What happens when Chris Harris, a producer known for his work on the T.V. show How I Met Your Mother, decides to take a stab at writing children’s literature? The answer is a book of poetry that will leave readers of all ages (even self-proclaimed “not poetry people”) laughing out loud. The full title gives… Read More
Staff Picks: “All the Answers”
Long before Jeopardy!, there was Quiz Kids, a trivia program for children that debuted on the radio in the 1940s. One of its stars was Chicago’s Joel Kupperman, who became a regular contestant at age six and charmed listeners with his precocious math skills. He received thousands of fan letters every week and bantered with… Read More
Staff Picks: “The Power”
What would happen if suddenly every woman on the planet had the power to electrocute others with the flick of her fingers? Naomi Alderman takes you on a terrifying ride that digs deep into human nature and how a sudden shift in the power dynamics between men and women can transform society. Set in… Read More
Staff Pick: “I am Alfonso Jones”
Alfonso Jones is shot and killed by an off-duty cop while shopping in a store for his first suit. He’s 15 years old. Thus begins his journey as a ghost through the NYC subway system, interacting with other spirits who were also murdered through gun violence. In Tony Medina’s I am Alfonso Jones, these stories… Read More
Staff Picks: “River of Teeth”
True story: In 1910, the United States was suffering from a meat shortage. In addition, an invasive plant, the water hyacinth, was choking U.S. waterways and hindering transportation. A bold idea was presented to Congress to import hippos from Africa and raise them in the bayous of Louisiana. The Hippos would eat the water hyacinths… Read More
Staff Picks: “You Hold Me Up”
You Hold Me Up is a picture book with gentle, rhythmic text that lists ways readers can show empathy and demonstrate care and respect for one another. You hold me up when you are kind to me when you share with me when you learn with me. You hold me up when you play with… Read More
Staff Picks: Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries
Unless you’re studying for the National Spelling Bee, you wouldn’t want to read the dictionary cover to cover. But books about the dictionary can be pretty compelling. Don’t believe me? Check out “Word by Word” by Kory Stamper. Written by an editor at Merriam-Webster, “Word by Word” takes us through the strange, complicated, and occasionally… Read More
Staff Picks: Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
It is hard for me to accurately describe how much I adore space. Everything about it, from the vastness to the composition of stars, has always fascinated me. That has mainly manifested itself in a love for all things science fiction, but luckily for me and everyone else who loves space, Neil deGrasse Tyson has… Read More
Staff Picks: Grand Canyon
Children’s author and artist Jason Chin is best known for his innovative spins on nonfiction topics, and his newest project, “Grand Canyon”, does not disappoint. This engaging picture book highlights one of America’s most beloved landforms. The text begins with the basics: “Rivers carve canyons. When they cut down into the earth, canyons grow deeper.… Read More
Staff Picks: Hamilton and Washington
Lin-Manuel Miranda read "Alexander Hamilton" by Ron Chernow on a beach in Puerto Rico and was inspired to create the musical, "Hamilton". The story of Alexander Hamilton is an amazing one. He was born poor in the Caribbean, immigrated to New York City just before the Revolution broke out, and ended up becoming Washington’s senior… Read More
