Author: Karina Glaser

Hi Kid Lit Friends,

At the beginning of the summer, with all of their camps cancelled and facing a long three months in our tiny NYC apartment, I asked my kids to choose a topic of interest that we could study together in two-week periods throughout the summer. My ten-year-old said she was interested in the Civil War for her first topic, so I put together a reading list for her. We also spent two weeks in June watching the entirety of Ken Burns’s twelve hour Civil War documentary, and now the Ashokan Farewell music is burned into our brains forever.

There are some wonderful books for young readers about the American Civil War. Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreno Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael Lopez is a sweet picture book about a young girl who wrote her own songs and performed in grand cathedrals. When a revolution in Venezuela forced her family to flee to the United States in the midst of the Civil War, Teresa kept playing, and soon President Abraham Lincoln invited her to play at the White House.

All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis is a lovely picture book about the first Juneteenth, the day that freedom finally came to the last of the slaves in the South. The story is told through the eyes of a little girl witnessing the celebration, and this gorgeous picture book includes notes from the author and illustrator, a timeline of important dates, and a glossary of relevant terms.

For middle grade readers, there are terrific books that tell about the incredible people who lived during the Civil War. Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry is a fantastic biography that I read in one day. Readers will learn about Harriet Tubman’s life a slave and how she was willing to risk everything—including her own life—to experience freedom, not just for her but for the hundreds of people who she led on the Underground Railroad to the North.

 

I am thankful that David F. Walker, Damon Smyth, and Marissa Louise created The Life of Frederick Douglass: A Graphic Narrative of a Slave’s Journey from Bondage to Freedom, a graphic biography of this incredible person who had the ear of President Lincoln. Told from Douglass’s point of view and based on his own writings, The Life of Frederick Douglass provides an up-close-and-personal look at a history-making American who was larger than life.

 

For a contemporary fiction book about middle schoolers researching the Civil War, check out The Not So Boring Letters of Private Nobody by Matt Landis. Twelve-year-old Oliver Prichard knows everything about the Civil War: the battles, the generals, every movement of the Union and Confederate Armies. So when the last assignment of seventh-grade history is a project on the Civil War, Oliver is over the moon–until he’s partnered with Ella Berry. And when Oliver finds out they have to research a random soldier named Private Raymond Stone who didn’t even fight in any battles before dying of some boring disease, Oliver knows he’s doomed. But Ella turns out to be very different from what Oliver expected. As the partners film their documentary about Private Stone, Oliver discovers that sometimes the most interesting things are hiding in uninteresting places.

The role of American Indians in The Civil War is largely passed over, but Deadly Aim: The Civil War Story of Michigan’s Anishinaabe Sharpshooters by Sally M. Walker is a meticulously researched book about Company K, the elite band of sharpshooters, and Daniel Mwakewenah, the chief who killed more than 32 rebels in a single battle despite being gravely wounded. Walker celebrates the lives of the soldiers whose stories have been left in the margins of history for too long with extensive research and consultation with the Repatriation Department for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, the Eyaawing Museum and Cultural Center, and the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinaabe Culture and Lifeways.

 

What are you reading these days? Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.

Until next time!
Karina

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Hi Kid Lit Friends!

It’s July! Here in New York City, public swimming pools are closed for the season. This is very sad, so I thought I would talk about all the great books about swimming. Here are some terrific ones:

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall is one of my absolute favorite picture books. A family goes to the swimming pool, and Jabari is going to jump off the diving board. Except he goes up the ladder, then decides maybe he won’t jump into the pool. But he really wants to, and everyone around him is having fun… so what should he do? Dad, of course, has the answer.

 

Bernard Makes a Splash by Lisa Stickley is another wonderful picture book. Bernard (who is a hound! so cute!) has been the manager of the local swimming pool for a long time. He is super shy but quietly observes other people diving then practices his diving at night when no one else is around. When his pool holds a contest for high-diving hounds from around the world, he hopes that he can work up enough courage to compete.

