Category Archives: Voice

The Bear Ate Your Sandwich

Posted on March 25, 2017 by

There aren’t many picture books with unreliable narrators. The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach is one that works extremely well and that even young children will understand and enjoy. Not only is the narrator unreliable, but she us unseen until … Continue reading →

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Smile Cry

Posted on December 8, 2016 by

This sweetly simple picture book goes through the types of smiles while the flip side of the book explores the times one might cry: “An ice-cream plopping down cry. A jump out of the shadows cry”. And the two sides … Continue reading →

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The Poet’s Dog

Posted on November 22, 2016 by

Narrated by a dog who can understand humans and be understood by poets and children, The Poet’s Dog is a beautifully written story about love, loss and understanding. The dog finds a boy and a girl during a snow storm … Continue reading →

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The War That Saved My Life

Posted on November 11, 2016 by

Everything about this historical middle grade works, beginning with the title. Such an intriguing title it is, and the theme of how a war can save someone weaves delicately and truly through the novel. Never bogged down in historical detail, … Continue reading →

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How This Book Was Made

Posted on October 28, 2016 by

How This Book Was Made is first and foremost a fictionalized funny story of how picture books are made. From battling with a tiger to word battles with an editor, there is much more about the author’s process than the illustrator’s … Continue reading →

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The Memory of Light

Posted on March 11, 2016 by

There are a lot of dark themes in this book: suicide, depression, mental illness, difficult family relationships, and yet The Memory of Light doesn’t feel overly dark. Its mood is overall, one of hope and unconventional friendship. Francisco X. Stork has … Continue reading →

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The Lightning Dreamer

Posted on January 2, 2015 by

Margarita Engle‘s biographical and historical novel-in-verse (it is a fictionalized account of the young Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda) dives into the heart and soul of a young poet who is not allowed to read books because “girls who read too much are unladylike”. Tula … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's novels, Poetry, Voice | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Home of the Brave

Posted on July 23, 2014 by

Home of the Brave, a novel-in-verse by Katherine Applegate, is a moving story about Kek, who as a refugee from Sudan who as seen atrocities never loses hope of seeing his mother again. This story has an authentic and perceptive voice, beautiful language and … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's novels, Poetry, social issues, strong characters, Teen/Young Adult, Voice, Word choice | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

We Were Liars

Posted on July 8, 2014 by

What can I say about We Were Liars by E. Lockhart? It’s an amazing read. It’s suspenseful, psychological and there’s a surprise that makes it hard to review. The teens featured in this book are cousins (and one honorary cousin) who summer … Continue reading →

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The Fault In Our Stars

Posted on June 17, 2014 by

It’s always nice when a book that is so talked about actually surprises you with its goodness. The Fault In Our Stars is indeed a very good book, and although its characters are either cancer survivors or cancer sufferers, cancer remains on … Continue reading →

Posted in Teen/Young Adult, Uncategorized, Voice | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments