anniefwrites's reviews
394 reviews

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

A true heartbreaker. King’s story is so vivid in its emotion that you feel everything right alongside him.  The Louisiana setting was so vibrant and real, and the characters complex. This is the kind of book that allows for the nuance that kids so sorely need reflected back at them. Feeling hopeful for King and real kids like him. 

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

At least my second time reading, and it’s still so unique in the landscape of kids’ lit. I think a lot of readers today would find the way L’Engle combines  religion and science a bit unsettling (as many have in the past), but she does so with unabashed purpose. I love how flawed and real Meg is and the ways she faces difficulty and fear with unwanted courage. It’s a strange book, but irreplaceable. 

Booked: Graphic Novel by Kwame Alexander

emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

A strong balance between the lighthearted day-to-day life of an 8th-grade soccer player and his emotional struggles with family, friends, girls, and health. 

A Dickens Anthology by Charles Dickens

funny lighthearted reflective slow-paced

A nice primer to get a feel for Dickens’s writing style. A bit hard to understand completely out of context, though. 

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science by Joyce Sidman

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

A super interesting dive into the life of a (largely) forgotten woman scientist. Sidman weaves together European history, art history, entomology, religion and more with a clear, compelling narrative. Plus, the imagery is gorgeous. 

Mexikid by Pedro Martín

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

A fun and bittersweet venture into life as a Mexican-American kid in the ‘70s. The humor is irreverent and silly—perfect for the age range of this book’s readers—but the tough parts tug at the heartstrings. I imagine lots of young readers will be able to see themselves in this epic journey!

The Crossover: Graphic Novel by Kwame Alexander

emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

A vivid, fast-paced story that tackles family, loss, and basketball with lots of heart. The art style suited the tone and pace of the book well. 

Far from Shore: Chronicles of an Open Ocean Voyage by Sophie Webb

adventurous informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

A really lovely, lengthy picture book about science, travel, and marine wildlife. The illustrations were my favorite part—they were scientifically accurate but also so beautiful!

Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk by Kathleen Hanna

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

Wow wow wow. I've learned quite a bit about Kathleen Hanna's life and work from the documentary The Punk Singer and the historical journalism in the book Girls to the Front. But hearing from Hanna through her own voice and memories made such a different impact. If Britney Spears's memoir exposes the institutional forces (including her family) that abused a star musician, then Kathleen Hanna's exposes the interpersonal violence that a star musician in the underground scene can face. It is honestly amazing that Hanna is still with us, still performing, still learning, after all the truly brutal abuse she faced at the hands of men through nearly her entire life. The book also digs deep into her role as a de facto leader of a movement that was supposed to be radically egalitarian. She owns up to a lot of her mistakes in a matter-of-fact way that I think all white feminists can look to as an example. Her humor, passion, and raw honesty practically spill out of the pages. I wish more people would learn about her and the amazing, flawed world that was Riot Grrrl.

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

An accessible, heartwarming (and at times heart-wrenching) glimpse into the life of a young refugee. Jude is such a loveable character, and that makes the trials she faces as a Muslim Syrian refugee living in Ohio tug at your heartstrings even more. I think verse is the perfect form for this kind of narrative, one that focuses on the intricacies of language, both learning and remembering, and the disjointed nature of moving to a new place. This would be a perfect entry point for discussing conflict in other countries with a young reader.