When Toys Become Real

In the play, The Velveteen Rabbit, the toys have a life of their own.  What would happen if your toys came to life?  Would the toy soldiers, teddy bears and porcelain dolls get along? What would your favorite stuffed animal do?  It is a delightful and magical concept.

Here are some other stories where toys become real:  

1. Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins
Lumphy is a stuffed buffalo. StingRay is a stuffed stingray. And Plastic... well, Plastic isn't quite sure what she is. They all belong to the Little Girl who lives on the high bed with the fluffy pillows.  Together is best for these three best friends. Together they look things up in the dictionary, explore the basement, and argue about the meaning of life. And together they face dogs, school, television commercials, the vastness of the sea and the terrifying bigness of the washing machine.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

2.  Phewtus the Squirrel by V. H. Drumond
Phewtus is a knitted squirrel and Julian's favorite toy; the other toy animals are not jealous. But nursery harmony is disrupted when a large parcel arrives for Julian. Inside is a huge dressed rabbit named Ralph, the "most conceited toy that had ever been made.'' Ralph immediately decides to dethrone Phewtus, and pushes the squirrel out of the carriage during an afternoon walk. Furtail, a park squirrel, offers to turn Phewtus into a "real'' squirrel. At first Phewtus is delighted; he can run and jump. But the feeling of freedom doesn't last. V. H. Drummond's endearing story is a classic in Great Britain, where it was published fifty years ago. Get it at Amazon here.

3.  Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse by Leo Lionni

Everyone loves Willy the wind-up mouse, while Alexander the real mouse is chased away with brooms and mousetraps. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be loved and cuddled, thinks Alexander, and he wishes he could be a wind-up mouse too. In this gentle fable about a real mouse and a mechanical mouse, Leo Lionni explores the magic of friendship. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.  

4.  The Toy Farmer by Andrew Pelletier

In the attic, Jed finds an old toy tractor with a miniature farmer in the driver’s seat. It seems just like any other toy—but then amazing things happen. First, Jed’s bedroom carpet begins to sprout tiny green shoots. Then a pumpkin appears on a vine. It grows and GROWS, until it is big enough to win first prize at the county fair. When Jed returns home with his ribbon, the mysterious farmer is a toy once again . . . or is it? Scott Nash’s inventive art, complete with vintage toys, adds a nostalgic feel to the magic. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.  

5. Orson by Rascal
Orson, the biggest, strongest bear in all the forest, has no friends or playmates because all the other animals are afraid of him. Orson is sad, lonely, and more than a little embittered by the rejection until a teddy bear enters his life. Then, Orson discovers a whole new side of himself-tender, loving and nurturing-and the magic of his love creates a miracle. This high quality, beautifully illustrated book will appeal to every child who has ever loved a teddy bear.Get it at Barnes and Noble here.  

Living in the Great Depression

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane takes place during the Great Depression, a time period when millions of people were out of work across the United States.   Life was extremely hard for many Americans.  Some couldn't afford food to eat.  Others lost their homes.  In our play,  Edward Tulane meets a variety of people along his journey.  Each of them have been affected by the Great Depression in some way.

Find out what it was like to live during that time.  Here are other stories set during the Great Depression.

Younger Readers

 1. God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday, Arthur Herzog III and Jerry Pinkney
The song "God Bless the Child" was first performed by legendary jazz vocalist Billie Holiday in 1939 and remains one of her enduring masterpieces. In this picture book interpretation, renowned illustrator Jerry Pinkney has created images of a family moving from the rural South to the urban North during the Great Migration that reached its peak in the 1930s. The song's message of self-reliance still speaks to us today but resonates even stronger in its historical context. This extraordinary book stands as a tribute to all those who dared so much to get their own. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

2. The Gardener by Sarah Stewart
Lydia Grace Finch brings a suitcase full of seeds to the big gray city, where she goes to stay with her Uncle Jim, a cantankerous baker. There she initiates a gradual transformation, bit by bit brightening the shop and bringing smiles to customers' faces with the flowers she grows. But it is in a secret place that Lydia Grace works on her masterpiece -- an ambitious rooftop garden -- which she hopes will make even Uncle Jim smile. Sarah Stewart introduces readers to an engaging and determined young heroine, whose story is told through letters written home, while David Small's illustrations beautifully evoke the Depression-era setting. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

