Halloween is coming, but there won’t be any trick or treating in most places around the country. This year, my young readers and I will be doing a zoom party. To get ready, we pulled out some of our old favorite Halloween stories, added some new ones into the mix, and came up with these […]
Review: How to Break an Evil Curse by Laura Morrison
HOW TO BREAK AN EVIL CURSE Chronicles of Fritillary, Book 1 by Laura Morrison Black Spot Books YA Fantasy 410 pages Princess Julianna may be cursed to dwell in darkness, but she’s no damsel in distress. How to Break an Evil Curse is the first book in a fantasy series about a princess who may […]
😷Five Picture Books About Animals and Other Creatures (and what we can learn from them)
Here are five of our favorite stories featuring anthropomorphized animals and other creatures that we have read this year. Don’t Worry, Little Crab written and illustrated by Chris Haughton Candlewick Press, 2020, 48 pages One day, Very Big Crab tells Little Crab it’s time to leave their tide pool and head to the ocean. […]
The Cat Man of Aleppo
Published by G. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers Summary: Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, a.k.a. Alaa, lives in Aleppo, a Syrian city that has been devastated by war. He’s stayed in the city, driving an ambulance and helping people however he can. When he finds stray cats wandering around his neighborhood, he decides to buy them […]
The World’s Poorest President Speaks Out edited by Yoshimi Kusaba, illustrated by Gaku Nakagawa
Published by Enchanted Lion Books Summary: It’s 2012, and world leaders have gathered in Brazil for the Rio+20 Summit to discuss climate change and the environmental crisis. “One after another, they gave speeches, but no one says anything new.” Then José Mujica, president of Uruguay, steps to the podium. Described as “the world’s poorest president” […]
Snapdragon by Kat Leyh
Published by First Second Summary: Snapdragon believes a woman in her town is a witch, and when her dog goes missing, she’s afraid the witch has eaten him. An angry confrontation winds up being the beginning of an unusual friendship. The “witch”, Jacks, turns out to be a lonely old woman whose business is rescuing […]
The Whale Child by Keith Egawa and Chenoa Egawa
THE WHALE CHILD by Keith Egawa and Chenda Egawa North Atlantic Books Middle Grade Environmental An inspiring middle-grade chapter book that introduces young readers to the environmental challenges facing the planet through the eyes of Coast Salish characters and authors. “You have family on land as you do in the sea. . . […]
Lost Cities by Giles Laroche
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers Summary: Thirteen lost cities are profiled from all over the world. Each includes an illustration of the city, a second-person introduction (“If you were a young Roman living in Herculaneum…”), the location, who lived there, why the city was lost, how it was rediscovered in modern times, and […]
Review: My Best Friend, Sometimes
We all have best friends and like many friendships they have their ups and down depending on what is happening in our lives. The sheer joy of finding a person who thinks like us, to the anxiety of when the friendship falters for whatever reason. This is the story of two inseparable friends who love […]
Review: I Love My Fangs! by Kelly Leigh Miller
Is Halloween here already? It’s around the corner…maybe. Honestly, I love this holiday, but it’s hard not to. Candy. Dressing up. Candy. Jack o’ Lanterns. Candy. Yeah, I might have a sweet tooth. Or fang. Anyway, it was a treat to already start up that Fall spirit and dream of what costumes the kids will […]
Monster and Boy by Hannah Barnaby, illustrated by Anoosha Syed
Published by Henry Holt and Co. Summary: A monster who lives under a boy’s bed loves the boy. When he hears the boy’s mother tell him there’s no such thing as monsters, he decides to reveal himself. After Mom leaves, he comes out and introduces himself. He sees that the boy is about to scream, […]
How (Not) To Annoy Dad
This hilarious, laugh out loud story by Australian comedian Dave Hughes and his wife Holly Ife is the perfect way to celebrate Father’s Day. Like many of us, Father’s Day is a chance to show Dad how much we love and appreciate everything he does for us. The story focusses on a Koala Dad […]
The Little Book of Presidential Elections by Zack Bush and Laurie Friedman
THE LITTLE BOOK OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS by Zack Bush and Laurie Friedman Illustrated by Sarah Van Evera Picture Book ages 4 to 8 This topical title has a dual mission. Not only does it take young readers step-by-step through the process of electing the president of the United States, it also provides a clear, kid-friendly explanation […]
Review: Contagion
The Great War has ended but a new war has begun. It is through fourteen year-old Charlotte’s daily diary entries that the story is told. The end of 1918 is nearing. Charlotte’s dad has returned from the war a broken man. His experiences are locked inside him. He is grumpy and resentful of everything. Charlotte cannot […]
Bluey: My Dad Is Awesome
If you love the hugely successful Bluey on the small screen, then you will love Bluey: My Dad Is Awesome. Bluey and Bingo and their family have connected with many families across Australia, and their on screen personalities are full of life on the pages of this book as well. The story is told by […]