Author: Earl @ The Chronicles Of A Children's Book Writer
Hello! I’m Earl.
I live in Portland, Oregon- a city of readers, a wonderland for book lovers.
I work at a wonderful children’s bookstore where I am surrounded by amazing, inspiring stories and come across many “kindred spirits.”
I volunteer with various literary nonprofits.
For fun, I love to visit other bookstores and libraries.
I firmly believe that book people are the best people.
I hope you join me as I share some of my recent reads, my bookish travels, and my ups and downs as I try to get published.
Thanks to Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts for this meme!
I can’t believe I’ve been consistently posting- and commenting on people’s blogs- again. I know I haven’t been sharing more than book reviews recently but I just appreciate the #IMWAYR community.
Anyway, I got to see Ruth Ozeki speak which you can read about here.
A nice story of not letting other people’s opinions affect the way you want to express yourself. I wish it leaned a bit more into the sections where men wore skirts and women weren’t allowed to wear pants.
This was bonkers in the best way possible. After not getting accepted to her dream college, “perfect Perla Perez” devices a plan to change their mind before her parents find out. Of course, it involves lying to them and everyone else she knows that she did get accepted, that she is living in the dorms, and that she is in fact a student. But, despite all the spreadsheets to keep her schemes straight, she knows one wrong move can jeopardize her entire life.
Perfect for teens who feel the pressue to have everything figured out once they graduate high school. Readers will be biting their nails in suspense seeing if the imperfect and relatable main character can get away with it.
You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads. Please consider supporting independent bookstores when you want to buy any of the books I’ve mentioned via Bookshop.org or Libro.fm.
There’s a lot to enjoy in this inclusive story featuring a girl with Down Syndrome who wants to play games with her older sister and her friends. I loved that it’s about siblings and learning to get along with others while also incorporating American Sign Language.
Cute story. Reminds me of E.B. White’s Stuart Little and Emily Hughes’s Wild. Perfect for fans of Chirri and Chirra. I just loved what job he ends up having.
This board book series started back in October 2020. I loved the diversity in the illustrations and the fun way of introducing mathematical concepts to the youngest of readers. This one talks about recognizing patterns.
This board book series started back in October 2020. I loved the diversity in the illustrations and the fun way of introducing mathematical concepts to the youngest of readers. This one talks about spatial sense
Marya Khan is perfect for fans of Jo Jo Makoons and Ivy & Bean. Readers will find much to relate with her getting jealous of others having more than her or getting to do more than hers. They’ll laugh at the extent of what she’ll do to get what she wants especially as they tend to not work out the way she plans. Also introduces lots of great vocabulary.
Space fans will love this new chapter book series about a third grader who wants to be the first astronaut with hearing aid. When her plans to achieve this goal with her best friend doesn’t go the way she expects, she must learn to course correct or give up altogether.
I wanted to like this more but I just didn’t like the character. But I can see how others might enjoy the situations Riley Mayes gets herself into and her wild creativity. Dory Fantasmagory meets Melissa.
You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads. Please consider supporting independent bookstores when you want to buy any of the books I’ve mentioned via Bookshop.org or Libro.fm.
Thanks to Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts for this meme!
Apparently, I already read these board books back in November 2021 but didn’t review them on my blog. These were great “bite-sized” versions of the picture book biography series. Maybe I’ll end up actually reading those books one of these days?
Wendy Xu has created a wonderful magical world readers would want to live in. I wish there were more. Perfect for fans of The Tea Dragon Society series.
A satisfying conclusion to the Thirteens trilogy. Readers who love a dark fantasy that’s not too scary will enjoy this. Perfect for fans of The Land of Stories.
You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads. Please consider supporting independent bookstores when you want to buy any of the books I’ve mentioned via Bookshop.org or Libro.fm.
A spontaneous read while browsing the library shelves. My word of the year is Meaning and I enjoyed Bird by Bird so this caught my eye. I think you have to be in a certain mood to read this otherwise it’ll just seem like a Chicken Soup for the Soul entry.
Well, as usual, WordPress proves to be difficult by not being able to edit things properly. So pardon the weird format of this week’s post.
What the Artist Saw is a new picture book biography series that introduces readers to artists and includes activities they can do themselves. This one focuses on Louise Bourgeois. What I appreciated is that there were images of some of her work to help me better understand his art. It reminded me of a previous San Francisco visit where the Museum of Modern Art had an exhibit of her Spiders. I will definitely be checking out the other books in this series.
Selznick delivers yet another quiet and profound story yet of quite an epic scope as two seedling siblings suddenly separated from their Mama Tree and then needing to find someplace safe to grow.
Winick writes another winner in the Hilo series concluding a very impressive story arc featuring Gina. It’s always good to reread at least the previous book to remind oneself what’s happened so far and I think it just adds more impact to certain actions and outcomes. It’s interesting to see where the series goes after this.