3. The Man Who Walked the Earth by Ian Wallace
Andre and Elise’s father has gone in search of work, and may not be home for Christmas. The day he left, their mother set an extra place at the table in case a hungry stranger visits. “Wherever your father is, I hope someone will set a place for him,” she says. Eight months later, no one has come to their door. Then a mysterious stranger arrives on Christmas night and performs dazzling magic tricks. Can he use magic to bring back their father? In this wonderful story about the rewards of being kind to strangers, Ian Wallace has performed his own kind of magic. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

Older Readers

1. Bud Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
It's 1936, in Flint, Michigan. Ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, but he's on a mission. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: posters of Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression! Bud's got an idea that those posters will lead to his father. Once he decides to hit the road and find this mystery man, nothing can stop him. Bud, Not Buddy is full of laugh-out-loud humor and wonderful characters, hitting the high notes of jazz and sounding the deeper tones of the Great Depression. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

2. Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm
In Jennifer L. Holm's New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor winning middle grade historical fiction novel, life isn't like the movies. But then again, 11-year-old Turtle is no Shirley Temple. She's smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935 and jobs and money and sometimes even dreams are scarce. So when Turtle's mama gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle says goodbye without a tear and heads off to Key West, Florida to live with relatives she's never met. Florida's like nothing Turtle's ever seen before though. It's hot and strange, full of rag tag boy cousins, family secrets, scams, and even buried pirate treasure! Before she knows what's happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of the shell she's spent her life building, and as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways. Filled with adventure, humor and heart, Turtle in Paradise is an instant classic both boys and girls with love. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

3. Children of the Great Depression by Russell Friedman
As he did for frontier children in his enormously popular Children of the Wild West, Russell Freedman illuminates the lives of the American children affected by the economic and social changes of the Great Depression. Middle-class urban youth, migrant farm laborers, boxcar kids, children whose families found themselves struggling for survival . . . all Depression-era young people faced challenges like unemployed and demoralized parents, inadequate food and shelter, schools they couldn’t attend because they had to go to work, schools that simply closed their doors. Even so, life had its bright spots—like favorite games and radio shows—and many young people remained upbeat and optimistic about the future.  Drawing on memoirs, diaries, letters, and other firsthand accounts, and richly illustrated with classic archival photographs, this book by one of the most celebrated authors of nonfiction for children places the Great Depression in context and shows young readers its human face.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

4. A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
What happens when Joey and his sister, Mary Alice -- two city slickers from Chicago -- make their annual summer visits to Grandma Dowdel's seemingly sleepy Illinois town? August 1929: They see their first corpse, and he isn't resting easy. August 1930: The Cowgill boys terrorize the town, and Grandma fights back. August 1931: Joey and Mary Alice help Grandma trespass, poach, catch the sheriff in his underwear, and feed the hungry -- all in one day. And there's more, as Joey and Mary Alice make seven summer trips to Grandma's -- each one funnier than the year before -- in self-contained chapters that readers can enjoy as short stories or take together for a rollicking good novel. In the tradition of American humorists from Mark Twain to Flannery O'Connor, popular author Richard Peck has created a memorable world filled with characters who, like Grandma herself, are larger than life and twice as entertaining.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

Going on a Journey

In The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, a china rabbit named Edward needs go on a journey before he can learn the most important lesson of all: that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again.

Oftentimes we need the catalyst of a change in our circumstance in order to grow. This is one reason why taking a journey can change us in a deep and profound way.

Here is a reading list that features other great journeys.  How do these characters change from the beginning of the book to the end of the book?  What did their journey teach them?

