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Written by Louisa May Alcott published in 1868

Little Women was given to me by my older cousin after a fishing trip when I was about 13 years old. I took the book and left it on my table for a while until I decided to give it a try. It was amazing. I wanted to be Jo. I was a tomboy growing up and hated being told how I was supposed to act. I felt her ambitions and need to say what was on her mind.

Book / Author info: Little Women | Summary, Characters, & Facts | Britannica

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/GMOkj17ZRWk

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Written by Iris Waichler Published in 2006

Getting older came with so much stress and worry. My husband had been diagnosed with cancer. He received treatment and everything turned out great, but we did have to go through IVF. We thought it was going to be easy, but it wasn't. I had read many books, but this one made me laugh and gave me so much hope. I saw myself in this book where the others were too serious and I just didn't connect with.

Author Intrerview: Meet Iris Iris Waichler

Award as per website: Best book of the Year from the National Association of Parenting Publications (NAPPA) and Finalist for Best Book of the Year from Foreword Magazine and USA BookNews.

Author website: Iris Waichler

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Stephen Cosgrove illustrated by Robin James published in 1986

This was my first book that I picked out. My grandmother would take me to the store and tell me to go pick out something that I wanted. While most children went straight to the toy section, I gravitated to the books. I was probably 5 or 6 and remember picking this book up because of how pretty the pictures looked. This book has been in my heart since then.

Webpage: Stephen Cosgrove

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written by Arlene Mosel and illustrated by Blair Lent published in 1968

I know this is a problematic book due to negative Asian stereotypes. When I was in 2nd grade, I went on a school trip to the public library for the first time, and this book was read aloud. This was the first time I had ever stepped into a children's library, and it was amazing. It felt magical and this story was embedded into my heart for that reason alone. I remember sitting on the floor right in front and listening to this amazing story, obviously the librarian had a big part in the embedding.

PW review: Tikki Tikki Tembo

Additional info/reviews: Macmillian

winner of the 1968 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award for Picture Books.

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Written by Kobi Yamada illustrated by Gabriella Barouch published in 2019

This was the first book I bought when I was pregnant with my daughter. I was in Barnes & Noble and this cover caught my eye. It was so beautiful. I read it there and bawled my eyes. I thought about all the possibilities this little human in me had and all the amazing things they could do. I read it to her when she was little and still had the same effect. There are so many other books with the same messages but none of them tug at me the way this book does. It's in my library...my kids would have destroyed it by now if it was in theirs :/ I have a 5 and a 3 year old and I still read it to them, I still tear up. They love the illustrations and the little pig on all the pages.

Kirkus Review: MAYBE | Kirkus Reviews

Read aloud in case you want to hear it :) https://youtu.be/XS3dOR51C8M?feature=shared

Teaching/ discussion Resource: 6039939880185

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Written by Stephanie Meyers published in 2005

I had not picked up a book for a while before this. I was a senior in high school and busy working and doing senior things. I had gone to Borders (it was a bookstore for my younger friends) and it caught my eye. I took it home and read it in one night. I saw the sun rise. I read it quite a bit that year until the next one came out and to this day, I read it yearly. It brought me back to the literary world. After that book, I have been reading nonstop since. It's an important book for me because I fell in love with reading again.

Book Review: TWILIGHT | Kirkus Reviews

Additional Reviews: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S7-aPiD18CMfhjn9v6omNBu27YVtleFurCHQeT1JcnU/edit?usp=sharing

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Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe

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Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe

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Written by Laura Lynne Jackson published in 2019

My husband passed away in 2022. I felt lost and hated that I didn't feel him. I can't tell you how this book came across my path because I had avoided anything that had to do with death. I began to listen to this, and it changed me. This book is just a collection of people losing loved ones but finding signs from them throughout their life. Before this book I felt like I never felt his presence and after this, I feel him and talk to him every day. He always makes it known he's listening. I know that it might just be something I want to feel or want to see but because of this book, I can smile.

