Hi friends and happy school vacation week!

As mom of a soon-to-be teenager, I’m learning to accept that his ability to mature will partially depend on my ability to let him. Not easy but I try.

And once in a while I fail. Like when he asked to read The Hunger Games because “EVERYONE is reading it!”. I had a mini-panic - how to square my fear of this book with my urge to make sure my son keeps up with “EVERYONE”?

Today’s query is to parents of all ages and in all parenting stages:

I asked him that I read the book before deciding whether to let him. What I discovered surprised me —

First off, if you haven’t read The Hunger Games, be warned - it’s addictive and very, very good! On the plus side, there’s:

And yet:

MY VERDICT

WHY? Not by choice, my son interacts with human violence through current events and history lessons. Such exposure is unavoidable and, while painful, also important for his growth; we take pains to help him digest it.

But the amount and selection of “entertainment violence” is a parental luxury I want to control for a while longer. I’ve been taught that repeated exposure to intense violence can both scar and desensitize young brains so I choose to be choosy. And I chose to punt The Hunger Games for now.

I think - I hope! - he understood…and promised to wait until he’s 14!

SO. Back to my original query - am I overprotective?

A survey of middle-school mom friends concluded, “Not necessarily!” —

• Some mature 11-12 yo’s read & found the book entertaining with no scar residue

• Some parents read it with their kids and took pauses to put extremes in perspective

• Some parents thought the book was terrifying and are holding off.

The point is…

Whether our children will agree with our choices? Well, tough, for now… :)

What do YOU think???

If you like this note, share it with potential My Kid Readers!

Hello My Kid Readers!

It’s been a minute since our last newsletter.* I’ve been reading lots, and here are my December faves, in time for the school break and your final holiday shopping - enjoy!

AND HAPPY, HEALTHY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN!

_{*Ask me sometime about board governance, my other passion keeping me very busy!}

3- to 6-year-olds

What: A surprise blizzard in 1978 buries a New England town under 40 inches of snow - and a brave, adventurous boy sets out to save his family, neighbors and pets from guaranteed starvation!
Why: What better way to prepare for the snow season than a firsthand guide in urban blizzard survival?!

What: A boy and his dad fish in the middle of the night; dad reminisces about his childhood in Vietnam while son learns about responsibility at an early age.
Why: A tender story about seemingly mundane moments in a family’s life - so many messages and feelings packed in just a few pages!

What: The youngest of three siblings in a single-dad household - and the only girl - learns to box so she can stand up for herself and earn her brothers’ respect.
Why: There can never be too many books about strong-willed girls who fight to earn privileges - like playing the piano!

7- to 10-year-olds

What: Dory is the embodiment of “childhood” - imaginative, tireless, determined and wild. She may be the youngest of her family - but her life is busy and “exciting” enough for everyone.
Why: If you are raising a Dory, you’ll be comforted to know you’re not alone - Dory’s are everywhere!

What: Secret heists and KGB chases led by a 10yo untrained U.S. spy, on behalf of the Queen of England, taking place in the ‘80s… Need I say more?
Why: Super entertaining and quite a bit goofy, with some Cold War history sprinkled in.

What: Three friends - a frog, a skunk and a porcupine - have small adventures together.
Why: A gorgeously illustrated book about friendships, feelings and everyday beauty - to be read by a cozy fire or cuddled next to a little friend.

What: A Taiwanese American girl learns to appreciate her unique heritage, make friends in 5th grade, and wrestle with first romantic feelings.
Why: A perfect book to introduce the topics of different family traditions, celebrations, and pride in heritage - and just in time for the holidays!

11-year-olds and Up

What: A shy, musically gifted 6th grader witnesses her family’s successes and failures in balancing their Pakistani background with their Midwestern life.
Why: A lesson in tolerance, sharing of perspectives, and coming together to support a community in distress.

What: A beautiful story about a young girl (Lucky) adjusting to the sudden death of her mom, looking for her purpose in life, and learning to trust the world.
Why: It’s poetic, heartbreaking and empathy-building. A truly unique, must-read book for young-adult readers.

What: The story of a quirky, adorable, busy NYC family and their many adventures at home and outside.
Why: Some great lessons about overcoming serious obstacles and banding together to change hearts, minds, and rents - and just in time for Christmas!

What: A young girl in WWII Britain escapes bombs and her cruel mother, bravely protects her brother, discovers her own talents, and finds a new family.
Why: As our kids absorb the stress and grief of today’s world news, it is helpful to show them other kids’ perseverance and victory in the face of challenges.

