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Posted on 3/31/2013
For adults and older teens
The Graves of Saints by Christopher Golden
Last Breath by Christopher Golden and Rick Hautala
Throat Culture by Christopher Golden and Rick Hautala
For ages 10 and up
The Lovely Shoes by Susan Richards Shreve
Short Story Time
Down to a Sunless Sea by Neil Gaiman
The Play's the Thing
Translations by Brian Friel
By: GreenBeanTeenQueen,
on 3/25/2013
By: GreenBeanTeenQueen,
on 3/21/2013
Trends are a funny thing. Some come all at once and others seem to slowly creep up on you as you read. I feel like in the dystopian genre there more books coming out that take a fairy twist in a dystopian world. Fairy tales are always popular, but the dystopian twist seems to be taking off. Here are a few I've noticed:
Posted on 3/4/2013
Kelly from the Stacked blog rounded up a bunch of bloggers, booksellers, and librarians and asked them to list the YA novels they'd recommend to someone who is just starting to dip their toes in the waters of the Young Adult bookshelves. When she asked if I'd like to kick off this round, I replied, "Twist my arm!" Here are a dozen books to get you started.
Body Bags by Christopher Golden begins with the line: "It was a beautiful day to grow up." Body Bags is the first in a line of ten novels - collectively known as Body of Evidence - which follow Jenna Blake as she begins college and starts working as an assistant at the Medical Examiner's office. I highly recommend this series. Both adults and teenagers will discover plenty to relate to and enjoy in this line. Readers will find Jenna visiting crime scenes and autopsy rooms nearly as often as she's in her dorm. Her relatives, friends, and studies factor into the books just as much as serial killers and detectives. Throughout the series, Christopher Golden - and, later, collaborator Rick Hautala - created characters who are believable but anything but cookie-cutter. The quality of Body Bags is above and beyond most suspense novels, and it continues throughout the series, versus other series which lose the momentum after a few books, or series in which the books become carbon copies. If you enjoy medical thrillers with great characters, especially if you watch(ed) television series such as CSI or Profiler, or read or watch Rizzoli & Isles, then you need to read these books right now. You won't be sorry.
Read my review of the book, and the entire series.
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart is, dare I say, a coming-of-age story. It's not about breaking the rules, nor it is about controlling others. It's about daring: daring to be yourself, daring to stand up for yourself, daring to step outside of your comfort zone, daring to change the world. This novel possesses all of the elements necessary for a good bildungsroman, following the protagonist's journey through her formative years. Both snarky and serious, this History is written by the victors: the memorable narrator and the author. Frankie is smart, grounded, and direct, but she also has a quirky side. Author E. Lockhart (The Boyfriend List, Dramarama) writes with heart and authentic feeling. History has an incredible conclusion, and Frankie becomes a remarkable young woman.
Read my full-length review of the book.
The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen is about grief, acceptance, and everything in-between. It's about running - running for fun, running out of fear, running from yourself, running from the truth. It's also about to-do lists, kitchen messes, and really good waffles. It's about long conversations and comfortable silences. It's about forever, which is yesterday, today, and tomorrow - and forever is never long enough. Dessen is always good, and this is Dessen at her best.
Read my reviews of all Sarah Dessen's novels.
Deb Caletti writes really fantastic realistic novels. My favorite Caletti novel to date is The Nature of Jade, about an overachiever who has developed panic disorder. Jade doesn't know yet that she wants something more out of life - and that she is about to meet someone that will change her life.
Read my reviews of all of Deb Caletti's novels.
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is an absolute staple of modern YA fiction. This story is an example of how to use first-person narration to connect readers to a largely silent and introverted protagonist - and how to reveal things slowly, to connect actions and emotions. This book is gritty and real without being gritty for the sake of it. Often imitated, never replicated, this book is what inspired the wave of YA books that tackle tough issues.
Check out my Speak playlist.
The Alison Rules by Catherine Clark. Wow, wow, wow. After her mother passes away, Alison is reluctant to confide in anyone other than Laurie, her long-time best friend. She pulls away from pretty much everyone else and decides to quietly lives by the rules she's made for herself. Read it, then share it.
Read my full-length review of The Alison Rules.
I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak, which you should go into completely spoiler-free, so I'm not going to tell you anything about it. Go read it, and when you're done, tell me what you think, because you will definitely have a reaction to how this story unfolds and how it turns out.
