Thursday, December 29, 2022

Favorite Books of 2022

A couple days ago I started to write a post with all of my favorite books of the year. And then I got super overwhelmed because there were so many. So I decided to just share one from each category: picture book, middle grade, young adult, and adult and let you know that if you want to know more of my favorite books from 2022, feel free to follow me on Goodreads.

Favorite picture book of 2022...
Gibberish by Young Vo
Gibberish tells the story of a young boy named Dat who is new to the English language and what that feels like to be the new kid at school who doesn't understand everyone. That story arc isn't new, but the way Young Vo tells it and illustrates it is unlike anything I've seen before. His use of black and white cartoonish illustrations for Dat's surroundings along with emojis for dialogue that he doesn't understand really immerses the reader into Dat's world of unknowing. As Dat becomes more attuned to the English-speaking world and begins understanding more, his surroundings become more colorful and less cartoonish.

This book is brilliant and so incredibly innovative... and it's really hard for me to say a book is innovative given the number of picture books I read every year. This book is still my top contender for the 2023 Caldecott medal.


Favorite Middle Grade of 2022...
Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd
Hummingbird is Natalie Lloyd's most personal and vulnerable book to date, as it is about a girl who has the same disability: osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease. This book is about a young girl named Olive who has been homeschooled her whole life and convinces her mom to send her to the local public school despite her mom's fears over Olive's fragile body.

As with all of Natalie Lloyd's books, it is full of magical realism. There’s a teacher in the story that says a pen is a direct line to a person’s heart. Well, Natalie Lloyd’s pen draws a whole lot of lines to readers’ hearts.


Favorite YA of 2022...
The year is 1932 in Berlin and now that Hilde is eighteen, she must leave her orphanage and set out on her own. She quickly discovers, however, that finding a job is near impossible in these economically depressed times. But fate intervenes one night when she meets Rosa, who brings Hilde to Café Lila where she meets a cast of characters that soon become her chosen family.

As Berlin falls further and further into the authoritarian grip of the Nazis who are scapegoating Jews and the queer community, Hilde along with the employees and patrons of Café Lila continue to remain quietly hopeful and defiant... until trouble comes loudly knocking on their door.

Just as the title suggests, this YA historical fiction in verse by Kip Wilson is dazzling. Berlin is my favorite city on earth, mostly because there has always been a provocative, defiant, avant-garde, and counter-cultural energy about it. That was true in 2004 when I visited for the first time, and it was certainly true when this novel takes place.

But just as this book is a window into 1930s Germany, it's also an alarming mirror to societies, including American society, that allow idealogues and populists to rise to power.


Favorite Adult Book of 2022...
Just like Cain’s book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking changed my life as it asked me to celebrate my introversion rather than admonish it, so too did Bittersweet change my life by bringing awareness to those of us walking the earth who have a tendency towards melancholy and why that’s actually a good thing.

I’ve never felt so seen and understood as when Cain talks about why people with bittersweet personalities find such joy and satisfaction listening to sad music… because longing is active. It moves us. It compels us. It makes us feel like a missing piece of your soul was just added to the puzzle that is your life. So the next time I sit down at the piano to play Moonlight Sonata and feel that sense of longing despite the fact that I’ve played it dozens of times before, or the next time I get chills listening to a song I love for the first time, I’ll remember why I continue to be moved by the bittersweet.

I was so enamored by this book that after I finished it, I went on a three day hyperfixation of playing and creating a playlist of bittersweet music.


What were your favorite books of 2022?


Purchasing books from any of the above Bookshop affiliate links support independent bookstores and gives me a small percentage of the sale. 

Sunday, December 11, 2022

How to Speak Animal giveaway

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Learn about the secret language of wild animals in this exciting and informative guide from the experts who brought you How to Speak Cat and How to Speak Dog.

We know animals can’t speak and express themselves in the same way as humans … but even the smallest and quietest animals have incredible ways of communicating with each other. With wildlife veterinarian expert Dr. Gabby Wild as a guide, How to Speak Animal helps kids understand how animals communicate through sound, body language, and behavior. It’s full of expert insights and real-life stories of humans exploring ways to “talk” to animals, from teaching great apes sign language to speaking “dolphin.” Packed with super-engaging animal photography that helps illustrate key concepts, this fascinating bookprofiles more than 60 different creatures―from birds to mammals to reptiles and more―and their amazing ways of communicating with each other.

If you’ve ever wondered why gorillas beat their chests and make hooting noises, what it means when chameleons change color, or why some elephants twist their trunks together, this is the book for you!

 

About the Authors

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

DR. GABBY WILD earned her bachelor of science and doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degrees at Cornell University. She completed her veterinary internship training at Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital in Akron, Ohio, and received her master’s of public health (MPH) from the University of Minnesota. She is a published genetics researcher and uses her research background to screen zoonotic disease transmission among wildlife, domestic animals, and people. To help maintain a healthy planet, she monitors herd and individual health for rising epidemics. Dr. Wild balances her Western medicine practices with traditional Chinese medicine in an effort to blend both methodologies. Acclaimed for her role as “the veterinarian” on Animal Jam, the world’s largest online “playground,” with 54 million players, she creates educational videos and teaches children internationally about wildlife conservation and medicine. When not in the wild, Gabby works as a Wildlife Health Program veterinarian for the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo and is a training veterinary surgeon at the Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island. She lives in New York City.

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

AUBRE ANDRUS is an award-winning children's book author with dozens of books published by National Geographic, Lonely Planet, American Girl, Disney, Scholastic, and more. She has also ghostwritten books for young YouTube stars. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her family. 


GIVEAWAY

  • Three (5) winners will receive a copy of How to Speak Animal
  • US only
  • Ends 12/18 at 11:59pm ET
  • Enter via the Rafflecopter below

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Monday, November 14, 2022

Explorer Academy Book Blitz and Giveaway

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A heart-pounding final showdown changes the life of Cruz Coronado forever in the seventh and final book in this thrilling fact-based fiction series.

Amid assignments that take the Explorer Academy recruits from the iceberg-filled waters of Antarctica to the bone-dry deserts of Argentina, Cruz Coronado is scrambling to complete the last piece of the cipher. With Nebula agents and the elusive explorer spy still out there, his opportunity to recover his mother’s world-changing formula is slipping away. But as Cruz has learned from his time aboard Orion, true explorers must never give up.

Even after completing dozens of high-risk missions and traveling to all seven continents, Cruz could never prepare himself for one ultimate surprise.

Explorer Academy features: Gripping fact-based fiction plot that inspires curiosity with new technology and innovations; amazing inventions and gadgets; a cast of diverse, relatable characters; secret clues, codes, and ciphers to track down within the text; vibrant illustrations; elements of STEAM; National Geographic explorer profiles in the "Truth Behind" section.

Check out the Explorer Academy website featuring videos, comic shorts, games, profiles of real-life National Geographic Explorers, chapter excerpts and more. 
 



Praise:

"Sure to appeal to kids who love code cracking and mysteries with cutting-edge technology."  
Booklist

"A perfect blend of adventure with real science and technology!"
New York Times #1 best-selling author Rick Riordan

"A fun, exciting, and action-packed ride that kids will love."
—J.J. Abrams, director and screenwriter of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Lost, Alias

"Inspires the next generation of curious kids to go out into our world and discover something unexpected.”
—James Cameron, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and acclaimed film-maker

 

About the Author

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

TRUDI TRUEIT has written more than 100 books for young readers, both fiction and nonfiction. Her love of writing began in fourth grade, when she wrote, directed, and starred in her first play. She went on to be a TV news reporter and weather forecaster, but she knew her calling was in writing. Trueit is a gifted storyteller for middle-grade audiences, and her fiction novels include The Sister Solution, Stealing Popular, and the Secrets of a Lab Rat series. Her expertise in kids nonfiction encompasses books on history, weather, wildlife, and earth science. She is the author of all the narratives in the Explorer Academy series, beginning with Explorer Academy: The Nebula Secret. Trueit was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, and lives in Everett, Washington.

 


GIVEAWAY

  • Three (3) winners will receive the COMPLETE 7-book Explorer Academy series and an Explorer Academy map, showing all the places around the world that Cruz and his classmates visit over the course of the series!
  • US/Canada only
  • Ends 11/27 at 11:59pm ET
  • Enter via the Rafflecopter below

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Monday, October 17, 2022

It's Monday! What are you reading? 10-17-22

 


It's Monday! What are you reading? Is a wonderful community of readers, teachers, and librarians. Hosted by Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers, participants share their reading adventures from the past week along with their reading plans for the week ahead.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.

Y'all... I have been so all over the place with my reading. I can't seem to commit to just one book. So this is what I am currently reading in bits and bobbles:
 
The Honeys by Ryan LaSalla

 
Chlorine Sky by Mahogany L. Browne


I recently read and loved: 
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
ZJ's dad, a professional football player, is experiencing headaches, memory loss, and mood swings at a time when the world didn't know about CTE yet. While this is a quick read as it is a novel in verse, it is absolutely heartbreaking and can be triggering in places.


The Family Business by Lenore Appelhans, illustrated by Ken Lamug
Lucky the Racoon is excited to join the family business of dumpster diving to find their food, but when he finally gets to join his siblings, he gets more than he bargained for when humans are always chasing them off. A fun story about honoring your gifts and talents rather than forcing yourself to go against your own disposition.


I Am Quiet: A Story About the Introvert in All of Us by Andie Powers, illustrated by Betsy Petersen
Quiet kids often live rich, inner lives and what we often think is shyness is actually just a kid who likes spending time inside their own imaginations.


Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civils Rights Movement by Angela Joy, illustrated by Janelle Washington
This picture book biography on Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, is incredibly well-written and emotionally captivating. A must for every school library and history classroom.


Purchasing books from any of the above Bookshop affiliate links support independent bookstores and gives me a small percentage of the sale. 




Monday, October 3, 2022

It's Monday! What are you reading? 10-3-22

It's Monday! What are you reading? Is a wonderful community of readers, teachers, and librarians. Hosted by Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers, participants share their reading adventures from the past week along with their reading plans for the week ahead.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.


Books I recently read and enjoyed:


Love That Story: Observations from a Gorgeously Queer Life by Jonathan Van Ness
In the follow up to his memoir, Over the Top, Jonathan Van Ness brings a side of depth and social justice to his sunny disposition in this series of intersectional essays.


Come Fly the World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am by Julia Cooke
I really enjoyed learning more about American history (Cold War, Vietnam War, etc.) through the lens of what it was like being a stewardess for the most glamorous airline of the jet age.


Forever Home by Henry Cole
A young boy wants a dog so badly that to prove to his dads that he can be responsible, he walks an empty leash every day. One day, he discovers a stray dog that he wants to rescue and his dads finally decide he's ready for his own dog. The only problem is... they can't find him when they go looking for him.


Sonny Says Sorry by Caryl Hart, illustrated by Zachariah OHora
A sweet book about how apologies should be accompanied by action to make right the wrong you did.


Books Aren't for Eating by Carlie Sorosiak, illustrated by Manu Montoya
A delightful book that sends the message that books fill you up... but if you're a goat, you need to remember that they shouldn't fill up your stomach, but rather your brain. :)


The More You Give by Marcy Campbell, illustrated by Francesca Sanna
I love that this book is described as a modern-day response to The Giving Tree. Because instead of giving of yourself so much that you become nothing but a stump for your child to sit on, this is a book that shows how giving can give back... by creating a whole forest.


