A new edition of the Westminster Shorter Catechism uses cartoon illustrations as an aid to understanding and discussion. *The Illustrated Westminster Shorter Catechism in Modern English, illustrated by Paul Cox. P&R Publishing, 2023, 123 pages Reading Level: Middle grades ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 6-10 as a read-aloud, ages 8-12 for independent study and memorization “Catechizing” is a time-tested method of teaching that came into its own during the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther, Zacharias Ursinus, and Philipp Melanchthon all wrote or contributed to catechisms, but the “Westminster Divines,” called together in 1646 to compose a comprehensive confession, wrote not one but two catechisms for the instruction of the people. The…

Fascinating, familiar specimens of insects AND arachnids are found in this lovely guide for young naturalists. A Kid’s Guide to Backyard Bugs by Eliza Berkowitz, illustrated by Nicole LaRue. Gibbs Smith, 2023. 96 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, Ages 8-10 Recommended For: Ages 8-10 Forty fascinating, familiar specimens of insects AND arachnids are found in this lovely, kid-friendly guide. Each page spread features an illustration, the common name, family or scientific name, description, food, life-cycle, habitat, size, and fun (or not so fun) facts about small creatures that may be found in many parts of the United States. The book begins with how to build a bug hotel with an…

Those of us who homeschool admire the one-room schoolhouse model of previous centuries. With simple resources, a wide-range of ages, and a school year that fit the needs of the community, one male or female teacher reigned in the classroom. …Unless there were “big boys” whose sole purpose in showing up seemed to be disturbing the peace. Thankfully my older sons are not seeking to physically throw me out (they do challenge my authority on occasion, but they don’t storm the aisle while pushing up their sleeves), but over the years I have found it curious how many literary classics include a schoolroom battle, either physical or psychological. Usually the…

In Ginny off the Map, a geography-obsessed sixth-grader learns to meet people where they are and find “true north” in her own family. Ginny Off the Map by Caroline Hickey. Little, Brown, 2023, 304 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-14 Ginny Pierce is the youngest member of a military family that moves every 2-3 years. She loves geography—absolutely loves it—so changing locations at least allows her to experience different places. The most recent move from Fort Bragg to Silver Springs, Maryland, will be tough, though: not only is she giving up two best friends, who love geography facts almost as much as she does, but…

Hope in the Valley captures one girl’s momentous summer as she processes grief, grapples with change, and finds her own voice along the way. *Hope in the Valley by Mitali Perkins. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2023, 301 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grade, Ages 10-12 Recommended For: Ages 10 and up Pandita Paul is adamantly against change: whether it’s the city demolishing the lovely abandoned property next door or her widowed father *gasp* starting to date. As the story opens, Pandita is turning 13 and looking forward to summer. School is done, and it will be easier to avoid her former best friend. Time to enjoy her secret spot in the…

The McNifficents are a family of rambunctious kids corralled by a perceptive and conscientious Schnauzer. The McNifficents by Amy Makechnie. Simon & Schuster, 2023, 310 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 (ages 6-10 as a read-aloud) Recommended for: ages 8-12 Lord Tennyson, a very distinguished schnauzer, has an important job: corralling the six rambunctious McNiff children while their mother keeps her show garden and their father pursues his theater career. Tenny is, in short, a nanny whose role model is Mary Poppins. But the McNiffs, ranging in age from 2 to 13, may be getting too much for a canine. After a disastrous beach afternoon, Lord Tennyson is chagrined…

The Windeby Puzzle is half history and half story: Lowry allows young readers to peer behind the curtain into the process of creating a work of fiction grounded in history. The Windeby Puzzle: History and Story by Lois Lowry. Clarion Books, 2023. 224 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10 and up The History: A Bog Body Is Found Bog bodies are a thing: human remains found in peat bogs across Northern Europe that have been remarkably preserved by the bog’s micro climate. When the body of a young girl was unearthed in 1952, speculation swirled. Who was she? Why was such a young girl dead,…