The Montmaray Journals: Review & Recommendation

The Montmaray Journals by Australian author, Michelle Cooper   RAF pilots. Aristocratic balls and gowns. A rocky isolated island kingdom. Nazis. Spies. Family. Spain.   1.  A Brief History of Montmaray  Sophie FitzOsborne lives in a crumbling castle in the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray, along with her tomboy younger sister Henry, her beautiful, intellectual… Continue reading The Montmaray Journals: Review & Recommendation

William Pene DuBois: The Twenty-One Balloons

The Twenty-One Balloons (Puffin Modern Classics) “Half of this story is true and the other half might very well have happened.”  ― William Pène du Bois, The Twenty-One Balloons From Goodreads, Professor William Waterman Sherman intends to fly across the Pacific Ocean. But through a twist of fate, he lands on Krakatoa, and discovers a world of… Continue reading William Pene DuBois: The Twenty-One Balloons

Cinderella: A Fairy Tale for the Ages

“Cinderelly, dressed in yelly!” Cinderella, the fairy tale, often conjures up images of sweet little mice dancing around a princess.  Many young children have grown up watching the beloved Disney version, but, in fact, this fairy tale has a long history of its own. Did you know that there are probably between 800-1000 versions of… Continue reading Cinderella: A Fairy Tale for the Ages

Nursery Rhymes: Language & History

Many children grow up with a copy of Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes on their bookshelves; in fact, I can remember our copy quite clearly because it was practically an antique with yellowed pages.  Eventually, our mother got us a colorful, updated version of the rhymes – really, so we wouldn’t ruin that beautiful book! Nursery… Continue reading Nursery Rhymes: Language & History