I have read and loved a ton of books this year; among my many favorites are the following suggestions for great gifts this holiday season.
1, For a book that will be fun for a wide range of middle-grade readers and is also a great book to read aloud as a family, check out Jennifer L. Holm's The Fourteenth Goldfish. This deceptively spare book (comes in at just under 200 pages) packs quite a punch. It offers a clever take on a trope that is not unfamiliar in children's books --- that of an older person suddenly contending with being young again. In this case it is the protagonist's scientist grandfather who gets to try teen life once again and his grumpy response is spot on hilarious. But mixed-in are warm and sensitive considerations of growing old-growing up, new-old friendships, familial love, the passion-pleasure of scientific research, and relationships overall. For more read my New York Times review.
2. A book that absolutely demands to be read aloud is B. J. Novak's The Book with No Pictures. The title says it true -- there are no pictures at all. What there is is lots of silliness that is all designed to push the poor adult reading the book aloud into more and more awkwardness. And what kid doesn't like seeing an adult put him or herself into the silliest position possible? While my 4th graders got a kick out of this one, I would guess it would be especially beloved (and demanded over and over) by younger kids. Novak plays with the whole methodology of reading aloud in a very entertaining and clever way.
3. A picture book that may begin as a book to read aloud, but will send young readers back to it to examine over and over on their own is Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen's Sam & Dave Dig a Hole. Be forewarned, grown-ups, the ending of this one has a Twilight Zone, The Sixth Sense, Cabin in the Woods vibe where things-turn-out-not-to-be-quite-what-you-thought. After I read it to them, my 4th grade students went wild coming up with theories for this; my blog post featuring them is here.
4. Another favorite picture book of mine is one on the guy who invented the thesaurus, Jen Bryan and Melissa Sweet's The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus. For kids who love words and book with illustrations full of words, look no further. This one is absolutely gorgeous and fascinating. For the end papers, illustrator Sweet replicated all of Roget's original set of words! My blog review here.
5. One of the most lyrical and moving books of the year is Jacqueline Woodson's National Book Award winning memoir Brown Girl Dreaming. Intertwining stories of her childhood in the South and Brooklyn, Woodson manages to bring a lens to race and racism, friendship, and what it is to grow into a writer and poet. One to give to an introspective young reader and emerging writer as well as one to read and discuss as a family.
6. Another memoir that probably would be great as an individual read is Cece Bell's graphic novel El Deafo, a moving and at times quite funny memoir of her youth. I'm planning to have my 4th grade class read it later this school year and am confident that they are going to love it. While Bell doesn't shy away from issues dealing with her hearing loss, doing so with wit and a refreshing lack of self-pity, it is the search for a good friend that will resonate most with young readers.
7. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is a powerful verse novel involving twelve-year-old African-American twins, both of whom are gifted basketball players. A student of mine last year who was serious about basketball and writing absolutely adored this one and I was thrilled to be able to get a copy signed for him by the author. The poetry is energetic and the story compelling -- a sure-fire hit for a wide range of readers.
8. I was completely charmed by Dana Alison Levy's The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher. This episodic novel of a family of two dads and four adopted boys of various races is a delight. The boys are so real and their experiences funny, tender, and relatable. I've had it at school debating when to read it aloud to my class and am confident that it will be a success when I do. Here's a quote from my Horn Book review: "Levy provides a compelling, compassionate, and frequently hilarious look at their daily concerns. By book's end readers will want to be part of (or at least friends with) this delightful family."
9. For older children with a predilection for history, look no further than Candace Fleming's The Family Romanov. Balancing the over-the-top lifestyle of the last Russian royals with firsthand accounts of the rest of the populace, Fleming provides a fascinating and highly readable version of this tragic story. Handsomely designed and full of photographs, this volume seems uncomfortably timely when considering today's 1 percent, those who currently have the bulk of the world's wealth.
- Gregory Maguire's Egg & Spoon, set at the same time as Fleming's book, but a fantasy. My review here.
- Andrea Pinkney's The Red Pencil. My New York Times review here.
- Margi Preus's West of the Moon. My review here.
- Christopher Paul Curtis's The Madman of Piney Woods. My Horn Book review here.
- Barry Jonsberg's The Categorical Universe of Candace Phee. My review here.
- José Manuel Mateo and Javier Martínez Pedro's Migrant. My review here.
- Jude Watson's Loot. My review here.
- Albert Marrin's A Volcano Beneath the Snow. My review here.
- Deborah Wiles' Revolution. My review here.
- William Grill's Shackleton's Journey. My review here.
- Karen Foxlee's Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy. My review here.
- Jack Gantos's The Key That Swallowed Joey Pigza. Reviewed for Horn Book.
Also at educating alice.