Babe: the gallant pig by Dick King-Smith. Crown Publishers, Random House, 1983, 118 pages

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Penguin, 1993, 112 pages

a Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle. Square Fish, 2007, 256 pages

Iron Giant, a Story in Five Nights by Ted Hughes. Yearling, Reprint Edition, 1999, 96 pages.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery, Tundra Books, 2000.

The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame. Candlewick Press, 2004.

Redwall by Brian Jacques.Puffin, 2002, 386 pages

The Hidden Injuries of Class by Richard Sennett and Jonathan Cobb. W.W. Norton and Company, 1993. 288 pages

The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene. Simon and Schuster, 1930. 180 pages.

Romeo & Juliet by Gareth Hinds. Candlewick Press, 2013.130 pages.

Night by Elie Wiesel. Bantum, 1990. 99 pages

The Odyssey: a graphic novel by Gareth Hinds. Candlewick Press, 2010. 249 Pages

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Candlewick Press, 2006. 156 pages.

Seen every version of the movie possible, but i had never read the book before-- i loved it. Rich in detail and language and setting-- I now have some idea what it felt like to be in one of those crooked streets in London in 1843-- the smells and the dirt and soot and the closeness-- to put a hand out the window and almost touch the dirty window next door...The special foods and the games and the feel of it. i loved it and i am amazed at how true so many of the movies remained to the book. Dickens at his best, i think-- full of imagery and descriptive language and good and evil and redemption...at less than 200 pages. The illustrations help convey the mid 19th century feel. Brilliant.

Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary. HarperCollins, 1990. 176 pages

Nine year old Beezus has a four year old sister named Ramona who drives her crazy. Beezus cannot enjoy anything on her own because Ramona wants to tag along and always ruins everything. She throws temper tantrums, doesn't listen or do what she is told and-- worst of all-- is cute and clever and full of imagination. It seems to Beezus that in the end, Ramona always gets her way. It is so unfair! AAAAh-- an older but goodie--the original was written in 1955 and some details are a little dated-- the theme sounds like something from shakespeare! Cleary is the master once again with this classic tale of sibling rivalry and the subtlety of family relations. This is the only Huggins/Quimby story told from big sister Beezus' point of view and as a big sister myself, i can sympathize. The littler ones are always cuter and there's no glory in keeping an eye on your little sister. (of course, Ramona thinks her sister gets to do everything!) This is a quiet tale the unwraps slowley-- Beezus takes her sister to the library where Ramona insists that the book she borrowed is hers. Ramona writes her name on every page to prove it is hers and Ramona has to pay for it. The sisters are very different-- Beezus the thoughtful and responsible older sister while Ramona is the carefree one full of bad behavior and imagination-- personality traits that are mirrored in the mother and aunt---something the reader does not fully realize until the birthday party at the end. A classic, gentle tale from a master storyteller.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Ballentine Books, 1995.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2008. 219 pages

The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Scribner (1995), Paperback, 128 pages

The old man, Santiago, is at the end of his life. He is a fisherman--- a hard life, and now he is old and poor and unable to catch the fish he could in his heyday. Thinking to change his luck, he sets out --too far and all alone-- to richer but more dangerous fishing grounds and has the battle of his life with an enormous marlin-- 3 days and 3 nights. A short and thrilling and absorbing read-- truely-- i am not making this up. Full of symbolism and irony -- and so well written-- a sparseness to the text--in few, well chosen words-- this is Hemenway at his best. I will not spoil the story by saying more. A great book for all readers...especially good for book groups and guided reading because there is so much to talk about. A Classic.