Archive for August, 2015

Dance of the Banished is a “gift to readers, young and old.”—Smithsonian BookDragon

August 26th, 2015

“…Although the story is fictional, “it is based on real historical events,” award-winning Canadian author Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch writes in her ending “Author’s Note.” What happens to the lovers, their families, their homeland, demands and deserves far more attention. Both Zeynap and Ali are Alevi Kurds, an ethnic minority about which is little known in the West. […]

Posted in Dance of the Banished

Deines’ illustrations “shimmer,” says Booklist of In a Cloud of Dust

August 17th, 2015

“There’s much excitement in a Tanzanian village when the bicycle library arrives in a cloud of dust. There are bikes for all the children except Anna, who arrives too late. Her disappointment is tangible, but rather than feel sorry for herself, she helps her friends learn to ride their new bicycles. She supports, balances, encourages, […]

Posted in In a Cloud of Dust

A+ for Big Ben in the New York Times

August 14th, 2015

“Ben, the youngest of three children in his family, can’t swim yet, or use chopsticks, or see much out the car window. His fifth grader sister gets a report card with marks, and his third grader brother “gets comments for his subjects,” but Ben gets nothing. This leaves the preschooler feeling glum, until his siblings […]

Posted in A+ for Big Ben

School Library Journal reviews In a Cloud of Dust

August 11th, 2015

“Living in a Tanzanian village means lots of walking. Each day, young Anna makes the long trek to and from her schoolhouse from her home. So when a truck shows up from the bicycle library, it means a great relief for the students. Except they run out before Anna gets one. Disappointed, but excited for […]

Posted in In a Cloud of Dust

Sal’s Fiction Addiction calls Giraffe Meets Bird “a treat”

August 11th, 2015

“…As she did in that first book, Rebecca Bender gives us memorable and lovable characters. Her double page spreads provide a close-up look at the developing relationship. Her expressive characters are quite the pair. As you can see from the shared quotes, she uses words that are synonymous to describe their relationship. It allows her young readers to […]

Posted in Giraffe Meets Bird

Booklist enjoys Princess Pistachio and the Pest

August 11th, 2015

“Summer vacation gets off to a rough start when Mom insists that Pistachio take her little sister Penny to the park. As she pulls Penny along in a wagon, Pistachio lets her mind wander off. Big mistake. Unsupervised, Penny pinches fruit from the grocer’s stand, wades in the park fountain, and climbs over a wall […]

Posted in Princess Pistachio and the Pest

School Library Journal reviews A+ for Big Ben

August 5th, 2015

“Ben is not big. He is just a preschooler. His big sister, Robin, gets a report card in fifth grade, and his big brother Joe, in third grade, gets one, too. Ben feels more and more sad throughout the day when he keeps focusing on all the things his siblings can do that he cannot. […]

Posted in A+ for Big Ben

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