Book Lists

August is National Dog Month

By on August 24, 2023   /   Articles, Book Lists, Fiction  

August is National Dog Month and as an elementary school librarian, I can tell you these four-legged canines are a BIG deal to young readers. Nonfiction dog books inhabit one full shelf and another three-quarters of a shelf in my library … larger than any other nonfiction section. I say inhabit but the truth is those shelves are always empty, the books instead being tucked away in children’s backpacks to be read at home. Kids love looking at the humorous and endearing photos of these lovable pets and reading fun facts about them.

This same interest extends to fiction. I have read all of the middle-grade books that I am recommending because it’s the only way I can keep up with student requests for “stories about dogs.”  Requests that come as frequently as those for “stories like Harry Potter.”

So embrace National Dog Month by sampling a story full of doggie adventure and perhaps a bit of slobbering and barking. And if you have a dog of your own—as I do—give them a few extra dog biscuits this month.

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Tango: The Tale of an Island Dog – Eileen Beha, 2009Tango

When Tango’s wealthy owners sail into stormy waters, the little Yorkshire Terrier falls overboard. Lost at sea, he washes up, nearly dead, in a village on Prince Edward Island. A lonely widow nurses him back to health and he becomes friends with a fox and a waif. In his new life, Tango finally learns that sometimes it takes getting lost to find what matters most.

A Dog’s Way Home – Bobbie Pyron, 2011 Dog 2

A car accident strands eleven-year-old Abby and her beloved sheltie, Tam, on opposite sides of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It takes the two of them months filled with physical dangers and emotional challenges to find their way back to each other.

Dog 2A Dog’s Life: The Autobiography of a Stray – Ann M. Martin, 2007

Squirrel, a stray puppy, and her brother Bone begin their lives in a toolshed behind someone’s summer house. Their mother nurtures them and teaches them the many skills they will need to survive as stray dogs. But when the puppies are forced to make their own way in the world, they must face busy highways, not-so-friendly animals, the changing seasons, and humans both gentle and brutal.

One Dog and His Boy – Eva Ibbotson, 2012 Dog 4

All Hal had ever wanted was a dog, but his mother thinks a dog will be too messy and noisy. Then on the morning of Hal’s 10th birthday, the unbelievable happens. He’s allowed to choose a dog at Easy Pets, a rent-a-pet agency. The moment he sees the odd-looking terrier, Hal knows he’s found a friend for life. But no one tells him that Fleck is a rental dog and must be returned. With his friend Pippa, Hal frees Fleck and four other dogs from the rental agency and treks from London to Scotland to his grandparents’ home.

Dog 5Crime Biters!: It’s a Doggy Dog World – Tommy Greenwald, 2016

Bored by the lack of crime in Quietville, Jimmy’s vampire dog Abby chews up his mother’s entire shoe collection. Jimmy’s parents insist on enrolling Abby in obedience training, and the longer it goes on the more “normal” and boring she becomes. But when mysterious things start happening to Jimmy’s lacrosse team, he and his friends (aka the Crime Biters) realize they need to get Abby back to her crime-fighting ways.

Fenway and Hattie – Victoria J. Coe, 2016Dog 6

Fenway is a Jack Russell terrier living in the city with Food Lady, Fetch Man, and his beloved short human, Hattie. But when his family moves to the suburbs, things change. Fenway enjoys the huge Dog Park near his new home, but he’s not happy about the Evil Squirrels that taunt him from the trees, the slippery floor in the Eating Room, and the changes in Hattie. Rather than playing with Fenway, she seems more interested in human friends and playing baseball. The other dogs in the Park say Hattie has outgrown him, but Fenway is going to prove them wrong!

Dog 7Just a Dog – Michael Gerard Bauer, 2012

Mr. Mosely is a special dog. Not just because he’s part Great Dane. Not just because he’s all white except for a heart-shaped splotch on his chest. And not just because he’s super clumsy. He’s special because he seems to know exactly what everyone in Corey’s family needs, even when they don’t know themselves. This is the story of Mr. Mosely, from his puppyhood to the last time he curls up on the back porch. It’s the story of how sometimes a dog isn’t “just a dog”. Sometimes he’s the glue that holds a whole family together.

Kizzy Ann Stamps – Jeri Watts, 2012Dog 8

In 1963, Kizzy Ann Stamps worries about her first year at an integrated school. She worries about the color of her skin, the scar running from her eye to the tip of her smile, and whether anyone at the white school will like her. Shag, her border collie, is her refuge, but obstacles arise even with him. Kizzy Ann knows she and Shag could win the dog trials, but will she—an African American girl—be allowed to enter the herding competition?

Dog 9Mutt’s Promise – Julie Salamon, 2016

Luna is a farm puppy who loves her happy life surrounded by her family and Gilberto, the son of farm workers. But when Gilberto’s family moves away, the new farmer Mr. Thomas doesn’t feel he can take care of all the dogs. He finds new homes for the puppies. But Luna and her brother, Chief, are given to a man who does not have the best of intentions. Hungry and scared, the two puppies take matters into their own paws and find a way to escape.

