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Companions Steadfast and True | Great Books about Imaginary Friends
Ranging from picture books to novels, these fanciful and fun-filled tales about pretend pals celebrate unfailing friendship, effervescent individuality, and the prodigious power of imagination. The...
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Forays into Foreign Territory | Teens Forging an Identity
One of the most reassuring aspects of literature is the knowledge that we aren’t alone, that others have experienced some of the same joys and sorrows. Immersing readers in the minds of the male...
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All In A School Day | Picture-Book Perspectives
These engaging picture books touch upon commonplace situations that are often part of the school experience. Whether told with poignant realism or exaggerated humor, the stories exhibit sensitivity to...
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“Funny Bones”: Celebrating the Day of the Dead
José Guadalupe Posada. His name may not be familiar, but his art is: “Skeletons riding bicycles…skeletons wearing fancy hats…skeletons dancing and strumming on guitars.” Mention the Day of the Dead...
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These *Are* the Books You’re Looking For | A “Star Wars” Roundup
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas changed the face of moviemaking and pop culture itself with the release of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Since then, children and teens have...
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Dark Descents | Chilling Tales for Teens
As the temperatures dip lower and pumpkins appear on front stoops, teens may want to turn to books that go bump in the night. The following mix of titles includes a fractured fairy tale, a...
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From Ziggurats to Skyscrapers | What We Build and How We Live
What and how we build and the structures with which we surround ourselves are an important part of the human experience. These life-shaping choices are informed by our essential physical needs as well...
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Monster Mayhem | Great Read-Alouds for Inspiring Shivers and Giggles
Starring creatures that range from creepy to comical, these not-too-scary offerings are a treat for sharing at Halloween and all year long. Dining With…Monsters. By Agnese Baruzzi. Illus. by author....
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Haunted Houses & Headless Horsemen: Halloween Apps | Touch and Go
Halloween is here! Below you’ll find excerpts from previously published app reviews of both classic and contemporary stories for a range of ages—along with a bit of augmented reality guaranteed to...
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Teen vs. Nature: Spine-Tingling Wilderness Survival Stories
The high-stakes adventures featured here have it all—impenetrable woods and treacherous mountain peaks, churning seas and roiling rapids, the gnawing threat of starvation and dehydration, and...
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Cooking Up Some Fun | Recipes for Young Chefs
These scrumptious cookbooks can be used to inspire classroom culinary projects, offer options and instruction for afterschool cooking clubs, or encourage food preparation at home. Cookbooks can offer...
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Exploring America’s Past: Historical Fiction for Middle Grade Readers
Set in different eras, these three novels integrate historical fact with descriptive writing to present strongly delineated settings, re-create the ambience of specific periods, and recount past...
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Ordinary Kids, Extraordinary Circumstances: World War II Fiction for Middle...
Set against a backdrop of dramatic world events, these engrossing and vividly written novels provide glimpses at history from the relatable perspectives of their young narrators. Rich in details of...
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Beyond the Headlines | Featuring Technology and National Issues
From cyberattacks and idisorders to wrongful convictions and medical ethics, a selection of new books provides depth and context to topics of current interest. The titles discussed challenge young...
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All Around the Town | Great Books About Buses
Featuring school buses, city buses, international mini-buses, and even a dino bus, this round-up of winsome transportation tales will tickle funny bones and fire up imaginations. Are We There, Yeti? by...
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Something Old, Something New | Old Favorites and New Trends in Easy Readers
The slim, small-format books introduced in Random House’s “Bright and Early Books” with The Cat in the Hat in 1957, have been easy reader staples in libraries and classrooms for more than half a...
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Creature Features | Starring the Best of the New Animal Compendiums
Children have an innate affinity for and interest in animals. This fascination persists throughout the developmental reading stages, making the topic a perennial favorite for inquiry and pleasure...
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Allons-y! A Time Lord’s Guide to Great “Doctor Who” Read-Alikes
What exists outside of our own backyard? Is there life on other planets or dimensions that we don’t know about? What if a wisecracking alien in human form dropped into your life in a blue telephone box...
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Regency Romps to Celebrate the 200th Anniversary of Jane Austen’s “Emma”
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen mania shows no signs of subsiding. From the 1995 film Clueless, which reimagines Emma as a pampered Beverly Hills teenager, to the Seth...
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Give the Gift of Music | A “Great Books” List
Ranging in format from illuminating biographical stories and based-in-truth tales to engaging fictional narratives, these lovely picture books all celebrate the power of music to lift hearts and change...
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