Best Selling Kids Series | April 2015

The Children’s Book Review | April 5, 2015

This month’s best selling kids series from The Children’s Book Review’s affiliate store is the wonderfully educational series The Adventures of Riley. Our list of hand-selected series from the nationwide best selling Children’s Series list, as noted by The New York Times, features the same exciting updates as last month; James Dashner’s Maze Runner series and Kiera Cass’s The Selection series.

By Amanda Lumry and Laura Hurwitz

An award-winning, innovative 12-book series that captures the wonder of conservation through a blend of photography, illustration, fiction, and nonfiction.

Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Scholastic

By James Dashner

The #1 New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent. The first book, The Maze Runner, is now a major motion picture featuring the star of MTV’s Teen Wolf, Dylan O’Brien; Kaya Scodelario; Aml Ameen; Will Poulter; and Thomas Brodie-Sangster! Also look for James Dashner’s newest novels, The Eye of Minds andThe Rule of Thoughts, the first two books in the Mortality Doctrine series.

Ages 12+ | Publisher: Delacorte Press

By Jeff Kinney

An exciting and innovatively illustrated new series narrated by an unforgettable kid every family can relate to.

Ages 9 to 12 | Publisher: Amulet Books

By Veronica Roth

The Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance. A girl must prove her mettle in a dystopia divided into five factions.

Ages 14 and up | Publisher: HarperCollins

By Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

Ages 14 and up | Publisher: HarperTeen

By Jeanne Birdsall

Publisher’s Synopsis: With over one million copies sold, this series of modern classics about the charming Penderwick family, from National Book Award winner and New York Times bestseller Jeanne Birdsall, is perfect for fans of Noel Streatfeild and Edward Eager.

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

This information for the best selling books was gathered from the New York Times Best Sellers list, which reflects the sales of books from books sold nationwide, including independent and chain stores. It is correct at the time of publication and presented in random order. Visit www.nytimes.com for their most current and up-to-date list.

For more great kids series, check out our articles tagged with Kids Series Books. Nothing beats a good series when you have an avid reader on your hands!

Tags: Adventures of Riley, Amanda Lumry, Amulet Books, Best Selling Books For Kids, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Divergent, HarperTeen Books, James Dashner, Jeanne Birdsall, Jeff Kinney, Kids Series, Kiera Cass, Knopf Books for Young Readers, Laura Hurwitz, Scholastic, Series Books, Series List, The Maze Runner series, The Penderwicks Series, The Selection Series, Veronica Roth

Category: Ages 4-8, Ages 9-12, Best Kids Stories, Best Sellers, Book Lists, Teens: Young Adults

The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is powered by Bianca Schulze. Bianca is a freelance writer, bookseller, aspiring author, and mother to two daughters. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, her goal is to grow readers by showcasing useful and inspiring books!

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My Writing and Reading Life: Jen Calonita, Author of Flunked

Jen Calonita | The Children’s Book Review | March 18, 2015

JEN CALONITA has interviewed everyone from Reese Witherspoon to Justin Timberlake, but the only person she’s ever wanted to trade places with is Disney’s Cinderella. She’s the award-winning author of the My Secrets of My Hollywood Life series. Jen lives in Merrick, New York with her husband, two sons, and their Chihuahua, Captain Jack Sparrow.

FLUNKED, the first book in the middle grade Fairy Tale Reform School series

I’ve always had a soft spot for villains in fairy tales. Why can’t they turn over a new leaf? In my story, the former wicked stepmother, the evil queen, the big bad wolf and the sea siren open up a reform school for delinquent children—but are they as reformed as they claim to be? Hmm….

I’m particularly fond of my gargoyles. I won’t say too much so I don’t spoil the surprise, but my son Tyler helped me come up with a big scene with them and it’s my favorite in the book.

If Panera Bread would like to put a plaque over my favorite booth, I’m game. I spend a lot of time writing there!

A notebook. I carry one everywhere. You never know when inspiration will strike!

I love, love, love Children’s Book World in Haverford, PA—they always know exactly what book my kids will like and the store reminds me of Meg Cabot’s in You’ve Got Mail. I’m also quite fond of my local Carle Place Barnes and Noble because the staff is amazing and they’re so great about helping me set up events and get into local schools to share the good word about books.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. So good, so juicy, so fun. I can’t put it down!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. It’s my favorite book in the whole series.

Meg Cabot. Her Princess Diaries books inspired me to tackle YA and I love how she can make you laugh. Same goes for Sophie Kinsella. A book that puts a smile on my face is my favorite kind.

Steven Kellogg because he was the first author I ever met when I was in elementary school and I was in awe when he signed his book, Molly Moves Out. I keep it on a book shelf with my own books I’ve written.

Cammie Morgan from the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter. That feisty little spy could get us in lots of trouble. The fun kind!

JenCalonitaOnline.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Tumblr | Pinterest

By Jen Calonita

Publisher’s Synopsis: Would you send a villain to do a hero’s job?

Flunked is an exciting new twisted fairy tale from the award-winning author of the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series. “Charming fairy-tale fun.” -Sarah Mlynowski, author of the New York Times bestselling Whatever After series.

Gilly wouldn’t call herself wicked, exactly…but when you have five little brothers and sisters and live in a run-down boot, you have to get creative to make ends meet. Gilly’s a pretty good thief (if she does say so herself).

Until she gets caught.

Gilly’s sentenced to three months at Fairy Tale Reform School where all of the teachers are former (super-scary) villains like the Big Bad Wolf, the Evil Queen, and Cinderella’s Wicked Stepmother. Harsh. But when she meets fellow students Jax and Kayla, she learns there’s more to this school than its heroic mission. There’s a battle brewing and Gilly has to wonder: can a villain really change?

“Fairy Tale Reform School is spellbinding and wickedly clever. Gilly is smart, spunky, and a hilarious narrator, and I cannot wait to read about her next adventure!” -Leslie Margolis, author of the Annabelle Unleashed novels and the Maggie Brooklyn mysteries

Ages 10-13 | Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1492601562

Available Here: 

Discover more middle grade books like Flunked, by Jen Calonita, by checking out our reviews and articles tagged with Jen Calonita, Middle Grade Books and be sure to follow along with our Writing and Reading Life series.

Tags: Ally Carter, Fairy Tale Reform School Series, Fractured Fairy Tales, Jen Calonita, Liane Moriarty, Meg Cabot, Middle Grade Books, Sophie Kinsella, Steven Kellogg

Category: Ages 9-12, Author Interviews, Chapter Books, Fairy Tales

The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is powered by Bianca Schulze. Bianca is a freelance writer, bookseller, aspiring author, and mother to two daughters. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, her goal is to grow readers by showcasing useful and inspiring books!