Wave by Suzy Lee is a lovely wordless picture book about a girl’s day at a beach. Like Jabari Jumps, the story works through feelings of wonder and fear. I love the way the waves and the movements of the girl and how it perfectly captures a summer day at the beach.

For middle grade readers, try The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon, one of my favorite middle grade books. It is the story of Caleb Franklin and his big brother Bobby Gene. They are excited to have adventures in the woods behind their house, but Caleb dreams of venturing beyond their ordinary small town. When Caleb and Bobby Gene meet new neighbor Styx Malone, Styx promises the brothers that together, the three of them can pull off the Great Escalator Trade–exchanging one small thing for something better until they achieve their wildest dream. But as the trades get bigger, the brothers soon find themselves in over their heads.

And for upper middle grade readers, try Up for Air by Laurie Morrison. This book is about thirteen-year-old Annabelle who struggles in school but dominates in the pool. She’s the fastest girl on the middle school swim team, and when she’s asked to join the high school team over the summer, everything changes. Suddenly, she’s got new friends, and a high school boy starts treating her like she’s somebody special—and Annabelle thinks she’ll finally stand out in a good way. She’ll do anything to fit in and help the team make it to the Labor Day Invitational, even if it means blowing off her old friends. But after a prank goes wrong, Annabelle is abandoned by the older boy and can’t swim. Who is she without the one thing she’s good at?

What are you reading these days? Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.

Until next time!
Karina

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Dear Kid Lit Friends,

Okay, we are going to talk about spies today. SPIES!!! There is something about spies that is so compelling, and here are some books about them!

The Eye That Never Sleeps by Marissa Moss and Jeremy Holmes is one of my daughter’s favorite picture books. It’s the true story of the spy that saved Abraham Lincoln’s life! Allan Pinkerton’s life changed when he helped the Chicago Police Department track down a group of counterfeiters. From there, he became the first police detective in Chicago and established the country’s most successful detective agency. He went on to solve more than 300 murders and recover millions of dollars in stolen money. However, his greatest contribution was protecting Abraham Lincoln on the way to his 1861 inauguration. Though assassins attempted to murder Lincoln en route, Pinkerton foiled their plot and brought the president safely to the capital.

Princess in Black by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, is one of my favorite chapter book series ever! Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate and scones with Duchess Wigtower when . . . Brring! Brring! The monster alarm! A big blue monster is threatening the goats! Stopping monsters is no job for dainty Princess Magnolia. But luckily Princess Magnolia has a secret — she’s also the Princess in Black, and stopping monsters is the perfect job for her!

Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls by Beth McMullen is a terrific middle grade series about Abigail, who is stunned to discover her boarding school is actually a cover for an elite spy ring called The Center, along with being training grounds for future spies. Even more shocking? Abigail’s mother is a top agent for The Center and she has gone MIA, with valuable information that many people would like to have—at any cost. Along with a former nemesis and charming boy from her grade, Abigail goes through a crash course in Spy Training 101, often with hilarious—and sometimes painful—results.

Spy School by Stuart Gibbs is a can’t-stop-reading middle grade series about Ben Ripley. Ben may only be in middle school, but he’s already pegged his dream job: C.I.A. Unfortunately for him, his personality doesn’t exactly scream “secret agent.” In fact, Ben is so awkward, he can barely get to school and back without a mishap. Because of his innate nerdiness, Ben is not surprised when he is recruited for a magnet school with a focus on science—but he’s entirely shocked to discover that the school is actually a front for a junior C.I.A. academy. Could the C.I.A. really want him?

City Spies by James Ponti is a new middle grade series. It begins with Sara Martinez hacking into the New York City foster care system to expose her foster parents as cheats and lawbreakers. However, instead of being hailed as a hero, Sara finds herself facing years in a juvenile detention facility and banned from using computers for the same stretch of time. Enter Mother, a British spy who not only gets Sara released from jail but also offers her a chance to make a home for herself within a secret MI6 agency.

