Children & YA Staff Picks
Above is smart and brutal and utterly, devastatingly beautiful. I was completely blown away by everything that this book has to offer: characters, plot, writing, world-building, etc. Describing the premise makes it sound a little crazy - and I suppose it is. But seriously, this is one of the most unique and best-written novels I've read in a long time. That I've read period. And for you non-sci-fi / fantasy readers, ignore those bee wings on the cover. Yes, the story is fantastical, but in Bobet's hands it reads as entirely possible. Maybe it is. All I know is that I honestly love these characters and I still hurt for them. Consider me a BIG fan of this debut novelist.
Yay! A multi-culti Richard Scarry! Marc Boutavant has all the brightly-colored Japanese-style illustrations your kid will love instantly, packed with cultural references to surprise and delight. However: don't be fooled by the stickers; despite having very little text, this book is so chock-full of details it may take the patience of an older kid to fully appreciate.
Jill
For people who can't get enough of The Name of This Book is Secret or the Series of Unfortunate Events books, look no further. Fans of wordplay, dark humor, hilariously bad puns will find this series something to snort about.Jill
Watch and wait, hopeful seeds seem to whisper, but of course the hardest thing about gardening is patience. As a little boy and his dog bide their time, fretting over their fledgling garden, winter browns give way to the lush greens of spring and a bountiful harvest. This satisfying picture book, illustrated by none other than the 2011 Caldecott medal-winning Erin Stead (A Sick Day for Amos McGee), reminds even the most impatient of snow bunnies that brighter days are just waiting to bloom.
Amy
1. Are you a little OLD for Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus? Do need a book with more pages? You probably do.
2. Do you want to read a funny chapter book featuring ALLIGATORS (with a whole 6 1/2 chapters!)? Of course you do!
3. I love the adventures of Amanda, her Alligator and their new, surprise friend. You will too.
Jill
Fans of Gossie can graduate to this beautifully illustrated Christmas tale.Pyn successfully convinces her grumpy Dad that they need to get a Christmas tree and celebrate the holiday. He surprises her with a very special gift (which may require having a tissue nearby).
Carol
If you read this story as a child, and even if you didn’t, this work is a revelation. Many books written for children are, as Tatar says, “encoded with adult matters,” but the matters buried in this classic are often startling in their scope. Captain Hook emerges as quite a tortured graduate of Eton, where he read poetry, and Mr. Darling is a mere child. The tale overall is darkly Victorian. Tatar provides useful insights into the life of J,M. Barrie, Peter’s creator, and the five “lost” boys he adopted. The cinematic survey and the section “J.M Barrie and Peter Pan in the World” are equally riveting.
Joan
Floyd's kite gets stuck in a tree and he gets very creative trying to get it down again. Oliver Jeffers has great fun making Floyd the modern day Jack and the tree the "house that Jack built". Funny and rollicking writing along with Jeffers' sensational illustrations. A book destined to be read over and over....... and over and over....
Susannah
You've heard of Mother Goose of course. Spinster Goose is her more demanding sister who specializes in ill-mannered children and improving their dreadful behaviors. Did you know that Georgie Porgie was a bully? That Jack and Jilly played hooky? And that Little Miss Muffet was a chalk-eater? These disrespectfully twisted verses are sure to delight and surprise.
Susannah
A family of wild ruffians teach the other church kids a thing or two about the true meaning of Christmas. This is a delightful, funny and altogether charming story perfect for the holidays. A fun read to share with young and old each year at this time.
Jane D.
Josh, Gordon and Cody are high-schoolers from a small town in Oregon. Intense watercolor and ink drawings tell their story: their fathers are all serving in Iraq, and each is struggling with being the "man" of their household in their fathers' absence. Ultimately, this violent and bleak graphic novel presents a powerful picture of the sons left behind, as each dreams of following in his father's footsteps and serving in the military.
Jory