chapter books

New Mythical, Magical, and Fantasy Chapter Books (2019)

Ready to add to your bookshelves? These books are the newest chapter books with mythology, magic, and fantasy elements. Add to that adventure, growing up, and making ethical decisions, and you’ll see there are many, many good books from which to choose. Maybe you’ll want to read them all! New Myths, Magic, and […]

Must Read Chapter Books From the New Shelf

I’m excited to share with you some great new middle grade books that I think you’ll want to use in your classrooms and with your kids at home. New Chapter Books (2019) Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Raúf REALISTIC / SOCIAL JUSTICE / REFUGEES When a new refugee boy […]

Best Children’s Books With Characters Who Have Learning Differences

Want to know another very underrepresented group in children’s books? People with learning differences. For children who are challenged with learning differences (disabilities is a term I dislike), seeing a person like yourself in a story is quite affirming. In fact, Rick Riordan said that’s why he wrote Percy Jackson for his son who, like Percy, has ADHD and […]

What’s New in Middle Grade? More Good Books I’m Reading…June 2019

Want more good middle-grade books to add to your to-read piles? I’m so excited to tell you about these new titles! If you like science fiction and coding, check out The Ghost Network: Activate by I.I. Davidson! If you just want a great adventure, you’ll like Elements of Genius: Nikki Tesla and the […]

Poignant Middle Grade Books About Feelings, Friendship, & Growing Up

I’m out of my reading slump — hooray! And have some books to tell you about. Books that are worth reading, sharing with your classrooms, and sharing with your kids. New Poignant Middle-Grade Books (2019) Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga REALISTIC — IMMIGRATION (in verse) Written in evocative yet readable verse, follow […]

The Best Choose Your Own Adventure Books

Don’t forget about choose your own adventure books! These stories, written with YOU as the hero, are very engaging to kids, particularly reluctant readers. I just read the new Alice Through the Looking Glass choose-your-own adventure (listed below) and found it so delightful that I figured I should list all the best books of this fun sub-genre. […]

Teen Summer Reading List (Ages 13 – 18)

Need summer reading ideas for your teenage readers? This list is meant for all teenagers, 8th grade through 12th grade. However, I’ve marked just a few books with an asterisk that may be better for more mature readers. After all, there’s a big range of development between 13 and 18 as you well know. The books […]