Age 04-08. 5 Stars. Of all the easy-reader books in print, this series may be the best in writing quality, complexity, character development, and humor.

Age 04-08. 4 Stars. This brief book is masterfully crafted, and through Dalgiesh’s easy-to-read prose the young reader gets a picture of Jonathan’s close-knit, loyal, and sometimes overwhelming colonial family. In one day Jonathan experiences the pleasures of the outdoors, the comforts of the hearth, and the terror of a small child alone at night… Sensitive children might be troubled by the scene in which Jonathan meets the bears, but his quick rescue provides a comforting end to this suspenseful story. This is a great early chapter book, either for young listeners or young readers.

Age 12-16. 3 Stars. The story is very well written and will be enjoyed by anyone who loves animals and the outdoors. It will be especially attractive to boys, with its masculine-romantic view of nature and his bohemian life with his father. However, North’s depiction of families, religion and the created order (especially the origin of life) are sometimes at odds with a biblical worldview. For this reason, although it is written at an 8-12 reading level, Christian parents may want to wait to introduce this book until readers are old enough to read it with discernment.

Age 04-08. This story is masterfully written, in very short chapters that each pack a punch and end with a cliffhanger. The plot points are simple enough that young children will be able to follow them, but clever enough that adults will enjoy the author’s absurd sense of humor. It’s perfect for children transitioning out of picture books. Published in 1947, it reflects mainly wholesome values of kindness, courage, and generosity, with a naivete that will appeal to children who enjoy fantasies.

Age 05-10. This memorable story provides an example of genuine, loving friendship, which blooms among the hard realities of farm life… it is these contrasts that have made this story such an enduring classic — the reality of death and pain make joy and love all the sweeter where they exist.

Age 08-12. 5 Stars. Travis Coates is a 14-year-old boy, left alone to protect his mother and younger brother on his family’s 19th-century Texas homestead…. [He performs] an extraordinary act of moral courage, but it comes at the end of a story filled with ordinary acts of responsibility. In this outstanding coming-of-age story, Travis’s manhood is achieved at great cost, and in this cost he proves his worth as a man.

Age 08-12. 5 Stars. This is a masterfully crafted science-fiction fantasy about a widowed mouse and her young family, who live on the edge of hunger at the Fitzgibbon farm…. she discovers that an advanced rat society exists under cover of the rosebush. The rats have escaped from a place called NIMH (the National Institute for Mental Health) and are planning to end their parasitic existence on the farm, where they use the Fitzgibbons’ electricity and other resources. Their plans are disrupted by the coming of representatives from NIMH, who have been trying to recapture them since their escape…. A great science fiction premise, convincingly anthropomorphized animals, several heroic characters, a strong tenor of loyalty, friendship and family, all combine under the pen of a skillful writer to make an unforgettable story.

Age 09-12. 1 Star. In this modern-to-medievel time-travel fantasy, a family of three children and their father go to live in Wales for the winter, grieving the loss of their wife and mother. Twelve-year-old Peter finds a key which opens a portal into ancient Wales — and he and his sisters must resist a rising threat when knowledge of the key spreads to those who wish to misuse it. The book is recommended by several good sources and is entertainingly well written, with good character development and a sustained sense of magic lurking at the edges of the children’s dreary lives. Unfortunately, the dreariness of their lives seems to originate in their relationship with their father…. Although skilfully written, the bitter, secretive protagonist in this story is anything but admirable, and his father is worse. The biblical ideal of a family in which parents love, lead and train their children, is entirely absent. The magic in the story is enticing, and the interweaving of modern and historical Wales is masterful, but the detached, egalitarian family dynamic is quite poisonous.

Age 00-06. 4 Stars. This Newbery Honor book is a beautifully rendered alphabet set to an original song (musical score included). It tells a minimal story conforming with the letters of an original alphabet song, illustrated in pleasing and original black-and-white drawings…. It is an excellent choice when seeking to appeal to both ages, or as a supplement for alphabet memorization.

Age 04-08. 4 Stars. Dr. DeSoto, a mouse, has a standing policy of never treating predators at his dental practice. One day, a fox appears and pleads for help, weeping so that Dr. and Mrs. DeSoto take pity on him. While helping him they realize he intends to eat them after his treatment is finished, and they devise a clever way to outwit him while still finishing the job…. Steig tells the story in an understated way, with effective dialogue and gentle humor. Children will wait anxiously to find out how the two mice will resolve their problem, and will greatly enjoy the fox’s discomfiture when he is defeated. This is an excellent early-reader story about how to deal with evil in the everyday world. Not essential reading, but an excellent choice.