Check out my interview with Marcus Zusak - and then read The Book Thief.
Feathered by Laura Kasischke tells the story of two best friends who travel to Cancun for Spring Break. After an auspicious start, the unexpected happens, and their dream vacation turns into a nightmare which they can't simply escape by waking - which, perhaps, they cannot escape at all. Feathered wonderfully captures that feeling of freedom one gets while far from home, when it's possible (easier?) to be uncharacteristically impulsive. Fueled by the toxic intensity of perfect strangers, fast friends, and foreign cultures, the girls find themselves in an extremely dangerous situation, and, in the blink of an eye, everything changes. Every high school student who is planning a big-deal trip for Spring Break (or for any break) needs to read this book - and so do their parents, teachers, and chaperones. So do writers who aspire to craft stories with alternating points of view.
Read my full-length review of the book.
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is not your typical boy meets girl story. Sure, it starts when boy meets girl - but then boy asks girl to pretend to be his girlfriend for the next five minutes, and girl agrees. Over the course of one night, two perfect strangers fall in and out of love with life, music, friends, cars, food, the city, and maybe - just maybe - each other. This book definitely popularized multiple narrators in modern YA fiction.
Read my review of Nick and Norah - Check out my own Infinite Playlist
Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers shows that sometimes, what you don't do can be as consequential as what you do. Parker was a good girl. A nice girl. A cheerleader. A straight-A student. Then something happened. Something which changed Parker completely. Something she wishes she could change. Her mood, her grades, and her spirits have all plummeted. Haunted, Parker is no longer the girl she once was - and she doesn't want to be, not anymore. Courtney Summers' debut novel is not to be missed. When the characters speak, they sound authentic: some kids swear and some kids laugh while others toss out a word or two while swallowing down what they really want to say. Adult readers will quickly be transported to the halls of high school and feel as if they never left. Pick up Summers' other novels while you're at it, but start with this one.
Read my review of the book.
The Fallen by Thomas E. Sniegoski led the pack of immortal/angel fantasy/action stories that now line the YA shelves. The premise: Aaron has always known that he was adopted, but he never suspected he was half-angel - or that he could be a hero in the ultimate fight between good and evil. Fun fact: Before he portrayed Stefan Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries, Paul Wesley starred as Aaron Corbet in the film adaptation of Fallen - and Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad played Lucifer!
Check out the Fallen website.
Looking for Alaska by John Green has energized a new generation of readers, writers, and all kinds of people searching for their great perhaps. It's thought-provoking, poignant, and lovely. Please read it.
Here's my Looking for Alaska playlist.
Bildungsroman: A novel whose principal subject is the moral, psychological, and intellectual development of a usually youthful main character. (dictionary.com)
Looking for additional YA staples and recommendations? Click through the blog and the corresponding archive for reviews, exclusive author interviews, and more. I have a slew of booklists I hope you'll check out, including:
Tough Issues for Teens
http://slayground.livejournal.
Coming-of-Age Novels
http://slayground.livejournal.
Transition Times / Set in School
http://slayground.livejournal.
Posted on 3/1/2013
February 2013: 45 books and scripts read
Recommended for ages 8 and up
Bone: Quest for the Spark, Book Three by Tom Sniegoski and Jeff Smith
Recommended for teens and adults
The Waking: A Winter of Ghosts by Christopher Golden and Thomas Randall
Brain Trust by Christopher Golden and Rick Hautala
Newspaper Blackout by Austin Kleon
The Play's the Thing
The Skin of Our Teeth by Thorton Wilder
Posted on 2/21/2013
One of my favorite people asked me for graphic novel recommendations yesterday, and this is the list I drafted for her. It includes some of my favorites as well as some volumes I knew she'd appreciate because of the art or the storyline or both.
