Kindle Deals for November 26, 2019
Today's Best Book Deals for Your Homeschool
(Prices are correct as of the time of writing, but y'all know sales move fast — check before you click the buy button! These are Amazon links — read more about how we use affiliate links to help support some of the costs of the HSL blog here.)
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My Jasper June, by Laurel Snyder, $1.99. I just bought this one for my daughter, who said, “It’s probably going to make me cry, but I’ll like it anyway.” Here’s how the publisher describes this moving middle grade story: The school year is over, and it is summer in Atlanta. The sky is blue, the sun is blazing, and the days brim with possibility. But Leah feels. . . lost. She has been this way since one terrible afternoon a year ago, when everything changed. Since that day, her parents have become distant, her friends have fallen away, and Leah’s been adrift and alone. Then she meets Jasper, a girl unlike anyone she has ever known. There’s something mysterious about Jasper, almost magical. And Jasper, Leah discovers, is also lost. Together, the two girls carve out a place for themselves, a hideaway in the overgrown spaces of Atlanta, away from their parents and their hardships, somewhere only they can find. But as the days of this magical June start to draw to a close, and the darker realities of their lives intrude once more, Leah and Jasper have to decide how real their friendship is, and whether it can be enough to save them both.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone, by Laini Taylor, $1.99. I haven’t read this award-winning YA fantasy series yet, but I have heard so much about it. Here is the very intriguing description from the publisher: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
The Tunnels: Escapes Under the Berlin Wall and the Historic Films the JFK White House Tried to Kill, by Greg Mitchell, $1.99. As soon as the Berlin Wall went up in the 1960s, German families started searching for ways to see relatives on the other side. Two groups began digging tunnels under the wall in order to smuggle people out of East Berlin. U.S. TV channels discovered this effort and started to document the dangerous process. At the height of the Cold War, President Kennedy demanded that the documentaries not be released. This is the wild, largely unknown story of the tunnelers, documentarians, and politicians at the heart of this remarkable event.
STILL ON SALE
Just Feel: How to be Stronger, Happier, Healthier, and More, by Mallika Chopra, $2.99. This is a lovely book for elementary and middle school readers about how to manage emotions and find strength in tough situations. In short, easily digestible sections, Chopra describes why we feel emotions, choices we can make when dealing with feelings, and proactive steps we can take to improve our happiness and relationships. Beautiful, diverse illustrations enhance the reading experience.
The Parenting Project: Build Extraordinary Relationships With Your Kids Through Daily Conversation, by Amy Alamar and Kristine Schlichting, $3.27. I scooped this one up before I even started writing up today’s deals. The idea behind The Parenting Project is that frequent and intentional conversations with tweens and teens are the foundation of a healthy relationship. The book provides conversation starters to help parents get to know their children better. The second half of the book provides helpful guides for talking about specific tricky issues, like bullying, self-harm and suicide, sexuality, healthy friendships, future planning, and more.
New Kid, by Jerry Craft, $2.99. This middle grade graphic novel won the Kirkus Prize for Young Reader’s Literature. Here’s what the publisher says: Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade. As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II, by Liza Mundy, $3.99. Did you know that the U.S. government recruited thousands of women to break codes during WWII? This massive group of women was moved to Washington, D.C., to aid in the war effort, but their existence was kept mostly secret. This fast-paced, well researched book tells the challenging and sometimes thrilling story of WWII from the homefront.
Human Errors: A Panorama of Our Glitches, from Pointless Bones to Broken Genes, by Nathan H Lents, $2.99. I’ll be honest, I lost Library Chicken on this one and had to return it only partway read. But I was really enjoying Lents’s collection of the odd bit and pieces of human biology. Why are humans so likely to catch colds? Why do so many of us have terrible eyesight? Lents explains these and many more with information from medicine, engineering, and evolutionary biology.
Counting Backwards: A Doctor’s Notes on Anesthesia, by Henry Jay Przybylo, $1.99. Anesthesia is a mystery to most people. The idea that a doctor can put you into such a deep sleep that you don’t feel pain is amazing and alarming to consider. Przybylo, a practicing anesthesiologist for more than 30 years, explains how anesthesia works and the daily highs and lows of helping people (and animals!) in pain.
Dog Training for Kids, by Vanessa Estrada Marin, $1.99. My family has some severe dog allergies, so I can’t tell you whether these tips actually work. This is a comprehensive guide to what your kids will need to know about dog care, training, and having a good time with their canine friends.
