Book Room

WAKE UP, ISLAND Listen, taste, wander!

WAKE UP, ISLAND (University of Minnesota Press) What a beautiful, engaging combination – Mary Casanova’s lyrical but stirring, “wake-up” language and Nick Wroblewski’s handmade woodcut block prints as illustrations. I can imagine having a little one snuggling close as I read about the slow, sensuous waking up of the many creatures in a Minnesota north woods… Read more »

THE SEAGOING COWBOY, Repairing a Broken World

  World War II had just ended. Families in Europe were starving. Many were homeless. Farmers had lost their livestock, their fields, even the seeds needed to be replanted. THE SEAGOING COWBOY describes in simple, effective words and illustrations the relief program, Heifer International, that sent over 200,000 horses, mules, and heifers to families devastated… Read more »

Librarian’s Corner Guest Post: Megan Fink’s Summer Reading Picks

It’s a pleasure to welcome Megan Fink back to ReaderKidZ with more terrific reading picks. Younger Readers The Princess and the Giant by Caryl Hart and Sarah Warburton (978-0763680077) A charming fairy tale retold for today’s young girls a la Jack and the Beanstalk but with a new twist on friendship saving the day. Sophie is… Read more »

A Mix of Concrete Poems

WET CEMENT: A Mix of Concrete Poems by Bob Raczka Bob Raczka seems the kind of poet and artist who loves taking the phrase “playing with words” and turning it on its head. In his newest, WET CEMENT, he writes: I like to think of poems as word paintings. A poet uses words like colors… Read more »

National Poetry Month

  We’re already well into National Poetry Month, a world-wide celebration of all things poetry! Established by the Academy of American Poets in April of 1996, this annual celebration sets aside a small part of each year to remind us all –  students, teachers, librarians, booksellers, readers, and writers from all around the globe – of… Read more »

Want to be a monster illustrator? Then read this! I Want a Monster

  I was very lucky to meet the author and illustrator of I WANT A MONSTER, Elise Gravel.  Elise is very funny and loves all the monsters in her baby monster book. She is the perfect person to adopt many monster babies.  I think you will enjoy reading her answers to my questions: Nancy Bo… Read more »

I WANT A MONSTER

I WANT A MONSTER is a hilarious picture book written and illustrated by  Elise Gravel Wonderfully quirky, hilarious, unusual, imaginative, exactly what a four-year old loves – but watch out, once you read this book, that four-year old will say, “Again!” Maybe not every parent wants a baby monster, but every child will enjoy reading… Read more »