Let me know if you and your child liked these - I’m always looking for feedback!

And if you like this note, share it with potential My Kid Readers!

Hello friends and happy fall!

Here are my November faves, grouped by age and hyper-summarized with What & Why for speedy parental preview.

Enjoy!

3- to 6-year-olds

What: A geniusly crafted board book with many independent flaps corresponding to letters of the alphabet, robot parts with explanations and cute illustrations.
Why: Who wouldn’t want to learn technology and the alphabet at the same time?!

What: An engaging biography and celebration of Keith Haring’s artwork and impact.
Why: An awesome way to introduce children to an artist whose works are still very much around us (even though he isn’t.)

What: That time when a boy was mean to his mom and she got abducted by Martians…
Why: Trust a comic genius (and Pulitzer Prize winner) to remind your child why their caretaker is worth fighting for!

7- to 10-year-olds

What: Engaging life story of Tony Sarg, the creative mastermind behind Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Why: The perfect book to get your family in Thanksgiving mood!iving mood!

What: A gorgeously illustrated and super interesting mini-encyclopedia on all things Elephant.
Why: It is super informative, engaging and deeply endearing.

What: Henri Rousseau’s painting “Tiger in a Tropical Storm” comes alive to bring new friends - Tiger and Luna - into a suspenseful, entertaining drama.
Why: A perfect way to engage kids in fine art and tickle their imaginations.

What: A wreckaged robot "comes alive" on an island with animals in need to become a mom, a builder, a leader and a party host.
Why: Adorable and suspenseful, and may make you believe AI is good! Just in time for the publication of the series 3rd installment, The Wild Robot Protects.

11-year-olds and Up

What: A young girl discovers her birth father, whom she’s never met, is in prison and decides to fight for his exoneration.
Why: Will serve as a good intro to social justice and everyone’s ability to right for what’s right.

What: A breathtaking look into Mao Zedong’s terror on Chinese communities during the Cultural Revolution, from the viewpoint of a middle-school girl.
Why: Because learning and remembering history is important, especially today.

What: A young girl is determined to conquer unexplored parts of the world - until she learns the discovery may be hugely harmful.
Why: Imaginative, engrossing, thought-provoking, with a great girl lead!

What: A little girl discovers fascinating secrets about her family, helps lift a community’s spirits, and repairs some old friendships.
Why: An inspiring story about family history, self-discovery and the unsung heroes among us waiting to be discovered.

Let me know if you and your child liked these - always looking for feedback!

Email me for more suggestions; I have bucketloads.

And if you like this note, pass it on widely - I’m always desperate for new friends.

Fresh drama is brewing in the KidLit world!

If you have thought about it, I hope to learn from you.

If you haven’t, let’s explore together.

What’s this all about?

Earlier this year, Roald Dahl’s publishers announced broad revisions to his books to remove perceived offensive and non-inclusive language.

Salman Rushdie shamed the move as “absurd censorship”, and others joined in. (Dahl himself would have likely set Penguin on fire, seeing how protective he was of every comma he penned - but that’s tricky to confirm since he died in 1994.)

Penguin sort of backed down and opted for publishing both “sanitized” and original versions.

Re-looks and rewrites are not without precedent in children’s literature.

In “happier” cases, the author was involved in the decision. In 1991, Richard Scarry confronted gender stereotypes in illustrations and language in his Best Word Book Ever (written in 1963); as a result, a dad started cooking, a “pretty stewardess” became “flight attendant”.

In other situations, authors’ descendants stepped in, as with Hugh Lofting’s family. Wanting to ensure children access the books without unintended insensitivities in its pages, they removed racially offensive illustrations and text from The Story of Doctor Dolittle (written in 1920).

There’s also banishment.

In 2021, some Dr. Seuss books got pulled from print (the move was swiftly politicized). The Babar the Elephant stories - a French mainstay with racist tinges - are practically non-present in the US.

Why this matters to us

If you are lucky and doing the best thing a parent can do - aka finding time to engage your child with a book every day - you will unavoidably find yourself in a peculiar situation:

You excitedly introduce your daughter to a favorite book of yours as a child, and as you read together you run into a picture or text which rattles the adult you. Like (as it happened to me)…

… when in Judy Blume’s Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972) mom and son thought a 3-year-old guest at a kiddie birthday party should skip cake because he was “fat”.

