Clik here to view.
Goodreads "Top 100 Children's Books"
On April 27, 2016, Jessica Donaghy posted The Top 100 Children's Books on Goodreads. To determine which chapter and middle grade books should be "on every kid's shelves" they "looked for the best...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Debbie--have you seen SUMMER OF LOST AND FOUND by Rebecca Behrens
A reader sent a DM (direct message on Twitter), today, to ask if I've had a peek at Summer of Lost and Found by Rebecca Behrens. It is due out on May 24, 2016. I haven't seen or heard of it. Thanks,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Debbie--have you seen Kelly DiPucchio's ONE LITTLE TWO LITTLE THREE LITTLE...
Some time back, someone (on Twitter, I think) asked me what I think of writers using the "one little, two little, three little Indians" in a new way. I don't recall the conversation itself; I only...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How to Read Sherman Alexie's THUNDER BOY JR.?
Back in February, I pre-ordered a copy of Sherman Alexie's picture book, Thunder Boy Jr. It arrived on Tuesday (May 10, 2016). The illustrations are by Yuyi Morales.Alexie is doing a significant...
View ArticleMore questions about Sherman Alexie's THUNDER BOY JR.
As I continue thinking about Sherman Alexie's Thunder Boy Jr., I wonder about the responsibility of the editorial team. Back when A Fine Dessert was published, some people pointed out that the...
View ArticleBeverly Slapin's Review of S.D. Nelson's SITTING BULL: LAKOTA WARRIOR AND...
Editor's Note: Beverly Slapin submitted this review of S. D. Nelson's Sitting Bull: Lakota Warrior and Defender of His People. It may not be used elsewhere without her written permission. All rights...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Towards a Common Understanding of Native Peoples in the U.S. (or, Why...
Last evening (May 14th, 2016), I did a search on Twitter to see what people were saying about Sherman Alexie's appearances at Book Expo and BookCon. He had some terrific things to say, like this...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Kelly DiPucchio and Mary Lundquist's ONE LITTLE TWO LITTLE THREE LITTLE CHILDREN
Kelly DiPucchio and Mary Lundquist's one little two little three little children arrived today. You may recall I wrote about it recently in my "Debbie--have you seen" series. Published by Balzer &...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Stereotypes of Native peoples, in children's books in Switzerland
This morning, Drew Hayden Taylor (author of The Night Wanderer), posted a photo of children's books... in Switzerland. Taylor is there to give some lectures. Here's the photo he shared on Twitter...
View ArticleDebbie--have you seen A.R. Kahler's SHADES OF DARKNESS
Paula wrote to ask me about A.R. Kahler's Shades of Darkness. Published by Simon & Schuster, it is a 2016 young adult book whose main character, Kaira Winters, is "some unknown blend of Native...
View ArticleDebbie Reese and Zetta Elliott at ACL 2016 Association of Children's Librarians
On Friday, June 4th, Zetta Elliott and I were in San Francisco for the 2016 Association of Children's Librarians of northern California's annual institute. If you're on twitter you can find some of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Debbie--have you seen Tara Lazar's NORMAL NORMAN?
A reader wrote to me about Tara Lazar and S. britt's picture book, Normal Norman. Published in March of 2016 by Sterling Children's Books, here's the synopsis:What is "normal?" That's the question an...
View ArticleDebbie--have you seen THE HILL by Karen Bass?
A reader wrote to ask me about The Hill by Karen Bass, due out in August from Pajama Press. Here's the synopsis:Jared’s plane has crashed in the Alberta wilderness, and Kyle is first on the scene. When...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Response to John Smelcer's Statements about Debbie Reese
Back in 2008, I started reading John Smelcer's The Trap. I read only a few pages, and stopped reading, because those opening pages reminded me of my childhood, living with my grandmother. I shared...
View ArticleDebbie--have you seen Cammie McGovern's JUST MY LUCK?
A librarian in Nebraska wrote to ask me if I've seen Cammie McGovern's Just My Luck. Released on February 23, 2016 from HarperCollins, here's the synopsis:Critically acclaimed author Cammie McGovern's...
View ArticleA critical look at O'Dell's ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS
Scott O'Dell's Island of the Blue Dolphins is set on San Nicolas Island, a small island off the coast of Santa Barbara California. In the Author’s Note at the back of the book, O’Dell writes that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
I AM NOT A NUMBER, by Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer
Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer's I Am Not A Number, illustrated by Gillian Newland and due out from Second Story Press on October 4th of this year (2016), is one of the books I will recommend to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Debbie--have you seen THE CASE OF THE PORTRAIT VANDAL by Steve Brezenoff
This particular "Debbie--have you seen" is here, not because someone asked me about it, but because it was recommended on child_lit a few days ago because it has an Ojibwe character.The character in...
View ArticleCammie McGovern's JUST MY LUCK
Cammie McGovern's Just My Luck is new this year (2016) from HarperCollins. A reader wrote to ask me about it, because Indian in the Cupboard is part of the story.I started reading it two days ago and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
William Grill's THE WOLVES OF CURRUMPAW
Several weeks ago, I was tagged in a Twitter conversation about William Grill's The Wolves of Currumpaw. The title rang a bell but I've not been able to recall why. Since then, I've had a chance to...
View Article