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The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander | Book Review

Elizabeth Varadan | The Children’s Book Review | April 26, 2015

By Kwame Alexander

Age Range: 10 and up

Hardcover: 240 pages

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers (March, 2014)

ISBN-13: 978-0544107717

What to Expect: Sibling rivalry, humorous angst, great play-by-play action, well-turned phrases that capture the moment, day-by-day drama in a thoroughly likeable family with sass.

There is so much to enjoy about this book:

First, the characters: Josh and Jordan Bell are twelve-year-old twins who live and breathe basketball. They are a formidable pair on the basketball court, thanks to their father, Chuck “Da Man” Bell, a former superstar with the European league who was once invited to try out for the Los Angeles Lakers. Their mother is the school principal. Both parents are loving and fair – and strict when they need to be.

The twins are inseparable buddies until a new girl with pink Reeboks appears at school. Suddenly Jordan has eyes for only her, and Josh, always half of a duet before, is now a solo. While Josh is dealing with separation angst, his mother is nagging his father to go to a doctor because of symptoms she’s noticed. But Josh’s father is afraid of hospitals and won’t even consider it. These two issues run through the book like counterpoint in a musical score.

Which brings us to the music of the author’s writing. The Crossover is told in verse – but what verse! Chapters are individual poems, sometimes rhyming, sometimes blank; sometimes sounding like hip-hop, sometimes just wonderful visuals, as when descending capital letters show a missed shot on the court, or get bigger as a player tries for a fast break. Always the poetry pushes the story along at a fast pace, and you are squarely in Josh’s head while events run their courses. Within that framework, every other character’s voice is clear as well.

“Basketball Rule #1: In the game of life/ your family is the court/ and the ball is your heart./ No matter how good you are,/ no matter how down you get,/ always leave/ your heart/ on the court.”

This is a book young people will probably want to read more than once, both for the themes in the story and for the author’s storytelling. It will appeal to middle grade readers who like sports – especially basketball – and coming of age stories.

Available Here: 

Kwame Alexander is a poet, children’s book author, playwright, producer, public speaker and performer. He conducts creative writing workshops in middle and high schools, often reaching more than 500 students monthly. He lives with his wife and two daughters in the Washington, D.C. area. Visit him at www.bookinaday.org and  www.facebook.com/KwameAlexanderBooks.

The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander, was reviewed by Elizabeth Varadan. Discover more books like The Crossover by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Award Winning Authors, Books Written in Verse, Family Books, John Newbery Medal Winner, Sibling Rivalry, and Sports.

Tags: Award Winners, Award Winning Authors, Basketball Books, Books Written in Verse, Family Books, John Newbery Medal Winner, Kwame Alexander, Newbery Award Winners, Sibling Rivalry, Siblings, Sports

Category: Ages 9-12, Award Winners, Best Kids Stories, Books for Boys, Chapter Books, Poetry & Rhyme, Social Graces, Sports, Teens: Young Adults

Elizabeth Varadan writes for children and adults. Her middle-grade mystery, Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls (published June 15, 2015), is set in Victorian London and she is currently working on Book Two. Varadan loves to read and write about the Victorian Era and blogs about the many things she uncovers in her research. Visit: elizabethvaradansfourthwish.blogspot.com and victorianscribbles.blogspot.com

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Best Selling Middle Grade Books | April 2015

The Children’s Book Review | April 3, 2015

This month, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Book 1, by Jeff Kinney, is The Children’s Book Review‘s best selling middle grade book from our affiliate store. And we’re very happy to add Public School Superhero, by James Patterson, to our selection of books picked from the nationwide best selling middle grade list, as they appear on The New York Times. This list also features books by super-talents R.J. Palacio and Katherine Applegate.

By Jeff Kinney

Publisher’s Synopsis: Boys don’t keep diaries?, or do they?

The launch of an exciting and innovatively illustrated new series narrated by an unforgettable kid every family can relate to

It’s a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you’re ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary.

In book one of this debut series, Greg is happy to have Rowley, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley’s star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend’s newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.

Author/illustrator Jeff Kinney recalls the growing pains of school life and introduces a new kind of hero who epitomizes the challenges of being a kid. As Greg says in his diary, ?Just don’t expect me to be all ?Dear Diary’ this and ?Dear Diary’ that.” Luckily for us, what Greg Heffley says he won’t do and what he actually does are two very different things.

Since its launch in May 2004 on Funbrain.com, the Web version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been viewed by 20 million unique online readers. This year, it is averaging 70,000 readers a day.

Ages 7-13 | Publisher: Amulet Books | September 2017 | ISBN-13: 978-0810993136

By Katherine Applegate

Publisher’s synopsis: Winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal and a #1 New York Times bestseller, this stirring and unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of unexpected friendships. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, this illustrated novel is told from the point-of-view of Ivan himself.

Having spent 27 years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.

The One and Only Ivan was hailed as a best book of the year by Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Amazon, demonstrating it is a true classic in the making. In the tradition of timeless stories like Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little, Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan’s unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope. An author’s note depicts the differences between the fictional story and true events.

Supports the Common Core State Standards

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: HarperCollins | Jan. 7, 2012 | ISBN-13: 978-0061992254

By Jacqueline Woodson

Publisher’s synopsis: Jacqueline Woodson, one of today’s finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.

Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.

Ages 10 and up | Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books | 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-0399252518

By James Patterson & Chris Tebbetts; Illustrated by Cory Thomas

Publisher’s Synopsis: In this story about a good kid with a great imagination struggling in a less-than-ideal world, James Patterson brings his bestselling “Middle School”-style humor and sensibility to an urban setting.

Kenny Wright is a kid with a secret identity. In his mind, he’s Stainlezz Steel, super-powered defender of the weak. In reality, he’s a chess club devotee known as a “Grandma’s Boy,” a label that makes him an easy target for bullies. Kenny wants to bring a little more Steel to the real world, but the question is: can he recognize his own true strength before peer pressure forces him to make the worst choice of his life?

James Patterson’s newest illustrated novel is a genuinely funny yet poignant look at middle school in a challenging urban setting, where a kid’s life can depend on the everyday decisions he makes.

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Little, Brown and Company | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0316322140

By R.J. Palacio

Publisher’s synopsis: “Wonder” is the funny, sweet and incredibly moving story of Auggie Pullman. Born with a terrible facial abnormality, this shy, bright ten-year-old has been home-schooled by his parents for his whole life, in an attempt to protect him from the stares and cruelty of the outside world. Now, for the first time, Auggie is being sent to a real school – and he’s dreading it. The thing is, Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, underneath it all? Through the voices of Auggie, his big sister Via, and his new friends Jack and Summer, “Wonder” follows Auggie’s journey through his first year at Beecher Prep. Frank, powerful, warm and often heart-breaking, “Wonder” is a book you’ll read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page.

