A super "Science Behind the Fiction" event at #PortobelloBookFestival with #DougJohnstone (THE SPACE BETWEEN US) and myself talking about FRIEND ME.
We chatted about writing sci-fi proudly, how other writing like journalism affects our fiction, and the joys & terrors of Enceladus and AI. Thrilled to hear the sequel to Doug's book is out next march. Sci-fi forever!
Aaron Blabey wrote the Bad Guys series (junior fiction, short graphic novel, movie) and he just came out with another fun little series called Cat on the Run. I have read the first book, Cat on the Run in Cat of Death, and it was just as fun as the Bad Guys series. Highly recommend for the 1st thru 4th grade readers in your life.
I am reading the cutest middle grade novel right now. It's called The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass and it's about a boy, a little free library, a couple ghosts, and Mortimer, the library cat. Highly recommend for readers age 8-12.
This little panda is so adorable ! Everything in this picture book is wonderful, from the story to the art ! Little Panda’s determination and ingenuity are inspiring, as well as the narrator ‘s patience. Reading this book, I was seeing myself talking to my toddler - nephew. Everyone will love this book !
It's Hispanic Heritage Month and we're spotlighting the Leyendas Trilogy by Selenia Paz! This #KidLit fantasy series follows Miguel and Natalia as they are swept into an adventure involving legendary characters from Mexican folklore.
“Paz crafts a fantasy adventure…imbued with a mystery that should keep people reading.” – Booklist
Finished Sea Witch by Sarah Henning today and enjoyed it. It made my heart skip a beat a couple of times. It is a little mermaid retelling told from the perspective of who we know as Ursula before she became Ursula. It was a fun book.
Finishing up No Laughter Here by the amazing Rita Williams-Garcia this morning. This is a middle grade book (younger MG- main character is in 5th grade) that deals with secrets and when those secrets are too big. This book revolves around a young girl's circumcision over the summer and her best friend's vow to keep her secret.
This is an important read and would recommend to middle grade readers. Does describe FGM.
I really enjoyed Kate Searle’s other book My Soul Treasure, so I was quite excited to discover Find your treasure. Created with the same illustrator as her other book, Alison Mutton, Find your treasure is an enchanting and magical chapter book that takes young readers on a journey of spiritual discovery, self awareness and empowerment .
Keep up with kidlit news and what I'm reading with my periodic newsletter - latest issue out now, including what I'm reading (Claire Swinarski's wonderful new middle grade What Happened to Rachel Riley?), my Portobello Book Festival event next month and more! Read it now at http://bit.ly/SMAnews13
Check these beautiful picture books that I added to the #littlefreelibrary ! I really love the diversity of this selection . All share wonderful stories about family relationships and inter-generational love. The illustrations are all stunning !
All are Welcome is a beautiful inclusive picture book celebrating diversity and inclusion at school and in the community. Young readers will feel welcome at school thanks to the warm and touching illustrations.
The Golden Bowl is a sweet story meant for young readers. A little art lover girl is very excited about her dog’s coming birthday, but no gift seems adequate enough for the animal : a necklace ? A decorated dog biscuit with frosting ? A painted bowl ? The latest seems the best gift and Zoya works very hard on her création, sharing color names with the reader in the process.
This picture book is truly gorgeous : based on the true story of Mildred, Harriet, Brenda, and Wilma Moody, this non fiction book shows the incredible work realized by the sisters in Southern California in the 30s.
This adorable picture book is based on the true story of Lars and Astrid Fossberg, a couple from Norway who opened a Ski Resort in Canada. Inspired by Norwegian folklore, the story follows a couple of trolls who travel around to distant lands and find a beautiful mountain to build a house, have a family and realize their dreams.
This picture book is deliciously adorable ! Buckwheat the black and white dog is very hungry ! Exploring Jewish food, the animal counts each of the tantalizing dishes : one golden challah, two matzo balls, three matzos, four kugels, five knishes, and so on.
If you are looking for a very sweet MG read, you should check Calvin and the Sugar Apples. Focusing on eleven-year-old Amelia and the loss of her best friend Calvin, a twenty-one-year-old chinchilla, this novel is beautifully written and illustrated.
Tonight I'm turning off the phone and reading The Wild Robot by Peter Brown because I'm more interested in it than my daughter. It's OK to read kids #books as an adult right?
If you're a #Kindle reader in the US, Amy Bearce's World of Aluvia series is $0.99 right now! World of Aluvia is an upper MG/lower YA series for kids who may have aged out of most middle grade books but still aren't quite ready for traditional young adult books. This fun fantasy series in a magical world is perfect for both young readers and the young at heart!
Young readers in love with Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House series will love this graphic novel adaptation ! The art is very pleasant and the characters’ adventures fun to follow.
I have been trying to find something to read, but nothing is standing out to me. I guess I am in a slump of some sort. Any recommendations are welcome. I read just about anything, but very little fantasy. I enjoy nonfiction especially nature or social justice focused. I love middle grade books and some YA. So throw anything at me and maybe I will find something to get me out of this slump.
Back to school time is around the corner ! It is an exciting period for some children and adults, but also a moment of fear and stressful anticipation for others. These great picture books help to prepare young readers for this great moment.
Hall’ s creations are colorful picture books that celebrate diversity, uniqueness and families. I love the multicultural representation : children from all backgrounds and families from all around the world are shown celebrating or doing everyday activities.
This children’s book is perfect ! The art and text are amazing. Author Dave Eggers and artist Júlia Sardà spin a quirky historical event into a whimsical and tall-ish true tale of human ingenuity. Highly recommended if your child has a hard time reading nonfiction or history books.