Fun February Reads

If you've ever been a classroom teacher, you know that the month of February is the "longest shortest month" of the year. It's true. Those 28 days seem to D--R--A--G on, the weather is yucky, and spring break seems like forever away!

Even if you're at home, February can be a dull month; everyone is sick, no one wants to visit because of germs, and, again, the weather....

It's time to lighten it up, folks! Try one of the books/series below this February for a quick reprieve from heavy duty school work and more intense reading. Are these books destined to be ones you'll reread? Probably not. Are they modern classics? Probably not.

BUT, will they be fun? Yes. Perhaps even laugh out loud funny? Yes. Will your youngsters enjoy the sheer delight of reading a good book on the couch while it's cold and yucky outside? Absolutely. Will this be more fun if Mom makes a cup of chai to enjoy simultaneously? Of course. And, will your kids enjoy watching YOU enjoy some light reading? Most definitely. Try one of the book/series below for some quality time with your kids--if discussion topics arise, great. If not, take note of any issues/character traits/events which might provide good fodder in future discussions (i.e. "Aren't you acting a bit like ... here?").

The Odd Squad: Bully Bait
Michael Fry
Hyperion, 2013 (comes out THIS month!)

Hilarious in a very middle school way, The Odd Squad is the latest comic/illustrated novel (a la Wimpy Kid or Dork Diaries) to hit shelves; I must say, it's a heap site better than those other two in my opinion. In fact, this is sort of Lunch Lady meets Wimpy Kid: a motley and unlikely collection of 3 misfits learns how to beat the bully with some behind the scenes help from the school janitor (there's more to the janitor than meets the eye!). But it's more than just a lesson in standing up for yourself. Along the way, the three learn how to be friends, how to look past someone's outer exterior to what might be going on inside, and how to be themselves--quirks and all. And there are definitely some quirks. The main character, Nick, reminds me of the main dude in Wimpy Kid, but I like Nick SO much better. He's a jerk at times, but he learns from it and recovers. This will have your 5th, 6th, and 7th graders laughing and nodding along, especially if they're in a school big enough to have lockers! I viewed the ARC, so the artwork wasn't final--but what I saw added to the text tremendously and was well done.

Babymouse
Jennifer and Matthew Holm (brother and sister!)
Random House


I have a confirmed Babymouse addict in the house in the form of one 7-year-old little girl. And I gotta say, folks, that I'd take Babymouse over Angelina Ballerina or Olivia ANY day. Is there snark? Sure. Does Babymouse have an attitude? Yep. But the Babymouse Christmas won me over: when Babymouse gets the handheld gaming gadget of choice for Christmas, she actually puts it down and goes over to play with her younger sibling and the new doll house. And, more to the point, since this is a graphic novel, the pictures were worth more than a thousand preachy words. In the Puppy Love installment pictured here, Babymouse is dying for a puppy, but she learns a lot about how hard pets are to take care of--especially when you're a bit absent-minded. When she finally does figure it out...well...  (Recommended for middle elementary--early middle)

Lunch Lady
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Knopf

Another graphic novel series, this one is for those among you who go to school and/or appreciate some great schooltime humor. Solving "crimes," the Lunch Lady and her kid cronies are ka-powing, blam-ming, and karate-chopping away (only the Lunch Lady does this with fantastic kitchen-implements-turned-secret-agent-weapons). Funny, quirky, and a terrific break from heavy reading for the 3rd-7th grade crowd (although my K5-1st grade crowd enjoy them, too).

TinTin
Herge
Little, Brown

There's some serious vocabulary in these original TinTin books!! And while the movie might be fun, the comics are so much... more. More plot, more action, more TinTin! TinTin travels the world in his various adventures, solving crimes and having daring adventures. Middle grades.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Jeff Kinney

I'm not a huge fan of the Wimpy Kid series, but Janie Cheaney over at Redeemed Reader makes some worthwhile points in favor of this (admittedly hilarious) series.

Capture the Flag
Kate Messner
Scholastic, 2012

4 kids. 4 ethnicities. 1 President-Hopeful. 1 poodle. 1 missing Star Spangled Banner (yes, THE Star Spangled Banner). 1 Secret Society. 1 airport full of people stuck during a 24-hour snowstorm and subsequent grounding of all planes. And LOTS of Tootsie Rolls, crazy baggage carousel rides, and action. The only true chapter book in this lineup, Capture the Flag is a terrific adventure read for a snowy winter day or two....Middle grades (4th-7th perhaps)

All cover images from goodreads; all books save The Odd Squad from my local library; ARC for Odd Squad thanks to Hyperion via netgalley

Valentine books

With Valentine's Day around the corner, it is time to stock up on chocolate (the darker the better at our house!) and books to share with those you love most. My all-time favorite, hopefully available at your library (or at least purchase a paperback copy!), is Ballad of Valentine.



