Tag Archives: youth fiction

Blended by Sharon Draper

Posted on August 30, 2019 by

Blended by Sharon Draper. Simon and Schuster Kids, 2018. 978-1442495005 11-year-old Isabella’s parents divorced when she was 6.  It’s always been hard, but since her dad moved back to Ohio and she’s splitting her time between two houses, it’s even … Continue reading →

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Starring Kids with Hearing Loss: You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! and The Collectors

Posted on July 17, 2019 by

My daughter wears hearing aids, which has shone a light for me on how difficult it is to find mainstream books whose main characters are Deaf or hard of hearing.  There’s El Deafo, which is great, but not a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print, Realistic, Reviews | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

2019 Newberys: Merci Suárez Changes Gears and The Night Diary

Posted on July 15, 2019 by

Here are reviews of this year’s Newbery and Newbery honor books.  I had read just one of these when it first came out, The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.  And shout-out to my blogging friend Sondy at Sonderbooks, … Continue reading →

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A Week of Reading

Posted on June 29, 2019 by

Today I looked at the pages of review notes I have and decided to just give you shorter reviews of the books I read this week.  It’s a big mix of styles – two realistic fiction (one teen and one … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult, Audiobook, Books, Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, nonfiction, Print, Realistic, Reviews, Sci-Fi, Teen/Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Everything I Know about You and Halfway Normal by Barbara Dee

Posted on June 26, 2019 by

Here are some more books I read for my KidLitCon panel on taboo topics in middle grade this year.  I’d previously read and very much enjoyed her Star Crossed, but she has written a lot of books, all with very … Continue reading →

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Where the Heart Is and Still a Work in Progress by Jo Knowles

Posted on March 25, 2019 by

Kidlitcon happened!  Providence was beautiful!  I plan to pull together my notes from that soon, but for now, a couple of books by the wonderful Jo Knowles, who was on my panel called “You Can’t Say That in Middle Grade”, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Middle Grade, Print, Realistic | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Benefits of Being an Octopus

Posted on March 21, 2019 by

Here’s another author from my Kidlitcon panel, which I’m posting from the airport on my way to Providence! The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden. Sky Pony Press, 2018. Seventh grader Zoey mostly keeps her head down on … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Middle Grade, Print, Realistic | Tagged | 1 Comment

So Done by Paula Chase.

Posted on March 18, 2019 by

Kidlitcon is coming up!  I’ll be moderating a panel called “You Can’t Say That in Middle Grade!” with four wonderful authors who are willing to tackle issues that have in the past been reserved for teen audiences, if they’re discussed … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Middle Grade, Print, Realistic | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

The Penderwicks at Last

Posted on September 26, 2018 by

Now is the time of year when I look at the seven pages of notes on books waiting to be reviewed, and think ahead to next week (*gulp*) when approximately 150 more will be added to my TBR.  How much … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Middle Grade, Print, Realistic, Reviews | Tagged | 1 Comment

3 Great Middle Grade Realistic Picks

Posted on June 8, 2018 by

If you’re looking for some contemporary realistic fiction, here are three solid titles for a range of tastes from full-on adventure to more introspective. To Catch a Cheat by Varian Johnson. Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2016. The officially-ended Greene Gang … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Middle Grade, Print, Realistic | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments