How About An Adventure? Summer Reading to Take You Away.

June 26, 2026June 27, 2026 / barbaracartwaybc / Leave a comment

Weslandia by Paul Fleischman Illustrated by Keven Hawkes c2002 Candlewick Press

Some children spend summer vacation at soccer camp or on a family trip, but Wesley has a plan. Why not create your own civilization? Instead of hanging around with the schoolmates who torment him, Wesley tends a new crop of strange plants from which he creates special ink for writing a new language, uses the fibers to create cool and comfortable clothing, builds himself a shelter, and names his world Weslandia. New and challenging games are to be invented and creative possibilities present themselves each day. No boredom can exist for long in this fascinating and colorful neighborhood.

Wesley assesses the growth of his flourishing plants.

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson Originally published by Macmillan Children’s Books : London c2001

Orphan Maia never dreamed she would be leaving her comfortable London boarding school to live with relatives in Brazil. When her relatives who live on a rubber plantation turn out to be unpleasant and unkind and have no interest in learning about the world of the Amazon river that surrounds them, Maia is very unhappy. Sometimes those who have courage and strength during difficulties are rewarded. New friends and a boat journey on the largest river system in the world bring Maia in touch with new possibilities. Eva Ibbotson takes her readers on an unforgettable trip.

Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry c1940 Currently available from Simon & Schuster

Teenager Mafatu has always been afraid of the sea. He has been teased and made to feel an outsider by the people on his South Pacific island of Hikueru. In order to redeem himself and make his father, the chief, less ashamed, Mafatu sets out to sea on a small boat with his dog as his only companion. He hopes to conquer his fear once and for all.

This is not a long book, but the story is one of those that lives long in the heart of readers. It is perfect for ages 9 to 12 and it is an excellent choice to read aloud at home or at school.

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown Young readers edition c 2015 by Viking Books for Young Readers also available from Puffin Books

The true story of the team that rowed to victory for America at the 1936 Olympics. No one expected that a crew of young men from Washington State would outperform the Ivy League teams from the Eastern US, let alone win at the Olympics. The story of how they got there is inspiring and uplifting and belongs on any list of books for students. I played the footage of the actual boat crossing the finish line for my classes when I book talked this at book fairs. It is always a winner!

Endurance by Alfred Lansing c1959 by McGraw-Hill Book Company : New York

The story for which the word EPIC was invented! Most junior high readers can enjoy this true tale of survival under extreme conditions during a Polar expedition to the Antarctic in 1914. That 28 men could live through the loss of their ship without any of the modern technologies we know today is one of the most remarkable survival stories of all time, and a testament to the difference good leadership can make. Expedition leader Ernest Shackleton made the men get rid of most of their possessions when they prepared to take to the ice as their ship began to be crushed, but he kept the banjo. He knew his crew would need every possible help to take their minds off the dire situation they were in. He also knew that in the days leading up to WWI, nobody was going to be interested in coming to their rescue. They had to save themselves. This is the story of how they did it. If your teenagers do not know this story, why not get them acquainted with Shackleton and his brave companions?

The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn and Hal Iggulden c2006 by HarperCollins

A classic How-To book that covers building a treehouse, skimming stones, the five knots every boy should know, identifying fossils, basic fishing skills, and more ideas for enjoying life outside. There are also many useful lists and documents such as baseball’s most valuable players, a Navajo code talkers dictionary, The Declaration of Independence, and the Ten Commandments, least we forget a few. This book will help your young lads adventure well this summer.

Lost on a Mountain in Maine by Don Fendler and Joseph Egan Original c1939. Republished in 2013 by Harper Collins

Another true survival story. When he was twelve years old, Don Fendler became lost during a hike on rugged Mount Katahdin and managed to survive alone until he was found on day nine. Mount Katahdin is famous for being the northern endpoint of the Appalachian Trail. It is a strenuous and difficult hike with extreme weather changes, not a good place to lose your way. This book is a good companion to the Dangerous Book for Boys. Be prepared, as the scouts say.