Younger Readers

1. Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say
A Japanese-American man recounts his grandfather's journey to America, which he later undertakes himself, and the feelings of being torn by a love for two different countries. Through compelling reminiscences of his grandfather's life in America and Japan, Allen Say gives us a poignant account of his family's unique cross-cultural experience. Illustrated with memorable full-color paintings, this is Say's most personal and remarkable picture yet of the bridging of the two cultures.   Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

2. Red Knit Cap Girl by Naoko Stoop
Red Knit Cap Girl lives with her animal friends in an enchanted forest. There is so much to see and do, but more than anything Red Knit Cap Girl wishes she could talk to the Moon. Join Red Knit Cap Girl and her forest friends on a journey of curiosity, imagination, and joy as they search for a way to meet the Moon.
Gorgeously illustrated on wood grain, Red Knit Cap Girl's curiosity, imagination, and joy will captivate the hearts of readers young and old as her journey offers a gentle reminder to appreciate the beauty of the natural world around us.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

3. In the Land of Milk and Honey by Joyce Carol Thomas
Lemons as big as oranges, the cool Pacific Ocean, mountains that rise up beyond the outstretched bay—California beckons as one girl makes her way west on a journey filled with excitement, hope, and the promise of a place where people from all paths come together and music fills the air.  This is the true story of author Joyce Carol Thomas's trip from Oklahoma to California in 1948, when she moved there as a girl. During that time, many people went west, drawn by warmth and possibility, reflected in the people of all cultures and ethnicities who started a new life there. Coretta Scott King honoree Joyce Carol Thomas and Coretta Scott King Award winner Floyd Cooper capture the anticipation of a bright adventure and a world filled with freedom and opportunity.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

Older Readers

1. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
This Newbery Honor book features magic, adventure, friendship, and even a dragon who can't fly!
In the valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

2. The Wanderer by Sharon Creech
"The sea, the sea, the sea. It rolled and rolled and called to me. Come in, it said, come in."
Thirteen-year-old Sophie hears the sea calling, promising adventure and a chance for discovery as she sets sail for England with her three uncles and two cousins. Sophie's cousin Cody isn't sure he has the strength to prove himself to the crew and to his father. Through Sophie's and Cody's travel logs, we hear stories of the past and the daily challenges of surviving at sea as The Wanderer sails toward its destination -- and its passengers search for their places in the world.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

3. The Arrival by Shaun Tan
The Arrival is a migrant story told as a series of wordless images that might seem to come from a long forgotten time. A man leaves his wife and child in an impoverished town, seeking better prospects in an unknown country on the other side of a vast ocean. He eventually finds himself in a bewildering city of foreign customs, peculiar animals, curious floating objects and indecipherable languages. With nothing more than a suitcase and a handful of currency, the immigrant must find a place to live, food to eat and some kind of gainful employment. He is helped along the way by sympathetic strangers, each carrying their own unspoken history: stories of struggle and survival in a world of incomprehensible violence, upheaval and hope.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

4. Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it's up to Hazel to go in after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," breadcrumbs is a stunningly original fairy tale of modern-day America, a dazzling ode to the power of fantasy, and a heartbreaking meditation on how growing up is as much a choice as it is something that happens to us.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

Class Structure and Poverty

One of the biggest problems for the people in Nottingham is poverty.  When Prince John raised taxes, people could no longer afford basic essentials like food.  Some even lost their homes when they couldn't afford the mortgage.  Robin Hood and his merry men decide to fight against the rich (people like Prince John, who have more than they need) to give to the poor (people like Much and his father, who don't have enough food to eat).

What would you do if you lost your home?  Where would you live?  How would you eat if you don't have enough money to afford food?

Here are some other stories that deal with the topic of class and poverty.

1. Princess Academy: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale

Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city is a thrill to Miri. She and her princess academy friends have been brought to Asland to help the future princess Britta prepare for her wedding.There, Miri also has a chance to attend school-at the Queen's Castle. But as Miri befriends students who seem sophisticated and exciting she also learns that they have some frightening plans. Torn between loyalty to the princess and her new friends' ideas, between an old love and a new crush, and between her small mountain home and the bustling city, Miri looks to find her own way in this new place. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

2.  Daphne’s Book by Mary Downing Hahn

Daphne is the weird girl in Jessica's class--the one no one wants to talk to or even be seen with. But when the girls are assigned to be partners in the Write-a-Book contest at school, they find they have a lot in common and start spending time together outside of the project. As their friendship deepens, Jessica stumbles on a terrible secret about Daphne's life. Jessica promises not to tell anyone. But sometimes it takes a true friend to break a promise instead of keeping one. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

3.  Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

Newbery Medalist Laura Amy Schlitz brings her sorcery to a Victorian gothic thriller — an enthralling, darkly comic tale that would do Dickens proud.

