Authors read. A lot! Reading is one of the best ways to get better at writing. Here’s where we share what we’re reading and what we think about it.
by Marianne McKee Picture books can be wonderful vehicles for examining serious issues, and they are appreciated by all of us, not just the very young. Picture books tighten things up, and like poetry, they present the essence of things. On a recent visit to my local library, I realized there are many picture books … More Book Reviews
This is the Rope: A Story From The Great Migration by Jacqueline Woodson Illustrations by James Ransome Narration by Channie Waites One summer day, a little girl finds a piece of rope under a tree. Her family uses the rope to tie luggage to the top of the car when they move to New York … More Book Review: This Is the Rope
Hamster Princess Harriet the Invincible By Ursula Vernon Princess Harriet Hamsterbone is the anti-princess. She loves fighting, cliff-diving and all sorts of unseemly sports and hobbies. So when she figures out that a curse, set to take effect when she turns twelve, also means she is invincible until then, she is thrilled. She has the … More Book Review
by Jenny Broom Illustrations by Kate Scott What is it: a picture book, textbook, coffee table book, reference book or living history museum? Using a bit of each of these elements, Broom and Scott have put together a book that explains evolution from the opening galleries of insects and invertebrates to the closing exhibits of … More Book Review: Animalium
IN THE SHADOWS By Kirsten White Illustrations by Jim Di Bartolo Reviewed by Hazel Buys Bartolo and White redefine the illustrated novel in this story of devil’s disciples that transcends genre. A little bit gothic, a little bit sci-fi and a whole lot fantasy, this layered story of romance, adventure and time travel covers … More Book Review: In the Shadows
by Hazel Buys THE SLEEPWALKERS Text and Illustrations by Viviane Schwarz In this graphic novel, a child calls a champion to vanquish monsters under the bed and dreams so bad sleep won’t come, by putting a letter under her pillow. A dog and two sheep arrive who spirit the dreamer away to a safe house … More Book Review: The Sleepwalkers
Roller Coaster, by Marla Frazee This picture book captures the roller coaster experience perfectly! I have used it in writing workshops for elementary school students as a model for using emotion and sensory detail to write about an experience. Kid Vs. Squid, by Greg Van Eekhout This wild, wacky book is the perfect beach read … More Great Summer Reads for Kids and Young Adults
“Tia Isa Wants a Car” by Meg Medina, Illustrated by Cludio Munoz When they are read out loud, stories take on a life more akin to the stage than the library. I experienced a wonderful reminder of this when I had the good fortune to hear Meg read her book “Tia Isa Wants a Car” … More Book Review: Tia Isa Wants a Car