The Books that Changed My Life, by Bethanne Patrick, $0.99. Who loves a book about books? I sure do! Bethanne Patrick asked 100 notable people with a wide variety of talents to write a short essay about the books that helped to make them who they are today. The celebrities range from Al Roker to R.L. Stine, and the books include Green Eggs and Ham as well as The Odyssey. This is a great book to read in small chunks when you have a few moments of down time.
The Science of Harry Potter, by Mark Brake and Jon Chase, $1.99. Any magician will tell you that it’s best not to ask how the magic works, and in general I agree. This book takes on all of the magic in the wizarding world and attempts to explain how spells could be accomplished with science. If you’ve wondered how an invisibility cloak or a snitch would work in real life, this book will tickle your fancy.
Mayflower, by Nathaniel Philbrick, $2.99. It’s Thanksgiving season, so it seems only appropriate to share Nathaniel Philbrick’s award-winning history of the early settlement of America. Here’s what the publisher says: As Philbrick reveals in this electrifying history of the Pilgrims, the story of Plymouth Colony was a fifty-five year epic that began in peril and ended in war. New England erupted into a bloody conflict that nearly wiped out the English colonists and natives alike. These events shaped the existing communities and the country that would grow from them.
Curiosity House: The Shrunken Head, by Lauren Oliver and H.C. Chester, $3.99. If you loved The Series of Unfortunate Events, this may be the next series for you! Written in a style full of asides and fascinating words, Curiosity House is the Edgar-nominated tale of four orphans who live in a museum of sorts. Lush, somewhat creepy illustrations enhance the reading experience. Here’s the publisher’s description: The book is about, among other things: the strongest boy in the world, a talking cockatoo, a faulty mind reader, a beautiful bearded lady and a nervous magician, an old museum, and a shrunken head. Blessed with extraordinary abilities, orphans Philippa, Sam, and Thomas have grown up happily in Dumfrey’s Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders. But when a fourth child, Max, a knife-thrower, joins the group, it sets off an unforgettable chain of events. When the museum’s Amazonian shrunken head is stolen, the four are determined to get it back. But their search leads them to a series of murders and an explosive secret about their pasts.
Voices in the Ocean, by Susan Casey, $4.99. When author Susan Casey encountered a pod of dolphins in the wild, she became determined to learn as much as she could about these creatures. This is the story of her globe-trekking research. She travels from Hawaii to Ireland to Crete to discover the ways humans and dolphins have interacted throughout history. She also looks at the troubling businesses of hunting dolphins for food or to sell to into captivity. Casey is a lyrical author who combines beautiful descriptions with scientific details and in-depth reporting. This book is perfect for teens and adults interested in the mysteries of the ocean.
The Short Novels of John Steinbeck, by John Steinbeck, $2.99. They’re all here! This is a collection of six of Steinbeck’s most famous works, all at an the price of one. Steinbeck tells realistic stories of people facing tough challenges, both those who still have hope and those who have given up. I remember reading The Pearl in high school, and like the others in this collection, it is short but packs a literary and emotional punch in few words. Grab this one to round out your high school reading list.
Stupid Wars: A Citizens Guide to Botched Putsches, Failed Coups, Inane Invasions, and Ridiculous Revolutions, by Ed Strosser and Michael Prince, $1.99. War books are generally not my area of expertise, so I will defer to the publisher’s description: When winners write history, they sometimes "forget" to include their own embarrassing misjudgments. Fortunately, this take-no-prisoners edition of history isn't going to let the winners (or the losers) forget the mistakes of the past. Be prepared to laugh out loud—and gasp in horror—at the most painfully idiotic strategies, alliances, and decisions the world has ever known. These stupid wars have been launched by democracies as well as monarchies and dictatorships, in recent decades just as often as in less "enlightened" times. The ridiculous and reckless conflicts chronicled in Stupid Wars include the misdirected Fourth Crusade, the half-baked invasion of Russia by the U.S., the U.K.'s baffling Falklands War, Hitler's ill-fated Beer Hall Putsch, several incredibly foolish South American conflicts, the Bay of Pigs fiasco, and many more.