…or when Roald Dahl called Mrs. Twit “the ugliest, meanest woman you could meet” in The Twits (1980).

…or when Astrid Lindgren’s Pippi Longstocking (from the same-titled book published in 1945) announces that the Congo was full of cannibals.

Now what?!

What to do?

Well, the first thing you should do to avoid jams like mine is to OF COURSE preview your book on My Kid Reader!

For every book we review, we call out outdated language and sensitive topics so you know in advance!

Thanks to Stephanie, my college roommate, My Kid Reader has a dedicated Classics section so you can specifically walk down memory lane!

I find reading classics with my children a joy.

Like people, classics are imperfect. Like with people, imperfection doesn’t automatically require us to throw them out.

How you equip yourself to introduce an “old” book to your child - buying an updated version or addressing outdated concepts in conversation - is best left to your judgment.

But I challenge you to consider this -

And what is better than YOU modeling for your child how she can tackle an offensive situation, courtesy of an imperfect (albeit brilliant) book?

Nothing, I say. Nothing.

What do you think? What will you do?

Please email me to share your thoughts - I’d love to learn from you!

And if you like his note, pass it on widely - I’m always desperate for new friends :)

It’s all too much.

If you’re starting to avoid your phone and social media, I see you.

In fact, once you read about Israeli psychologists urging parents worldwide to delete children’s TikTok and Instagram accounts immediately, you know…

For your children, yes.

But for you too!

I found a foolproof method to restore myself when life gets to be too much (and given life lately, my R&D has been extensive.)

I know this will help you. So give it a try, tonight.

Remember that famous quote from The Godfather about “going to the mattresses” - full-out war with extreme tactics against the enemy?

My version, in my war on cognitive exhaustion, is “Going to Your Childhood”^TM .

It’s simple yet stellar; you need:

• a favorite book from your childhood

• a child

• a quiet(ish) spot at home and 15 min of free time

Here’s my step-by-step:

1. Think of a book you loved when you were little (preferably lighthearted but any title that brings you warm fuzzies will do) -

2. Find any available child at home (ideally one who belongs to you and doesn’t mind being hugged) -

3. Put the phone in another room, cozy up with said child and begin reading out loud (focus on the words as much as you can, just like you do with breaths in meditation!) -

This exercise is not about appreciating a book’s deeper messages or fostering dialogue with your child or imparting knowledge.

It’s much simpler and much more important - it’s about…

Last night, I overheard my husband laugh out loud, again and again, while reading Pippi Longstocking in bed with my son.

Hearing his laughter was my day’s biggest joy. I know he loved it too.

Tonight’s therapy session will be courtesy of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.

Join us. Go to your childhood. And take good care of yourself.

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (1945)

Don’t you find authors of kids books fascinating? Don’t you wish you knew how they found their calling, what inspires them, how “the sausage is made”?

Well, you’re in luck! I’m thrilled to share what I learned in conversation with STEM-for-kids superstar writer Vicky Fang.

Vicky, what brought you to and keeps you in the KidLit world?

I started writing books on the side while I was still a full-time designer. I was working on kids' products at Google and had just started having kids of my own, so I guess I had kids on my mind all the time! Once I started digging into the book world, I discovered SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), 12x12, and the Writing with the Stars mentorship (which is sadly no longer active), and that's how my journey began! After that, I fell in love with the community and with developing a new craft, and that’s what’s kept me here.

Your books are a great balance of educational, accessible and entertaining, with great illustrations to boot! What inspires you to focus on this (not very easy) age group?

Thank you for the kind words! Honestly, I focus on that age group because it’s the style of writing that works best for me! I love getting kids excited about ideas and their own agency and their ability to solve problems creatively. I think that younger elementary kids are so receptive to new ideas and can really grab onto them and do wonderful things that surprise and impress me.

How can fellow parents help make the most out of your books when reading them to their children? What have been some fun interactions you’ve had with your young readers?

One of the reasons I started writing books is because I loved reading with my kids. Several of my books have interactive elements, but just sitting with your kid and reading is already interactive! Together, you get to choose what to stop and point out, or laugh about, or discuss. You get to go as fast or slow as you want. You get to decide when to turn the page.

I also have a lot of activities on my website to accompany my books! From activity sheets to STEM projects, there are a lot to choose from. Since I worked as a kids’ product designer, I am constantly coming up with activity ideas, so I try to add a couple with every new book. Seeing what kids create after reading my books has been one of the most fun parts of the job. I’ve had kids send me photos of their creations or visit me at events with drawings. Kids are so creative, and I’m so impressed by what they make. I even have a creation gallery on my website, though I haven’t updated it in a while as I’ve been so busy writing and illustrating!

