You may know Peter Brown as the author-illustrator of the very funny Children Make Terrible Pets, My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I Am Not) or the earnest and lovely The Curious Garden. In his first middle grade book The Wild Robot Brown asserts himself as a deft novelist, with a fresh twist on the classic… Continue reading Middle Grade Monday: The Wild Robot
Tag: middle grade
Middle Grade Monday: MiNRs
Kevin Sylvester can do no wrong- illustrator, writer, podcaster, frequent host of Kid's Lit Quiz - he is an all-around children's literature champion, particularly in Canada. I'm always delighted by the twists his career takes, which may be unexpected but are always genuine, kid-friendly and fun. Christopher is proud to be part of a mining… Continue reading Middle Grade Monday: MiNRs
Middle Grade Monday: Pax
I have always wanted a Direwolf of my own, so perhaps it is of no surprise that the last two books I've read have featured wild dogs: wolves in Wolf Wilder and foxes in Pax. What better way to explore humanity, our relationship with the wilderness, and our kinship with animals? I am a long-time Sara… Continue reading Middle Grade Monday: Pax
Middle Grade Monday: Wolf Wilder
Katherine Rundell restored my faith in middle grade whimsy with her much-lauded Rooftoppers, so I was very excited to check out this wintry tale of a girl who helps the pet wolves of Russian aristocracy adjust to a wild, wolfish life. Feo and her mother are wolf wilders, humans who take in pet wolves abandoned… Continue reading Middle Grade Monday: Wolf Wilder
My Favourite Books of 2015
Every time I start a year in review list I am overwhelmed by the number of amazing books out there. I always intend to pick one or two books per category but it is much, much too difficult. What follows is a mere sliver of the fabulous books I read and loved this year, which… Continue reading My Favourite Books of 2015
Middle Grade Monday: The Enchanted Egg
I tend to recommend middle grade that falls in the 11-13 range, or "upper middle grade." It's a bit more issue-driven and appropriate for kids with a certain emotional maturity. For a great discussion of what this age group encompasses, check out the re-cap of the Middle School is Hell panel featuring Mariko Tamaki, Kate… Continue reading Middle Grade Monday: The Enchanted Egg
Middle Grade Monday: The Thing About Jellyfish
Multiple people, including author Carrie Mac, Danielle at Bookish Notions and Michelle from Mabel's Fables told me that this would be a book I would love. They were correct. This National Book Award nominated title falls under one of my favourite categories, Poignant Coming of Age Story, and is particularly adept at detailing not only… Continue reading Middle Grade Monday: The Thing About Jellyfish
Some Book: George
All over the country there are debates about whether the needs of transgender children are being met in our school systems. I'm thinking particularly of this recent case in Edmonton, in which the mother of a seven year old transgender girl is fighting for her daughter's right to use the girls' washroom. The Catholic school… Continue reading Some Book: George
Middle Grade Monday: The Doldrums
I dare you to look through this book without a) gasping b) petting the cover and c) calling over your friends or colleagues so they can also gasp and pet the cover. Of course it is the untenable thing-the story-that counts, but when the package is this deluxe, it certainly doesn't hurt. Luckily Nicholas Gannon's… Continue reading Middle Grade Monday: The Doldrums
Middle Grade Monday: Something Wiki
Middle grade fiction isn't always gentle or fantastical. Sometimes it can be downright moody, icky, and gross. Thank goodness. Puberty is rarely gentle or magical, so why should fiction tackling the subject be?In Something Wiki, we get a peek inside the mind and body of tween Jo Waller. Each chapter opens with a wikipedia entry that… Continue reading Middle Grade Monday: Something Wiki
Vikki VanSickle 