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READING STYLE GUIDE

Compatibility Testing

9/14/2020

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Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake ill by Jon Klassen

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My first impulse while reading Skunk and Badger: I really want to invite Amy Timberlake to tea. I imagine a delightful afternoon, chatting with someone who conjures up a tale of a peculiar little Badger, living in Aunt Lula’s brownstone and devoting his days to Important Rock Work. This fastidious fellow is in for the shock of his life when Aunt Lula also invites Skunk to live in the brownstone. Skunk’s lifestyle is decidedly different from Badger's. He loves to cook, concocting scrumptious meals, but leaves washing the dishes to Badger. A gregarious fellow, he wants to chat while Badger is accustomed to hours of quiet devotion to his rocks. The ultimate test of the roommates’ compatibility is chickens. Skunk invites an astonishing number to their home. The brownstone is filled with incessant bocking and feathers scattered everywhere. Inevitably there is skunk spray. That the conflict will be resolved is never in doubt. It’s how the pair will iron out their differences that will keep readers engaged. ​
The narrative is seasoned with charming asides, inner dialog, and clever word play. Reading aloud is an extra treat. Book recommendations appear in the The New Yak Times Book Review. Badger muses that chickens are here today, gone to leghorn. There is mention of special markings in the sand known as Chicken Scratch, the most ancient of chicken languages.
Timberlake lovingly pokes fun at her characters' idiosyncrasies which makes them all-the-more endearing. In the spirit of Christopher Robin saying “silly old bear” to Pooh, readers will be enamored with the fussy Badger who wears pickaxe-and-dynamite pajamas and strums E Huli Mākou on the ukulele. Skunk’s special chicken whistle to gather the chickens for story-reading sessions, will bring knowing smiles to teachers and librarians.

​The trailer offers a sneak peek at Klassen's signature style black and white illustrations. He captures the character of these two often maligned mammals with wit and charm. Look at that grin on Skunk's face! Another reason to love this tale.
Come on over.  I'll put the kettle on, and we'll have great fun getting acquainted with Skunk and Badger.
A tale of a mismatched pair who work through the inevitable difficulties of sharing a home. It's The Wind in the Willows meets Frog and Toad and it's destined to be a classic. Want more good news? This is Book 1. There will be more Badger and Skunk. ​Hurrah! Hurrah!
Electronic copy accessed via Edelweiss.
​​Pub date: September 15, 2020  Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers  ISBN:  978-1643750057
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Runaway Art

7/28/2020

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Doodleville by Chad Sell

Drew loves to draw. Pencil in hand, she has created her own collection of doodles, an assortment of charming and often mischievous characters who dwell in her imaginary world.
Drew shares her passion for drawing with other students in the school’s Art Club. Their advisor plans a field trip to the local art museum. This expedition will serve as inspiration for an upcoming project: create a superhero world.
There is one complication. Drew has discovered that her doodles can escape the pages of her sketchbook and travel into the “real world.” At the museum, her creations Jump off the paper and wildly explore the art displays, absconding with a hat featured in one of the paintings.
Although Drew manages to collect all her runaway doodles plus an additional purloined hat, it is apparent that her creations are out of control. They begin to inhabit the drawings of her fellow students, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
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Her solution to is to create a large doodle. A much larger doodle. She names this gigantic serpentine monster Levi, an abbreviated version of Leviathan. The monster lives up to its name, causing havoc and destroying the work of her friends. It is unstoppable. Drew is wracked with guilt.” It’s all my fault.” she sobs. ​Her friends rally to her defense and devise a plan to link the powers of all their superheroes together to defeat Levi.
Drew’s father helps her understand that her creations are a part of her and that the Leviathan is an extension of the darkness that she sometimes feels. Once she acknowledges the duality of emotions she possesses, Drew is empowered to formulate a plan of action that benefits her fellow artists, the doodles, and even Levi. This leads to an inventive and satisfying conclusion.
Sell’s art cleverly delineates the black and white one-dimensional world of Doodleville and Drew’s fully realized colorful world. The blending of the two worlds is masterful.
The final panels set the stage for further adventures in the Doodleverse, a series destined to fly off the shelves faster than Leviathan, Captain Cockatoo, or the Magical Butterfly Boyfriends can travel.
This fantastical comic envisions a world where art comes to life and imagines the positive as well as negative implications of such a world. It features a tightly knit, yet diverse group of young students who unite to solve a problem, forgive one another’s mistakes, and celebrate their collective successes. And did I mention the donuts? Yes. There are donuts.

