I’ve mentioned frequently that I’m having a hard time finding a middle grade novel to get solidly behind, a book that is clearly among the most distinguished of the year–and one that I am also crazy passionate about.  I’ve had no problem finding those kind of books in other genres: picture book (THE MONEY WE’LL [...]

THE PENDERWICKS AT POINT MOUETTE got a little introductory discussion here, and crops up on many of your favorites in comments, usually next to the verb “love.” This is the perfect example of a book that I appreciate despite myself. I don’t love it. I have a hard time with it, in fact.  And yet, I also have a hard [...]

In her recent SLJ article, “Make Way For Stories,” Anita Silvey discusses one of the reasons for the current picture book malaise. I, too, bemoan the lack of picture storybooks. So much of what we see, no matter how clever it is, can be described as a joke book. Some are very good jokes, but [...]

Last night I picked up one of my favorite books from our shortlist for re-reading, and my post-its, and sat there.  Got my pretzels and my licorice, and sat there. And then put down the book and picked up a one on historical Japanese ceramic patterning techniques and read. In a comment on Jefferson’s Sons part 2, Wendy said [...]