The Ballad of Valentine

Alison Jackson, Tricia Tusa

Dutton Children's Books, 2002

A bespectacled, shy admirer of his pompadoured neighbor tries every way in vain to tell her ardently he admires and loves her, but his every effort goes awry. He tries letters, homing pigeon, smoke signals, pony express, telegram, and more, but the message never seems to get through...still, his love is not in vain! The ending is so sweet I can't spoil it for you, so do find it if you can. If you know the tune to the original Ballad of Clementine, then by all means, serenade the book to your sweetheart (or at least make an effort)! The illustrations are marvelous.

Two other sweet-lovin' books are great to read any time of year, but this is a good time to mention them:

A Kiss for Little Bear

Else Holmelund Minarik, Maurice Sendak
HarperCollins, 1984

Little Bear draws a picture for his grandparents and gives it to Hen to deliver. Hen is given a kiss in return and instructed to give the kiss to Little Bear. However, the messenger soon tires of her errand-running and passes the kiss along to someone else, who also gets sidetracked and gives it to someone else, and so on. (The best part is when it gets to the skunks.) Although Hen finally objects to "Too much kissing!" it is all finally sorted out and everyone lives happily ever after.

I Kissed the Baby!

Mary Murphy

Walker Children's Paperbacks, 2011

This is ideal for very, very little ones because it is all black and white with just a few bright colors, so it is a book to snuggle babies with. Everyone is excited to see, sing, tickle and kiss the baby, but of course Mama's kisses are best and always readily available. Simple and sweet--makes everyone want to participate!

You might also enjoy some recommendations from our friends at Redeemed Reader.

A decade ago I ran across these printable bookmarks to celebrate "Library Lovers Month." Amazing that they're still out there!

cover images from goodreads.

Advent Round-Up

We haven't done a weekly round-up in a while (so much for weekly, eh?), but we definitely need a Advent-themed picture book round-up for Advent season! Christmas-themed picture books are a dime a dozen, my friends. Some are worth every penny of that dime; others are near priceless. Below are some Christmas-themed picture books we find particularly great. There are also some fun Advent-related links to explore below the books.

Mortimer's Christmas Manger
Karma Wilson, author
Jane Chapman, illustrator
Margaret K. McElderry, 2005

We've lauded the Wilson/Chapman duo before, but Mortimer's Christmas Manger is a real treat for the preschoolers in your home. A sweet (but not saccharine) story of young Mortimer who tries to find a place for himself in the nativity scene displayed near the Christmas tree. He discovers the real "reason for the season" in the process! Highly recommended. Worth owning!

The Third Gift
Linda Sue Park, author
Bagram Ibatoulline, illustrator
Clarion, 2011

An unusual break from mainstream Christmas picture book fare, this follows a young boy in a family who produces myrhh...and the rich men who want to buy some of this myrhh to take with them on a journey following a star. Illustrations look very in keeping with the time period and country! A nice extension of the story of the wise men.

B is for Bethlehem
Isabel Wilner, author
Elisa Kleven, illustrator
Dutton, 2004 (originally 1990)

I've mentioned this charming ABC book before, but I must mention it again. I love the bright collage-style art, the topics covered in the alphabet, and the final pages. Worth checking out from your library if you can get it--or even buying a copy to bring out year after year.

This Is the Star
Joyce Dunbar, author
Gary Blythe, illustrator
Scholastic, 1997

I love this beautiful cumulative, poetic approach to the Nativity and the extraordinary, photo-like oil paintings that accompany the text. Another one to look for in a library--or find secondhand.

Related Links of Interest
Fontanini Nativity Sets: high quality resin that can be handled by children without breaking--but these look SO much like precious figurines. My mom has collected a set for me slowly; you can often find the figures in department stores at this time of year.

Fisher-Price "Little People" Nativity Set: one of the better children's sets out there, this one plays "Away in a Manger." A definite toddler favorite

Good News of Great Joy free ebook of Advent readings from John Piper!

