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Robot Zombie Frankenstein
I have found the cutest, most fun book to share with boys (and girls!) in preschool through first and even second grade. The book’s title is Robot Zombie Frankenstein and it is written by Annette Simon. This book uses a child’s imagination and sense of play as two robots who…
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It’s Never Too Early to Think About the Newbery Award
In recent years, I’ve begun following the Newbery Award more closely. It’s extremely interesting because the Newbery Committee does not provide the public with a short list of books that they are looking at for receiving the award, but there are plenty of blogs circling the blogosphere that offer their own opinions…
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The False Prince
The False Prince written by Jennifer A. Neilsen is an exciting new book, the first in a trilogy ( The Ascendance Trilogy), that stars characters so well written, it feels like you know them in real-life. The book is described by Booklist as a action-oriented fantasy, but it’s less fantasy and…
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May B.
May B. by Caroline Starr Rose is a sparsely written story in verse that conjures pictures of the rolling prairies and the vast emptiness that they used to be. May B. is a 12-year old girl sent to a neighboring homestead 15 miles away “just until Christmas” as her Pa…
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The Lions of Little Rock
The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine is a story about two young girls growing up in the late 1950s during the time of the Little Rock Nine. Marlee, a white girl, meets Liz on the first day of school and they become friends almost right away. Liz is the…
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The One and Only Ivan
The One and OnlyIvan written by Katherine Applegate is a “first-gorilla” narrative about Ivan’s life as he lives and works at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. When he makes a promise to an old friend, it is up to Ivan to help a new baby elephant find…
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Wonder
Wonder written by R. J. Palacio is a beautifully written novel for middle school readers about being different – something almost everyone can relate to on some level. The main character is a 5th grade boy named August Pullman who was born with severe facial deformities that prevented him from going to school…
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Passion
I was lucky enough this past week to hear Anita Silvey speak at a library event. If you don’t know the name Anita Silvey, then you are missing out. Anita worked in the publishing world, was an editor for Horn Book Magazine, and teaches at Simmons College, and has devoted her life in the…
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Common Misunderstanding
As I’ve said in the past, I’m a children’s librarian and have been for 4 years (professionally) and have a worked in a library since I was 14, so I’ve actually worked in my career for over 10 years and I’m only 27. That’s not to say that I’m an…
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RIP Maurice Sendak
Most people know Maurice Sendak as the author and illustrator of Where the Wild Things Are, but he also In the Night Kitchen and Chicken Soup with Rice among many others. Sendak received the Caldecott medal in 1964 for his most famous book Where the Wild Things Are. He will be remembered…