Here are some of my recent favorites:
Novels:
CARTWHEELING IN THUNDERSTORMS, by Katherine Rundell, relates the journey of Willhemina Silver, from beloved farm where she was born in the wilds of Africa, to boarding school in stiff, crusty England following the death of her father. It's an exuberant, beautifully told tale.It's the 2015 Boston Globe/Horn Book Fiction Award winner. (MG)
ECHO, by Pam Munos Ryan, is another well-crafted piece of writing. This one blends three very different stories of children who are connected, through time and their love of music, by a mysterious, melodious harmonica, one which has been touched by magic and a prophecy. Each story is compelling in its own right, but taken together we get an intricately woven, ambitious novel for young people. (MG)
NIGHTBIRD, by Alice Hoffman, features still more gorgeous kiddie lit prose, this time telling the story of Twig Fowler, who lives in Sidwell, Massachusetts, a town where fairy tales may well be real. There is a curse on Twig's family, and she and her mom keep mostly to themselves. But when a new family moves in next door, descended from the witch who first spelled Twig's ancestors, things begin to change. (Upper MG/YA)
And PRAIRIE FIRE, by E. K. Johnston, is an engrossing follow-up to the author's most excellent debut, THE STORY OF OWEN, DRAGON SLAYER OF TRONDHEIM. In an alternate Canada, dragons are abundant and threatening, necessitating the creation of the Oil Watch, a service trained to protect both citizens and industry from death by dragon flames. This story, like the first, is narrated by musical talent Sioban McQuaid, bard to the young dragon slayer Owen Thorskgaard. (YA)
Picture Books:
In THE NEW SMALL PERSON, by Lauren Child, Elmore Green "start[s] off life as an only child, as many people do." He could have things exactly his way, and everyone thought he was the bee's knees. But, then, along comes the new small person, and everything changes. The author/illustrator's mixed media collages support and further the engaging text.
NO NAP, YES NAP! written by Margie Palatino and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino, uses rollicking, rhythmic language to describe repeated attempts by a harried mom to get her rambunctious toddler to take a nap. The spare text is successfully paired with stylish illustrations. It's fun!
What have you been reading lately?
--Lynn
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