I haven’t been blogging much lately and I have decided to take a break from it for a while. I began The Children’s War in 2010 because I had finished my dissertation on girls’ popular fiction in Nazi Germany and had been thinking a lot about #kidlit and how the adults who write it can have such an impact on the lives of young readers. At around the same time, I became a member of the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee and was reading so many good books, I began Randomly Reading in 2012. I have enjoyed working on both blogs, but I feel like I need to take some time off. I hope to be back in the early spring of 2023. In the meantime, you can still find me on Goodreads, Twitter, Instagram, and Post.
Sunday, January 1, 2023
Friday, December 9, 2022
Book Blitz and Giveaway: Weird But True! World 2023: Incredible Facts, Awesome Photos, and Weird Wonders for This Year and Beyond!
The BLOCKBUSTER kid-favorite series Weird But True! is busting out with a BIG, BOLD annual extravaganza of the wackiest, wildest, and downright weirdest wonders on planet Earth.
Discover Earth’s strangest animals, natural formations, festivals, ancient wonders, news, and more in this newest addition to the wildly popular Weird But True! family―an annual compendium of everything Weird But True! fans love ... and then some. Readers will journey across the seven continents, dive into the ocean, and even blast off into space to discover a whole wide world of weird. From the troll doll bug of Suriname to the Bog Snorkeling Championships in Wales to a technicolor village in Indonesia, Weird But True! World offers an unparalleled, adventure-filled exploration of our world’s amazing uniqueness.
Inside, you’ll find:
- Stunning photographs
- Wild, wow-worthy facts
- Weird news
- Shocking stats and infographics
- Colorful maps
- Personality quizzes
- Adorable odd animals
- And more!
This book is perfect for fans of Weird But True!, as well as Atlas Obscura, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and Guinness World Records, and any curious kid willing to embrace the quirky side of life.
click to enlarge
click to enlarge
For more Weird But True! fun check out the series page on National Geographic Kids!
GIVEAWAY
- Five (5) winners will receive a hardcover of Weird But True! World 2023
- Ends 12/18 at 11:59pm ET
- Enter via the Rafflecopter below
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Book Blitz and Givaway: The Law of Cavities (Izzy Newton and the S.M.A.R.T. Squad #3) by Valerie Tripp
Meet the characters, watch the book trailer and check out the Educator and Reader's Guides on the series website here!
The S.M.A.R.T. Squad is back to tackle more middle school mayhem with science, technology, engineering, math, and friendship!
In this third book in the S.M.A.R.T. Squad series, best friends Izzy Newton, Allie Einstein, Marie Curie, Charlie Darwin, and Gina Carver set out on a mystery-filled Outdoor Adventure Camp experience.
Now that Izzy’s finally found her voice in public speaking class and become an ice hockey star, she’s determined to conquer her “dizzy-Izzy-ness” in new situations―including caring for her brand-new braces on an outdoor education overnight and her friends’ good-natured teasing about her friend Trevor. But the forecast for fun turns cloudy when the girls discover their cabin chaperone is none other than Izzy’s tough public-speaking teacher, Ms. Martinez, and their junior counselor is eighth grade mean girl, Maddie Sharpe.
When an innocent exchange of harmless pranks with Maddie takes a turn for the worse, the Squad turns to science to prove their innocence. That’s nothing, though, compared with the terrifying swamp monster haunting their campsite, a catastrophe befalling Ms. Martinez, and a mysterious disaster threatening the future of camp itself.
With their very survival on the line, will science be enough to save the day?
Praise:
"Wholesome entertainment for preteens, offering positivity without didacticism."
― Kirkus
"It's one thing to have children's books about scientists or podcasts or stories about strong women in STEM, but it's another world entirely when your children get to feel represented by the characters they're reading about. The characters in the Izzy Newton and the S.M.A.R.T. Squad series are diverse, smart, and sure of themselves the way all middle school girls are---through their dreams and newly acquired skills they're still getting used to."
― Romper
About the Creators
VALERIE TRIPP is the co-creator of the American Girl book series that includes titles featuring Felicity, Josefina, Kit, Maryellen, Molly, and Samantha. Tripp also wrote American Girl's Wellie Wishers titles, Hopscotch Hill School titles, numerous leveled readers, songs, stories, skills book pages, and plays for educational publishers. Tripp is writer and editorial director of the Boys Camp series, and a writer, editor, and art editor for Sterling Publishing Company. Tripp received a B.A. and honors as a member of the first co-educated class at Yale University and a master's of education degree from Harvard University.
Website | Instagram | Facebook
MILLIE LIU was born in sunny Pasadena, California, and has been drawing ever since she could hold a pencil. It did start with color pencils on walls but after some scolding, she decided paper was much better. She graduated from Otis College of Art and Design and went into the field of toy design shortly after, designing colorful toys for children the world over. Her favorite subject to draw is story-driven fantastical locations with a touch of magic. When not drawing, she loves to read, experiment with cooking, and keep up with her fierce, growing collection of house plants. She also makes a conscious effort to buy secondhand or used products, and tries to reduce her use of single-use plastic.
GIVEAWAY
- Three (3) winners will receive the complete 3-book Izzy Newton and the S.M.A.R.T. Squad series: Absolute Hero, Newton's Flaw, and The Law of Cavities
- US/Canada only
- Ends 12/11 at 11:59pm ET
- Enter via the Rafflecopter below
Monday, November 28, 2022
The Best Gift for Bear written and illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell
“A sweet, appealing picture book for the season.” —Booklist
A 2022 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee
Jennifer A. Bell is the illustrator of more than forty children’s books, including the Sophie Mouse series. She studied fine art at the Columbus College of Art & Design, and her work can also be found on greeting cards and in magazines. This is the first picture book she’s written and illustrated. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Learn more about her at www.jenniferabell.com.
Instagram: @jbellstudio
Facebook: Jennifer A. Bell Illustration
Twitter: @JenniferABell_
Thursday, November 17, 2022
My GrandMom written and illustrated by Gee-eun Lee, translated by Sophie Bowman
But is seem's that GrandMom isn't as spry as she used to be and when they lose all the competitions, Gee-eum becomes very mad at her Halmonie. Can GrandMom jolly Gee-uem into a better mood with a fresh curry bun that will be their delicious secret?