2018 Best Middle-Grade Fiction!

| Tasha

It’s been an exceptional year for middle-grade fiction, filled with diverse characters written by diverse authors. Here are my top picks for the year:

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (9780399544682)

A very readable book that invites readers into rural Pakistan and the dangers of corruption and debt. – My Review

The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin (9780763698225)

A timely look at political intrigue and getting beyond what holds us apart with plenty of humor to make it a delight. – My Review

Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel Jose Older

Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr (9781536200171)

Richly told, this book is a delightful wintry read that feels like a long-lost classic. – My Review

Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel Jose Older (9781338268812)

A rip-roaring read that will have children longing for a dactyl to ride. – My Review

Front Desk by Kelly Yang The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson

Front Desk by Kelly Yang (9781338157802)

Based on her own childhood growing up as a family managing motels, Yang tells a vibrant story of hope in the face of crushing poverty. – My Review

The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson (9781338209969)

A dynamic retelling of the Baby Yaga folktale, this book offers a big world of magic and ghosts to explore. – My Review

Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake (9780316515467)

Blake has created a middle-grade book that is warm and beautifully supportive. – My Review

The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood Hargrave (9780553535327)

A complex book that takes a deep look at grief, loss, courage and family. – My Review

It Wasn't Me by Dana Alison Levy.jpg The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis

It Wasn’t Me by Dana Alison Levy (9781524766450)

Strongly written and compellingly paced, this novel is a fascinating look at how justice can be done in a school setting without the use of detentions or suspensions. – My Review

The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis (9780545156660)

The Newbery Award winning Curtis writes with such skill that it is impossible not to fall deeply into his stories and become immersed in the world he builds. – My Review

Just Like Jackie by Lindsey Stoddard The Language of Spells by Garret Weyr

Just Like Jackie by Lindsey Stoddard (9780062652911)

A brilliant debut novel with changing families, lots of maple syrup but one that isn’t too sweet either. – My Review

The Language of Spells by Garret Weyr (9781452159584)

Beautiful, haunting and tragic, this is a special fantasy for young readers. – My Review

Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo (9780763694630)

DiCamillo tells Louisiana’s story with a deft humor and a deep empathy. – My Review

Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina (9780763690496)

A winning middle-grade novel that is part of #ownvoices, this is a must-read. – My Review

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty (9781524767587)

A stellar read, this middle school book is a book that is hard to sum up, but one you can count on. – My Review

No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen (9780735262751)

A nuanced and skilled look at homelessness with great characters to discover along the journey. – My Review

Peasprout Chen, Future Legend of Skate and Sword by Henry Lien The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller

Peasprout Chen, Future Legend of Skate and Sword by Henry Lien (9781250165695)

I cannot stress enough how utterly captivating this children’s book is. – My Review

The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller (9781524715663)

Smartly written and filled with glowing characters living complicated lives, this middle grade novel is unbreakable. – My Review

The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon (9781524715953)

Magoon has created a story that reads smooth and sweet, a tale filled with adventures and riotous action. – My Review

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden (9780525515029)

Written with rich prose that is a delight to read, this eerie tale will be enjoyed by any young reader looking for some spine tingles. – My Review

The Stone Girl's Story by Sarah Beth Durst Sweep by Jonathan Auxier

The Stone Girl’s Story by Sarah Beth Durst (9781328729453)

Durst has created a compelling stand-alone fantasy book for middle graders. The world building is warm and lovely, unrolling like a carpet before the reader. – My Review

Sweep by Jonathan Auxier (9780735264359)

I loved the London that Auxier has created for us with all of its Victorian charms. He peels away the charming veneer though and shows us the brutality of child labor, the dangers and the cruelty of chimney sweeping in particular. – My Review

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair by Amy Makechnie

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor (9780062491497)

Connor writes books that soar and are completely heartfelt, this book is another of those. – My Review

The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair by Amy Makechnie (9781534414464)

A great read, a grand mystery, and a strong protagonist. – My Review

2018 Best Poetry Books!

| Tasha

I didn’t manage to read a lot of poetry in 2018, unfortunately. The ones on my list of the Best of 2018 though are worth treasuring:

Can I Touch Your Hair by Irene Latham and Charles Waters For Every One by Jason Reynolds

