Posts Tagged ‘mg-lit’

“Rating: E… Slug Days is a sensitive, playful, lovingly told chapter book about school, friends, and days both good and bad, drawn from author Sara Leach’s real-life experiences in classrooms. Lauren is charming and frustrating; many readers will recognize her pattern of taking two steps forward and – sometimes – two steps back. Dan, Lauren’s persistent […]

“Allenby’s five woodland characters are full of personality….Griffiths’ digital illustrations depict the animals realistically but also anthropomorphize them with clothing; they walk on two legs. Vignette, single-page, and double-page artwork serves to show the friends’ emotions and illustrate the text. Beginning chapter-book readers will look for the friends’ next adventure and head to the library […]

“Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5… What did you like about the book? …This is a fascinating story, well-told. The kingdom is so realistically drawn that it feels more like history than fantasy. Anything you did not like about this book? Not a thing. To whom would you recommend this book? Give this to kids who […]

“At first I was thinking, well, let’s get Aissa to the Bull King’s land and get her into training already, but by the end, I was glad that I was able to connect with Aissa through knowing about her and her struggles – that made the triumph all that sweeter. Aissa’s story will not be […]

“Rating: G…This is a great story about doing what one can and not always comparing oneself with others. I found this a satisfying read which could stimulate some interesting discussion about limitations and friendship. The love interest of Alba’s mother which is hinted at I found unnecessary, although it does add to the happy ending. […]

“A beautiful lesson in Michelle Kadarusman’s The Theory of Hummingbirds… Alba and Levi seem like great characters and true friends – brought together by their differences from their classmates, but friends because of their similarities including their love of all things hummingbirds, which we learn a lot about in this book. I particularly love the lesson – and […]

“This was a good read, and I actually learned a lot about hummingbirds. The topic is not often covered in middle grade literature, and the author had surgery to repair a clubfoot in elementary school, so I appreciate the perspective she shares. The book is not long, so it’s appealing to a wide variety of […]

Youth Services Book Review “Rating: … 5 The first-person narrative should hold readers riveted….The importance of family shines through this compelling memoir, and a series of color photographs adds to the emotional impact. ….Readers who enjoy this book might also enjoy Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai. In addition, they will want to seek out Adrift […]

“Rating: E…Dragonfly Song takes readers on a magical journey back to the Bronze Age when a magnificent civilization called the Minoans prospered on the island of Crete. Legends claim that a half-man, half-bull Minotaur lived in the palace and demanded that surrounding cities send youths each year as tribute for the bull to catch and devour…. […]

“This delightful chapter book is due to be released in March 2018, plenty of time before camping season here in Canada kicks in…. When the trip begins, Timo immediately finds his knowledge useful, helping tie the frying pan to Hedgewick’s pack with the knots he learned about. As the trip progresses, Timo’s knowledge continues to […]