Archive for May, 2017

“Rating: 1-5: (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4… What did you like about the book? …Three end pages provide historical context for Tuan’s story….Their story is timely as floods of refugees in horrendous situations risk everything to flee current conflicts. Anything you didn’t like about it?  No. To whom would you recommend this book?  Recommend […]

“Author Sarah Ellis has written a sweet story that will help youngsters understand the process of becoming an older sibling and how much patience is needed. This is not a typical picture book but is more like an early reader with quite a bit of text. The soft, charming illustrations by Carmen Mok complete the […]

“Tuan’s story is co-written by him and Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. There is further explanation of the war and the family, and photographs in the backmatter. All the family has survived, the children have grown up and now have families of their own. Illustrations by Brian Deines are gorgeous paintings, mostly double-page spreads. They show the […]

“Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Shari Green is a heartwarming middle-grade novel told in free verse….There is so much to love about this story. The cast of characters are vibrant and interesting. The free-verse feels very fluid and natural, with well-placed metaphors that build on Macy’s voice and character…. I really appreciated that Macy’s deafness is […]

“Rich, textured illustrations fashioned from Plasticene, polymer clay, and other mixed media complement this moving story of one young refugee’s experience in the Syrian civil war. An author’s note gives information about refugee camps and the Syrian conflict.” Click here to read the full review

“Shari Green is first and foremost a fantastic writer. This story is told in verse and it is awe-inspiring the way the words and images roll through the story. And this story, about a young deaf girl whose life is changing thanks to her mother’s decision to marry, is heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once. There […]

“Shari Green brings readers a touching follow-up to her well-loved middle grade debut, Root Beer Candy and Other Miracles…. Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess is brimming with charm and plenty of references to other great books to appeal to the story lover in all of us. Written in verse—a format that serves to heighten the emotional potency […]

“What happens when a gust of wind whooshes these two people together? A smile. A kind gesture. A spilling over of sweetness. This dynamic book will gladden you, not to mention precipitating a trip to the local patisserie! Striking illustration work emotes the changing moods of this story with tremendous pizzazz. A joy for ages […]

“We rated this book: [5/5] Water’s Children: Celebrating the Resource that Unites us All is a fantastic book that shows how children around the world see water…. I really liked Water’s Children. It made me think about how lucky I am to have water whenever I want. A few years ago in Texas, we were in a […]

“The novel-in-verse structure is clever, engaging, and accessible. Macy’s deafness is skillfully woven into the story, adding depth and complexity to her characterization and relationships with others….With candor and angst, Macy shares her sorrow over an argument with her best friend, her desire to stop her mother from getting married, her determination not to like […]