A Year of Borrowed Men, Plus a Conversation with Michelle Barker

As I’ve no doubt mentioned before, I love historical fiction based on a family story. And Michelle Barker’s A Year of Borrowed Men (Pajama Press), with luminous art by Renné Benoit, had me from the first page. Why? The voice. Told as though we’re hearing it straight from Gerda, Michelle’s …

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Beverly Cleary’s 100th Birthday!

Hip, hip, hooray! Beverly Cleary’s 100th birthday is today — April 12, 2016! Well-known author of the timeless chapter books about Ramona, Beezus, Henry, and a brave motorcycle-riding mouse named Ralph, Beverly Cleary is also a picture book author. That’s right, among her many writing credits she’s written six charming picture books …

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Dive in!— Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine

Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine written by Gloria Whelan (in hilarious rhyming text) and illustrated (fantastically) by Nancy Carpenter. Look at this cover??? Absolutely LOVED it! So much so that I was almost afraid to open it and be disappointed. And then, the end pages…

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