Posts by Janie Cheaney
Itch: the Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter by Simon Mayo
Solid science adds heft to Itch, a present-day sci-fi novel with elements of an international spy thriller. Itch: the Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter, by Simon Mayo. Splinter, 2013, 410 pages. Reading Level: Teens, Ages 11-15 Recommended For: Ages 11-15 Itchingham “Itch” Lofte, age 14, has a hobby with unfortunate side effects—not just for…
Read More*The Biggest Story Bible Storybook by Kevin DeYoung
The “Biggest Story” brand continues with a family-friendly Bible Storybook that provides food for thought even to grownups.
Read MoreTroublemaker by John Cho
Troublemaker honestly pictures generational, cultural, and racial conflict against the background of the Los Angeles riots of 1992.
Read MoreCat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey
The Cat Kid Comic club, a spinoff of the popular Dog Man series, invites young readers to experiment with their own comic stories and styles.
Read MoreDog Man Series by Dav Pilkey
Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man series, while reveling in underwear and potty humor, still manages to be loveable. And even funny.
Read MoreBack Porch Book Chat: Karina Yan Glaser, author of the Vanderbeekers series
Our series of Back Porch Book Chats are casual conversations with book-lovers like ourselves: authors, booksellers, reviewers, bloggers, moms and dads. Today we’re delighted to welcome Karina Yan Glaser, whom we met over her first novel, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street! Met virtually, that is, although I (Janie) had the pleasure of meeting her in…
Read More*A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser
A Duet for Home portrays the plight of the homeless as far from hopeless—or helpless.
Read MoreThe Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck by Matt Phelan
A swashbuckling rooster, a designing sheep and a clever duck change history in Matt Phelan’s latest flight of fancy.
Read MoreNot So Different by Shane Burcaw
In Not So Different, disability activist Shane Burcaw answers questions about life as a wheelchair-bound man with a lively intellect.
Read More*Out of My Mind and Out of My Heart by Sharon Draper
Out of My Mind and its sequel, Out of My Heart, welcome readers into the rich inner life of Melody Brooks, a bright pre-teen with cerebral palsy.
Read MoreBlue by Nan Ekua Brew-Hammon
What’s special about the color blue? A lot!
Read MoreA Cloud of Outrageous Blue by Vesper Stamper
A peasant girl in pre-Plague England holds the key to key to healing and “outrageous blue” hope.
Read MorePony by R. J. Palacio
Pony mixes elements of historical fiction and fantasy to create a memorable coming-of-age tale.
Read MoreNorthwind by Gary Paulsen
Northwind follows a boy into the northern wilderness to be reborn in the harsh cradle of nature.
Read MoreAcross the Rainbow Bridge by Kevin Crossley-Holland
Across the Rainbow Bridge puts Norse mythology in its original context of tales told around peat fires on long winter nights.
Read MoreFun with Words and Stories: Otto: A Palindrama and The Ice Cream Machine
Otto tells an extended story with pictures and palindromes, while The Ice Cream Machine spins six stories off one title prompt.
Read MorePrisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall
Prisoners of Geography helps kids understand how natural features shape history and economics.
Read MoreUnfolding Grace for Kids
Unfolding Grace for Kids leads middle-graders and younger through the Bible with selected readings and introductions. Unfolding Grace for Kids: A 40-Day Journey through the Bible. Crossway, 2021, 270 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-15 independently; ages 8-12 as a read-aloud In Unfolding Grace, published by Crossway in 2020, the…
Read MorePrintz Honor Books Roundup: Last Night at the Telegraph Club, Concrete Rose, Revolution in Our Time, Starfish
The Michael L. Printz Award is given by the American Library Association for “Excellence in literature written for young adults.” Last year’s winner was Everything Sad Is Untrue, a book we love. This year’s winner is The Firekeeper’s Daughter, a book we liked, with certain considerations. That said, we don’t review every Printz winner, because…
Read MoreOperation Do-Over by Gordon Korman
Operation Do-Over is an entertaining jaunt that asks the perennial question: What if you got a chance to correct a past mistake?
Read More*Something Better Coming by Megan Saben
Something Better Coming builds anticipation for the Easter season as it builds faith in young hearts.
Read MoreRevolution in Our Time by Kekla Magoon
The award-winning Revolution in Our Time offers a compelling but incomplete picture of the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party.
Read MorePicture Books about Transportation: From Here to There, Rescuing Titanic, and Hope at Sea
From Here to There: Inventions that Changed the Way the World Moves by Vivian Kirkfield, illustrated by Gilbert Ford. HM, 2021, 82 pages plus notes, bibliography, and index. Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 7-12 It still seems hard to believe that, up until about 220 years ago, humans could travel no…
Read More2022 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Roundup: Vamos! Let’s Cross the Bridge, Bright Star, and May Your Life Be Deliciosa
The Pura Belpré award honors “Latinx writers and illustrators whose books portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.” This year the ALA named one winner and four honor picture books for illustration. The winner is Vamos! Let’s Cross the Bridge by Raul the Third (colors by Elaine Bay). Versify (HMH), 2021, 38 pages. In…
Read MoreAmbushed! by Gail Jarrow
Ambushed!, winner of this year’s YALSA Award for nonfiction, is the absorbing, day-by-day account of of a presidential assassination and its aftermath.
Read MoreThe Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
The Last Cuentista, winner of this year’s Newbery medal is thought-provoking but leaves other thoughts unexplored.
Read More2022 Newbery Honor Book Roundup: Red White and Whole, A Snake Falls to Earth, Watercress, Too Bright to See
In our continuing coverage of ALA Youth Media Award winners, we’re closing in on the big one: the Newbery! Red, White, and Whole by Rajanni LaRocca. Quill Tree Books, 2021, 223 pages. Reading Level: Ages 10-12 Recommended For: Ages 10-12 (and up!) Reja straddles two worlds: her parents’ Indian world and her own (1980s) American…
Read More2022 Schneider Family Middle-Grade Roundup: A Bird Will Soar, A Kind of Spark, Stuntboy in the Meantime
The Schneider Family Book Award is given by the American Library Association for outstanding books “that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience. Last week we posted our roundup of the winning title and honor titles in the picture-book category. This year’s award-winners for middle-grade readers all picture disabilities that are more fashionably called…
Read More2022 Sidney Taylor Award Picture-Book Roundup: The Passover Guest, Nicky & Vera, Dear Mr. Dickens, and The Christmas Mitzvah
The Sidney Taylor Award, named for the author of the classic All-of-a-Kind Family series, is presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries to “outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.” Three categories are recognized: picture books, middle grade, and young adult. Let’s look at the outstanding picture books . .…
Read MoreMurder on the Baltimore Express by Suzanne Jermain
Plotted like a step-by-step thriller, Murder on the Baltimore Express tells how Abraham Lincoln almost didn’t become president.
Read More2022 Sidney Taylor Award MG Roundup: How to Find What You’re Not Looking For, The Genius Under the Table, and Linked
How to Find What You’re Not Looking For explores family fault lines, interracial marriage, and finding a voice.
Read More2022 Schneider Family Picture-Book Roundup: My City Speaks, A Walk in the Words, and A Sky-Blue Bench
The Schneider Family Book Awards are given annually by the American Library Association, for “books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience.” Here’s a roundup of this year’s winners in the picture-book category. My City Speaks by Darren Lebeuf, illustrated by Ashley Barron. Kids Can Press, 2021, 32 pages Reading Level: Picture book,…
Read MoreSibert (nonfiction) Roundup: The People’s Painter, The Great Stink, We Are Still Here, Summertime Sleepers
The Robert F. Sibert Award, announced by the American Library Association every January, names one to six outstanding nonfiction titles written for upper elementary and middle-graders. Two of the honor titles we’ve already reviewed (see below). The winner is a picture book about an activist artist. Read on: The People’s Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought…
Read MorePicturing a Nation by Martin W. Sandler
Picturing a Nation collects some of the best Great Depression photographs by the Farm Security Agency.
Read MoreSet Me Free by Ann Clare LeZotte
Set Me Free follows the further adventures of Mary Lambert, a deaf girl growing up in Martha’s Vineyard at the turn of the 19th century.
Read MoreThe 2022 ALA Youth Media Awards
Egg on our faces? Last year we accurately predicted that When You Trap a Tiger was a contender for Newbery recognition, and it won top honors. We also reviewed or buzzed most of the eventual winners, including All Thirteen, A Wish in the Dark, and Fighting Words. We buzzed New Kid in 2020, The Book…
Read MoreFinal Season by Tim Green
Final Season is a touching look at the short- and long-term effects of football on family life, personal value, and physical health.
Read More2022 Newbery Buzz #5: Cuba in My Pocket
Cuba in My Pocket (see our review) appears on many Newbery favorites lists right alongside Fallout, the book Megan and Betsy mulled over yesterday. In many ways, today’s buzz book offers a prelude to Steve Sheinkin’s masterful treatment of the Cuban Missile Crisis. It takes place shortly after Castro’s revolution set in motion the events…
Read More2022 Newbery Buzz #3: Gone to the Woods
Today Betsy and Janie will take a closer look at Gone to the Woods, a memoir by prolific author Gary Paulsen. Paulsen has been a highly recognizable name since winning Newbery honors in 1986 for Dogsong. He is best known for Hatchet (1988, reviewed here), another Newbery honor book that’s gone through numerous reprintings. Not…
Read MoreNewbery Roundup #2: Born on the Water, Starfish, Too Bright to See, and The Legend of Auntie Po
Four more Newbery contenders come under the Redeemed Reader microscope.
Read MoreClues to the Universe by Christina Lee
Two fatherless middle-graders find solace by joining together on a project and a quest.
Read MoreRace to the Bottom of the Earth by Rebecca F. Barone
Race to the Bottom of the Earth details how four men, separated by 112 years, risk life and limb to become the first to conquer the forbidding continent of Antarctica
Read MoreNewbery Roundup #1: DaVinci’s Cat, Playing the Cards You’re Dealt, Harry Versus the First 100 Days of School, and Black Boy Joy
Redeemed Reader looks at four Newbery contenders for 2022
Read MoreTreasury of Magical Tales from around the World by Donna Jo Napoli
Veteran children’s author Donna Jo Napoli retells fairy- and folk tales from every continent, reflecting both particular culture and common humanity.
Read MoreMighty Inside by Sundee T. Frazier
An incoming freshman faces challenges of racism and stuttering in Mighty Inside.
Read More*The Swallow’s Flight by Hilary McKay
The Swallow’s Flight gracefully unfolds the lives of two English girls and two German boys against the backdrop of World War II.
Read MoreThe Woman All Spies Fear by Amy Butler Greenfield
The little-known story of code breaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman gets full and masterful treatment.
Read MoreThe Genius under the Table by Eugene Yelchin
Eugene Yelchin’s memoir of his Soviet childhood is surreal, sad, and hilarious.
Read MoreCuba in My Pocket by Adrianna Cuevas
A 12-year-old refugee flees Cuba for a better life but can’t forget his home and people.
Read MoreAcross the Desert by Dusti Bowling
Across the Desert is a harrowing survival tale of determination and hope, as one girl attempts a dangerous rescue.
Read MoreThe Vanderbeekers Make a Wish by Karina Van Glaser
The lively Vanderbeeker kids deepen their family roots in the fifth volume of the popular series.
Read MoreVoyage of the Sparrowhawk by Natasha Farrant
In Voyage of the Sparrowhawk, two youngsters undertake a dangerous journey to find relatives missing after World War I.
Read MoreHow to Find a Fox by Kate Gardner
Beautiful nature photography distinguishes How to Find a Fox.
Read MorePax, Journey Home by Sara Pennypacker
The two central characters of Pax, a “best of” book from 2016, work their way back to each other with a more positive resolution.
Read MoreStowaway by John David Anderson
Stowaway offers nonstop action, interesting characters, and food for thought with classic science fiction tropes.
Read MoreGood News of Great Joy by John Piper
John Piper examines why the new is really and eternally good, in the attractive volume of short advent readings.
Read MoreOne Kid’s Trash by Jamie Sumner
In One Kid’s Trash, an unusual talent leads to sudden popularity and unfortunate consequences.
Read MoreCRT Isn’t Always CRT
Christians need to distinguish between what’s “controversial” and what isn’t.
Read MoreThe Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo
Two heavyweights of the children’s book world collaborate on The Beatryce Prophesy, a quasi-medieval tale of treachery and hope.
Read MoreWhat about the Tuttle Twins?
Are the much-hyped Tuttle Twins books (and curriculum) profitable for Christian families?
Read MoreChurch History from Kingstone
Three publications by Kingstone Media inform readers about Luther, Vladimir, and Martyrs of the 1st-3rd centuries.
Read MoreThe Legend of Hobart by Heather Mullaly
The Legend of Hobart pays affectionate tribute to fairy-tale tropes in a story about becoming a true hero.
Read MoreSparrow Rising by Jessica Khoury
Sparrow Rising, the first volume of a promising new fantasy series for middle-graders, depicts a race of winged humans.
Read MoreErik Vs. Everything by Christina Uss
Erik, who fears Everything, learns to live up to his Viking heritage with the help of his Norse-struck family.
Read MoreThe Thing I’m Most Afraid Of by Kristin Levine
An American girl learns to overcome her fears against the background of the Bosnian Civil War.
Read MoreFriends Forever by Shannon Hale
Shannon Hale wraps up her “Friends” trilogy with a heartfelt graphic memoir of eighth grade anxiety.
Read MoreWalls by L. M. Elliot
In this YA novel, an American “army brat ” lives the history that led up to the building of the Berlin Wall.
Read MoreBanned Books 2021
What gets “banned” in today’s overwrought culture conflicts?
Read MoreLinked by Gordon Korman
The 7th-graders of a small western town discover that the Holocaust is “linked” to aspects of their own history.
Read MoreAmazing Rivers by Julie Agnone
This information-packed picture book introduces young middle-graders to the wide world of waterways
Read MoreThe Gilded Girl by Alyssa Colman
The Gilded Girl, a magical take on A Little Princess, takes readers to an alternative turn-of-the-century New York City.
