Get Your Mitts on a Great Book: The EBLI Team Shares Their Favorites

Alissa Britten: Social Media, EBLI Instructor

• Charlotte’s Web

Growing up, I don’t remember reading very many books because it just wasn’t something that anyone in my family did. However, this book is one that sticks out to me. I remember being swept up in the imaginative world Fern experienced with the farm animals, loved the different characters, and was concerned about what would happen as the story played out. 

• Esperanza Rising

This captivating fictional story is about Esperanza Ortega and her family’s life in Mexico, and later the United States, during the 1920’s. Esperanza’s world gets turned upside down as they face loss and countless challenges throughout the story. It’s an immersive story that quickly became my own daughter’s favorite book, which drew me to it out of curiosity. I enjoyed reading it with one of my students and look forward to sharing it with future students as well.

• Untamed 

This is my favorite book that I’ve read as an adult. I found Glennon’s honesty with her personal experiences compelling, and her thought-provoking ideas and questions stirred within me long after I’d finished the book. For me, this book inspired a shift in some old thought patterns and opened up a new awareness not only as a woman, but as a mother of two young daughters. 

Katie Curtis: Technology, EBLI Training Support

• The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
• All the Light We Cannot See
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
• The Trumpet of the Swan
• Cat’s Colors

I’m always drawn to stories that take place during the Holocaust. This one is about the friendship between a Jewish boy and the son of a Nazi commander, both completely unaware of the world they live in. It’s a good reminder to love and respect humanity.Here’s another one that takes place during WWII. All I can say about this book is that I could not put it down.This one is a classic that I read to my class every year. The students always fall in love with the characters, especially Aslan, the lion. I could read this book over and over and never get tired of it!I remember reading this book when I was in 3rd grade, and it is still a favorite to this day. If you enjoy animal characters, you really can’t go wrong with any book written by E.B. White.Kaitlyn (Katie’s kindergarten daughter) wanted to share her favorite book, too. It encompasses everything she loves most in this world- cats, babies, and rainbows. The illustrations are beautiful!

Cricket McCarthy: Video Team Lead, EBLI Instructor

• Bread and Jam For Frances

Coming from a family of 13, I remember I was so jealous that Frances, a picky eater, got to eat bread and jam for every meal and I had to eat whatever was put in front of me.  The moral of the story was that it’s not so great eating the same thing over and over. There is joy in eating a variety of foods, which I discovered through Frances! 

• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

This is my favorite bedtime story that I often read to my 3 girls!

• To Kill A Mockingbird

I read this in my 9th grade English class and thus began my love of reading! The way the story was told thru through the eyes of a young girl kept me on the edge of my seat. The classroom discussions after each chapter kept me intrigued throughout the whole story. It’s still my favorite book to date! 

LouCyndra McDonald: Training Coordinator

• Redeeming Love

This book takes place in the 1850s during the Gold Rush in California.  I love historical romance novels and this book has such a positive message of love and forgiveness.  This is my all-time favorite book.  I have read it many times.

• In the Presence of My Enemies

This is the story of the American missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham who were taken hostage while away for their anniversary celebration for a year in the Philippine jungle. It is a powerful and moving story of grace and forgiveness. 

• One Wintry Night

I love this book because it is a short chapter book of the Christmas story from the very beginning of time.  We would read this to our boys every night during the Christmas season ending on Christmas Eve.  It is beautifully illustrated and written.

• Go Dog Go

This was one of our favorites when our kids were little.  My husband and I would take turns reading the parts of the male and female dogs in the story and act out the parts about their hats.  Our kids would laugh at us. It was one of their favorites growing up.

Shannon Olsen: Materials Editor, EBLI Instructor

• The Wright Brothers
• Pete the Cat Too Cool for School
• Amazing Animals books

I read this during and between Zoom meetings with my nephew in Oregon, and am SO glad I did!  The trials and tribulations that these two men endured to make their flying machine available to the public is literally unbelievable.  These two small town Ohio men were the hardest working people I’ve ever learned about/met (besides Nora!!)  LOL Their level of integrity and problem solving capabilities were unparalleled (again, except for Nora).  If you desire something to inspire you to stay the course when you feel like giving up, read this.I love reading this with my beginning readers.  Pete is such a chilled out character and this one about dressing in all the clothes his friends like and then finally ending up wearing what he likes and what he had on to begin with makes us think about that: Be YOU!I’m sorry but these just crack me up.  There are so many goofy stories to giggle at with your beginning reader!  But the one I like best is Floating Goat. The pictures are always humorous!  Of course, read the text first with pics covered.  Then reveal the hilarious pictures. Sometimes my little students and I are laughing until our eyes water!  

Molly Woodworth: Finance Director

• ‘I am’ series

My favorites in this series are I Am Peace, I Am Love and I Am Human.  They are wonderful books to use to start a dialogue with our children about learning how to make good choices, managing their emotions and help to guide them as they begin to navigate this crazy world. As a fun added bonus there is usually a guided meditation or exercise in the back of the book to provide additional coping strategies to eager readers! 

• The Westing Game

This book is for fairly young readers, maybe 10-12 years old, but it was the only chapter book I ever read from cover to cover in school. And I loved it. It’s a clever and goofy murder mystery book that held my attention enough to actually finish a book for once!

• ‘The Pillars of the Earth’ series

I just learned this series now has 4 books to it! It remains my absolute favorite thing I have ever read. I learned so much history while being completely sucked into the characters and their relationships. I loved how the books spanned generations. 

Hannah Riopelle: Operations Director

• The Wonky Donkey

I’m a big fan of The Wonky Donkey because it’s goofy and adorable, and our son loves it! He makes the donkey sound and asks to have it read to him often.

• Where the Red Fern Grows 

Where the Red Fern Grows has stuck with me for years – since I read it for the first time in middle school. I’ve reread it several times since then. It’s one of the best, sweetest, most bittersweet tales I’ve ever read!

Nora Chahbazi: Founder and CEO

• Stephanie’s Ponytail

This book is a fantastic example to children about how to be their own unique person. It shows, in a very entertaining way, how following the crowd for the sake of following the crowd can go very wrong.

• The Diary of a Young Girl: Anne Frank

I read this book as a teen and it sparked in me a lifelong curiosity about the Holocaust and how typically good people can be influenced to do horrific things. Anne’s spunk and determination throughout her ordeal have always been an inspiration to me.

• A Bright and Shining Lie

This book is non-fiction, based on the story of an officer in the Vietnam War. It spoke to me in a significant way as it showed very clearly that what we are told is going on in a situation can be completely different than the truth. It was an enlightening, educational read for many reasons. 

• Why Our Children Can’t Read and What We Can Do About It

This book is the first I ever read (that made sense) about how reading is taught and how it should be taught. That was back in 1997 and it remains my favorite. It goes against the grain of instruction still today, but it contains the answer of how to turn around the literacy crisis. I’ll be forever grateful to Diane McGuinness for writing it and leading me on the path to teach my child, and then countless other learners and teachers.