Happy summer-ish to readers near and far! In some areas of the US, teachers are out of school for the summer (congrats!). For others (like here in the PNW), we have a few weeks left but are feeling the giddy tug of those summer days and the delusional promise of all the summer reading we’re probably, definitely going to do.
This month, I’m sharing the highlights of a Fan Brothers author study and some standouts in graphics and middle grade.
Let’s get into it.
The Read-Aloud Test
It’s always a pleasure to introduce kids to an author for the first time, but all the more so when you see them fall in love. Such was the case when introducing my second and third graders to the Fan Brothers this month.
I’ve been reading Fan Brothers books aloud to kids for years now, and I think what I love most is how they balance gentleness and adventure. The storytelling feels cozy; the possibilities infinite. Here’s a trio of favorites from our author study unit:
The Barnabus Project: the picture book that most urgently needs to be made into a Pixar movie. Three cheers for a sequel, Barnaby Unboxed, coming in September.
Lizzy and the Cloud: the one that makes kids belt “Let It Go” when you get to a certain page turn if you read it just right. This one capitalizes on kids’ instincts as pet caretakers but takes a turn for the deliciously absurd when we see protagonist Lizzy so ardently caring for… a cloud!
The Night Gardener: an OG fave Fan Brothers book that many kids have missed since it was released in 2016 — a veritable lifetime ago to today’s kinders and firsties. I love how this one leaves open questions, and I revel in hearing kids explore them. Is it about mortality? Legacy? Community? Something else? Let the kids tell you.
Get Graphic
My Graphic Novel Favorites from May
The Egg Incident by Ziggy Hanaor: a reverse Humpty Dumpty with some of the most charming art I’ve seen in a comic this year. This one is going on my favorites of the year.
Lost and Found: Based on a True Story by Mei Yu: the short realistic graphic of my dreams. We need more short realistic graphic novels like this — perfect for the first or second-grader reaching for Raina Telgemeier but who would also benefit from social stories more connected to their own age. This one also does really interesting things with the experience of being a newly immigrated student immersed in a school speaking a language you do not understand while maintaining a bright and bouncy tone.
Wires Crossed by Beth Fantaskey, illustrated by ONeill Jones: a charming and authentic slice-of-life graphic for your fans of Kayla Miller. Highlights here include a diverse friend group, a really cool robotics project, and a plot that doesn’t feel the need to end with a romantic HEA for the crush drama subplot. Bonus: accessible font size!
Middle Grade
A New Favorite Middle Grade of 2024
The Underdogs of Upson Downs by Craig Silva: my new favorite middle grade of 2024 (and named the Children’s Book Council of Australia 2023 Book of the Year for Young Readers). She’s got short chapters, an underdog dog show story that will have you googling videos of agility courses, and a duo of villains so absurd they seem straight out of a Roald Dahl novel. A read-aloud dream.
If you want to dive deep into these titles and hear about even more books I read this month, tune in to tomorrow’s Reading Raves episode of my podcast, Book Delight with Chrissie Wright (available wherever you get your podcasts).
Are you reading something good?
Happy reading,
Chrissie
Glad more people are finding WIRES CROSSED!