Everything in Its Place by Pauline David-Sax, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow
Nicky loves her school library so much that she spends her recess helping the librarian re-shelve books. But when the librarian has to be gone for a week at a conference, Nicky must actually go to recess, which she is dreading. This is a sweet story about taking risks, getting out of our comfort zones, and also still embracing a love a books as one navigates outside that comfort zone.

Currently reading:

Odder by Katherine Applegate


Currently reading with my ears:

The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper


Purchasing books from any of the above Bookshop affiliate links support independent bookstores and gives me a small percentage of the sale. 

Monday, September 12, 2022

It's Monday! What are You Reading? 9-12-22

 

It's Monday! What are you reading? Is a wonderful community of readers, teachers, and librarians. Hosted by Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers, participants share their reading adventures from the past week along with their reading plans for the week ahead.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.


Check out my current giveaway:


I recently reviewed:
My Pet Feet by Josh Funk


I recently read and loved:
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg grew up to witness the poverty and injustices of the Great Depression and World War II. For that reason, they found themselves identifying politically with the communist party. Unfortunately for them, this was probably the worst time in American history to identify as a communist… right after the end of World War II and the start of the Cold War resulted in a groupthink of paranoia that led the U.S. into the McCarthy era Red Scare that ruined many people’s lives with a simple accusation of being a communist. Unfortunately for the Rosenberg’s that accusation also came with charges of espionage… of selling nuclear secrets to the USSR and a death sentence.

This novel in verse covers a very intense story in American history and will make readers want to learn more about the Rosenbergs. 

Nana, Nenek, & Nina by Liza Ferneyhough
A beautiful celebration between cultures of grandmothers' love

Patchwork by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Corinna Luyken
Matt de la Peña always knows how to tug on those heartstrings in his profound and literary picture books. In Patchwork he reminds adults and kids alike that we all contain multitudes; we are a patchwork of interests, ideas, ideals, strengths and weaknesses.

Lunch from Home by Joshua David Stein, illustrated by Jing Li
This book is a great conversation starter about food and family traditions and why those things need to be respected (and embraced!) at school. The story is a model and invitation to show kids that they can and should view different foods with curiosity rather than disdain. We don’t all need to bring sandwiches and chips for lunch every day, nor should that be the expectation in a country as beautifully diverse as ours.

If You're a Kid Like Gavin by Gavin Grimm & Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by J Yang
A wonderful picture book to add to the conversation that trans kids are humans to be loved and cared for, not problems to be solved


Currently reading:

Odder by Katherine Applegate


Currently reading with my ears:


Come Fly the World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am by Julia Cooke


Purchasing books from any of the above Bookshop affiliate links support independent bookstores and gives me a small percentage of the sale. 


Dear Wild Child Giveaway

 A father's poetic lament to his daughter over the loss of their family home they built to a wildfire. The author's note at the end is a perfect thesis to the book: "The climate is changing. Weather is becoming less predictable and more extreme. We will lose what we love. And to fix what's broken, we will all need to become resilient and more empathetic, collaborative, and creative."

"The art echoes the text’s emphasis on beauty rather than loss. . .In the event’s aftermath, the affecting story’s tone remains openhearted, concluding with sentiments that encourage resilience and reflect on the nature of home."
Publishers Weekly

"It’s a touching sentiment that reminds readers of all ages that our lives are defined not by our material possessions but by the memories we make... Intricate and emotional."
Kirkus Reviews

In the shade of ancient redwood trees, by a creek, not far from the ocean, a father builds a house for his newborn daughter, where she grows up wild and strong in their coastal canyon home. When a wildfire takes back their beloved house, a father writes his now-grown daughter a letter telling her it’s gone. Inspired by the real letter the author wrote his daughter, this poignant story—written together by father and daughter—joyfully declares that a home is more than just wood and stone; it is made of love and can never be taken away. You carry home with you wherever you go.

