but it won a Newbery Honor award, so I figured it had to have some value to it.

Turns out it's a survival story.  And it was quite a ride! Brian Robeson is on his way to spend the summer with his dad for the first time following his parents' divorce. Brian is still trying to come to terms with all that has happened, including the secret he knows led to the divorce.  In the middle of the flight, which he alone shared with the pilot, somewhere over Canada, the pilot has a heart attack, and the plane goes down. Miraculously, Brian survives the crash, but can be survive in the wild alone until help arrives? 

I'm not going to lie, this book felt pretty stressful for me. I listened to it on audio, and the added musical aspects certainly added to the suspense and anxiety of the book for me. The reader, Peter Coyote, did a great job, and there were times I thought he reminded me of Tom Hanks (who I listened to reading The Dutch House by Anne Patchett last month, and I'll eventually get around to reviewing here).  Hatchet is a well-crafted novel, and I was very interested to know how it would end. It was also to awesome to watch the character growth. 

I don't feel like there are any major content concerns (though the secret is mature in nature). I would recommend for older middle-grade and YA. But that's based on my own readers. This book would freak my kids out at their current ages.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald

Book: Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Author: Betty MacDonald
Series: Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series
Reading Level: Middle-grade (4th through 6th grade)
My Content Rating: G (ideal for all readers)
My Star Rating: 5/5 (as a read-aloud!)

This was our family's most recent read-aloud.  We loved it!  My kids are ages 8, 6, 4, and 2.  The 2 year old wasn't engaged much, but the other 3 thought this was such a fun story!

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle lives in an upside-down house, she adores children, and her late husband may have been a pirate who buried treasure in the backyard. Kids love Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, and love to hang out at her house. The neighborhood parents love her, because she has the perfect cure for every childhood "ailment" from won't-pick-up-toys-itis to the fighter-quarrelers disease (this one was our favorite chapter, by the way). Once the parents use Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's cures, life at home is perfect. 

Oh how my kids giggled!!! My 8 year old even said, "it looks like we need a Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle!" This was a perfect read-aloud!