With a Name Like Love is a new book by Tess Hilmo that explores themes of friendship, pursuit of what’s right, and standing up for someone who is unpopular. Geared to readers aged 9 to 12, it will resonate with those even older. In a previous post, author Tess Hilmo offered her thoughts on The [...]

Julie is thinking of nothing more than sneaking makeup from her friend’s mom and getting boys to notice her as she finishes summer term of Year Six. Then one day Mongolian brothers Chingis and Nergui appear in her classroom, and they appoint her their “good guide,” the person who will help them learn about their [...]

Ariel loves to cook. It helps her forget about the fact that she already has a huge chest that the eighth grade boys love to stare at, and that her family can really embarrass her sometimes. She especially loves to cook for her best friends, Nicki and M, and they can talk about anything that’s [...]

Penny and her parents live a rather privileged though somewhat isolated life in New York City. One day Penny is feeling rather bored and writes a wish to throw into the fountain in her back yard: “I wish something interesting would happen when I least expect it, just like in a book.” The next thing [...]

Today I’m featuring a review and a giveaway in the newest title in the popular Ivy and Bean series. It’s called Ivy +Bean: What’s the Big Idea. It’s a really cute book about friendship and creativity. Please leave a comment here by midnight (PST) Wednesday, December 8 for your chance to win. Here’s my review: [...]

The last thing Mia wants to do is spend the summer with her grandparents in their home on the Caribbean island of Bambarra. She was supposed to be at a camp with her best friend, but instead she’s stuck with her little brother, no cell phone, no TV and a grandma who is strict. Mia [...]

Noonie is sure that she will someday be a famous artist. She knows many well-known artists go through periods where they focus on color, and she herself has been through a blue period. This came after her mom died while she was in kindergarten and her dad’s job as an archeologist took him to locations [...]

Evie’s new neighbor Francesca is a free spirit who wears wild clothes, always seems to be upbeat, and has her own ideas about the importance of homework. First thrown together by Evie’s mom and Francesca’s aunt, the two of them soon bond over a school project and a little matchmaking. But Evie’s long time friends [...]