“Before Bean met Ivy, she didn’t like her”: Chapter books to recommend

November 25, 2025 JennyLeave a comment

“Chapter books,” in my library, are what I think of as “bridge” books between early readers (think Frog & Toad, Elephant & Piggie, etc.) and longer, more complex fiction. Chapter books are the sweet spot for emerging readers whose decoding and comprehension has improved beyond early readers, but who may not yet be ready – in terms of reading ability or emotional maturity – for longer, in-depth works like Freewater, The Eyes and the Impossible, and The First State of Being (the last three Newbery medal winners). They often have black-and-white spot illustrations or even full color illustrations (like The Princess in Black and Our Friend Hedgehog), but they aren’t picture books.

Here, I want to focus on those chapter books that I find myself recommending to families over and over again at the library and out in the wild. If your favorite go-tos aren’t on this list, I’d love to hear about them too!

Series

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham: These are surefire hits for most kids moving out of early reader territory. Magnolia may look all pretty and proper in pink, but when the monster alarm goes off, she ducks into a closet, changes into all black, and goes off to fight monsters! The fight scenes have plenty of silly sound effects. The audiobooks, read by Julia Whelan, are exceptionally good.
Dory Fantamagory by Abby Hanlon: Dory is one of my all-time favorite characters, with a clear division between her real world (mom, dad, older siblings Violet and Luke) and her imaginary one (villain Mrs. Gobblegracker, fairy godmother Mr. Nuggy, and monster Mary under the bed). Throughout the series, Dory makes a best friend (The Real True Friend), struggles with learning to read (Dory Dory Black Sheep), plays soccer with a former enemy (Center of the Universe), and more.
Ivy & Bean by Annie Barrows, illustrated by Sophie Blackall: The first book in this series has a killer opening sentence: “Before Bean met Ivy, she didn’t like her.” Soon, of course, the two are thick as thieves and get into all kinds of mischief together. My favorite book in the series is What’s the Big Idea?, where Ivy and Bean work together on a science project to make grown-ups love nature so they’ll want to protect it (it’s not as didactic as it sounds).
Desmond Cole, Ghost Patrol by Andres Miedoso and Eerie Elementary by Jack Chabert: These are series I recommend for kids who want something silly/scary/creepy/gross. They’re a little less horror genre than Goosebumps (but we have Goosebumps in the chapter book section too, for kids who want those!).
The Questioneers by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts: Kids who loved the Questioneers picture books (e.g. Rosie Revere, Engineer), or who are familiar with the TV show Ada Twist, Scientist can move right up with Rosie, Iggy, Ada, and Sofia, who use teamwork and individual skills to solve problems and mysteries.
Jo Jo Makoons by Dawn Quigley, illustrated by Tara Audibert: Spunky seven-year-old Jo Jo lives on a fictional Ojibwe reservation (the first book in the series was an AILA middle grade honor book) and goes through all the usual kid conundrums, from making new friends to getting a snow day to facing a sleepover.
Book Buddies by Cynthia Lord, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin: In Ivy, Lost and Found, a formerly beloved doll ends up in a library collection for children to borrow. Each doll and stuffed animal in the collection gets a book for the adventures they have when they go home with the children who check them out. If young readers like this one, they might move on to Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins or even The Borrowers by Mary Norton.
Zoey & Sassafras by Asia Citro, illustrated by Marion Lindsay: This series is a brilliant blend of science (the scientific method) and fantasy (magical creatures and plants). It’s really fun!
The Story of Gumluck the Wizard by Adam Rex: A crow named Helvetica narrates this tale of a bumbling but good-hearted little wizard. Gumluck stories are light fairytale-ish fantasy with plenty of humor and a dash of philosophy.
Clementine by Sara Pennypacker: I love, love, love third grader Clementine; she sits right next to Ramona Quimby in my heart. She lives with her family in Boston and refuses to call her brother by his given name (you never find out his real name, in all seven books) because it’s not fair she got stuck with a fruit name and he didn’t, so she always calls him different vegetable names (Cabbage, Spinach, Bok Choy, etc.). Her mom is an artist, her dad is the building handyman, and her upstairs neighbor Margaret is a perfectionist who frequently tells tales of the terrors of fourth grade. Jessica Almasy does an absolutely stellar job narrating the audiobooks, but don’t miss Marla Frazee’s interior illustrations.
The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class (Kate Messner, series editor): Five stars and two thumbs up for the concept and execution of this series, in which each of the 18 kids in Mrs. Z’s class at Curiosity Academy gets to star in their own book, each written by a different author. The series can be read in any order, though it’s not a bad idea to start with Messner’s series opener, Emma McKenna, Full Out. It’s a great way to introduce readers to a slew of authors whose books they may want to try next!

