Part Two of my interview with writer Karen Babine, author of Water and What We Know: Following the Roots of a Northern Life (University of Minnesota Press, 2015). You can read Part One here. I know that you love Ireland, traveling, and camping in your Scamp. How do your travels influence what you write? Do […]
Today is J. M. Barrie’s birthday. I love Peter Pan, but not for the usual reasons. When I’ve taught the book in the past, there are often a few female students who say they’re excited to read it because they think the movie is so romantic. I just silently nod and smile and let them […]
by Caroline Tung Richmond Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction Publisher: Scholastic Press Publication Date: July 26, 2016 Length: 304 pages in hardcover Tagline: “Dressed to kill.” This is my friend, Caroline Tung Richmond. We met years ago when we were both undergraduates and had mutual friends who enjoyed mid-week breaks from homework to watch reality […]
Other-Wordly: Words Both Strange and Lovely from Around the World by Yee Lum Mak illustrated by Kelsey Garrity-Riley Genres: Nonfiction, Picture Book, Art, Gift Book Publisher: Chronicle Books Length: 64 pages Published: October 11, 2016 Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble My Goodreads Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Official Book Summary: “Discover words to […]
David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell “Giants are not what we think they are. The same qualities that appear to give them strength are often the sources of great weakness…. The battle is won miraculously by an underdog who, by all expectations, should not have won at […]
by Agatha Christie “Trains are relentless things, aren’t they, Monsieur Poirot? People are murdered and die, but they go on just the same. I am talking nonsense, but you know what I mean.” “Yes, yes, I know. Life is like a train, Mademoiselle. It goes on. And it is a good thing that […]
I adored his books as a child and adore them now as a grown-up. They are so beloved the world over, it’s impossible to imagine children growing up without these stories in their world. It’s difficult to choose a favorite but I think The BFG and Danny, Champion of the World hold the dearest spots […]
by Tedd Arnold Children’s picture book fiction, ages 4-6. “Little Gert loved eating dirt. The worms all idolized her.” Tedd Arnold’s picture book features a young girl named Gert who loves eating and playing in dirt. She loves dirt so much, in fact, she turns into a tree. Instead of trying to change her, Gert’s […]
Concepts of Managing: A Road Map for Avoiding Career Hazards by Ronald Harriswith Jacqueline H. Harris, PhD, and Casey B. Harris, JD, MBA Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Career Self-Help, Academic Publisher: AuthorHouse Length: 208 pages Published: October 18, 2023 Formats: Available in hardback, paperback, and e-book Purchase Links: AuthorHouse, Amazon, Barnes & Noble Author Website: ronaldharrisauthor.com Author LinkedIn: […]
by Liz Rosenberg illustrated by Julie Morstad Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Canadian History, Middle Grade Publisher: Candlewick Press Length: 339 pages Published: June 12, 2018 Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble Official Book Summary: “An affecting biography of the author of Anne of Green Gables is the first for young readers to include revelations about her […]
Written by William Joyce Illustrated by William Joyce & Joe Bluhm “Mr. Morris Lessmore loved words. He loved stories. He loved books. His life was a book of his own writing, one orderly page after another. He would open it every morning and write of his joys and sorrows, of all that he knew and […]
A very special Happy Birthday to Beverly Cleary who turns 100 today! Did you know she’s sold over 91 million copies of her books and she’s won the National Book Award, the Newberry Medal, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, and in her honor HarperCollins declared April 12th National Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) Day? I’ve […]
I’m almost two weeks late in posting a quarterly reading list, but it’s finally ready. Below is a list of the books I read in April, May, and June of this year. Please feel free to share your reading lists and recommendations in the comments section below! Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell The […]
Jactionary: The Monogram Murders
I bought Sophie Hannah’s book The Monogram Murders last year, but it just sits longingly on my bookshelf. Why? Because it feels wrong for me to read it when I haven’t finished Agatha Christie’s original Hercule Poirot series yet. Is this weird? Somehow it just feels highly blasphemous. Worse even, I’m not even reading the […]