For those of you shocked at the lack of caped crusaders here, don't be too upset; I love those stories, too! This list leans heavily towards the realistic...until you reach the last few titles, because I couldn't help myself. The Coraline graphic novel is one of the best book-to-GN adaptations I've ever read, and if I didn't list it here, along with some Golden books, my heart would hurt. Then, of course, there are the younger series which employ talking animals - and amoebas - but I at least began the list with realistic tales:
Graphic novels for the younger set, sweet stories and adorable art:
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
The Baby-Sitters Club Graphix adaptations by Raina Telgemeier (Get all 4 volumes)
Drama by Raina Telgemeier
The Babymouse series by Jennifer L. Holm and Matt Holm
The Squish series by Jennifer L. Holm and Matt Holm
The Flying Beaver Brothers series by Maxwell Eaton III
Historical:
The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan
Throwback/tongue-in-cheek:
Teen Boat! by Dave Roman and John Green
The Alison Dare series by J. Torres and Jason Bone
Artistic protagonists:
The Plain Janes series by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston
Contemporary:
12 Reasons Why I Love Her by Joëlle Jones and Jamie S. Rich
Modern style, dystopic stories:
Uglies graphic novels by Scott Westerfeld and Devin Grayson, illustrated by Steven Cummings
Coraline by Neil Gaiman, adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell
Talent by Christopher Golden, Tom Sniegoski, and Paul Azaceta
The Baltimore series by Christopher Golden and Mike Mignola
Which of these graphic novels have you read and enjoyed? Which graphic novels would you recommend to me? Leave a comment below and let me know!
By: GreenBeanTeenQueen,
on 2/18/2013
Downton Abbey is over (with a shocking and frustrating ending!) and now I'm suffering Downton Abbey withdrawal. I've got a reading list full of books that I hope will satisfy my post-Downton Abbey cravings and I thought I'd share what's in my pile and get suggestions for other after Downton reads. Here's what I hope to be reading this year (a mix of YA and adult titles):
Posted on 2/1/2013
January 2013: 28 books and scripts read
Best Bets for Kids
Bone: Quest for the Spark: Book #3 by Thomas E. Sniegoski and Jeff Smith
Too Cool for This School by Kristen Tracy (coming out in August)
Best Bets for Teens and Adults
Prowlers by Christopher Golden (re-read)
A Winter of Ghosts by Christopher Golden and Thomas Randall (conclusion to The Waking trilogy)
Non-Fiction Pick
Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
By: Sheila Ruth,
on 1/28/2013
Recently, AbeBooks posted a list by Richard Davies of 50 Essential Science Fiction Books. It's a pretty good list, and I agree with many of the choices, but there are some changes I would make, and some books that I think should have been included.
There were some constraints placed on the list that affected the books selected. Davies was trying for a diverse mix of subgenres and themes, so in some ways diversity overrode influence in making the selections. He also limited the list to no more than one book from each author, so highly influential authors are woefully underrepresented. (How can you choose only one book to represent the canon of authors such as Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke, or Bradbury?)
Working within the constraints as defined, in some cases, I would have chosen a different book to represent some of these authors.
By: Marge Loch-Wouters,
on 12/8/2012
By: bookkm,
on 12/7/2012
The New York Public Library has posted its annual 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing. Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!
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| It's on the list!!! |
Posted on 12/4/2012
November 2012: 31 books and scripts read
For kids of all ages
Make Magic! Do Good! by Dallas Clayton
For teens and adults
The Story of Us by Deb Caletti
The Girl in the Park by Mariah Fredericks
Skin Deep by Christopher Golden
Burning Bones by Christopher Golden and Rick Hautala
Last Breath by Christopher Golden and Rick Hautala
(Can you tell that I'm re-reading the fantastic Body of Evidence series?)
For stage and screen
Am I Bovvered? The Catherine Tate Show scripts
Proof by David Auburn
By: bookkm,
on 8/10/2012
I've been "gone". So now I have to catch up.
Seems like everybody has an idea of what books kids' should read. Oprah has a whole page dedicated to suggestions for age appropriate books for children. When your young reader has run out of Big Nate books or Dear Dumb Diary books, here's another place to look for ideas.
I finally read David Benedictus' Return to the Hundred Acre Woods. I didn't want to read it because the original Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner are tied for my number 1 favorite book of all times. (It's a three-way tie with The Lives of Christopher Chant. )
I was afraid of what Benedictus would do with my memories. I mean, Disney already reduced Eeyore to a one-note joke. Without the superb humor of A. A. Milne, how would Pooh and Rabbit and Piglet, to say nothing of Eeyore, fare?
By: Roger Sutton,
on 5/8/2012
Five Questions for Paul O. Zelinsky
Z Is for Moose written by Kelly Bingham, illus. by Paul O. Zelinsky, Greenwillow, 4–8 years.
