Laura L. Smith
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Books My Kids Read


I get asked all the time what my kids are reading. I don't know if it's because I'm a mom of four, because I'm an author, or because our car, house, pool bag, porch, very lives are littered with hardbacks, paperbacks, a Kindle and picture books. But the books we read are truly a reflection of who we are. Since people are curious. I decided to start this tab on my blog to share what my kiddos are reading. But it only helps you, if you understand a little bit about them.

MADDIE - AGE 19, SOCCER OBSESSED SORORITY GIRL 
MAX - AGE 17,  BOY WITH MUSIC IN HIS SOUL AND SPEED IN HIS FEET 
MALLORY - AGE 14, GIGGLING, GIDDY, GIRL WHO LOVES SOCCER AND HER FRIENDS
MAGUIRE - AGE 12, CREATIVE, FREE SPIRITED ACTOR DANCING TO HIS OWN BEAT

Blood of Kings Trilogy by Jill Williamson

9/10/2018

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Maguire read so many books over the summer. I was asking him how many he stars he gave his various reads. "Four, four, four," he answered. He'd loved most of the books I'd just questioned him on.
​Curious, I asked, "What book have you read that gets a five?"
Without a second hesitation, he replied, "All of the Blood of Kings books."  These books! They are long. They are detailed. They have maps and characters with wild names and Jill Williamson has done such a brilliant job of creating an exciting, engaging storyworld packed with adventure that every single word of this trilogy captivated my son. So much so, that he created his own Lego guys to go with the series. Side note--Max also devoured this series when he was in middle school. 
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The Danger Box by Blue Balliett

7/5/2017

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Blue Balliett always brilliantly writes stories that ignite curiosity in kids. Her books make readers want to learn, discover, explore, THINK! In her previous novels, Balliett has introduced a famous artist into the plot (Calder, Frank Lloyd Wright, etc.), expanding the knowledge of readers while they're engrossed in her mysteries. This time, she introduces a well known scientist, again not to stand behind or against the scientist's findings, but in the interest of making kids hungry to learn. Kudos to Balliett for always creating the best characters--kids with quirks, but also with hidden insights and gifts. She does a lovely job of reminding us that everyone has their own special talents and something to add to the conversation. I read her books, because my kids love them. But I LOVE them too!

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Inkspell by Cornelia Funke

11/29/2016

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At teacher conferences this year I asked Maguire's teacher to recommend some books that would satiate his hunger for reading and still be "kid" appropriate. She asked, "Has he read the Inkheart books?" I shook my head. I knew we had at least one from this series by Cornelia Funke on our shelves at home, and that some of my other kids had read one or two, but for what ever reason, Maguire hadn't stepped into their pages. Yet. He immediately devoured Inkheart. Me sneaking in every once in awhile to read a page, section or chapter out loud with him. Him filling me in on all the parts he read in bed, the car, anywhere he could sneak in a few pages. And now he's on to book two, Inkspell, in this fantastical series based on the premise of what happens if when reading aloud, the characters from the stories, sometimes magically drop into your life. Some of my favorite lines from  favorites such as Peter Pan and The Princess Bride, begin each chapter of these action packed adventures, illustrating the power of good over evil.

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CHARLIE BONE

8/12/2015

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PictureCharlie Bone and the Beast by Jenny Nimmo
When Maguire got to a point in the Harry Potter series where I thought he should wait to read the next one (they get pretty intense and a bit scary as you move through the years at Hogwarts), Mallory suggested he read Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo. I was a bit suspicious of another series of thick books taking place in a magical school in England, so we read the first one together out loud. I was hooked. And so was Maguire. He’s now reading the sixth book in the series about a King whose descendants were all endowed with special gifts. Some of the King’s children used their gifts for good; some of them took their talents for prideful, greedy gain and evil. This is a theme that resonates. The series is a fight of good over evil, the characters vivid and believable. The plots tense enough to keep Maguire reading and reading, but without scary details that would give him (or me) nightmares.


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MY LIFE AS A COMPUTER COCKROACH

2/14/2015

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PictureMy Life as a Computer Cockroach by Bill Myers
    Diary of a Wimpy Kid has nothing on Wally McDoogle! Everyone says how hard it is to find books boys like. Most boys enjoy some slapstick, physical humor. Thus the success of the Wimpy Kid series. But long before those books hit the shelves Bill Myers was writing positively hysterical, witty, and clever books with a message of faith about a klutz of a kid with a great heart named Wally McDoogle. Maguire has been devouring these books. I loved Myers' adult novel, Eli, and decided to read this Wally McDoogle to see why Maguire was laughing so hard. I couldn't help cracking up at some of the antics. Yes, there are a few burps thrown in, but there are also real situations like grumpy gym teachers and friends who make bad decisions. There are lessons learned that aren't preachy, but real, that will hopefully equip little boys everywhere to make good choices.