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers | Jan. 7, 2012 | ISBN-13: 978-0375869020

By Sharon M. Draper

“If there is one book teens and parents (and everyone else) should read this year, Out of My Mind should be it.”—Denver Post

Publisher’s synopsis: Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom—the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged, because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she’s determined to let everyone know it…somehow. In this breakthrough story—reminiscent of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly—from multiple Coretta Scott King Award-winner Sharon Draper, readers will come to know a brilliant mind and a brave spirit who will change forever how they look at anyone with a disability.

Ages 10 and up | Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers |May 1, 2012 | ISBN-13: 978-1416971719

This information for the best selling books was gathered from the New York Times Best Sellers list, which reflects the sales of books from books sold nationwide, including independent and chain stores. It is correct at the time of publication and presented in random order. Visit www.nytimes.com for their most up-to-date and complete list.

This is such a great list of must-read middle grade books! We know you’ll enjoy each one and we also encourage you to take your time perusing The Children’s Book Review for more Middle Grade books and Best Sellers! Which middle grade books are hits in your home?

Tags: Amulet Books, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Best Books for Kids, Best Selling Books For Kids, Chris Tebbetts, Cory Thomas, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, HarperCollins, Jacqueline Woodson, James Patterson, Jeff Kinney, Katherine Applegate, Knopf Books for Young Readers, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Middle Grade Books, Nancy Paulsen Books, R.J. Palacio, Sharon M. Draper, The New York Times

Category: Ages 4-8, Ages 9-12, Best Kids Stories, Best Sellers, Book Lists, Chapter Books

The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is powered by Bianca Schulze. Bianca is a freelance writer, bookseller, aspiring author, and mother to two daughters. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, her goal is to grow readers by showcasing useful and inspiring books!

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Best New Kids Stories | April 2015

The Children’s Book Review | April 1, 2015

We have selected three picture books, a middle grade novel and two young adult books to highlight as this month’s hot new release kids books. Enjoy perusing our picks for kids and teen books that we feel represent some of the best new kids stories  …

By Mariam Gates; Illustrated by Sara Jane Hinder 

Publisher’s synopsis: For kids in early to middle childhood-and the lucky people who have to get them to bed-Good Night Yoga is both a bedtime story and a series of simple poses for following the natural world as it comes to rest at day’s end. Created by the founder of the celebrated Kid Power Yoga program. This bedtime story is so much more than a story. It’s a practice for kids and parents to end the day in a calming, mindful way. Turn the page and stretch like a tree, settle softly like a ladybug, float like a cloud, and you’ll be dreaming soon.

The sun in the sky is going down.
And the clouds float by…
You’ll be dreaming soon.

Ages 3-8 | Publisher: Sounds True | 2015 | ISBN-13:  978-1622034666

By JonArno Lawson; Illustrated by Sydney Smith

Publisher’s synopsis: In this wordless picture book, a little girl collects wildflowers while her distracted father pays her little attention. Each flower becomes a gift, and whether the gift is noticed or ignored, both giver and recipient are transformed by their encounter. “Written” by award-winning poet JonArno Lawson and brought to life by illustrator Sydney Smith, Sidewalk Flowers is an ode to the importance of small things, small people, and small gestures.

Ages 4-7 | Publisher: Groundwood Books | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1554984312

By James Dean

Publisher’s synopsis: Everyone’s favorite cat shares a collection of his favorite inspirational and feel-good quotes in Pete the Cat’s Groovy Guide to Life. Pete’s glass-half-full outlook on life shines through as he adds his fun take on well-known classics attributed to luminaries from Albert Einstein to Confucius to Abraham Lincoln to Shakespeare and more! Fans of Pete the Cat will delight in this amusing look at quotes that are accompanied by Pete’s witty responses and Pete illustrations by New York Times bestselling artist James Dean.

Ages 4-8 | Publisher: HarperCollins | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0062351357

By Erin Entrada Kelly

Publisher’s Synopsis: Future rock star, or friendless misfit? That’s no choice at all. Apple Yengko moved from the Philippines to Louisiana when she was little, and now that she is in middle school, she grapples with being different, with friends and backstabbers, and with following her dreams.

Apple has always felt a little different from her classmates. Her mother still cooks Filipino foods, speaks a mix of English and Cebuano, and chastises Apple for becoming “too American.” It becomes unbearable in middle school, when the boys—the stupid, stupid boys—in Apple’s class put her name on the Dog Log, the list of the most unpopular girls in school. When Apple’s friends turn on her and everything about her life starts to seem weird and embarrassing, Apple turns to music. If she can just save enough to buy a guitar and learn to play, maybe she can change herself. It might be the music that saves her . . . or it might be her two new friends, who show how special she really is. Erin Entrada Kelly deftly brings Apple’s conflicted emotions to the page in her debut novel about family, friendship, popularity, and going your own way.

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Greenwillow Books | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0062238610

By Nova Ren Suma

Publisher’s Synopsis: “Ori’s dead because of what happened out behind the theater, in the tunnel made out of trees. She’s dead because she got sent to that place upstate, locked up with those monsters. And she got sent there because of me.”

On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement.

On the inside, within the walls of the Aurora Hills juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom.

Tying their two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries . . .

What really happened on the night Orianna stepped between Violet and her tormentors? What really happened on two strange nights at Aurora Hills? Will Amber and Violet and Orianna ever get the justice they deserve—in this life or in another one?

In prose that sings from line to line, Nova Ren Suma tells a supernatural tale of guilt and of innocence, and of what happens when one is mistaken for the other.

Ages 14+ | Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1616203726

By Sabaa Tahir

Publisher’s Synopsis: Set in a terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world, An Ember in the Ashes is an epic fantasy debut about an orphan fighting for her family and a soldier fighting for his freedom. It’s a story that’s literally burning to be told.

LAIA is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the empire’s greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from rebel Scholars who claim that they will help to save her brother from execution.

ELIAS is the academy’s finest soldier? and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias is considering deserting the military, but before he can, he’s ordered to participate in a ruthless contest to choose the next Martial emperor.

When Laia and Elias’s paths cross at the academy, they find that their destinies are more intertwined than either could have imagined and that their choices will change the future of the empire itself.

Ages 14+ | Publisher: Razorbill | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1595148032

For more of the best new kids stories and popular books for kids, follow along with our tag for Popular Kids Stories.