Bonus

Download Doodleville coloring pages and create a Doodleville World of your own. Find more information here.
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Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: June 9, 2020 Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers ISBN: 978-1984894717
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King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender

7/21/2020

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King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender

It begins with dragonflies. Dragonflies flitting everywhere in a sultry Louisiana town.
Kingston James, known as King, has become fixated with dragonflies. There’s a reason for his obsession. After his older brother Khalid suddenly and tragically dies, King is convinced that his brother has morphed into a dragonfly. Whenever he sees one of these large-eyed iridescent insects he feels that Khalid is nearby.
Callender tells a compelling story of grief and the oppressive burden that death places on a family. The loss of his brother has cast a pall over King’s home. Familiar family routines have been set aside. There is now an empty place at the table. The family dynamic is fractured.
One of the few constants for King is Sandy Sanders. Sandy is the friend he can confide in, can talk with about things that really matter. The two friends share a love for anime and manga, spending spend hours sketching characters and discussing their favorite stories.
To please his brother, King has severed this treasured friendship because Sandy is gay. Khalid convinced King that he should not associate with gays.
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King knows that Sandy’s home situation is painful. He is physically and emotionally abused by his father, the town sheriff. Sandy's life becomes unbearable when his father discovers that his son is gay. Sandy runs away to escape his father’s vicious attacks.
King is the friend who comes to Sandy's rescue, finding him sanctuary in an abandoned shack. Together in this secluded place, the two learn to forgive, to accept one another, and make plans to move on with their lives. Sandy is ready to leave his abusive home for good. King is not sure if he should join Sandy. Is he ready to leave his grieving parents? Will his father accept his gay son?
King felt bound to honor his brother in a way that required him to deny his identity and hurt a friend. He now wonders: Can he still honor his brother if he chooses his own life path?
The choice of the dragonfly is an apt metaphor This insect with large, often many-colored wings symbolizes change, transformation, adaptability, and self-realization. King experiences a change in his view of himself and his world. Like the dragonfly he is emerging, ready to embrace his identity, his family, and friends.
King and the Dragonflies is a thoughtful exploration of grief, coming out, abuse, friendship, and healing.
​Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: February 4, 2020  Publisher:  Scholastic Press  ISBN:  978-1338129335
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Immigrant From Krypton

6/27/2020

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Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang art by Gurihiru

"We are bound together by the future. We all share the same tomorrow"
A comic book set in 1946 with 2020 sensibilities features the traditional super hero trope: Man of Steel versus archenemy. ​The cast includes The Daily Planet’s mild-mannered Clark Kent, investigative reporter Lois Lane, spirited photographer Jimmy Olsen and bombastic editor Perry White. Metropolis is plagued with a sinister influence. It’s up to the caped crusader with an assist from a couple of kids to defeat this evil and protect the city’s citizens.
​But it’s more. Inspired by the 1940s Superman radio series “Clan of the Fiery Cross,” Gene Luen Yang chronicles a lesser-known aspect of bigotry and racism in American history: Chinese Americans targeted by white supremacists.