The River by Gary Paulsen c1991 Dell Publishing / Random House Children’s Books

The first sequel to Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. Brian returns to the wilderness with a psychologist to teach survival skills, but must navigate a raft downriver after his companion is injured in a storm. Gary Paulsen is THE young person’s wilderness adventure writer. The Hatchet series is probably the best known of his books, but there are shelves more to be enjoyed. I have given his book Winterdance : The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod to outdoor fans in my family. Mr. Paulsen ran the Iditarod twice, and his tale of that experience as a rookie is enlightening, and a bit crazy.

Grump Is His Name… The Midsummer Tomte and the Little Rabbits

June 5, 2026 / barbaracartwaybc / Leave a comment

The Midsummer Tomte and the Little Rabbits by Ulf Stark with illustrations by Eva Eriksson English edition c2016 by Floris Books : Edinburgh

Grump is a house tompte. He lives in a dog kennel converted into a cozy home just the right size for a small being, and he looks after a cottage long empty of its happy family. His best friend is a bumblebee. Here are some of the author’s words:

“His friend the bumblebee was flying around looking for flowers that had come into bloom. It swooped over the nettles beside the pigsty.

“Soon it will be time to leave and find a home of my own,” thought the bumblebee.

Every time it mentioned leaving, Grump grunted and said it was too soon for that. “What are you thinking of, you bumblenoodle? There aren’t enough flowers yet. You’ll starve.” Then Grump sighed. “No, I’ll have to put up with you a bit longer, you nuisance.”

The bee looked down at the tompte and wondered, “How will I have the heart to leave the old crosspatch? He saved my life once. I don’t want to make him sad.”

Grump and Bumblebee have a serious chat. Illustration by Eva Eriksson

Grump knows that a house tompte should be a bit grouchy, but sometimes he forgets and ends up doing very kind and thoughtful deeds. A large and noisily happy rabbit family nearby has benefitted from having Grump in the neighborhood, and this summer will be no different.

Father Rabbit is very proud of his top hat and wonders if an event called Midsummer might provide a chance to show it off, if only they knew how to celebrate it. Barty wonders if a tree is decorated. Grandfather wants to know if there are speeches given or poems written. Mother thinks dancing would be nice. Everyone hopes there will be tasty food to eat. Owl warns them that Midsummer is “Full of magic and love and mystery, so it’s best to watch out!”

So much can happen in the long days leading up to Midsummer’s Eve. There are storms, lots of time to play rabbit games, Grandfather’s lessons, perhaps even time to fall in love….There are 21 short chapters in this lovely book, perfect for reading one each bedtime right up to Midsummer’s longest day. Warm and gentle humor and scenes from happy family life are found throughout this story. It doesn’t matter that the family might be rabbits or mice. The characters are so like people you might know. Eva Eriksson’s pictures and page decorations make this a beautiful book to own.

Grandfather Rabbit teaches a lesson on plants, edible and otherwise. Illustration by Eva Eriksson

Grump turns to his “one and best book” In Praise of Solitude for solace when his friend leaves and learns that becoming attached to things leads to disappointment when they leave. Perhaps he will change his ways, or maybe the future will be better than he thinks. Better read this book and find out. The Yule Tomte and the Little Rabbits by the same two collaborators will be waiting for your young readers come Advent season. That is good news indeed.

Poetry for Children : Begin Here!

May 23, 2026 / barbaracartwaybc / Leave a comment

A Child’s Books of Poems Illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa Originally published by Grosset and Dunlap c1969 This edition c2007 by Ronald K. Fujikawa, Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.

This large format book of poems lovingly illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa is a perfect introduction to classic poetry for children. Young readers will meet Christina Rossetti, Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Blake, Robert Louis Stevenson, Emily Dickinson, Lewis Carrol, and many others. Each page of black and white illustrations is followed by a gorgeous double spread in full color. Poems are indexed by titles and first lines to help you find your favorites. I was very happy to see this collection back in print and it was offered at all my book fairs. It deserves a place in your family library. Other titles by Gyo Fujikawa are available from Sterling Publishing in reasonably priced hardcover editions.

Who Has Seen the Wind by Christina Rossetti, illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa.

Climb Into My Lap: First Poems to Read Together Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins and Illustrated by Kathryn Brown c1998 Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers : New York

Here is another tall book with 80 pages of poems by Mary Ann Hoberman, David McCord, Charlotte Zolotow, Nancy Willard, Lee Bennett Hopkins and others. Each page is colorfully illustrated and ready to be studied by the youngster on your lap. Lee Bennett Hopkins created many wonderful poetry anthologies for children and most of them should be available at your local library. Check one out soon.

Page from Climb Into My Lap by Lee Bennet Hopkins. Illustration by Kathryn Brown

Side by Side : Poems to Read Together by Lee Bennett Hopkins with illustrations by Hilary Knight c1988 by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Another great selection of poems from Lee Bennet Hopkins! You know Hilary Knight from his illustrations for Kay Thompson’s Eloise and the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books by Betty MacDonald.

Put Down that “100 Most Important Books of the 20th Century” list and Smile, Pardner: HOW TO TALK ABOUT BOOKS YOU HAVEN’T READ by Pierre Bayard

April 11, 2026 / barbaracartwaybc / Leave a comment

How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read by Pierre Bayard. c2007 Published in the US by Bloomsbury USA Translated from the French by Jeffrey Mehlman

This was not the book I meant to talk about this week, but during a long overdue dusting, sorting and culling of my books, this one fell out on my foot. I don’t remember when I bought it, and somehow I had not read it. It was love at second sight! I still remember the day I was treated to a shocked silence in the bookstore where I worked, when I admitted to a co-worker that I had not read Ulysses by James Joyce. “But, it is a seminal work!”, I can hear the tone yet! I am sorry, people in Dublin, but after that I have been determined NOT to read it. You have a list in your head of books that you “should” have read but haven’t. Do you think that list will be posted on your gravestone? Mr. Bayard will set you free in this discussion of our current reading culture and how to navigate social or professional literary conversations around books you have not read or have forgotten.

The author’s words:

“There is a tacit understanding in our culture that one must read a book in order to talk about it with any precision. In my experience, however, it’s totally possible to carry on an engaging conversation about a book you haven’t read—-including, and perhaps especially with someone else who hasn’t read it either.”

“If we wish, then, to learn how to emerge unscathed from conversations about books we haven’t read, it will be necessary to analyze the unconscious guilt that an admission of non-reading elicits. It is to help assuage such guilt, at least in part that is the goal of this book.”

Analyze and assuage he does. Mr. Bayard is a literature professor and a psychoanalyst. His book is full of examples of types of non-reading from famous writers, ideas to ponder, and strategies to help you speak about books you haven’t read without shame.

Oscar Wilde, as quoted in the front of the book: “I never read a book I must review; it prejudices you so.”

Do read this book, really.

In the High and Far-Off Times… The Elephant’s Child

March 14, 2026 / barbaracartwaybc / 1 Comment

” The Elephant’s Child” from ” Just So Stories” by Rudyard Kipling originally published 1902. This edition Puffin Classics c2016

The Author’s Words:

“By and by, when that was finished, he came upon Kolokolo Bird sitting in the middle of a wait-a-bit thorn bush, and he said, ‘My father has spanked me, and my mother has spanked me; all my aunts and uncles have spanked me for my ‘satiable curiosity; and STILL I want to know what the Crocodile has for dinner!’

Then Kolokolo Bird said, with a mournful cry, ‘Go to the banks of the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees, and find out.’ “

The Elephant’s Child had only a short, blackish, bulgy nose, and he left an untidy trail behind him of items he dropped because he had no way to pick things up. How he meets a crocodile and is given a new, much more useful appendage is a favorite Just So tale.

For richness of language, Kipling is your man. Has anyone enjoyed playing with words or reveled in the sounds of words more? “The Elephants Child” is fantastic fun to read aloud. Kipling’s words roll off the tongue, and adhere to the brain. I have had “The great grey-green, greasy Limpopo,etc.” phrase floating around in my mind since I first heard the words read aloud by my fifth-grade reading teacher. With a Kipling-enhanced brain, one can drift away to wonder what fever-trees look like and imagine the Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snake and his scalesome, flailsome tail. There are picture book versions of this story, but perhaps something is lost if the listener is distracted from the charm and inventiveness of the language.