Names of Jesus Advent Chain: make a paper chain with the names of Jesus on each link for a different Advent activity this year!

Printable Advent Verses (Luke 2)

Simple Scripture Advent Calendar (cards printed and placed in mini envelopes--could use above linked printables for this!)

Sparking Spiritual Imagination: a guest poster at Redeemed Reader gives some great tips at working Christ-centered books into your Advent season

Five Christ-Centered Picture Books for Christmas: Same author as above link; I love that she includes The Three Trees

One Week of Kid-Friendly Christmas Crafts: I'm totally going to do these with my three!! Very fun ideas to spend time with your kids during this often hectic season. You might consider doing these activities with a cup of hot chai/chocolate/tea during a long winter afternoon!

50 Things to Do At Christmas And if you can sit down and make time to plan even a few of these traditions, maybe add a few more each year, it's a great way to make memories and traditions.

Weekly Round-up: Baseball Bios in Picture Book Form

I like to do weekly round-ups on Wednesdays, but I just couldn't get this one done by Wednesday this week. However, I don't want to wait until next week because we're in the middle of the World Series!! A great time to mention these recent baseball picture books.

You may have heard of the new Common Core State Standards for education. If you haven't, don't worry--I plan to discuss them in more detail in the coming weeks. Whether or not your children are in public schools, these standards will affect you; after all, standardized tests are based on things exactly like this! One of the big distinctives of the new standards is the increased emphasis on "informational texts." So far, it's been hard to determine if that includes narrative nonfiction (think: biographies) as well as more information nonfiction.

At any rate, there has been a real boon of well done information picture books as of late. Three of the ones published recently center around a famous person (or persons) in baseball. Check these titles out if you have children interested in baseball, sports in general, or just for some fun "informational" reading.

There Goes Ted Williams: the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived
Matt Tavares
Candlewick
2012

Ted Williams could hit a ball...consistently into home run territory. His story is one of hard work, determination to be the best, consistent practice, and service to his country (WWII and Korea). The author provides a bibliography at the end as well as a note which mentions some of Williams's less-than-stellar attributes. It's a terrific story,  nicely illustrated, and a great one to read with a young, aspiring baseball player. Recommended for elementary, particularly those with some prior baseball knowledge.

Brothers at Bat: the True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team
Audrey Vernick, author
Stephen Salerno, illustrator
Clarion
2012

Well told and wonderfully illustrated, Brothers at Bat tells the story of 12 brothers who formed an all-brother baseball team (the longest playing all-brother team in history). Terrific family dynamics (they also had 4 sisters!), a nice slice of American history (early 20th century, including WWII), and interesting details about particular brothers make this a winner. Recommended for elementary (or earlier if they have some baseball background).

She Loved Baseball: the Effa Manley Story
Audrey Vernick, author
Don Tate, illustrator
Collins
2010

Did you know that there is a woman in the Baseball Hall of Fame? Just one actually: Effa Manley. She was an amazing woman, loved baseball, ended up owning a baseball team, and just had such an interesting life. This one's for those girls in the family who are out in the backyard hitting balls with their brothers! Recommended for elementary.

Weekly Round-Up: Moose Books!

I haven't done one of these Weekly Round-ups in a while--I've been up to my ears in schoolwork (mine and the kids'). But one of my delights this year is to be a room mom in my boys' kindergarten class. Amidst other duties (most of which I've farmed out to other parents) is the occasional storytime with their class. What a delight! They've just finished reviewing "M" and "N" for sounds and hand-writing. So, I brought in a new favorite of Megan's and mine both: Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham and illustrated by the amazing Paul O. Zelinsky. I also read Moosetracks and Imogene's Antlers ("M" for Moose in case you're wondering...). The children were rapt and loved the books--but particularly Z is for Moose.

Did you know that there are a LOT of moose-themed picture books? Who knew. Here is a lineup of some of my favorite moose-themed books, all of which make excellent read alouds to the upper preschool-kindergarten-early elementary crowd.

Z is for Moose
Kelly Bingham, author
Paul O. Zelinsky, illustrator
Greenwillow, 2012

Zebra is trying to stage an ABC show in which characters come on stage according to their letter. Moose, Zebra's friend, is very impatient and so desperately wants to be on stage... he can hardly wait for his letter to show up. But there are other animals who also start with "M," so will Moose be picked? Hilarious--especially to those who've just mastered their ABC's.

