According to the Chinese zodiac, Saturday, January 28th concludes the Year of the Monkey and begins the Year of the Rooster! If your family can’t make it to China to join in the festivities (which can last up to two weeks!), a book is the next best way to introduce your children to new cultures, […]
The angst of figuring out who you are in middle school is central to stories like Tim Federle’s (Better Nate Than Ever) “Secret Samantha” in which a girl named Sam sees in the cool new California girl a potential friend who also kicks back against social norms of gender. In “Main Street,” by Jacqueline Woodson […]
2016 produced a bumper crop of great middle grade novels. Here’s a list of my personal favorites, both realistic and fantasy, that I think will appeal to young readers. They’re especially good for those who, like me, enjoy books about friendship with characters to love, though there’s excitement and adventure too (sorry sports fans—I’ve got nothing […]