Reading the “Just So Stories” is reading for the ear. The listeners you share them with are introduced to poetry, exotic words and locations, and of course, all the fabulous origin stories. Try “The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo” and “The Cat Who Walked by Himself”… “The wildest of all the wild animals was the Cat. He walked by himself, and all places were alike to him.”

Hans Christian Andersen–The Essential Dane

March 2, 2026March 2, 2026 / barbaracartwaybc / Leave a comment

Illustration from The Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen, retold by Stephen Mitchell and Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline Published by Candlewick Press c2002

Can we see ourselves with eyes glued to our cell phones just as this Emperor is gazing fondly at his mechanical nightingale? Anybody warning us about being overly beguiled by things artificial today?

Andersen’s tales still have a place in our world, and young readers have many options for encountering them. There seems to be always a new collection of his fairy tales in the works and there are also the ballets, plays, and films inspired by them. I remember adoring Liza Minnelli as the true princess in Faerie Tale Theatre’s TV production of The Princess and the Pea. Good one to share with the grandchildren some evening…

I sold an inexpensive hardcover edition of” The Emperor’s New Clothes”, illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton at book fairs. You know Virginia Lee Burton from” Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel”, and” The Little House”. There is probably an edition of “The Little Mermaid” for every taste and budget. My favorite collection is “Seven Tales by H.C Andersen” translated from the Danish by Eva Le Gallienne with pictures by Maurice Sendak. published in 1959. I have the 1991edition by Harper Trophy.

Illustration from “The Princess and the Pea” by Maurice Sendak from “Seven Tales by H.C. Andersen”

“The Ugly Duckling” was an important story to me as a child. I played that part in a school play, think the teacher sensed I needed to have the hope of a swan transformation in my future. Hans Christian Andersen’s tales are good companions. He put life in inanimate objects, and gave those lives meaning. A collection of his stories IS a home library essential.

Medieval Flavored Fantasy: The Letter for the King

February 6, 2026February 8, 2026 / barbaracartwaybc / Leave a comment

by Tonke Dragt. Publisher: Pushkin Children’s Books c 2017

Tonke Dragt’s “The Letter for the King” was first published in 1962, but readers of English had to wait until 2015 to get their hands on a translation of this splendid adventure story. Thanks to Pushkin Children’s books, ” The Letter for the King” and its sequel “The Secrets of the Wild Wood” are both available in fresh, attractive editions. They are fat books in which a young reader can dwell for a good length of time. The vocabulary is not difficult, and the story is divided into eight sections with short chapters that make it perfect to read aloud in a classroom. There are illustrations by the author at the start of each section. A map on the inside cover invites readers into this tale of two Kingdoms.

The story begins as five young men are keeping a vigil the night before they will become official Knights of King Dagonaut. They are to remain awake all night, without food or drink, and reflect on the task ahead. No one is allowed to enter their chamber, and the door must remain locked. Tiuri, son of highly respected Tiuri the Valiant, is the youngest at age sixteen. Daylight will be long in arriving and each of the young men know a knock on the door might tempt them to give up their chance at knighthood if they answer it. When a low voice at the window pleads, “In the name of God, open the door!” Tiuri’s mind is in turmoil. Can a knight pledged to defend and protect refuse to acknowledge a cry for help?

Tiuri accepts the responsibility of delivering an important and secret letter to a person known only as “The Black Knight with the White Shield”. The letter is meant to be delivered by the Black Knight to the king in the city of Unauwen, which lies on the other side of the Great Mountains. It should have been possible for Tiuri to put the letter in the correct hands and return by morning, but adventures never happen when things follow plans…

When I began to refresh my memory a bit with this book before writing my review, I got caught up in the story again. It really it is a page-turner! The author’s ability to create suspense will hold the reader completely. That is what I was looking for when I purchased this book with reluctant 7th grade boy readers in mind. Each of the challenges Tiuri faces, from traveling alone in strange places, to imprisonment in a castle, to loss of his companionable horse, are met with plenty of action. Helpful and honorable characters appear as well as a proper number of untrustworthy scoundrels. Tiuri bravely keeps his mission secret and wins respect from older, battle-tried knights. Yes, there are sword fights. These two richly satisfying books deserve a place in any royal banqueting hall or library serving Jr. High to Teen readers.

