Kidzone Blog
Picture Books That Inspire Joy and Encourage Play
The Classroom Bookshelf, a School Library Journal blog, is one of my favorite resources. Their mission statement says it all. "Our mission here is twofold: to review the most recent works of children’s and young adult literature and to provide you with a variety of ideas and resources to help you incorporate these texts into your K-12 classroom teaching." A post from September, Picture Books That Inspire Joy and Encourage Play, seemed a perfect match for this bustling holiday season. We're so busy, we often don't take time to have fun. And we're so stressed that joy seems an impossibility. Read the post, then find the titles at Hoover Public Library. And then, my friends, experience JOY.
Joy by Corrinne Averiss
High Five by Adam Rubin
The Panda Problem by Deborah Underwood

2019 ALSC Graphic Novel Reading Lists
My mom has a new favorite phrase. I hear her say it at least once every time I talk to her. When we took a road trip to see family in Illinois this August, I heard it a lot. A LOT! What is this favorite phrase? It's a thing.
Guess what? Graphic novels? It's a thing. Actually, it's THE thing right now. And, while kids love them, many adults are still trying to figure them out. I'm here to help. Not because I'm some graphic novel expert . . . because I'm not. I'm trying to figure them out, too! But the Assocation for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, has issued their 2019 Graphic Novel Lists. There are three printable lists: Gr K-2, Gr 2-5, and Gr 6-8. Use them to help your kids find books at the library. Or use them to find the perfect surprise for your graphic novel reader this holiday season.