The One and Only Bob – Katherine Applegate, 2020Dog 10

Return to the unforgettable world of The One and Only Ivan in this incredible sequel, starring Ivan’s canine friend, Bob, who sets out on a dangerous journey in search of his long-lost sister with the help of his two best friends, Ivan and Ruby. As a hurricane approaches and time is running out, Bob finds courage he never knew he had and learns the true meaning of friendship and family.

Dog 11Woof: A Bowser and Birdie Novel – Spencer Quinn, 2016

There is trouble brewing in the Louisiana swamp. Bowser can smell it. He’s handsome, slobbery, and can sniff out LOTS of things. Like bacon. Rawhide chews. And the sweat on humans when they’re lying. Birdie Gaux, Bowser’s owner, also knows something is wrong. Her Grammy’s prize stuffed marlin has been stolen and there’s a weird rumor that the marlin is linked to a missing treasure. Birdie and Bowser decide to investigate and things quickly become puzzling and dangerous.

Secondhand Dogs  – Carolyn Crimi, 2021Dog 12

Miss Lottie’s home is for second chances. When she adopts the dogs Gus, Roo, Tank, and Moon Pie, they become a family. But when a new dog, Decker, arrives and tries to hoard Miss Lottie’s heart and home for himself, the pack is threatened. Things go from bad to worse as Decker’s presence causes strife in the group. When Decker convinces Moon Pie to embark on an impossible journey, it’s up to Gus to gather courage, rally the pack, and bring the little dog home.

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Not enough books for your bite? Check out this link. Or if you’re interested in reading a dog-themed award winner or well-loved classic during National Dog Month, try one from my bookshelf:

Dog bookshelf

Or … if you are more of a cat lover, click here.

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Great reads to celebrate National Poet’s Day!

By on August 21, 2023   /   Articles, Book Lists  

Yay for National Poet’s Day!

To celebrate this day dedicated to creating and appreciating poetry, the following are some great titles featuring works for middle-grade readers.

Let’s start with the classic, Where the Sidewalk Ends, written by Shel Silverstein. This special edition includes 12 bonus poems!

Shel Silverstein, the New York Times bestselling author of The Giving Tree, A Light in the Attic, Falling Up, and Every Thing On It, has created a poetry collection that is outrageously funny and deeply profound. Come in…for where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein’s world begins. 

You’ll meet a boy who turns into a TV set, and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist.

Shel Silverstein’s masterful collection of poems and drawings stretches the bounds of imagination and will be cherished by readers of all ages.

Next up is a title that begins with a quote from Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore “The Butterfly  Counts Not Months But Moments, and Has Time Enough.”

 Hope in the Valley is written by National Book Award Nominee, Mitali Perkins. Published by Farrar Strauss Giroux Books for Young Readers, July 2023.

Hope in the Valley,  is a middle-grade novel exploring grief, friendship, family, and growing up in a community facing a housing crisis.

Twelve-year-old Indian-American Pandita Paul doesn’t like change. She’s not ready to start middle school and leave the comforts of childhood behind. Most of all, Pandita doesn’t want to feel like she’s leaving her mother, who died a few years ago, behind. After a falling out with her best friend, Pandita is planning to spend most of her summer break reading and writing in her favorite secret space: the abandoned but majestic mansion across the street.

But then the unthinkable happens. The town announces that the old home will be bulldozed in favor of new—maybe affordable—housing. With her family on opposing sides of the issue, Pandita must find her voice—and the strength to move on—in order to give her community hope.

An award-winning, big-hearted time capsule of one class’s poems during a transformative school year. A great pick for fans of Margarita Engle and Eileen Spinelli.

Eighteen kids,

one year of poems,
one school set to close.
Two yellow bulldozers
crouched outside,
ready to eat the building
in one greedy gulp.

But look out, bulldozers.

Ms. Hill’s fifth-grade class
has plans for you.
They’re going to speak up
and work together
to save their school.

Families change and new friendships form as these terrific kids grow up and move on in this whimsical novel-in-verse about finding your voice and making sure others hear it.

Leigh Lewis, daughter of poet J. Patrick Lewis, is the creator of Pirate Queens: Dauntless Women Who Dared to Rule the High Seas, National Geographic Kids, January 2022.

This wow-worthy book proves that women have been making their mark in all aspects of history—even the high seas!

Meet Ching Shih, a Chinese pirate who presided over a fleet of 80,000 men (by contrast, Blackbeard had some 300). Get the scoop on Anne Bonny who famously ran away from an arranged marriage to don trousers and brandish a pistol in the Bahamas. And there are more!

Each pirate profile includes a dramatic original poem presented against a backdrop of gorgeous full-color art by award-winning illustrator Sara Gómez Woolley. Each profile is followed by fascinating information about the real life and times of these daring (and dangerous!) women.

Vetted by the world’s leading pirate experts and historians, this book is a cool and edgy gift. It’s also perfect for any curious kid who dreams of adventure and for parents who are eager to show their tweens and teens that history is more diverse, daring, and surprising than what is typically found in textbooks.

