
The Yarn
June 22, 2023 by Betsy Bird
Honestly, the book starts with someone vomiting frogs and only picks up from there. I don’t know what more you could want.
December 22, 2022 by Betsy Bird
These books, to my mind, represent the best that fantasy for kids in 2022 had to offer. Yes, there are magical creatures and world building, but some of the titles you'll find here are downright subtle. Take a gander. You'll see what I mean.
June 16, 2022 by Betsy Bird
In Zia Erases the World author Bree Barton takes on that challenge. Her concept is small, even silly, when you hear it. But the implications? You may find yourself grasping for words to describe them.
May 20, 2022 by Betsy Bird
The Last Mapmaker offers readers proof positive that you can write succinctly, sacrificing nothing, while showing your readers absolutely everything.
March 21, 2022 by Betsy Bird
The Lock-Eater is a marvelous example of how you may render old ideas new, if only you’ve the ability to combine smart, timely writing with the current zeitgeist. Our kids are lucky they get to tap into books like this. Let’s hope for more of the same.
December 21, 2021 by Betsy Bird
If you have a kid that loves fantasy, some of these books might fit the bill!
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October 1, 2021 by Betsy Bird
It is truly rare to find a book like Much Ado About Baseball where math not only propels the plot forward, but also contains perfectly normal, sportsy characters for whom loving math is just one aspect of their personality. Add in baseball, Shakespeare, magic AND snacks and you’ve got yourself a unicorn of a book.
March 31, 2021 by Betsy Bird
A smartly plotted dip into the Gullah-Geechee culture of early 60s rural South Carolina, this book weaves family, history, and spooky stuff together like a braid.
December 30, 2020 by Betsy Bird
The penultimate list. Maybe, with lists like this one, we can all try to end 2020 on a slightly less terrible note.
December 22, 2020 by Betsy Bird
Here are the books I read in 2020 that I thought were just stand up and cheer great. Please bear in mind, though, that I missed a LOT of middle grade books this year. This is just a sampling of what was on offer . . .
The Classroom Bookshelf
by Denise Davila
Heavy Medal
by Emily Mroczek-Bayci
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