Tell us about your writing process. How do you come up with your topics? How long does it take to write a book, from idea to editor submission? What is your least favorite part of the writing process?

I love coming up with new book ideas! That’s the most exciting part for me, because of all the potential. I have a running list of ideas, and usually something will spark on one of them and I’ll percolate it in my head for a bit.

That first draft usually happens pretty quickly for me, maybe a week, because it’s already been bouncing around in my head. Then it’s the frustrating part of having to wait to see if it’s actually as good as I thought it was, which needs some time and distance. After that, revisions can take anywhere from a month to years. And that’s all before an editor might decide to take it on and request their own revisions, which takes months as well! That’s probably my least favorite part of the writing process… all the waiting!

Two of your books just came out – the interactive The Boo Crew Needs You! and my favorite, Alphabot. What inspired them?

All of my books sort of have themes of creativity and problem solving. The Boo Crew Needs You! started off because I wanted to show a team working together to save Halloween - and then the interactive spark came in when I decided that the team should include the reader! It was tricky to get it all to work in rhyme, but I’m so happy with the end result and Saoirse Lou’s illustrations are gorgeous!

I’m so glad you like AlphaBot! That one really started with the title. Once the title, AlphaBot, popped into my head, I knew I wanted to make a novelty alphabet book, but I wasn’t sure what that might be. When I finally had the idea for mix-and-match flaps, I was so excited because it meant kids would be able to create their own robots as they explored the A-Z of robot terms!

You also have two new series coming out soon: Best Buddies (out this month); and Ava Lin (out in June). Tell us what to expect and get excited about!

I’m so proud of both of these because they are full of heart and humor. The early seed for Best Buddies was the idea that there are different ways of solving problems - from planning to improvising, from plotting to “pants”-ing (writing terms), from “sniffing” to “scratching”! That seed sat around for a long time until the pandemic, when my kids and I watched tons of cute pet videos because I wouldn’t let them get a pet (I’m allergic) - and that’s when Sniff and Scratch, a dog and cat best friend duo, came to life.

Ava Lin is my first self-illustrated chapter book series and I’m thrilled with how it’s turned out. It’s a funny and super relatable series about a six-and-a-half-year-old girl who gets herself into - and out of - some sticky situations. The first book is about her wanting to find a best friend in first grade, but not knowing exactly how to go about it. It’s inspired by the shenanigans of my kids and my childhood, and I hope readers will have a good laugh and relate to Ava’s experiences!

My mom-goal this year is teaching my two sons to:

• never lie;

• do one kind thing to a fellow human every day; and

• appreciate girls.

Some truly awesome books are helping me with the last item. Here’s my 3 favorites - for your boys’ and girls’ enjoyment!

1. Charlie Thorne (Stuart Gibbs series, 10-16 yrs)

Charlie is a 12yo genius and daredevil. In complicated plots mixing history with fiction, she outsmarts grown-ups, performs near-death physical feats, and gives us science / history / fine arts lessons.

Be warned though - Charlie Thorne spells “addiction”; my 6^th grader has been reading late into the night and waking up before dawn to keep going. (Charlie is life goals for us both…).

2. Dory Fantasmagory (Abby Hanlon series, 6-9 yrs)

When your 6-9yo son declares he can’t be friends with girls because they’re boring / girly / unimaginative, introduce him to Dory Fantasmagory. I haven’t fallen in love with a character faster than with Dory - she’s absolutely adorable and completely outrageous; stubborn to tears yet kind to no limit; infuriating and endlessly endearing. Just look at that adorable face on the cover!

However, another warning: revisiting the Dory series for my 8yo usually translates to him doing something brilliant and hair-raisingly rascally... So…

3. Rock, Rosetta, Rock! Roll, Rosetta, Roll! by Tonya Bolden (3-6 yrs)

And to help you introduce a real-life gal superhero - visit this love letter to the godmother of rock ‘n’ roll, Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Rock, Rosetta, Rock!… is joyful, informative, visually pleasing. My boys have enjoyed learning about this phenomenally talented woman who beat the odds and shone in a male-dominated industry not that long ago. Rock, Rosetta, Rock!

An added bonus: guaranteed party in the house when you dance to Rosetta’s tunes together!

