AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATOR AMANDA DAVIS  ABOUT SOMETIMES STORMY           INTERVIEW:   GOODREADSWITHRONNA: Welcome to the blog, Amanda! What was your inspiration for Sometimes Stormy?   AMANDA DAVIS: Sometimes Stormy started out as a rhyming poem that I wrote my freshman year of college called, Monster. The poem explored the idea of what it was like to live with a father who struggled with alcohol use disorder. That’s part of my life story and an experience that has shaped who I am today and my passion for telling stories that some might consider difficult. I…

  AS EDWARD IMAGINED: A Story of Edward Gorey in Three Acts Written by Matthew Burgess Illustrated by Marc Majewski (Knopf BYR; $19.99, Ages 4-8)         Starred reviews - Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal A NEW YORK TIMES/NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST ILLUSTRATED CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR! REVIEW: If you're looking for a fascinating picture book biography, look no further than As Edward Imagined: A Story of Edward Gorey in Three Acts, written by Matthew Burgess and illustrated by Marc Majewski. I was first introduced to Gorey's foreboding and darkly comical art when I developed a love…

    NANCY BESS HAD A DRESS Written by Claire Annette Noland Illustrated by Angela C. Hawkins (Gnome Road Publishing; $18.99, Ages 4-8)           Nancy Bess Had a Dress, written by Claire Annette Noland and illustrated by Angela C. Hawkins, is a feel-good read-aloud that works on many levels. First, it's historical fiction set in late 1930s rural America; second, it's about watching your pennies when times are tough; and last but not least, it highlights a young girl's ingenuity in repurposing a flour sack.         When Nancy and her mom go to…

    THE WAYS WE SAY "I LOVE YOU" Written and illustrated by Caroline Hadilaksono (Orchard Books; $18.99, Ages 4-8)           Publisher Description: For some families, saying 'I love you' comes out easily. For others, they show 'I love you' in other caring ways. Author-illustrator Caroline Hadilaksono's sweet story explores the many thoughtful ways we show our love to each other, whether it's spending time together or hidden in a 'have you eaten yet?' Review:   As I read her thoughtfully crafted picture book The Ways We Say "I Love You," I felt as if author-illustrator…

ADDIE AND THE AMAZING ACROBATS Written and illustrated by Shauna Cagan (Hippo Park; $18.99, Ages 4-8)           This is the story of three bat best friends: Addie, Jude, and Ben, whose favorite things to do are swooping, flipping, and somersaulting their nights away in Addie And The Amazing Acrobats. This debut picture book by author-illustrator and preschool teacher Shauna Cagan tells the story of “Superstar” Addie, who is confronted with a choice between her best friends and the fame of joining the legendary Big Bat Circus.         Cagan pulls the reader into the story…

e GoodReadsWithRonna.com is thrilled to be back for our 13th year supporting Read Your World, this time as a Co-Host!! We hope you'll visit the Giant Linky below to access all the other great diverse books reviewed from board books to young adult. Please scroll down after reading this review for many more details about Read Your World.     THE COLOR OF SOUND Written by Emily Barth Isler (CarolRhoda Books; $19.99, Ages 11-14)         ★Starred Review - Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal REVIEW: In the opening paragraph of Emily Barth Isler's The Color of Sound, readers…

e GoodReadsWithRonna.com is thrilled to be back for our 13th year supporting Read Your World, this time as a Co-Host!! We hope you'll visit the Giant Linky below to access all the other great diverse books reviewed, from board books to young adults. Please scroll down after reading this review for many more details about Read Your World.   EIGHTEEN FLOWERS FOR GRANDMA: A Gift of Chai Written by Alison Goldberg Illustrated by Jesse White (Red Comet Press; $19.99, Ages 4-7)   e   REVIEW: Eighteen Flowers for Grandma: A Gift of Chai, written by Alison Goldberg and illustrated by…

WHILE WE'VE BEEN ON BREAK     Dear Children's Book Loving Friends of GoodReadsWithRonna.com, My husband and I were visiting our children overseas when news of the devastating fires in Los Angeles reached us by way of our wonderful catsitter. She wanted us to know that our town and hers were being evacuated. When we learned that one fire, the #EatonFire, was less than three miles from where we lived, we knew we had to cut our trip short and return home. We were lucky our home and immediate neighbors were safe. However, many of this blog's friends were not…