PW's Middle grade booklist

Are you looking for new highly illustrated novels or non-fiction for your middle grade readers? Or titles about kids with physical challenges or learning differences?  The reviewers at Publisher's Weekly have your back.  A couple of weeks ago, they published an annotated booklist of books for the ever popular Middle School crowd - or ages 10 through 14 - that highlighted graphic novels, illustrated novels and the subjects of LGBTQIA+, physical challenges, such as failing eyesight or prosthetic limbs, and neurodiversity - think organic differences in perceiving the world or learning abilities.

Popular authors, such as former National Ambassador for Children's Literature, Jon Scieszka, best seller, Jeff Kinney, appear on this list.  James Patterson teams up with none other than Chris Grabenstein, of Mr. Lemoncello's Library, to introduce a rivalry between two mainstays of the pet world.

Check the titles out here.

The list is pretty awesome.

Addendum! #KULITCONFERENCE

I will soon post my book list from last weekend's Kutztown University Children's Literature Conference.  While you wait here is my Addendum.  It is short.  One title is repeated her, even though it is on my list, because I can't stop thinking about it.

KU 2019 addendum

Here are a few more titles to consider, in no particular order.

Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez. Disney Hyperion, 2019. 9781368022828 1368022820.  Sal learns to meditate to deal with the loss of his mother.  But he takes his practice a little too far, meditating things into existence. MG, grief, meditation, sci-fi, Rick Riordan presents, mythology, Cuban culture

The Waning Age by S. E. Grove. Viking, 2019. 9780451479853.  Emotions disappear by the time a person is a teenager. But Natalia still loves her little brother fiercely.  When he is kidnapped by a Big Brother-type organization, Natalia does everything to save him. YA, dystopian, future, sci-fi, kidnapping, emotions, love

Fear of Missing Out by Kate McGovern. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2019.9780374305475 0374305471. When her brain cancer returns, Astrid goes on a road trip to find out if cryopreservation could give her a chance to experience a full life. YA, fatal illness, cancer, cryopreservation, road trips

The Stone Girl’s Story by Sarah Beth Durst. Clarion, 2018. 1328729451 (ISBN13: 9781328729453)
The marks carved on Mayka’s stone body are fading. Mayka tries to find a human stone carver to sharpen those marks and the marks on her friends. But can human stone carvers be trusted? MG, fantasy, trust, future, self-realization, adventure

*****We’re Not From Here by Geoff Rodkey. Crown Book for Young Readers, 2019. 9781524773050.
After 20 years of suspended life support travel, human refugees arrive at the only planet that will support them. The sentient races that welcomed them 20 years before no longer want them. Only one family is allowed to live on the planet in an attempt to change the minds of the ruling party. MG, sci-fi, immigration, prejudice, assimilation, humor, emotions

The Line Tender by Kate Allen. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2019.  9780735231603 0735231605
 Lucy’s mother died while researching the sharks she loved so much. Five years later, a Great White shows up off the coast of Cape Cod. Lucy throws herself into solving the mystery of why the Great White is there, pulling together a trio of mismatched friends to help her. MG, grief, ecology, sharks, ocean

Best Books of 2018 - part 3

This list is not as comprehensive as some.  But JASON REYNOLDS helped to pick the books reviewed.

JASON REYNOLDS! 

The man himself

Nuff said.

Here is the link to the Washington Post's Best Children's Books of 2018.

Best Books of 2018 - continued

Today I share a series of book lists called The Best and Brightest Books of 2018 from the Denver Public Library.   Their lists include books for all ages of children and teens, from different genres and  with different content.  Librarians are the best. Thanks!

Click here!

Website Wednesday

Growing Book by Book is a wonderful place for book lists on all kinds of subjects; kindness, friends, even cooking!  For kids!

This website is all about increasing literacy skills in babies, toddler, preschoolers and beginning readers.  Booklists are only the beginning.

Growing Book by Book offers pre-reading and pre-writing activities, along with skill builders as children grow.

Designed to be used by teachers and caretakers, the ideas translate to one-on-one activities for moms as well.  So check this site out.

Addendum and other stuff

Before last weekend's orgy of Kids' Book Wonder and Wow, I read as many of the ARCs - that I received to hand out - as I could.  I read;

Cyclone by Doreen Cronin.  Named for the roller coaster on Coney Island, this is the story of two cousins - one who ends up in the hospital after a fateful ride and the other who blames herself for her cousin's illness.  At times scary, at times funny, this book is an exciting read.  (Notice that I did not use an amusement park reference.  You are welcome.)

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson.  A young artist is commissioned to paint the Autumn Prince, since the fair folk cannot create any art of their own.  And, her painting unleashes a world of hurt, hunt and hunger!

A Properly Unhaunted Place by William Alexander.  Rosa’s mother is Librarian ghost appeasement specialist.  They have just moved to a town that has no ghosts.  Well, we all know what THAT means.  A local Ren Faire is the site of some serious paranormal activity.

I am reading The Glass Town Game by Catherynne M. Valente.  Emily and Charlotte Bronte are sentenced to return to the horrible boarding school where their sisters died.  And Branwell and Anne walk them to the train station to see them off.  But the train that arrives is one created by the Brontes' wild imagination.  Valente's whimsical language suits this story perfectly.

I have also finished Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth.  It's the beginning of a new Sci-Fi battle series and although I like the characters, I doubt that I will read the sequels. Roth fans will LOVE it, I am sure.

If you want to see my addendum, here it is.  I posted it on Scribd.  If you have trouble reading it, or if Scribd asks for info you prefer not to give, please comment below.

HEADS UP! I have leftover ARCs and, at least, one signed book that I plan to give away in a future post.  So check back - or sign up for email notifications over there in the right hand sidebar.

See What Happens?

I go on a little vacation and...
The ALA Youth Media Awards are announced.  Click here for all of them.  What an exciting batch of titles and awards!!

And the Battle of the Books Contenders are chosen.  Here they are!

ANNA AND THE SWALLOW MAN by Gavriel Savit
FREEDOM IN CONGO SQUARE by Carole Boston Weatherford and R. Gregory Christie
FREEDOM OVER ME by Ashley Bryan
GHOST by Jason Reynolds
THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON by Kelly Barnhill
THE LIE TREE by Frances Hardinge
MAKOONS by Louise Erdrich
MARCH BOOK THREE by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
THE PASSION OF DOLSSA by Julie Berry
SAMURAI RISING by Pamela Turner and Gareth Hinds
SOME WRITER! by Melissa Sweet
THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR by Nicola Yoon
THUNDERBOY JR. by Sherman Alexie and Yuyi Morales
WET CEMENT by Bob Raczka
WHEN GREEN BECOMES TOMATOES by Julie Fogliano and Julie Morstad
WHEN THE SEA TURNED TO SILVER by Grace Lin

You will notice some overlap.  This year, I have read six of the BOB contenders.  Got to get to work NOW!

Yesterday

Here's what I did yesterday.
1.  Got up super early and took my Mom to the eye doctor for laser surgery.
2.  Finished reading Lockwood and Co. #5, The Creeping Shadow, by Jonathan Stroud.★★★★
3. Read/skimmed A Song to Take the World Apart by Zan Romanoff.★★★
4.  Hung out wash; did  housework-y things.
5. Went to lunch with Hub and Mom.  (I love these people!!!)
6.  Read the first book in the series, The Extraordinary Journeys of Clockwork Charlie: The Kidnap Plot by Dave Butler.★★★★
7.  Stuff.
8. Ate the wrong things.
9.  Watched some Miss Fisher on Netflix.  They're all reruns.  Sigh.
10.  Read The Best Man by Richard Peck.★★★★★
11. Went to sleep way late.

Reviews to come.  I promise.  I owe you a review of Wolf Hollow, as well.

Bakery Books for kids!

So many books - for all ages - in a great many genres - feature recipes that Kidsread.com has put together a short list of new fiction for middle grades and up that revolve around cupcakes, bakeries and sweet treats.  There are a couple of notable titles missing - Sarah Weeks' Pie, for instance, and Patricia Reilly Giff's Gingersnap - but the other titles look awesome.