Standalone

Our Friend Hedgehog by Lauren Castillo: This absolute darling full-color illustrated story is about friendship and moving and journeys. There’s a sequel, A Place to Call Home, but I’m still putting it in the standalone category, because it does. Castillo also writes and illustrates picture books; Nana in the City won a Caldecott Honor.
The Apartment House on Poppy Hill by Nina LaCour, illustrated by Sonia Albert: Nine-year-old Ella lives with her moms, and she is in everyone’s business! But what is going on with her secretive upstairs neighbors? This one also has a sequel now (Ella Josephine, Resident in Charge), which is worth checking out. Ella is confident and organized, comfortable talking to adults and even helping them solve problems; she’s the kind of kid who dreams of leading meetings, and she’s fun to read about whether you are that kind of person yourself or not.
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller: This 2025 Newbery Honor book is set in and around a New York City laundromat run by Magnolia’s parents. When Magnolia’s new friend Iris encourages Magnolia to return lost socks to their owners, it’s an opportunity for Magnolia to show Iris everything she loves about the city, even though Iris misses her old home. The two encounter anti-Asian hate, but they love and are proud of their families and their community, and they figure out how to smooth the bumps in their growing friendship and come out stronger together.
The Story of Diva and Flea by Mo Willems, illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi: Now ten years old, this story still appeals, especially to animal lovers and/or kids who are interested in wandering around Paris vicariously.
Bunnicula by James Howe: This “rabbit-tale of mystery” was published in 1979 and I contend that it holds up today. (There’s also a graphic novel version now.) Harold the dog and Chester the cat are appalled when their humans bring home a mysterious black and white rabbit they found while seeing the movie Dracula; Chester believes “Bunnicula” is a vampire bunny and goes to great lengths to vanquish him, to Harold’s unease. Pun-filled sequels follow (Howliday Inn, The Celery Stalks at Midnight), but the original stands alone.

So, those are some of my go-to recommendations. What’d I miss?

Catherine Newman at Odyssey Bookshop

October 29, 2025 Jenny1 Comment

When I discover an author I love, I will follow them across genres, formats, intended audiences…anywhere they go. Back in January 2024, I read We All Want Impossible Things with my book group, and loved it, so I went poking around to see what else this author had written. I found her middle grade novel One Mixed-Up Night, in which two kids, inspired by From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, hatch a plan to spend the night in an IKEA, and I loved that too. Then in July 2024, Sandwich made me laugh-cry and read so many parts aloud that my partner said to stop, he’d read the whole book himself (he did). And then I discovered Newman had also co-written a how-to book called Stitch Camp, which my kid and I both read, and two more how-to books for kids, How to Be A Person and What Do I Say? There are two more adult memoirs, Waiting for Birdy and Catastrophic Happiness, that I should probably pick up as well, and I’m eagerly awaiting my library copy of Wreck, the book Newman read from last night at Odyssey Bookshop (the event was organized by Odyssey, but as you can see from the photo, it was held in a nearby church to accommodate the size of the audience).

That’s how life is. You don’t yet know who you’ll become. -Catherine Newman, Wreck

Newman is a wonderful speaker, and if you’ve read her books (and her newsletter, Crone Sandwich), it’s hard not to feel as though you know her (in that admittedly parasocial way). She relayed a funny anecdote from that morning’s experience on Good Morning America (“Is that your hair? ….Great, great”) and read two sections from Wreck, followed by a Q&A. Audience members asked about her writing and outlining process, the semi-autobiographical quality of her writing, what she liked to read (Cammie McGovern, Lily King, and Samantha Irby), whether she read a lot as a kid (“Of course I read a lot as a kid. I mean didn’t we all? The nerdiest nerds”), and whether she might ever write more middle grade fiction (maybe, but One Mixed-Up Night didn’t sell as well as she hoped, and now she doesn’t spend as much time with middle grade kids, since hers are older, so…maybe not. But we can hope! I’ve got a ten-year-old she can borrow for research purposes…).

Fall (and Summer) Standouts

October 15, 2025 JennyLeave a comment

Back in early April I wrote about my “spring standouts,” books published in 2025 that I’d read and thought were stellar. I think I’d intended to write another in the summer and another in fall, so when it was time for my annual wrap-up, I’d have these to look back on…but here we are in mid-October. Whoops! All titles below were published in 2025 unless otherwise indicated (there are a few I couldn’t resist including).

Picture Books

Anything by Rebecca Stead and Gracey Zhang: A book about a child who didn’t want to move, and a dad who makes their new apartment home.
We Are the Wibbly by Sarah Tagholm and Jane McGuinness: Hands-down the funniest picture book of the year. Also, it contains enough information about the frog life cycle that SLJ reviewed it as “nonfiction,” although it has an awful lot of talking tadpoles to meet that bar.
Worm Makes A Sandwich by Brianne Farley: Oh, earnest worm! Adjust your definition of “make” and also the time you think it takes to make a sandwich, but what delicious results.
Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Beth Griffin and Maribel Lechuga: On a drive to a new home, adult and child find ten beautiful things along the way – a balance to the implied grief of losing a loved one.
Hurricane by Jason Chin: Chin’s watercolor illustrations are always outstanding, and here they’re in service to what it’s like for a community to prepare for, experience, and recover from a hurricane. Powerful, and packed with information and touching details.
Where Are You, Bronte? by Tomie de Paola and Barbara McClintock: Tomie left the manuscript; Barbara’s illustrations honor Tomie (and Bronte) perfectly.
Some of Us by Rajani LaRocca and Huy Voun Lee: “Some of us are born here. Some of us choose.” A radiant book on what it means to be a citizen.
Bear Is A Bear by Jonathan Stutzman and Dan Santat (2021): Somehow I missed this when it first came out; loyal library visitors recommended it to me and I’m so glad they did. Some special objects travel from generation to generation.
The Music Inside Us by James Howe and Jack Wong: A biography of cellist Yo-Yo Ma that is appealing and approachable for kids; after we read it, we watched a few of the videos mentioned (his first visit to the White House, his appearances on Sesame Street and Mister Rogers).
A Fall Day for Bear by Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton: Bear and Mouse (small and gray and…not so bright eyed?!) return, but their roles are reversed, keeping this beloved series fresh.
The Pink Pajamas by Charlene Chua: A story about family, grief, and passing skills along.
Five Little Friends by Sean Taylor: Essential for storytimes, especially baby storytimes! Excellent, participatory rhymes.
If You Make A Call on A Banana Phone by Gideon Sterer and Emily Hughes: One thing leads to another in this imaginative work; fans of Charlie & Mouse will recognize the art.
Cat Nap by Brian Lies: A cat-and-mouse chase like you’ve never seen before. A note from the artist explains his respect for traditional, physical media, and how he learned each different medium to make the book, from stained glass to woodworking, sculpture to oil paint.
The 13th Day of Christmas by Adam Rex: Didn’t you ever wonder who that song was about? Now we know.