I wanted something new yet familiar to captivate me and I was intrigued by the cover and title when I saw it on display at a bookstore. It was slow going getting to the interesting part- almost halfway through- but I stuck with it and started to get into it. The ending was anti-climactic, though.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this novel. I wouldn’t say I particularly liked it because it got way too heavy at times. But I also didn’t not like it too much since it was thought provoking at certain points. I really didn’t know how it was going to end.
This was the latest selection for the Everybody Reads program. You can read my other reviews of previous pics here.
You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads. Please consider supporting independent bookstores when you want to buy any of the books I’ve mentioned via Bookshop.org or Libro.fm.
Two kidlit creators at the top of their game come together to weave a wonderful story about the power of books to take us places and appreciate where we’ve come from.
For anyone who loved the idea of The Giving Tree and Love You Forever but found them unsatisfying for whatever reason, Elbert in the Air might be a great alternative. A wonderful celebration of supportive parents or caregivers.
Powerful and important especially in this day and age when people tend to have a herd mentality against those who did wrong. This wordless picture book would be great to discuss accountability and intentionality.
A companion to All Around Us- and perfect to pair with Everybody Needs a Rock-, this is an intergenerational celebration of what’s around us and what they can bring to and out of us.
Inspiring read of someone I didn’t know about even though I’ve read many books about the Civil Rights Movement. I’m glad Diane Nash is getting her share of the spotlight in this picture book.
This board book was a delight. Loved seeing all the representations of diverse families celebrating various holidays. Great backmatter with additional information and questions to engage the reader.
This board book was a delight. Loved seeing all the representations of various mobility and body types. Great backmatter with additional information and questions to engage the reader.
This board book was a delight. Loved seeing all the representations of diverse people. Great backmatter with additional information and questions to engage the reader.
Winnie the Pooh fans will find themselves charmed with Lauren Castillo’s new series about the loveable creatures of Hedge Hollow. When Hedgehog meets others of her kind, she’s faced with the problem of where she belongs.
Fans of Roller Girl and New Kid will enjoy this graphic novel about a girl who has to try something new and learn to count on others who may or may not be real friends. Tackles some difficult history of a segregated past.
A fun, quirky graphic novel series about three friends who find themselves in the middle of something mysterious that involves a giant squid and a devious team of diving divas.
Fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Mysterious Benedict Society will enjoy this quirky and kooky middle grade series. Something sinister surrounds a trio of sibling’s summer break when their parents sends them off to stay with an aunt they never even knew existed and who leaves them with more questions than answers. While it looks like they can finally just enjoy themselves, they need to remember nothing is ever as it seems!
A delightful little book that really spoke to my heart for obvious reasons. The main characters are a middle aged overweight woman who is looking for excitement in her life and a middle aged short balding man (and an aspiring writer to boot!) who loves books. Her on-a-whim purchase of his traveling bookstore- the titular Parnassus on Wheels- starts a series of unexpected events full of heart and laughter. Book lovers will revel in the celebration of all things literary. Readers will be touched how the characters were able to find new leases on life and love.
You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads. Please consider supporting independent bookstores when you want to buy any of the books I’ve mentioned via Bookshop.org or Libro.fm.
A wonderful nonfiction picture book biography about a folk artist I wasn’t familiar with. It’s great when “forgotten” people get their share of the spotlight. I also enjoy how the author ends up writing about them.
A nice enough introduction to not feeling too overwhelmed when seeing how broken the world is and how we can only do our own acts of kindness to make a difference.
A charming story I found listed in the bibliography of a nonfiction book, Improbable Libraries.
This one bases it on the Erie Canal floating libraries of the 1800’s. A boy wants to own a copy of one of his favorite books and has to earn enough money before the library/bookstore floats away for a long time.
I ran across this board book during a volunteer shift sprucing up donated kids books to go to other readers. I was ready to hate it but I like how some of the vagueness invites conversation.
I ran across this board book during a volunteer shift sprucing up donated kids books to go to other readers. I was ready to hate it but I appreciate that the answers aren’t given out and that people actually have to think about what they’re reading.
A Cuban American girl has bookish adventures as a way to connect with her grandmother who’s moved far away and has trouble remembering things. In this first installment, she’s off to prove to the school bully that girls can be knights, too, and she’s off to find some heroic deeds to do.
Fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Mysterious Benedict Society will enjoy this quirky and kooky middle grade series. Something sinister surrounds a trio of sibling’s summer break when their parents sends them off to stay with an aunt who may not be all there and who sends them away to a spa hotel that may be as wretched and full of danger as their first adventure. I didn’t realize this was a planned 5-book series but have really been liking it.
Some familiar and new (to me) authors contributed to this anthology of short stories all taking place in sprawling Manila, Philippines. As the title also suggests, you do have to be a certain frame of mind to read the cynical rather bleak crime stories.
