It’s 1940 in London, England. Lizzie’s mother, who worked for the American embassy, has gone missing and is presumed dead, and her older brother Jakob is off at school. Nineteen-year-old Jakob and fourteen-year-old Lizzie used to be close. Their shared love of puzzles and riddles has always made their relationship feel spontaneous and fun. But […]
My family and I have recently become enamored with birdwatching. Late spring and early summer signal peak migration season, so birdwatchers can see many species that may only be in the area for a limited time. We have seen many beautiful and brightly colored birds, from the chatty indigo bunting to the flitting bright red […]
Alex did a very bad thing. Because of that bad thing, he must complete volunteer hours at Shady Glen Retirement Home, which he is not happy about. On his first day, he is assigned to work with Mya-Jade, a bossy (according to Alex) volunteer and granddaughter of a resident. During one of his meal deliveries, […]
Happy Spring! I haven’t done a picture book round-up in a while, so I thought I would share a few of my recent favorites. Zeke Peña’s Sundust incorporates fantastical elements in a story about two siblings who explore the desert in their Southwestern town near the Mexican border. Illustrator Pena’s authorial debut begins, “Where the […]
January is a big month for youth literature. Librarians, authors, and children’s literature fans spend months reading and making guesses in anticipation of what some (me) might call the Super Bowl of youth literature: the American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards. Every January, a slew of award winners and honorees are announced. The awards include, […]
At the turn of the twentieth century, as European immigration increased, many Slovenian immigrants landed in small mining towns outside of Denver, Colorado. Twelve-year-old Stanislava, who was born in Colorado to immigrant parents, speaks Slovenian at home, goes to a Slovenian church, and attends cultural meetings after school and on the weekends. Her favorite things, […]
Jeopardy champion James Holzhauer credits children’s books with giving him the breadth of knowledge needed to win game after game. While I’m no trivia expert, I do appreciate a quality nonfiction children’s book. And if the illustrations are also incredible? That’s even better. As a hat tip to James Holzhauer, Jeopardy, and our dear colleague […]
Before moving to Wensleydale, Tig and Peter spent months alone, without electricity, regular meals, and, most significantly, their mom. Tig’s mom, who struggles with addiction, would often leave for days or a week, but never months. Until now. Naturally, Tig and Peter have had to learn to survive on their own. Eventually, adults realize what […]
All seventh grader Andrew Yeager, the protagonist of Rob Harrell’s Popcorn, wants is to have a nice picture for Picture Day this year. The new seventh grader struggles with anxiety and OCD anyway, but he has a lot on his plate lately. His mom is starting a new job and is under a lot of stress. His […]
Summer reading is well under way at Joplin Public Library. In the world of Youth Services, we have been reading lots of books, having a lot of fun, and making a lot of art. As you may recall, the theme of JPL’s 2025 summer reading program is “Color Our World.” In my last review, I […]
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