LaCour, Nina. Watch Over Me. Fiction. Dutton, 09/2020. 240pp. $17.99. 978-0-593-10897-0. OUTSTANDING. GRADES 8-12. LaCour follows up Printz-winning We Are Okay (2017) with this exquisitely lovely magical realist novel. Mila has been in foster care [continue reading]
Books to Honor Women’s Suffrage
Children’s Books to Celebrate the Centennial of the 19th Amendment The 19th Amendment, which empowered women’s suffrage (although Black women were often denied the right to vote) celebrated its 100th anniversary last month. With the [continue reading]
National Book Award Finalists Announced
National Book Award Long List: The ten finalists for the 2020 National Book Award, Young People’s Literature category, were announced on Sept. 16. All ten authors are first-time nominees. The winners will be announced on [continue reading]
Hike Review
Oswald, Pete. Hike. Pete Oswald, Illus. Picture Book. Candlewick, 03/2020. [38]pp. $17.99. 978-1-5362-0157-4. OUTSTANDING. GRADES K-3. Hike is a beautiful wordless picture book that chronicles a day spent between a father and his child as [continue reading]
The Bad Guys Read-Alikes
“The Bad Guys” Series by Aaron Blabey Anderson, Laura Ellen. Evil Emperor Penguin. Baldwin, Christopher. Little Penguin and Dee. Bird, Pip. Dave the Unicorn: Welcome to Unicorn School. Clanton, Ben. “Narwhal and Jelly” series. Cronin, [continue reading]
Kwame Alexander Creates Digital Video Series
Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander has created a new video series on writing for children called WordPlay: www.slj.com/?detailStory=Kwame-Alexander-creates-WordPlay-digital-video-series-on-writing. The ten-episode series engages tweens to show them how cool writing can be.
Mañanaland Review
Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Mañanaland. Fiction. Scholastic, 03/2020. 256pp. $18.99. 978-1-338-15786-4. OUTSTANDING. GRADES 3-7. Living with his stonemason bridge-building Papá and Buelo, Latinx Maximiliano Córdoba’s only worries are whether he will be able to try out [continue reading]
OUTSTANDING! – August 2020
Each month we post an annotated bibliography of books that were rated ‘Outstanding’ at our previous month’s meeting and nominated for our year-end Distinguished List. Members can see full reviews of these books and many [continue reading]