Best picture books, chapter books, young adult books, graphic novels and non fiction for kids.
Thank you to Publisher Spotlight for highlighting me and my blog! Reviewer Spotlight: Mia Wenjen One in an occasional set of interviews with the reviewers who provide critical insights about new books from our client publishers. Mia Wenjen is a multi-faceted author and book advocate. She first burst on the scene with the Pragmatic Mom…
Lisa Varchol Perron and Monica Aker teamed up for a lovely storytime just in time for Mother’s Day. Their books celebrate moms and mental health. Lisa Varchol Perron is a psychotherapist, so this topic is right in her wheelhouse. Monica also has a personal connection to her story: Lisa Varchol Perron’s books include: – Kite…
Thank you to Boston Local Food Program for including Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World in this Eat Local Always FREE ELA library toolkit: Eat Local Always FREE Toolkit from ELA Library I was honored to be part of their program in Boston! p.s. Related posts: ‘Food for the Future’ makes…
To fold an origami crane, you will need a square piece of paper. It does not have to be origami paper. Here are the instructions via a diagram from the U.S. Park Service, though personally, I find the diagrams to be confusing: This is an activity for Barbed Wire Between Us. …
I used the Boston Public Library’s children’s book lists for years when my children were young. We used to read ten picture books every night because picture books worked for all three ages, and my kids expected each book to be outstanding. This meant that I had to seek out award-winning books so as not…
In Japan, the crane (tsuru) is a symbol of peace, good fortune, and longevity. It is a bird of happiness and spreads good luck. It is believed that folding 1,000 paper cranes (senbazuru) will help to bring about hope, healing, and peace. These children’s books featuring origami cranes also send a message of hope and…
In Conversation: Mia Wenjen and Jolene Gutiérrez Mar 31, 2026 Mia Wenjen and Jolene Gutiérrez both grapple with the cruelty of internment and family separation in their new picture books Barbed Wire Between Us and Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp, respectively. The two authors spoke about depicting difficult subject matter for young readers,…