 

BONUS! Three new books that I love!

Women’s Art Work: More Than 30 Female Artists Who Changed the World by Sophia Bennett, illustrated by Manjit Thapp: A great collection of stories of fantastic female artists.

 

 

 

American as Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar: A terrific middle grade book about an Indian American girl who navigates prejudice in her home town.

 

 

 

 

Lift by Minh Le, illustrated by Dan Santat: A sweet picture book about an elevator button that transports you to fantastic places.

 

 

 

 

What are you reading these days? Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.

Until next time!
Karina

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Hi Kid Lit Friends!

Since the pandemic, there has been a surge in bike sales. In New York City, with decreased traffic and less public transportation ridership, more people are biking to get from place to place. This makes me so happy (I love doing family bike rides!), so here are some great books about bikes!

For an adorable picture book, look at Bikes for Sale by Carter Higgins, illustrated by Zachariah Ohora. Maurice rides his bike to his shop every day. Lotta rides her bike to collect sticks every day. Both go about their separate routines, unaware of the friendship that awaits them just a few blocks away. But what happens when a branch and a lemon peel get in the way?

 

Bike On, Bear! by Cynthea Liu, illustrated by Kristyna Litten is so adorable. Just look at that cover! In this picture book, Bear can do almost anything. His one-paw pawstand is perfection. He can solve the trickiest of equations. He can even out-build a brigade of beavers. But the one thing Bear can’t do? Ride a bike. Bear tries everything to help him learn: library books, training wheels and super-cheers from his fellow animal friends. But all of those fail to get poor Bear on two wheels.

Rabbit and the Motorbike by Kate Hoefler, illustrated by Sarah Jacoby, is one of my favorite picture books published last year. The illustrations are so dreamy and beautiful. It’s the story about Rabbit, a homebody who lives in a quiet field of wheat he dreams of leaving every night. His world is enlarged by his friend Dog and Dog’s tales of motorbike adventures. But one day, Dog is gone, and with him, go the stories Rabbit loves so much. Dare Rabbit pick up the motorbike and live his own story?

Cycle City by Allison Farrell is a lovely picture book that reminds me of Richard Scarry’s wonderful books. When little Etta the Elephant goes to her Aunt Ellen’s house, she takes a journey through bicycle-filled Cycle City, a town filled with bikes of all kinds! At the end of the day, a special surprise awaits Etta—the most amazing bicycle parade imaginable. This book also has a fun seek-and-find component.

 

The New Kid by Karen English, illustrated by Laura Freeman, is a sweet chapter book that is a part of the Carver Chronicles series (get them all!). Third-grader Gavin and his friends aren’t sure what to make of the new boy in their class, Khufu. He sure doesn’t look or act like the other kids . . . and they suspect that he stole Gavin’s bike! Karen English has a wonderful way of writing about childhood and the concerns of young people.

 

What are you reading these days? Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.

Until next time!
Karina

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

Hi Kid Lit Friends,

Happy Sunday! I recently had the chance to watch the Jane movie about Jane Goodall with my kids (it’s fantastic), and it got me thinking about women in science. I thought I would round up some great books about it.

Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharp Revealed the Ocean’s Biggest Secret by Jess Keating, illustrated by Katie Hickey is a wonderful picture book biography. From a young age, Marie Tharp loved watching the world. In the mid-twentieth century, however, women were not welcome in the sciences. But Marie was tenacious and she got a job in a laboratory at Cambridge University, New York. But then she faced another barrier: women were not allowed on the research ships (they were considered bad luck on boats). So instead, Marie stayed back and dove deep into the data her colleagues recorded. She mapped point after point and slowly revealed a deep rift valley in the ocean floor.

Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birute Galdikas by Jim Ottaviani, illustrated by Maris Wicks is a graphic nonfiction book about three groundbreaking women scientists. It is an accessible, entertaining, and informative look at the field of primatology and at the lives of three of the most remarkable women scientists of the twentieth century.

