One of my favorite things as a reader is to find an aging book that has worn well. That is certainly the case for this 1956 Newbery winner. It tells the life story of historical figure Nathaniel Bowditch. Bowditch spent most of his life in the seaport of Salem, Massachusetts. He was only two years old […]
Wonder, by R. J. Palacio
I’ve seen this book everywhere in recent years, with scads of glowing reviews, yet I’ve purposefully avoided it. I can only handle so many of the “social issues” books that are so popular these days. Even the better ones are usually too touchy-feely for my tastes, sometimes at the expense of a solid story. I […]
The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia, by Candace Fleming
You all know I love history. Usually, I prefer it as historical fiction, but this factual narrative of the last ruling dynasty of Russia is utterly compelling. Written for a fifth- to sixth-grade reader, it often uses “quotes right in the middle of its sentences” to tell the story. I found it mildly annoying at […]
The Paperboy, by Vince Vawter
Along with capturing Newbery honors back in 2014, The Paperboy won a whole slew of awards. Check this out: A Newbery Honor Award Winner An ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book An IRA Children’s and Young Adults’ Choice An IRA Teachers’ Choice A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year A National Parenting Publications Award Honor […]
Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata
Before I dive into this review, I have a quick, fun note. A month ago I gushed about my favorite middle grade novel of 2016, The Girl Who Drank the Moon. A week and a half later the Newbery winner was announced. Guess what? I should have been on that panel! I finally broke my recent string […]
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill, 2016
I am completely infatuated with this book. It is outstanding in beauty and nearly biblical in its perceptions. It is a story of magic, of beginnings and endings infinite in their proportions; it is the story of love. The Day of Sacrifice waits for no one. A child, the youngest within the Protectorate, must be […]
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! by Laura Amy Schlitz
I’ve avoided this book for years. It was published in 2007 and won the Newbery in 2008, but it didn’t appeal to me. I like the history of the middle ages; it was one of my favorite courses in college. Still, I never picked this one up. Maybe it was the cover image. More likely, […]
The Upside of Down, by Dawn Malone
It’s so exciting to me when I find a new author I enjoy. It’s even better when that author delivers the same high caliber quality through a second project. And for me, it’s a cherry on top when that author happens to be self-published. That’s the case with author Dawn Malone and her second stand-alone […]
The Captain's Dog, by Roland Smith
This is the story of Lewis and Clark as told by Seaman, Captain Lewis’s Newfoundland dog who accompanied the Corps of Discovery on their epic journey to the Pacific Ocean in 1804-6. I’d seen this book before and was very intrigued. I love history. I’ve taught this subject several times for homeschool as each of […]
The Thief (The Queen’s Thief, 1), by Megan Whalen Turner
This particular book won Newbery Honors back in 1996, I believe, but I almost didn’t stick with it long enough to find out why. The story is, in essence, a quest. One that starts out slowly, with not much going on except characterization. Which is excellent. I just wasn’t sure where it all was going […]