To kick off our month of celebrating humor, ReaderKidZ is thrilled to welcome Miriam Glassman and her hilarious new middle grade novel Call Me Oklahoma! (Holiday House, 2013) I feel lucky to have grown up in a family that loves to laugh. Some of my family members are great at telling jokes and funny stories;… Read more »
New & Noteworthy
My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood by Tameka Fryer Brown
My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood is an expressive tale about the diverse range of colorful emotions generated by everyday sibling rivalry. In the story, Jamie, a naturally creative boy, finds cool green pleasure in creative expression and dark-toned frustrations when his older siblings relentlessly tease him. He works hard to keep his frustrations under control until,… Read more »
Starry River of the Sky
STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY by Grace Lin Rendi has stowed away in a merchant’s cart and left home. As soon as he’s discovered, he’s made to work in service to Master Chao, the owner of a humble inn located in the Village of Clear Sky. Rendi sneers at the shabby inn and the broken down homes… Read more »
Mean Words and a Garden of Forgiveness
THE FORGIVENESS GARDEN by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Christy Hale Recently, I read that Desmond Tutu, when asked who should serve on the Truth and Reconciliation Committee of South Africa, said it should be those who were victims, those whose lives had been torn apart. But key to their selection, those chosen must be ones who… Read more »
Dreaming Up
DREAMING UP: A Celebration of Building by Christy Hale (Lee and Low, 2012) Buildings from around the world, designed by men and women of diverse backgrounds, find their way into Hale’s newest book, DREAMING UP – a collection of concrete poems, recognizable structures from around the world, and the interesting constructions that spring from children’s… Read more »
Jimmy the Greatest
Jimmy the Greatest, picture book by Jairo Buitrago, author; Rafael Yockteng, illustrator. (Groundwood Books, 2012) The simplicity of this charming book is deceptive. The story sneaks up on you. Jimmy is a young boy who lives in a Spartan village on a Caribbean island. What’s a boy with big ideas to do, other than fish… Read more »
Celebrating the Seasons’ Treasures
NUTCRACKER translated by Ralph Manheim, with pictures by Maurice Sendak (Crown Publishers, 2012) Written by E.T.A Hoffman in 1816, the NUTCRACKER has charmed audiences and artists of all ages for nearly two centuries. This gorgeous reissue of Sendak’s illustrated edition of Hoffman’s tale will delight readers anew with its fresh approach and intentional return to the… Read more »