Middle Grade

How to Talk to Your Succulent by Zoe Persico: Sure, lots of people talk to plants…but sometimes, the plants talk back.
The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman: A lonely undead fox guides other spirits through to their next stages, but is reluctant to pass through himself. Spooky, philosophical, and somehow cozy too; I would not be surprised or upset if this got some Newbery attention.
Batcat: Cooking Contest by Meggie Ramm: I love Batcat and Al so much. This time, they participate in a cooking contest at a fall festival.
Candle Island by Lauren Wolk: A mother and daughter move to an island – a terrible place to keep secrets.
Oddball Histories: Spices & Spuds by Andy Warner: This informative graphic novel finally explains why salt and pepper were so darn important that countries were willing to invade and colonize for them.
So Over Sharing by Elissa Brent Weissman: This book couldn’t really have existed before the age of “influencers,” but its story of two daughters of “momfluencers” joining forces to make themselves heard is timely – and shows that sometimes, kids are savvier about privacy than adults are.
The Trouble With Heroes by Kate Messner: This novel in verse tackles all 46 Adirondack peaks, 9/11, and it has cookie recipes. And the dog is okay.
Into the Bewilderness by Gus Gordon: This charming, offbeat graphic novel is a classic grumpy/sunshine buddy comedy.
The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell: An orphan gloomy about her fate lands in a surprisingly magical place, where girls learn all kinds of useful skills and solve mysteries and crimes in their city. An absolute delight.
How to Say Goodbye in Cuban by Daniel Miyares: Daniel’s main character here is his own father during Carlos’ childhood in Cuba, as Fidel Castro takes over and many people decide to flee. A sentence or two of historical context precedes each chapter, giving readers just enough to understand the story.
The Teacher of Nomad Land by Daniel Nayeri: An unusual WWII-era story set in Iran in 1941, with a fiercely devoted pair of siblings and a Jewish refugee at its center, and a theme of communication between people.
Dory Fantasmagory: Center of the Universe by Abby Hanlon: Dory joins a soccer team, and it goes exactly how you’d expect. Dory hasn’t lost any steam in her seventh book, and I laughed out loud more than once. Everyone in my family fought to be the first to read this one.
A World Without Summer by Nicholas Day: I loved last year’s The Mona Lisa Vanishes, and this one is even better because of the way it connects the climate shock caused by the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815 to the climate change of today. The author’s style is quick and direct, and the tangents/B-plots are fascinating, from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to the velocipede to the naming of clouds and the study of weather.
Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate: In WWI, some soldiers carried “pocket bears,” tiny companions to keep them company. In the home of modern-day Ukrainian refugees, Pocket Bear and other toys find a new lease on life and new homes. Poignant without being saccharine.
The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell: This sequel (of a planned five-book arc) to Impossible Creatures is satisfyingly Shakespearean; Christopher Forrester returns from the first book to assist Princess Anya, and the dragons.
Rialto by Kate Milford (2026): Anxiety, amusement parks, a treasure hunt, a mystery; this is a brilliant stand-alone, but devoted fans will notice many little nods to earlier Milford books (especially The Raconteur’s Commonplace Book).

Young Adult

The Judgment of Yoyo Gold by Isaac Blum (2024): Orthodox Jewish communities plus forbidden social media makes for a deeply relatable story.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins: At last, Haymitch’s (bleak) story is revealed.
Dan in Green Gables by Rey Terciero: An irrepressible gay teen is dropped by his mother with grandparents he’s never met, and makes the best of a new situation, inspiring change in others and learning to be a bit more flexible as he does so. Joyful.
Vincent and Theo by Deborah Heiligman (2019): An incredibly well-researched deep dive into the brothers’ friendship and struggles, and the importance of Vincent’s sister-in-law in preserving his paintings and legacy.
Scarlet Morning by ND Stevenson: Viola and Wilmur brave the peculiar dangers of their salt-encrusted world, adventuring with pirates and learning that the stories they grew up on are, in fact, still ongoing. Richly imagined; I want part two immediately.

