Five Family Favorites with Lauren Abbey Greenberg, Author of The Battle of Junk Mountain

Lauren Abbey Greenberg | The Children’s Book Review | April 14, 2018

I took a poll. My son and daughter are in high school now, so it was fun to reminisce about the snuggly picture book years, as well as easy readers and chapter book obsessions. There were a few hotly debated titles, but eventually we came to consensus. Here are five family favorites that stand out the most.

Blueberries for Sal

Written and Illustrated by Robert McCloskey

One of those soothing, climb-into-your-lap books about a little girl and baby bear hunting for blueberries along the Maine countryside. Kuplink! Kuplank! Kuplunk!

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Ages 3-7 | Publisher: Puffin Books | 1976 | ISBN-13: 978-0140501698

Oh, Ducky! A Chocolate Calamity

Written and Illustrated by David Slonim

Who can forget quirky Mr. Peters and his candy machine, and Paula in charge of Quality Control? When Mr. Peters suits up and dives into all that chocolate to save the rubber duck – hoo-boy! So loved and worn, the pages fell out.

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Ages 5-6 | Publisher: Chronicle Books | 2006 (Reprint) | ISBN-13: 978-0811852272

What! Cried Granny

Written by Kate Lum

Illustrated by Adrian Johnson

We loved the silliness of this grandma who would do absolutely anything for her grandson; his comfort was paramount. It reminded my kids of their own grandmother who would move the moon for them if asked!

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Ages 3-5 | Publisher: Puffin Books | 2002 (Reprint) | ISBN-13: 978-0142300923

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Written and Illustrated by Jeff Kinney

I can’t disregard this series. For me, it represents the elementary years, when the kids went from savoring to devouring. Every November, when a new came out, there was always that tense moment: which sibling would get to read it first.

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Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Amulet Books | 2007 | ISBN-13: 978-0810993136

Sideways Stories from Wayside School

Louis Sachar

We would take turns reading the chapters aloud, and I can still see my kids doubled over laughing. Create a funny, clever story (or in Sachar’s case, stories), and I’m a fan for life.

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Ages 8-12 | Publisher: HarperCollins | 1998 | ISBN-13: 978-0688160869

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The Battle of Junk Mountain

Written by Lauren Abbey Greenberg

Publisher’s Synopsis: For fans of Rebecca Stead and Jennifer L. Holm, this is the perfect middle grade summer beach read.

Twelve-year-old Shayne Whittaker has always spent summers on the Maine coast, visiting her grandmother Bea and playing with her BFF Poppy. Both Shayne and Bea are collectors, in their own ways: Shayne revels in golden memories of searching for sea glass and weaving friendship bracelets with Poppy, while Bea scours flea markets for valuable finds, much of which she adds to a growing pile in her house that Shayne jokingly calls Junk Mountain.

This summer, though, everything has changed. Poppy would rather talk about boys than bracelets, and Bea’s collecting mania has morphed into hoarding. Only Linc, the weird Civil War-obsessed kid next door, pays attention to her. Turns out Linc’s collected a secret of his own, one that could enrage the meanest lobsterman on the planet, his grandpa. What begins as the worst summer of Shayne’s life becomes the most meaningful, as she wages an all-out battle to save her friendships, rescue her grandmother, and protect the memories she loves the most.

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Running Press Kids | April 17, 2018 | ISBN-13: 978-0762462957

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About the Author

Lauren Abbey Greenberg is a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature and has been published in Highlights for Children and Knowonder! magazine. She was a freelance writer/producer for many years and worked on a ton of cool projects such as TV spots for Discovery Kids, educational videos for National Geographic, and a film for Mount Rushmore National Memorial. She lives in Maryland with her husband, children, and fluffy dog, and has spent summers in Maine for the past twenty years. This is her debut novel.

Look for her online at laurenabbeygreenberg.com, Twitter @LAGreenberg1, or Instagram: lagreenbrg

Lauren Abbey Greenberg, author of The Battle of Junk Mountain, selected these five family favorites. Discover more articles on The Children’s Book Review tagged with Family Favorites.