The Kiwi That Was Scared of the Dark by Bob Darroch

This delightful children’s book follows the adventure of a little New Zealand kiwi bird who ventures out into the night with his mother. Although terribly afraid of the dark, the little kiwi learns to conquer his fears and discovers that the dark isn’t so scary after all! This story, filled with wonderful illustrations and amusing adventures, will stay with children far after they are grown. It is also  an excellent way for young children to both learn about nocturnal animals and perhaps conquer their own fears of the dark!

Reviewer: Aubrey Engeriser

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

Owlets Sarah, Percy, and Bill are sitting in their cozy nest one night, when they suddenly have a worrying thought - what if their mother never comes back? The story progresses through each owlet taking a turn to talk about where they think their mother is and when she will be back. Although they are worried, they comfort each other until their mother returns from her errands.

Reviewer: Aubrey Engeriser

Limu: The Blue Turtle by Kimo Armitage

Limu loves to play and make friends, but other turtles sometimes make fun of him because he is blue, instead of green like everyone else! Although this makes Limu upset, he decides to be kind to everyone he meets, even if others aren’t always nice to him. Through his adventures and friendships with other sea creatures, Limu learns that it’s ok to be unique, and that what truly matters is what you are like on the inside. This story is filled with colorful, beautiful illustrations and wonderful messages about accepting others for their differences and the importance of kindness and friendship.

Reviewer: Aubrey Engeriser

Baby Honu’s Incredible Journey by Tammy Yee

This beautifully illustrated book follows the journey of Baby Honu (Honu is Hawaiian for sea turtle) who, after hatching from his egg, has to face the perils of making his way across the sand to the ocean. However, his adventures don’t end with reaching the water - once in the ocean, he encounters all sorts of marine creatures and learns how to survive in the sea! This book teaches children the life cycle of a sea turtle while captivating their attention with descriptions of Baby Honu’s adventures, wonderful watercolor pictures, and a glossary about Hawaiian marine life.

Reviewer: Aubrey Engeriser

Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose

This memorable classic, written in lyrical dialogue and filled with colorful cartoon drawings, discusses the issue of squishing ants from the ant’s perspective. A little boy has his shoe ready and poised to squish an ant when the ant suddenly begins talking! What follows is an amusing, two-sided argument: the boy argues about why killing the ant is okay, and the ant argues that he has a family and a community too, and that his life means something, even if he is small! The story ends with a question to the reader - what should the boy do? Is it right to kill an ant, just because he is smaller than you? This story lightly addresses issues such as peer pressure (if everyone kills ants, then it’s ok!), the value of all life, and the wrongness of bullying.

Reviewer: Aubrey Engeriser

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

When Stellaluna, a baby fruit bat, gets separated from her mother, she is adopted by a family of birds. However, Stellaluna has a hard time learning how to act like a bird - the bird family tries to teach her how to stay awake during the day, sleep right-side-up, and eat worms! While Stellaluna struggles to act like a bird, she tries her best to fit in, and her bird-siblings end up adopting some bat habits too! Eventually, Stellaluna realizes that the reason she feels different from the birds is because she is different, and that it’s ok to be a bat in a bird’s world. Stellaluna is also eventually reunited with her mother, who is incredibly grateful to the bird family for taking care of Stellaluna while her mother searched for her.

Reviewer: Aubrey Engeriser

Miss Renee’s Mice by Elizabeth Stokes Hoffman

This charming story describes how Miss Renee, a dollhouse artist who lives in a peaceful Maine house by the sea, suddenly gets some new houseguests - a family of mice! At first, Miss Renee is upset at the arrival of these noisy, messy mice who like to live in her dollhouses and wear her doll clothes. But after sending them away on a miniature ship, she realizes how much sadder and lonelier her life is without these lively neighbors! Luckily for her, the mice come back bearing gifts from their travels, and Miss Renee and the mice get to live together happily once again.

Reviewer: Aubrey Engeriser

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

When 15 year-old Sam Gribley has finally had enough of his crowded New York City apartment, he decides to set off on his own for the wilderness of the Catskill Mountains. There, he makes a home out of a hollowed tree, befriends a falcon, and learns how to survive in the harsh wilderness on his own. This fantastical story of freedom, independence, isolation, survival, and overcoming one’s fear will captivate the minds of children and adults alike while at the same time arming the readers with interesting survival tips.

Reviewer: Aubrey Engeriser

The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars

When 14 year-old Sara Godfrey finds herself suddenly faced with mood swings and insecurities about her appearance, she wonders if these changes are connected to the appearance of swans who have made a home on a nearby lake. Sara finds herself becoming jealous with her older sister Wanda, who Sara believes to be beautiful and smart, highlighting Sara’s own insecurities. Sara also struggles with becoming irritated with her Aunt Willie, as well as her little brother Charlie, who is nonverbal due to a childhood illness. One day, Sara takes Charlie to see the swans - a sight so captivating, that Charlie feels the urge to go visit the swans again that night. The ensuing panic of trying to find Charlie causes Sara to learn lessons both about herself and the importance and blessing of family.

WARNING: This story was published in 1970 and some of the descriptions and terms used to refer to Charlie’s mental disability may be considered outdated and pejorative to modern readers. The book also discusses how other children call Charlie names and slurs, sometimes referring to him as “retarded,” although Sara does become angry and offended at the use of this term. In general, the book offers parents a good opportunity to discuss disabilities, bullying, and puberty.

Reviewer: Aubrey Engeriser

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

This book is loosely based on the true story of a woman who was isolated on San Nicolas Island for 18 years. It follows Karana, a young girl living in the Pacific Islands. She soon finds herself alone and fighting for survival when she is accidentally abandoned by the rest of her people. By using all her strength, intelligence, and bravery, she manages to survive on her own, while also befriending the wild dogs and birds that share the island with her and the blue dolphins and otters that swim around the reefs.

WARNING: While not graphically described, Karana’s younger brother is killed by a pack of wild dogs and her father is killed in a battle early on in the book. These scenes, especially the death of her brother, are sad and may be especially upsetting to sensitive readers. However, the events do serve a purpose: Karana, stricken by grief, vows revenge on the dog pack, but eventually learns to live peacefully with the wild dogs that killed her brother and even befriends the leader of the pack - she chooses to show an extraordinary level of kindness and forgiveness by nursing the dog back to health, rather than taking the chance to kill it in revenge.

Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry

Absolute must-read for people of any age. This book is about a wild mare who is infamous for eluding capture, so much that the locals of Chincoteague Island call her “Misty” referencing the fact that she seems to come and go with the breeze. The story follows two young children who, when Pony Penning Day arrives (an actual event on the real-life island!), begin attempting to gain the trust of Misty and her foal, along with the money required to obtain her.

Reviewer: Aubrey Engeriser

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

The only thing in the world that Billy, a young boy living in the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma, can dream of is being able to have two dogs of his own. When he finally gets two young hound dogs, Old Dan and Little Ann, he feels that his life is complete - he plays, runs, and hunts in the forest at night with the dogs. This book tells the age-old story of unconditional love between dogs and people, how much pure happiness and friendship a dog can offer. 

WARNING: Although this story is, for the most part, a sweet coming-of-age story about a boy who grows as a person surrounded by his beloved dogs, the story also addresses the effects of heartbreak and how grief can eventually grow into something beautiful. Be sure to have plenty of tissues on hand!

Reviewer: Aubrey Engeriser

A Seal Called Andre by Harry Goodridge

This is the true story of the friendship between a harbor seal and Harry Goodridge, the man who first found the seal and took him into his home. The book, published in 1975, describes Harry’s attempts to learn more about seals and their intelligence through his friendship with Andre. Andre, who would return each spring without fail to Rockport, Maine, quickly became a beloved member of the community and was even given the honorary title of “harbormaster.” This book describes Andre’s life and friendship with the humans around him, as well as Harry Goodridge’s experience befriending a seal pup and how this friendship led to a greater understanding of seal behavior and intelligence. Andre was so beloved that the town of Rockport has a statue in his honor at their harbor.

Reviewer: Aubrey Engeriser