“Grandpa stopped speaking the day he killed my brother, John. His name was John until Grandpa said he looked more like a Bird with the way he kept jumping off things, and the name stuck. Bird’s thick, black hair poked…
Category: Social Issues – Friendship
What Makes Family: A Review of Kinda Like Brothers
Coe Booth has captivated readers and critics alike with her three gritty, fast paced novels of urban life in New York City: Tyrell, Kendra, and Bronxwood. This bard of the Bronx writes of tough times in the language of her…
NEVER SAY A MEAN WORD AGAIN !!
NEVER SAY A MEAN WORD AGAIN, A TALE FROM MEDIEVAL SPAIN Written by Jacqueline Jules and illustrated by Durga Yael Bernhard What could be more universal than name-calling and fighting – between children or adults? What could be harder to…
Making the Invisible Visible: Estela Bernal’s Can You See Me Now?
I met Estela Bernal at a novel revision workshop led by the wise and generous Barbara Seuling. Estela and I shared a room and she told me about her work rescuing abused animals and educating people about responsible pet ownership.…
Fleeing Genocide: A Review of The Weaver’s Scar
This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda, which claimed the lives of up to a million Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The massacre revealed the helplessness of international organizations and spurred the establishment of the International Criminal…
On Basketball, Race, and Life: An Interview with Kevin Waltman
Kevin Waltman’s YA novel Next (Cinco Puntos Press, 2013) is the first in a four-book series that chronicles the high school years of talented basketball player Derrick (D-Bow) Bowen. As a freshman, Derrick struggles for playing time with a hard-nosed…
WHEN HURRICANE KATRINA HIT HOME
WHEN HURRICANE KATRINA HIT HOME Gail Langer Karwoski, illustrations by Julia Marshall Good news update! WHEN HURRICANE KATRINA HIT HOME was selected as a Notable Book for Older Readers by the Sydney Taylor Awards, the Association of Jewish Libraries. What…
Review: Five, Six, Seven, Nate !
In a pitch perfect follow up to last year’s Better Nate Than Ever (my review here), Tim Federle continues 13-year-old aspiring-actor Nate Foster’s pursuit of his musical comedy dreams in Five, Six, Seven, Nate! (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, January…
Into The Deep
In the past several years, Zetta Elliott has emerged as a major author of speculative fiction featuring African-American protagonists. Her two previous books for young readers, the young adult novel A Wish After Midnight (2010) and the middle grade novel…
Happy Holiday Wishes to All Our Readers
An especially beautiful book with ancient words retold by Katherine Paterson — BROTHER SUN, SISTER MOON, Canticle of the Creatures Katherine Paterson and illustrated by Pamela Dalton This book is a gift to anyone who reads one page, pauses…