Where the Sidewalk Ends

Written by Shel Silverstein 

We start out with a description of the wonderful world where the sidewalk ends. This seems to be a magical, mystical world, where nothing is quite normal, but everything is awesome. Once we have a taste of the world beyond sidewalks, we hear a little about the world where the sidewalk reigns. It's not quite as awesome, to say the least.

Next, we hear a little bit about the journey from one place to the other. A big part of the fun of going to the world where the sidewalk ends is just getting there. The journey is nice and slow and marked out by arrows drawn by children. In the end, it's children that have the closest connection to the place where the sidewalk ends.

Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Written by C.S. Lewis 

Four adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie— step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change, as well as a great sacrifice.

• Publisher: HarperCollins; Collectors edition 

About the Author:

Clive Staples Lewis was born in 1898. Known as "Jack" by his friends, Lewis and his good friend J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, were part of a writer's club, The Inklings, who would meet at the local pub to discuss story ideas. Lewis's fascination with fairytales, myths, and ancient legends coupled with inspiration drawn from his childhood led him to write The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, one of the best-loved books of all time. Six further books in the immensely popular Chronicles of Narnia followed, and the final title, The Last Battle, received the Carnegie Award, one of the highest marks of excellence in children's literature. 

Movie Trailer

Treasure Island

Set in the eighteenth century, Treasure Island spins a heady tale of piracy, a mysterious treasure map, and a host of sinister characters charged with diabolical intentions. Seen through the eyes of Jim Hawkins, the cabin boy of the Hispaniola, the action-packed adventure tells of a perilous sea journey across the Spanish Main, a mutiny  led by the infamous Long John Silver, and a lethal scramble for buried treasure on an exotic isle.

Amazon.com Review:

Climb aboard for the swashbuckling adventure of a lifetime. Treasure Islandhas enthralled (and caused slight seasickness) for decades. The names Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins are destined to remain pieces of folklore for as long as children want to read Robert Louis Stevenson's most famous book. With it's dastardly plot and motley crew of rogues and villains, it seems unlikely that children will ever say no to this timeless classic. --Naomi Gesinger --

Written by Robert Louis Stevenson

• Publisher: Dover Publications; Unabridged edition (April 19, 1993)

Hatchet

Writen by Gary Paulsen 

Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single-engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a tattered Windbreaker and the hatchet his mother gave him as a present—and the dreadful secret that has been tearing him apart since his parent’s divorce. But now Brian has no time for anger, self pity, or despair—it will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive.

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reissue edition (December 26, 2006)

Book Trailer

Bloomability

By Sharon Creech

Amazon Review: Domenica Santolina Doone, known as Dinnie, finds herself far from home and among strangers. At the beginning of this first person narrative, Dinnie tells us she has been kidnapped and taken to Switzerland by her aunt and uncle. It is an "opportunity," but in Dinnie's nomadic family, "opportunity" is a loaded word that means you may have to pick up and leave at any moment. Suddenly Dinnie has some stability, but at the same time everything is strange and she is not sure where to turn. Creech, through Dinnie's voice, makes the theme fresh and interesting. 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

1. 

Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, Christopher is autistic. Everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning for him. Routine, order and predictability shelter him from the messy, wider world. Then, at fifteen, Christopher’s carefully constructed world falls apart when he finds his neighbor’s dog, Wellington, impaled on a garden fork, and he is initially blamed for the killing. Christopher decides that he will track down the real killer and turns to his favorite fictional character, the impeccably logical Sherlock Holmes, for inspiration. But the investigation leads him down some unexpected paths and ultimately brings him face to face with the dissolution of his parents’ marriage. As he tries to deal with the crisis within his own family, we are drawn into the workings of Christopher’s mind.

Novel by Mark Haddon

Author Biography:

MARK HADDON is a writer and illustrator of numerous award-winning children’s books and television screenplays. As a young man, Haddon worked with autistic individuals. He teaches creative writing for the Arvon Foundation and at Oxford University. He lives in Oxford, England.

• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Anne of Green Gables

Amazon.com Review

When Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables, Prince Edward Island, send for a boy orphan to help them out at the farm, they are in no way prepared for the error that will change their lives. The mistake takes the shape of Anne Shirley, a redheaded 11-year-old girl who can talk anyone under the table. Fortunately, her sunny nature and quirky imagination quickly win over her reluctant foster parents. Anne's feisty spirit soon draws many friends--and much trouble--her way. Not a day goes by without some melodramatic new episode in the tragicomedy of her life. Early on, Anne declares her eternal antipathy for Gilbert Blythe, a classmate who commits the ultimate sin of mocking her hair color. Later, she accidentally dyes that same cursed hair green. Another time, in her haste to impress a new neighbor, she bakes a cake with liniment instead of vanilla. Lucy Maud Montgomery's series of books about Anne have remained classics since the early 20th century. Her portrayal of this feminine yet independent spirit has given generations of girls a strong female role model, while offering a taste of another, milder time in history. This lovely boxed gift collection comprises Anne of Green Gables, Anne of the Island, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley, and Rilla of Ingleside. (Ages 9 to 12) --Emilie Coulter

• Publisher: Starfire; Slp Rep edition (October 6, 1998)