Adult

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher: This ensemble adventure quest is a perfect and deeply satisfying example of a heroine’s journey (see below).
Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson: What if half-siblings started showing up out of the woodwork, and teamed up to hunt down a missing parent?
The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger: Many readers and writers are familiar with the hero’s journey – but there’s another way of storytelling with completely different values and beats.
Time Loops and Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau: I do love a time loop romance. This one is cleverly done.
The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater: Stiefvater’s first adult book (she’s been writing YA for years) knocks it out of the park, with a WWII-era story set in Appalachia, where a resort hotel is converted to hold Axis diplomats until they can be swapped to bring their Allied counterparts home.
The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano by Donna Freitas: With this speculative premise, Rose’s life fractures into nine different timelines when she argues with her husband over (not) taking prenatal vitamins.
Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks: Without the rituals of religion, the process of grieving is often shunted aside by the paperwork of death and the logistics of funeral planning. Years after her husband’s death, Brooks takes herself far away to grieve properly.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna: Another heroine’s journey with a cozy magical ensemble cast (see also: The Teller of Small Fortunes, The House on the Cerulean Sea)
Dinner With King Tut by Sam Kean: Experimental archaeology seeks to learn about the past through hands-on experience: making and using tools to better understand the peoples of other times and places. Fascinating.
The Art of Ramona Quimby by Anna Katz (2020): This is technically an adult book…about children’s books. It’s the most riveting “coffee table book” I’ve ever read: a nostalgic trip through each book about Ramona Quimby and her family, presenting and comparing how each illustrator chose to represent the characters and scenes.

The Heavy Medal and Calling Caldecott blogs are ramping up in preparation for youth book award season in January; I’m sure there will be more noteworthy books between now and the end of December. What have you read so far this year that you think more people should know about?

Quotes from 2026 Heavy Medal contenders

September 24, 2025 JennyLeave a comment

There are 96 suggested titles for SLJ’s Mock Newbery blog, Heavy Medal. Steven Engelfried challenged readers to find “words on the page” that demonstrated this year’s books’ excellence; here are some quotes I pulled from books eligible for the 2026 Newbery. Many are about grief, but they also touch on joy, friendship, and art.

From BAD BADGER by Maryrose Wood:
Perhaps friendship was like that. Perhaps a never-ending parade of misunderstandings was to be expected. Perhaps there was always a sense of mystery about the ones we care for, no matter how fond we are, or how well we imagine we know them. (page 29)

From THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES by Kate Messner:
The nightmares never leave. They never fade.
And heroes aren’t allowed to be afraid. (page 153)

From CANDLE ISLAND by Lauren Wolk:
Some things required solitude.
Some things could be strangled by the idea of an audience, even one on its feet, applauding. (page 62)

From DAN IN GREEN GABLES by Ray Terciero:
“How do you do that? Go from Depeche Mode-depression to total joy in a few seconds?”
“Happiness is a revolution, one that everyone has a right to enjoy. But sometimes? You have to work really hard at it. Especially if it doesn’t come naturally.” (page 73)

(This one’s also got some fantastically funny, snappy dialogue, like Mawmaw asking “What’s an ascot?” and Dan replying “What’s a succotash?”)

From WEIRD SAD AND SILENT by Alison McGhee:
Instead of visualizing, I’ve decided to call it futurizing. The future has not yet come. But I’m working on it. (page 3)

From INTO THE RAPIDS by Ann Braden:
How can I be so quick to understand that death can happen to anyone at any time, while simultaneously not being able to think about what it could have been like if someone hadn’t died? (pages 38-39)

From THE UNDEAD FOX OF DEADWOOD FOREST by Aubrey Hartman:
Mushrooms were not like animals or trees. They were soft and fragile, and they did not accept abuse: They stayed in the world only as long as it was gentle with them. (page 232)

From 13 WAYS TO SAY GOODBYE by Kate Fussner:
I’m afraid to move forward without her, to become someone she’ll never know. (page 200)

Quotes from Books, XIII

September 10, 2025 JennyLeave a comment

Are you familiar with the sacred practice of florilegia? I wasn’t, until I started listening to the Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast (yes, I’m extremely late to that particular party. The podcast started in 2015 and I just started listening to it last year; I’m currently in the middle of the fifth book, in May 2019. The pandemic hasn’t happened yet). In florilegia, readers choose bits of a text that “sparkle” at them – “sparklets” – and put them in conversation with each other to gain a deeper meaning. The way Casper and Vanessa do it, each chooses one sentence or fragment, and they read them together, first in one order, then in the other. I’ve always thought of these quotes I pulled out as separate from each other, but reading them in pairs does prove interesting. The quotes below are from books I read between late May through early July of this year. They come from picture books, graphic novels, fiction and nonfiction.

“It gets a bit tirin’, tryin’ to prove yourself to others. Some people are just never gonna see you the way you want to be seen, y’know? I reckon it’s best to please yourself first, and the ones who love you will get it.” (A Song for You and I by K. O’Neill)
I don’t know what it is / that makes people want / to destroy things / they don’t understand. (Neshama by Marcella Pixley)
The logical extension of objectification is dehumanization. (Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert)
“Our whole lives are this weird performance for the approval of strangers.” (So Over Sharing by Elissa Brent Weissman)
…every wish seemed to carve out a bigger hole in him, where more wanting could go. (Return to Sender by Vera Brosgol)
For our heroine, friendship and found family signify safety, and safety is better than glory. (The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger)
And for the rest of the night, it was as if she held a sugar cube in her mouth, a slow, constant melt of sweetness. (Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas)
It’s amazing how many possibilities there are in a single day. (Time Loops and Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau)
Humanity finds a way. Sometimes it finds that way over and over and over again. (Brief Histories of Everyday Objects by Andy Warner)
Maybe the things a person noticed were a big part of who a person was. (Ella Josephine, Resident in Charge by Nina LaCour)

And a bonus from Vera Brosgol: “Our smallest actions ripple through the world without us ever knowing the full consequences.”

See previous Quotes from Books blog posts here.

Storytime Gold: Toddler and preschool read-alouds

August 7, 2025 JennyLeave a comment

It’s a funny thing that it can be much harder to write something short than something long. To tell a story as concisely as possible, you have to cut everything unnecessary. I haven’t counted, but I’d bet most of these books clock in at well under 500 words, and that’s just perfect for young ones, especially at library storytimes (their individual attention spans might be longer in a quieter environment at home).

Rhyming is a plus (Jamberry, Some Bugs, There’s A Bear on My Chair, etc.), concepts are good (The Very Hungry Caterpillar introduces counting, foods, and days of the week; A Seed Grows shows the life cycle of a sunflower), and a story with a pattern helps little ones follow what’s happening – and can deliver humor when the expectation established by the pattern is broken (The Giant Jumperee, Mr. Scruff). Books for littles can deal with managing feelings (The Rabbit Listened, Grumpy Pants), play with sound (Let’s Be Bees, Who Meows?), and even be interactive (Huff & Puff, There’s A __ In This Book).

Here are some of the books I reach for when I need short, captivating books for toddler and preschool storytimes:

The Rainbow Snail by Karin Akesson
Please, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony
Marta! Big and Small by Jen Arena
Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan
Roll, Roll Little Pea by Cecile Bergame
If I Was A Horse by Sophie Blackall
Hippos Go Berserk by Sandra Boynton
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
There’s A Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins
Jamberry by Bruce Degen
Some Bugs by Angela DiTerlizzi
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
The Giant Jumperee by Julia Donaldson
Oh, No! by Candace Fleming
There’s A ___ In This Book by Tom Fletcher
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox
Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox
Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee
The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett
Let’s Be Bees by Shawn Harris
Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton
A House by Kevin Henkes
Dig Dig Digger by Morag Hood
Mr. Scruff by Simon James
What Can A Mess Make? by Bee Johnson
Just One Flake / Just One Wave by Travis Jonker
A Cat Like That by Lester Laminack
Will Ladybug Hug? by Hilary Leung
Chicken Wants A Nap by Tracy Marchini
Ten Little Squirrels by Bill Martin, Jr.
Grumpy Pants by Claire Messer
Who Meows? by Robin Page
Mister Kitty Is Lost! by Greg Pizzoli
A Seed Grows by Antoinette Portis
Somewhere in the Bayou by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey
My Spring Robin by Anne Rockwell
Huff & Puff by Claudia Rueda
Little Penguins by Cynthia Rylant
One of These Is Not Like the Others by Barney Saltzberg
One Little Blueberry by Tammi Salzano
Pete’s A Pizza by William Steig
Goose by Laura Wall
Spots in a Box by Helen Ward
Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel
More, More, More Said the Baby by Vera B. Williams
Hooray for Hat by Brian Won
Where’s My Nose? by Lucas Zanotti

What are your favorite books to share at preschool and toddler storytimes?

Baby Lapsit Storytime

Great Books to Share with Two- and Three-Year-Olds

Quotes from Books, XII

July 31, 2025 JennyLeave a comment

Why did I start this off in Roman numerals? I’m gonna be on real shaky ground after thirty (XXX). Fortunately there is a ways to go before then.

Once again, these quotes fall into a few natural buckets: funny/clever/sharp observations, poetic language, and theme. Quests, grief, magic…and snails’ teeth.

That’s the thing with quests, she realized. You had to get back to where you started. And then you had to keep living. (Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson)
“You’re going to be sad forever, Lucy. But that’s not all you’ll be. There’s room for much more.” (Candle Island by Lauren Wolk)
“Everyone has to learn how to do everything at some point. You don’t get extra points for learning early.” (The Things We Miss by Leah Stecher)
“One day there won’t be any difference between you, except that you’ll have forgotten all the hurtful things you said to her, and she won’t. She will remember.” (The Story of Gumluck and the Heroes by Adam Rex)
“What is the happening?!” (We Are the Wibbly by Sarah Tagholm)
The enchantment is only there because everyone believes, together. (Kaya Morgan’s Crowning Achievement by Jill Tew)
One doesn’t need magic if one knows enough stories. (Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett)
“Did you ever notice that everyone thinks their own life is normal, but each person’s life is so different?” (Run Away With Me by Brian Selznick)
Bereavement….happens to everyone. But you feel it alone. (H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald)
It seemed far more sensible to belong to a species that had evolved natural tooth replacement than to belong to one that had developed the dental profession. (The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey)

See earlier collections of “quotes from books” here.