Tags: Best Books for Kids, Best New Kids Books, Erin Entrada Kelly, featured, Greenwillow Books, Groundwood Books, HarperCollins, James Dean, JonArno Lawson, Mariam Gates, Nova Ren Suma, Sabaa Tahir, Sara Jane Hinder, Sounds True Books, Sydney Smith

Category: Ages 0-3, Ages 4-8, Ages 9-12, Best Kids Stories, Book Lists, Teens: Young Adults

The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is powered by Bianca Schulze. Bianca is a freelance writer, bookseller, aspiring author, and mother to two daughters. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, her goal is to grow readers by showcasing useful and inspiring books!

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Beloved Books to Inspire 12-Year-Olds | Shared by Author K.E. Ormsbee

K.E. Ormsbee | The Children’s Book Review | April 19, 2015

In The Water and the Wild, twelve-year-old Lottie Fiske receives a number of birthday presents from a mysterious gift-giver. One of these presents is Edmund Spenser’s Faerie Queene, which Lottie finds dense and tedious.

At Lottie’s age, I too would’ve professed the same opinion of the epic sixteenth century poem. I was, however, a sucker for all things magical and otherworldly, and that affinity is evident in the following selection of my favorite books when I was Lottie’s age. These stories kept me up way past my bedtime and still hold places of honor on my bookshelf.

By Carol Kendall

Minnipins rock. And if you don’t know who Minnipins are or why they rock, you ought to pick up a copy of The Gammage Cup and jump into the brilliantly conceived fantasy world of the Land Between the Mountains. The hobbit-like residents of Slipper-on-the-Water live a tradition-bound life, but there are a few weirdos in town—Gummy, Muggles, Mingy, Curley Green, and Walter the Earl—who reject the normal way of living in favor of staying true to themselves and their ideals. Other villagers refer to these pariahs as “Them” and eventually banish them from town. And that’s just the start of a very grand adventure. The Gammage Cup is packed with imaginative details and a spellbinding plot, and it’s a thought-provoking exploration of conformity and individuality. Growing up, I kept this story close by my bedside for multiple re-reads.

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers | 2000 | ISBN-13: 978-0152024932

By L.M. Montgomery

Okay, maybe I was biased toward these books because Anne Shirley was an oddball ginger, just like me, but I like to think the Green Gables series has remained one of my favorites because it really is captivating storytelling. I was in love with the world of Avonlea and never tired of reading about Anne’s crazy shenanigans. My love for L.M. Montgomery’s world was only intensified by the fabulous film adaptations—still my go-to sick day movies—and the subsequent Road to Avonlea series.

Ages 9-12 | Publisher: Puffin Books | 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-0147514004

By Natalie Babbitt

Long before Hawt Vampire Boyz were popular, there was Jesse Tuck, an immortal boy with his own set of secrets. I remember first reading Tuck Everlasting on a road trip from Kentucky to North Carolina. As the car followed winding paths through Appalachia and dipped into back roads along wooded, rustic country, I could so vividly picture the story of Winnie Foster and the Tuck Family happening right outside my window. The story may be short, but it haunted me in a way few other books had before or have since. It’s a magnificent study of life and death that got me thinking about the beauty created by temporality long before I ever picked up any poems by Wallace Stevens.

Ages 10-14 | Publisher: Square Fish | 2009 | ISBN-13: 978-0312369811

By Jane Austen

Again, I have a feeling my initial love of this novel was fueled by subconscious narcissism, since the heroine’s name is Catherine. Or it could have just been because this was one of the shorter Austen novels and therefore more accessible. But whatever the reason, I adored Northanger Abbey, along with every other Jane Austen novel I devoured in my preteen and teenaged years. I may not have fully grasped the gothic parodic element Austen was going for, but darn it, that Mr. Tilney sent my heart aflutter like none other.

Ages 12 and up | Publisher: Random House UK | 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-0099589297

There you have it! Four beloved books that inspired, entertained, and delighted twelve-year-old me. And all of them only deepened a love of fiction that would one day lead me to write Lottie Fiske’s own story.

K. E. Ormsbee

K.E. Ormsbee was born and raised in the Bluegrass State. She then went off and lived in places across the pond, like England and Spain, where she pretended she was a French ingénue. Just kidding! That only happened once. She also lived in some hotter nooks of the USA, like Birmingham, AL and Austin, TX. Now she’s back in Lexington, KY, where there is a Proper Autumn.

In her wild, early years, she taught English as a Foreign Language, interned with a film society, and did a lot of irresponsible road tripping. Her crowning achievement is that the back of her head was in an iPhone commercial, and people actually paid her money for it.

Nowadays, she teaches piano lessons, plays in a band you’ve never heard of, and runs races that she never wins. She likes clothes from the 60s, music from the 70s, and movies from the 80s. She still satiates her bone-deep wanderlust whenever she can.

KEOrmsbee.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Tumblr

By K.E. Ormsbee

Publisher’s Synopsis: A green apple tree grows in the heart of Thirsby Square, and tangled up in its magical roots is the story of Lottie Fiske. For as long as Lottie can remember, the only people who seem to care about her are her best friend, Eliot, and the mysterious letter writer who sends her birthday gifts. But now strange things are happening on the island Lottie calls home, and Eliot’s getting sicker, with a disease the doctors have given up trying to cure. Lottie is helpless, useless, powerless—until a door opens in the apple tree. Follow Lottie down through the roots to another world in pursuit of the impossible: a cure for the incurable, a use for the useless, and protection against the pain of loss.

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Chronicle Books | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1452113869

Available Here: 

CCSS-Aligned Discussion/Teacher’s Guide

Scribd Excerpt

Enter to win an autographed copy of The Water and the Wild, by K.E. Ormsbee. Giveaway ends May 18, 2015, at 11:59 P.M. PST. Enter here »

K.E. Ormsbee, author of The Water and the Wild, selected the books in this list of “Beloved Books to Inspire 12-Year-Olds.” Discover more books like The Water and the Wild by pursuing articles on The Children’s Book Review tagged with “Books About Loss.”

Tags: Carol Kendall, Chronicle Books, featured, HMH Books for Young Readers, Jane Austen, K.E. Ormsbee, L.M. Montgomery, Loss, Natalie Babbitt, Puffin Books, Random House UK, Square Fish Books

Category: Ages 9-12, Best Kids Stories, Book Lists, Books for Girls, Chapter Books, Gift Books

The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is a resource devoted to children’s literacy. We publish reviews and book lists of the best books for kids of all ages. We also produce author and illustrator interviews and share literacy based articles that help parents, grandparents, teachers and librarians to grow readers. This article was written and provided by a guest author.

