Kidsmomo

On January 19th, Daniel asked us for some book recommendations:

I am looking for a good book but it takes to long to find one . I like sports realistic fiction and short stories do you know a good book for me.

Thanks for sending your question, Daniel!

Sports Realistic Fiction:

With the Super Bowl right around the corner, let’s kick off with sports books. (Get it? Kick off! Ha ha ha. I slay myself…)

• To get in the mood for this year’s match-up between the Patriots and the Eagles, look no further than this list of Books for the Super Bowl.
• For other sports, check out this Super Sports booklist, with stories involving hockey, baseball, swimming, and more.
• When I think of sports novels, two authors jump to mind right away: Mike Lupica and Tim Green. Kidsmomo readers like you have shared reviews for several of Lupica and Green’s books (such as Rivals, The Underdogs, and Heat), so see what they have to say!
• Until recently, I would have said that sports realistic fiction = novels. But author Kwame Alexander proves that sports realistic fiction = poetry too! Check out Kidsmomo reader reviews for his two sports books in verse: The Crossover (about basketball) and Booked (about soccer).

Short Stories:

And now, time for a short list of short stories. (Get it? A short list of short stories! Ha ha ha ha ha. I slayed myself again…) Official descriptions from the authors and book publishers:

Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan
Tales from Outer Suburbia is an anthology of 15 very short illustrated stories. Each one is about a strange situation or event that occurs in an otherwise familiar suburban world; a visit from a nut-sized foreign exchange student, a sea creature on someone’s front lawn, a new room discovered in a family home, a sinister machine installed in a park, a wise buffalo that lives in a vacant lot.

Wayside School Series by Louis Sachar
There’d been a terrible mistake. Wayside School was built with 30 classrooms one on top of the other instead of next to each other! (The builder said he was very sorry.) That may be why all kinds of funny things happen at Wayside School… especially on the 13th floor. You’ll meet Mrs. Gorf, the meanest teacher of all; terrible Todd, who always gets sent home early; and John, who can read only upside down — along with all the other kids in the crazy mix-up school that came out sideways.

Guys Read books by 90+ authors
Check out any or all of the Guys Read Library of Great Reading short story collections: Funny Business, True Stories, The Sports Pages, Other Worlds, Thriller, Terrifying Tales, Heroes and Villains.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series by Alvin Schwartz
Walking corpses, dancing bones, knife-wielding madmen, and narrow escapes from death — they’re all here in this chilling collection of ghost stories. Make sure you read these books with the light ON!

13: Thirteen Stories That Capture the Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen
[Note from Kidsmomo: This book is recommended for ages 12 and up.] Thirteen. It’s an age of wonder… or dread. The best year of your life… or maybe the worst ever. You’ve just become an official teenager, even though you’re not quite sure you feel like one, but you’re no longer a kid, either. Here, from 14 different points of view, are stories about that wonderful, terrible time. The big bar mitzvah that goes suddenly, wildly, hilariously out of control. A first kiss — and a realization about one’s sexual orientation. A crush on a girl that ends up putting the boy who likes her in the hospital. A pair of sneakers that a kid has to have, no matter what. Written by some of today’s finest writers for young adults, these stories — by turns funny and sad, wrenching and moving — truly capture the agony and ecstasy of being 13.

Are you like Daniel and looking to add to your reading list, but not sure what to read next? Ask Kidsmomo a question in the form below!

Kids: Ask your parents or teachers for approval before you submit anything to us, and read our Privacy Policy Statement.

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In early December 2017, Damien asked us for some book recommendations:

Hey I’m looking for fantasy and funny books for more great ideas please

Thanks for sending your question, Damien! There are soooooooooooooo many good fantasy books and hilarious stories out there, we could probably spend all of 2018 working on a response. But that wouldn’t be very helpful, now would it? So we’re doing everyone a favor and starting with the basics:

Classic Kidsmomo booklists:

• Fantastic Fantasy Series
• LOL-Hilarious Books
• More Haha-Hilarious Books

Between those three lists, you’ll find 40 recommendations for fantasy and funny books that you might enjoy.

