Posted on May 30th, 2019 by pajamapress
Meet author Michelle Kadarusman at ALA Annual in Washington D.C.!

Limited quantities of her latest novel, Girl of the Southern Sea, will be autographed and given away at ALA Annual! Find Michelle at the following times in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center:
Saturday, June 22 at 2:00pm — Publisher’s Spotlight Booth #1256
Sunday, June 23 at 11:00am — Ingram Publisher Services Booth #2213
Some reviews for Girl of the Southern Sea:
“A gripping, emotional realistic novel describing the grim realities of growing up in Indonesian poverty….VERDICT A riveting read featuring a determined and talented teenager.”—School Library Journal
“In spare and elegant prose, Kadarusman weaves a quiet tale of survival, grit, and integrity….Peppered throughout are stories that Nia crafts, based on Indonesian legends about the princess of the Southern Sea. With nuanced characters, this is a lovely gem for fans of irrepressible girls and contemporary stories set outside of the U.S.”—Booklist
“Punctuating Nia’s thoughtful, present-tense narration with her stories about Dewi, Kadarusman effectively weaves a gentle tale of love and loss and illuminates the power of storytelling. A thought-provoking peek into a culture deserving of more attention in North America.”—Kirkus Reviews
“A stark setting combines with striking characters…The novel does not offer simple solutions but instead wraps up Nia’s story in a way that demonstrates her willingness and ability to stand up for herself. Girl of the Southern Sea is an uplifting novel about hope and the power of storytelling.”—Foreword Reviews
Posted in Girl of the Southern Sea | Tagged ala, ALA Annual, book-giveaway, book-reviews, diverse-books, Michelle Kadarusman, middle-grade-fiction
Posted on December 7th, 2017 by pajamapress
“A thoroughly ‘kid friendly’ story that is as entertaining as it is informative, Slug Days is unreservedly recommended as an important and highly valued addition to preschool, elementary school and community library collections for children ages 4 to 8. It should be noted that Slug Days is also available in a paperback edition.”
Click here to read the full review
Posted in Slug Days | Tagged Autism-Spectrum-Disorder, book-reviews, canlit, diverse-books, diverse-MG, early-readers, illustrated-chapter-books, kid-lit, Rebecca Bender, Sara Leach, strong-heroines
Posted on December 6th, 2017 by pajamapress
“We rated this book: [5/5 stars]…Author Michelle Kadarusman has written a gentle but powerful story of dealing with differences and problems in friendships within a coming-of-age story. The writing is lyrical, the characters believable and well-rounded, and the metaphor of Alba as a hummingbird is heartbreakingly perfect.”
—Rosi Hollinbeck
Click here to read the full review
Posted in The Theory of Hummingbirds | Tagged book-reviews, canlit, diverse-books, diverse-MG, early-readers, hummingbirds, mg-lit, Michelle Kadarusman, STEM, strong-heroines
Posted on August 3rd, 2017 by pajamapress
“Orr tells her tale in both narrative poetry and prose for an effect that is both fanciful and urgent, drawing a rich fantasy landscape filled with people and creatures worthy of knowing. An introductory note describes Orr’s inspiration in the legend of the Minotaur, but her story is no retelling but a meditation on rejection and acceptance, on determination and self-determination. The shifts between poetry and prose build tension just as surely as the bull dances do. As mesmerizing as a mermaid’s kiss, the story dances with emotion, fire, and promise. (Fantasy. 10-14)”
Click here to read the full review
Posted in Dragonfly Song | Tagged book-reviews, fantasy, free-verse-novel, mg, Minotaur-legend, starred-review, strong-heroines, Wendy Orr
Posted on June 30th, 2017 by pajamapress
“Some stories are just made for the verse novel format. This is one of them. Pacing is tight and word choice is solid. Some verse novels get so caught up in artistry that the reader isn’t clear on what is actually happening. That isn’t the case here. I also appreciated that while Macy is deaf, its not the sum total of her character. She’s your average middle grade girl who just happens to be deaf.”
Click here to read the full review
Posted in Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess | Tagged book-reviews, canlit, contemporary-fiction, deafness, diverse-books, diverse-middle-grade-books, mg, middle-grade-books, shari-green, strong-heroines
Posted on June 29th, 2017 by pajamapress
“Gr 1-3–This lighthearted story about a young girl and her lazy dog will entice young readers who are venturing into chapter books….Illustrations depicting Pistachio’s classmates’ laughter during show and tell and the series of dogs trying out for the Doggone Theater’s lead role (from trumpeting Chihuahuas to a beagle balancing a teacup on her nose) all fit perfectly with the text’s silly and sweet tone. VERDICT The child appeal of this tale will keep independent readers chuckling and wanting more; a strongly recommended purchase.”
—Jennifer Gibson, SUNY Cortland
Read the full review in the July 2017 issue of School Library Journal
Posted in Princess Pistachio and Maurice the Magnificent, Uncategorized | Tagged book-reviews, contemporary-fiction, early-chapter-books, early-readers, Marie-Louise Gay, mg, strong-heroines
Posted on June 15th, 2017 by pajamapress
“A cute story that teaches children about patience. It’s especially perfect for parents to read to their small (only) child when there’s another on the way.
Carmen Mok does a wonderful job with the illustrations and I love the color palette she chose….
Sarah Ellis has a way with words; I would read more books by her.”
Click here to read the full review
Posted in Waiting for Sophie | Tagged book-reviews, canlit, carmen-mok, early-chapter-books, early-readers, intergenerational-friendship, kidlit, older-siblings-books, sarah-ellis
Posted on May 23rd, 2017 by pajamapress
“Despite the weight of the themes Road Signs is funny and full of heart, with skillful depiction of the hooks and barbs of sibling rivalry.”
Read the full review on page 64 of the Spring 2017 issue of Atlantic Books Today
Posted in Road Signs That Say West | Tagged book-reviews, canlit, contemporary-fiction, kidlit, strong-heroines, Sylvia Gunnery, ya, ya-books, ya-fiction
Posted on April 20th, 2017 by pajamapress
“The Wolves Return is the true story of the successful release of twenty-three Canadian gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park in 1995-96….The Wolves Return explains in picture and in narrative how the reintroduction of the wolves, a natural predator of the elk, impacted positively on the whole environment….The Wolves Return ends with a map of North America with wolf ranges, both current and pre-European habitat patterns. It is clear that wolves play a vital role in maintaining the health, variety, and balance of many life systems and plant and animal species in nature. The mixed media art work in The Wolves Return is especially sensitively done and greatly enhances the exciting environmental health restoration true story.”
Click here to read the full review
Posted in The Wolves Return | Tagged animal-activism, animal-protection, book-reviews, canlit, Celia Godkin, earth-sciences, ecosystems, environmentalism, gray-wolves, grey-wolves, kidlit, natural-resources, nature, nature-books, picture-books, science, science-books, wolves, yellowstone, yellowstone-national-park
Posted on March 1st, 2017 by pajamapress
“…The beautiful, full-page oil paintings effectively convey the dangerous escape, the blistering heat, and the loneliness of being adrift on the ocean. Photographs, maps, and historical background on the Vietnamese refugee crisis provide historical context and form an emotional connection with the story. This is an especially useful book to help students understand why refugees are still crowding into boats and risking everything for a better life even today.”
—MaryAnn Karre, Retired Librarian, Vestal, New York
Posted in Adrift at Sea | Tagged book-reviews, brian-deines, canlit, children's-books, kidlit, marsha-forchuk-skrypuch, marsha-skrypuch, picture-books, tuan-ho, Vietnam, vietnamese-boat-people, vietnamese-refugee