Category Archives: Voice

The Undefeated

Posted on September 19, 2019 by

This picture book, The Undefeated, by Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson, is profoundly beautiful. My library has it categorized under poetry, and it is that, too. Every word hits home, powerfully, meaningfully, the cadence spot on with the page turn. … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography, Love that art, Love that prose, Picture books, Poetry, Voice, Word choice | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Camo Girl

Posted on August 1, 2019 by

Kekla Magoon‘s middle grade novel Camo Girl is unexpected in all the best ways. Ella, the narrator, is friends with Z, the strangest boy in the whole grade. Both of them are ostracized, and they cope by creating an imaginary … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's novels, Michigan author/illustrator, social issues, strong characters, Voice | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Mushroom Fan Club

Posted on September 13, 2018 by

The cover and the title drew me to this book. The Mushroom Fan Club by Elise Gravel is shelved under graphic novel at my library, looks more like an easy reader, but I think it’s most like a picture book–an incredibly … Continue reading →

Posted in Books with science links, Canadian author/illustrator, Easy Readers, Love that art, Nonfiction, Picture books, Uncategorized, Voice | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Forever, or a Long, Long Time

Posted on July 10, 2018 by

Flora and her brother, Julian, live with Person and Dad, their forever family after being in several foster placements that are hazy in their memory. Person is the name Flora secretly calls her adoptive forever mom, because she’s had too … Continue reading →

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A Different Pond

Posted on May 18, 2018 by

A gently nuanced story of an early morning fishing trip shows the beauty and struggle of a Vietnamese American family. It’s a quiet story, but the words and images are so lovely, it conjures a pure picture of one day … Continue reading →

Posted in Love that art, Picture books, Voice | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Waiting for Normal

Posted on May 7, 2018 by

When Addie and Mommers move into a lonely trailer across from a parking lot filled with potholes and a minimart gas station, Mommers is less than thrilled, but Addie makes the best of it. In fact, Addie does almost everything, … Continue reading →

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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 →

Posted in Picture books, Voice | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in Chapter Books, Voice | Tagged , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Voice | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments