Every so often a book falls into my lap that is so magical that I can’t believe I’ve never read it before. (Which you might agree is a funny statement once you read the book.) That’s what happened with The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo. About the Book Title: The Magician’s Elephant Author: Kate DiCamillo…
Here are two subjects I don’t see often in middle grade books: Jewish children and North Dakota. Susan Lynn Meyer’s historical fiction, A Sky Full of Song, covers both, plus Ukraine and the Russian Empire, plus the plight of Native Americans who inhabited North Dakota. About the Book Title: A Sky Full of Song Author:…
Raise your hand if you love Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. Would you love to read something similar, but new? I have a series to recommend to you. Rachel Selle has just published the second in her European Adventures series. Book two, Aix Marks the Spot, takes place in Provence, France, specifically in Aix (pronounced…
Hello, friend. What have you been reading lately? Chances are, you’ve been reading very little from the children’s section of the library or bookstore. And that’s a shame. C.S. Lewis said, “A children’s book that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s book in the slightest.” Here are 6 reasons why…
Today is Memorial Day. I have a song in my head that’s been playing on a constant loop for the past couple of days: “Déjà vu All Over Again” by John Fogerty. You can listen to it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiojReSUfLo. Let me just say, I haven’t forgotten those military men and women—someone’s precious children—who have died…
Before I get into this book, I want to mention something I heard on the Today Show last week. A 13-year-old girl living in Florida was swimming with a buddy in waist-deep ocean water when she was attacked by a shark. She had LOTS of things to say about the experience: scary, out-of-nowhere, no time…
Today I have reviews of two books written by Sarah Mlynowski and perfect for kids who enjoy a sprinkle of magic, fairies, and wishes. The Sister Switch (book two from Sarah Mlynowski’s Best Wishes series and cowritten with Debbie Rigaud—author of several young-adult and middle-grade novels) is about Addie, the middle sister of three sisters…
I just finished reading the most current book I think I’ve ever read: One True Wish by Lauren Kate. This book is so new, its pages are still warm. Haha. The hardcopy was released on May 1. Of this very year! While I don’t love “Fantasy” with a capital “F,” I do enjoy fluttery fantasy…
Your voice is important. Not just what you choose to say, but your tone and how you say it. It’s important in life and it’s important in writing, too. What’s the point of having a voice if you’re not going to use it? In life, having a Voice comes from knowing yourself and knowing what…
Do pain and art go together? Take a look at the lives of artists, writers, musicians, poets. Artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Vincent Van Gogh, Edvard Munch. Writers like Mark Twain, JK Rowling, Stephen King. Musicians such as Michael Jackson, Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige, Ray Charles. So very many others. Creative types often come from…