Quotes from Books, XI

June 3, 2025 JennyLeave a comment

This batch is from two years ago. The quotes from Horse, Black Bird, and Maizy Chen all seem thematically linked: when you see something wrong in the world, you can take action to help. The chipmunk joke is still one of my all-time favorites (to tell it properly, it must be accompanied by frenzied arm-waving).

Through stories we can experience a person living an entirely different life. Through stories we can experience a vast range of challenging situations and intense emotions without actually suffering from them. The best stories broaden our horizons, deepen our thinking, and spark our compassion. The best stories help us make better real-world decisions. (How to Build A Human by Pamela S. Turner)
Perhaps, after all, one’s purpose in this world was to be forgotten, not remembered. (Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson)
“That is the world as it is. If you do not like it, join me in attempting to change it. Otherwise, keep your peace.” (Horse by Geraldine Brooks)
“I can’t fix how I acted before. I can just change how I act in the future.” (Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternak)
“…it’s an honor to help someone.”
“How is it an honor?”
“When you’re in a position to help, that means you’re in a good place in your own life.” (Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee)
“Where do chipmunks go in a tornado?” “All over the place.” (Violet and Jobie in the Wild by Lynne Rae Perkins)
But we can’t pretend it didn’t happen – because when you pretend a thing didn’t happen, that means it can happen again. (Attack of the Black Rectangles by A.S. King)
Each hour of sleep is an hour of healing. (“Sleep,” Marshmallow Clouds, Ted Kooser and Connie Wanek)
It can’t go on, everyone said, but it kept going on. (Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng)
Why did I tell you so many stories? Because I wanted the world to make sense to you. I wanted to make sense of the world, for you. I wanted the world to make sense. (Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng)

What “sparklets” have jumped out at you from your reading lately?

See previous Quotes from Books here.

Quotes from books, X

May 21, 2025 JennyLeave a comment

It’s been…oh dear…about three years since I posted in the “quotes from books” series, though this one (and the one following) has been sitting in my drafts folder for about that long. After a weekend of intense focus on writing, I’m looking back at these and noticing how the quotes I choose fall into three categories: something funny or clever, poetic language, or something to do with theme.

“The more questions she asked, the more questions she thought up.” (A Closed and Common Orbit, Becky Chambers)
“If this were a novel, he might simply be a poorly written character. But there are no poorly written people. Only ones you don’t yet understand.” (The Verifiers, Jane Pek)
“Grief is a language they don’t have to speak. It communicates just fine on its own.” (A Year to the Day, Robin Benway)
“And it didn’t stop being magic just because you found out how it was done.” (The Wee Free Men, Terry Pratchett)
“Who is the world designed for?” (What Can A Body Do?, Sara Hendren)
“The secret to getting people to like you / is to like yourself.” (In the Beautiful Country, Jane Kuo)
“She understood what she was supposed to think and believe, but that wasn’t the same thing as thinking and believing those things.” (A Song Called Home, Sara Zarr)
“A mother’s heroic journey is not about how she leaves, but about how she stays.” (I’ll Show Myself Out, Jessi Klein)
“True learning comes from being open to wrong answers.” (The End of the Wild, Nicole Helget)
“…her memories were all pictures without sound.” (This Time Tomorrow, Emma Straub)

I’ve been listening to old (but new-to-me) episodes of the podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text lately, on a friend’s recommendation. Of all the “sacred practices” I’ve heard Vanessa and Casper use so far – lectio divina, sacred imagination, havruta, florilegia, and pardes – I’m partial to lectio divina and havruta, but when they introduced florilegia – “essentially a quote journal” – well, that’s something I’ve been doing most of my life.

NESCBWI25: Hope is the thing with feathers

May 20, 2025 JennyLeave a comment

The New England Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (NESCBWI) spring conference was last weekend in Stamford, and it felt much like a library conference…possibly because every other attendee I met was either a teacher, librarian, or a teacher-librarian. I took a mere 14 pages of notes, which I’ll try to condense to key takeaways here. But first, I’m grateful to the organizers (almost all volunteers), presenters, panelists, and other attendees for creating an opportunity to come together to share a love of children’s literature and art, offering encouragement as well as actionable advice, and reaffirming our mission to tell and share all stories, for all kids.

From Rajani LaRocca’s morning keynote

In which there was extensive, and justified, quoting of Madeleine L’Engle:

Everyone deserves to see themselves in books, and everyone deserves to read about people who are not exactly like them – and learn how much we have in common. “Stories make us more alive, more human, more loving.” –Madeleine L’Engle
Rajani’s hopes for her stories: None of us is just one thing. History doesn’t define us but it should inform us. Create communities where everyone belongs.
Children are not pre-human, they are pre-adult. “The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.” -Madeleine L’Engle.
We write, even fiction, to tell the truth. Write the stories that matter to you, because if they matter to you, they matter to us all.

“Heartbeat and Pacing of Picture Books” with Deborah Freedman

Deborah Freedman is an author/illustrator with a background in art and architecture; she also gave the closing keynote. She has written and illustrated many books, including Carl and the Meaning of Life.