 

 

Black Women in Science by Kimberly Brown Pellum is a great collection of fifteen women that built a legacy by advancing their STEM fields. The book includes stories by incredible scientists and mathematicians, including Mae Jemison, Annie Easley, Bessie Coleman, Katherine Johnson, Gladys West, Mamie Phipps Clark, and Jane Cooke Wright. These stories celebrate incredible women who had brains and tenacity and did all they could to beat the odds and be the best in their fields.

 

Leaders Like Us: Rebecca Lee Crumpler (August 11, 2020, Discovery Library) by J.P. Miller, illustrated by Markia Jenai, is about the first African-American woman to work as a professional medical doctor. Later, she also provided care for those formerly enslaved through an arrangement with the government. She became the only woman doctor to write a book in the nineteenth century.

 

Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World by Laurie Lawlor, illustrated by Laura Beingessner follows the life of Rachel Carson. Her fascination with the natural world led her to study biology, and pursue a career in science at a time when very few women worked in the field. She went on to be a journalist and pioneering researcher, investigating and exposing the harmful effects of pesticide overuse.

What are you reading these days? Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.

Until next time!
Karina

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

Hi friends,

It has been a really heavy couple of weeks. I have spent a lot of time reading and listening and thinking and donating. One of the things I decided to do was create a list of 100 incredible books by African American creators. As a contributing editor at Book Riot for the last five years, I have been very lucky to read, review, and recommend hundreds of children’s books by black authors and illustrators. The following list includes books that I have in my apartment, that I’ve read with my children, that I’ve bought at bookstores or borrowed from libraries, and that I’ve given as gifts. Diversifying our homes and classrooms and schools and neighborhood libraries is one way to learn and listen and understand and support.

Here is my list, based on my original thread on Twitter that you can find here:

The Twitter thread also includes a short description of why I loved each book. Please note that this list includes a couple of deviations from the original Twitter thread based on reader feedback, and the numbering might not match up because I reordered some of the books for easier browsing.

Board Books

1. Dream Big, Little One Board Book by Vashti Harrison
2. Woke Baby Board Book by Mahoghany L. Browne, illustrated by Theodore Taylor, III
3. Baby Says Board Book by John Steptoe
4. Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Picture Books

5. All Things Bright and Beautiful by Ashley Bryan
6. The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
7. Hey Black Child by Useni Eugene Perkins, illustrated by Bryan Collier
8. Hands Up! By Breanna J. McDaniel, illustrated by Shane W. Evans
9. Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
10. What Is Given From the Heart by Patricia C. McKissack, illustrated by April Harrison
11. Tallulah The Tooth Fairy CEO by Dr. Tamara Pizzoli, illustrated by Federico Fabiani
12. Everett Anderson’s Goodbye by Lucille Clifton, illustrated by Ann Grifalconi
13. Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James
14. This is the Rope: A Story from the Great Migration by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by James Ransome
15. Freedom Over Me by Ashley Bryan
16. Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora
17. Blue Sky, White Stars by Sarvinder Naberhaus, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
18. You Matter by Christian Robinson
19. The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
20. Bird by Zetta Elliott, illustrated by Shadra Strickland
21. Please, Louise by Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison, and illustrated by Shadra Strickland
22. A Place Where Hurricanes Happen by Renee Watson, illustrated by Shadra Strickland
23. Don’t Touch My Hair! By Sharee Miller
24. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis
25. Life Doesn’t Frighten Me by Maya Angelou, illustrated by Jean-Michel Basquiat
26. Lift Every Voice and Sing by James Weldon Johnson, illustrated by Elizabeth Catlett
27. Overground Railroad by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome
28. Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me by Daniel Beatty, illustrated by Bryan Collier
29. I Love My Hair! By Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, illustrated by E.B. Lewis
30. Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
31. Uptown by Bryan Collier
32. Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan

Chapter Books

33. Nikki and Deja (series) by Karen English, illustrated by Laura Freeman
34. The Lucky Stone by Lucille Clifton
35. Dragons in a Bag (series) by Zetta Elliott
36. Jada Jones (series) by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
37. Sasha Savvy Loves to Code by Sasha Ariel Alston, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Middle Grade Books (for ages 8 – 12)

38. It All Comes Down to This by Karen English
39. New Kid by Jerry Craft
40. The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon
41. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
42. From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
43. Hoodoo by Ronald Smith
44. Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome
45. Blended by Sharon Draper
46. Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
47. Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
48. My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich by Ibi Zoboi
49. So Done by Paula Chase
50. Midnight Without a Moon by Linda Williams Jackson
51. The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles
52. One Shadow on the Wall by Leah Henderson
53. For Black Girls Like Me by Mariama J. Lockington
54. Tight by Torrey Maldonado
55. Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams
56. Some Places More Than Others by Renee Watson
57. King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
58. Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes
59. Miles Morales Spider Man by Jason Reynolds
60. The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
61. We Could Be Brothers by Derrick Barnes
62. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
63. The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis
64. Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia
65. The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
66. 8th Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
67. Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender
68. Stella by Starlight by Sharon Draper
69. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Middle Grade Book Series

70. Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson
71. The Logan Family Saga (includes Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry) by Mildred D. Taylor
72. Ghost by Jason Reynolds
73. The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste
74. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
75. One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia

Nonfiction Picture Books

76. Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
77. Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe
78. By and By: Charles Tindley, the Father of Gospel Music by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Bryan Collier
79. Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed, illustrated by Stasia Burrington
80. Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop by Alice Faye Duncan, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
81. Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
82. Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shutterly, illustrated by Laura Freeman
83. The Oldest Student by Oge Mora
84. Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney
85. Harlem’s Little Blackbird by Renee Watson, illustrated by Christian Robinson
86. Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
87. Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton by Don Tate
88. Before There Was Mozart: The Story of Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-George by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome
89. Someday is Now: Clara Luper and the 1958 Oklahoma City Sit-Ins by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, illustrated by Jade Johnson

Non-Fiction for Middle Grade Readers

90. Black Women in Science by Kimberly Brown Pellum
91. We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices by Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson
92. This Promise of Change by Jo Ann Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy
93. Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African-Americans by Kadir Nelson
94. Infinite Hope: A Black Artist’s Journey from World War II to Peace by Ashley Bryan
95. Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
96. You Can Fly by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jeffrey Boston Weatherford

Poetry

97. Woke: A Young Poet’s Call to Justice by Mahoghany L. Browne, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
98. One Last Word by Nikki Grimes
99. Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Ekua Holmes
100. I, Too, Am America by Langston Hughes, illustrated by Bryan Collier

 

I am thinking of all of you during this time. Thank you for being willing to read and learn and listen with me.

Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.

xox,
Karina

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Hi Kid Lit Friends,

I have been thinking about sustainable energy these days, and generally when I don’t know anything about a topic I turn to children’s books. Here are some great ones if you’re looking to learn more about how the world is running on sustainable energy. This list reflects the dearth of books about sustainable energy by authors of color.

Green Machine: The Slightly Gross Truth about Turning Your Food Scraps into Green Energy by Rebecca Donnelly, illustrated by Christophe Jacques, is an informative and funny book about food scraps. See how food scraps are composted, collected, and processed, transforming trash into biogas and electricity. It’s a green machine! It’s a celebration of sustainability and the important role we humans play in the energy cycle.

Allan Drummund has a great picture book about solar energy: Solar Story: How One Community Harnessed the Wind and Changed Their World. As we see on a class field trip, the plant is not only bringing reliable power to the village and far beyond, but is providing jobs, changing lives, and upending the old ways of doing things–starting within the girl’s own family. Blending detail-filled watercolors, engaging cartoon-style narration, sidebars, and an afterword, the author showcases another community going green in amazing ways.

