Recommended Reading: July & August

1. Dragon Slippers Series: Another lovely plot unwinds through this series by Jessica Day George, with tons of likable characters and hair-raising hijinks. It's story about a talented seamstress who saves the day. Great for kids 8 and up.  
2. Sea of Trolls: A deep plot line with quests and battles.  I would catalogue this book with The Lord of the Rings and The Once and Future King.  The kids listened to it with interest, but I think it is complicated and violent enough to be better for ages 10 and up. 
3. Her Royal Spyness Series: I don't usually like murder mysteries, but I became addicted to and absorbed this series very quickly.  It is set during the great depression in England and Ireland. The protagonist, Georgie, is 35th in line to the throne, but penniless. It is light hearted with rich scenery and menu descriptions that made me want to make tea and scones every night. Adults only though- there are a lot of references to sex and of course, descriptions of murder scenes.
4. Cheaper by the Dozen: I have read this book 2-3 times now. It was fun to share it with my kiddos. I love the efficiency and humor of the family.  I don't think I realised the last time I read it that it was written by 2 of the 12 children and is mostly non-fiction. 
5.  Titanic: Voices from the Disaster: I was worried that this book might be too serious for the kids, but they seemed to enjoy it. It is non-fiction and summarizes what happened on the Titanic's maiden voyage through first hand accounts. 
6. Searching for Bobowitz: This tongue-in-cheek story is about summer vacation in Hoboken. I laughed out loud, but they storyline was a bit too crazy for me to really enjoy. 
7. Alchemy and Meggie Swan: Lovely historical fiction about a pair of misfits in the days of alchemy.