From a Certain Point of View, by various authors, $4.99. What happens when you ask 40 big-time authors to write a Star Wars short story? You get this fun and fascinating collection that retells major events in Star Wars from the perspective of supporting characters. You’ll find out what was going on in Aunt Beru’s mind as Luke headed off, all you ever wanted to know about the creature in the trash compactor, and more. This is a must for any big Star Wars fan, but it’s also an interesting read for anyone who is intrigued by more than one way to tell a story.
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein, $1.99. Richard Thaler won the Nobel Prize for Economics last year, but that doesn’t mean this this a dry book of economic theory. Thaler specializes in behavioral economics, the factors that influence our day-to-day actions. We make dozens of choices every day, but humans aren’t always good at judging the most healthy or advantageous options. The “nudge” of the title is the small change in thinking that can help a person to make difference choices and create new habits. This is a fascinating and helpful read.
The Happiest Kids in the World: How Dutch Parents Help Their Kids by Doing Less, by Rina Mae Acosta and Michele Hutchison, $1.99. I am always fascinated by cultural differences in everyday life. Here’s what the publisher says: Imagine a place where young children play unsupervised, don’t do homework, have few scheduled “activities” . . . and rank #1 worldwide in happiness and education. It’s not a fantasy—it’s the Netherlands! Rina Mae Acosta and Michele Hutchison—an American and a Brit, both married to Dutchmen and raising their kids in the Netherlands—report back on what makes Dutch kids so happy and well adjusted. Is it that dads take workdays off to help out? Chocolate sprinkles for breakfast? Bicycling everywhere?
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, by Ian Fleming, $3.27. Did you know that Ian Fleming wrote more than the James Bond novels? He is also responsible for this charming and strange book about a magical car and the family who loves it. This is a high adventure children’s classic. It’s also SO different from the movie that you can have an interesting discussion with your kids about what it means to adapt a novel to film.
The Out-Of-Sync Child Has Fun, by Carol Kranowitz, $4.99. Many of us know or have children in our lives who struggle with sensory issues. This book is a fantastic collection of activities for kids of all ages that can help to “develop and organize a child’s brain and body.” This could be a helpful resource for planning co-op classes, scout meetings, etc. Most of these ideas would appeal to neurotypical kids, so they are perfect for creating a welcoming and fun space for all.
Confessions of a Domestic Failure, by Bunmi Laditan, $3.99. This over-the-top novel is hilarious and familiar in many aspects. From the publisher: There are good moms and bad moms—and then there are hot-mess moms. Introducing Ashley Keller, career girl turned stay-at-home mom who's trying to navigate the world of Pinterest-perfect, Facebook-fantastic and Instagram-impressive mommies but failing miserably. When Ashley gets the opportunity to participate in the Motherhood Better boot camp run by the mommy-blog-empire maven she idolizes, she jumps at the chance to become the perfect mom she's always wanted to be. But will she fly high or flop?
Howl’s Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones, $1.99. Read the book that inspired the Miyazaki film! Here’s how Amy described it: Sometimes a curse can be just what you needed, as Sophie discovers in this delightful fantasy about a hat maker's daughter who's cursed to premature old age by the Witch of the Waste. To break the curse, Sophie will need to team up with the mysterious wizard Howl, who happens to be stuck under a curse of his own—but first, she'll have to get to his castle, which has a habit of wandering around. I love this as a readaloud, on its own, or (of course) a companion piece to the equally wonderful (though often quite different) movie adaptation.
Warriors: Into the Wild, by Erin Hunter, $1.99. Does your kid love adventure and fantasy… and maybe also cats? This may be the perfect series for your middle grade reader. Here’s the publisher’s description: For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest according to the laws laid down by their ancestors. But the warrior code has been threatened, and the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger. The sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day. Noble warriors are dying—and some deaths are more mysterious than others. In the midst of this turmoil appears an ordinary housecat named Rusty… who may turn out to be the bravest warrior of them all.
The Jumbies, by Tracey Baptiste, $1.99. This is another mythology-based book, but grounded in Haitian folklore. Corinne doesn’t believe that jumbies, tricksters that live in the forest, are real. But when a mysterious woman arrives in her town, it is up to Corinne to save the entire island from being taken over by jumbies. This spooky, action-packed adventure will appeal to middle grade readers.
The Planets, by Dava Sobel, $4.99. Sobel is a beautiful writer who breathes life into scientific subjects. Here she takes on the planets, looking at how they were discovered, the roles they have played in mythology and astrology, the impact they have had on literary culture, and more. Sobel balances careful scientific detail with beautiful language.
