Showing posts with label End of Year Lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label End of Year Lists. Show all posts

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Favorite Reads of 2013

Wow!  2013 was quite a year for books.  I kept getting nervous while choosing the next book since I kept reading good books.  I was ready to be let down, but thankfully there were very few let downs for me.  Please enjoy the following top 5s from my reading year.  Let it be noted that these lists haven't been balanced in any way...they are my from the heart favs!

Top 5 Picture Books

What the Heart Knows: Chants, Charms and Blessings, by Joyce Sidman
The Mighty Lalouche, by Matthew Olshan
Ball, by Mary Sullivan
The Day the Crayons Quit, by Drew Daywalt
A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin, by Jen Bryant







Top 5 Tween Books

P.S. Be Eleven, by Rita Willaims-Garcia
Flora & Ulysses, by Kate DiCamillo
Seeing Red, by Kathryn Erskine
The Real Boy, by Anne Ursu
From Norvelt to Nowhere, by Jack Gantos







Top 5 YA Books

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, by Holly Black
Boxers & Saints, by Gene Luen Yang
Proxy, by Alex London
Winger, by Andrew Smith
Paper Valentine, by Brenna Yovanoff

Saturday, December 01, 2012

Tweendom's Top Ten of Twenty-Twelve

How's that for alliteration!

This has been a phenomenal year for books.  For picture books, middle grade and YA.  I don't envy those folks on award committees because those discussions are going to be *fierce*!  This year, I simply couldn't pare things down to 5, so here are my favorite reads of the year.  If they haven't appeared on Welcome to my Tweendom before now, they will shortly!

Splendors and Glooms, by Laura Amy Schlitz 
        This creepy Victorian story had me reading under the covers deep into the night!









Liar & Spy, by Rebecca Stead
        A NYC mystery slash family story that is incredibly authentic and thoughtful.









Drama, by Raina Telgemeier
        Pitch perfect graphic novel about crushes, theater kids and family life.










Starry River of the Sky, by Grace Lin
        Lush and magical storytelling matched with extraordinary pacing.










See You At Harry's, by Jo Knowles
        A family story that packs an emotional punch.










Three Times Lucky, by Sheila Turnage
        A countrified mystery filled with characters to love.










The Great Unexpected, by Sharon Creech
       A genre busting layers story that is simply beautiful.











One Year at Coal Harbor, by Polly Horvath
       Horvath is back with signature quirk and memorable characters.










Wonder, by R.J. Palacio
        A first novel that speaks to kids and adults alike...it will leave you thinking.









The Secret Tree, by Natalie Standiford
      A small town mystery slash friendship story complete with roller derby, mystery boys and changing relationships.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

The Top 5


Well, it's that time of year again.  The time of the lists.  The time that I *love*!  It's been a pretty stellar year in kidlit this year, and I found myself arranging and rearranging my Top 5 list.  This year, unlike previous years, I am sticking to the tween titles.  This list doesn't attempt to be balanced at all.  And of course, there are only the titles that I read that I am considering.  That said, the list is pretty sweet, if I do say so myself!

What Happened on Fox Street, by Tricia Springstubb

The Kneebone Boy, by Ellen Potter

One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia


Turtle in Paradise, by Jennifer L. Holm

So there you have it!

What are your favourite 2010 books for tweens?