Hunt For the Horseman - Gita V. Reddy

Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure, Mystery

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

For readers who have always loved the idea of exploring a house with hidden areas, this is the book for you. The children in this book are searching their ancestral home in India for a toy supposedly hidden by a cousin.  Family members for years have searched for this toy. Even more important they must try to find a very important paper. They are trying to save their ancestral home which is at risk of being taken from them. They need the paper to show they are the rightful owners of it.    Along the way the characters learn about their heritage. This was something I believe many of my students will be able to identify with.  Our school has a large Indian population.  I see the differences when some of them are born here in the United States and are clueless to their Indian Heritage. I also see how many of the students who were born in India and then moved to the United States handle the cultural differences.  I think a large part of the message found in this book is about family and embracing the differences within your cultural heritage. The adventure and mystery is something that kept me reading. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Alexander Hamilton: How the Vision of One Man Helped Shape Modern America by Teri Kanefield

Genre: Middle Grade, Biography
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I love history. It amazes me how much I really do not know, especially about American History. Teri Kanefield has once again done an exceptional job of bringing history to life. Her book about Alexander Hamilton opened my eyes to a man I realized I really knew nothing about.  He starts off life in another country, poor, abandoned and making his own way in life. When given the opportunity to come to America he jumps at the chance.  His mind for learning amazed me.  I had no idea how much influence he had in shaping what we now call the United States of America.   He married a woman who came from a wealthy family with the understanding that he was poor and would probably always be that way. She loved the man he was and agreed to the marriage.  He put so much into this country. Through reading this book you get a well-rounded picture of the man and his love for this country. You get a first-hand look at how much he was willing to sacrifice for it.  I learned what an elegant writer he was.  For the history lover, this is a must read book. This is a book that will definitely go on my shelves. It is a book that I want my students to read. It is a book I will recommend to our History department as a valuable resource.  Teri has included some of his writings in the back of the book. More importantly was the timeline and endnotes she included.  Such a valuable resource, yet it held my attention and I read it in one sitting.  This is a must read book. This book will be published in March of 2017.
I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Who is Santa and How Did He Get to the North Pole? by Stephen W. Bigalow

Genre: Children’s Fantasy

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is a wonderful book that should be read every Christmas. This is the telling of Santa’s story. It goes into his very beginnings of making toys, where he lived and why he moved to the North Pole.  We learn how he met the elves and how they became such a big and important part of his life and his story.  The only question that is not answered is whether or not he sleeps with his whiskers inside or outside of the covers.  This is a very well written story. It was wonderful learning what keeps the elves going, why candy canes are red and white striped.  This book can answer just about any question your child can come up with. I am very happy I was asked to read and review this book.  The illustrations are beautiful.  This is a story that should be shared year after year. It is to be enjoyed by young and old alike.