All Thirteen gives the rescue of the Thai boys’ soccer team the drama and excitement it deserves. All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat. Candlewick, 229 pages plus notes and index. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 8-up On a “typical Saturday” in June, the Wild Boars soccer team met for a routine practice on the field of Mae Sai, a town in western Thailand. Their coach, Ekkapol Chantawong (better known as Ek), had been building team spirit through strenuous hikes and bike rides. That day, he planned an excursion into Tham Luang cave to round out the afternoon.…

The Next President takes a unique approach to the list of presidents by looking at their backgrounds–and speculating on the future. The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America’s Presidents by Kate Messner, illustrated by Adam Rex. Chronicle, 2020, 48 pages. Reading Level: Picture book, ages 4-8 Recommended for: ages 5-10 Future presidents are among us! Who might they be? At the time George Washington was sworn in as #1, nine future presidents were already grown men: Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, J.Q. Adams, and Jackson. Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, and Zachary Taylor were teens or younger. We see all of them as they might have looked…

We’re keeping an eye on children’s books that have been talked up as possible contenders for the 2021 ALA Youth Media Awards (to be announced on January 25). It’s impossible to forecast what will tickle the fancy of this year’s Newbery committee, but here are three titles that keep showing up on “Best Of” lists and mock Newbery ballots. Rick by Alex Gino. Scholastic, 2020, 240 pages. Rick is just starting middle school with his longterm best bud, Jeff. They’re starting to drift apart, but Rick doesn’t know why until the Rainbow Spectrum Club opens, with meetings on Tuesdays, everyone welcome. Rick furtively attends the first meeting out of curiosity,…

We’re continuing our annual “Newbery Buzz” series today with round #3 for 2021. (We have already discussed Chirp and King and the Dragonflies earlier this month.) As a reminder, we do not know which books the actual Newbery committee is seriously considering; we discuss books we’ve been hearing lots of “buzz” about in the children’s literature channels and try to determine if the book might have a shot. Today Betsy and Megan are discussing a great chapter book that Megan enjoyed reading aloud with her boys. Betsy: Megan, you and I both enjoyed this new chapter book, Skunk and Badger, from Amy Timberlake (and we’re both big fans of her picture…

We’re continuing our annual “Newbery Buzz” series today with round #2 for 2021. (We discussed King and the Dragonflies earlier this month.) As a reminder, we do not know which books the actual Newbery committee is seriously considering; we discuss books we’ve been hearing lots of “buzz” about in the children’s literature channels and try to determine if the book might have a shot. Today we (Janie and Betsy) are going to challenge ourselves by working two books into one post! They’re not that similar in theme, but very similar in style, target age range, and contemporary relevance. The first is Chirp, by Kate Messner. Janie will start by summarizing the…

In verse and prose, Becoming Muhammad Ali traces the early life of Cassius Clay, “The greatest” heavyweight boxer ever. Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander, Illustrated by David Anyabwile. Little, Brown (Jimmy Patterson) and HMH, 2020, 305 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-14 Cassius clay was the greatest, and the prettiest, and the wittiest—if we limit the field to heavyweight boxing champs. Even outside that narrow field, though, he was special. Growing up in Louisville during the days of Jim Crow and segregation, he knew he was fast. As a teen, he knew he could punch. As a black youth, he knew…

Donte, the “Black Brother” of a biracial family, must decide if his identity will be based on his color or on his character. Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewel Parker Rhodes. Little, Brown, 2020, 233 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-15 Life was better for Donte in Boston, where the white population was one of many ethnic colors. Now that his biracial parents have moved to the suburbs, the prep school Donte and his older brother Trey attend is even whiter than their neighborhood. Olive-skinned Trey fits in: he aces his classes and stars in basketball. Donte not only sticks out but is also labeled…

Mama Bear Apologetics and The Pop Culture Parent both aim to help parents interact with the culture surrounding their kids. Mama Bear Apologetics: Empowering Your Kids to Challenge Cultural Lies, edited by Hillary Morgan Ferrer. Harvest House Publishers, 2019. 288 pages. Reading Level: Adult Recommended For: parents, educators, youth leaders, and others who work with young people We moms sometimes joke about turning into a mama bear: don’t mess with my kid. Even relatively placid mothers will fight to the death for their children. Ferrer and her fellow writers are speaking directly to this love for our children and challenging moms (and any other adults who work with children they…

Betsy: Readers, we’re kicking off our annual Newbery Buzz discussion series with a book that has already garnered a major award: King and the Dragonflies, by Kacen Callender, received the 2020 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. (Incidentally, another book we enjoyed and rated highly was a finalist: When Stars are Scattered.) Each January, we discuss books that we’re hearing lots of buzz about and try to figure out if the book is a possible Newbery candidate—along with what we might think were we on the selection committee. The Newbery committee is famously close-lipped about the possible contenders, so we really don’t know if we’re on the right track.…

As we head into 2021 after a tempestuous 2020, one thing remains certain: The Word of the Lord stands forever (Isaiah 40:8). Reading God’s Word is a privilege, one we’ve cluttered up with so many different approaches: Is it better to read the entire Bible every year?Is it better to study one book or passage more in-depthly?What about devotionals? Do you need one to read alongside the Bible?Is it okay to just dive in and read whatever strikes your fancy?Does the translation matter?What about a story Bible?Just Read Your Bible I’d argue that reading the Bible—however you go about it—is better than not reading the Bible. (Can I get an…