Can I Touch Your Hair?: Poems of Race, Mistakes and Friendship by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko (9781512404425)

In this book, there is a feeling of safety to explore difficult subjects that the poetry itself creates. – My Review

For Every One by Jason Reynolds (9781481486248)

It is a book about perseverance and resilience, a poem about life, hard knocks and getting up and continuing onward. – My Review

The Horse_s Haiku by Michael J. Rosen Imagine by Juan Felipe Herrera

The Horse’s Haiku by Michael J. Rosen, illustrated by Stan Fellows (9780763689162)

A stellar book of focused haiku. – My Review

Imagine by Juan Felipe Herrera, illustrated by Lauren Castillo (9780763690526)

Rich, memorable and timely, this picture book is something special. – My Review

Seeing into Tomorrow by Richard Wright

Seeing into Tomorrow by Richard Wright, illustrated by Nina Crews (9781512498622)

A dynamic look at one of the top African-American poets of the 21st century, this book of poetry is a celebration. – My Review

Review: The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

| Tasha

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi (9781250144546)

Set in 1889 Paris, this teen novel mixes historical fiction with fantasy into one incredible adventure. Severin was denied his inheritance by the Order, a group of wealthy and powerful Houses that control the French Babel fragment and therefore the power to forge amazing devices. So Severin has become a thief who hides in plain sight in his hotel with his group of fellow thieves and friends around him. Each of his friends has their own distinct skill set that is invaluable when rescuing magical artifacts. Their expertise ranges from explosives to poisons to spiders to desire. As they start to seek out their largest target ever, it is an opportunity for Severin to regain his inheritance but it may just kill them all in the process.

Chokshi has written several amazing books and this one builds on her previous success. The setting here is particularly lush. Lovingly depicted, Paris comes to life just as the Eiffel Tower is being built for the Exposition Universelle. Paris is a great setting for the equally vibrant adventures the characters have there with traps, break ins, magical elements and more adding to the drama. That mixture of fantasy and history is forged together tightly into a unified whole.

This is a complex teen novel filled with engaging characters who all are distinct from one another and enticing to spend time with. She has included all sorts of diversity in her characters, including neurodiversity, bisexuality, and racial diversity. Each of these characteristics is a part of the story and plays into the plot, so they are far more than token notes and instead are rooted deeply in the characters.

A breathtaking adventure in a fantasy world, this first in a series will be appreciated by fans of Leigh Bardugo. Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Wednesday Books.

 

Review: Red Sky at Night by Elly MacKay

| Tasha

Red Sky at Night by Elly MacKay

Red Sky at Night by Elly MacKay (9781101917831)

A series of weather-related sayings form the words in this book while also telling the story of a family heading out on a fishing trip for the day. The book begins with sayings like “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight” and “When the dew is on the grass, no rain will come to pass.” They indicate that it’s a great day to head out to fish and camp, so a grandfather takes his grandchildren out. There are sayings about sunset, about the moon, about rain. The next day on their way home though, the weather begins to change. Even the morning begins ominously with a “Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.” The little family makes it home before the rain begins, cozy and warm inside.

MacKay takes these sayings and weaves them together in to a story arc that guides young readers through the outdoors and the changing weather. Her illustrations are exceptional. Done with paper, light and photography, she calls them “lightbox illustrations or illuminated papercraft.” Her illustrations have such depth that one almost expects them to be physically layered pages in the book. The light in the illustrations bathes the reader, creating a physical experience of the weather at that moment.

An exceptional picture book about weather and beauty. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

 

This Week’s Tweets & Pins

| Tasha

Here are the items I shared on Twitter and Pinterest this week:

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

The 2018 Cybils Finalists! | Cybils Awards

Announcing the Winners of the 2018 National Jewish Book Awards

John Burningham, children’s author and illustrator, dies aged 82 – https://t.co/lNpdzO5oTy

Kid Lit For Trans Rights Launches

Kids’ Next List for Winter 2018-2019 |

Read To Me: 14 Best Children’s Books About Books

LIBRARIES

Americans are happier in states that spend more on libraries… – https://t.co/VVbatGDlKi

At libraries, drag queen story hours draw big crowds . . . and lawsuits

How the Chicago Public Library Is Bringing Story Time to the Laundromat

I Love Being a Librarian Because: Top Reasons Why Librarians Love Their Job | Princh Blog

