Writing, timing, art, and humor. What’s not to love? One thing’s for certain, though. Kids absolutely adore it, and that’s not the kind of thing you can fake.
Review of the Day: Ergo by Alexis Deacon, ill. Viviane Schwarz
June 2, 2021 by
It’s a treatise on philosophy as it relates to young children. It’s about escaping the confines of yourself and reaching out to others. And, most importantly, it’s a cute baby chicken picture book where 95% of the action takes place inside an egg.
It’s Heeeeeere . . The Poultrygeist Trailer Premiere
April 16, 2021 by
Is it already the Halloween season? It is not, and yet here we are considering the latest Pete Oswald/Eric Geron picture book, Poultrygeist. And why not? Roadkill doesn’t take a holiday, after all.
Review of the Day: Sylvie by Sylvie Kantorovitz
April 7, 2021 by
Early 70s France never looked so good. A new middle grade graphic memoir comes to us. A perfect new addition to every bookshelf looking for something familiar and odd all at once.
Review of the Day: The Midnight Fair by Gideon Sterer, ill. Mariachiara Di Giorgio
March 4, 2021 by
This book is an utter joy. One of those titles that lives up to, and then proceeds to exceed, the hype. Heck, I’ll say it. One of the best wordless books I’ve ever read. Full stop. Period.
Review of the Day: Amber and Clay by Laura Amy Schlitz, ill. Julia Iredale
January 27, 2021 by
This is a book positioned to impress, that then sneaks over and steals your heart. Hermes would be proud.
Review of the Day: The Rock From the Sky by Jon Klassen
January 8, 2021 by
Here we have animals and hats and mysterious goings on. Read it cover to cover and you’re just swept up in a book that cultivates a singular sense of comic timing and tone policing that never falters or strays. It is, in fact, Klassen’s best book to date. Period.
Review of the Day: See the Cat by David LaRochelle, ill. Mike Wohnoutka
July 16, 2020 by
You can hand today’s book to a kid learning to read, absolutely. Just be warned that their read may be punctuated with interjections of a highly voluble nature. In other words, this is laugh-out-loud funny.
Review of the Day: Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis
July 12, 2019 by
There are kids out there that like comics and like realism and have long been starved for illustrated stories of the past. Hand them this book, and then hand it to all the science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts too, because this is a book for everyone. Impossible to forget, undeniable in its delights.
Review of the Day: The Patchwork Bike by Maxine Beneba Clarke, ill. Van Thanh Rudd
October 25, 2018 by
The Patchwork Bike By Maxine Beneba Clarke Illustrated by Van Thanh Rudd $15.99 ISBN: 978-1-5362-0031-7 Ages 4-7 On shelves now. It took a little while, but at some point creators of children’s books realized that cardboard holds an almost supernatural power over the imaginations of small children. It is the ultimate building material. Strong and […]
Review of the Day: Jabberwalking by Juan Felipe Herrera
August 29, 2018 by
Jabberwalking By Juan Felipe Herrera Candlewick Press $22.99 ISBN: 9781536201406 Ages 10 and up On shelves now Not too long ago I taught a six-week summer creative writing course for teens. Now I’ve never taught creative writing before. Truth be told, I had no idea where to start. So, like any good librarian, I hit […]
Review of the Day: The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
June 5, 2018 by
The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge By M.T. Anderson Illustrated by Eugene Yelchin Candlewick Press $24.99 ISBN: 978-0-7636-9822-5 Ages 10 and up On shelves September 25th In my job I read a lot of books written for kids and middle schoolers. To guide this reading I take into account a lot of professional reviews from sources […]
Review of the Day: Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
January 5, 2018 by
Julián Is a Mermaid By Jessica Love Candlewick Press $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-7636-9045-8 Ages 4 and up On shelves May 22nd When you walk into another person’s home, there’s always a distinct smell to the place. Homes absorb the lives of their occupants, and the end result is as much an olfactory experience as a visual […]
Review of the Day: Bronze and Sunflower by Cao Wenxuan, ill. Meilo So
March 30, 2017 by
Bronze and Sunflower By Cao Wenxuan Illustrated by Meilo So Translated by Helen Wang Candlewick Press $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-7636-8816-5 On shelves now It’s odd. Parents these days. I meet so many of them that believe that to live in a globalized society it is imperative for their children to learn another language. That’s not the […]
Review of the Day: Princess Cora and the Crocodile by Laura Amy Schlitz, ill. Brian Floca
January 20, 2017 by
Princess Cora and the Crocodile By Laura Amy Schlitz Illustrated by Brian Floca Candlewick Press $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-7636-4822-0 Early Chapter Book On shelves March 28th What if. What if Good Night Moon had been illustrated by someone other than Clement Hurd? What if. What if Charlotte’s Web had had an artist who wasn’t Garth Williams? […]
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