But if you’re looking for something a bit newer, here are some other ideas:

Mythology/Adventure Books We Recently Recommended:

• The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
• Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
• The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz
• The Door in the Alley by Adrienne Kress

New Fantasy Picks:

• The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken
• Fish Girl, written by Donna Jo Napoli and illustrated by David Wiesner
• The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi
• The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
• The Glass Town Game by Catherynne M. Valente
• The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart

New Funny Books:

• Grandpa’s Great Escape by David Walliams
• Lint Boy by Aileen Leijten
• Ms. Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson
• Olga & the Smelly Thing from Nowhere by Elise Gravel
• Pottymouth and Stoopid by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
• Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Are you like Damien and looking to add to your reading list, but not sure what to read next? Ask Kidsmomo a question in the form below!

Kids: Ask your parents or teachers for approval before you submit anything to us, and read our Privacy Policy Statement.

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On November 17, 2017, an anonymous Kidsmomo reader asked us for a book recommendation:

i’m looking for mythology or adventure books. I have read a lot of them, so I need new ideas

Thanks for sending your question, anonymous reader! Mythology or adventure books are very popular and very plentiful, so finding a good one to read is always a QUEST in itself! And narrowing down a list can be quite the adventure:

*WE* are going on an adventure, anonymous reader!

Newer Books You Might Enjoy:

• The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
• Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
• The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz
• The Door in the Alley by Adrienne Kress

Some Old-School Picks:

• Dragon’s Milk (The Dragon Chronicles) by Susan Fletcher
• Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles) by Patricia C. Wrede
• The Will of the Empress (Circle Reforged series) by Tamora Pierce
• The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix
• Quicksilver by Stephanie Spinner
• The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

And last but never least, the Usual Suspects:

• The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• Any and all books by Rick Riordan
• The Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer
• Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland
• School for Good and Evil series by by Soman Chainani
• The Brotherband series by John Flanagan
• Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
• Spirit Animals series (various authors)
• His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman
• Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis

Note: Just the list above is 100+ books! But… winter break is just around the corner…

Are you looking to add to your reading list, but not sure what to read? Ask Kidsmomo a question in the form below!

Kids: Ask your parents or teachers for approval before you submit anything to us, and read our Privacy Policy Statement.

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On June 21, 2017, Kidsmomo reader Cassie asked us for some award-worthy book recommendations:

I love all books and do you have any books for the Newbery?

That’s a great question, especially now that we’re halfway to the next Newbery announcements (which will be in January 2018). Cassie, I’m going to answer your question two ways:

1. Potential Newbery Winners Worth Reading:

There are several blogs out on the interwebs that identify books that are getting lots of buzz and might be Newbery contenders. So I’m going to let those blogs do the work for me, and give you their suggestions:

From 100 Scope Notes:

– The Ethan I Was Before
– Orphan Island
– The Someday Birds
– Thick as Thieves
– See You in the Cosmos
– Me and Marvin Gardens
– Wishtree
– Scar Island
– The Pearl Thief

From Heavy Medal:

– Isaac the Alchemist
– Let’s Clap, Jump, Sing & Shout; Dance, Spin & Turn It Out
– The March Against Fear
– Me and Marvin Gardens
– One Last Word
– Pathfinders: The Journeys of Sixteen Extraordinary Black Souls
– Princess Cora and the Crocodile
– Thick as Thieves
– The Warden’s Daughter

2. Newbery Medal Winners I Love:

The American Library Association has been giving out Newbery awards since 1922, so that means there are A LOT of winners out there. Below are my particular favorites — selected just from the Medal winners. (If I were to include Newbery Honor recipients… forget it — the list would go on for days and days!)

• Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink (1936)
• From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg (1968)
• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (1978)
• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (1979)
• Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary (1984)
• Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (1986)
• Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli (1991)
• The Giver by Lois Lowry (1994)
• Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (1995)
• Holes by Louis Sachar (1999)
• Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis (2000)
• A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck (2001)
• Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (2011)
• Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos (2012)
• The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (2013)
• The Crossover by Kwame Alexander (2015)

Cassie, I hope that gives you some good ideas for what to read next — and potentially enough books to keep you busy all summer!