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Backwards Moon, by Mary Losure | Author Showcase

The Children’s Book Review | March 25, 2014

Holiday House, Sept 15, 2014

Middle-grade fantasy, ages 7-10.

One of Bank Street  Best Children’s Books of the Year, 2015.

It’s hard being the only young witches in the entire coven. But that’s how it is for Nettle and her cousin Bracken.  In their mountain valley, far in the wilderness, there’s no one to play with but ravens and each other.

It’s no use thinking about flying to the human world, where at least there might be somebody their own age. Nettle and Bracken have tried it plenty of times, but it never works –the mountain pass is guarded by a Veil, spell-spun by the older witches.  It keeps human beings out—and Nettle and Bracken in.

It’s most annoying.  Because, really, what could be so dangerous about humans?  They don’t have magic. They can’t fly.  They can’t understand the language of animals. They can’t even see in the dark.

Still…. There’s something about humans the other witches aren’t telling Nettle and Bracken.

Then one day, the Veil is gone. The mountain pass is open—and Nettle and Bracken are off on an adventure that will change their lives forever.

Mary Losure is the author THE FAIRY RING, OR ELSIE AND FRANCES FOOL THE WORLD (Candlewick, 2012), a Booklist Editor’s Choice for nonfiction and Junior Library Guild Selection; WILD BOY:THE REAL LIFE OF THE SAVAGE OF AVERYRON (Candlewick, 2013), a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award and a Junior Library Guild Selection; and  the forthcoming ISAAC THE ALCHEMIST, another work of nonfiction from Candlewick. BACKWARDS MOON is her first novel. For more information, visit: www.marylosure.com

The Author Showcase is a place for authors and illustrators to gain visibility for their works. This article was provided by the author of “Backwards Mooon.” Learn more about marketing books and finding an Author Showcase book marketing plan that is right for you …

Tags: Books About Witches, Mary Losure, Middle Grade Books

Category: Ages 4-8, Ages 9-12, Author Showcase, Fantasy: Supernatural Fiction

The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is a resource devoted to children’s literacy. We publish reviews and book lists of the best books for kids of all ages. We also produce author and illustrator interviews and share literacy based articles that help parents, grandparents, teachers and librarians to grow readers. This article was written and provided by a guest author.

Buy Books Online

Juicy Jack Adventures: Meet the Wild Pack, by Leigh Carrasco | Dedicated Review

The Children’s Book Review | April 12, 2015

By Leigh Carrasco, Illustrated by Angela Mia De La Vega

Age Range: 7-10 

Paperback: 128 pages

Publisher: Womeldorf Press (2014)

ISBN: 978-0990402305

What to Expect: Guinea Pigs, Summer Vacation, Peru, Adventure, Spanish Words

It’s summer vacation time for BT and his mom. They are going to visit BT’s grandmother, Abuela in Spanish, at her farm in Peru and this time Jack, BT’s guinea pig, gets to go with them.

Jack is excited to explore the farm and intrigued when he discovers that there is a pack of wild guinea pigs roaming around. Ready to make some new friends, Jack sets out on an adventure that, thanks to a cook that likes to serve up fried guinea pig, turns into a dangerous escapade of survival tactics and daring rescues. Throughout the adventure and precarious escapades, the author sets the scene with her easy and entertaining descriptions of Abuela’s farm set in the Andes mountains—several illustrations are scattered among the pages to enhance the visual imagery that the text provides. The pages are also doused with just enough kid-centric humor—think, boogers—that will appeal to a reluctant child reader and soften the harshness of the crazed cook desperate to capture “Juicy Jack.”

Spanish words are interspersed well and explained within the telling of the story—the Spanish to English words glossary in the end of the book is very helpful for kids seeking further definition and explanation. The text is a larger size and well-spaced for new chapter book readers.

Some lovely underlying themes are touched on—such as acceptance and tolerance of others, and single parent families—that add extra warmth and some depth to what is really a fun and fast read for any child that has ever wondered what their pet guinea pig gets up to on those occasions when the cage door is left open.

For more information, visit: www.juicyjackadventures.com

Available Here: 

Leigh began writing the Juicy Jack Adventures Series because she wanted to bring the wonders of Peru and the experiences of living in another culture to children through this fun and exciting new series. Each new adventure will take place in a different cultural site in Peru.

Angela attended both The University of Madrid, Spain, and Clarion University of Pennsylvania where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. In 2012 she was named a Living Master of Arts by the prestigious International Art Renewal Center. Her bronze sculptures are represented by some of the finest art galleries in the country. Angela’s three children and the constant love and encouragement from her parents are her work’s greatest inspiration.

Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. The author of “Physical Literacy 12 Steps Pledge Ambassadorship: I Dance for Physical Literacy” sponsored this non-biased review. Learn more about getting a book review …

Tags: Adventure, Angela Mia De La Vega, Dedicated Review, Guinea Pig, Juicy Jack Adventures Series, Leigh Carrasco, Peru, Pets, South America, Spanish, Summer

Category: Ages 4-8, Ages 9-12, Animal Books, Author Showcase, Bilingual Books, Books for Boys, Chapter Books, Cultural Wisdom, Travel

The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is powered by Bianca Schulze. Bianca is a freelance writer, bookseller, aspiring author, and mother to two daughters. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, her goal is to grow readers by showcasing useful and inspiring books!

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Children’s Book Author Django Wexler Combines Computer Science and Creative Writing

Django Wexler | The Children’s Book Review | April 24, 2015

 

I have a double degree in Computer Science and Creative Writing. This came about kind of by accident. I enrolled in my college, Carnegie Mellon, as a Computer Science major, but there’s also a required minor. The traditional path was to minor in Electrical Engineering or some such, because it had a lot of overlap with CS, but writing sounded like more fun so I went with that. Once I got the minor, I discovered a) getting the second major didn’t take that many more classes, b) the classes it did take looked fun, and c) I had some time in my schedule senior year, so I finagled things a bit and managed to qualify.

The plan, such as it was, was that CS would be my day job, and writing would be my hobby. I’ve always loved to write, but back then I didn’t think I’d be able to make a living at it. Fortunately, I also loved programming and computers, which seemed like a much more marketable skill. The art of programming has some real similarities with writing, but also some big differences that take a bit of getting used to.

The biggest similarity, I think, is in the mental state that it takes to either write or program. People in both fields talk about getting “in the zone” or “into the flow”, reaching a place where words or code just seem to come without effort. They often get a bit mystical about this, but for me it was always about short-term memory—when I really focus on writing or programming, there are hundreds of tiny details that I’ve crammed into my head to be available at a moment’s notice. (Names of variables, positions of characters in a scene, arrangement of computer memory, the frequency of use of words or phrases.) It’s all stuff that you can find out or look up, but having it in your head is so much easier that when you get to that state, it feels like magic. This leads to another similarity between writers and programmers—they both hate being interrupted. It feels like being a juggler who gets tapped on the shoulder to talk about his income taxes; by the time you’re done, all the balls have hit the floor and you have to start over.

