New favorite on the sidebar.

For a year or two my sidebar has said this: "My latest favorite illustrator is Barbara McClintock. Of her books, my favorite is Dahlia. She also deserves credit for drawing the cutest Gingerbread Man in town. I think he's even cuter than Jan Brett's Gingerbread Baby, and that's saying a lot!" Time to update, I have a new favorite! See new sidebar for details.

Now a solid fan of Gary D. Schmidt!

What Came from the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A blend of Tolkien-esque battle and history, the Golem story from Jewish folklore, and contemporary realistic fiction, all of which are done well! This writer continues to impress me.

View all my reviews

Also quite good.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Like real life, a chronological progression of small defeats and victories, with no climactic "final battle between good and evil", yet enjoyable in its verisimilitude. I absolutely loved that it was Holling who rescued his sister.

View all my reviews

A powerhouse of a good read!

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The events flowed and fit together in an unavoidable fate. Characters were villains sometimes, and other times not, because of their human frailty.

View all my reviews