Deborah showed storyboards of her own picture books, with thumbnail sketches. “It’s easy to trick ourselves into thinking something’s more finished than it is – don’t get too tight too early.”
She showed many examples, including: Where the Wild Things Are* by Maurice Sendak (for its brilliant pacing and “meaty middle”), Wave by Suzy Lee (for its brilliant use of the gutter), Giant Squid by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann (for structure that reflects the story), Again! by Emily Gravett (for its pacing and humor), Uptown by Bryan Collier (for its call-and-response).
She talked about page turns as they relate to pacing (“Each page is like an open question or incomplete thought…you have to turn the page to find out the answer”). “The gutter acts as a comma, page turn acts like a giant comma.”
“Detail can slow a story down – use it intentionally.”

*In their newsletter “Looking at Picture Books,” Jon Klassen and Mac Barnett dissected Where the Wild Things Are. Even if you know this book very, very well, you will likely notice something new.

“Words That Float: Writing the Novel in Verse” with Rajani LaRocca

Verse novels, like picture books, can tackle difficult subjects in a way that is accessible rather than overwhelming. There is more space on the page, more space in the mind and heart of the reader to process what’s going on.
Verse novels are best suited to stories that are character-driven, with interiority, emotion, told in close first person, present tense, not plot-heavy; the focus is on the interior journey rather than a complicated plot (but you DO have to have a plot). Character is the heart of a verse novel; the most important transformation is emotional.
Find the kind of poetry that fits your character and what they’re trying to say. If you have multiple characters, each might use a different type of poetry. Voice is inherently tied to character.
Repeat things at the beginning, middle, and end of the book. The meaning changes because your character has changed. You want the ending to reflect the beginning. A “keystone poem,” often written early on, encompasses the theme, important symbol, or central conflict of the story; it’s the “hub” or center of the wheel from which all the “spokes” emerge.
Tell the truth: “We read fiction because we want to know the truth about people.”
Linda Sue Park’s advice on repetition: If something isn’t mentioned in the first half of the book, don’t use it in the second half.
Examples of excellent verse novels: Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough, The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan, Unsettled by Reem Faruqi, Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes
Recommended podcast: Day Brain vs. Night Brain
There was so much more packed into this presentation! These are merely a few mushrooms from the mycorrhizal network (see how I didn’t say “tip of the iceberg”? Use original metaphors! Although “mycorrhizal” is maybe not the most poetic.)

After lunch, I walked over to Stamford’s Public Library. It is amazing!

Editor panel, moderated by Pam Vaughan

Editors Jessica Anderson (Christy Ottaviano/LBYR), Julie Blivens (Charlesbridge), Alexandra (Alex) Hinrichs (Islandport), Sasha Illingworth (LBYR), and Matt Phipps (GP Putnam’s Sons/PYR) answered a series of questions about the publishing industry today.

Challenges in the industry? One person is often doing the work of multiple people, which slows things down (and publishing is already kind of a slow business).
R&R? If an editor asks for a Revise & Resubmit, do it!! But take your time with it – they don’t need it back right away. They want to see that you’ve listened and put the work in.
Acquiring? Editors have different communication styles – as do authors. Phone calls, video calls, email, texting, or some of each.
What’s in a rejection? “Not right for our list” means it doesn’t fit the profile of what they know they’re good at selling. “It just didn’t come together for me” means it’s not there yet – go back to your critique group. “I don’t have a vision for this” may mean they can see problems but not solutions, or that they’re not the right “campaign manager” for this author/book. You want someone who can be a strong advocate for you and your work.
Current MSWL? Editors talked about their current Manuscript Wish Lists. “Finding the right editor for the right illustrator is like matchmaking.”
Common mistakes in submissions? Not researching the publishing house. Not including an attachment. Not specifying a category/age range (e.g. middle grade fantasy, 8-12). Not embedding art (for illustrators).
Hopeful signs in children’s publishing? Everyone feels passionately about children’s literacy. Children’s literature is inherently hopeful. More independent bookstores are opening up, more small presses. “We are each other’s community.”

Story Studio with Christy Yaros

This lightning-fast workshop could have easily taken a whole day, if not a week! (Christy did offer another workshop earlier in the day.) In this one, the focus was on the theme: What is your book trying to say, and how do you weave it in so it doesn’t feel forced? At each step, we did a quick writing exercise answering the guiding questions.
- Step 1: What emotional or philosophical truth sits at the heart of your story? What does your protagonist learn by the end? What belief does your story affirm, challenge, or complicate? What question about life does your story explore?
- Step 2: Theme lives in the tension between what your character wants and what they need. Fill in the blanks: At the beginning, my character believes __ (linked to what they want). By the end, they understand __ (linked to what they need). This shows that __ (they have gone on this emotional journey, your theme in action).
- Step 3: Relationships that reinforce or resist: Which characters help your theme shine? Which ones challenge or contradict it? Presenting alternate interpretations of the theme gives the reader choices, rather than telling them what to believe. We’re giving kids a framework for how to look at stuff.
- Step 4: Emotional moments that bring theme to life: Look for moments where your character’s belief is tested – and something hurts but teaches.
Think of theme as what your character needs; plot is what they want; and the arc is where want and need come up against each other.
Christy recommended the book Craft in the Real World (2021) by Matthew Salesses