To the rest of you: If you’re like Cassie and want some customized book recommendations just for you, submit an Ask Kidsmomo question in the form below!

Kids: Ask your parents or teachers for approval before you submit anything to us, and read our Privacy Policy Statement.

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— Karen

Okay, Karen can’t stop herself from mentioning some of the recent Newbery Honor books that she loves: Brown Girl Dreaming, El Deafo, Three Times Lucky, Inside Out & Back Again, One Crazy Summer… The list goes on and on! Literally. Like, here is the list of all the past winners ever.

More about Karen »

Recently, Kidsmomo reader Alexa asked us for book recommendations based on her interests:

Hello! My name is Alexa and I just finished reading the second series of Warrior Cats. My question is : Do you know of a good middle grade series like Warrior Cats?

Alexa, thanks for your question! First off, if you’ve only read two of the Warriors series, then you still have a bunch more to go. You’d think that at some point these catfighting clans would just want to all get along and sing Kumbaya together, but in fact these felines just keep up the drama — resulting in sooooooo many series about them:

Warriors- Dawn of the Clans #1- The Sun Trail

Warriors #1- Into the Wild_new cover

Warriors- The New Prophecy #1- Midnight

Warriors- Power of Three #1- The Sight

Warriors- Omen of the Stars #1- The Fourth Apprentice

A Vision of Shadows #1- The Apprentice's Quest

Warriors- Ravenpaw's Path #1- Shattered Peace

Warriors Super Edition- Yellowfang's Secret

• Dawn of the Clans
• Warriors (the original series)
• The New Prophecy
• Power of Three
• Omen of the Stars
• A Vision of Shadows
• Warriors Manga
• Warriors Super Editions

When you’re ready for a break from those crazy cats, then there are three other series also by Erin Hunter. Actually, Erin Hunter is six different authors. But these series are all published under the Erin Hunter name:

Seekers_Erin-Hunter

Survivors_Logo_Erin_Hunter

Bravelands_Logo_Erin_Hunter

• Seekers, about bears
• Survivors, about dogs
• Bravelands, about animals on the African plains

So, that should be enough books to last you until the year 3874. But after that, if your eyeballs haven’t fallen out from exhaustion, then you can check out these other series about warring animals:

Redwall Brian Jacques

The Tygrine Cat_Inbali Iserles

lone-wolf_wolves-of-the-beyond_kathryn-lasky

Varjak Paw_SF Said

• Redwall by Brian Jacques
• The Tygrine Cat and its sequel by Inbali Iserles
• Wolves of the Beyond by Kathryn Lasky
• Varjak Paw and its sequel by SF Said

Alexa, we hope that gives you some good ideas for what to read after Warriors!

To the rest of you: If you’re like Alexa and want some customized book recommendations just for you, submit an Ask Kidsmomo question in the form below!

Kids: Ask your parents or teachers for approval before you submit anything to us, and read our Privacy Policy Statement.

Your Name (optional):

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On October 30, 2016, Kidsmomo reader Aaron asked us for book recommendations based on his interests:

Is poetry nonfiction and fiction ? What is a good poetry book ?

Aaron, thank you for sending in your questions! Let’s go in order:

Is poetry nonfiction and fiction? Yes, it can be either! Poetry is really just a form for telling a story or sharing a message. In other words, it’s the content of the poem that determines whether it’s nonfiction or fiction. For example, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson and Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai are both books written in verse, both about girls growing up in the United States in the past. But Brown Girl Dreaming is a memoir about the author’s real life, while Inside Out and Back Again tells a fictional story. That makes Brown Girl Dreaming nonfiction and Inside Out and Back Again fiction, even though both books are in verse.

But if you’re just trying to figure out where to find poetry books at the library or bookstore, there’s usually a section specifically for books that are collections of poems, like Laugh-eteria and Bing Bang Boing by Douglas Florian.

Of course, if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, we can help with that too! That leads us to your second question: What is a good poetry book?

