Children’s Literature for Readers of All Ages

Plus some more resources for book discovery

This week, I’m sharing a smattering of titles I think adult and adolescent readers will delight in, including three I read within the past month. If you missed my previous post, I shared on why children’s literature continues to be an important part of the reading life for readers at any age, including myself.

The Magic Elixir of Children’s Literature

I continue to find myself utterly charmed, comforted, and empowered by these books—not to mention laughing out loud with some of them—and I hope this list inspires you to try one of these titles or explore your local library or bookstore.

Note: Books that are Newberry Award Winners are noted with a single * while books that are Newberry Honorees are noted with **.

• Wildoak by C.C. Harrington - This is a particularly great read on audio! I was quickly drawn in by the vivid realism with which C.C. Harrington writes. Part historical novel, part ecological treatise, Wildoak is a timely novel about young, precocious but anxious Maggie Stephens who fears having to speak publicly due to her stutter. After threats to send Maggie for “treatment,” her mother convinces everyone the best course of action is for Maggie to spend time in the English countryside with her estranged grandfather. It is there, through a twist of fate, that Maggie meets and befriends an abandoned snow leopard. Together both find solace in the forest. Well researched and avoiding unrealistic and ableist tropes that sometimes plague stories of characters with disabilities, readers will be happy to find a enriching and empowering novel that celebrates individuality.

• The Swifts by Beth Lincoln - If guffaws and chortling through a novel is your kind of thing, this quirky, sometimes absurd, and a tinsy bit morbid novel is for you (and me, too). Taking place over the span of an annual family reunion, our story follows Shenanigan Swift, whose name rightfully foreshadows the hijinks that ensue. Family members spend the reunion scouring the family estate for the lost family fortune, and Shenanigan is adamant she will be the one to discover it. However, things begin to go awry when someone gives Shenanigan’s Aunt Schadenfreude a deadly push down the family staircase. If you want to know more, you’ll have to read the rest of this delightfully fun novel to find out.

• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien* - I distinctly remember experiencing Mrs. Frisby for the first time during read alouds in grade school. I was transfixed by the world built by Robert C. O’Brien. While sci-fi elements of the book went directly over my head, I was fascinated by the concepts of justice explored in the novel as well as my avid concern of Mrs. Frisby and her sick son Timothy. O’Brien’s work still holds a lot for us to consider as we continue to advance into an increasingly technologically dependent society and consider (or ignore) it’s implications. I look forward to revisiting this one again soon.

• A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus - A warm hug of a novel, A Place to Hang the Moon is a moving WWII historical fiction novel that follows three siblings—William, Edmund, and Anna—who are sent off as evacuees to the British countryside in hope of finding a family that will take them in and eventually adopt them. You can’t help but root for the children’s happy ending. There is also a lovely librarian that befriends the family and provides solace as they navigate the challenges of living with difficult host families. This book very much reads like a classic children’s book, and it’s one I’m glad I have on my personal shelves.

  

• The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman* - Karen Cushman has a knack for writing about young, fearless female characters coming of age during some of the most rights-restrictive periods. In the Midwife’s Apprentice, an unnamed girl nicknamed “Brat” lives on the streets until she is taken in by the town’s midwife and becomes her apprentice. As she learns new skills, Brat—who renames herself Alyce—discovers her wants, desires, and passions, searching for a contented life. A sure-fire hit for those that love strong female protagonists, and who doesn’t?

• Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac - A novel told in verse (and read by the author for the audiobook), Rez Dogs was one of the few timely novels set during COVID-19 that I enjoyed. Starting at the precipice of the pandemic, Malian finds herself locked down at her grandparents house on a reservation outside of Boston. While people are worried about COVID-19, those on the reservation look to protect each other, including Malian who cares for a dog named Malsum. Paying homage to Indigenous storytelling traditions, Malian’s grandfather helps draw parallels to how the her Wabanki ancestors dealt with epidemics of European diseases, survived terrible government boarding schools, and even how her mother survived and came back after being put in foster care by social services. This story not to be missed.

• Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina* - Merci Suarez is facing a lot of change at home and at school. She is asked to be a Sunshine Buddy, and is paired up with a boy—a big deal for some of the girls in her class, but not Merci. Now her classmates are talking about how cute boys are which is something Merci isn’t even ready to think about. She just wants to play soccer. Then there’s her grandpa who seems to be struggling to keep details straight. Merci is wonderful for it’s depiction of intergenerational families and the cultures they create, family dynamics and how those interplay with school relationships, issues of class, and the intense, emotional period that is known as middle school.

• Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman - This moving story about a blossoming friendship over one summer is a book I recommend to everyone. Bug is ready to spend the summer going on daily trips to the beach with her older brother. When he abandons her for his friends, Bug’s mother and their neighbor/friend Phillip invites his nephew Frankie to spend the summer with him. At first, Bug and Frankie can’t seem to find anything to like about each other until they both realize they listen to same true crime podcast and begin to sleuth around their neighborhood. Light on the true crime, but a wonderful exploration into timely issues, acceptance, friendship, and justice.