#BookishQouteOfTheDay #Books #Reading

READING

The Guardian – Your Favourite Independent Bookshops – https://t.co/5cnkahZQb1

Here’s More Proof That Women Made Illuminated Manuscripts Too 

Reading with preschool children boosts language by eight months

These Heroes Are Saving Black Feminist Classics by Putting Them on Wheels

What we gain from keeping books – and why it doesn’t need to be ‘joy’

A woman turned her 110-year-old dead tree into a for the neighborhood, and it looks magical  –

YA LIT

25 Awesome 2019 Queer YA Books to Preorder Right Now

50 YA Books That Should Be Added to Your 2019 TBR ASAP

All the New Young Adult SFF Books Coming Out in January!

Arwen Elys Dayton on the Future, Human Modification, and Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful | Bookish

Finding New Definitions Of Strength With Roshani Chokshi In THE GILDED WOLVES

2018 Best Graphic Novels!

| Tasha

It was a great year for graphic novels, particularly for those showing diversity in authors and content. Here are my picks for the best of 2018:

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol Brazen by Penelope Bagieu

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol (9781626724457)

Brosgol is such a gifted book creator, moving skillfully from picture book to graphic novel. – My Review

Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Penelope Bagieu (9781626728691)

The book is a delight to read, each chapter focused on one woman and told briefly and yet in a way that honors them and makes readers want to learn even more about them. – My Review

Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell Deadendia The Watcher's Test by Hamish Steele

Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell (9781524719371)

There is a real spark here that demands creative thinking by the reader, looks beyond the cardboard and tape and sees the magic of imagination happening. – My Review

Deadendia: The Watcher’s Test by Hamish Steele (9781910620472)

Steele has created one of the zaniest, twistiest and most demonic graphic novels around. – My Review

Fake Blood by Whitney Gardner Grace for Gus by Harry Bliss

Fake Blood by Whitney Gardner (9781481495561)

A great pick for fans and haters alike, this one would make a great graphic novel to book talk to middle-schoolers and teens. – My Review

Grace for Gus by Harry Bliss (9780062644107)

An empowering read that makes the quiet child the hero and the star. – My Review

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka Illegal by Eoin Colfer

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (9780545902472)

Personal, painful and profound, this graphic novel is honest and deep. – My Review

Illegal by Eoin Colfer (9781492662143)

Smartly written, deftly drawn and plotted to perfection, this graphic novel is a powerhouse. – My Review

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden Peter & Ernesto by Graham Annable

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden (9781250178138)

An impressive graphic novel both for its content and its art. This one is unique and incredibly beautiful. – My Review

Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths by Graham Annable (9781626725614)

A great early graphic novel for elementary-aged readers. – My Review

Photographic by Isabel Quintero The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide by Isabel Quintero and Zeke Pena (9781947440005)

One of the best biographical graphic novels I have read, this one is a stunning look at an impressive woman. – My Review

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang (9781626723634)

Beautiful, layered and modern, this graphic novel embraces gender identity and gorgeous dresses. – My Review

Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks Speak The Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson

Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks (9781368008440)

The story is fast paced and a delightful mix of STEM and girl power. – My Review

Speak: The Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson, artwork by Emily Carroll (9780374300289)

It’s a groundbreaking novel made into one of the most powerful graphic novels I have read. – My Review

The Unwanted Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don Brown

The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don Brown (9781328810151)

A strong and important look at the Syrian refugee crisis in a format that makes the content very readable. – My Review

Review: Elvis Is King! by Jonah Winter

| Tasha

Elvis Is King! by Jonah Winter

Elvis Is King! by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Red Nose Studio (9780399554704)

This picture book biography features a perfect match-up of author and illustrator. It tells the story of Elvis’ life from a young boy singing in church and in talent shows to him becoming a star. It is the story of a boy growing up poor with a father in jail and discovering many of life’s joys like gospel music and hamburgers. When the family moves to Memphis, Elvis needs to work to make money to keep them housed and fed. As a teenager, he turns himself into something new, coloring his hair black and adding his trademark hair wax. He falls in love, discovers blues music, and decides to be the biggest star in music. The speed of his journey into stardom is incredible, as he gets more inspiration for his unique music style.

