Ruby Redfort: Look into My Eyes (2012) by Lauren Child Full disclosure: I have a sizable spot in my heart and on my bookshelf for smart girls who can hold their own against everything from evil villains to disbelieving grown-ups. And while Ruby Redfort is definitely one of those plucky young heroines, Look into My [...]
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams; illustrated by William Nicholson I had (and still have) a sock monkey my mother made while she was pregnant with me. His name is Monk, and his tail is about 3 inches shorter than it was originally, from repeatedly falling off and being sewn back on (In case you [...]
The Wikkeling by Steve Arntson; illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini The cover of The Wikkeling is an attention grabber: the brick red, faux cloth binding is imprinted with the silhouettes of three children being menaced by what looks like a tall, skinny man with stretched out fingers, while the book’s title dribbles down the front [...]
The Enormous Egg by Oliver Butterworth; illustrated by Louis Darling People like award winners. Whether it’s a gold medal bottle of wine, an Oscar-winning movie, or a book with a Newbery sticker on the front, these symbols make it easy for us to take a gamble, try something new, and potentially discover some of our [...]
Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah and James Howe Working in the children’s room at the library, I’ve heard a lot of parents moan, “Not another fairy book!” or “Why don’t you try something new? You’ve read every Diary of a Wimpy Kid book a million times!” I always try and reassure parents that [...]
The Glow-In-The-Dark Night Sky Book by Clint Hatchett; illustrated by Stephen Marchesi Is it possible to be out on a clear night and not look up at the stars? Anytime I’m outdoors and lucky enough to be in a place where the stars are visible, it seems inevitable that either me or someone with me [...]
You Can’t Win by Jack Black No, this memoir is not about Tenacious D, Nacho Libre, or Kung Fu Panda. The Jack Black writing this story was born in 1871 and this autobiography is about his time thieving, train hopping, cat burglar-ing, and escaping prisons up and down the West Coast. Originally published in 1926, [...]
Dragonwings by Laurence Yep I did not want to read this book when it was assigned by my 4th grade teacher. Historical fiction? No thanks! Not only that, but this is the touching story of a boy leaving behind his family and moving to America. Eww. I was sure I only liked fantasy adventure books [...]
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