#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Ghosts of Pandora Pickwick

In the deep, dark, frigid days of winter, what could be more fun than curling up in a blanket with a shivery ghost story? Set during summer vacation, The Ghosts of Pandora Pickwick is a wonderful combination of two evergreen middle grade tropes: the aforementioned ghost tale and an adoption/origin story. Protagonist Mia Jones has … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Ghosts of Pandora Pickwick

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Faster Than a Jet, Bigger Than a Whale: An Illustrated Guide to Measuring Our World

What’s faster than a jet? Or bigger than a whale? And have you ever wondered how many vertebrae are in a giraffe’s neck? These and myriad other fascinating questions are the focus of Faster Than a Jet, Bigger Than a Whale: An Illustrated Guide to Measuring Our World, a wonderful nonfiction book for readers age … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Faster Than a Jet, Bigger Than a Whale: An Illustrated Guide to Measuring Our World

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Big Tournament

Take a cooking competition in graphic novel format and mix in zany illustrations, alien species and an intergalactic empire. Blend in a reluctant, kindhearted female heroine, top it all off with eco-, exoplanetary, and class politics, and you get The Big Tournament, the first book in the fabulous upper middle grade/YA sci-fi series, Magda: Intergalactic … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Big Tournament

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Village Beyond the Mist

A sweet, otherworldly tale that’s billed as “the fantastic adventure that first inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved film, Spirited Away,” The Village Beyond the Mist is sure to charm. Set in a magical town hidden in a mysterious forest clearing, The Village Beyond the Mist is a delightful, multigenerational fantasy for middle grade readers about service. Is that … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Village Beyond the Mist

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Adi of Boutanga: A Story from Cameroon

Arranged and forced marriages are the reality for many young teenage girls around the world. But does it really have to be this way? This middle grade illustrated novel is based on the true story of Adi, as told to renowned Cameroonian author and poet Alain Serge Dzotap. Adidjatou, or Adi for short, is a … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Adi of Boutanga: A Story from Cameroon

#DecDisplays – October Celebrations

Well October sure is the month for national days with no less than 9 countries celebrating! If you missed the blog on the first - these only represent countries where our students are coming from - in case I'm missing out on any countries! Also, for some countries it may not be an #authentic voice … Continue reading #DecDisplays – October Celebrations

#DecDisplays – Poverty and wealth

You know that famous quote of Michael Moore “I really didn't realize the librarians were, you know, such a dangerous group. They are subversive. You think they're just sitting there at the desk, all quiet and everything. They're like plotting the revolution, man. I wouldn't mess with them." well I really try my best to … Continue reading #DecDisplays – Poverty and wealth

#Dec Displays – Celebrating Germany – By what are we known

This post originally appeared in my blog - Informative Flights on the 17th of November, 2024 For a while now I've been wanting to highlight the curation of books related to the countries and cultures of our students, and finally this year I got around to creating posters "Celebrating xxx" which I post to our … Continue reading #Dec Displays – Celebrating Germany – By what are we known

#DecDisplays – UAE National Day

Welcome to December Display month where I've been invited to showcase some poster and display ideas for libraries and library promotions. Many of these designs are inspired by the very active librarian communities that I am a part of, and as Austin Kleon says, "Steal Like an Artist". One of the things I aspire to … Continue reading #DecDisplays – UAE National Day

#ItalianLitMonth n.3: Three Fun, Fascinating Italian Books for Children and Young Adults

by Nanette McGuinness What do the books that I translate from Italian into English have in common? They’re fascinating and fun—and they also vary greatly. Take, for example, my three most recent translations from this lyrical language, which range from a nonfiction picture book to a fictional graphic novel for ages 8-12 (middle grade, in … Continue reading #ItalianLitMonth n.3: Three Fun, Fascinating Italian Books for Children and Young Adults