Rebecca Caudill Progress

So far I've read 12 of the 2014 Rebecca Caudills and I'm pleased to say that I've really been enjoying them so far! My favorites are Wonder and Okay for Now, but I also really liked Candy Bomber, A Tale Dark & Grimm, Blizzard of Glass, The Running Dream, and The Lions of Little Rock. As far as the others go (I, Emma Freke, How They Croaked, The Outcasts, The Apothecary, and Breaking Stalin's Nose) I thought they were fine, and only had a few minor issues with them.

I'm a little apprehensive about some of the titles; Ghetto Cowboy, Boys Without Names, Words in the Dust, and Bamboo People all sound like they might be extremely depressing. But I like knowing that this year at least the kids will be able to read 10 of 20 books without running into one of the super-sad ones.

New Picture Books

 I was totally charmed by a new picture book that recently arrived at the library called The Goldilocks Variations by Allan Ahlberg. It's simultaneously kid-friendly and grownup-friendly, with rich language, a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, and lots of interactive pull tabs and similar items to offset the long length of the book. I absolutely loved reading it and I think this is a book that kindergarteners and first graders will ask for over and over.



We also got this year's Geisel Award winner for the best book for beginning readers. It is Ethan Long's book Up! Tall! And High! I really enjoyed reading this simple book as well. The vocabulary is tailored for kids who are just starting out, with most of the story told using sight words. The illustrations are exemplary, bursting with life and humor. It's on par with Mo Willems's work, and for me that is high praise.



I also found a new book to read during storytimes, called Dog In Charge by K.L. Going. It made me laugh out loud right from the first page, and it presents a problem that will be familiar to kids: will Dog get blamed for the cats' mischief? The text begs to be read aloud, as it features lots of sound effects, familiar refrains, and an easy, natural-sounding rhythm. I can't wait to try it out.

More Notable Books

Last week I neglected to mention the Siebert Medal winner Bomb: The Race to Build - and Steal - the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin. That's because I had just started reading it at the time, but now that I've finished it I have to let everyone know about my TOTAL ENTHUSIASM for this book.

Here's my Goodreads review: This is an amazing book for teens about the Manhattan Project. The author did a fantastic job of picking out the most interesting and humanizing stories surrounding the development of the atomic bomb. The science and politics were all very complex, but Sheinkin made them accessible enough for young teens to understand. And it's all woven together really well - the book reads like a novel, and I was even more amazed and impressed with it every time I reminded myself that this all REALLY HAPPENED! Recommended for anyone with any kind of interest in history.
  
Also, last week I neglected to mention in my post that the 2014 Rebecca Caudill list is out! Take a look here. I was very pleased to see that three nonfiction books made it on the list! I've only read one of them so far, Blizzard of Glass, but if that is any indication of the quality of the others I think I'll have a wonderful time discovering the other two. I also really, really liked both Wonder and Okay for Now. There are 13 books on the list that I haven't read yet though, so I guess I better get busy!