The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda, by Tom Angleberger, $1.99. From Booklist: "Tommy and his friends think that Dwight is a weirdo who’s 'always talking about robots or spiders or something.' In true Dwight fashion, he shows up at school one day brandishing a little origami Yoda finger puppet. The really weird thing is that it doles out very un-Dwight-like bits of wisdom, and the mystery is whether the Yoda is just Dwight talking in a funny voice or if it actually has mystical powers." Hand this to your 4th to 6th grader who loves the Wimpy Kid series.
Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World, by Ella Frances Sanders, $4.99. Each language has words that are uniquely specific to their geography or culture. These words don’t translate easily or simply into other languages. This book collects 50 such words from around the world. You’ll learn commuovere (Italian: to be moved to tears) and glas wen (Welsh: a smile that is mocking or sarcastic). Word nerds will be fascinated.
Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100, by Michio Kaku, $4.99. What will the world look like in 80 years? Physicist Michio Kaku looks at trends in today’s science research to speculate on the impacts of technology. Kaku discusses the likelihood of hovercars, mind control of electronics, antimatter rockets, and more. The science is rigorous — Kaku interviewed more than 300 scientists in dozens of fields to research book — but it also feels fanciful and fun.
In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It, by Lauren Graham, $4.99. In 2017, Gilmore Girls actress Lauren Graham was invited to give a commencement address at her former high school. This book is an expansion of that speech. It’s funny and moving and features advice like this, “Whatever path you choose, whatever career you decide to go after, the important thing is that you keep finding joy in what you’re doing, especially when the joy isn’t finding you.”
The Art of the Wasted Day, by Patricia Hampl, $4.99. This is an unusual travelogue. Hampl travels around the world to places where people have retreated for solitude and relaxation. She visits the homes of recluses Gregor Mendel, Michel Montaigne, and others. Interspersed throughout are stories from Hampl’s own life. This is a musing on relaxation, solitude, adventure, and loss.
Home of the Brave: 15 Immigrants Who Shaped U.S. History, by Brooke Khan, $4.99. Learn about the contributions immigrants have made to America, from Madeleine Albright to Carlos Santana. Spanning many eras and realms of achievement, this book will introduce elementary readers to more than a dozen notable Americans. Each biography includes ideas for related activities and additional reading.
Accidental Medical Discoveries: How Tenacity and Pure Dumb Luck Changed the World, by Robert W. Winters, $1.99. I love to learn about the circumstances of invention. What happened to inspire someone to come up with a new innovation? What were they trying to accomplish? This book is a fun dive into 25 medical discoveries, from contact lenses to dental implants to blood pressure medication.
Little Free Libraries and Tiny Sheds, by Philip Schmidt, $2.99. Little Free Libraries and Little Free Pantries have popped up all over my area. These little huts provide a place for people to donate and pick up books and/or food items. This book offers detailed instructions for how to create your own! Enjoy a fun family project that will also benefit your larger community!
World of Geekcraft: Step-by-Step Instructions for 25 Super-Cool Craft Projects, by Susan Beal, $1.99. Do you have people in your life who appreciate scifi, fantasy, video games, or science? This is the book for them, or for you. The holiday season is approaching, and this collection of DIY projects is perfect for creating unique gifts.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley, $1.99. Readers will fall in love with the precocious 11-year-old heroine of this grown-up mystery novel. Flavia loves chemistry and has a strong interest in poison. When an old acquaintance of her father dies in her yard, it is up to Flavia to find out who killed him and why. Though it may appeal to younger readers, this book was not written for a middle-grade audience.
The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame and Grahame Baker-Smith, $3.32. The classic tale of Mole, Rat, and Mr. Toad has been reinvigorated with some truly gorgeous illustrations. These charming adventures are funny and oh-so-very British.
How to Read Nature, by Tristan Gooley, $1.99. I thought I was generally knowledgeable about the natural world, but I learned SO many things from this book! For instance, did you know that moss and algae are most likely to grow on the north side of trees or structures? Tristan Gooley has spent years studying nature and shares all his secrets for way-finding, foraging, and more in the short but densely fact-filled book.