And finally, a middle grade book: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Wheeler. When a terrible drought struck William Kamkwamba’s tiny village in Malawi, his family lost all of the season’s crops, leaving them with nothing to eat and nothing to sell. William began to explore science books in his village library, looking for a solution. There, he came up with the idea that would change his family’s life forever: he could build a windmill. Made out of scrap metal and old bicycle parts, William’s windmill brought electricity to his home and helped his family pump the water they needed to farm the land.

 

What are you reading these days? Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.

Until next time!
Karina

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

Hi Kid Lit Friends,

I live in New York City, which means lockdown requires us to stay in our tiny apartment for weeks on end. It looks as if our summer trip to Maine will be cancelled, and as a result I am mourning the loss of our annual trip to the woods. Thankfully, there are books to remind me of the trees. There have been many beautiful books about the woods, including a gorgeous picture book called Home in the Woods by Eliza Wheeler.

Home in the Woods is the story of what happens when six-year-old Marvel, her seven siblings, and their mom must start all over again after their father has died. Deep in the woods of Wisconsin they find a tar-paper shack. It doesn’t seem like much of a home, but they soon start seeing what it could be. During their first year it’s a struggle to maintain the shack and make sure they have enough to eat. But each season also brings its own delights and blessings–and the children always find a way to have fun. Most importantly, the family finds immense joy in being together, surrounded by nature. And slowly, their little shack starts feeling like a true home–warm, bright, and filled up with love.

The Keeper of Wild Words by Brooke Smith, illustrated by Madeline Kloepper is about words, the woods, and the world. When Mimi finds out her favorite words—simple words, like apricot, blackberry, buttercup—are disappearing from the English language, she elects her granddaughter Brook as their Keeper. And did you know? The only way to save words is to know them.This lovely story is all about saving the most important pieces of our language—by saving the very things they stand for.

Redwoods by Jason Chin begins with a subway trip that is transformed when a young boy happens upon a book about redwood forests. As he reads the information unfolds, and with each new bit of knowledge, he travels–all the way to California to climb into the Redwood canopy. As with al of Chin’s nonfiction picture books, this one is crammed with interesting and accurate information about these great natural wonders.

 

Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya by Donna Jo Napoli, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, tell the true story of Wangari Muta Maathai, known as “Mama Miti,” who in 1977 founded the Green Belt Movement, an African grassroots organization that has empowered many people to mobilize and combat deforestation, soil erosion, and environmental degradation. Today more than 30 million trees have been planted throughout Mama Miti’s native Kenya, and in 2004 she became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Wangari Muta Maathai has changed Kenya tree by tree—and with each page turned, children will realize their own ability to positively impact the future.

Echo Mountain is Newbery Honor winner Lauren Wolk’s new middle grade book, set during the Great Depression. When Ellie’s family is forced to leave their home in town and start over in the untamed forests of nearby Echo Mountain, Ellie finds that she loves the freedom of the natural world. But there is little joy, even for Ellie, as her family struggles with the aftermath of an accident that has left her father in a coma. An accident unfairly blamed on Ellie. Determined to help her father, Ellie will make her way to the top of the mountain in search of the healing secrets of a woman known only as “the hag.” This lyrical, passionate book is about the secrets we hold and the love that gives us courage.

What are you reading these days? Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.

Until next time!
Karina

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

Hi Kid Lit Friends,

I have been getting a lot of questions about great chapter book series for emerging readers, and I have A LOT of suggestions. I love chapter book series, so here are some of my absolute favorites. Check these out, plus a bonus list if you’re interested!

Power Forward by Hena Khan is about fourth grader Zayd Saleem, a boy with some serious hoop dreams but with serious barriers blocking his way. For starters, Zayd’s only on the D-team. (D stands for developmental, but to Zayd it’s always felt like a bad grade or something.) Not to mention, he’s a bit on the scrawny side, even for the fourth grade team. But his best friend Adam is on the Gold Team, and it’s Zayd’s dream for the two of them to play together. And to top it all off, his parents are not fans of basketball – they would much rather him play the violin than hit the courts.

