Today’s featured review is from the Young Adult Graphic Novels category–Almost American Girl by Robin Ha, a memoir about the experience of immigrating from South Korea: This is the story of a young girl transitioning from life in Korea to life in Alabama in America. Chuna gives herself the American name Robin as an effort to fit in. Still she …
REVIEW: Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business
Today’s featured panelist review is Early Chapter Books nominee Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business, written by Lyla Lee and illustrated by Dung Ho: Through Mindy’s honest, endearing voice, humor, and a lot of heart, Lyla Lee expertly explores topics like grief, cultural identity, loneliness, friendship, and responsibility in age appropriate and fun ways. Click here to read the …
REVIEW: Furia
Happy November! YA fiction nominee Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez stars in today’s featured review: I enjoy a good sports movie (think: Remember the Titans, Hoosiers) or book. This one has a good combination of a bit of sports descriptions (but certainly not too much) and life and it’s really the life that is the star of this book. You …
REVIEW: Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera
Today’s featured review looks at Elementary Nonfiction nominee Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann: HONEYBEE: The Busy Life of Apis Millifera by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Eric Rohman ( 2020) is robust in text, illustrations and backmatter. It pushes all of us to help out our honeybees. The full review was …
REVIEW: Patron Saints of Nothing
Our final review for the season (yay!) is of Young Adult Fiction finalist On The Come Up (Amazon, IndieBound). And because it’s the last one, here’s a review I did on my blog Book Nut. I wrote: Thomas is a talented writer, telling stories that not only are representative for the world around her and accessible to her target audience, but …
REVIEW: Maybe He Just Likes You
Today we’re featuring a review by Middle Grade Fiction judge Jaymie, who blogs at The Neverending TBR. She reviewed finalist Maybe He Just Likes You (Amazon, IndieBound), writing: This is an important book for middle grade readers, especially upper elementary students and middle school students. It gives language to kids for this very specific and nuanced kind of bullying and harassment. …
REVIEW: Mummies Exposed!
Today’s featured review is of Junior High Non-fiction finalist Mummies Exposed!: Creepy and True #1 (Amazon, IndieBound). Our reviewer is round one panelist Beth, who blogs at Library Chicken. About Mummies, she wrote: It’s cheerfully factual and ends with a discussion of the controversies in studying human remains. Read the whole review here.
REVIEW: The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems
Today’s review The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems (Amazon, IndieBound) comes from Poetry round one panelist Anastasia, who has a blog on her author website. She wrote: Be they practical or fanciful, the poems in this book boast a flair and joy that you won’t find in any instruction manual. Read the whole review here.
REVIEW: Huggle Wuggle, Bedtime Snuggle
Today we’re looking at Board Book Finalist Huggle Wuggle, Bedtime Snuggle (Amazon, IndieBound). I’ve discovered that board books are challenging to review; not many people do it! That is, except for our Fiction Picture Book chair Deb, who blogs at ReaderBuzz. About Huggle Wuggle she wrote: An off-to-bed book that lingers over the joy of the process of getting ready, that …
REVIEW: Sorcery of Thorns
Today’s review of Young Adult Speculative Fiction finalist Sorcery of Thorns (Amazon, IndieBound) comes from round one panelist Grace, who blogs (both in writing and on video) at Gracegetsbooks. She says in her video: It is a love letter to book lovers everywhere. It’s for anyone who loved the Hogwarts library. It’s for anyone who just feels an awe for …