Over the years, I have shared many book lists for kids, book resources for families, and free reading printables. I shared how to make your own visual reading list for your kids, and created Read for a Reason which features many book resources for homeschoolers and classroom teachers.
You can find tons of reviews online for books that have been available for a while, but there are MANY newer books and parents don’t have time to read them all to preview the topics presented. I plan to feature books that have been released within the past 5(ish) years. Many of my readers are Christian homeschooling families and have concerns about what is presented in books. It is my hope that as I read books I can share a post with information about the book so you can decide.
Click on the graphics below to see books I have reviewed…
BOOK REVIEW: A Place to Hang the Moon
Book Title: A Place to Hang the Moon
Author: Kate Albus
Year Published: 2022
Suggested Ages: 10+
Suggested Grades: 4th and up
Main Characters: Siblings – William (age 12), Edmund (age 11), and Anna (age 9)
Setting: England, 1940 (early WW2)
Themes/Issues: war, orphans, family, parental death, siblings, adoption
SUMMARY:
It is 1940 and William, 12, Edmund, 11, and Anna, 9, isn’t terribly upset by the death of the not-so-grandmotherly grandmother who has taken care of them since their parents died.
But the children do need a guardian, and in the dark days of World War II London, those are in short supply, especially if they hope to stay together. Could the mass wartime evacuation of children from London to the countryside be the answer?
It’s a preposterous plan, but off they go– keeping their predicament a secret, and hoping to be placed in a temporary home that ends up lasting forever. Moving from one billet to another, the children suffer the cruel trickery of foster brothers, the cold realities of outdoor toilets and the hollowness of empty stomachs.
But at least they find comfort in the village lending library– a cozy shelter from the harshness of everyday life, filled with favorite stories and the quiet company of Nora Müller, the kind librarian. The children wonder if Nora could be the family they’ve been searching for. . . . But the shadow of the war, and the unknown whereabouts of Nora’s German husband complicate matters.
A Place to Hang the Moon is a story about the importance of family: the one you’re given, and the one you choose. Filled with rich, sensory prose, and allusions to classic children’s stories like A Little Princess, Mary Poppins, and The Story of Ferdinand, this cozy tale with a classic feel is sure to warm your heart.
PERSONAL NOTES:
My daughter read this before I did and when she told me how much she loved it, I knew I had to read it! She was right! She had a hard time putting it into words, it was one of those, “Just read it!” recommendations!
This book was everything my daughter said it was, I finished it in less than two days. I highly recommend it!