​​​The narrative has two plot threads. Alternating stories chronicle a Chinese American family's move from Chinatown to a new neighborhood. This is juxtaposed with the tale of a superhero arriving to earth from another planet. ​Both threads explore the plight of individuals who are perceived as different. ​Both are stories of immigrants. Stories of aliens.
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Dr Lee, his children Tommy and Roberta, and mandarin-speaking wife move from Chinatown to a suburban Metropolis home. Tommy is excited. He is quickly invited to play with the local youth baseball team. Roberta is apprehensive. She wonders if she will fit it and make new friends.
Sadly some people do not welcome the Lee family. They are subjected to subtle and overt racism. One night Tommy and Roberta watch in horror when hooded Klansmen chant “One Race! One Color! One Religion!" and burn a cross in their neighborhood.
Baseball teammate Chuck takes part in this cross burning. His uncle is the Klan’s Grand Scorpion. Chuck is uneasy about the Klan’s activities, yet wants to please his uncle.
​Superman is having his own interior conflict. Readers follow a flashback when young Clark decides that his incredible powers are a stigma, making him different from others. He resolves to conceal his capabilities, hoping for acceptance among his peers. Years later Superman's parents from Krypton appear to their adult son and encourage him to accept and use all his remarkable strengths.
Things end well. After a frightening abduction, an injury, and a harrowing escape, the leaders of the Klan are exposed and their plans for destruction are foiled. Tommy invites Chuck to join in an upcoming ball game. Roberta will pitch! ​
The script is laced with clever dialog as well as tongue-in-cheek humor. While characters remain true-to-form, Yang fleshes out the Superman with a compelling backstory.  Dialog includes subtle hints at the attraction between Lois and Clark. Lois Lane becomes Roberta’s mentor. Smooth segues between the two story lines create a seamless narrative. 
Gurihiru's art has a distinctive 1940's vibe. Panel size and placement moves the story forward at a fast pace. Large two-page illustration spreads are background for panel inserts which advance the action. A dazzling two-page spread exposes the horror of cross burning. Color clearly differentiates between day and night scenes. Angled panels accentuate action sequences.
Readers will be pleased to know that there will be further adventures for Tommy, Roberta and Superman. Fans will relish the continuing saga of the hero who now proudly flies as he continues the fight for justice and a better future for all.
​The author’s note, "Superman and Me" provides context to Superman Smashes the Klan. Gene Luen Yang interweaves the development of the Superman mythos, a brief history of targeting Chinese Americans and other marginalized people, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, and challenges faced by immigrants. The account is broad in its scope while also a deeply personal reflection on superheroes, bigotry, and the immigrant experience.
Copy purchased from an independent bookstore.
Pub date: May 12, 2020  Publisher: DC Comics  ISBN: 978-1779504210
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Real Life

6/9/2020

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In the Role of Brie Hutchens by Nicole Melleby

Every weekday morning for the past eight years Gabrielle Hutchins has buttoned up a white shirt, slipped on her plaid skirt and headed off to parochial school. ​Now things are changing. Gabrielle, known as Brie, has begun to seriously examine who she is and what she believes. She realizes that she may not be the person her mother expects her to be.
Her life is complicated. There’s a financial aspect. Her father lost his job and is now her school’s custodian, which is embarrassing. School tuition is a expensive. There’s the matter of religion. Mom is devoted to her faith. Brie doesn’t want to disappoint her mother but she questions the teachings of the church. Cozy afternoons Brie and her mother spent watching soap operas seem to be a thing of the past. Brie desperately seeks her mother’s attention and approval, so she resorts to lies. One lie results in a major family spectacle. School is a problem. Brie is not motivated by academic excellence and wants to leave private school and attend a school for the performing arts.
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​Then there’s the realization that she likes girls and one girl in particular is unsettling. She wonders how coming out will affect her family relationships, her school standing, and the reaction of the girl she is attracted to.
Brie struggles to accommodate the expectations of those in her immediate circle. Her interactions with friends, teachers, and family are often prickly. Sometimes those close to Brie let her down. At times she makes mistakes that seem impossible to rectify. Brie wonders: What does she believe? Can her parents love their gay daughter? Can she repair a damaged relationship?
The mother is sensitively portrayed as a woman dealing with the complexities of her life: faith, finances, and family relationships. Mom’s not perfect. But then Brie isn’t either. A major source of tension is the struggle for this mother and daughter to salvage the good parts from their past and construct an honest and supportive relationship built on mutual love and understanding.
The author uses an interesting device throughout the narrative thread. Brief synopses of actual soap operas are featured at the beginning of each chapter. They mirror the drama in Brie’s life. Now she is a performer rather than an audience member. This is life, real life.
In an interesting instance of life imitating art, I was parked off the road, waiting for a curbside delivery. The traffic whizzed by as I read the book’s final chapters. The intensity of Brie’s situation hit me with full force. Here I was insulated inside the bubble of the automobile while cars passed. I was emotionally wrecked. Tears streamed down my face as I began to understand Brie’s anguish. I hope that I never forget that feeling.
Melleby has created a glimpse into the soul of young gay. Meet a young girl with a developing acknowledgement and acceptance of her identity. Meet a daughter who wants to be valued and loved, to be "seen." In the Role of Brie Hutchens is a middle grade novel that will linger in readers' hearts long after the final page.
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: June 30, 2020  Publisher:  Algonquin Young Readers   ISBN: 978-1616209070
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Once Upon a Space-Time by Jeffrey Brown

