Review: Wonderful Resource-- LOVED IT!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 11, 2013
Having worked as an English instructor for the past five years, including three years teaching grades 1-12 overseas in Japan, I am well aware of the benefits reading has on developing language skills and thought. While I was in Japan, I worked very hard to be a resource for quality English literature for my students, and now that I'm back in the States, I still try to keep this up, recommending and  shipping books overseas to my students when I can. Because of this, I'm on always on the lookout for new books to recommend, which is why I was so excited to find this book!What a wonderful resource! Benny not only offers book recommendations, but also breaks books down by category and illuminates what sorts of critical thinking and creative skills are likely to be built through exposure to various genres, including sci-fi/fantasy, religious, and mystery, as well as noting the importance of exposing children to both fiction and non-fiction works. This book is clearly organized by genre/category and then further broken down by age/reading level, which makes finding a good recommendation a snap! Benny offers not only summaries, book formats, and stats, but also clear reasons why your child would enjoy the book. Recommendations include old favorites, like the Chronicles of Narnia and Nancy Drew, while also calling attention to newer texts, including ″The School Skeleton (A-Z Mysteries)″ which after reading this book seems like a perfect addition to a school library. In short, this is a lovely, quick reference guide to some great books for young readers. Highly Recommend!