The master puppeteer, Gaspare Grisini, is so expert at manipulating his stringed puppets that they appear alive. Clara Wintermute, the only child of a wealthy doctor, is spellbound by Grisini’s act and invites him to entertain at her birthday party. Seeing his chance to make a fortune, Grisini accepts and makes a splendidly gaudy entrance with caravan, puppets, and his two orphaned assistants.

Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are dazzled by the Wintermute home. Clara seems to have everything they lack — adoring parents, warmth, and plenty to eat. In fact, Clara’s life is shadowed by grief, guilt, and secrets. When Clara vanishes that night, suspicion of kidnapping falls upon the puppeteer and, by association, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall.

As they seek to puzzle out Clara’s whereabouts, Lizzie and Parse uncover Grisini’s criminal past and wake up to his evil intentions. Fleeing London, they find themselves caught in a trap set by Grisini’s ancient rival, a witch with a deadly inheritance to shed before it’s too late. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.  

4.  The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
At the heart of the story is Wanda Petronski, a Polish girl in a Connecticut school who is ridiculed by her classmates for wearing the same faded blue dress every day. Wanda claims she has one hundred dresses at home, but everyone knows she doesn’t and bullies her mercilessly. The class feels terrible when Wanda is pulled out of the school, but by that time it’s too late for apologies. Maddie, one of Wanda’s classmates, ultimately decides that she is "never going to stand by and say nothing again." This powerful, timeless story has been reissued with a new letter from the author’s daughter Helena Estes, and with the Caldecott artist Louis Slobodkin’s original artwork in beautifully restored color. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.  

5.   How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O’Connor
Georgina Hayes is desperate. Ever since her father left and they were evicted from their apartment, her family has been living in their car. With her mama juggling two jobs and trying to make enough money to find a place to live, Georgina is stuck looking after her younger brother, Toby. And she has her heart set on improving their situation. When Georgina spots a missing-dog poster with a reward of five hundred dollars, the solution to all her problems suddenly seems within reach. All she has to do is “borrow” the right dog and its owners are sure to offer a reward. What happens next is the last thing she expected.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.  

6.  Trash by Andy Mulligan

One unlucky-lucky day, Raphael finds something very special and very mysterious. So mysterious that he decides to keep it, even when the city police offer a handsome reward for its return. That decision brings with it terrifying consequences, and soon the dumpsite boys must use all of their cunning and courage to stay ahead of their pursuers. It’s up to Raphael, Gardo, and Rat—boys who have no education, no parents, no homes, and no money—to solve the mystery and right a terrible wrong.

Andy Mulligan has written a powerful story about unthinkable poverty—and the kind of hope and determination that can transcend it. With twists and turns, unrelenting action, and deep, raw emotion, Trash is a heart-pounding, breath-holding novel.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here. 

Loyalty

Loyalty is faithfulness or a devotion to a person, country, group, or cause.  In the play Robin Hood, there are a lot of examples of loyalty.  The merry men stood by Robin's side and demonstrated loyalty.  Robin Hood and the merry men stayed loyal to the belief that King Richard was coming back.  And Maid Marian stayed loyal to Robin Hood when she goes back to the castle.  

Here are some other stories that deal with the topic of loyalty.

1. Survivors #1: The Empty City by Erin Hunter

 Lucky is a golden-haired mutt with a nose for survival. He has always been a Lone Dog, relying on his instincts to get by. Other dogs have Packs, but Lucky stands alone.

Then the Big Growl strikes. Suddenly, the ground is split wide open. The Trap House is destroyed. And all the longpaws have disappeared.

Now Lucky is trapped in a strange and desolate new world with no food, foul water, and enemies at every turn. He falls in with others left behind, including his littermate Bella, a Leashed Dog. Relying on other dogs—and having them depend on him—brings new dangers that Lucky isn't prepared for, but he may not be able to survive on his own. Can Lucky ever be a true Pack Dog? Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

2.  Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead

An instant New York Times bestseller, Liar & Spy is a story about games and friendship. Seventh-grader Georges moves into a Brooklyn apartment building and meets Safer, a twelve-year-old self-appointed spy. Georges becomes Safer's first spy recruit. His assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs. But as Safer becomes more demanding, Georges starts to wonder: How far is too far to go for your only friend? Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

3.  The Dragonet Prophecy (Wings of Fire) by Tui Sutherland

The seven dragon tribes have been at war for generations, locked in an endless battle over an ancient, lost treasure. A secret movement called the Talons of Peace is determined to bring an end to the fighting, with the help of a prophecy -- a foretelling that calls for great sacrifice.

Five dragonets are collected to fulfill the prophecy, raised in a hidden cave and enlisted, against their will, to end the terrible war.

But not every dragonet wants a destiny. And when the select five escape their underground captors to look for their original homes, what has been unleashed on the dragon world may be far more than the revolutionary planners intended... Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.  

Legends and Folklore

The very first recorded Robin Hood rhyme dates back to the early 15th century.  For hundreds of years, the legend of Robin Hood has lived on, appearing in ballads, poems, books, film and stage. What does it take for a story to last through the years?  

Here are some other stories that we think will stand the test of time.

1. A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

Hansel and Gretel walk out of their own story and into eight other classic Grimm (and Grimm-inspired) fairy tales. An irreverent, witty narrator leads us through encounters with witches, warlocks, dragons, and the devil himself. As the siblings roam a forest brimming with menacing foes, they learn the true story behind the famous tales, as well as how to take charge of their destinies and create their own happily ever after. Because once upon a time, fairy tales were awesome. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

2.  Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

In the valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.   Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

3.  Dragon Castle by Joseph Bruchac

Young Prince Rashko is frustrated with his family - no one does any thinking but him! The kingdom and castle seem to be in the hands of fools. So when Rashko's parents mysteriously disappear and the evil Baron Temny parks his army outside the castle walls, it is up to the young prince to save the day. But there is more to this castle and its history than meets the eye, and Rashko will have to embrace his ancestry, harness a dragon, and use his sword-fighting skills to stop the baron and save the kingdom. Along the way, he realizes that his family is not quite as stupid as he always thought.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.  

Heroes & Villains

At Childsplay's preview performance, one of the young audience members exclaimed "And that's why you shouldn't be a bad guy!" after Robin won a battle against the Sheriff.  

Robin Hood wouldn't be the same without the Sheriff of Nottingham.  When the hero fights against the villain, we are able to root for the good guy and celebrate when justice prevails.   

Many YA novels have a villain/hero dichotomy.  Reading these stories allows children to begin to develop their own concepts of right and wrong.

Here are a few books that we recommend:

1. The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Chris Healy

In the first volume of the Hero’s Guide saga, we meet Prince Frederic, Prince Liam, Prince Gustav, and Prince Duncan — better known as the Princes Charming who rescued Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, and Snow White, respectively — and find out that these men are far more (or less) than the cardboard cutout heroes we’ve heard tales about. Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their kingdoms, these four men bond over their shared anonymity and band together to battle witches, goblins, trolls, bandits, and giants in order to save each of their kingdoms from a diabolical plot. And by the end, with any luck, they may finally become the real heroes they were always meant to be.  

Christopher Healy’s Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is a completely original take on the world of fairy tales, the truth about what happens after “happily ever after.” It’s a must-have for middle grade readers who enjoy their fantasy adventures mixed with the humor of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

2.  The Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell

Political upheaval sends Princess Tilda fleeing from her kingdom in the company of two hopeful dragon slayers. The princess never had any interest in chasing dragons. The pain from her crippled foot was too great, and her dream was to write a book.  

