Category Archives: Children’s / YA Lit

Cuckoo Song

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Teresa

Triss is on holiday with her family when she falls into a pond and wakes up the next morning feeling strange. Most notably, she has an insatiable appetite. Plus, her dolls seem to be moving, and her little sister, Pen, … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's / YA Lit, Speculative Fiction | 1 Comment

The Emily Books

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Teresa

I read the L.M. Montgomery’s Anne books in college (having missed out on a lot of children’s classics as a kid). I enjoyed the first few books in the series, but Anne’s personality was a lot once she became an … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's / YA Lit, Classics | 12 Comments

Call Down the Hawk

Posted on January 19, 2020 by Teresa

The interactions between the Lynch brothers were one of my favorite parts of Maggie Stiefvater’s Raven Cycle series, so I was delighted to learn that she would be writing a new series focusing on Ronan Lynch (with, presumably, a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's / YA Lit, Fiction, Speculative Fiction | 4 Comments

Ballad

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Teresa

The second of Maggie Stiefvater’s faerie books focuses on my favorite character from Lament, James. In Lament, James was the best friend of Deirdre, the harp player who finds that faeries are drawn to her. In the sequel, James and Dee have started their … Continue reading →

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Lament

Posted on October 20, 2018 by Teresa

Deirdre Monaghan is sick with nerves before a harp competition when she meets Luke Dillon. He calms her down, accompanies her on the flute in an impromptu warm-up, and then pushes her toward the best performance of her life. She … Continue reading →

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Charlotte Sometimes

Posted on May 13, 2018 by Jenny

There are certain kinds of kids’ books I love. I don’t necessarily seek them out, but I love them nearly every time I read them. Time travel books, boarding school books, ballet books, books about (sometimes orphan) siblings, books about … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's / YA Lit, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Speculative Fiction | 6 Comments

Gabi: A Girl in Pieces

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Teresa

Less than a month before school starts again. Ugh. It’s not like I don’t want to go back to school (because I do), but I also want to lie around and do nothing for a little bit longer. Eat some … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's / YA Lit, Fiction | 4 Comments

After the First Death

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Teresa

This 1979 novel by Robert Cormier is harrowing. I first read it in college, for an adolescent literature class required for teaching certification, and it has stuck with me. A recent conversation will fellow Book Riot contributors got me to … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's / YA Lit, Fiction | 7 Comments

The Hate U Give

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Teresa

I’ve seen it happen over and over again: a black person is killed just for being black, and all hell breaks loose. I’ve tweeted RIP hashtags, reblogged pictures on Tumblr, and signed every petition out there. I always said that … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's / YA Lit, Fiction | 8 Comments

Who Could That Be at This Hour?

Posted on November 22, 2017 by Jenny

I love Lemony Snicket’s books. I devoured the Series of Unfortunate Events, and thanks to a generous cousin, I even own one of the books in French, which is as delightful as you might imagine. Their combination of gloom and … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's / YA Lit, Fiction | 4 Comments