The difference that took me longest to get used to is the lack, in writing, of any kind of objective yardstick of quality or function. At the most basic level, when you program you feed your work to a compiler, which is a machine that converts human-readable code into binary, computer-readable bits and bytes. Modern compilers are very smart and have lots of rules and checks to make sure that what you’re feeding in is actually valid code—a bit like a spelling and grammar check, but way, way more reliable and comprehensive. The actual process of programming often involves a lot of staring at lists of compiler errors and fixing them until the thing works.

Even then, if you’re a good programmer, you have tests that you run on your code—unit tests that make sure it does what it’s supposed to do, and performance tests that measure how quickly it does it and how much memory and so on it consumes. So when the time comes for debugging and polishing, you have a bunch of relatively objective markers to steer by–it compiles, or it doesn’t; it outputs the right thing, or it doesn’t, it runs in the required time, or it doesn’t. It’s not perfect–coding is hard!–but it’s something.

In writing, by contrast, you have very little to go on, and what you do have is fantastically unreliable. I’ve learned the hard way that my feelings about a book while I’m writing it have almost no connection to its quality. I’ve ended up disliking stuff I loved while I was writing it, and stuff that I hated at the time I think turns out to be my best work. Letting a draft sit and cool off for a while is crucial, but even then my opinion is a shaky barometer at best. Getting feedback from others helps, but introduces another set of challenges, because everyone has a different idea of what “good” looks like and they don’t always match up with mine. (A good beta reader, who gets what you’re trying to do and is helpful, is worth her weight in gold. If you find one, grab on like a limpet and never let go.)

The result is that while some of the skills I developed for programming, especially the discipline and memory, transferred over surprisingly well, there was a whole set of new things to learn when I got to the point where I was trying to take writing seriously. The best part of my writing degree was that it forced me to take a whole bunch of workshop classes, which develop that critical critique giving and receiving instinct and thicken your skin. More than anything I learned in class, that’s probably the thing I’m most happy to have under my belt a decade later.

(As an aside, if you’re a programmer and you can write, you’ll never be unemployed–it’s a rare skill combination! Companies always need tech writers to explain to the non-geeks what the geeks are up to.)

Django Wexler is a self-proclaimed computer/fantasy/sci fi geek. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with degrees in creative writing and computer science, and worked in artificial intelligence research. He left his job at Microsoft and now writes full-time.

DjangoWexler.com | Facebook | Twitter

Written by Django Wexler

Publisher’s Synopsis: When Alice’s mysterious Uncle Geryon sends her to help capture a rogue apprentice—a boy who has the same ability Alice has to Read himself into stories—she knows to expect a wild and unpredictable trip. But even though Alice has visited the magical realms inside libraries before, this adventure is far more dangerous. Because Torment, the magic creature holding this library together, has gone mad.

But he might also have information about Alice’s missing father.

Ages 10 and up | Publisher: Kathy Dawson Books | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0803739765

Available Here: 

Discover more books like The Forbidden Library: The Mad Apprentice, written by Django Wexler, by checking out our reviews and articles tagged with Fantasy Book, Creative Writing and Writing Tips.

Tags: Computer Science Books, Creative Writing, Django Wexler, Fantasy, featured, Kathy Dawson Books, Writing Tips

Category: Ages 9-12, Chapter Books, Fantasy: Supernatural Fiction, Writing Resources

The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is a resource devoted to children’s literacy. We publish reviews and book lists of the best books for kids of all ages. We also produce author and illustrator interviews and share literacy based articles that help parents, grandparents, teachers and librarians to grow readers. This article was written and provided by a guest author.

Buy Books Online

Best Non-Fiction Picture Books of 2014

The Children’s Book Review | March 21, 2015

The best non-fiction picture books of 2014, as picked by the editors and contributors of The Children’s Book Review.

By Patricia Geis

Publisher’s Synopsis: No artist can put a smile on your face quicker than Alexander Calder. A sense of playfulness animates all of his work—from his signature hanging mobiles to his endlessly creative toys, drawings, and jewelry. Alexander Calder: Meet the Artist! is an exciting hands-on introduction to this beloved American sculptor. Calder’s whimsical world is brought to life by imaginative pop-ups, pull tabs, lift-the-flaps, and cutouts. A universe of artistic possibilities opens up as young readers explore Calder’s creative evolution, play with his toy designs, and even create their own sculptural circus.

Ages 7-12 | Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press | 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1616892258

By Barb Rosenstock; Illustrated by Mary GrandPre

Publisher’s Synopsis: Vasya Kandinsky was a proper little boy: he studied math and history, he practiced the piano, he sat up straight and was perfectly polite. And when his family sent him to art classes, they expected him to paint pretty houses and flowers—like a proper artist.

But as Vasya opened his paint box and began mixing the reds, the yellows, the blues, he heard a strange sound—the swirling colors trilled like an orchestra tuning up for a symphony! And as he grew older, he continued to hear brilliant colors singing and see vibrant sounds dancing. But was Vasya brave enough to put aside his proper still lifes and portraits and paint . . . music?

In this exuberant celebration of creativity, Barb Rosenstock and Mary GrandPré tell the fascinating story of Vasily Kandinsky, one of the very first painters of abstract art. Throughout his life, Kandinsky experienced colors as sounds, and sounds as colors—and bold, groundbreaking works burst forth from his noisy paint box.

Backmatter includes four paintings by Kandinsky, an author’s note, sources, links to websites on synesthesia and abstract art.

Read TCBR’s summary of The Noisy Paint Box in our roundup “Biographies for Young Readers: Dip into the Minds of the Greats.”

Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers | 2014 | ISBN 978-0307978486

By Katherine Roy

Publisher’s Synopsis: Up close with the ocean’s most fearsome and famous predator and the scientists who study them–just thirty miles from the Golden Gate Bridge!

A few miles from San Francisco lives a population of the ocean’s largest and most famous predators. Each fall, while the city’s inhabitants dine on steaks, salads, and sandwiches, the great white sharks return to California’s Farallon Islands to dine on their favorite meal: the seals that live on the island’s rocky coasts. Massive, fast, and perfectly adapted to hunting after 11 million years of evolution, the great whites are among the planet’s most fearsome, fascinating, and least understood animals.

