Book Recommendations from Friends, for Difficult Times ~ Part 2

Photo by Disha Sheta via Pexels.com I recently asked some writer friends to share with me what books they turn to in difficult times. This is the second of two posts. You can find Part 1 here. I appreciate the time and thought people devoted to their responses. There is inspiration here, both in the…

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Book Recommendations from Friends, for Difficult Times ~ Part I

Photo by Disha Sheta via Pexels.com I recently asked some writer friends to share with me what books they turn to in difficult times. So many people responded that this will be the first of two posts – the next one will be posted partway through February. I appreciate the time and thought people devoted…

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Halloween Picture Books ~ A Book Recommendation Blog Blip

It seems highly appropriate today to share some recently-published picture books for Halloween and Día de los Muertos. I enjoyed them very much, and I hope you will, too! I’m particularly delighted by the fact that The Ofrenda That We Built is by one of my writing colleague/friends and her daughter. Note: to access a…

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THE GROUNDWORLD HEROES by Adrian So: Book Recommendation

Title: THE GROUNDWORLD HEROES Author: Adrian So Publisher: Monarch Educational Services, 2024 Genre: Middle Grade Adventure Fiction Audience Age: 8 to 12 Themes/Topics: Animals, human threat to wildlife habitat, overcoming difficulties *Review copy provided by the author in exchange for a review. Blurb: “An original voice and a fun, funny adventure underground.” ~ Adam Rex, NYT Bestselling Author of THE…

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MUCH ADO ABOUT BASEBALL by Rajani LaRocca — Book Recommendation

Title: Much Ado About Baseball Author: Rajani LaRocca Publisher: New York: Yellow Jacket, 2021 Genre: Middle Grade contemporary with a touch of magic Audience Age: 8 to 12 Themes/Topics: belonging, making new friends, magic, math, baseball, Shakespeare Opening Sentences:  “Baseball is magic. Time stops between the instant the ball is released and when it makes it over the plate, between…

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Beth’s Faves — Top Picture Books I’ve Read This Year

At the beginning of 2018, I had the intention of reading one picture book every morning throughout the year. I did well for the first half of the year, then not so well the second half – but I’ve still read a LOT more picture books than I would have otherwise, and many of them…

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Books to Help Kids Understand Dementia

Many, perhaps most, of us know someone who deals with dementia. My first encounter with dementia was when I was in my early teen years, although that word was not commonly used then. We’d go over to visit my paternal grandparents, and Grandma would say, “Father is confused today.” We accepted this confusion as part…

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