Author's website: Laura Lynne Jackson

Book info/ PW review: Spotswood Public Library

Podcast Interview: https://youtu.be/Ax4A-FHT7_k?feature=shared

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Written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein

Published in 1974

I don't remember how I acquired this book, I think it was given to my nonreader brother, and he gave it to me. This book was my favorite for years! I memorized so many of these poems and felt so grown up. I was about 10 years old. I loved the illustrations and how funny and outrageous these poems were. It's a book I lost and then repurchased as an adult because of how important it was to me.

Info/reviews: Shel Silverstein website

5 Minute documentary-https://youtu.be/bt6064yzBO8

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/w41uRPSgXYc?si=xMya9JvV7dg5_zNP

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Written by E.B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams published in 1952

This book meant so much to me after I read it. It was the first book to make me feel so many things. It made me cry so much when I was little and still does. This book was the first to make me realize how powerful words could be to make someone feel so sad or so anxious for its characters. I bought a copy when I was in my early 20's and saved it because I knew that I would want to read it to my future kids one day.

Kirkus Review: CHARLOTTE'S WEB | Kirkus Reviews

Book /author info: Charlotte’s Web | Summary, Characters, & Facts | Britannica

60th anniversary book trailer: https://youtu.be/0OLkY9DTx9I

Awards: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e65-u9DQgW6a_uA9EjvZZOe7nHchAu9Fk1W2Si5AoAg/edit?usp=sharing

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Written by Jane Austen published in 1813

It was 2005 and the movie was almost out. I had heard of it and knew the concept but never picked up the book. I wanted to read it to compare the movie, and I am so happy I did. This book was so much and more. I have never loved characters so much the way I love Lizzy and Mr. Darcy. This book is my feel-good book and so is the movie. It was such a beautiful story, and this kicked off an obsession with Jane Austen and her works which still holds true to this day. I love her.

Read it here if you haven't: The Project Gutenberg eBook of Pride and prejudice, by Jane Austen.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/vm2ITrBQVew?feature=shared

Book recap: https://youtu.be/_CIZNHoqW10?feature=shared

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Written by Liane Moriarty published in 2024

This was an unexpected book that was given to me for a book club this past November. I loved it so much because it made me think about myself and the unpredictably of life. It made me think about what if I was given a date of my death. How would I live my life? This was a book that I truly enjoyed and felt deeply for because of the character Cherry. She had gone through a lot and lost her husband and caused the chaos that followed. I connected with her and the sadness and the craziness she felt, she had no memory of what she did or said. I had read this author before and she is brilliant, but this book has stayed with me, Cherry has stayed with me.

Book website w/ reviews: Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/zjccMyxB87I?feature=shared

Authors inspiration for story: https://youtu.be/BPjI5nLaOaE?feature=shared

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written by Mary Shelly published in 1818

I had to read this one for an English class in 2013. I thought I knew what this was about and brushed it off, but it is such a beautiful and sad story, nothing of what I expected, and it's stuck with me. It's the first time I really threw myself in a book and thought deeply about the characters. It was one of those books like Charlotte's web that made me feel deeply. Books that do that stick with me.

a little on Mary and her writing Frankenstein: https://youtu.be/yANZEaMfHHs?feature=shared

Instructional resources: Teaching ‘Frankenstein’ With The New York Times - The New York Times

Teaching Frankenstein – Frankenreads

This summary slide made me laugh: Plot Summary in Frankenstein - Chart

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By Roald Dahl illustrated by Quentin Blake published in 1988

This book was one I really liked when I was little, so I got it for my kids to read aloud. It means a lot more to me now because of how much my children love it and want me to read it. It was their first favorite books, one that they request, and I love it for that. It has given them so much joy and curiosity and I love all the questions.

Kirkus Review : MATILDA | Kirkus Reviews

instructional resources: Matilda learning resources - Roald Dahl Museum & Story Centre

Matilda by Roald Dahl - Planning Overview - The Teaching Couple

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/f3beNboufkE?feature=shared