Redwall (The Series) by Brian Jacques

This series is full of action and adventure but not for the faint of heart. It is a fantasy story of mice and other woodland creatures who live at Redwall Abbey. The villian of this story is an evil rat named Cluny the Scourge who wants to overthrow the Abbey's current residents. In order to rid themselves of Cluny they have to go on a quest to find the Legendary Sword.
There are alot of mature descriptions within this story so it is recommended for ages 12 & up.

My son gives this series two thumbs & two big toes up!

The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss

We currently watched the 1970's movie of the Swiss Family Robinson in which my 6yo & 11yo loved! Much action an adventure about a family stranded on a deserted island. This all-time classic was a hit. The movie opened up many discussions from, self-sufficiency to animal rights to design/architecture to geography. My son was so enthralled he has taken on the task to now read the 470 page book which doesn't daunt him at all.
So far he gives it one thumb down and one thumb up because of the extended detail it gives. He finds it boring in spots. An interesting observation from a new generation of readers.

Good for 11 years and older.

The Lighthouse Family: The Eagle by Cynthia Rylant

This was a lovely, simple read. An unlikely family consisting of a cat, a dog & three baby mice who all found each and created their own family. The young mice find adventure and make new friends!

My 6yo loved it and we were thrilled to find out there are two more books by this author, in which the adventures continue.

We gave this book two thumbs up.
A great read for kidlets 4 years and older.

The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford

I have to use the word 'incredible' as in the title,  to comment about this book.  A truly inspirational, heartwarming book filled with beautiful writing and compassion. The book is generally intended for older kids but my 6yo loved it.
If you are not familiar with this classic Canadian story here is a little bit about it. The story is about 3 bonded animals, two dogs & a cat,  finding their way home across hundreds of miles of rugged country, encountering many hardships along the way. Your best bet is to just grab a copy, curl up and read it!  If you've read it before, read it again!
My 11yo & 6yo loved it.

We all give it 6 huge thumbs up.

The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter

My son wanted to write this book review so this is in his own words:
There are three odd preteen kids who don't have any friends because there Mom disappeared with no trace. There are rumors spreading around that someone killed there Mom. Their Dad is a painter who paints royalty no longer royal. Their Dad sends them to live with their Aunt and this is when many dark adventures begin. The story has many twists and turns which ends up revealing the truth about their Mom.
If you like dark, scary stories without a happy ending this story is for you.

He gives this story one thumb up and one thumb down.

The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren (picture book)

I love this story. I also love European stories. There is something deep and natural about their stories.  This is an enchanting little story about a friendly troll called the Tomten.  He moves silently through the night visiting his animal friends, reminding them that spring will soon come.  Only the children and animals can speak his language, which my young son finds magical.

A beautiful bedtime story to share.

The Elevator Family by Douglas Evans

This little story is very sweet and funny. The Wilson family decide to go on vacation to a hotel and end up staying in the Otis Room which happens to be the elevator! This charming family captures the hearts of the other hotel guests in a fun, whimsical  story. They even solve a mystery! My 5yo son loved this story and the idea of staying in an elevator couldn't be more exciting.

He gives this story two thumbs up.