Read MoreDead Wednesday by Jerry Spinelli
“Dead Wednesday” is supposed to be the day middle-schoolers contemplate their own mortality, but for one 8th-grader it’s a turning point in his life.
Read MorePopulation Picture Books: *If the World Were 100 People and We Are a Garden
Two high-concept picture books present stories of people and movements in a way even small children can grasp.
Read More9/11 for Middle Graders: Ground Zero and In the Shadow of the Fallen Towers
Novelist Alan Gratz and graphic artist Dan Brown offer views of 9/11 accessible to middle-grade readers
Read MorePicture Books about 9/11: The Survivor Tree
Three new picture books about the Trade Center “Survivor Tree” help children relate to the events of 9/11.
Read MoreHappy “We Love Memoirs” Day!
Memoirs are a time-honored genre representing some of the great classics of literature.
Read MoreWeird Kid by Greg Van Eekhout
Weird Kid blends humor with the “aliens among us” theme to make an entertaining read for middle graders, (especially boys).
Read MoreFun Read-Alouds: Dakota Crumb, How to Make a Friend, and I Can Make a Train Noise
Three new picture books offer sure-fire hooks for preschoolers and primary-graders alike.
Read MoreThe Redeemed Reader Bible Pilgrimage: Click and See
Download a sample chapter from our unique journey through the Bible.
Read MoreReading Afghanistan
Good books can help children understand the background of this beleaguered nation.
Read MoreThe Redeemed Reader Bible Pilgrimage: How and Why
My Story and His I was raised in a denomination that took the Bible very seriously: “We speak where the Bible speaks, and are silent where the Bible is silent!” The advantage was, I had quite a bit of knowledge by the time I graduated high school. Not only could I name all 66 books…
Read MoreOn the Hook by Francisco X. Stork
The protagonist of Francisco Stork’s latest novel finds himself “on the hook” when his lust for revenge can’t be satisfied.
Read MoreHomer on the Case by Henry Cole
Homer, a literate homing pigeon, uses his unusual skills to solve a mystery, in this gentle story for young middle-graders.
Read MoreAven Green, Sleuthing Machine by Dusti Bowling
Chapter-book readers will enjoy meeting Aven Green, the no-armed protagonist of the “Life of a Cactus” books.
Read MoreThe Vast Wonder of the World by Mélina Mangal
The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Ernest Everett Just by Mélina Mangal. Millbrook Press, 2018, 40 pages. Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8Recommended for: Ages 5-10 (This is a guest post by Sarah Hartman.) It’s generally common knowledge to us that a human egg (usually) only accepts one sperm before it starts growing and…
Read MoreEnduring Freedom by Jawad Arash and Trent Reedy
An American soldier and Afghan interpreter become life-long friends during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Read MoreCrossing the Stream by Elizabeth-Irene Baitie
Crossing the Stream takes us to Africa, where a young teen is facing spiritual and practical challenges.
Read MorePicture-Book Roundup: Art and Artists
Three picture-book biographies introduce children to the work of three very distinct artists: Ben Shahn, Judith Scott, and Winslow Homer.
Read MoreWombat Walkabout by Carol Diggory Shields
Wombat Walkabout features six furry siblings outwitting a hungry dingo.
Read MoreThe Republic of Birds by Jessica Miller
The Republic of Birds takes us to an alternate czarist Russia, where humans are at war with an avian nation.
Read MoreJohn Klassen and Proverbs: A Guest Post from Sarah Hartman*
John Klassen’s Hat trilogy beautifully illustrates timeless truths from the book of Proverbs
Read More*The Most Perfect Thing in the Universe by Tricia Springstubb
A shy, timid girl learns that “the most perfect thing in the universe” is right under her nose.
Read MoreBoy from Buchenwald by Robbie Waisman
Robbie Waisman, the “Boy from Buchenwald,” tells a gripping story of suffering and a hard-won peace after World War II.
Read MoreOutdoor School: Hiking and Camping by David and Blevins
The Outdoor School series offers interactive guides to experiencing, understanding, and appreciating nature.
Read MorePicture Book Roundup: Ordinary Wonders
The Night Walk, The Rescuer of Tiny Creatures, and The Lost Package focus on simple pleasures and everyday services we take for granted.
Read MoreThe Wisdom of Trees by Lita Judge
The Wisdom of Trees shows how trees function as a community in cooperation, not competition.
Read MoreThe Way of the Hive by Jay Hosler
The Way of the Hive follows the life of a honeybee in clever graphic-novel style.
Read More*The Ship of Stolen Words by Fran Wilde
The Ship of Stolen Words is light, enjoyable, family-friendly fantasy anchored by a worthy theme.
Read MoreRaising Writers in Four Simple Steps
Or, the Wordsmith philosophy of teaching composition
Read MoreLaid-Back Grammar
Grammar is easier to teach if you don’t try to teach it too soon or too singularly
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