MORE 'BEST-BOOKS-OF-2012' POSTS
Goblin Secrets By William Alexander Margaret K. McElderry Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) $16.99 ISBN: 978-1-442434523 Ages 9-12 On shelves now I think it is time to declare the birth of the clockwork children’s novel. If you have been watching the literary trends over the last decade or so, you will note that […]
Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters By K.G. Campbell Kids Can Press $16.95 ISBN: 978-1-55453-770-9 Ages 4-8 On shelves now When writing a picture book it can sometimes be a good idea to take a universal childhood annoyance and then build upon it in a satisfyingly ridiculous manner. And kids, let’s face it, are often annoyed. They have […]
All the Wrong Questions: “Who Could That Be at This Hour?” By Lemony Snicket Illustrated by Seth Little, Brown and Company $15.99 ISBN: 978-0-316-12308-2 Ages 9-12 On shelves October 24th Last year I was running a bookgroup for kids, ages 9-12, when the subject of children’s books adapted into films came up. We talked about […]
Creepy Carrots! By Aaron Reynolds Illustrated by Peter Brown Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers $16.99 ISBN: 978-1-4424-0297-3 Ages 4-8 On shelves now A children’s librarian is half media specialist, half psychic. It isn’t enough to have to know the books in your collection. You have to know what that pint-sized patron standing before […]
A Boy and a Bear in a Boat By Dave Shelton $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-385-75248-0 Ages 9 and up On shelves now First off, I like it. I think it’s important to make that note right upfront. Particularly since I’m probably going to break out terms like “bizarre”, “peculiar”, “odd”, “weird”, and “eerily strange” (or “strangely […]
Jonathan & Martha By Petr Horacek Phaidon Press Inc. $14.95 ISBN: 978-0-7148-6351-1 Ages 3-7 On shelves now Ever tried to write a picture book before? Blooming bloody hard work they are. Synthesizing a point down to as few words as possible without sacrificing story or character is akin to trying to cram a muffin into […]
Little White Duck: A Childhood in China By Na Liu Illustrated by Andres Vera Martinez ISBN: 9780761365877 Graphic Universe (an imprint of Lerner) $29.27 Ages 9-12 On shelves now. It’s funny to think about, but the fact of the matter is that we’re still in the early days of the graphic novel memoir for children. […]
Liar & Spy By Rebecca Stead $15.99 ISBN: 978-0-385-73743-2 Ages 9-12 On shelves now. Rebecca Stead is the M. Night Shyamalan of children’s literature, and I mean that in a good Sixth Sense way, not a lame The Happening one. It’s funny, but when I try to compare her other authors I find myself tongue-tied. […]
Robin Hood By David Calcutt Illustrated by Grahame Baker-Smith Barefoot Books $12.99 ISBN 978-1-84686-799-6 Ages 6 and up On shelves October 1st Robin Hood has, for years now, been the bane of my existence. And yes, I’m well aware that this statement makes me sound like nothing so much as the Sheriff of Nottingham. That […]
The Swing By Robert Louis Stevenson Illustrated By Julie Morstad Simply Read Books $8.95 ISBN: 978-1897476482 Ages 0-3 On shelves October 20th There comes a moment in a new parent’s life when they realize that they have become their own parents. It’s different for everyone. For some folks it won’t happen until they’re berating their […]