THE SISTERS OF STRAYGARDEN PLACE Written by Hayley Chewins (Candlewick Press; $16.99, Ages 10-14)       ★Starred Reviews - Kirkus, Publishers Weekly   I love books that don’t fit into a mold, where you can’t guess what comes next. Hayley Chewins’s The Sisters of Straygarden Place fulfills those things, plus it’s beautifully written. This middle-grade novel stands alone—in an amazing house that cares for three seemingly trapped sisters, Winnow, Mayhap, and Pavonine. Years ago, their parents left the girls this note, “Wait for us. Sleep darkly.” Outside, the house is surrounded by silver grass seeking opportunities to slither…

    AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR CANDY WELLINS ABOUT HER PICTURE BOOK THE STARS BECKONED: EDWARD WHITE’S AMAZING WALK IN SPACE (Philomel; $17.99, Ages 4-8)                           ★                      ★                     ★      SHORT SUMMARY: The Stars Beckoned: Edward White’s Amazing Walk In Space, written by Candy Wellins and illustrated by Courtney Dawson, is a lyrical picture book biography of Edward White, the first American to walk in space, and an…

STARLA JEAN (Book 1) Which Came First: The Chicken or the Friendship? Written by Elana K. Arnold Illustrated by A. N. Kang (Roaring Brook Press; $14.99, Ages 4-7)     ★Starred review - Kirkus   Starla Jean - Which Came First: The Chicken or the Friendship? is the first in a new early chapter book series by author Elana K. Arnold. Divided into four chapters and written in first-person, the book begins with Starla Jean and her father going to the park where Starla Jean happens upon a chicken. Her father tells her, “If you can catch it, you can keep…

e EARTH DAY 2021  ∼ A ROUNDUP ∼         ZONIA'S RAIN FOREST Written and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal (Candlewick Press; $17.99, Ages 4-8) ★Starred Reviews - Booklist, School Library Journal Meet Zonia who is Asháninka, the largest Indigenous group that calls the Peruvian Amazon home. While her mom nurses her new baby brother, Zonia frolics among the lush flora and fauna of her beautiful neighborhood, the Amazon Rain Forest, the world's largest.  This slice of life story introduces young readers to a part of the world whose existence is in danger of extinction as its natural resources…

PERDU Written and illustrated by Richard Jones (Peachtree Publishing; $17.99, Ages 4-8)     INTRO: Good Reads With Ronna is delighted to appear on day three (see schedule below) of the Perdu Blog Tour! I hope you'll take the time to not only read the book review, but to also watch all the fantastic videos that Peachtree Publishing has shared with us.   REVIEW: Richard Jones makes his welcome debut as both author and illustrator with this tale of a lost (perdu in French) dog seeking a forever family. And may I just add here that Perdu is precious! Both…

  AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR NONIEQA RAMOS  ABOUT HER DEBUT PICTURE BOOK  YOUR MAMA (Versify; $17.99, Ages 4 to 7)       SHORT SUMMARY: Yo’ mama so sweet, she could be a bakery. She dresses so fine, she could have a clothing line. And, even when you mess up, she’s so forgiving, she lets you keep on living. Heartwarming and richly imagined, Your Mama, written by NoNieqa Ramos and illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara, twists an old joke into a point of pride that honors the love, hard work, and dedication of mamas everywhere.   INTERVIEW WITH NONIEQA RAMOS: Colleen…

WATCH OVER ME By Nina LaCour (Dutton BYR; $17.99, Ages 12 and up)        ★Starred Reviews - Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal Sometimes I just want to read something different. I was in that kind of mood when coming across Nina LaCour’s YA, Watch Over Me. The striking cover caught my attention: a photo of a girl with downcast eyes and floating hair. When I opened the book, the image had altered slightly, showing her eyes and evoking an unsettling feeling. I couldn’t wait to get reading! The story begins with Mila leaving her kind (but,…

A ROUNDUP OF FIVE KIDS BOOKS ABOUT WORDS AND LANGUAGE I love wordplay, puns, and books about the English language in general. If you do too, did you know that means you're a linguaphile, a word nerd so to speak? I just learned that. This roundup of five kids books reviewed by Ronda Einbinder has something for everyone, word nerd or not.     NO READING ALLOWED:  The Worst Read-Aloud Book Ever Written by Raj Halder & Chris Carpenter Illustrated by Bryce Gladfelter (Sourcebooks Kids; $17.99; Ages 4 and up) Raj Haldar, aka American rapper Lushlife and co-author Chris Carpenter…