6/2/2020

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Once Upon a Space-Time! by Jeffrey Brown

This is not your normal Once Upon a Time. This is Once Upon a Space-Time. Jeffrey Brown takes readers on a journey into the final frontier.Two young recruits: Jide the science nerd and Petra the sci-fi fan are selected for a mission to Mars. Tobey the alien will be joining them along with several other aliens named Tobey. Not surprisingly Brown uses the classic Shakespearean line: Tobey or not Tobey.
It’s a space adventure jam-packed with silliness and word play, along with a dose of bathroom humor. When the kids put on their space suits for the first time, a dozen panels reveal close-ups of myriad items which must be pulled up, snugly fitted in place, layered on and snapped shut. Then Jide realizes that he needs to go to the bathroom. The procedure is reversed. Everything comes off. Following a quick trip to the bathroom, the entire suit goes back on again. That's when Commander Gusevich informs Jide that all suits have built-in diapers.
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Brown sneaks informational tidbits into the mix including relativity, gravity, and space exploration. This is the first in this graphic novel series and sets up what will be an ongoing space odyssey. Great fun.
​Crash landing on Mars: "Let's call it a safety challenged landing, okay?"
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Comics Conquer Space

When science meets science fiction, comic book style. Follow the historic expedition to the moon with Rocket to the Moon. Meet the first women to explore space in Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier. Then travel to an imaginary space station with Sanity and Tallulah. The wonder of space. The joy of comics.
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Uncorrected copy provided by publisher
Pub date: June 2, 2020  Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers  ISBN: 978-0553534351
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Sweet with a Sprinkling of Salt

5/14/2020

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Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim

What does it mean to follow my heart, anyway?
​What if pleasing my parents and wanting to do comedy are both pieces of my heart?
Hurrah! A middle grade book that is funny. And heartwarming and painfully honest. Bonus: It is served with a side of tasty Korean barbecue.
Meet Yumi Chung, eleven-year-old daughter of immigrant parents. Pressure. She constantly feels parental pressure to excel academically. It's particularly difficult because her older sister Yuri is the embodiment of the ideal Korean daughter: accelerated educational advancement and currently a medical school student.
Not Yumi. Earning high marks and academic accolades are not that important. What she really loves is stand-up comedy. This seems bizarre, as she is painfully self-conscious.
Mom has decided that Yumi will spend her summer with tutoring sessions in preparation for the SSAT, Secondary School Admission Test. ​​​Yumi grudgingly heads off for morning test prep sessions combined with three hours of afternoon study at the library. 
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Then something amazing happens.
​She discovers a comedy club adjacent to the library. What luck! YouTube sensation Jasmine Jasper is facilitating a comedy camp. Right now. At the club. Yumi succumbs to temptation and steps inside. She is mistaken for a camp registrant who failed to show. Here’s Yumi’s chance to shine. Performing using another identity frees her from stage fright. She is a success!
Unfortunately, the family is dealing with several other issues. Her high-achieving medical student sister has decided to quit school and join the peace corps. The family restaurant is experiencing a significant financial downturn. Yumi wants to quit the prestigious and expensive private school favored by her parents and enroll in the new Performing Arts Magnet School.
Yumi's juggling act of working at the restaurant, attending morning test prep classes, maintaining the pretense of studying daily at the library, preparing a routine for an upcoming comedy club showcase, and assuming the identity of another workshop participant all comes crashing down. Big time.
My plans are teetering like Jenga bricks, and I'm going to get caught under the rubble...
Readers will sympathize with Yumi as she tries to unravel the mess that she has created, support the family's business, honor her parents’ wishes, and find a way to realize her dream. Everything doesn't work out perfectly. There are heartbreaking moments and several compromises. However... there are jokes!
​Like Korean barbecue Stand Up, Yumi Chung! is sweet with a few salty tears but definitely savory. YUM! ​Kudos Jessica Kim.

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Holy Hot Cheetos!
It's Yumi's Super-Secret Comedy Notebook
Yumi picked up a tip from her comedy idol Jasmine Jasper. She maintains a journal, recording her observations and reactions to events in her life. These entries could be the basis for possible jokes and comedy routines.
Readers will find several pages from Yumi’s notebook scattered throughout the first person narrative. Yumi accompanies her entries with personal emojis that express her current mood .
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: March 17, 2020  Publisher: Kokila  ISBN: 978-0525554974
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Shine Your Light. Shine Your Story.

