The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt — Book Recommendation

By Beth | May 31, 2015 |

Title: The Wednesday Wars Author: Gary D. Schmidt Publisher: New York: Sandpiper, 2007, 2009. Genre: Late Middle Grade, Early YA Audience Age: 11 to 14 years old Themes/topics: Growing up, coping with fear, bullying, hope, Shakespeare (yes, that says Shakespeare!) Opening Sentences: Of all the kids in the seventh grade at Camillo Junior High, there…

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Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky — Book Recommendation

By Beth | May 28, 2015 |

Title: Gracefully Grayson Author: Ami Polonsky Publisher: New York: Hyperion, 2014. Genre: Fiction Audience Age: 9-12 Themes/Topics: Transgender child, theatre, bullying, hope Opening Sentences: If you draw a triangle with a circle resting on the top point, nobody will be able to tell that it’s a girl in a dress. To add hair, draw kind…

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Dash by Kirby Larson — Book Recommendation

By Beth | May 24, 2015 |

I’m sure you are familiar with the saying “So many books, so little time.” I’m feeling a bit like that as I approach my blog’s summer hiatus. There are several books I want to tell you about before I take my summer break, so nearly all the posts from now until then will be book…

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Walking Home by Eric Walters — Book Recommendation

By Beth | May 14, 2015 |

Title: Walking Home Author: Eric Walters Publisher: Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2014 Genre: Middle grade/early YA fiction based on real life Audience Age: 9 to 14 Themes/Topics: Determination, hope, unrest in Kenya, dealing with tragedy Opening Sentences: My father led the way through the dark, my mother behind him, my sister in her arms, and I…

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What I’ve Read in April

By Beth | April 26, 2015 |

Books were read this month, some good, some very good, and a couple that were just amazing. (And yes, there were a few that were not as good as I’d hoped, and a few I didn’t finish reading.) I’m also doing research for a new writing project (a book that has been impatiently waiting for…

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girl coming in for a landing — book recommendation

By Beth | April 16, 2015 |

Sunday, April 12, was Drop Everything And Read Day. Beverly Cleary wrote about it in her book Ramona Quimby, Age 8. Now, each year on Beverly Cleary’s birthday, April 12, (and throughout the month of April) kids and adults are encouraged to Drop Everything and Read! (Mrs. Cleary celebrated her 99th birthday this year!) The…

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What I’ve Read in March

By Beth | March 29, 2015 |

Most of my reading this month was in order to compile a reading list of books for the main character in one of my middle grade novels. There were some other books, however, and I’d like to share them with you here. Actually, two of them are books I’ve already posted about this month, so…

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