MADreads

Coming Soon: Teen’s Choice Award Review Books
A review of Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

 It’s that time of year again, and I’m reading as many books as I can to find the lucky ten titles that will serve as the summer’s Teen’s Choice review books. This year’s list will include the cross-over kid’s/teen’s non-fiction title that has swept up so many awards that it is fairly dripping with medals. Yes, Bomb: The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, by Steve Sheinkin. National Book Award Finalist, Sibert Award for best children’s non-fiction, Best Non- ...read more

Reviewed by Karen on May 3, 2013 | 0 comments

Bend low
A review of Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick

 At first I found the language jarring, but as I continued to read, I found myself engrossed in McCormick’s fictionalization of Arn Chorn-Pond’s story of his years as a child caught in a horrific combination of genocide and war in Cambodia during the reign of the Kmehr Rouge.When the Kmehr Rouge come to his village and begin rounding up his family, friends and neighbors, Arn’s Aunt advises him to “bend low, and then bend lower” in order to survive. From age 11 to 14, Arn bends in ways no one ...read more

Reviewed by Karen on January 11, 2013 | 0 comments

Puppy love
A review of Bulu, African Wonder Dog by Dick Houston

 Oh, puppy love! His brown eyes and Jack Russell Terrier face peered up from the cover and I couldn’t resist picking up this book. And quite the book it is. It is the story of the Tolans, who quit their regular jobs as police officers in England and moved to the African bush in Zambia, near the Luangwa River to set up a wildlife rehabilitation and education center. Along the way they adopted Bulu, a Jack Russell mix puppy that no one else wanted. The Tolans were adequately warned that pets don’t ...read more

Reviewed by Karen on October 15, 2011 | 1 comment

A new Dot on the map of concept books
A review of Dot by Patricia Intriago

 Concepts such as quiet and loud, object permanence, patterns, hard and soft, heavy (bowling ball) and light (bubbles), are creatively and engagingly demonstrated in Patricia Intriago’s debut picture book, Dot. Happy dot looks like a smile, sad dot looks like a teardrop. Hurt dot has a small red dot on the surface, and in the next page the hurt dot is sporting a bandaid and the text reads, “Heal dot.” One dot is yummy (with a bite taken out of it) while the next dot tastes bad (another ...read more

Reviewed by Karen on September 23, 2011 | 2 comments

Surviving a shark attack
A review of Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham

 “Missing an arm is like wearing a coat, a really big, hot, ugly coat/ that I can’t take off./Ever./ It’s all that people see.” The victim of a shark attack, 15 year-old Jane works to put her life back together after having her arm amputated above the elbow. Once an aspiring artist, now Jane can’t imagine what she will do with her life. And she can’t imagine how she will ever feel comfortable or fit in around people again. Even her friends seem awkward around her. Written in verse, Jane’s story ...read more

Reviewed by Karen on September 2, 2011 | 0 comments

Caldecott Gold, 2011: Predictions anyone?


Last year, around this time, I reviewed some picture books which I believed were strong contenders for the Caldecott Medal. The Caldecott Medal is "awarded to the artist of the most distinguishedAmerican Picture Book for Children published in the United States during thepreceding year." Yet in past years the committee has chosen not only picture books for this ...read more

Reviewed by Karen on December 3, 2010 | 0 comments

Surfing ponies, a damsel fish having a tantrum, dolphins playing soccer...
A review of Reaching the Animal Mind by Karen Pryor

 ...these are just a few of the stories animal behaviorist and trainer Karen Pryor includes in her latest book, ...read more

Reviewed by Karen on July 28, 2010 | 1 comment

Dangerous book brings Author to library
A review of The Book that Eats People by John Perry

 Warning! This is not a bedtime story. So opens John Perry's most dangerous picture book, The Book That Eats People."One day in Little Rock, Arkansas, Sammy Ruskin forgot to wash his hands after lunch and the book tasted peanut butter on his fingers." Over the top text is matched by Mark ...read more

Reviewed by Karen on July 21, 2010 | 0 comments

Sneak peek
A review of: Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

 As I mentioned in a former post, I've been on a steady diet of teen books in search of this summer's Teen's Choice review books.  I thought I'd give you a sneak peek at a couple of titles which will be on this year's list. ...read more

Reviewed by Karen on May 5, 2010 | 3 comments

It's been a long time
A review of: Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

 ...since I felt so compelled to finish a book that I kept the booklight burning long past my usual bedtime.  I'm reading teen books right now to find those select titles that will make the final cut for Madison's annual summer Teen's Choice Awards review list.  So, the book that kept me up?  ...read more

Reviewed by Karen on February 10, 2010 | 0 comments

Recent Comments

Katharine on Edgars announced
Totally agree with The Last
Kylee on Not your grandma's gray-haired ex-FBI agent
Thanks! I also loved Carlo -
CarolK on Not your grandma's gray-haired ex-FBI agent
You caught the essence of
Molly - Central on Wow. Just wow.
That is sad.  RIP, Ivan. 

Categories