Leigh also provides examples of the various forms of poetry used throughout this fun and exciting book!
Award-winning author and poet Nikki Grimes has produced many works of poetry, but this is one of our favorites. One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance, published by Bloomsbury Publishing, August 2020.
Nikki Grimes does not consider herself a bona fide storyteller, but, as she told an audience at the Library of Congress, she is happy to own the title Poet. Born and raised in New York City, Nikki began composing verse at the age of six and has been writing ever since that time. (nikkigrimes.com)
Inspired by the writers of the Harlem Renaissance, bestselling author Nikki Grimes uses “The Golden Shovel” poetic method to create wholly original poems based on the works of master poets like Langston Hughes, Georgia Douglas Johnson, Jean Toomer, and others who enriched history during this era.Each poem is paired with one-of-a-kind art from today’s most exciting African American illustrators–including Pat Cummings, Brian Pinkney, Sean Qualls, James Ransome, Javaka Steptoe, and many more–to create an emotional and thought-provoking book with timely themes for today’s readers.

A foreword, an introduction to the history of the Harlem Renaissance, author’s note, poet biographies, and index makes this not only a book to cherish, but a wonderful resource and reference as well.

A 2017 New York Public Library Best Kids Book of the Year

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2017, Middle Grade

A School Library Journal Best Book of 2017, Nonfiction

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The Magic of Writing Middle Grade: It’s All About Remembering the Child’s Perspective

By on July 23, 2023   /   Articles, Book Lists, Fiction, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers, Writing  

Middle grade is without a doubt magical.

And by magical, I don’t mean that it’s all witches, elixirs, and pixies. But there’s certainly plenty of that. You’ll find gobs of delicious magic in lauded books such as The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill and The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton.

However, middle grade encompasses so many kinds of books, from contemporary realistic fiction to science fantasy from biography to adventure.

What I mean by magic—is the magic of childhood itself. After all, middle grade focuses on kids ages 8 until twelve—the very center of childhood. This is when you’re old enough to have hours of independent time away from your parents and yet not ready for the individuation shuffle away from parents and caregivers. At this age, while friendships and peers rule the day, children seek the guidance of kind and wise mentors. This might be parents, teachers, coaches, club advisors or yes, a witch, wizard or conjurer.

However, you don’t need to write about mystical creatures like, say, unicorns in order to find magic. You just need to remember what it is like to be a child.

When I was writing one of my middle grades, Queen of Likes, I momentarily forget what it was like to be a kid. In that book, 12-year-old Karma Cooper gets her phone taken away. At first, I got right to this punishment and had Karma communicating her regret.

Wrong! I had forgotten what it felt like to be a seventh grader. Instead, I was writing the text like—gulp–a mom. At the time, I hated how my kids and their friends were on the phone in the car and didn’t talk to each other. I didn’t allow phones at the kitchen table. I constantly made them put their phones away. But a kid might feel different. She might feel as though Mom is patently unfair. In revision, I had to remember how Karma felt about her phone, not me, the Mom. When I had Karma name her phone Floyd, I got back into a child head space.

One of my favorite authors is Beverly Clearly because she remembered what it was like to be a child.

For example, Cleary’s Ramona Quimby, Age 8, focuses on tension over a beloved eraser. As an adult, it is too easy to forget the attachment that children have to small inanimate objects. Sometimes as grown-ups, we see things merely as tools whereas to a child an eraser is an entire sensory experience and imbued with magic. When Ramona first receives her eraser, this is how her new treasure is described: “smooth, pearly pink, smelling softly of rubber, and just right for erasing pencil lines.”

Unfortunately, this treasure is taken away from her on the bus by some boys. To an adult, losing an eraser may seem trivial, but to Ramona, it’s a catastrophe. From an eight-year-old perspective, it is not just a common school supply, but a “beautiful pink eraser.”

It’s so easy to forget what it’s like to be truly young. In order not to forget, my kids’ preschool teacher, Mz. Lori, would have us adults do this exercise.

  1. Lift up your hands over your head.
  2. Hold them there for 3-5 minutes (it’s not easy) and march in place.

That is what is feels like to be a young child out on a walk and holding an adult’s hand.

What do you do to get back into the child mindset?

Hillary Homzie is the author of the Ellie May chapter book series (Charlesbridge, 2018), Apple Pie Promises (Sky Pony/Swirl, 2018), Pumpkin Spice Secrets (Sky Pony/Swirl, 2017), Queen of Likes (Simon & Schuster MIX 2016), The Hot List (Simon & Schuster MIX 2011) and Things Are Gonna Be Ugly (Simon & Schuster, 2009) as well as the Alien Clones From Outer Space (Simon & Schuster Aladdin 2002) chapter book series. She’s also a contributor to the Kate the Chemist middle grade series (Philomel Books/Penguin Random House). And her nonfiction picture book, If You Were a Princess: True Stories of Brave Leaders From Around the World is a look at historical and current princesses from many diverse lands who have made their mark (Simon & Schuster, August 2022). During the year, Hillary teaches at Sonoma State University. In the summer, she teaches in the graduate program in children’s literature, writing and illustration at Hollins University. She also is an instructor for the Children’s Book Academy.

She can be found at hillaryhomzie.com and on Instagram, her Facebook page as well as on Twitter

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