Virginia Wolf by Kyo Maclear; ill. Isabelle Arsenault Kids Can Press, 2012 32 pages Fifty years ago, Maurice Sendak published Where The Wild Things Are--and all hell broke loose. Parents, educators, and politicians alike were horrified that anyone would produce a picture book centered around children's deepest, darkest emotions and fantasies. Most didn't want to … Continue reading Virginia Wolf
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley Random House, 2009 373 pages I think it was in one of my college lit classes that I first heard the term "antihero." Before that point, I had encountered the character type but had never had a name for it. For those who aren't … Continue reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Jessica
Jessica by Kevin Henkes Greenwillow Books, 1989 24 pages Kevin Henkes is one of my favorite author-illustrators for children. His perceptive, sometimes sly and snarky heroes and heroines are among the most engaging characters in picture book land. And his lovely little jewel-like illustrations beautifully capture the simultaneous limitations and limitlessness of a child's world, … Continue reading Jessica
Read Like a Girl 