In the fall of 2012, Katherine Roy visited the Farallons with the scientists who study the islands’ shark population. She witnessed seal attacks, observed sharks being tagged in the wild, and got an up close look at the dramatic Farallons–a wildlife refuge that is strictly off-limits to all but the scientists who work there. Neighborhood Sharks is an intimate portrait of the life cycle, biology, and habitat of the great white shark, based on the latest research and an up-close visit with these amazing animals.

Ages 7-11 | Publisher: David Macaulay Studio | 2014 | ISBN 978-1596438743

By Joyce Sidman; Illustrated by Rick Allen

Publisher’s Synopsis: In this outstanding picture book collection of poems by Newbery Honor-winning poet, Joyce Sidman (Song of the Water Boatman, Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night), discover how animals stay alive in the wintertime and learn about their secret lives happening under the snow. Paired with stunning linoleum print illustrations by Rick Allen, that celebrate nature’s beauty and power.

Ages 6-9 | Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers | 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-0547906508

By Patricia Geis

Publisher’s Synopsis: Pablo Picasso: Meet the Artist! takes young readers on an interactive journey through the remarkable life of the legendary Spanish painter. This engaging book uses a multitude of lift-the-flaps, cutouts, and pull tabs to explain how his art evolved over his lifetime—from his earliest painting at age seven to the great masterworks of Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and Guernica. Readers are encouraged to make their own cubist collage using an enclosed sheet containing an eclectic collection of images.

Ages 7-12 | Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press | 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1616892517

By Jen Bryant; Illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Publisher’s Synopsis: For shy young Peter Mark Roget, books were the best companions — and it wasn’t long before Peter began writing his own book. But he didn’t write stories; he wrote lists. Peter took his love for words and turned it to organizing ideas and finding exactly the right word to express just what he thought. His lists grew and grew, eventually turning into one of the most important reference books of all time.

Readers of all ages will marvel at Roget’s life, depicted through lyrical text and brilliantly detailed illustrations. This elegant book celebrates the joy of learning and the power of words.

Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers | 2014 | ISBN-13:  978-0802853851

By Katherine Applegate

Publisher’s Synopsis: In a spare, powerful text and evocative illustrations, the Newbery medalist Katherine Applegate and the artist G. Brian Karas present the extraordinary real story of a special gorilla. Captured as a baby, Ivan was brought to a Tacoma, Washington, mall to attract shoppers. Gradually, public pressure built until a better way of life for Ivan was found at Zoo Atlanta. From the Congo to America, and from a local business attraction to a national symbol of animal welfare, Ivan the Shopping Mall Gorilla traveled an astonishing distance in miles and in impact. This is his true story and includes photographs of Ivan in the back matter.

Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Clarion Books | 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-0544252301

By Luis Carlos Montalván and Bret Witter; Photographs by Dan Dion

Publisher’s Synopsis: As narrated by Tuesday, Tuesday Tucks Me In is a day in the life of this service dog extraordinaire and tail-wagging ambassador for all things positive and uplifting in the world. The book takes us through a typical day of adventures, starting with Tuesday waking Luis in the morning and greeting him with dog breath in the face, and then ending with Tuesday cuddling up to Luis on their bed, the last moment they spend together before sleep.

Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Roaring Brook Press | 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1596438910

By Angela Farris Watkins; Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport

Publisher’s Synopsis: The niece of Martin Luther King, Jr. reveals six timeless and universal principles that encompass the civil rights leader’s greatest legacy: Love will see you through.

Growing up as the niece of Martin Luther King Jr., Angela Farris Watkins witnessed firsthand the principles and values that “Uncle M.L.” practiced and lived by throughout his fight for equality. Drawing from experiences and episodes both personal and well-known, Dr. Watkins artfully details the guiding beliefs of one of the greatest men in history. Including “have courage” and “love your enemies,” these six hallmarks of virtue and nonviolence reinforce the truth that “the universe honors love” and will inspire readers of all ages.

Ages 6-11 | Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers | 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1416986935

By Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedus; Illustrated by Evan Turk

Publisher’s Synopsis: Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson tells the story of how his grandfather taught him to turn darkness into light in this uniquely personal and vibrantly illustrated tale that carries a message of peace.

How could he—a Gandhi—be so easy to anger?

One thick, hot day, Arun Gandhi travels with his family to Grandfather Gandhi’s village.

Silence fills the air—but peace feels far away for young Arun. When an older boy pushes him on the soccer field, his anger fills him in a way that surely a true Gandhi could never imagine. Can Arun ever live up to the Mahatma? Will he ever make his grandfather proud?

In this remarkable personal story, Arun Gandhi, with Bethany Hegedus, weaves a stunning portrait of the extraordinary man who taught him to live his life as light. Evan Turk brings the text to breathtaking life with his unique three-dimensional collage paintings.

Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers | 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1442423657

If you like our list of the best non-fiction picture books of 2014, see our list of all the best kids books of 2014 (Coming soon!) or check out our articles and reviews tagged with “non-fiction books.”

Tags: Alexander Calder, Angela Farris Watkins, Arun Gandhi, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Barb Rosenstock, Best Books for Kids, Bethany Hegedus, Bret Witter, Clarion Books, Dan Dion, David Macaulay Studio, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Evan Turk, Gandhi, HMH Books for Young Readers, Jen Bryant, Joyce Sidman, Katherine Applegate, Katherine Roy, Knopf Books for Young Readers, Luis Carlos Montalván, Martin Luther King Jr., Mary GrandPré, Melissa Sweet, Non-Fiction, Patricia Geis, Picasso, Picture Books, Picture Books For Children, Princeton Architectural Press, Rick Allen, Roaring Brook Press, Sally Wern Comport, Sharks, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Category: Ages 4-8, Ages 9-12, Best Kids Stories, Book Lists, Gift Books, Picture Books

The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is powered by Bianca Schulze. Bianca is a freelance writer, bookseller, aspiring author, and mother to two daughters. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, her goal is to grow readers by showcasing useful and inspiring books!

Buy Books Online

Juicy Jack Adventures: Meet the Wild Pack, by Leigh Carrasco | Dedicated Review

The Children’s Book Review | April 12, 2015

By Leigh Carrasco, Illustrated by Angela Mia De La Vega

Age Range: 7-10 

Paperback: 128 pages

Publisher: Womeldorf Press (2014)

ISBN: 978-0990402305

What to Expect: Guinea Pigs, Summer Vacation, Peru, Adventure, Spanish Words

It’s summer vacation time for BT and his mom. They are going to visit BT’s grandmother, Abuela in Spanish, at her farm in Peru and this time Jack, BT’s guinea pig, gets to go with them.

