cover of Aurora Rising has a picture of a teen girl with one normal and one white eye and a patch of white hair in the front of otherwise short, dark hair

Recommended: AURORA RISING by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

I loved Illuminae, also written by this dynamic author duo, as well as LIFEL1K3, which Jay Kristoff wrote on his own, and Unearthed, which Amie Kaufman wrote with Meagan Spooner. So when I saw Aurora Rising, I was interested…more so when I read the book description. After reading the book, I’d say Aurora Rising is… Continue reading Recommended: AURORA RISING by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Featured: Graphic Novel MANUELITO, a refugee story

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors, where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences. Today we are featuring MANUELITO, written by Elisa Amado and illustrated by Abraham Urias. Kids hear adults talking all the time about the refugee crisis, families seeking asylum, ICE, deportation, and problems at our borders. It must be confusing … Continue reading Featured: Graphic Novel MANUELITO, a refugee story

cybils ya spec fic short list books

The CYBILS Award YA Speculative Fiction Short List – A Wrap-up

Serving as a judge for the CYBILS Book Awards provided me with the opportunity to discuss 7 great stories with fellow book nerds. I read the spec fic category, which includes fantasy, sci fi, magical realism, and alternate history – all genres with lots of world building and action! If this is the type of story you enjoy, you should check out these short-listed books. It was hard to pick a winner! Continue reading The CYBILS Award YA Speculative Fiction Short List – A Wrap-up

Featured: WATCH US RISE by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors, where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences. This week we are featuring WATCH US RISE by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan. Chelsea and Jasmine grow frustrated with the way girls are treated at their supposedly progressive New York City high school– body shaming, stereotyping, and unapproved … Continue reading Featured: WATCH US RISE by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan

Celebrate Multicultural Children’s Book Day- Featuring TWO Wonderful Biographies: VIRGINIA HAMILTON-AMERICA’s STORYTELLER by Julie K. Rubini and DELORES HUERTA STANDS STRONG by Marlene Targ Bill

It’s my honor to participate in Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019 to celebrate the gift of story and diversity in children’s books. To celebrate, I’m featuring two recent biographies about important women trailblazers. First up, Virginia Hamilton: America’s Storyteller by Julie K. Rubini. Virginia Hamilton was a shy, quirky, and extraordinary author that I knew very little about before reading VIRGINIA HAMILTON: AMERICA’S STORYTELLER. In this biography, … Continue reading Celebrate Multicultural Children’s Book Day- Featuring TWO Wonderful Biographies: VIRGINIA HAMILTON-AMERICA’s STORYTELLER by Julie K. Rubini and DELORES HUERTA STANDS STRONG by Marlene Targ Bill

Featured: THE LOVE & LIES OF RUKHSANA ALI by Sabina Khan

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors, where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences. Today we are featuring THE LOVE & LIES OF RUKHSANA ALI by Sabina Khan.  Seventeen-year-old Rukhsana Ali’s life is nearly perfect. She has great friends, good grades, and she and her very cool girlfriend are headed to Caltech in the … Continue reading Featured: THE LOVE & LIES OF RUKHSANA ALI by Sabina Khan

Featured: THE MUSIC OF WHAT HAPPENS by Bill Konigsberg

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors, where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences. Today we are featuring THE MUSIC OF WHAT HAPPENS by Bill Konigsberg! Max and Jordan couldn’t be more different on the outside. Max is an athletic, half white/half Latino dude bro who is in the closet about his sexuality with his … Continue reading Featured: THE MUSIC OF WHAT HAPPENS by Bill Konigsberg

Recommended: STRONGER, FASTER, AND MORE BEAUTIFUL by Arwen Elys Dayton

Publisher’s Description of Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful For fans of television shows Black Mirror and Westworld, this compelling, mind-bending novel is a twisted look into the future, exploring the lengths we’ll go to remake ourselves into the perfect human specimen and what it means to be human at all. The future is curious. STRONGER Today our bodies define us. We color our hair; tattoo … Continue reading Recommended: STRONGER, FASTER, AND MORE BEAUTIFUL by Arwen Elys Dayton

Interview with Author Christine Grabowski Four on 400 Winner

Welcome Christine Grabowski, young adult author and Four on 400 contest winner! We are excited to share news of your debut young adult novel and learn about your path to publication. Let’s start with your novel. Tell us about Dickensen Academy.  Dickensen Academy is a young YA contemporary fantasy that bridges the gap between MG and YA. It is about a fourteen-year-old girl, Autumn, who … Continue reading Interview with Author Christine Grabowski Four on 400 Winner