To start, check out our Books for Poetry Month blog post, which includes our personal picks:

• A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms, written by Paul B. Janeczko and illustrated by Chris Raschka (Karen’s pick)
• Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein (Nancy’s pick)

You can also hear us talking about these books in the podcast episode, “Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue.”

Of course, Kidsmomo is all about connecting young readers with each other. So instead of just getting book recommendations from old fogeys like Karen and Nancy, check out these Reviews by You(th):

• Love That Dog and Hate That Cat by Sharon Creech
• A Pizza the Size of the Sun by Jack Prelutsky

Aaron, we hope that gives you some good ideas for your next read!

To the rest of you: If you’re like Aaron and want some customized book recommendations just for you, submit an Ask Kidsmomo question in the form below!

Kids: Ask your parents or teachers for approval before you submit anything to us, and read our Privacy Policy Statement.

Your Name (optional):

Your Message (required):

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On October 30, 2016, Kidsmomo reader Cassie asked us for book recommendations based on her interests:

I love to read Historical fiction and I need help . Do you have a idea

Cassie, thank you for sending in your question! Historical fiction happens to be one of Nancy’s favorite book genres, so this will be a piece of cake. Well, several pieces of cake, since there are so many interesting eras that authors can write about!

Nancy (post-Thanksgiving meal size) is on the historical fiction case!

To start, check out our Timeless Historical Fiction blog post, which includes many classics and our personal picks:

• A Long Way From Chicago and A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck (Karen’s pick)
• By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman (Nancy’s pick)

You can also hear us talking about these books in the podcast episode, “History Repeating”.

In addition to our Timeless Historical Fiction book list, you can also check out these books written after we compiled that list:

• Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes (post-Civil War 1860s)
• One Came Home by Amy Timberlake (1871)
• Salt: A Story of Friendship in a Time of War by Helen Frost (War of 1812)
• Stella by Starlight by Sharon Draper (1930s)
• Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk (1930s)
• Listening for Lucca by Suzanne M. LaFleur (World War II)
• The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (World War II)
• Night on Fire by Ronald Kidd (1960s)
• Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (1970s)
• Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai (Vietnam War, 1975)
• Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo (1975)
• One Crazy Summer, P.S. Be Eleven, and Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams-Garcia (1968)
• Finding Someplace by Denise Lewis Patrick (Hurricane Katrina, 2005)

sugar-jewell-parker-rhodes

One-Came-Home_Amy-Timberlake

salt-a-story-of-friendship-in-a-time-of-war

Stella by Starlight by Sharon M Draper

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk

listening-for-lucca

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

night-on-fire

Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm Matthew Holm

inside-out-and-back-again

raymie-nightingale

one-crazy-summer

ps-be-eleven

gone-crazy-in-alabama

finding-someplace_denise-lewis-patrick

If you’re not sure what era to travel to, check out Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan: The book sweeps across decades and continents, from Nazi Germany to Depression-era Pennsylvania, and more — all tied together by the power of music. Another story that spans multiple time periods is the beautifully illustrated book The Marvels by Brian Selznick.

Also, to our Kidsmomo visitors and Cassie, especially: If you’re interested in a specific era or type of historical fiction, feel free to submit another Ask Kidsmomo question in the form below and we’ll get right on it for you!

Kids: Ask your parents or teachers for approval before you submit anything to us, and read our Privacy Policy Statement.

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On June 16, 2016, Kidsmomo reader Emily asked us for book recommendations based on her interests:

I love teen paranormal romance books but I don’t know what I should read next.

Well, Emily, we’d love to help! A lot of thought, and then furious typing, immediately occurred when we saw your message:

Emily, teen paranormal romance books are very popular these days, but there are so many of them! To avoid a ridiculously long list, we’ve skipped over the most well-known series, like Twilight (for ages 13+). Click on the description links below to see the entirety of the official publisher overview for each book:

[Note: Some of these books are recommended for older readers, so take note of the age ranges listed under the titles.]

Never Ever by Sara Saedi
Ages 12+

Speedy Summary: Peter Pan retelling, flying, romance, family issues.

