The Midnight War of Mateo Martinez by Robin Yardi (Carolrhoda Books, 2016) is the story of Mateo, a boy who thinks of himself as a knight with magical powers, his new best friend, Ashwin, and a couple of … shall we say… interesting skunks. Mateo swears that the skunks not only stole his beloved, old trike, but… Read more »
New & Noteworthy
Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies by Carmen Oliver, Illustrated by Jean Claude
Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies (Capstone, 2016) is propelled by the power of persuasion. In it, Adelaide wants to convince her teacher, Mrs. Fitz-Pea, to allow her reading buddy to participate in their classroom reading project. The problem is that Adelaide’s reading buddy is a bear. Not a tiny teddy bear, mine you. A… Read more »
Inside the minds of five-year-olds.
I love BEAR AND BUNNY (Candlewick Press), written by Daniel Pinkwater and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand for so many reasons. The biggest is the fact that if I didn’t know better, I’d swear the author was five-years-old. I’ve been listening to Pinkwater on NPR for many years, however, and have also read his books, so… Read more »
One Day, The End
One Day, The End (Short, Very Short, Shorter-than-Ever Stories) by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illustrated by Fred Koehler (Boyds Mills Press, 2015) “For every STORY, there is a BEGINNING and an END, but what happens IN BETWEEN makes ALL the DIFFERENCE.” DIANNE: Let’s talk about your newest book, ONE DAY, THE END. What a marvel!… Read more »
Be A Friend. Love a Friend.
Any time of year is the right time to be a friend and love the people in our lives. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, why not seek out these new picture books to share with the kids in your lives? Be A Friend by Salina Yoon “DENNIS was an ordinary boy… who expressed himself in… Read more »
What Does It Mean to Be An Entrepreneur?
What Does It Mean to be an Entrepreneur? (Little Pickle Press, 2016) explores the initiative, tenacity, and persistence needed to successfully transform an inspiration into a functioning reality. Entrepreneurs approach problem-solving opportunities by asking the questions “What if?” and “What for?” From there, they tirelessly investigate options in search of creative ways to develop… Read more »
World Read-Aloud Day
LitWorld is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to empower young people to author lives of independence, hope, and joy. One of the ways they carry out their mission is through their sponsorship of World Read-Aloud Day. From their website: We cultivate a love of reading and writing because having the chance to experience that… Read more »
