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 […]
Next Tuesday kicks off the most exciting time of year: Summer reading at the Joplin Public Library! If you are unfamiliar, the summer reading program is an eight-week, all-ages reading challenge accompanied by fun and educational events. Notable events this summer include a sourdough making program for adults, a Tiny Library Desk concert in the […]
After I read a good book with my son, he’ll often say, “you should write about that one in your review.” Inevitably, something comes up or I’ll have a more timely book I want to review, and he’ll ask why I didn’t write about his suggestions. I am happy to say that his time has […]
February marks the beginning of Black History Month. I have likely mentioned this in previous columns, but I like to challenge myself to be intentional about reading books by Black authors every February. I snagged a few of the books on my list from the Black History Month display in the Children’s Department. If Young […]
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