Happy National Sons Day if you’re celebrating - and happy reading to everyone!

Let me know if you enjoyed the books 😀 and talk soon!

First off, Welcome, Welcome! to our newest subscribers - thank you for joining our caring, inquisitive community! It’s great to have you. Tell your friends to join us too!

Every four weeks, I address a topic suggested by a reader (submit yours at the bottom of this note!). Today’s is:

Great question.

(Btw, I won’t be addressing the excellent reading acquisition read and listen-along tools like Raz-Kids and others. This is purely about enjoying audiobooks in lieu of printed pages.)

To me, NOTHING beats the sight of a child’s gaze glued to a printed page. If the choice is between listening and good ol’ analog reading, audiobooks don’t stand a chance in my mind. However! There will be times when nose-in-the-book reading is not an option and …

… audiobooks are a surprisingly effective alternative to, say, screentime!

These days, especially:

• Recorded books are read by experienced actors skilled at bringing “life” into the text —

  • A single narrator can scoop you into dialogue and descriptions so masterfully you will feel like you’re watching a movie!

• Narrated text teaches kids about diction, pronunciation, emphasis, wordplay, alliteration

• Listening to spoken words builds patience and nurtures the imagination — imagine the doors that opens!

And the biggest perk, IMO - listening to books is a wonderful shared family pastime.

My family now listens to kids’ books when driving together anywhere - sometimes I wonder if we drive just so we can listen to books!

Here’s some of my family’s recent favorites to consider (all available on Audible which did not pay me for this unintentional product placement :):

Enjoy listening - tell me how it went!

‘Tis back-to-school season and I am dedicating this newsletter to celebrating teachers in all their roles and capacities.

I love how these four excellent books capture teachers’ impact on children. Treat yourselves and your kids to each for a great start of the school year!

What are your favorite books featuring a great teacher? LMK!

Mr. Wolf’s Class, Aron Nels Steinke (ages 5-10)

A five-series graphic novel with stories in and around the classroom which I’ve raved about before 😊. I love that the children (4th-5th graders) are represented as different animals with unique personalities, and tackle all sorts of relatable problems. The illustrations are to die for, and even come with “sound effects”! But the books’ namesake, Mr. Wolf, easily steals the show for me. He is kind, goofy, imperfect, adorable – and he makes me appreciate the teacher profession more and more every time we revisit the books (which is often!).

The Benefits of Being an Octopus, Ann Braden (ages 10-15)

Perhaps you’ve had a teacher like Ms. Rochambeau who saw the potential in you – or even just thought of a way to get you out of a rut. In this unforgettable story about a 7th grader, Zoey, struggling to cope with her mom’s abusive boyfriend, three tiny siblings and extreme poverty, the teacher’s impact is life-changing. Perhaps because she saw her young self in Zoey, Ms. Rochambeau becomes her mentor, motivator, truth-teller, and even a bit of a parent. Thanks to her insistence that Zoey attend the debate club, a child dealing with profound life challenges learns to protect herself, her family and her friends.

The Line Tender, Kate Allen (ages 10-15)

This is a stunningly beautiful novel about a teenager’s heartbreak and recovery from her best friend’s tragic accident (Boston friends - story takes place around Cape Ann!). Ms. Solomon is an episodic yet memorable character. When Lucy shows up unexpected at her doorstep soon after Fred’s death, Ms. Solomon knows why – true, she assigned the summer project Lucy and Fred were working on. But reviewing the report is really Lucy’s unspoken plea to commune, be comforted, escape extreme solitude. Ms. Solomon drops all else to read the report, ask questions about Lucy’s favorite bits, and dab tear from her eyes. Perhaps they heal each other’s pain a little bit, too.

Iceberg, Jennifer A. Nielsen (ages 11-15)

A lifelong governess / private tutor, retired Mrs. Abelman is an important teacher in this historical-fiction novel taking place on the Titanic. Hazel, a young stowaway traveling alone, sets out to study the ship’s mechanics and safety procedures. Mrs. Abelman befriends Hazel, protects her from some unsavory passengers, and guides her scientific quests. But Mrs. Abelman’s most impactful lessons are in her actions – she sacrifices her life to help others escape the ship, and surreptitiously leaves her inheritance to Hazel to pursue an education after surviving the wreck.

