--- title: "Reading Everywhere: book list" url: https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/book list/ description: "Children's and YA book reviews. Library stuff. Possible overuse of the word AWESOME!" --- # Reading Everywhere: book list - [About](https://readingeverywhere.com/p/about-me.html) - [Review Policy](https://readingeverywhere.com/p/review-policy.html) - [Frequently Visited Posts](https://readingeverywhere.com/p/frequently-visited-posts.html) Showing posts with label book list . [Show all posts](https://readingeverywhere.com/) Showing posts with label book list . [Show all posts](https://readingeverywhere.com/) ## Tuesday, May 22, 2012 ### [Board Book Favorites: Mother Tested, Kid Approved](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/05/board-book-favorites-mother-tested-kid.html) As the mom of a one-year-old and a three-year-old, I feel I've become something of an expert in the area of board books. We've spent many happy hours all cuddled up and reading. Of course, that means I end up reading the same books over and over and over-- and I've discovered that some books are just more fun to read than others. My kids and I seem to agree that the best board books require some kind of audience participation, whether it's physical (giving a hug) or verbal (squealing or shouting or making funny noises). These little ones definitely like to be actively involved when sharing a book. Here are a few of our favorites: three published in the last decade, and three classics. ## Three recent board books [***You Are My Cupcake*, by Joyce Wan**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545307414/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0545307414) Scholastic, 2011 Simple text accompanies the most adorable illustrations. Bold lines, raised textures, pastel colors, and Hello Kitty-esque levels of cuteness are nearly irresistible to toddlers. Text such as "You are my cupcake. My sticky little gumdrop" gives the reader an excuse to squeeze and cuddle their child at every turn of the page, culminating in a barrage of nibbly kisses at the end as the last page proclaims, "I could just eat you up!" Nom nom nom... mwah! [***Yum Yum Dim Sum*, by Amy Wilson Sanger**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582461082/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1582461082) Tricycle Press, 2003 Dim sum is a staple of my family's restaurant-going patterns, and I'm so happy that there's a kids' book about the food we so love to eat! My three-year-old can recite the text along with me, and we all have fun pretending to pluck food from the pages and chomp. This book is part of Sanger's "World Snacks" series, featuring food from various cultures cleverly fashioned from fabrics and papers. ( [*First Book of Sushi*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582460507/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1582460507) is another of our favorites!) Now, if only Sanger would do a book about pho or banh mi... [*In My Flower*, by Sara Gillingham and Lorena Siminovich](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811873390/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0811873390) Chronicle Books, 2009 Chronicle publishes the prettiest books, don't they? The main appeal of this one, of course, is the felt butterfly finger puppet. The reader can wiggle it to and fro while turning pages, making for a delightfully tactile storytime experience with a curious child. My daughter loves to grab at the butterfly, and has recently discovered how to manipulate it on her own. She has so much fun making it "fly" around! This volume is part of the "In My..." series, which includes books about all sorts of other creatures, such as In My Nest (bird) and In My Den (bear). ## Three classic board books [***The Monster at the End of This Book*, by Jon Stone and Michael J. Smollin**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375805613/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0375805613) Random House, 2000 (first published 1971) You know how librarians are always saying every reluctant reader just has to find the right book? Well, for my daughter, this was it! This is the book that made my one-year-old daughter a reader. When she was tiny, she was more into grabbing than reading, so this book played in nicely to her preferences. We discovered that she LOVED turning the pages to elicit a loud gasp or melodramatic "oh nooo!" from mama. She's since branched out, and loves all books now... but is always happy to come back to lovable, furry old Grover. I can hardly get through the story properly, to be honest-- it's just a series of frenzied page turns and shouts. And that's what makes this book so much fun! [*Goodnight Moon*, by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0694003611/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0694003611) HarperFestival, 1991 (first published 1947) This one is a no-brainer, but I have to mention how much I love the board book format. We also have it in hardcover and paperback, but this sturdy little board book gets the most use. The thick pages are a must when reading to a eager, grabby child night after night-- and it travels well, which is essential when taking the bedtime routine on the road for some family travel. [***Harry the Dirty Dog*, by Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006084244X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=006084244X) HarperFestival, 2006 (first published 1956) This book is perfect for an older toddler or young preschooler who's ready to experience a longer, more complicated narrative, but still benefits from those thick cardboard pages. My three-year-old loves the story, and really sits still with me to hear what's going to happen to that naughty runaway dog. My one-year-old loves the book too-- if only to point out all the illustrations of dogs. Posted by [Allison](https://www.blogger.com/profile/06628530227439660832) at [6:30 AM](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/05/board-book-favorites-mother-tested-kid.html) Labels: [board book](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/board%20book) , [book list](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/book%20list) , [children's](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/children%27s) , [readaloud](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/readaloud) ## Friday, May 18, 2012 ### [YA Books for an Adult Book Group](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/05/ya-books-for-adult-book-group.html) I was starting to feel like the last librarian on earth who wasn't in a book group when my friend invited me to join hers. Hooray! Besides spending time with friends and meeting new people, one of the reasons I'm excited to participate is that this group reads adult books. Er, that is, books for grown-ups. ...I mean, the term "adult" is so awkward, isn't it? It means one thing to writers and librarians, but to the rest of the world, it's another thing entirely. *ahem* I've found that if you put the emphasis on the first syllable instead of the second ("AAH-dult" instead of "a-DULT"), it sounds less... um... you know. *ahem ahem* Anyway. As a teen services librarian. I work at the AAH-dult reference desk, but since I read primarily in YA in children's, I have trouble with AAH-dult readers' advisory. Because, to be honest... adult books, I'm just not that into you. But I should be! Professionally, I need to be! Thus, I've joined this book group. I've only been to two meetings so far, and I'm really impressed with their quality of discussion. These ladies take their reading seriously, and I love it. I'm excited to read their selections and challenge myself to take the occasional step outside of my preferred comfort zone of children's and YA literature. But eventually, it will be my turn to choose the book. And even though this book group primarily reads adult books, it seems like they're open to reading YA. Many of them enjoyed The Hunger Games , so this is an opportunity to introduce them to more great YA titles. What kind of YA book would appeal to an adult book group? I'm thinking books with strong characters, complex motivations, intricate plotting, and top-notch writing. Books with situations and emotions they can relate to when looking back on their teen years. Happily, I can think of a few YA books that would make great picks for adult book groups. [*Code Name Verity*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423152190/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1423152190) , by Elizabeth Wein Two young women in World War II. With its detailed historical setting, incredible plot, and depiction of a strong female friendship, this is my top YA pick for an adult book group right now. (See [my *Code Name Verity* review](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/05/book-review-code-name-verity-by.html) for more gushing about this tremendously excellent book.) [*The Fault in Our Stars*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525478817/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0525478817) , by John Green Two teens with cancer fall in love-- and it's not as emotionally manipulative as the premise suggests. It's serious, it's funny, it's insightful, it's inspiring... what's not to love? There's so much to discuss here-- the plot, the writing style, whether or not teens really talk like Hazel and Augustus (and whether or not that actually matters)... (I [reviewed *The Fault in Our Stars*](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/02/book-review-fault-in-our-stars-by-john.html) a few months ago.) [*The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316068209/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0316068209) , by Sherman Alexie The author presents a semi-autobiographical story about a Native American boy who chooses to leave the reservation to pursue a better education. Alexie is a noted author for adults, and his YA book has great crossover appeal for both age groups. It's hilarious and heartbreaking and full of hope, and the fact that so much of the book is drawn from Alexie's life gives any book group a great deal to discuss. [*Beauty Queens*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0439895979/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0439895979) , by Libba Bray A plane full of beauty pageant contestants crashes on a desert island, and satire of everything ensues. This is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of book-- and I love it. I would have to get to know my book group better before attempting to guess how they'd react to it, but for some groups, this could be a huge hit and prompt a lively discussion. I adore the way Libba Bray wraps up weighty issues in a hilarious package, and the feminist themes in this book make me want to stand up and cheer. [*If I Stay*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014241543X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=014241543X) , by Gayle Forman A girl loses her family in a terrible car accident. Hovering between life and death in a coma, she must decide whether to go or stay. The emotionally affecting story as Mia looks back on her life thus far, the vivid portayal of her family and her boyfriend, and the intricate plot that unfolds through flashbacks make this book a very appealing book group pick. It eems to be universally enjoyed by both teens and adults, and I have a feeling an adult audience will connect more with the family aspect of the novel than the teens will-- it would be interesting to compare what each age group focuses on when discussing this novel. What do you think? What YA titles would you suggest for an adult book group? Posted by [Allison](https://www.blogger.com/profile/06628530227439660832) at [3:56 PM](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/05/ya-books-for-adult-book-group.html) Labels: [book group](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/book%20group) , [book list](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/book%20list) ## Tuesday, January 24, 2012 ### [Downton Abbey Readalikes](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/01/downton-abbey-readalikes.html) Welcome to my new obsession: Downton Abbey! Actually, I'm late to the party on this one. You probably know all about Downton Abbey and are wondering if I've been living under a rock! But just in case you've been under that rock with me, Downton Abbey is a British TV series set before and during World War I. The story follows the lives of an aristocratic family and their household servants as they weather tumultuous times along with a great deal of scheming and scandal. There are gorgeous costumes, an opulent manor, and the MOST AMAZING one-liners delivered by Dame Maggie Smith. Visit the [official Downton Abbey website](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/) to learn more. The show premiered on British television in the Fall of 2010. The first season is [available on Blu-ray](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FM2ENU/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004FM2ENU) or Netflix instant, and the second season is currently airing on PBS in the US. My husband and I (and just about everyone we know) are