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet, by Charlie N. Holmberg, $1.99. I’ve read other YA books by Holmberg, and I’m pretty taken with this description: “Maire is a baker with an extraordinary gift: she can infuse her treats with emotions and abilities, which are then passed on to those who eat them. She doesn’t know why she can do this and remembers nothing of who she is or where she came from. When marauders raid her town, Maire is captured and sold to the eccentric Allemas, who enslaves her and demands that she produce sinister confections, including a witch’s gingerbread cottage, a living cookie boy, and size-altering cakes.”
Chalk, by Bill Thomson, $0.99. This is a picture book with no words, perfect for kids who would like to make up the story on their own. Or, if you have a kid like mine, who really loves words and reading, it may be deeply unsettling. Use your best judgment. Told through gorgeous, realistic illustrations, Chalk is the story of what happens one day when kids’ chalk drawings come to life.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, $1.99. You’re either going to love this or hate it. Seth Grahame-Smith has expanded Austen’s classic novel to add in scenes of a zombie plague in Meryton. More than 80% of Austen’s original text remains, with modern and gruesome enhancements. This is an over-the-top parody that also seriously addresses some of the interesting details and side plots of the original work. It’s ridiculous, yes, but also fairly entertaining and fodder for an excellent discussion about literary adaptations. If this sounds like your kind of thing, you may also want to check out Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters.
Lives in Ruins: Archaeologists and the Seductive Lure of Human Rubble, by Marilyn Johnson, $1.99. Indiana Jones is by far the most famous and exciting archaeologist, running through the jungle digging up bones and fighting off Nazis. But what does the job a real archaeologist look like? Johnson spends time with archaeologists doing work around the world to discover the sweat, cultural discussions, and technology that shape modern research.
Before They Were Authors: Famous Writers as Kids, by Elizabeth Haidle, $2.99. This charming graphic novel tells the stories of many famous authors when they were kids. The backgrounds are varied and interesting, and the illustrations look both cute and historical. This stories will inspire kids and make them consider whether they could become famous writers too.
Other Words For Home, by Jasmine Warga, $1.99. This middle grade story about a Syrian girl moving to Cincinnati is a tough but lovely read. Told in lyrical verse through Jude’s eyes, Other Words For Home traces her path from Aleppo to the U.S., her confusion about the differences in American customs, and her path to how she will fit into her new home. Read this book for a great opportunity to see the world from a new perspective.
A Closed and Common Orbit, by Becky Chambers, $1.99. This is the award-winning second book in a scifi series, but it can be read as a standalone. Chambers writes space opera scifi that really focuses on relationships between the characters. The plot is complicated, so I’ll let the publisher describe it: “Lovelace was once merely a ship’s artificial intelligence. When she wakes up in a new body, following a total system shut-down and reboot, she has no memory of what came before. As Lovelace learns to negotiate the universe and discover who she is, she makes friends with Pepper, an excitable engineer, who’s determined to help her learn and grow. Together, Pepper and Lovey will discover that no matter how vast space is, two people can fill it together.”
Better Than Normal: How What Makes You Different Can Make You Exceptional, by Dale Archer, $4.99. I have not read this, but the concept sounds intriguing. Dr. Archer looks at 8 common behavior traits that can be problematic when extreme to discover the ways they can also be beneficial. He suggests that attentiveness, anxiety, shyness, and other issues lie along a spectrum. Everyone’s personality is shaped by one or more of these traits, and Archer offers ways to harness them to work for you.
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, $1.99. This is a classic of coming-of-age literature found on many high school curricula. A group of boys is stranded on an island after a school trip gone horribly wrong. With no adults to guide them, they must govern themselves and find a way off of the island. They have some remarkable successes and some very memorable failures. Read this book to start a discussion of human nature.
How to Be a Happier Parent, by KJ Dell’Antonia, $4.99. I’ve really enjoyed Dell’Antonia’s New York Times parenting column. This book collects and connects some of the recurring themes about how to find a greater sense of happiness and peace through the parenting journey. From the publisher: In this optimistic, solution-packed book, KJ asks: How can we change our family life so that it is full of the joy we'd always hoped for? Drawing from the latest research and interviews with families, KJ discovers that it's possible to do more by doing less, and make our family life a refuge and pleasure, rather than another stress point in a hectic day. She focuses on nine common problem spots that cause parents the most grief, explores why they are hard, and offers small, doable, sometimes surprising steps you can take to make them better.