Tonke Dragt was born in Jakarta, Indonesia in 1930. When she was 12, her Dutch family began 3 years internment in a Japanese camp. She and a friend managed to produce her first book during that time. The family returned to the Netherlands after the war. The Letter for the King and its sequel have won awards and have had a loyal following in sixteen languages.

Favorite Baby Stories from Storytime (and one for bedtime)

February 1, 2026April 28, 2026 / barbaracartwaybc / 2 Comments

Some of my former listeners are now parents themselves. This post is dedicated to them and the many happy readings we enjoyed together. Some of them might remember opening the magic cupboard to see what books were inside, or perhaps the moment a listener who was particularly attentive wore the Good Listener crown home. Here is a trio of their favorite stories featuring some unusual babies:

THE ELEPHANT AND THE BAD BABY by Elfrida Vipont with pictures by Raymond Briggs from Puffin Books

Once upon a time an elephant met a bad baby while taking a walk. When offered a ride, the bad baby said, Yes.” So begins a sneaky and wild romp as the elephant snatches various snacks from vendors, offers them to the baby, who always says yes, and nothing is legally purchased. A parade of angry people including the ice-cream-man, the grocer, the snack-bar-man, and others are soon running after the two who have not once said, “Please.” What will happen when the bad baby and all his his followers eventually meet up with his mommy?

One illustration shows a sly elephant trunk reaching for fruit from a cart, while the rest of his enormous bulk is hidden behind it. I read this to the kindergarten children, and toddlers will love it too. It has the predictable rhythm perfect for younger listeners. You will know illustrator Raymond Briggs from his marvelous wordless picture book “The Snowman”.

AVOCADO BABY by John Burningham, illustrations by the author Published by Random House Children’s Books

Mr. and Mrs. Hargraves and their two children cannot get the new baby to eat anything, and they are afraid it will turn out as weak as they all are. Things begin to improve when a mashed avocado is fed to the baby, and he likes it. Before you know it the baby is helping to carry in the groceries, move heavy furniture, and with each meal of avocado his strength increases. The Hargraves children have nothing to fear with Avocado Baby in the house, and perhaps outside as well….

One of my listeners gave avocadoes a try after we read this book. The idea of a baby with great strength was always incredibly funny to children sitting on the storytime carpet!

BABY BRAINS written and illustrated by Simon James Published by Candlewick Press

Mr. and Mrs. Brains took care to read aloud to their baby before he was born, turning up the news so baby Brains would be very smart from day one. When their baby was born, they were thrilled to bring home a new baby boy. “Sleep tight, Baby Brains,” his mother whispered as she put her baby to sleep in his brand new crib. The next morning she discovered Baby Brains sitting on the couch reading the morning paper. By evening Baby Brains was talking, and his first request was that he start school right away. News of this extraordinary baby brought an invitation for him to travel far from home. Will the parents accept and what is ahead for Baby Brains?

Baby Brains returns in two more books for his many fans. I shared this with second grade students and it kept their rapt attention to the gentle and sweet conclusion. Humor abounds in each detail of the illustrations which can be appreciated by readers of all ages.

WHAT DO YOU WANT? Written and illustrated by Lars Klinting Published by Groundwood Books/ House of Anansi Press

The artwork in this very simple BEDTIME STORY is so appealing, you can’t help picking it up and sharing it with someone. A first page shows a rooster who wants…..flip the page and the answer is, his hen. A chair wants its table, a foot wants its shoe, and so on. Each object is clearly depicted with plenty of white space around it. This is available as a board book, so your toddler can have their own sturdy copy. It is all a first book should be, pages that reveal surprises, and a perfect pace down to the last picture of a pillow and its sleeping child.