Moose Tracks
Karma Wilson, author
Jack E. Davis, illustrator
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2006

I'll confess that this isn't one of my favorite Karma Wilson books (although Megan and I shower our love on her here and here). It's the illustrations; they're a bit clunky to me. Yet this is a fun read aloud and has a nice twist at the end. It's a worthy addition to a "Moose" themed round-up.

Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose
Dr. Seuss
Harper Collins Children's Books, 2004 (first published 1985)

A classic, this chronicles a very hospitable moose who puts those antlers to good use! Dr. Seuss books are a bit longer than modern picture books, so plan accordingly with your audience and your other read alouds.

If You Give a Moose a Muffin
Laura J. Numeroff, author
Felicia Bond, illustrator
Harper Collins, 1991

One of the endearing If You Give A... series that began with If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, this book shows a large moose ambling through a small boy's house after the boy gives him a muffin. Circular and funny, especially to the older preschool-first grade crowd. Many of these books are small, so if you want to read this to a large group, check with your library for a larger copy (so everyone can see the wonderful, detailed illustrations!).

Morris the Moose series
Bernard Wiseman
Harper Collins, 1991 (originally published 1959)

If you have a new reader in the house (or a soon-to-be-reader), try this silly series. From the early days of the I CAN READ books, Morris the Moose books are quirky and silly and will charm new readers. A bit dated in feel, that doesn't seem to bother most children, especially if they can read it themselves!

The Invisible Moose
Dennis Hasley, author
Stephen Kellogg, illustrator
Dial, 2006

The Invisible Moose is classic Kellogg style in terms of illutrastions: lavish and detailed and multi-colored. It's a sweet story of a young moose who falls in love with another young moose and follows her to rescue her after she gets captured. A bit longer than some of the others (save for Thidwick), so factor that in to your line-up. Always consider your audience!

Imogene's Antlers
David Small
Crown Books, 2010 (first published 1985)

While not a book about a moose, this is a delightful book that does feature antlers--rather prominently. I couldn't pass up including it. I love the message in this book: make the most of your own unique qualities, even if they are antlers! Children love the ending to this funny little book, and David Small's illustrations are top notch as always.

Do YOU have a favorite moose book to share with us?

Many thanks to goodreads for cover images!

Around the World in 8 Chapter Books

Early chapter books can provide a great window into other cultures for newly independent readers. The books below are all different from each other in terms of cultural background of the protagonists and/or the cultural background of the author. I would love suggestions from readers on others they've read and enjoyed along similar lines. All of these are worth reading; some are better "literature" than others, but all are fun reads.

**A couple of these books are just now coming out; they will take a while to trickle down to your local library, but I know one little girl who will be getting a copy of Lulu come her 7th birthday this October. ☺**

Anna Hibiscus
The No. 1 Car Spotter
Atinuke

I've written about both the Anna Hibiscus books before and The No. 1 Car Spotter. Both are stellar books: great read alouds for the kindergarten age group and great first independent reads. Illustrated, full of real depth, and a fascinating look into contemporary urban Africa (Anna) as well as rural Africa (Car Spotter). This would be a wonderful way to help build an awareness of the fascinating continent of Africa.

Freddie Ramos
Jacqueline Jules

Freddie Ramos is Hispanic, although his Hispanic culture doesn't enter the story much. Still, he uses words like zapatos, lives in an apartment, and in general would fit right in with many Hispanic families who now reside in America. I reviewed the 4th in this series: Freddie Ramos Makes a Splash.

Lulu and the Duck in the Park
Hilary McKay

I wish we had more books like this!! Lulu is a black girl; this series is British. Therefore, there is no real mention of her skin color in the books. The Brits don't seem to have the same issues we do in America with this particular racial tension (black/white). The book is well written (there are more in the series--please, American publishers, bring the rest!), and school age girls will fall in love with Lulu regardless of their own ethnic background.

The No-Dogs-Allowed-Rule
Kashmira Seth


An Indian-American young boy lands on the early chapter book scene. Funny and quirky like so many early chapter book protagonists, this young guy does refer to his family's Indian heritage--particularly in the food scene. A fun introduction to the bi-cultural issues many families in our country face. **Review coming**

The Year of the Dog
Grace Lin

This is a slightly more advanced chapter book than the others on this list; you might save it for the end if you choose to read through these. The protagonist of this book is a young Taiwanese-American girl, and much of the book centers around her developing awareness of both cultures. Like others on this list, this is just the first of a series.

