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At last! A writer incorporates a critical take on LITTLE HOUSE ON THE...
That's a long title for a blog post, but that's what I want people to see right now.In 2017, Arthur A. Levine (an imprint of Scholastic) published Emma Donoghue's The Lotterys Plus One. Though I've not...
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NOT RECOMMENDED: DR. CARBLES IS LOSING HIS MARBLES by Dan Gutman and Jim Paillot
Published by HarperCollins in 2008, Dan Gutman and Jim Paillot's Dr. Carbles is Losing His Marbles! gets a Not Recommended label right away.The first chapter, "Squanto and Pocahontas" starts out with...
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NOT RECOMMENDED: The Oregon Trail - The Race to Chimney Rock
A few days ago, people started sharing the books that Amazon has listed as "Best Children's Books of 2018." In the ages 6-8 category, Amazon has The Oregon Trail: The Race to Chimney Rock. As you might...
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Open Letter: "Trail of Lightning is an Appropriation of Diné Cultural...
On November 5, 2018, Indian Country Today published Trail of Lightning is an appropriation of Diné cultural beliefs. It is from the Diné Writer's Collective and is signed by Esther Belin, Sherwin...
View ArticleDebbie--have you seen THE RANSOM OF MERCY CARTER by Caroline Cooney?
A reader wrote to ask if I've reviewed The Ransom of Mercy Carter by Caroline Cooney. It was published in 2001 by Random House. Here's the overview:Deerfield, Massachusetts is one of the most remote,...
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Recommended! DACTYL HILL SQUAD by Daniel José Older
Some time back, I learned that Daniel José Older was working on a series that would blend history and fantasy. The first book in the series--Dactyl Hill Squad--is out and I gotta say, I enjoyed it!...
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Congratulations to Traci Sorell for Orbis Pictus Honor Award!
Some terrific news today (November 17), from the 2018 conference of the National Council of Teachers of English!Traci Sorell's We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga was selected for NCTE's 2018 Orbis Pictus...
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NOT RECOMMENDED! Jill Lepore's THESE TRUTHS: A HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
Jill Lepore's These Truths: A History of the United States came out this year (2018). Published by W. W. Norton and Company, teachers will be drawn to it as a source for developing lesson plans. As...
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Recommended: A Day with Yayah
As a grandmother and longtime teacher of young children, I'm delighted to share my enthusiasm for A Day with Yayah, a 2018 Crocodile Books release by award-winning author Nicola I. Campbell (Interior...
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Recommended: UNPRESIDENTED: A BIOGRAPHY OF DONALD TRUMP by Martha Brockenbrough
I haven't done a rigorous study of biographies of US presidents. The ones I have looked at over the years are lacking in one way or another. Most leave out Native peoples and nations that presidents...
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AICL's Best Books of 2018
We are starting AICL's "Best Books of 2018" today (December 7) and will update it as we read other books published in 2018. Please share this page with teachers, librarians, parents--anyone,...
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Recommended: YOUNG WATER PROTECTORS: A STORY ABOUT STANDING ROCK by Aslan and...
Aslan and Kelly Tudor's Young Water Protectors: A Story About Standing Rock is a non-fiction photo-essay published by EagleSpeaker Publishing.The "about" page tells us that the author, Aslan Tudor, was...
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Highly Recommended! Kiss by Kiss/Ocêtôwina: A Counting Book for Families, by...
You know how some things are so dear that you hold that thing close to your heart and give it a squeeze? Every year, Richard Van Camp creates books for young people that make me want to do that. This...
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Recommended: NEW POETS OF NATIVE NATIONS, edited by Heid E. Erdrich
There are very few books of Native poetry for teachers looking for poems to use with children and young adults. They can, however, get a copy of New Poets of Native Nations, edited by Heid E....
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Highly Recommended! Awâsis and the World Famous Bannock, by Dallas Hunt and...
I settled in to do some reading last night. I reached for Dallas Hunt's Awâsis and the World Famous Bannock. Amanda Strong's illustrations drew me in as I turned the pages, following Awâsis as she sets...
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FIRST LAUGH: WELCOME, BABY! by Rose Ann Tahe
This year, Charlesbridge published First Laugh: Welcome, Baby!When I learned that Jonathan Nelson (illustrator of the way-cool The Wool of Jonesy) was doing the illustrations for this book, I was...
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NOT RECOMMENDED: WILD BIRD by Wendelin Van Draanen
This post started out as a "Debbie--have you seen" one but turned into a Not Recommended one pretty quickly...A reader wrote to ask if I've seen Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen. It was published in...
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William Flood and Nancy Bo Flood: A History
On Dec 19th, I recommended the wonderful illustrations that Jonathan Nelson did for First Laugh: Welcome, Baby! and briefly noted my concerns with Nancy Bo Flood (she is listed as the second author of...
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Highly Recommended! Christine Day's "Unexpected Pursuits: Embracing My...
Our Stories, Our Voices: 21 YA Authors Get Real About Injustice, Empowerment, and Growing up Female in America came out in 2018. Published by Simon and Schuster, the editor--Amy Reed--describes it as a...
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Not Recommended: HAMILTON (the musical)
In 2017, I saw Hamilton in Chicago. Before I went, I listened to the soundtrack and studied the lyrics. Today's post is my notes on the lyrics. As you might expect, they are rooted in who I am: a...
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