Simon & Schuster | Page 9 of 11

Gridiron is a middle-grade book that transcends football and kidlit

One’s appreciation of a subject matter isn’t relevant to their ability to discern the quality in it. For example, you don’t have to personally enjoy a genre of music to be aware that there is some talent that goes into making it. I am that way with sports. My knowledge of football specifically is limited to what could be written on the back of a postage stamp. Gridiron, Stories From 100 Years of the National Football League is an oversized book that is perfectly aimed at me, plus any middle-school student who happens to enjoy football or the drama of sports.

Gridiron is for book fans, as well as, football fans

Hurry Up! A Book About Slowing Down is apt advice and a great read

Less is more. A children’s book that capture that essence is truly the stuff of good-night book legend. Hurry Up! By kate Dopirak with illustrations by Christopher Silas Neal is one of those books. It’s the perfect pairing of illustrations, words and message that allow for the book to be read once a night or re-read a couple of times in one sitting. This is a great good-night book that audiences one through seven will enjoy.

We are guilty of this….sometimes kids just need to look at the little things

Blue Skies, a sweet take on a young girl dealing with hope and loss

If Blue Skies were a home it would be a bungalow that was built in the 1930s. It has 12’ ceilings, a covered front porch with a screen door that leads you into its shotgun style abode. There are four fireplaces with decorative tile, a mantle that surrounds each of them and heart of pine wood throughout. Blue Skies is a down home kind of novel that knows its audience and takes its time in drawing out the story.

middle grade bittersweet that’s earnest in its simplicity

A Field Guide To Getting Lost, more than middle school divorced kids

I once suggested to my not-future wife that she get lost. I didn’t mean it in an insulting manner, she was headed on a trip overseas and I suggested that she get lost. If you’ve ever found yourself by being in a completely different environment and doing things that are totally different than what you’re used to, then you understand. If that emotion is embodied by a time in your life then it’s quite probable that said time is your teen-age years. A Field Guide To Getting Lost is an upper elementary school through mid-grade book that targets those readers by treating them as young adults, who are still keen to have some adventure.

It’s light, without being flippant and serious without being heavy

Roll With It sneaks up on any middle school reader

For some reason the cover to the book and its title didn’t connect with me. The cover of Roll With It has a teenage girl in her wheel chair, balancing on her back wheels whilst holding a pie with finger like she’s spinning a basketball. The cover image and the title imply the vibe that the book puts forth perfectly. So much so that after reading it I realized I had brought my expectations to a book that I expected to be one that I couldn’t relate to and dour.

Trying to get middle schoolers to read something different? Try this

City Spies is go-to reading for middle school and up

On average we read one book a year that runs. This is the descriptor we use when the book can’t be put down. The story that the author has put forth literally runs off of the page and into your imagination as fuel for what could be a perfect movie. Having said that, the book is almost always better, so be ahead of the curve and read City Spies by James Ponti. From the first two pages the book’s story runs into your mind with a credible, fun plot that has early teenagers as the main characters.

City Spies is fast, fun and jammed with excitement for ages 10 and up

Hundred Feet Tall, an illustrated book quick to grow on you

We are a sucker for pizza and children’s illustrated books with rabbits as the main character. I just realized the rabbit thing a moment ago while I was re-reading Hundred Feet Tall by Benjamin Scheuer with illustrations by Jemima Williams. Our main character is an un-named anthropomorphic rabbit who is in the country with his parents. He sees an acorn on the ground in early winter and promptly takes it with them as the three of them pile into their red car with a BU-NNY license plate.

Hundred Feet Tall is rabbit fun in a great good night book

One More Hug, feelings of déjà vu-both good and bad

One More Hug is a children’s illustrated book by Megan Alexander with illustrations by Hiroe Nakata. It tells the story that most parents have when they look at their child and can see them grow up right before their eyes. One moment you’re assuring them that the wind blowing outside is nothing to worry about and then before you know it you’re watching them drive off down the street on the way to college. This is a feeling that parents see in their mind’s eye or when they’re looking back at photographs that seem like they were taken yesterday.

One More Hug. cute premise, but nothing you haven’t seen before