100 Scope Notes
November 12, 2024 by Betsy Bird
You want a plot that’s tight? World-building that manages to be both comprehensible and succinct? And heart too, right? You want to actually feel something as a result of the hero’s journey? Welp, here you go.
September 20, 2024 by Betsy Bird
Is Katherine Rundell our fantasy book savior or did she just write a perfectly decent and fun book? I review the title that has the critics ablaze in praise.
June 6, 2024 by Betsy Bird
This isn’t just A werewolf book for kids. It is THE werewolf book for kids.
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.
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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!
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.
Politics in Practice
by John Chrastka
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