About the Author & Illustrator
Wallace Grayce Nichols
 is a student of sustainable design, problem solver, and water lover. Her father, 

Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, is a marine biologist and the author of the bestselling book Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do. Home is the slow coast of California. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Drew Beckmeyer is a fine artist, illustrator, and elementary school teacher. He lives in Northern California. Website | Instagram

Additional Links:

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Friday, September 2, 2022

My Pet Feet by Josh Funk, illustrated by Billy Yong

When the letter R suddenly goes missing, a little girl has to figure out where it went, or else run the risk of having pet feet instead of a pet ferret. There are also a slew of other mishaps that a missing letter R might cause you to encounter... such as a galloping hose instead of a horse, a flock of cows instead of crows, and a babbling book instead of brook just to name a few.

I can't even imagine the mental gymnastics that had to occur in order to write a book with no Rs, but Josh Funk manages to make mental gymnastics fun and entertaining. This book is no doubt going to be an uproarious read aloud favorite with groups of kids.


My Pet Feet by Josh Funk, illustrated by Billy Yong
Published: August 23, 2022
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 48
Genre/Format: Picture book
Audience: Primary
Disclosure: Digital copy provided by author


Purchasing from the above Bookshop affiliate link supports independent bookstores and gives me a small percentage of the sale. 

Monday, August 1, 2022

It's Monday! What are you reading? 8-1-22

It's Monday! What are you reading? Is a wonderful community of readers, teachers, and librarians. Hosted by Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers, participants share their reading adventures from the past week along with their reading plans for the week ahead.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.


Last week I read and loved:
I'm obsessed with this book. I spent a better part of yesterday making a bittersweet Spotify playlist and a TikTok review because I am currently in ADHD hyperfixation mode. Cain's book Quiet changed my life by giving me permission to embrace my introversion. And this book equally changed my life by giving me permission to embrace my melancholy side. 

Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega, illustrated by Rose Bousamra
An important middle grade graphic novel about a young girl who wants to embrace her natural curly hair rather than being forced to go to the salon every week with her mami to straighten her hair. This book is an important mirror for young Black girls who want to embrace their natural hair and a window for white readers who are used to seeing their physical features as a cultural default.


Currently reading:
Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes and Dawud Anyabwile


Currently (still) reading with my ears:


Purchasing books from any of the above Bookshop affiliate links support independent bookstores and gives me a small percentage of the sale. 

Monday, July 25, 2022

It's Monday! What are you reading? 7-25-22

It's Monday! What are you reading? Is a wonderful community of readers, teachers, and librarians. Hosted by Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers, participants share their reading adventures from the past week along with their reading plans for the week ahead.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.


Last week I read and loved:

I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day
A really lovely and important middle grade book that tackles a difficult topic but isn't heavy-handed about it. It is a book about family history, family secrets, and indigenous identity. It's also a great entry point to discuss the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 that is alarmingly being brought again before the Supreme Court this fall

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas
This book’s premise can be distilled down as New Kid meets Bring It On but with swimming instead of cheerleading. It’s a story that imparts a lot of hard truths about why so many Black Americans never learned or teach their kids to swim, but it’s mostly a page-turning story of friendship, teamwork, and overcoming adversity.


Yes We Will: Asian Americans Who Shaped This Country by Kelly Yang
Wonderful book that connects narrative elements along with peritext and backmatter to tell the story of inspiring Asian Americans. I love that each page spread featured a different Asian American illustrator, further highlighting the accomplishments of Asian Americans.


The Surprise by Zadie Smith and Nick Laird, illustrated by Magenta Fox
What a delightfully odd and heartwarming story about a guinea pig that does Judo and doesn't know her place in a family of pets that are very dedicated to their schedules. The delightful oddness of the story puts me in mind of Phil Stead's picture books. 


Currently (still) reading:


Currently reading with my ears: