JoCoLibrary - Kids - Chris's Favorites Read in 2017Like this list

32 items

• Ms. Bixby's Last Day

  Anderson, John David, 1975-

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  Topher's the storyteller, inventing epic narratives for most everything, which he usually ends up writing or drawing. Steve is the genius with a near photographic memory, who generally has trouble with the illogical ways of others. Brand…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Scam on the Cam

  Beauvais, Clémentine

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  More silly, snarky, detective adventures for the far too precocious yet hilarious Sesame Seade. I love this series.

• The Wild Robot

  Brown, Peter, 1979-

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  This is one of those rare books that manages to be simultaneously simple and profound, spare and vivid, unsentimental and deeply emotional, mythical and immediate. The narrative is accessible and easy to grasp; the themes reverberate…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Iron Hand

  Chantler, Scott,

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  A triumphant conclusion to the excellent Three Thieves series. As always, full of action, intrigue, character depth, and marvelous illustration. Who would have guessed after the story's humble beginning that it was headed for such…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Narwhal

  Unicorn of the Sea

  Clanton, Ben, 1988-

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  Adorably quirky and absurd. Perfectly fun. Wonderfully illustrated. It only takes 5-10 minutes to read this cross between a graphic novel, picture book, and early reader.

• Love That Dog

  Creech, Sharon

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  So short and simple; so superb and skillful. A character voice, a conversation, an introduction to poetry, an inspiration by poetry, reluctance, resistance, and revelation all in one accessible package. No wonder it's so…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Only Road

  Diaz, Alexandra,

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  Kill, be killed, or flee. Those are the options for twelve-year-old Jaime and his older teen cousin, Angela. They can join the local gang and terrorize their beloved community. They can refuse and be beaten to death, like Jaime's best…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Free Verse

  Dooley, Sarah,

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  A story of bleak circumstances shared just obliquely enough to remain tolerable in the telling, with a protagonist so overwhelmed by grief she can't find any way to voice her feelings except for running away, until, gradually, believably,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Hero Is a Four-letter Word

  Emerson, Marcus

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  Superheroes, zombies, cowboys, pirates, vampires, lava, and more. This book brings to life the imagined adventures of a school population at recess, day after day. Only a few times do they break character--"Whoa! That kid's pretend game is…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Inquisitor's Tale, Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog

  Gidwitz, Adam,

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  A table at an inn in Medieval France, its revolving occupants swapping stories over ale. The inn is packed. Butchers and brewers, peasants and priests, knights and nobodies. The stories are about three children and their dog. More…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Great Treehouse War

  Graff, Lisa (Lisa Colleen), 1981-

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  This is a book overflowing with appeal for its intended audience. Empowered, independent kids who take on the establishment. A fun, diverse cast of characters. A "collective memoir" format that includes sticky-note editorial comments,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• One Trick Pony

  Hale, Nathan, 1976-

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  In a break from his historical nonfiction "Hazardous Tales" series, Hale tells a standalone tale of a distant future. It's a unique setting for an unusual story, with stellar artwork, pacing, action, and drama. I hope he does more like it.

• The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl

  Squirrel Meets World

  Hale, Shannon,

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  The Hales do a marvelous job of capturing the spirit and tone of the Squirrel Girl comics in this prose novel, which is a bit prequel and origin story. Fourteen-year-old Doreen Green is just as delightfully fun as college Doreen. And best…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• I'm Just No Good at Rhyming and Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-ups

  Harris, Chris, 1970-

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  A wonderfully witty, playful, and original collection of poems that belongs right beside Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky, and the other giants of children's poetry. The best I've read in a long time. The humor variously emerges from…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Rules for a Knight

  the Last Letter of Sir Thomas Lemuel Hawke

  Hawke, Ethan, 1970-

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  A short and enjoyable book of wisdom. Couched as an old family letter written by a knight on the verge of battle to his young children, attempting to distill and share his life's wisdom should he not survive, the book shares 20 precepts…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Tales for the Perfect Child

  Heide, Florence Parry

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  Subversive, sly, and ironic humor in eight little stories for early readers. Each tale tells of a child who technically does exactly what he or she is told, but does so in a way that manipulates circumstances to get what they want. The…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Great Pet Escape

  Jamieson, Victoria,

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  This young graphic novel about the escape escapades of class pets at Daisy P. Flugelhorn Elementary School is lots of fun. Well done.

• The Cave of Aaaaah! Doom!

  Kent, Jaden,

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  Excellent silliness for young readers - A young dragon named Ella convinces her twin brother Owen to join her on a bold quest to find a wizard that will help cure Owen of his flaming cold.

• Grandfather and the Moon

  Lapointe, Stéphanie,

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  Striking, somber, simple, and spellbinding. A grey meditation on love and grief with concise, lyrical text and muted illustrations. Somewhat obtuse and fanciful, yet entirely emotive and evocative. As for format, this is to picture books…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Some Kind of Happiness

  Legrand, Claire, 1986-

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  Equal parts lovely and enraging. / Lovely in the complexity of the character development, dynamic interpersonal relationships, ambiguity of conflicting emotions, and authenticity. / Enraging in the empathy readers feel for Finley's…Read moreRead more of this annotation