Crushes of the Week: November 11-17, 2018

This week's crushes:

1. I'm Glad That You're Happy by Nahid Kazemi (Groundwood Books, August 2018)
2. Into the Forest by Laura Baker and Nadia Taylor (Harry N. Abrams, October 2018)
3. A Very Late Story by Marianna Coppo (Flying Eye Books, September 2018)
4. The Boy from the Dragon Palace by Margaret Read MacDonald and Sachiko Yoshikawa (Albert Whitman & Company, September 2018)
5. Evie and the Truth about Witches by John Martz (Koyama Press, October 2018)
6. Stories of the Night by Kitty Crowther (Gecko Press, September 2018)
7. Anne Arrives by Kallie George and Abigail Halpin (Tundra Books, September 2018)
8. Found. by Jeff Newman and Larry Day (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, November 2018)

       

Let's Talk Illustrators #90: Jordan Crane

Recently I had the opportunity to sit down and talk to author-illustrator Jordan Crane about his brilliant comic We Are All Me. We Are All Me was designed to be a comic for intended to be comics for brand-new readers, and it provides not only a fantastic introduction to the style of comics and how to read them, but it also explores the genesis of mankind and the interconnectedness of everyone here on Earth. As you'll soon see, Jordan's answers are illuminating and thought-provoking, so without further preamble, here is our conversation!

DEEP UNDERWATER

Deep Underwater by Irene Luxbacher takes readers deep under the ocean's surface to explore the beauty of the nature found within.

Crushes of the Week: November 4-10, 2018

This week's crushes:

1. Mortals and Immortals of Greek Mythology by Francoise Rachmuhl and Charlotte Gastaut (Lion Forge, September 2018)
2. Jojo and the Food Fight by Didier Laevy and Nathalie Dieterlae (Barefoot Books, September 2018)
3. Grandmother's Visit by Betty Quan and Carmen Mok (Groundwood Books, September 2018)
4. Just Add Glitter by Angela DiTerlizzi and Samantha Cotterill (Beach Lane Books, October 2018)
5. Everything & Everywhere: A Fact-Filled Adventure for Curious Globe-Trotters by Marc Martin (Chronicle Books, October 2018)
6. Half a Giraffe? by Jodie Parachini and Richard Smythe (Albert Whitman & Company, September 2018)
7. Quiet by Tomie dePaola (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, October 2018)
8. Textures (Discovery Concepts) by Katie Wilson (Flowerpot Press, October 2018)

       

Let's Talk Illustrators #89: Leah Tinari

Today I'm talking to Leah Tinari about her author debut Limitless: 24 Remarkable American Women of Vision, Grit, and Guts. There are many books coming out in these trying times about women who have paved or are paving the way for future generations, but the visual aesthetic of this one had me hooked from the cover. And wait until you read about how labor-intensive these portraits were to make (paralleling the hard work of the women actually featured in the book). Come learn about some marginalized female voices with me. 

Crushes of the Week: October 28-November 3, 2018

This week's crushes:

1. Phone Call with a Fish by Silvia Vecchini and Sualzo (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, September 2018)
2. Lights! Camera! Alice!: The Thrilling True Adventures of the First Woman Filmmaker by Mara Rockliff and Simona Ciraolo (Chronicle Books, September 2018)
3. Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights by Rob Sanders and Jared Andrew Schorr (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, September 2018)
4. Lucia the Luchadora and the Million Masks by Cynthia Leonor Garza and Alyssa Bermudez (POW!, October 2018)
5. Franklin and Luna Go to the Moon by Jen Campbell and Katie Harnett (Thames & Hudson, November 2018)
6. Earthrise: Apollo 8 and the Photo That Changed the World by James Gladstone and Christy Lundy (Owlkids, October 2018)

     

First Friday 5: Determination

This month I'm spotlighting some comics with characters who are determined to have the lives they envision for themselves and those they love. The characters in these books show fierce determination to take control of their own destinies and make things happen, no matter the cost to their social lives, livelihoods, and often their own personal safeties.

#kidlitpicks October Round-Up: 12 Middle Grade Favorites

Picture books often get all the glory in the kid lit world, but it feels like middle grade novels are having a moment. So what is "middle grade"? Middle grade is generally written for ages 8-12, with less gritty content than their YA counterparts (i.e., no profanity, violence, or sex). They are a marvelous segue from picture books and early readers into longer, more complex stories, and they encourage independence, imagination, and confidence. It's a blast to watch kids of that age read on their own. So here's to a month-long celebration of middle grade novels!

Last month’s @kidlitpicks was MIDDLE GRADE! Special thanks to Miranda from My Book Bloom for choosing to celebrate the glory of books for middle schoolers!