Snake and Lizard
Joy Crowley

Not a book about people, Snake and Lizard is highly entertaining and this duo hails from Australia. A fun introduction to this continent's wildlife, the circle of life is in full force here. Good news for Snake and Lizard fans: there are two in this series...so far.

The White Elephant
Sid Fleischman

Run-Run is a poor young boy in Siam who owns an elephant. He is given the dubious gift of a white elephant from the prince...and you're not allowed to work a white elephant like his other (gray/brown) elephant. Run-run must figure out how to feed this new white elephant in this historical fiction narrative set in Southeast Asia.




What multicultural early chapter books are we missing? 

7 Books, 7 Girls, 7 Histories

It's time for school again! I don't know about you, but I learned next to nothing of 20th century American history in school. We barely made it to the World Wars, cruised through those, nodded at the Great Depression, and mentioned the horrors of the Holocaust. And there it ended.

Thankfully, contemporary children's and young adult authors are writing some solid historical fiction that takes place during various 20th century eras. The seven books below all offer terrific windows into their respective time periods, are perfect for the 10-12 year old crowd (and the mature 9-year-old), and all have been published since the year 2000 (and all are available in my local library). They are not "light" reads--mostly due to length; reluctant readers may need some coaxing. But all are worth reading--particularly if you need a bit more understanding of one of the time periods in question. Keep these in mind this school year.

Each book below follows the standard middle grades plot/theme:

• 10-12 year old protagonist (girls, in this case) learns to accept herself, 
• learns to love her family even when they embarrass her, 
• learns how to be a true friend, 
• begins to wrestle with prejudice/seeing world from other perspectives, 
• learns that her parents are real people, 
• and emerges at the end of the book a stronger girl than at the beginning. 

All also are humanistic: during times of great struggle/stress/crisis, the human spirit rises to the occasion, the people band together, and all is okay. Worth noting, especially for those of you wishing to impart a more theologically centered view of history; still, these are excellent portrayals of their various eras and worth reading (and discussing--see below!).


Arranged in order of time period covered.

Betsy's Summer Nonfiction Reads (Weekly Round-up)

Not much reading on the homefront these days. I've been cooking more, working on some heavy duty (and hitherto neglected) cleaning chores, spending some lovely extended evenings with friends, and enjoying play time with the kids. I've also read several interesting nonfiction books this summer--these are slower reads than the middle grades fiction I can whip through, so my "tally" in terms of numbers isn't as high. But since I'm not doing homework this summer (yea!), I've had more brain power to devote to books like these. Here is a snapshot of what I've been reading (in no particular order):

Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne


A GREAT book all the way around as far as encouraging you to reign in commitments, toys, and other cluttering items in your life. While this book is from a secular perspective, I thought it dovetailed nicely with many Christian books I've read on parenting as well. Definitely worth a read--it's nice to have an "expert" be reassuring us we don't have to keep up with the Joneses and have our 4-year-olds competing in soccer, training for a ballet career, or going to extra academic classes to get ahead. It's a good reminder, too, to analyze our house's collection of play equipment, to reevaluate our routines (from food to sleep to general schedule), and to enjoy a little more time with one another.

10 Things Parents Must Teach Their Children by Edith Schaeffer

I've recently reviewed this gem, so I'll do more than to say it's worth reading--whether or not you're a parent!

Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow

This book has been recommended to me several times over the years when various friends of mine have read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. I finally picked it up--and am glad I did! Dillow, very biblically, explores many issues surrounding contentment, or the lack thereof. Very convicting, even if you think you don't really struggle with contentment (she covers lots of ground here).

Before the Throne of God by Carol J. Ruvolo

I've been reading this for my women's Bible study at church, and it's pretty good. I have mild quibbles with the writing style here and there (I did, also, with Dillow's book). Overall, though, it's very Biblical, and challenges us to pray using Scripture as our base.

Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense by Ellyn Satter


Explores how parents should (but often do not) feed their children, how to encourage children to eat more variety--particularly vegetables, and things like that. Her big push is the division of labor: parents choose when, what, and how to serve food-wise; children choose how much to eat. Much of this book is devoted to infant and toddler feeding needs/strategies/recommendations. I skipped those chapters. Worth reading for those interested in these sorts of things, but I don't 100% agree with everything (isn't that always the case?! ☺).