“Bookends: Beginnings & Endings in Picture Books” with Pam Vaughan

There were many practical takeaways from this workshop, and lots of examples. Pam contacted other authors and asked them for early drafts of the first and last sentences of their published books, so we could compare and see how they’d changed from the early versions to the final ones.
Five Cs (character, curiosity, conflict, connection, care) and the W effect – the attitude of your book (wonder why / wow! / wait, what? weird / word choice / witty / whisk you away).
Sometimes your beginning hints, winks, links, nods, and/or leads to your ending.
In a picture book, conflict can be a subtle thing, it doesn’t have to be a fight.
Story structure may be circular, cumulative, conceptual, classic, list, pattern, dialogue, quest, mirror, interactive.
Your beginning: Cut for clarity? Add for context? Hint at your ending? Hone your voice? Toy with your word choice?
Endings are powerful. How do you want to leave your reader feeling? “Oohs” and “Ahhs” (Aha! Haha! Hmm…, Ahh…, Aww)
Tips for beginnings and endings: Try writing 10-20 first/last sentences. Read them out loud. Cut as many words as you can (but use as many words as you need). How many five Cs can you include? Can you amp up the W effect? Connect your beginning to your ending (and your ending to your beginning).
Recommended text: The Heroine’s Journey (2020) by Gail Carriger

Agent Panel: Marissa Brown, Chrisy Ewers, Amy Thrall Flynn, Stephen Fraser, Carter Hasegawa, Rachel Orr, Sera Rivers

What does an agent do? Agents wear many hats! Matchmaker (between author and editor), unlicensed therapist, unlicensed financial advisor (chasing down royalty payments), looking for new talent (those R&Rs are unpaid – agents don’t get paid until they sell a book), negotiator (between author and publishing house), strategize and advocate for an author’s career.
Advice for after an author signs with an agent? There is a lot of waiting – be writing while you’re waiting! Publishing is a small world; be someone people want to work with (courteous, punctual, nothing hideous on social media, etc.). Reputations matter.
When you offer representation, what questions do you want authors to ask you? Remember it is a mutual interview. What kind of working relationship do you want? What kind of feedback do you want, and how much? What’s your communication style? “Any agent is not the right agent.” Show that you’ve done your research.
Pet peeve or “pet fave”? Didactic stories (peeve). Getting to call an agent with an offer (fave). Thoughtful revisions that show the author listened to your advice (fave). “Always look for: why would a child want to read this? How does it connect with your audience? Your mission as a creator of books for children, you have to be thinking about who the book is for. We need to respect children and understand their world.” -Amy
One hopeful thing about the industry? Books are inherently hopeful. It’s an evergreen industry – children are born every day and they need stories and books. “We’re gonna win. Hope always wins.” -Sera

After the panel, authors and illustrators were encouraged to join a critique group (find NESCBWI critique groups here). Everyone went home Saturday with lots to think about!

On Sunday, we met the NESCBWI regional team. (With apologies to these incredibly dedicated and hardworking volunteers, every time someone said “assistant regional advisor,” I thought “assistant TO the regional advisor.) Next, the Crystal Kite Awards were presented to Liz Goulet Dubois, Winsome Bingham, Abi Cushman, and Federico Erebia.

Winsome Bingham said (among other things):

“If stories weren’t powerful, they wouldn’t be banning books.”
“There are so many different ways to tell a story.”
“We all like what we like…write what your heart tells you to write.”
All it takes is one person. “If you send your stuff out and no one gets it…keep writing.”
“Rejection is a good thing…if you don’t send your stuff out, they don’t know what you can do.”
“You have to believe there’s a reason you’re doing this. It’s not gonna pay off overnight, it’s a slow game.”

Federico Erebia said:

“It’s okay to be different, it’s okay to write different. There are many ways to tell stories.”
You realize at some point that you’re not just speaking up for yourself, you’re speaking up for a community – you may not even realize it’s your community.
I have been an activist for 45 years…”I have never been this afraid of America, in America, for America.”
“We have the power of the pen. We have our voices. Together we can effect change.”
“It may one day be too late to be on the right side of history.”

Abi Cushman said:

People don’t always get what you’re trying to do…[but also] sometimes your best just isn’t where it needs to be…and you just don’t know.”
Yes, this industry is tough, and yes, you’re going to get a lot of rejections. Keep writing the stories you’re passionate about in the way that you want to write them.

Deborah Freedman closing keynote

Remember a thousand words ago when I said Deborah Freedman was going to come up again? Here she is! She gave a beautiful closing keynote with visuals of her beautiful art (and architectural models, including a little mouse house). Here are a few takeaways from her talk:

A well-written text trusts illustrators; a good book trusts readers.
What is the emotional heart of the book? What is the real conflict and resolution? It’s funny how long it can take and how hard it can be to figure out “what’s it about?”
The stories are made up, but the feelings are true.
How are we going to get through this world we’re in right now without connecting with each other?
A picture book might be a child’s first exposure to art and poetry.
We have to expand our own understanding of the world if we want to expand children’s understanding. When we explore what it means to be human we become better creators and maybe even better humans.

And that’s a wrap on NESCBWI25. I’m glad I went. I met lots of other writers and writer/illustrators and we exchanged contact information so we can critique and cheerlead and maybe see each other next year.

I’m grateful to my friend who hosted me during the weekend, and as a thanks for those who read this all the way to the end, here are some photos of her puppy:

If you’re still here and you want more SCBWI content, my blog posts from the Winter 2021 conference are here and here. Happy writing, and happy reading!