Perfect animal shenanigans
Animal Masquerade by Marianne Dubuc, trans. by Yvette Ghione, Kids Can, 2–5 years.
Silly Goose’s Big Story by Keiko Kasza, Putnam, 2–5 years.
Ballerina Swan written by Allegra Kent, illus. by Emily Arnold McCully, Holiday, 3–6 years.
No Bears written by Meg McKinley, illus. by Leila Rudge, Candlewick, 3–6 years.
Bug books
The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins, Houghton, 5–8 years.
Busy Builders by Roxie Munro, Cavendish, 6–9 years.
UnBEElievables: Honeybee Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian, Beach Lane/Simon, 5–8 years.
Nasty Bugs selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illus. by Will Terry, Dial, 6–8 years.
Middle-grade mysteries
The Case of the Deadly Desperados by Caroline Lawrence, Putnam, 8–12 years.
Two Crafty Criminals!: And How They Were Captured by the Daring Detective of the New Cut Gang by Philip Pullman, illus. by Martin Brown, Knopf, 8–12 years.
Fake Mustache: Or, How Jodie O’Rodeo and Her Wonder Horse (and Some Nerdy Kid) Saved the U.S. Presidential Election from a Mad Genius Criminal Mastermind by Tom Angleberger, illus. by Jen Wang, Amulet/Abrams, 8–12 years.
Rebel Fire by Andrew Lane, Farrar, 9–13 years.
YA sci-fi and fantasy you’ve been waiting for
A Million Suns by Beth Revis, Razorbill/Penguin, 12 years and up.
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore, Dial, 14 years and up.
0 Comments on Books mentioned in the May 2012 issue of Notes from the Horn Book as of 1/1/1900
By: Roger Sutton,
on 5/8/2012
Five Questions for Paul O. Zelinsky
Z Is for Moose written by Kelly Bingham, illus. by Paul O. Zelinsky, Greenwillow, 4–8 years.
Perfect animal shenanigans
Animal Masquerade by Marianne Dubuc, trans. by Yvette Ghione, Kids Can, 2–5 years.
Silly Goose’s Big Story by Keiko Kasza, Putnam, 2–5 years.
Ballerina Swan written by Allegra Kent, illus. by Emily Arnold McCully, Holiday, 3–6 years.
No Bears written by Meg McKinley, illus. by Leila Rudge, Candlewick, 3–6 years.
Bug books
The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins, Houghton, 5–8 years.
Busy Builders by Roxie Munro, Cavendish, 6–9 years.
UnBEElievables: Honeybee Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian, Beach Lane/Simon, 5–8 years.
Nasty Bugs selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illus. by Will Terry, Dial, 6–8 years.
Middle-grade mysteries
The Case of the Deadly Desperados by Caroline Lawrence, Putnam, 8–12 years.
Two Crafty Criminals!: And How They Were Captured by the Daring Detective of the New Cut Gang by Philip Pullman, illus. by Martin Brown, Knopf, 8–12 years.
Fake Mustache: Or, How Jodie O’Rodeo and Her Wonder Horse (and Some Nerdy Kid) Saved the U.S. Presidential Election from a Mad Genius Criminal Mastermind by Tom Angleberger, illus. by Jen Wang, Amulet/Abrams, 8–12 years.
Rebel Fire by Andrew Lane, Farrar, 9–13 years.
YA sci-fi and fantasy you’ve been waiting for
A Million Suns by Beth Revis, Razorbill/Penguin, 12 years and up.
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore, Dial, 14 years and up.
0 Comments on Books mentioned in the May 2012 issue of Notes from the Horn Book as of 1/1/1900
By: Stacy Whitman,
on 5/22/2012
ETA 5/22/12: I’m keeping this book list up to date on Pinterest nowadays, linking each book to its Goodreads entry. It’s much easier to just pin a book than to keep this list up to date. For the running lists (broken down by age group and genre) and more, go here:
ETA: I’ve finally gotten the ability to edit the post back, so I’ve put as many of the suggested books into the list now as I can. Suggestions always still welcome. This is a continuous project.
I’ve gotten a lot of great suggestions to add to the list, but my website seems to still be broken, and my own computer has a dead motherboard (well, it did when I started writing this last week—thankfully, it’s now fixed). I’m still figuring out why WordPress won’t let me edit any of my old content.