French Kids Eat Everything by Karen Le Billon



Wow! One of my favorite reads this summer (so far ☺). A Canadian woman married to a Frenchman; they decide to spend a year in Brittany near his family and their children are preschool and kindergarten ages. What follows is an unintended expose of some of the poorer North American habits and attitudes towards food (particularly where children are concerned) and a fascinating comparison to the French attitude. Not rocket science, but very interesting and inspiring--in part because it reminded me of the general attitude toward food in Europe and so much of the rest of the world. Let's not focus so much on health, per se, but on enjoying and savoring our food rather than gobbling down "our money's worth" at an all-you-can-eat-buffet, on anticipating the next meal instead of grabbing a mediocre snack to tide us over, and on the social component of eating together.

An Economist Gets Lunch: New Rules for Everyday Foodies by Tyler Cowen


Another interesting, albeit slower, read. If you, like me, enjoy reading and discussing food-related issues (everything from finding a good ethnic restaurant to musing over the seeming tension between locavores and big agribusiness to celebrating BBQ to wondering why the American food scene is the way it is...), then you will no doubt find this book interesting. As a former English teacher, I think this book might be easier to listen to; he may write well for an economist but the paucity of punctuation at times and the general writing style sometimes gets on my nerves ☺.

Weekly Roundup: Ballet Books!

If you have a young girl in the house (or have a young niece or granddaughter), chances are good that she will have ballet aspirations at some point. There is something magical about the graceful soaring and big, poofy tutus so prominent in classical ballet. A plethora of "ballet" books are lurking in your local library; some are merely about young girls hoping to be ballerinas and wearing pink tutus. Others actually showcase the ballets themselves. Below are some books in the latter category; while all aren't what I'd term "great literature," they're all fun diversions and are sure to entertain the aspiring ballerinas in your life. My daughter embarks on her third annual ballet camp this coming week (Snow White this time), so these books have been in hot circulation at our house in recent weeks.

Weekly Round-up: the 1960s for Middle Grades

Times were a'changin' in the 1960s, no doubt about it. And a slew of recent noteworthy historical fiction novels have covered various aspects of this tumultuous time in our country's history; all of the titles below are geared more or less to the middle grades age bracket (5th-8th). I've found all of them in my local library; hopefully you will, too! (It's worth reminding folks of books like The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963 that are also good fits for this age group but were published pre-2000.)

Things to Note/Discuss: (these work for most of the books below)

• as middle grade novels, all novels address a mild coming-of-age in the sense that the main character is learning to stand on his or her own two feet and beginning to see him/herself as separate from parental figures. Parents are still around, but the protagonist is beginning to see them a little more accurately--not merely as "mom" or "dad."
• All novels below celebrate the triumph of the human spirit and the role humans play in changing history. This is valid to a degree, but it's also important to recognize with your children that the Lord ultimately directs history. 
• Unless noted below, these novels are middle grades (5th-8th) in terms of maturity of content, length of book/reading level, and issues faced. You might not want to hand some of these to your precocious 3rd grader.
• Most of these books explore the "biggies" of the 1960's (Communism scares, Cuban Missile Crisis, Civil Rights, Vietnam War)--much to discuss along those lines! In particular, many of these novels examine friendship across party/racial lines, the impact of prejudice on a community, fear (of violence, war, retaliation, etc.), and the question of "who do you trust" (including the gov't). Definitely worth discussing!

The Lions of Little Rock
Kristen Levine
2012

The year after the famous Little Rock Nine. Technically set in 1958, this book has enough relevance to the 1960s that I'm including it here. This is a solid historical fiction offering for the 6th-8th grade crowd, but it's a touch long. Girl protagonist. My friend Brandy wrote an excellent review, so I won't offer more details here.

Dead End in Norvelt
Jack Gantos
2011--Newbery Winner 2012

Small town, "ordinary life," with fear of Commies leaking through.This book won the coveted Newbery, but it's not my favorite of this lineup. Still, it's funny, features a boy protagonist, and isn't too caught up in "fiction for the sake of teaching great historical moments." I've reviewed it more in depth earlier this year. Due to length, primarily, this is probably for the 6th-8th grade audience.


 

Countdown
Deborah Wiles
2010

Cuban Missile Crisis. The format of this book sets it apart--scrapbook style featuring newspaper clippings, headlines, ads, etc. from the time period interspersed with chapters of the actual narrative. Girl protagonist who's a bit more "girly" than some of the others on this list. Appropriate for any of the middle grades; scrapbook style may make this an appealing read for reluctant readers.


