Children’s books by current writers which are both well-written and captivating. We use 1975 as the cut off date for calling something ‘contemporary’ or classic; however, contemporary generally means today’s kids can identify with the characters.
Published: 2001 Theme: Valuing Grandparents Best for: 6 - 9 "Next Wednesday is Grandparents Day." Calliope dumped all her candy on the table. "And I don't have any grandparents to bring." I love this children's book, because it addresses the precious relationship between grandchildren and grandparents. It reminds us to cherish our past...
Published: 2003 Theme: Celebrating Differences Best for: ages 7 and up "It's very easy to accept and love those who are like us, but to love someone different is very hard, and you have helped us do that. You are a seagull, and you must follow your destiny as a seagull. You must fly." What a beautiful piece of children's literature this book is. Hopefully no one else in the gym noticed the tears in my eyes...
Published: 2013 Theme: Recovering from Loss Best for: girls 11 and up "She's white as a snowball but she's warm, not frozen. She's squishy and soft and sweet as a marshmallow. But she's delicate as an orchid graceful as a ballerina miraculous as an angel. I can't believe my luck." I found this book mesmerizing. I loved the very real descriptions of the effect of the kitten on the young girl, and how she continued to work on opening her dad's heart, who is grieving...
Published: 2001 Theme: The Power of Story Best for: 12 and up "Queen Emmeline glided up to her husband and laid her hand on his arm as Sylvie disappeared in the direction of page 6. She found a comfy spot on the left-hand margin beside the seventh paragraph and rested her head on 'grandiloquent,' the largest adjective in sight." Do you know a young teen who likes quirky books, with a touch of fantasy mixed with the metaphysical and psychological? If so...
Published: 1998 Theme: Loyalty and Courage Best for: Boys 6 and up "He had promised Joseph he'd protect him. But he didn't. They were best friends. Best friends were supposed to stick together. Even if it meant being called names...Even if it ruined the sport you loved more than anything in the world. Even then." This first chapter book delighted me from beginning to end. It places the dilemma of friendship front and center...
Published: 2012 Theme: Folk Tales, Forgiveness Best for: 9 and up "Thomas and I like the happy villages the best, the ones where music can be found in the very sounds of bees buzzing or the mooing of cattle. The ones where laughter trickles from under the cottage doors like water over smooth rocks." If you and your children love folk tales, and particularly Celtic folklore, this children's book is a terrific find, a real gem...
Published: 2008 Theme: Expressing Emotions Best for: ages 10 and up "The chair in my room is like a pleasingly plump momma, big and squishy, with stuffing poking out." This book is not like any other. For one thing, it is a novel, written all in verse, that deals with a boy's sadness over the loss of his dog...
Published: 2013 Theme: Reading, and Teamwork Best for: good readers 10 and up "Early access to the Electronic Learning Center will be tonight's second prize," said Dr. Zinchenko. "To win it, you must use the library's resources to find dessert, which we have hidden somewhere in the building. ..So use your wits and use your library. Go find dessert!" Welcome to the library of the future, and a brand new children's book that glorifies reading, research, and most of all, honest team work. This very odd children's book is ...
Published: 2002 Theme: Healing after Trauma Best for: ages 9 and up "We've got some amazing secret recipes," Sairy said. "Beat-the-blues broccoli and anti-cranky crumpets and--" "Hey, with us here now," Dallas said, "maybe you ought to make yourselves some getting-used-to-kids-again stew." Picking up a Sharon Creech children's book, I always wonder what difficult topic she's taking on now. This one didn't disappoint me--orphaned children who no longer believe...
Published: 1996 Theme: Letting Love In Best for: ages 5 and 6 "So she began to name things. But she named only those things she knew she could never outlive. Her car, Betsy, had more get-up-and-go than anything around. Her chair, Fred, had never sagged a day in his life..." Finally, a book that made me reverse my somewhat arbitrary policy of not reviewing picture books! This little illustrated children's book totally stole my heart...
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