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VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER

9/15/2014

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PictureThe Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
Maguire is plowing through the Chronicles of Narnia. Which means I get to too. I have no idea how many times I’ve read C.S. Lewis’ charming, multi-layered tales of the magical world of Narnia, but each time I do, I am awed by his creativity and how he uses allegory to hammer home some of the most beautiful elements of faith. I’m also always a bit tempted to bang on the back of my wardrobe again, ‘cause you never know. Maguire is currently reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which is packed with ship voyages, sword fights, lost knights and dragons. It is also a tale of repentance, of seeing things through fresh eyes, and of trust. Maguire’s favorite character in the Narnia stories is Edmund. Which surprised me. At first. If you recall from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Edmund is the traitor. He is selfish and snotty. I don’t ever like to admit it, but on my bad days there’s a bit of Edmund in me too. But Edmund is also the one who Aslan forgives. Who is redeemed. Just like what Jesus did for me, and for you. Actually, I do want to be like Edmund in that sense. And after being forgiven, Edmund goes on to be quite braver than anyone thinks he’s capable of, and much more sensitive to others’ needs, a better listener, loyal to the end, because that’s what Christ’s forgiveness does. And I definitely long to be like that. Chatting with Maguire about his thoughts and ideas on Narnia, give me a fresh insight into Lewis’ works, and a new appreciation for Edmund, and for my son.


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A Family from Guatemala

1/29/2014

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After spending the first two weeks of the new year in Guatemala, my kids learned more about the country, the people and the language than any book could teach them. However, upon our return their fascination with Guatemala and the history and culture of this nation was peeked. Maguire told me he, "needed to so some more research on Guatemala." So, I made a trip to the library and gathered a handful of nonfiction picture books about this mountainous country near the equator. This particular book, A Family From Guatemala explains the daily life of a family that lives in the region of Lake Atitlan, where we spent our first four days. To read about this family shopping at the market we had visited and walking the trails we'd hiked and seeing pictures of them washing their clothes in the lake we had swam in was reaffirming. These weren't characters from far away, these were real people that we understood, that we related to. Nonfiction is an excellent tool for learning and explaining, but it is also a great tool for reinforcing the things we already know, etching the lines of experience even deeper into our souls.

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never say goodbye

9/20/2013

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Over the summer my husband lost his father, I lost a father-in-law and the kids lost their Papa. We were blessed with a lovely Father's Day celebration with him this year, the whole family gathered around overflowing and splashing with love. But goodbyes stink. And when you're little they're confusing. So, even though Maguire is reading chapter books -- no flying through them -- a dear friend sent this picture book to help illustrate the temporary goodbye of a loved one leaving earth until we meet them again in heaven. Never Say Goodbye by Lea Gillespie Gant is priceless. I gathered Maguire and the other kids too, yes even the high schooler, and had a little family story time. I couldn't get through the book, because its comfort and truth about death transcends age. As tears flowed down my cheeks, Mallory gently took the book from my hands and finished the story for me. For anyone experiencing loss, I highly recommend this book to shed a little light on death and heaven on young and not so young hearts.

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HOW TO CHOOSE A Children's BIBLE

7/31/2013

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PictureThe Bibles my kids turn to for inspiration.
Who knew there were so many different Bibles to choose from? My Bible App on my phone has 616 versions in 376 languages! So, how do you know which Bible is right for your kids, nieces and nephews, students in the Sunday School you teach or at the camp where you're a counselor? Which version will resonate best with what age group? Over the years my kids have amassed a large collection of Bibles (gifts from baptisms, take homes from Sunday School and VBS, stuffed in Easter baskets and more). I'm not an expert. And I certainly haven't looked through all the Bibles, but I know which ones they keep in their beds, which ones they turn to again and again. My husband picked up Bible Stories (DP 1999) at Cosco in 1999 when it first came out for our then, one year-old, Maddie. The eye-catching illustrations with all of the major stories from the Bible accented by photos of actual Biblical sites and artifacts along with historical facts, have made this book a family favorite -- so much so, that the binding and many of the pages are now taped. Mallory's Sunday School class uses the Adventure Bible (Zondervan). She loves this version with "Did You Know" and "Live It" boxes inserted into the text to make the scriptures relevant to her so much that she asked for it for Easter this year. Max keeps the ESV version in his bed. This is the version his boys' middle school Bible study uses and he's old enough now for a "real" Bible. Maddie has the You Version App of the Bible on her smart phone and on her iPad. She loves having the Bible with her where ever she goes. Not a morning goes by that she doesn't check out "the verse of the day". In fact, she often "shares" it with me or my husband. I'm sure there are many more great kids' Bibles, but these are the additions that resonate with my kids.

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DOUBLE FUDGE - A BOOK ON CD

7/16/2013

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PictureDouble Fudge by Judy Blume
We are in the car All. The. Time. I have four kids who are super busy and none of them can drive. Today alone we spent two hours and fifteen minutes in the car transporting them to and fro. Since I haven't figured out yet how to read and drive at the same time, we listen to books on CD to pass the time (mainly to make toting around their older siblings more tolerable for Mallory and Maguire). Right now, we're listening to Double Fudge by Judy Blume. It is hilarious. Although Maddie and Max rolled their eyes at a middle grade read, they can't help but laugh out loud when it's playing on our rides. Double Fudge is classic Judy Blume--characters so real, you feel like you know them--a little too well. It's narrated by her, the author herself, in her full on thick New York accent. There's humor about strange relatives, jokes about little brothers, real life questions about what money can and can't buy, how you feel when a pet is sick and how crummy it is when friends move away all peppered into the plot. But mostly it's just plain fun. And a great way to make the drive time not only tolerable, but pleasant.

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