 
Glory Be
Augusta Scattergood
2012

1960s small town Mississippi--the summer of the Freedom Riders. Girl protagonist who befriends a Yankee girl; the town pool has been closed because some white folks in the town want to keep it segregated.... The usual Civil Rights issues and tensions, but in a nice, readable story for the younger end of the middle grades spectrum (say, 4th-6th). 3rd graders might enjoy this, too.

One Crazy Summer
Rita Williams Garcia
2010; Newbery Honor, National Book Award Finalist, Scott O'Dell Award (for historical fiction), Coretta Scott King Award, etc.

1960s California and the Black Panthers. I'll admit it: I did NOT like this book. Still, it's won a slew of awards, is nice and short (which is getting hard to find), and is a solid historical fiction offering for the 4th-6th crowd. Girl protagonist.

Okay for Now
Gary Schmidt
2011; National Book Award Finalist

1960s "ordinary life" but the Vietnam War is definitely a part of Doug's experience as he navigates 8th grade in a new town. Companion novel to The Wednesday Wars, it has a slightly "older" feel--perhaps 7th-9th grade. Let me tell you, Schmidt can write. Wow. This book packs a punch and will be worth discussing. It's not always a "fun" read, but it's a GREAT one.



 The Wednesday Wars
Gary Schmidt
2006; 2007 Newbery Honor

One of my faves, this book precedes Okay for Now, and features Holling (and OK4N's Doug as a supporting character) in the 7th grade; 1967-8 and the Vietnam War is overshadowing their normal middle school adventures. A nice Shakespearean touch in this one and FANTASTIC characters. 

Inside Out and Back Again
Thanhha Lai
2011; 2012 Newbery Honor, National Book Award Winner

One of my all-time favorite middle grade novels, this is a novel in verse about a young girl who emigrates from Vietnam to the U.S. (Alabama, actually). Very readable, despite the "verse" element, it's also great for the younger half of the middle grades audience (4th-6th).



Book covers from goodreads

Weekly Round-Up: Fairy/Folk Tale Picture Books

Don't forget about our give away ending Thursday night!

There are seemingly infinite numbers of fairy and folk tales retold in picture book form. Rather than list all of the great ones, we'd like to highlight a few authors/illustrators that stand out to us as well as tell you how to find these gems in your local library.

If you have preschoolers at home, no doubt you are well acquainted with the picture book section of your local library (if not, you should be!). But there is another treasure trove of picture books lurking in the 398.2 section of the juvenile nonfiction/Dewey section: the "traditional literature" we usually call "fairy tales." Yes! And, it's filled with picture books that are often geared to school age children. Take some time on your next library visit to check out this section of books. You might look for something done by one of the following author/illustrators (many of these appear on our book lists!). (And, please read different versions to your children! It's a great way to showcase different illustrative styles and to demonstrate how different people tell the same story in different ways.)

Trina Schart Hyman (illustrator): books such as Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Saint George and the Dragon, and others. Hyman's style is distinctive, complex, and heavy (not quite the right word, but I can't think of another right now!). Her books will no doubt appeal to school age children--perhaps even more than preschoolers.

Paul O. Zelinsky (illustrator/sometimes author): many books such as Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel. Zelinsky paints lavish illustrations in many of his books, although he also does line drawings and other styles (particularly for early chapter books).

Paul Galdone (illustrator/reteller): many folk and fairy tales in this genius' arsenal, running the gamut from The Little Gingerbread Boy and The Three Billy Goats Gruff to The Monkey and the Crocodile. Thankfully, several of his books have been reprinted in recent years. Illustrations may seem a touch dated to your eyes, but they will delight your children! His retellings are wonderfully "traditional," too--no softening up.

Jerry Pinkney (illustrator/author): many, including his recent Caldecott The Lion and the Mouse and one of my favorite Little Red Riding Hood versions. I particularly like his use of color. Pinkney has also collaborated with Julius Lester on a couple of anthologies of Uncle Remus tales--they are very well done.

James Marshall (illustrator/author): several, including Hansel and Gretel, The Three Little Pigs, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Marshall (of George and Martha fame) offers us traditional retellings of these tales with hilarious, comic illustrations to accompany them. Very fun for school age children.

Cover images from goodreads