Sunday, December 3, 2023

 THANKFUL FOR BOOKS! NOVEMBER READS

 So many great books in November! If you are looking for a gift or two, I really enjoyed Something, Someday by Amanda Gorman, illustrated by the always awesome Christian Robinson. Shark and Bot is a cute beginners graphic novel series. There are currently four books in the series. There are tons of "Best Of 2023" lists appearing as well as reading lists from the Texas Library Association. I am just starting to dig through those. Betsy Bird does a really fun 31 Days, 31 Lists every December. I always enjoy reading her comments and suggestions. What books are you gifting this year?

 The Fantastic Bureau of Imagination by Brad Montague Give by Jen Arena Just Because by Matthew McConaughey  If I Was a Horse by Sophie Blackall I'm Going to Build a Snowman by Jashar Awan Lawrence & Sophia by Doreen Cronin  Mole Is Not Alone by Maya Tatsukawa The Only Way to Make Bread by Cristina Quintero  Something, Someday by Amanda Gorman        The North Wind and the Sun by Philip C. Stead  If I Had a Polar Bear by Gabby Dawnay  My Dad Thinks He's a Pirate by Katrina Germein My Grandfather's Song by Phùng Nguyên Quang

The Bees of Notre-Dame by Meghan P. Browne  Ketanji by Kekla Magoon  Christo and Jeanne-Claude Wrap the World by G. Neri

A Super Scary Narwhalloween by Ben Clanton  Shark and Bot by Brian Yanish

Detective Duck by Henry Winkler Trim Sets Sail by Deborah Hopkinson Breaking News by Christine Platt

 Wrecker by Carl Hiaasen   The Red Ear Blows Its Nose by Robert  Schechter



Saturday, November 11, 2023

 Field of Texas Bluebonnet · Free Stock Photo

And here is the list! I predicted one! One book! Jovita Wore Pants.  I did, however, have four of these titles on my predictions for last year's list. I need to remember that they choose a lot of books published the year before. An excellent list! I have read eight of the books so far. A pretty good start for me!

A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga is an amazing epistolary tale of a fictional Rover going to Mars.

Caves by Nell Cross Beckerman - beautiful book about - caves!

Daybreak on Raven Island by Fleur T. Bradley - This is a mystery! I haven't read it but I did read the author's Midnight at the Barclay Hotel. This one is inspired by Alcatraz Prison.

How to Stay Invisible by Maggie C. Rudd - Haven't read it - but it's a survival story with a boy and his dog. 

Ice Cream Man: How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better by Glenda Armand - a picture book biography! My library does not own this. Yet!

Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Revolutionary Fighter by Aida Salazar - a really great picture book biography. 

Ketanji: Justice Jackson's Journey to the U.S. Supreme Court by Kekla Magoon - another picture book bio. I'm looking forward to reading this one!

Legends of Lotus Island - The Guardian Test by Christina Soontornvat - Animals, magic - this fantasy should be popular! 

New Dragon City by Mari Mancusi - This was a great book! Dragon apocalypse. Very dystopian. 

Odder by Katherine Applegate - A lovely story about an otter named Odder! 

Shermy and Shake, The Not-So-Nice Neighbor by Kirby Larson - Have not read this one but I love Kirby's books so I'm sure it's great.

Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango - Novel in verse! Lost dog helps a lonely girl finder her way home; foster family. 

Stars of the Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kinderstransport by Caren Stelson - This is a story of survival and defiance as 699 children escape  Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War 2. They were taken in by foster families in England for the duration of the war.

The Cursed Moon by Angela Cervantes - Spooky!

The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla - This one is about a neurodivergent girl spending the summer with her dad. I have not read it - the reviews mention that abuse at home with mom and step-dad are also topics.

The Ghost of Spruce Point by Nancy Tandon - another one I will have to wait to read until my library orders it! It is set in Maine - and there's a curse and mystery involved.  

The Mystery of the Monarchs by Barb Rosenstock - All about how scientists discovered migrations routes of the North American monarchs! I love monarchs so I really enjoyed this book.

Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen - Finally! A graphic novel! The author is Muscogee and Jewish. The book is based on her own life.

You Are Here: Connecting Flights edited by Ellen Oh - A collection of inter-connected short stories that all take place at an airport and involve twelve young Asian-Americans. It's very good!  It will make you think!

Yuck, You Suck! Poems about Animals that Sip, Slurp, Suck poems by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple - I haven't seen this one but it might be a strong contender to win the Bluebonnet just based on the title alone! I'll have to read it first, though.

 


 BLUEBONNET PREDICTIONS

The new Bluebonnet Reading List will be announced today at 11:15 AM during the Texas Book Festival! Always exciting to see what will show up. The majority of books are fictional chapter books. But there are always a few graphic novels (more each year, it seems) and some picture book biographies and other non-fiction books. These are a few books that I hope to see make the list! 


      

      Listen to the Language of the Trees by Tera Kelley 

Dogtown by Katherine Applegate