It seems highly appropriate today to share some recently-published picture books for Halloween and Día de los Muertos. I enjoyed them very much, and I hope you will, too! I’m particularly delighted by the fact that The Ofrenda That We Built is by one of my writing colleague/friends and her daughter. Note: to access a …
Halloween Picture Books ~ A Book Recommendation Blog Blip Read More »
Title: THE GROUNDWORLD HEROES Author: Adrian So Publisher: Monarch Educational Services, 2024 Genre: Middle Grade Adventure Fiction Audience Age: 8 to 12 Themes/Topics: Animals, human threat to wildlife habitat, overcoming difficulties *Review copy provided by the author in exchange for a review. Blurb: “An original voice and a fun, funny adventure underground.” ~ Adam Rex, NYT Bestselling Author of THE …
THE GROUNDWORLD HEROES by Adrian So: Book Recommendation Read More »
Title: Much Ado About Baseball Author: Rajani LaRocca Publisher: New York: Yellow Jacket, 2021 Genre: Middle Grade contemporary with a touch of magic Audience Age: 8 to 12 Themes/Topics: belonging, making new friends, magic, math, baseball, Shakespeare Opening Sentences: “Baseball is magic. Time stops between the instant the ball is released and when it makes it over the plate, between …
MUCH ADO ABOUT BASEBALL by Rajani LaRocca — Book Recommendation Read More »
At the beginning of 2018, I had the intention of reading one picture book every morning throughout the year. I did well for the first half of the year, then not so well the second half – but I’ve still read a LOT more picture books than I would have otherwise, and many of them …
Beth’s Faves — Top Picture Books I’ve Read This Year Read More »
Many, perhaps most, of us know someone who deals with dementia. My first encounter with dementia was when I was in my early teen years, although that word was not commonly used then. We’d go over to visit my paternal grandparents, and Grandma would say, “Father is confused today.” We accepted this confusion as part …
Today is Thanksgiving in Canada. Usually I would write a post about some of the things I am grateful for, and in a way, this post is about gratitude, for gratitude is important. But it’s a different kind of gratitude than the sort we usually think about on Thanksgiving. As you know, I write for …
Title: Amina’s Voice Author: Hena Khan Publisher: New York: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Children’s, 2017 Genre: Middle Grade Fiction Audience Age: 9 to 12 Themes/Topics: empowerment, racism, feeling comfortable with who you are, lifting up your voice Opening Sentences: Something sharp pokes me in the rib. “You should totally sign up for a solo,” Soojin …
Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan — Book Recommendation Read More »
Title: Finding Grace (A Gutsy Girl Book) Author: Becky Citra Publisher: Toronto: Second Story Press, 2014. Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, set in 1954 Audience Age: 8-12 Themes/Topics: Friendship, secrets, families Opening Sentences: Dear Grace, I have been accused of a crime! Someone stole Nancy Collier’s brand-new glow-in-the-dark yo-yo today. Miss Noonan did a desk check. …
Finding Grace, by Becky Citra — Middle Grade Book Recommendation Read More »