But the princess finds herself making friends with magical horses, facing the Wild Hunt, and pointing a sword at the fire-breathing creatures. While doing things she never imagined, Tilda finds qualities in herself she never knew she possessed.  

Handbook for Dragon Slayers is a deeply satisfying coming-of-age tale wrapped in a magical adventure story. Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here. 

3.  HIVE: Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden

Otto Malpense may only be thirteen years old, but so far he has managed to run the orphanage where he lives, and he has come up with a plan clever enough to trick the most powerful man in the country. He is the perfect candidate to become the world's next supervillain. 

That is why he ends up at H.I.V.E., handpicked to become a member of the incoming class. The students have been kidnapped and brought to a secluded island inside a seemingly active volcano, where the school has resided for decades. All the kids are elite; they are the most athletic, the most technically advanced, and the smartest in the country. Inside the cavernous marble rooms, floodlit hangars, and steel doors, the students are enrolled in Villainy Studies and Stealth and Evasion 101. But what Otto soon comes to realize is that this is a six-year program, and leaving is not an option. 

With the help of his new friends: an athletic martial-arts expert; a world-famous, beautiful diamond thief; and a spunky computer genius -- the only other people who seem to want to leave -- can Otto achieve what has never been done before and break out of H.I.V.E.?  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.  

4.  Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landry

When 12-year-old Stephanie's eccentric Uncle Gordon dies, a mysterious man bundled in an overcoat, scarf, sunglasses, and a hat shows up at both the funeral and the reading of the will. This man, as it turns out, is Skulduggery Pleasant, a walking, talking skeleton who rescues Stephanie when she is attacked while alone in the house that she has just inherited. It seems that a particularly evil person named Serpine is trying to obtain a scepter that will allow him to rule the world. Stephanie is swept into a world of magic, secrets, power, and intrigue as she and Skulduggery try to keep one step ahead of Serpine and various other nefarious folk. Deadly hand-to-hand combat, nasty villains, magical derring-do, and traitorous allies will keep readers turning the pages, but it is the dynamic duo of Stephanie and Skulduggery who provide the real magic. The girl eagerly jumps into this new, dangerous, action-packed life, but she isn't sure that she has the guts or the power to pull it off. Skulduggery Pleasant lives up to his name, performing amazing feats with such self-effacing drollness that readers will wish they had a similar skeletal friend.

 Get it at Amazon here.

Robin Hood Retellings

Did your kids love the show?  Did they love the characters of Robin Hood, Maid Marian and the Sheriff of Nottingham? Continue the adventure.

Childsplay's production put a new modern twist on the familiar tale of Robin Hood, but we aren't the first.

Here are a few books that we recommend:

1. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen  

Posing as one of Robin Hood's thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her female identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only Robin and his band know the truth. As Gisbourne closes in, helping the people of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life, but her fierce loyalty to Robin-whose quick smiles have the rare power to unsettle her-keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

2.  Sherwood by Jane Yolen

Welcome to Sherwood Forest, where legends loom large among the ancient trees, and stories of Robin Hood and his band of merry men abound. The renowned hero of the people is alive in the heart of the forest and in the minds of eight of today's most respected fantasy authors who weave enchanting new stories about Robin Hood, past and present. These tales promise to charm and delight Robin Hood fans young and old.  Get it at Amazon here.

3.  Hawksmaid by Kathryn Lasky

Before she was Maid Marian, she was Matty. . . .

Matty has been raised to dance well, embroider exquisitely, and marry nobly. But when Matty's mother is murdered before her very eyes and her father, a nobleman, is reduced to poverty, Matty's life changes.  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.  

4.  Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer

Rosemary has nowhere to go when her beloved mother dies. She has never met her father-the outlaw Robin Hood-and she's grown up among the woodland creatures her mother loved. So she decides to change her name to Rowan, disguise herself as a boy, and undertake a perilous journey through Sherwood Forest, in search of Robin Hood. But how will she find him? And will he offer her a home?  Get it at Changing Hands Bookstore here.