I thought I ‘recognized’ myself in the first lines of David Levithan’s Answers in the Pages – a middle-schooler’s mom inquiring about her son’s class-assigned book. After the mom orchestrated a grade-wide boycott of the book due to a topic she deemed inappropriate, I knew we were worlds apart.

Children’s book bans are indeed a thing (in the US, at least).

I first learned about current book bans when Jerry Craft - of celebrated graphic novel New Kid - visited my sons’ school shortly after a mom in Texas had gotten his book banned. (“This American Life” described the story in a great podcast episode.) New Kid is among many well-known titles with bans, like Everywhere Babies, Charlotte’s Web, Captain Underpants, When Aidan Became A Brother, and The Bluest Eye. Two earlier books of David Levithan’s have also been banned.

Having grown up in a Communist country, I have a kneejerk aversion to cultural bans of any flavor. They remind me of feeling reduced, controlled, robbed. The access to an incredible wealth of children’s literature gives me the opposite feeling.

I read children’s books to understand texts, expose my family to new themes and situations, write cliff notes for parents, and foster dialogue with children. If some language, a character or a book worry me, I invite you to consider. I may suggest previewing a topic with your child. I may even tell you I hate a book! But my belief is that…

So what to do? Engage!

You may or may not appreciate the messages in Answers in the Pages and agree with how they are handled. But whether this is a book you choose for your child is exactly the point - until we find ourselves in an Orwellian dystopia or in Mao’s China we are fortunate to be able to choose widely! (Btw, for a great kids’ novel on Mao’s human experiment check out Ying Chang Compestine’s Revolution is Not a Dinner Party). If I were you, I would:

And remember - I’m an email away with suggestions and reactions! :)

(Next week: Where I mom-fan on a graphic novelist. Stay tuned!)

Wanna give your kids’ summer reading a great last addition? Here are my August faves, grouped by age and hyper-summarized for parental preview of what + why. Email me for more suggestions to keep your readers going; I’ve got bucketloads!

(Next week: Some thoughts on kid-book censorship. Stay tuned!)

3- to 6-year-olds

What: A story of van Gogh’s stay in Arles, France and his friendship with a boy and his family (of the Roulin family portraits, for the art connoisseurs among you).
Why: In case your reader didn’t visit an art museum this summer, this book will be a close second!

What: A girl discovers the wonders of the wild outdoors after mom forces her to leave the couch, and she drops her video game in the river.
Why: For your arsenal of arguments against “But why can’t I have more screen time?!”

What: A masterclass in diversity, inclusion and growth mindsets by the classic Donaldson / Scheffler duo.
Why: Because a little JD magic is good for the soul even on 100th reading!

7- to 10-year-olds

What: The true story of a young Somali boy and his baby brother raised by strangers in a refugee camp in Kenya.
Why: Smart, inspiring, accessible and beautifully illustrated, sure to elevate your reader’s empathy.

What: Heartwarming diary of a shy 3rd grader who teaches himself resilience, patience and bravery.
Why: Just in time to calm down impending school anxieties…

What: Funny stories from a third grader's very busy life – though unclear if they're funnier for the kid readers or their grownups...
Why: Lots of opportunities for laughter and imaginary mischief; aka summer perfection.

What: Part of a 4-book series (Armstrong, Edison, Einstein and Lindbergh) where mice complete impressive expeditions inspired by the books’ namesakes, with real science lessons.
Why: Combination of well-told narratives and gorgeous illustrations makes these books truly unforgettable and a welcome re-read.

11-year-olds and Up

What: In the 2nd installment of the awesome Spy School series, Ben’s relaxing plans get ruined, Evil reveals its trickster genius, and good spies thwart a catastrophic missile launch.
Why: The story is super fun; the writing is amazing; there are seriously educational (yet subtle) components; and it’s entertaining for parents, too!

What: Zoey rescues her mom and three baby siblings from an abusive living situation with the help of an insightful teacher, friends, and lots of guts.
Why: Will evoke empathy and respect for children living in poverty in the US (or any developed nation); also, the protagonist is an amazing girl.

What: Four teenagers from around the world foil a harmful plan in Paris thanks to teamwork, smarts, and the training of a supersecret kids’ spy school.
Why: Great plot, fun characters, smart writing and 2 (soon to be 3) sequels; can’t go wrong… 🙂 

What: Jordan (middle-schooler) and his friends visit Paris to learn about art, history, cuisine, and each other.
Why: Thought-provoking sequel to New Kid and Class Act’s messages about class, race, and blind assumptions. Great illustrations as always!