Age: 5th-high school

Hard to read at times due to the violence that Malala has been up against but an immensely valuable biography that reveals the anger and tragedies of the world set against the hope of Malala to change it.

Although the pace was fast and the concept interesting, I was annoyed for about 200 pages of this book. David's one quirk is his inability to make good metaphor's which feels like the biggest cop-out of a writer. But, knowing Sanderson and his other work, I let it slide and kept reading (cause, I mean, that's not really a good reason to put down a book). Another personal annoyance was David's stereotypical guy remarks about his crush's beauty. Not something I enjoy overhearing, much less reading. The ending had a couple twists so even if you solved one, you may not have got them all. There is a serious epic battle that has a tantalizing ending to project readers into the next book.

Kids that have a strong interest in cars, guns, and superpowers will read this from start to finish. It is certainly refreshing to see a pre-teen novel with a masculine narrative--or perhaps I've just been avoiding them this whole time.

Meh. Didn't finish it. Felt severely unpolished and confusingly random. Glad she's found her way.

I am loving this strong cast of diverse women accompanied with a delightfully suspenseful plot line. Highly recommended!

Age: Preschool


Lila and her mom are going to meet up with her grandfather and, along the way, Lila keeps herself entertained with her wild imagination. Nothing extraordinary but always nice to have a friendship between grandfather and granddaughter.

Age: Preschool-1st grade
Food: Baking, cakes

Hilarious plot and excellent illustrations gave this wonderful potential but the writing feels rather empty and lackluster. Love the premise of rhyming baking vocabulary with bird names and I wish there was more of that. Cute, but maybe an author would have helped add more substance to this great premise.

Age: Preschool-2nd grade
Writing

A sweet homage to the birth of a writer as Machlachlan writes an autobiographical tale about her roots. Readers/Listeners connect to the main character through the author's invitation to step into her shoes ("If you were a little girl..."), which is exactly what a writer does when they create new stories by stepping into the world of another. By giving readers this invitation, Maclachlan transforms her autobiography into a tool for readers to reflect on their own interests and draw their own parallels between their life and the girl's life.

Age: Toddler-Preschool
Familiar Experience: Underwear shopping

Cute bum-related rhymes and a picky monster make this a delight for kids. This book may serve as a glorification of undies, helping toddlers transition from diapers.

Age: Preschool-2nd grade

A favorite in the classroom, Rylant brings another hard-to-grasp subject in picture book form: the beauty of life and, also, its complications. Reaching children through the animals they adore, Rylant asks the listeners/readers to examine how animals deal with their world. While Rylant acknowledges the inevitable hardships we may face, it will eventually end and we can find comfort in an ever changing life. When life seems overwhelming, we can look to the animals of our world for their perseverance, admiration, and curiosity.

A reassuring book for kids that are experiencing hardship or confused about the sadness in our world. This would make a beautiful bedtime story for reflection of the day or a reoccurring Friday read in the classroom.

Age: Toddler-Preschool (but can be used for older kids learning subtraction and addition)

Quick read with an adorable premise make this perfect for storytimes and reading aloud--especially if you can create a flannel story from it.