So, in the interest of having one place that people can use as a resource, I’m going to copy everything into this entry. Rather than divide the list by what I’ve read and what I haven’t, which was just more a personal exercise last year in wondering whether my own reading habits had reached past my own culture, I’ll divide the list by age group and genre (fantasy/SF). What that means is that I am not making a comment on how good I think a book is or recommending it/not recommending it—there are several books on this list I haven’t had a chance to read yet. It’s simply a list compiling what’s out there. I’ve also added books that I’ve discovered over the last year or that have been suggested to me in the comments. Go to the previous booklist post for comments on some of the books in this list.
Middle Grade Fantasy
Middle Grade Science Fiction
By: Stacy Whitman,
on 5/25/2012
Mostly because I was curious how much of it was out there in the last couple years with paranormal and dystopian being so popular, I made a list of high fantasy for young adults published in the last couple of years. I went as far back as 2010, and it’s still not that large a list. Feel free to suggest in the comments books I might have missed, but remember–only books from 2010 to the present. If you’re looking at a paperback, be sure the original version of the book was that recent.
Originally published at Stacy Whitman's Grimoire. You can comment here or there.
Add a Comment
By: GreenBeanTeenQueen,
on 5/28/2012
Posted on 6/1/2012
May 2012: 25 books and scritps read
The Play's the Thing
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (read multiple times)
An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen (I read a translation of Ibsen's original text as well as the adaption by Arthur Miller)
Picks for Teens and Adults
The Secret Journeys of Jack London: The Sea Wolves by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
Black Heart (Curse Workers #3) by Holly Black
Parallelogram, Book 1: Into the Parallel by Robin Brande
Picks for Tweens
Gold Medal Summer by Donna Freitas
Seeing Cinderella by Jenny Lindquist
Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen by Donna Gephart
By: Stacy Whitman,
on 6/5/2012
Apologies—just realized today that the link to my Pinterest with the up-to-date booklists on the old science fiction fantasy booklist page was broken and only linking to the picture of the page, not the page itself. Sorry!
Originally published at Stacy Whitman's Grimoire. You can comment here or there.
Add a Comment
By: Roger Sutton,
on 6/8/2012
Picture books
Where the Wild Things Are (1963) written and illus. by Maurice Sendak, Harper, 3–7 years.
In the Night Kitchen (1970) written and illus. by Maurice Sendak, Harper, 3–7 years.
Outside Over There (1981) written and illus. by Maurice Sendak, Harper, 3–7 years.
Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present (1962) written by Charlotte Zolotow, illus. by Maurice Sendak, Harper, 3–7 years.
Easy readers
A Hole Is to Dig (1952) written by Ruth Krauss, illus. by Maurice Sendak, Harper, 5–8 years.
Little Bear (1957) by Else Holmelund Minarik, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, Harper, 5–8 years.
Nutshell Library (1962) written and illus. by Maurice Sendak, Harper, 5–8 years.
Chapter books and intermediate
Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More to Life (1967) written and illus. by Maurice Sendak, Harper, 7–10 years.
The Animal Family (1965) written by Randall Jarrell, illus. by Maurice Sendak, Pantheon, 7–10 years.
The Wheel on the School (1954) written by Meindert DeJong, illus. by Maurice Sendak, Harper, 9–12 years.
Folklore
The Juniper Tree and Other Tales from Grimm (1973), selected by Lore Segal and Maurice Sendak, illus. by Maurice Sendak, Farrar, 7–10 years.
I Saw Esau: The Schoolchild’s Pocket Book (new edition, 1992) edited by Iona and Peter Opie, illus. by Maurice Sendak, Candlewick, 5–8 years.
We Are All in the Dumps with Jack and Guy (1993) written and illus. by Maurice Sendak, di Capua/HarperCollins, 5–8 years.
Music
Brundibar (2003) retold by Tony Kushner, illus. by Maurice Sendak, after the opera by Hans Krása and Adolf Hoffmeister, di Capua/Hyperion, 5–8 years.
Lullabies and Night Songs (1966) edited by William Engvick, with music by Alec Wilder, illus. by Maurice Sendak, Harper, 3–7 years.
The Nutcracker (1984) written by E. T. A. Hoffmann, translated by Ralph Manheim, illus. by Maurice Sendak, Crown, 5–8 years.
