It's We Recommend, in which we use our superpowers to find readers the perfect book. Got a kid who needs a recommendation? Write us at thediamondinthewindow (at) gmail (dot) com with the age, reading tastes, favorite books, and any other relevant (or irrelevant) information, and we'll give it a shot. And really? All the good suggestions are in the comments.
Here's another side of the story. Just as you don't necessarily want your super-reading 8-year-old to be reading about making out, so too do the not-as-ready-to-read-right-now 8-year-olds to be reading about, you know, bunnies.
This is how I found out about Katie Woo:
I am an elementary librarian and I have two girls (third graders, but reading at the early second grade level) who have read all of the Katie Woo books, loved them and are struggling to find a new series. Any suggestions? I tried the series, Max and Zoe, but that hasn't captured their interest.Thanks in advance, for any help that you can give me. They come to the LMC everyday looking for a new book, so I hope I can offer something soon that they will like! I want to keep them reading!
OK, people, they are coming EVERY DAY. Clearly, we have to do something. So I went and checked out Katie Woo. Here's what we're looking at:
Now I want you to take a look at those shoes, please. Those are some happening shoes. Those are the shoes that girl who is in third grade might want to read about, you know?
So, how do we find something that will be at a comfortable reading level for these young ladies, but will also be thrilling enough to keep them reading? My first thought was Iris and Walter (though—correct me if I'm wrong—isn't there a terrible movie about adult illiteracy with Robert DeNiro and Jane Fonda by the same name? I saw it on a plane 100 years ago). But then I worry, too, that those won't have enough pizazz. I want to offer these girls some pizazz. I guess they also might go for Fancy Nancy or one of those, but there needs to be some sass, is what I'm sensing. So, here goes: I am a little bit worried that the small type will stymie them, but at the same time: I think this might be love. Who am I talking about? Why, Babymouse of course.
I am not totally, totally sure, though, because nothing is worse than giving a kid a book that is too hard and turning them off.
So, librarians, teachers, parents, readers: what do you think? Got any sassy, exciting, easy-to-read books for a pair of young ladies? Apparently they need an answer soon.
