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MORE 'MIDDLE-GRADE-REALISTIC-FICTION' POSTS

    Review of the Day: The Center of Everything by Linda Urban

    Betsy Bird, July 26, 2013 | Best Books, Best Books of 2013, Reviews, Reviews 2013

    The Center of Everything By Linda Urban Harcourt Children’s Books (an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-547-76348-4 Ages 9-12 On shelves now. There are only two things I require from life: Donuts and good books. Obviously that statement is false, but it sure sounds good. I like donuts. I like good books. And […]

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    Review of the Day: The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes

    Betsy Bird, July 13, 2013 | Best Books, Best Books of 2013, Reviews, Reviews 2013

    The Year of Billy Miller By Kevin Henkes Greenwillow (an imprint of Harper Collins) $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-06-226812-9 Ages 6-10 On shelves September 17th I don’t readily compare books to Ramona (now THERE’S a sentence opener, ladies and gentlemen). To compare any children’s book to Beverly Cleary’s classic series just leaves one wide open to ridicule. […]

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    Review of the Day: A Song for Bijou by Josh Farrar

    Betsy Bird, July 2, 2013 | Reviews, Reviews 2013

    A Song for Bijou By Josh Farrar Walker Books for Young Readers (an imprint of Bloomsbury) $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-8027-3394-8 Ages 9-12 On shelves now Now let us discuss the middle school book. It is, arguably, the most forgotten book of its kind on a library and/or bookstore shelf. The book written for your average everyday […]

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    Review of the Day: Pickle by Kim Baker

    Betsy Bird, December 31, 2012 | Reviews, Reviews 2012

    Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School By Kim Baker Illustrated by Tim Probert Roaring Brook Press (a division of Macmillan) $15.99 ISBN: 978-1-59643-765-4 Ages 9-12 On shelves now When I was in college I took a course in journalism to fulfill an English credit. I had no real desire to […]

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    Review of the Day: Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

    Betsy Bird, August 30, 2012 | Best Books of 2012, Reviews

    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. […]

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    Review of the Day: Freaky Fast Frankie Joe by Lutricia Clifton

    Betsy Bird, August 7, 2012 | Reviews

    Freaky Fast Frankie Joe By Lutricia Clifton Holiday House $16.95 ISBN: 978-0-8234-2367-5 Ages 9-12 On shelves now Realistic fiction for kids has more baggage than other fictional genres for that age group. Fantasies and comedies and science fiction get to rely on the extraordinary to weave their tales. Historical fiction, meanwhile, has the nice veil […]

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    Review of the Day: Twelve Kinds of Ice by Ellen Bryan Obed

    Betsy Bird, July 25, 2012 | Best Books of 2012, Reviews

    Twelve Kinds of Ice By Ellen Bryan Obed Illustrated by Barbara McClintock Houghton Mifflin Harcourt $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-618-89129-0 Ages 6-10 On shelves November 6th Every year the children’s librarians of the New York Public Library system come together and create a list of 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing. The list, now entering its 101st […]

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    Review of the Day: Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker

    Betsy Bird, July 11, 2012 | Best Books of 2012, Reviews

    Summer of the Gypsy Moths By Sara Pennypacker Balzer & Bray (an imprint of Harper Collins) $15.99 ISBN: 978-0-06-196420-6 Ages 9-12 On shelves now Spoiler Alert – I am giving away every little detail about this book in this review. You have been warned. As a librarian I’m always on the lookout for good middle […]

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    Review of the Day: Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

    Betsy Bird, May 3, 2012 | Best Books of 2012, Reviews

    Three Times Lucky By Sheila Turnage Dial (an imprint of Penguin) $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-8037-3670-2 Ages 9-12 On shelves May 10th The Southern Girl Novel. It’s pretty much a genre in and of itself in the children’s literary world. Some years produce more of them than others but they all tend to follow the same format. […]

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    Review of the Day: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

    Betsy Bird, February 21, 2012 | Best Books of 2012, Reviews

    Wonder By R.J. Palacio Alfred A. Knopf $15.99 ISBN: 978-0-375-86902-0 Ages 9-12 On shelves now They say if you want to win an Oscar you need to play somebody with an extreme personal difficulty (terminal illness, disease, etc.). They do not, for the record, say that about award winning children’s books. There isn’t this general […]

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