By: Roger Sutton,
on 6/18/2012
The books recommended below were published within the last several years. While some titles contain only a sprinkling of Spanish vocabulary, many are fully bilingual. Grade levels are only suggestions; the individual child is the real criterion.
Suggested ages level for all titles: PS
¡Muu, Moo!: Rimas de animales / Animal Nursery Rhymes written by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy; illus. by Viví Escrivá; English versions by Rosalma Zubizarreta (HarperCollins/Rayo)
Sixteen traditional nursery rhymes are presented first in Spanish and then in a free retelling in English that captures the flavor of the original. Soft, warm watercolor illustrations accompany the rhymes. 48 pages.
Waiting for the Biblioburro written by Monica Brown; illus. by John Parra (Tricycle)
Ana impatiently anticipates the arrival of a burro-riding librarian in her remote village; she reads avidly, writes, and creates her own book while she waits. Spanish words are defined in context and in a glossary. 32 pages.
Quinito, Day and Night / Quinito, día y noche written by Ina Cumpiano; illus. by José Ramírez (Children’s)
Quinito’s (Quinito’s Neighborhood) bilingual descriptions of his family, friends, and activities are accompanied by naive-style paintings. This book of opposites also succeeds as an exposition of bilingual vocabulary and a portrayal of community. 24 pages.
My Way: A Margaret and Margarita Story / A mi manera: Un cuento de Margarita y Margaret by Lynn Reiser (Greenwillow)
This bilingual tale is structured in an ingenious way, with the English (Margaret’s voice) and Spanish (Margarita’s) mirroring each other on facing pages, but with each girl presenting a distinct self. 32 pages.
Suggested grade level for all titles: K–3
Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People written by Monica Brown; illus. by Julie Paschkis (Holt)
Neftali’s boyhood love of reading, writing, and nature informed his poetry and his “dreams of peace.” Stylized illustrations are embellished with words—in English, Spanish, and other languages—related in both sound and sense. 32 pages.
Número Uno written by Alex Dorros and Arthur Dorros; illus. by Susan Guevara (Abrams)
When their village needs a new bridge, architect Socrates Rivera and builder Hercules Hernandez entertainingly pit brains against brawn. Simple Spanish dialogue punctuates the story-hour-ready text with verve. 32 pages.
My Papa Diego and Me: Memories of My Father and His Art / Mi papá Diego y yo: Recuerdos de mi padre y su arte written by Guadalupe Rivera Marín; illus by Diego Rivera (Children’s)
In this bilingual tribute, Marín pairs thirteen of her father’s paintings with first-person text. Her personal insight is conveyed simply, letting the art speak for itself. End matter offers more information about the paintings. 32 pages.
Tía Isa Wants a Car written by Meg Medina; illus. by Claudio Muñoz (Candlewick)
The young narrator describes how Tía Isa wants a car that’s “the same shiny green as the ocean.” However, they don’t have enough money—yet. Spanish words are incorporated naturally. Soft watercolor illustrations mirror the text. 32 pages.
Gracias / Thanks written by Pat Mora; illus. by John Parra (Lee and Low)
A boy says thanks to everything, from the sun that wakes him up to his pajamas. Poetic
By: Roger Sutton,
on 7/5/2012
5 Questions for Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm
Ocean Sunlight: How Tiny Plants Feed the Seas written by Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm, illus. by Molly Bang, Blue Sky/Scholastic, 5–8 years.
Under-the-sea reading for kids
In the Sea written by David Elliott, illus. by Holly Meade, Candlewick, 3–6 years.
Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems written by Kate Coombs, illus. by Meilo So, Chronicle, 5–8 years.
Dolphin Baby! written by Nicola Davies, illus. by Grita Grandstom, Candlewick, 5–8 years.
Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle by Claire A. Nivola, Foster/Farrar, 5–8 years.
Summer fun for little ones
Traction Man and the Beach Odyssey by Mini Grey, Knopf, 3–6 years.
Summer Days and Nights by Wong Herbert Yee, Ottaviano/Holt, 3–6 years.
The Best Bike Ride Ever by James Proimos, illus. by Johanna Wright, Dial, 4–7 years.
The Shark King [TOON Books] by R. Kikuo Johnson, Toon/Candlewick, 5–8 years.
Great escapes (some quite literal!) for middle-grade summer reading
Tracing Stars by Erin E. Moulton, Philomel, 8–11 years.
Summer in the City written by Marie-Louise Gay and David Homel, illus. by Marie-Louise Gay, Groundwood, 8–11 years.
Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker, Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, 8–11 years.
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage , Dial, 8–11 years.
Beach reads for teens
37 Things I Love (in no particular order) by Kekla Magoon, Holt, 14 years and up.
The Story of Us by Deb Caletti, Simon Pulse, 14 years and up.
Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman, Lamb/Random, 14 years and up.
Seize the Storm by Michael Cadnum, Farrar, 14 years and up.
These titles were featured in the July 2012 issue of Notes from the Horn Book.
By: Edi,
on 7/31/2012
I recently received an email from an author stating ”I hate to ask, but…” She had read the review I wrote for her book and she knew I really enjoyed it, so she asked me if I’d nominate it for an award. Can you imagine how she felt? I assume it’s something like how I feel when I as an author to do an interview, but a little worse.
And, she should have to feel like that, shouldn’t have to ask! Reader, I’m on a mission here to promote literacy for teens of color and by default, to promote authors of color and books that feature teens of color. I feel like I’ve been failing that mission. How about you? Are you promoting authors better than I am, and if so what are some of the things you’re doing?
Here are my suggestions.
These next suggestions are really, really important.
Nominate your current favorite books written by authors of color for awards and booklists. We have to stop passively complaining about how few authors who write for teens of color are included in a booklist if we make no effort to have their books included.
You might have missed the opportunity to nominate books for NPRs list of best books ever, but you still have time to vote on the finalists.
Nominations are open for YALSAs Best Fiction for Young Adults. Anyone can nominate a book, but authors cannot nominate their own books. So, nominate for them.
Finally, each state has lists of books that are nominated for awards in that state. These lists are often what teachers look at when selecting books for class reads and many librarians rely upon them to select must have books for their libraries. These lists are critical in getting books by authors of color to become part of the curriculum and thus part of the cultural landscape. Know what list your state uses and know the process for getting books on these lists.
The Cybils will begin soon and what was once a small award among bloggers has grown into something quite prestigious. Be sure to get your favorite authors nominated.
Part of the reason that Latino, African-American, Native American and Asian American authors have a difficult time publishing new books is that they’re not getting on these lists; their works are not getting enough recognition.
Readers, we often hold the key to our favorite author’s success!
It’s really late here. I’ve tried to proofread this, hope I’ve caught my typos but I hope you’re feeling my passion here and I hope it motivates you to do something!
Posted on 7/31/2012
There were some days in July when I had perhaps 15 minutes to pick up a novel and read. But I'm happy to report that I spent some time writing, and plenty of time reading scripts, rehearsing, and doing research. Since I had a low book count this month, I'll just offer up a few highlights:
Burn For Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian, the first volume in a planned trilogy, will be officially released this September. I have enjoyed all of their solo efforts to date, so I was eager to see what happened when they collaborated. Burn for Burn is a compulsive read, a layered story in which three teen girls attempt to bring down three peers who have deeply hurt them. I look forward to reading the second and third books, which will be released in 2013 and 2014.
Related posts:
Interview: Jenny Han
Interview: Jenny Han, Again!
Interview: Siobhan Vivian
Book Review: A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian
Book Review: The List by Siobhan Vivian
Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones - When the Dog Star, Sirius, is found guilty of a crime, he is sent to Earth to live as a dog and seek out something fantastic. This was, if you can believe it, the first standalone Diana Wynne Jones novel I've ever read; I read The Chronicles of Crestomanci and The Dalemark Quartet years ago.
Related post: Diana Wynne Jones Blog Tour at Bildungsroman
At the end of August/beginning of September, I'll post my picks for August. In the meantime, check out my other booklists (organized by topic, age group, time period, etc) and click through the "Best of" tag on my blog.
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Great list, Sarah! May I also suggest "Lulu Dark Can See Through Walls" by Bennett Madison? A teen detective who is a lot of fun! I wish he would write more than the two in the series. The Spellman Files is also a fantastic series for teens interested in trying out an adult series.
what a great list!
Thanks for the suggestion Meghan! I've never read that one but I've seen it on my YA shelves forever. I'll have to check it out.
Thanks!
I can't wait for Veronica Mars!! Great list :)