A delightful book about unusual libraries. It’s great and inspiring to see how creative people have been to spread the love of reading to others. I definitely want to go on more bookish adventures.
You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads. Please consider supporting independent bookstores when you want to buy any of the books I’ve mentioned via Bookshop.org or Libro.fm.
Thanks to Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts for this meme!
Last Monday was the Youth Media Awards and I’m sure I wasn’t the only of us who was watching the announcements live. Here in Portland, it was at 6am! I watch it on my laptop and have my phone within reach so I can request winners I haven’t read yet from my local libraries. I usually watch Betsy Bird’s pre-show but since they’ve been so early, I end up watching it later in the day.
Here are the winners and honors I’ve read including ones I read since the announcements… Surprisingly, I haven’t read any of the Newbery titles this year.
I read this last year but I guess my review was lost in the shuffle when I was in between using Goodreads and The Storygraph but luckily this was just awarded the Caldecott Medal so I was able to notice its absence.
It’s a playful picture book of escaping the hustle and bustle of city life to the beach where one can soak up the rays to feel (re)energized going back home.
My #antiracistreads for this month wasn’t on my radar but it should definitely be on yours. It is Jason Reynolds’s upcoming teen novel Ain’t Burned All the Bright which includes art by Jason Griffin. This very unique book is an experience about black lives in a time of a pandemic when the world is on fire- literally and metaphorically. Jason Reynolds is like a sorcerer with his ability to captivate readers. It’ll be interesting to listen to the audiobook version as well. This comes out January 11th.
A great example of a picture book where the text and the art work together perfectly. Impactful and a must-own for any library that wants an inclusive representation of US History.
Despite the fact I use Goodreads- and part of last year, The Storygraph- and also keep a spreadsheet of books I’ve read, this fell through the cracks. I thought I had written a review because I remember thinking I thought this was going to be an adaptation of one of the stories from an anthology with the same name. But it wasn’t.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read any of Natalie Lloyd’s novels even though A Snicker of Magic is one of my 52 favorite books of all time. I really didn’t think I’d like Hummingbird because I admit I’ve grown quite cynical over the years but it was the perfect book to remind me there are (still) whimsy and wonder in the world- and in words. And I loved that I listened to the audiobook version since Natalie Lloyd did an outstanding job narrating it. So, if you want a feel good and uplifting story, look no further.
I always look forward to Duncan Tonatiuh’s books. His art is so unique and I love that he’s always presenting something new about his culture that most people don’t know about.
I was pleasantly surprised with this picture book. I thought this was just going to be a general positive message type of story. I didn’t realize it was a memoir about a gay strongman defying expectations of who can be great in that athletic field I didn’t know anything about.
Intergenerational. Cross-cultural. I enjoyed the relatable clashing when Gigi welcomes her grandfather from Japan to live with them. I can’t wait for more in this new levelled reader series.
A girl celebrates both sides of her cultural identity when she spends time with her grandmothers- one in England and one in Malaysia. I’m sure readers (of any age) will enjoy seeing some similarities in the different ways they end up spending time together.
You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads. Please consider supporting independent bookstores when you want to buy any of the books I’ve mentioned via Bookshop.org or Libro.fm.
A wonderful reverse immigration story that, as someone who experienced something similar, I really appreciated since no one really talks about reverse culture shock.
I read this because Meg Medina was recently appointed as the latest National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and I have a Reading Challenge to read their notable books as a way to celebrate.
This is a sweet story about a girl helping her aunt- her Tia Isa- buy the car of her dreams. It perfectly captures the immigrant family’s mindset (at least, it reminds me of my family) of having a dream that benefits others and postponing it for awhile to help others. And, of course, I loved seeing how the niece contributed.
A wonderful picture book about a pioneer in animation. I didn’t even know about Lotte Reiniger until a couple years or so ago and am glad that there have been books like this one to shine a light on her talents.
This was an interesting read about a subject I wasn’t familiar with. I wish the author had included their struggles after coming home rather than bury it in the back matter.
What the Artist Saw is a new picture book biography series that introduces readers to artists and includes activities they can do themselves. This one focuses on Georgia O’Keeffe. What I appreciated is that there were images of some of her work to help me better understand her art. I will definitely continue checking out the other books in this series.
What the Artist Saw is a new picture book biography series that introduces readers to artists and includes activities they can do themselves. This one focuses on Claude Monet. What I appreciated is that there were images of some of his work to help me better understand his art. I will definitely continue checking out the other books in this series.
Two squirrel friends come up with a plan to satisfy their donut cravings much to the annoyance of the owner of the food cart selling such treats. But while they learn they may not get exactly what they want, something else may come out of it.