Winter writes with a focused poetic style here, each page a short poem about Elvis’ life. Winter captures the poverty that Elvis is born into without romanticizing it at all. His story is particularly captivating because of how quickly he went from being entirely unknown to being a star. Another fascinating piece of the story is how Elvis realized that he needed to move and shake his hips to be able to sing the way he did.

Red Nose Studio has put their signature style in this book, elevating it into something really special that children will love to explore. There are certain page turns that are particularly effective, like the one where in a single turn of the page Elvis emerges with his well-known look. Red Nose completely captures the way that Elvis moves in their clay figures, something entirely remarkable for a still photograph.

A great pick for libraries, I’d recommend sharing some of Elvis’ music alongside the book. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Schwartz & Wade.

 

2018 Best Elementary Fiction!

| Tasha

Here are my picks for the top books for elementary readers that span the entirety of elementary school grades:

Baby Monkey Private Eye by Brian Selznick Bob by Wendy Mass

Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick and David Serlin (9781338180619)

A winning new easy reader that pushes the boundaries of the format – My Review

Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead, illustrated by Nicholas Gannon (9781250166623)

A deftly written magical tale of rain, friendship and families – My Review

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson Hi, Jack By Mac Barnett

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson (9780399252525)

A book that celebrates diversity and asks deep questions about our modern society, this is a novel that so many children will see themselves reflected in and others will learn something from. – My Review

Hi, Jack! By Mac Barnett, illustrated by Greg Pizzoli (9780425289075)

Two masters take on the easy-reader format in this first in a new series. – My Review

Knights vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan Mallko and Dad by Gusti

Knights vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan (9780062686237)

A boisterous, battle-filled book that will appeal to young knights and young dinosaur experts and anyone looking for a good read. – My Review

Mallko and Dad by Gusti (9781592702596)

An incredible book that is a picture book, but as thick as a novel thanks to the quantity of images crammed inside waiting to inspire you to love. – My Review

Mr. Monkey Bakes a Cake by Jeff Mack Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech

Mr. Monkey Bakes a Cake by Jeff Mack (9781534404311)

Using plenty of vaudeville-like falls, trips and hazards, the book is fast-paced and funny. – My Review

Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech (9780062570734)

Creech is an amazing author. Her books are so readable by children, the length just right, the story incredibly focused. – My Review

Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini Vernon Is on His Way by Philip C. Stead

Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini, illustrated by Dan Williams (9780525539094)

A devastating piece of fiction – My Review

Vernon Is on His Way: Small Stories by Philip C. Stead (9781626726550)

As always, Stead hits just the right notes with this book. – My Review

Review: Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

| Tasha

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan (9780316561365)

In a world where the upper classes are part human and part animal, the Paper Caste or fully human people are the most oppressed. Every year eight girls from that Paper Caste are chosen to become the king’s consorts. This year though, there are nine girls, after Lei is seized from her family and brought to the royal court. At the court, Lei is forced to train to be pleasing for the king. Meanwhile she is desperately looking for information about her mother who was taken by force several years earlier. But things are about to get even more difficult for Lei as she refuses the King’s advances and then falls in love. But what can one young woman do in a world that is stacked against her? She can find the fire of revenge.

In her debut novel for teens, Ngan has created a swirling world of scents, colors and textiles. It is a world of incredible beauty with an Asian flair that is intoxicating and quickly immerses the reader deeply inside. From the bathing tubs with their steam to the opulence of the court, this setting demonstrates that there is beauty that contains endless dangers. Ngan does not shy away from the brutality of the life of a Paper Girl, creating a book that is both mesmerizing and violent. People triggered by rape and domestic violence should be cautioned.

Lei is a heroine who transforms right before the readers’ eyes into something much stronger and much more dangerous. She is a young woman stolen from her family filled with hope about her mother’s fate. She becomes more hardened in some ways and yet at the same time falls in love with another of the Paper Girls and becomes softer and more open. It is a powerful convergence for her, creating a woman willing to risk everything for those she loves.

The first in a series, this fantasy novel is a mix of LGBTQ, romance and vengeance that is entirely tantalizing. Appropriate for ages 15-18.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Jimmy Patterson Books.