Best picture books, chapter books, young adult books, graphic novels and non fiction for kids.
Please welcome Tanya who writes a fantastic children’s literature book blog called Books4YourKids. I am always struck by her great taste in books and now, after reading her list, I am itching to get my hands on Vanished. This is the third time it’s hit my radar. Thank you Tanya for a really great list of books! We will be enjoying it all year!
My oldest daughter is lucky in that she has the best Middle School librarian who really cares about finding books that make kids excited to read. He posted this list on our school eNewsletter which is how I found it. I think that by Middle School, students pretty have a good sense of the types of books that they like to read so his list, by genre, is particularly helpful. His list includes: Adventure/Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Humorous, Historical Fiction, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Horror/Supernatural, Science Fiction, Biographies/Non-Fiction, and Poetry. There is something for any tween or teen on his list!
My nine-year-old daughter picks her favorite chapter books of 2011 and she cautions her peers, “I think that every book is boring in the beginning. Maybe the second or third chapter is when it starts getting good. Just keep reading.”
Here are the rest of the 2012 Children’s and Young Adult book awards…”The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books, video and audiobooks for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Dallas.”
I discovered this really excellent list of books to hook reluctant readers by SchoolBusProject.com. I love how it’s organized by topics and also that it has a range of books within each topic for different ages and abilities. Finally, I love how the books are so well chosen out with many award winning books across a whole jumble of children’s book awards as well as books that I know kids truly enjoy. Even if your child is not a reluctant reader, scan the list. There are discoveries waiting to be made here!
I remember reading A Wrinkle in Time about — dating myself — 35 years ago and how much I loved this book and this author. It was as if entire worlds opened up for me; suddenly science was something mysterious and exciting, as it should be, not something to toil over and memorize. Is it because it’s a tale of a classic theme of good versus evil; light against dark? No, there is so much more to this book. Madeleine l’Engle is not just a great storyteller, but a scientist, dreamer and philosopher.
Chinese New Year is February 3rd in 2011. It’s the Year of the Rabbit. Is this your year? If so, you were born in 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 (don’t forget to adjust for the Chinese New Year start date). Rabbits are known for being lucky, kind and peaceful. They get along well with sheep and pigs (those born in the Year of the Sheep and the Year of the Pig, not the actual animals necessarily).