hooked . And, of course, part of being a librarian means that when I get hooked on something, I immediately think: now, what kind of books go with this? YA Lit for Downton Abbey Fans [The Watch that Ends the Night](http://www.blogger.com/goog_339601410) [, by Allan Wolf](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763637033/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0763637033) The events of Downton Abbey are set in motion by the sinking of the Titanic, and this novel in verse explores the famous tragedy from multiple perspectives, from first class to third class, including the fictionalized perspectives of real historical figures, and even gives a voice to the iceberg. Downton fans will enjoy the exploration of social stratification and a forbidden romance. [***The Luxe*, by Anna Godbersen**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IVV3GY/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002IVV3GY) This four-volume series, touted as Gossip Girl for the Gilded Age, takes place a decade or so before Downton Abbey and is set in New York rather than England, but the fast-moving plot features the same types of class issues, romantic entanglements, desperate scheming, stunning fashion, and the occasional scandal. Well, okay-- in this series, it's more than the occasional scandal... Not quite as refined as Downton, but a very fun page-turner nonetheless. [***I Capture the Castle*, by Dodie Smith**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/031231616X/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=031231616X) Fast forward a few decades beyond Downton Abbey to meet a pair of sisters competing for marriage prospects for both romance and financial gain. Downton fans will revel in the English countryside setting, the opposing perspectives and goals of the two sisters, and the alluring presence of a castle (though it's a fairly decrepit one in this case). A lovely and romantic read. [Sisters of Glass](http://www.blogger.com/goog_339601423) [, by Stephanie Hemphill](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375861092/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0375861092) Now take your time machine back a few hundred years to 15th century Venice, and you have another pair of sisters at odds with each other over the topic of marriage. Once again, one sister must marry for money and status in order to secure the entire family's prospects. The author deftly illustrates how very little agency young women had before modern times, and how much depended on a good marriage-- familiar themes for Downton viewers. Children's Lit for Downton Abbey Fans [**The *Betsy-Tacy* series, by Maud Hart Lovelace**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062095870/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0062095870) This wholesome picture of life in turn-of-the-century Minnesota has decidedly less scandal than Downton, but the Edwardian fashion descriptions are divine. Merry Widow hats! Hobble skirts! Any fan of Lady Mary's wardrobe will appreciate Betsy's taste in clothes, too. Begin with [*Heaven to Betsy*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061794694/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0061794694) , in which Betsy goes to high school. The highlight of this series for Downton fans may be Betsy's fabulous pre-war European tour in 1914 in [*Betsy and the Great World*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061795135/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0061795135) . [Charlotte Sometimes](http://www.blogger.com/goog_339601439) [, by Penelope Farmer](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590172213/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1590172213) One of my all-time favorites, this eerie little book- part speculative fiction, part historical fiction- has a World War I era setting that may interest Downton Abbey fans. A young English girl, Charlotte, goes to boarding school during the 1960s and slips back in time to 1918, mysteriously changing places with a girl there named Clare. It's a philosophical exploration of identity, and the details of life in 1918, with the war's ever-present effects on day-to-day living, are fascinating. [Rilla of Ingleside](http://www.blogger.com/goog_339601443) [**, by L.M. Montgomery**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0899551378/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=readineveryw-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0899551378) The final volume of Montgomery's famous Anne of Green Gable s series chronicles the coming-of-age of Anne's youngest daughter on the Canadian home front during World War I. The theme of war changing all aspects of life and society will resonate with Downton Abbey viewers, as Rilla starts out as a fairly frivolous, sheltered young girl and grows into a strong, capable woman. I think she'd get along well with Lady Sybil. Want More? I'm not the only one with the idea to come up with a list of Downton Abbey readalikes-- Whitney at Youth Services Corner did a [fantastic round-up of books for Downton Abbey fans](http://www.youthservicescorner.com/2012/downton-abbey-read-alikes-for-teens/) last week. Articles from the New York Times and the Daily Mail: [If You're Mad for 'Downton,' Publishers Have Reading List](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/business/media/mad-for-downton-publishers-have-a-reading-list.html?_r=3&hp) [U.S. publishers rush out books about Edwardian and wartime Britain to cash in on American success of Downton Abbey](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2085806/U-S-publishers-rush-books-Edwardian-wartime-Britain-cash-American-success-Downton-Abbey.html) . Also of interest, your source for all things Edwardian can be found at [Edwardian Promenade](http://edwardianpromenade.com/) . Now get dressed in your finest finery, make yourself a pot of tea (or ring for the maid to bring it), and enjoy! Posted by [Allison](https://www.blogger.com/profile/06628530227439660832) at [4:22 PM](https://readingeverywhere.com/2012/01/downton-abbey-readalikes.html) Labels: [book list](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/book%20list) , [downton abbey](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/downton%20abbey) , [historical fiction](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/historical%20fiction) [Older Posts](https://readingeverywhere.com/search/label/book%20list?updated-max=2012-01-24T16:22:00-08:00&max-results=20&start=20&by-date=false) [Home](https://readingeverywhere.com/) Subscribe to: [Posts (Atom)](https://readingeverywhere.com/feeds/posts/default)