4/14/2020

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When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed, and Iman Geddy

If you know how to look, there are stories woven into the very essence of stars.
Be like a star. Shine your light. Shine your story.
Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed's When Stars Are Scattered introduces readers to the reality of survival for displaced individuals, an existence filled with deprivation, uncertainty, and boredom.
Jamieson is a masterful storyteller. She brilliantly describes her childhood interests in Roller Girl, a Newbery Honor Award book and All’s Faire in Middle School. Now she steps away from personal experience to chronicle the childhood of Somali refugees Omar Mohamed and his younger brother Hassan.
​The narrative is based on Omar’s memories. He and Hassan escaped Somalia's civil war, lost contact with their parents, and were given shelter at a camp located in Kenya. Looked after by a kind woman, they subsist on meager rations and sleep in a tiny tent. Omar assumes responsibility for disabled brother's daily care. Life changes when a UN worker suggests that Omar attend a school organized for the camp's children. Education becomes his lifeline and an escape from the grim reality of camp life. Fifteen long years later, the two resettle in Arizona.
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Drawings are clean and uncluttered, keeping the focus on these young siblings. Each frame becomes a metaphor for life within the refugee camp. Omar remains trapped inside the confining panel boundaries. There are a few instances where Omar breaks through the restrictive lines which limit him. Using a stick, his elbow stretches beyond the frame as he writes letters in the ground. Arms extend out as he considers his decision to attend school. His hand drops out of the panel to receive a packet of verses that distill the lives, hopes, and dreams of young refugees. The inference is that education breaks the confines that hold him captive.
Color tends to be flat except the expanse of sky, where a breathtaking array of hues ranging from soft pinks to deep blues are sprinkled with the glimmering pinpoints of tiny stars. The sky appears limitless.
​Jamieson takes a few liberties with Mohamed's story, fleshing out the narrative with additional characters. Two fictional camp residents deal with the harsh realities for girls in this society: few basic supplies, limited education opportunities, and arranged marriages at a young age.
​Back material consists of an Afterword, Author's Notes by both Mohammed and Jamieson, photographs of Omar and his family, and Acknowledgments.
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​With extraordinary grace and simplicity, Mohamed and Jamieson put a name and a face on the plight of refugees. The suffering and unsettled circumstances are evident on every page. Without undue sentimentality or overwrought emotion, young Omar’s story is simple and straightforward yet powerful in it's impact.
This graphic novelization of Omar’s life as a refugee is heartbreaking and eye opening. It's the story of the bond that connects siblings, of living with a disabled family member, of a repressive view of women, and the long-lasting aftereffects of war. Notwithstanding these obstacles, this is a story of hope.
This seminal work written for children is a must read for all ages. A harrowing story well told. A story of humanity and possibility.

Want to Do More?

"I lived in Dadaab Refugee camp for over fifteen years. I know what its like to spend your entire childhood without resources. Now I'm working to change that for my family, friends, and neighbors." Omar Mohamed
Inspired by the story of a young refugee? Learn more about the mission and work of  Refugee Strong.
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Uncorrected copy provided by publisher
Pub date: April 14, 2020  Publisher:  Dial Books  ISBN: 978-0525553908
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A Reason to Hope

3/31/2020

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The Great Upending by Beth Kephart

Turns out that you have no idea how any story's going to end.
There’s something about Beth Kephart’s writing. Instantly she draws me in, exquisitely capturing the moment with sensory imagery. I'm right there, sitting on a windowsill, gazing at the night sky with eleven-year-old Sara Scholl and her younger brother Hawk.
Hawk kicks his bare feet. I kick mine. The air freckles up with fireflies. The trees wave their hands in the breeze.
This summer Sara is grappling with a physical condition that seriously affects her heart, a mysterious man who has taken up residence on the family farm, and the aftermath of a devastating fire.
Sara stands out among her peers. Literally. Taller than both of her parents, she is extremely thin and her feet are flat. She has a condition known as Marfan syndrome which affects the connective tissues throughout her body. Of critical concern is the possibility of an aortic rupture. A surgical procedure could save her life, but it requires the services of an expensive specialist in faraway Cleveland.
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Then there's The Mister. Sarah's father refurbished an unused silo, creating a small round home which the family rents to help offset the farm’s expenses. Sixteen days after completion of the tiny round multi-storied home, a mysterious stranger arrives in an old Cadillac limo and agrees to rent the space. He silently moves about, keeping to himself. Sara and Hawk speculate on who this man is and why he moved into the silo. They refer to him as The Mister.
It's August. The land is parched, the cistern dry. Then the unthinkable happens. The hay shed and hay field catch fire. Shed and most of the hay are gone. All that remains are char and soot, banishing the family's hope for a profitable farm season.
Three totally unrelated things woven into a story of beauty and power. Kephart does it. And does it masterfully.
It’s a tale of quiet desperation and the uncertainty of life.
Somehow despite, or maybe because of a life-threatening condition and the possibility of financial ruin, there is a reason to hope.
​Hope is rain. Hope is Sara’s seed collection. Hope is a pair of red shoes.
​I love this book. Considering current world events, The Great Upending has arrived at precisely the right time.
Bonus: Kephart offers a glimpse into the world of children’s book publishing when a librarian and an author visit a publisher’s offices in New York City’s iconic Flatiron Building.
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
​Pub date: March 31, 2020  Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books  ISBN: 978-1481491563
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Changes. Changes.

3/26/2020

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The List of Things That Will Not Change
by Rebecca Stead

a story about me, but a different me, a person who doesn’t exist anymore
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Bea experienced a major life disruption four years ago when her parents divorced. Now she divides her time equally between the apartments of her supportive mother and understanding father. To ease her anxiety, they presented her with a green notebook to record "The List of Things That Will Not Change." They started the list with:
  • Mom loves you more than anything, always.
  • Dad loves you more than anything, always.
They encourage Bea to look for things that remain constant, things that she can depend on. School, relationships with peers, and the distinctive parenting styles of her mother and father are predictable.
​The irony is that her life is about to change in several surprising ways.
Without revealing an important plot point, it is safe to say that the most significant change that occurs is the change in Bea herself.
At age twelve, Bea’s life is about to experience another seismic shift. Dad has announced that he and his partner Jesse are getting married. The secure little nuclear threesome of Dad, Jesse, and Bea will expand to include Sonia, Jesse’s daughter who lives with her mother in California. Bea is thrilled at the prospect of having a sister and fantasizes about life with a sibling. When Sonia comes for a visit, things are not as Bea envisioned. Not at all.
Bea has her share of challenges. She suffers from eczema which requires application of a medicated lotion. She frequently opts for quick but temporary relief by running her hands under scalding hot tap water, leaving her skin sore and dry. She often exhibits a lack of impulse control, rashly responding when angry. On more than one occasion her impetuous outbursts have alienated her from those close to her. Mom has arranged for her to regularly meet with a therapist to help Bea learn to deal with her anger and frustration.
Stead lovingly paints her central character as flawed. Bea makes mistakes, some trivial, others resulting in serious consequences. Her anger, recklessness, and misreading of a situation bring pain to herself and to others in her immediate circle. She’s a girl who loves to dance, looks forward to the future, and eventually takes the massive step to acknowledge her past mistakes and courageously work to make things right. Readers will fall in love with Bea, not by overlooking her faults, but by accepting this imperfect girl. Readers will discover, like her family and friends, that they love her. All of her. Her strengths and her weakness. A story of love that persists in the face of change.
While The List of Things that Will Not Change narrative is a whole cloth, each chapter stands alone, a polished gem in a sparkling diadem of a novel. I read, stopping to savor each individual chapter.  Each is a well-crafted tiny literary jewel that offers a glimpse into a precise moment in Bea's life.  Chapters fit together into a smooth and polished middle-grade story. This is Stead at her best. 

Blue on Blue 

Look at all these lovely shades of blue. Five distinctly different hues. Five unique stories. They all come from the brilliant mind a master storyteller.
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Electronic copy provided by publisher
​Pub date: April 7, 2020  Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books  ISBN: 978-1101938096
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    Barbara Moon

    I like talking about books and  interesting ideas. I like thinking about how books affect my life. Not particularly interested in giving out stars or in rating books. 

    Audio Publishers Association
    2013, - present  Audies judge 
    American Library Association Book Awards and Lists 
    ​2017 YALSA Award Nominating Committee
    2016 Excellence in Nonfiction 
    2014 Margaret Edwards Award
    2012 Odyssey Awards.  
    2009, 2010, 2011 Great Graphic Novels for Teens.

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