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Mlynowski hits a home run with the Whatever After series about Abby and Jonah, two siblings living a perfectly normal life in a new town until they discover a mirror in the basement. When they knock on its surface three times, they’re whizzed away to fairy-tale land. The great thing about this series is that there are many books, so fans will have plenty of opportunities to revisit these tangled fairy tales.

 

My Furry Foster Family is a new series by Debbie Michiko Florence about eight-year-old Kaita Takano and her animal-fostering family. They get into all sorts of mis-adventures with their fosters, which include restless dwarf hamsters, a black lab who loves eating garbage, the shyest kitten in the world, and a bearded dragon with lots of attitude.

 

Another new series that is sure to capture the attention of young readers is Diary of an Ice Princess by Christina Soontornvat. This magical series follows Princess Lina. Her magic is still under wraps, she hangs out with BFF Claudia every day, and soon their class is taking a field trip to see penguins at the city aquarium! Up in the sky, Lina’s Granddad has decided to invite her mischievous cousin Jack Frost to give Lina extra tutorials in Winterheart magic. But when Jack tags along with Lina to school, his tricks wreak havoc on the big field trip. Can Lina keep her cool and save the day?

Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon is HILARIOUS. I just love this series, which is wonderfully illustrated. If you are looking for quirky main characters, a kid with a magnificent imagination, a harrowing villain, go no further! This series is sure to delight young readers and make them laugh out loud.

 

 

What are you reading these days? Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.

Until next time!
Karina

What quarantine looks like! My 10 year old is trying to do distance learning while Nala sits on her paper. Now they know how I feel when I work from home!

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Hi Kid Lit Friends,

Young readers always seem to love origin stories as you can see from the popularity of books like the Percy Jackson and Aru Shah series. I’ve seen some really lovely new picture books featuring origin stories cross my desk, so I thought I would chat about those plus some oldies but goodies.

How the Stars Came to Be by Poonam Mistry is a gorgeous book filled with stunning illustrations and a beautiful story. The Fisherman’s Daughter loved to dance in the sunlight, and bathe in the glow of the moon. But when the moon disappeared for a few nights each month, she worried about her father and how he would find his way home from the sea in the deep darkness. When the sun finds her sobbing one night, he takes one of his rays and shatters it onto the ground, creating the stars and giving the girl the task of putting them into the dark night sky.

The Very Short, Entirely True, History of Mermaids by Sarah Laskow is a fun book that dives deep into the origins of mermaids. Many myths say these creatures are half human and half fish, while others claim they are simply manatees mistaken for something more magical. Some grant wishes and fall in love, yet others have lured sailors to their doom.
Author Sarah Laskow separates the fact from the fiction with this full-color, fully illustrated book that discusses the myths, science, and history that surround mermaids.

Pattan’s Pumpkin by Chitra Soundar, illustrated by Frane Lessac, is a variation on the traditional flood myth from the Irular tribe in Southern India. When Pattan finds a yellow-flower vine wilting in his valley, he replants and cares for it, watching as a pumpkin appears and grows taller than the goats, taller than the elephants, as tall as the very mountains. When a terrible storm rages across the valley, Pattan wonders if perhaps his pumpkin can save the seeds and grains and saplings, the goats and birds and bison, and protect them all as the storm clouds burst and the waters rise.

One of my favorite origin story books is D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths by Ingri d’Aulaire and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire. It is beautifully illustrated with captivating stories of Greek heroes. The audiobook is also wonderful and a great way to introduce young readers to the fascinating world of Green mythology. As R. J. Palacio, author of Wonder, has said, “I doubt I would have grown up to be the writer and artist I became had I not fallen in love with D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths at the age of seven.”

The First Strawberries by Joseph Bruchac, illustrated by Anna Vojtech is a re-telling of a Cherokee legend, which explains how strawberries came to be. Long ago, the first man and woman quarreled. The woman left in anger, but the Sun sent tempting berries to Earth to slow the wife’s retreat and bring he back.

 

What are you reading these days? Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.

Until next time!
Karina

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