Jack is excited to explore the farm and intrigued when he discovers that there is a pack of wild guinea pigs roaming around. Ready to make some new friends, Jack sets out on an adventure that, thanks to a cook that likes to serve up fried guinea pig, turns into a dangerous escapade of survival tactics and daring rescues. Throughout the adventure and precarious escapades, the author sets the scene with her easy and entertaining descriptions of Abuela’s farm set in the Andes mountains—several illustrations are scattered among the pages to enhance the visual imagery that the text provides. The pages are also doused with just enough kid-centric humor—think, boogers—that will appeal to a reluctant child reader and soften the harshness of the crazed cook desperate to capture “Juicy Jack.”

Spanish words are interspersed well and explained within the telling of the story—the Spanish to English words glossary in the end of the book is very helpful for kids seeking further definition and explanation. The text is a larger size and well-spaced for new chapter book readers.

Some lovely underlying themes are touched on—such as acceptance and tolerance of others, and single parent families—that add extra warmth and some depth to what is really a fun and fast read for any child that has ever wondered what their pet guinea pig gets up to on those occasions when the cage door is left open.

For more information, visit: www.juicyjackadventures.com

Available Here: 

Leigh began writing the Juicy Jack Adventures Series because she wanted to bring the wonders of Peru and the experiences of living in another culture to children through this fun and exciting new series. Each new adventure will take place in a different cultural site in Peru.

Angela attended both The University of Madrid, Spain, and Clarion University of Pennsylvania where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. In 2012 she was named a Living Master of Arts by the prestigious International Art Renewal Center. Her bronze sculptures are represented by some of the finest art galleries in the country. Angela’s three children and the constant love and encouragement from her parents are her work’s greatest inspiration.

Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. The author of “Physical Literacy 12 Steps Pledge Ambassadorship: I Dance for Physical Literacy” sponsored this non-biased review. Learn more about getting a book review …

Tags: Adventure, Angela Mia De La Vega, Dedicated Review, Guinea Pig, Juicy Jack Adventures Series, Leigh Carrasco, Peru, Pets, South America, Spanish, Summer

Category: Ages 4-8, Ages 9-12, Animal Books, Author Showcase, Bilingual Books, Books for Boys, Chapter Books, Cultural Wisdom, Travel

The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is powered by Bianca Schulze. Bianca is a freelance writer, bookseller, aspiring author, and mother to two daughters. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, her goal is to grow readers by showcasing useful and inspiring books!

Buy Books Online

When a Cat Lover Writes Dog Haiku Poems

Lee Wardlaw | The Children’s Book Review | April 6, 2015

 

To write it, it took three months; to conceive it – three minutes;

to collect the data in it – all my life.

– Anonymous

I know cats. My first spoken word was ‘kitty’. At age six, I adopted my first kitten.  Since then, I’ve shared my home with 30 folks of the feline persuasion. (Not all at the same time, of course!) And I’m a card-carrying member of the Cat Writers’ Association. So creating Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku was catnip to me: easy to pounce on, play with, and write rhapsodic about.

Not so with Won Ton and Chopstick: A Cat and Dog Tale Told in Haiku.

I’ve never owned a dog. Growing up, I knew only two: Sheba, the grumpy, elderly German Shepherd from next door who nipped at me when I attempted to sell her owner Girl Scout Cookies; and Coco, the frenzied miniature poodle with rheumy eyes who belonged to my best friend’s grandma. She would wee-wee on the carpet if you even thought about glancing at her. (Coco, not Grandma.)

Don’t get me started on strangers’ canines. (Why do their snouts always make a beeline for my crotch? I bathe. Girl Scout’s honor!)

So before I could write Won Ton and Chopstick, I actually had to do research. On dogs.

I visited lonesome pups at our local animal shelter. I talked to Friends with Dogs. I interviewed a certified animal behaviorist.

What I learned is this: dogs and cats are surprisingly similar in many ways.  Here are two examples from Won Ton and Chopstick:

I play with balls, too!

But much smaller, less slobber.

And I never fetch.

Great Rats!  It’s only

thunder! Who knew you were a

scaredy cat? (Like me!)

Oh, sure. Cats are self-cleaning. Dogs must be groomed. Cats speak only when they have something important to say. Dogs are happy to yip, yelp, and yowl at the drop of a mailman’s hat.

But both species—just like human siblings—feel the indignation of perceived unfairness . . . the fear of replacement . . . the heat of jealousy . . . and the loneliness that comes from uncertainty of where one stands in the family.

They also love their people.

So it seems I know a lot more about dogs than I thought. As Won Ton puts it:

Some parts of woof I

will never understand. But…

practice makes purrfect.

=^..^=

Lee Wardlaw

Lee Wardlaw is the author of 30 books for young readers, including Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku, recipient of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Children’s Poetry Award, the Myra Cohn Livingston Award for Poetry, and the Purina/Fancy Feast “Love Story” Award. She lives in Santa Barbara with her family and her dog-disdaining cat, Papaya.

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By Lee Wardlaw; Illustrated by Eugene Yelchin

Publisher’s Synopsis: Won Ton has a happy life with his Boy, until…

Ears perk. Fur prickles.

Belly low, I creep…peek…FREEZE!

My eyes full of Doom.

A new puppy arrives, and nothing will be the same.

Told entirely in haiku and with plenty of catitude, the story of how Won Ton faces down the enemy is a fresh and funny twist on a familiar rivalry.

Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.  | 2015 | ISBN-13:  978-0805099874

Available Here: 

A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust

Activity Kit for Won Ton and Chopstick:
http://www.leewardlaw.com/PDF/Won-Ton-and-Chopstick-Activity-Kit.pdf

Teacher’s Guide for Won Ton and Chopstick:
http://www.leewardlaw.com/PDF/chopstickguidefinal.pdf

Enter to win a copy of  WON TON–WON TON: A CAT TALE TOLD IN HAIKU and WON TON AND CHOPSTICK: A CAT AND DOG TALE TOLD IN HAIKU, by Lee Wardlaw and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin. Giveaway ends May 5, 2015, at 11:59 P.M. PST. Enter here»

Discover more books like Won Ton and Chopstick: A Cat and Dog Tale Told in Haiku, by Lee Wardlaw, by checking out our reviews and articles tagged with Haiku For Kids, National Poetry Month, and Writing Haiku.

Tags: Cats, Dogs, Eugene Yelchin, Haiku, Haiku Books, Haiku For Kids, Lee Wardlaw, National Poetry Month, Writing Haiku

Category: Ages 4-8, Animal Books, Picture Books, Poetry & Rhyme, Writing Resources

The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is a resource devoted to children’s literacy. We publish reviews and book lists of the best books for kids of all ages. We also produce author and illustrator interviews and share literacy based articles that help parents, grandparents, teachers and librarians to grow readers. This article was written and provided by a guest author.

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