I don’t think I’ve read a book recently that has elicited such strong conflicting feelings in me like this one. I was ready to rave about this book saying how thought-provoking it was and still is. But the book just rubbed me the wrong way after the twist was revealed. There just seemed to be no consequence to the person and it almost seemed like a dismissal of “Boys will be boys” especially when the whole town seemed to bend over backwards to help the kid out. Maybe I just need to be a more forgiving person but I wanted more when other people wouldn’t have had a second chance to redeem themselves. I think I could go off on a rant about this book for awhile. Anyway, the main point after my mood soured against this book was that one of the scariest things we can come across when faced with hate is indifference.
It’s been a week of disappointing reads for me. The latest WTF read was The Stranger by Albert Camus.
The only good thing I have to say about it was that it was a short read.
Maybe I’m missing something so please inform me if I am but I also don’t want to think any more about this when I didn’t find it good at the most basic level.
If I wanted to read about life’s inconsequentiality and how comically tragic things can happen, I would just pick up my journal.
You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads. Please consider supporting independent bookstores when you want to buy any of the books I’ve mentioned via Bookshop.org or Libro.fm.
This has been showing up on kidlit social media pages and deservingly so! I loved the quiet storytelling style used to present the sacrifices- especially of immigrant- parents make to ensure their child has a future better than theirs.
A fun book tackling a difficult situation lots of immigrant people experience when moving to a new country. It reminded me a little bit of Shaun Tan’s Arrival. Great for educators teaching about language and also readers who love to figure out what was trying to be said.
Another good “importance of names” book. I just wished the boy either did more to speak up (which I know was one of his problems) or that it showed his friend was picking up signs of what he was trying to say before she acted the way she did.
From the same team who brought IntersectionAllies: We Make Room for All, Love without Bounds (or previously known or sometimes titled as KINtersectionAllies) celebrates all kinds of families with extensive backmatter.
Is there a series that you’ve continued reading even though you really don’t want/need to? Little People, Big Dreams is that for me. I was definitely excited when this biography picture book series came out and I’ve kept up with it since then but the consistency has been all over the place. To be fair, it’s fine otherwise why would I even bother especially when they’ve been getting sort of hard to find. All that to say, this was about Nikola Tesla which was an easy way to learn about him but there are other books you should check out.
An accessible history of LGBTQ+ movements and moments around the world covering topics from Stonewall in the US to Section 28 in the UK, from sit-ins to ball culture, from riots to pride. Perfect for middle and high school libraries and hopefully will be used as stepping stones to learn more about the people and places mentioned.
You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads. Please consider supporting independent bookstores when you want to buy any of the books I’ve mentioned via Bookshop.org or Libro.fm.
“The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature raises national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education and the development and betterment of the lives of young people.” -from the website The 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature is Meg Medina!
Her platform is “Cuéntame!: Let’s talk books.” And according to the website, this was “inspired by the phrase Spanish-speaking friends and families use to catch up with one another, “Cuéntame!” encourages connection amongst families, classrooms, libraries, and communities by talking about books—both those books that reflect the readers’ lived experiences and those books that expose readers to new perspectives.”
I have to admit I’m not really familiar with her books so I’m excited I have this ongoing Reading Challenge to read notable works by the current ambassador. But here are the ones I have read…
If you liked Last Stop on Market Street, you’ll enjoy this book. A girl’s grandma moves in and despite the language barrier they teach one another the language they speak. Touching.
Daniela’s best friend is moving away. They try and make the most of their last day together which isn’t hard because they have so much fun together. Unfortunately, too soon, Evelyn and her family have to go and it’s a bittersweet goodbye between two best friends. The illustrations are as evocative as the text.
I read this because Meg Medina was recently appointed as the latest National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and I have a Reading Challenge to read their notable books as a way to celebrate.
This is a sweet story about a girl helping her aunt- her Tia Isa- buy the car of her dreams. It perfectly captures the immigrant family’s mindset (at least, it reminds me of my family) of having a dream that benefits others and postponing it for awhile to help others. And, of course, I loved seeing how the niece contributed.
I’ve been a fan of the She Persisted series ever since they’ve come out. These chapter books are great biographies to learn about some amazing women. I liked the section in the end of each book sharing ways the readers can emulate who they just read about.
Meg Medina has a short story “Sol Painting, Inc.” in this anthology…
A great anthology that not only showcases diversity but will give readers an introduction to some of the finest YA writers around right now. I hope people will enjoy the stories and that they will reflect on their own stories- the ones that they alone can tell shaped by their unique background and culture and experiences.
Which of her books have you read that you would recommend?
Leo’s Lavender Skirt by Irma Borges
Books by Horseback: A Librarian’s Brave Journey to Deliver Books to Children by Emma Carlson Berne
The Fantastic Bureau of Imagination by Brad Montague
This Is Not a Personal Statement by Tracy Badua
The Chronicles Of A Children's Book Writer - Earl Dizon 