I spent my allowance on a steerage ticket to Mossflower Country when I was in elementary school. The mass market paperback was tucked into the shelves of a booth selling books at an Arbor Day celebration in downtown Zeeland, Michigan. Beneath the title, Mossflower, in gothic script were the images of a mouse with a…
Note: To read more about tales of winter, check out my original Story Warren post here. What child doesn’t love pirates? During my youth in south Florida, I used to wander the beach with parents, picking over driftwood, chasing sandpipers and looking for Skull Rock. No mere mental homage to J.M. Barrie, Skull Rock was…
An incalculably valuable benefit of reading for young children is when they become acquainted with people and places they are not exposed to in their own small world. I believe this was one of the intrigues of stories to me as a child — meeting a little girl who lived on a mountain in a…
“In the days when farmers worked with ox and sled and cut the dark with lantern light, there lived a boy who loved snow more than anything else in the world.” If you haven’t bought a copy of Doug McKelvey and Jamin Still’s “Stories We Shared,” I highly recommend that you do. This book journal,…
Beverly Cleary’s The Mouse and the Motorcycle was one of the most memorable reading experiences of my young life. It stuck out to me, I think, because it was the first time I was aware of suspending disbelief. And I was glad to. Here’s why: The Mouse and the Motorcycle features a mouse named Ralph. Ralph lives…
At first blush, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane seems an odd choice of book to encourage holy imagination in a child. Newberry-winning author Kate DiCamillo’s tale of a china rabbit who becomes separated from his owner (one Abilene Tulane of Egypt Street) and undergoes numerous misadventures has a distinctly downbeat tone. The trouble, if…
“They also serve who only stand and wait.” With this excerpt from John Milton’s poem “On His Blindness” serving as an epigraph to the opening chapter, The King’s Messenger – the debut novel from writer and Story Warren contributor Carolyn Clare Givens – reveals both the debt it owes to classic literature, and its commitment…
Remember the first time you held your baby? Remember the overwhelming realization of your responsibility for this life? If changing diapers and teaching baseball were all there is to parenting, we wouldn’t tremble. Feed, clothe, and shelter—no problem, but direct their moral development, set their heart toward God, this is a terrifying responsibility. Yet, as…
We are so excited to be the first to share the cover for the Outlaws of Time finale. Here it is! We can’t wait to read it! We are big fans of N. D. Wilson at Story Warren (and in my home). Find out how to win some free NDW swag below. Here’s my review…
I was young when I first read A.A. Milne’s books, Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner. So young, in fact, that I didn’t notice his playful capitalization, giving proper names to Very Important Things. I also failed to notice any family resemblance between elephants and heffalumps, or between haycorns and acorns. Fortunately, I was…
Clifford. Biscuit. Harry. Milo. Daisy. The Poky Little Puppy. Everyone loves a good dog book, don’t they? I’ve been on a hunt for good readaloud storytime books in my new job as a children’s librarian, and the other week I found one that I immediately wanted to share with the Story Warren family. The story…
It’s been a few years since we’ve updated the Books for Boys list, so we’ve upgraded just in time for the summer. A few thoughts about the list: All books listed would be equally enjoyed by girls. A good book is a good book. However, girls tend to read a wider variety of stories than do…