• Greenglass House by Kate Milford - This atmospheric, wintertime read has been a standout novel to me over the past couple of years. Set at a smuggler’s inn in the fictional town of Nagspeake, Milo, the inn owners’ son, is expecting a relaxing and unexciting-in-the-best-way Christmas break. However, circumstances begin to change as more and more people show up to the inn and their stories of why they are there seem lacking in truth. Quickly turning into a mystery you won’t soon forget, Greenglass House is a book to get swept up and swept away with.

• My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George** - I used to dream about running away into the forest to survive on my own and make a hollowed-out dwelling in the the carcass of a tree thanks to My Side. I’m still drawn to adventure stories and survival stories and stories deeply rooted in nature. I love getting to head back to the wilderness every so often with Sam, and to ponder what it means to live courageously and independently (and how we often need others, too).

• One Crazy Summer by Rita Garcia-Williams* - A heart-warming, laugh-out-loud, historical novel, Garcia-Williams Newberry honoree book follows three sisters on a road trip from their home on the East Coast with their grandmother and father to Oakland, California to spend time with their estranged mother. Set in 1968, the book touches on the Black Panther movement and the social programs they built to care for their community. Delphine, the oldest and narrator of our story, is expressive, observant, and funny. If you love the unique voice of Anne Shirley, you’ll love getting to know Delphine.

• Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser - I often pull out another Vanderbeekers book when I need my faith in humanity restored. Tender-hearted and brimming with familial and community love, the Vanderbeekers and their adventures are stories I love to turn to again and again. I often think of these novels as being quieter than other books I read, and it’s not for lack of plot or conflict. What Yan Glaser does do within her books (and does so well) is carve out life’s intricacies with such a humane perspective. How wonderful to be reminded of the joys, pains, and melancholic beauty of being alive in the world.

• The Winter Room by Gary Paulsen** - If you are a reader who loves sentence-level writing, Paulsen’s Winter Room is definitely a book I think you should try, even if you only read the opening chapter, “Tuning:”

  “If books could be more, could show more, could own more, this book would have smell…”

  Following is the story of two boys growing up in rural Minnesota, and the stories shared in “the winter room” at their farm. A prolific writer of rural, unforgiving landscapes and ever-mindful of the craft of storytelling, the Winter Room is one of Paulsen’s best.

• The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Geminhart - For fans of Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons, Coyote Sunrise a adventurous novel about a young girl, nicknamed Coyote, her father Rodeo, and their epic cross-country road trip to save beloved memories. Living on the road in an old school bus, Coyote and Rodeo meet a cast of characters along the way back home, some joining them on the journey. Touching on loss and grief, I also recommend grabbing a couple tissues before diving in—or maybe a whole box.

Resources for Book Discovery

Curious about how to discover great books? Having a local librarian with stellar readers advisory skills or a book seller who makes great recommendations are two locally sourced resources you can opt for, if available.

As a library director, I have access to resources that are paid for by the organization. These help me make informed decisions about what I purchase for the library. However, there are a couple of tricks I’ve picked up on over my years of doing collection acquisition that are available publicly. Here are some for you to check out.

• Get familiar with publishers who produce quality content. As you are reading along, it’s helpful to get familiar with any publishers you recognize as consistently publishing great content. For me that’s Holiday House, who published several of the books on this list, and has a catalog of quality children’s literature. I also like paying attention to Heartdrum, an imprint at HarperCollins publishing stories by Native creators for kids 8+. And while not a publisher, We Need Diverse Books is a great compendium resource for getting diverse characters into more readers hands.

• Look into critical reviews. Lots of times, book reviews can be behind paywalls, but you can consistently look of titles you’re interested in and see if they have been reviewed by organizations like Kirkus. Kirkus’ reviews are short and always end with the succinct one-line summation of the review that I always appreciate. They have starred reviews for books that they deem as being of exceptional quality. Individual reviews of titles are also available on Publisher’s Weekly and both publications provide roundups of the best of the best in children’s literature on a yearly basis.

• Check out award-winning works. There is a wealth of awards given to children’s books each year. We commonly think of the National Book Award and the Newberry when we think of awards associated with children’s literature, but there are other important awards, like the Stonewall Book Award, the Coretta Scott King Award, and the Schneider Family Award, given to quality literature each year. Thankfully the American Library Association has compiled a list of awards granted through their organization. The National Book Foundation also maintains their own site that features an awards section for young people’s literature.

Thanks for reading my newsletter. I’d love to hear if you’ve read any of my recommended titles or if you have children’s books you would recommend. I’ll be back soon, but until then—happy adventures in reading!