Wylie Dalton didn’t believe in fairy tales or love at first sight. Then she met a real-life Peter Pan.

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Ages 12+

Speedy Summary: Annie Oakley’s Wild West meets evil genies and mythical beasts a la Aladdin.

She’s more gunpowder than girl — and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Ages 12+

Speedy Summary: One of Nancy’s favorite series! Teenagers with special powers, and the government doesn’t know what to do with them. The romance is light, but really addicting.

When Ruby woke up on her 10th birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police.

Fallen by Lauren Kate
Ages 13+

Speedy Summary: Fallen angels, private school, a little cheesy, and lots of romance.

What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours?

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1) by Maggie Stiefvater
Ages 13+

Speedy Summary: A typical girl meets boy love story, but the boy happens to be a werewolf.

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf — her wolf — is a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without.

Soundless by Richelle Mead
Ages 12+

Speedy Summary: A fantasy set in China, deafness, and social class systems to deal with.

For as long as Fei can remember, no one in her village has been able to hear.

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury
Ages 12+

Speedy Summary: Another retelling of Aladdin, with a female genie that totally kicks butt (and possibly falls in love with him).

She is the most powerful Jinni of all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world…

And if you decide to take a break from paranormal romance after reading all the awesomely romantic books described above, then check out our answers to other “Ask Kidsmomo” questions!

• Ask Kidsmomo: Sisters
• Ask Kidsmomo: Cats & More
• Ask Kidsmomo: Freak the Mighty

If any readers — especially Emily! — decide to read any of these books, please leave us a review! And if there are any other Kidsmomo readers unsure about what to read next, feel free to submit an Ask Kidsmomo question below:

Kids: Ask your parents or teachers for approval before you submit anything to us, and read our Privacy Policy Statement.

Your Name (optional):

Your Message (required):

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On 12/30/2015, Kidsmomo reader Marie asked us for book recommendations:

Freak the mighty
what is another book like this

A little about Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick, from the publisher:

Two boys — a slow learner stuck in the body of a teenage giant and a tiny Einstein in leg braces — forge a unique friendship when they pair up to create one formidable human force.

When we saw your message, Marie, we immediately began thinking about it:

Here are some suggestions:

• Tangerine by Edward Bloor
• Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
• Rules by Cynthia Lord
• Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements
• Bluish by Virginia Hamilton
• When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt

out-of-my-mind

rules-cynthia-lord

Things Not Seen

Bluish by Virginia Hamilton

when-zachary-beaver-came-to-town

If any readers (especially Marie!) decide to read any of these books, please leave us a review! And if you have a recommendation for Marie, definitely leave it in the comments!

And, as always, if any other Kidsmomo readers are unsure about what to read next or have a question about a book, feel free to submit an Ask Kidsmomo question here:

Kids: Ask your parents or teachers for approval before you submit anything to us, and read our Privacy Policy Statement.

Your Name (optional):

Your Message (required):

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On October 2, Kidsmomo reader Sophia asked us:

What kind of story is Sisters?

Well, Sophia, you’ve asked the right website! Intense typing immediately occurred when we saw your message:

We love Pusheen! This image doctored by Kidsmomo.

Sisters is a graphic novel (kind of like a comic book) written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier, who also wrote and illustrated Smile and Drama. Both Smile and Sisters are autobiographical — meaning, the story is about Raina’s own life.

Sisters is a really funny and sweet account of Raina taking a road trip from California to Colorado with her mom, her younger sister Amara, and their baby brother. But it’s not all fun and games in the car. You might have guessed that from the hilarious cover illustration!

In the book, there are also flashbacks to when Raina was still an only child (and really wanted a little sister) and to when Amara was a toddler.

This book is perfect if you like stories in any of these categories:

• Illustrated
• A quick read
• Will make you laugh
• Cross-country hijinks
• If you relate to family bickering

Not convinced? Check out reviews for Sisters submitted by other readers just like you — the book has an almost perfect 5-star record!

You can read a 16-page excerpt on the official website, and here’s a peek at one of the flashback pages:

After you’ve read Sisters (and loved it), check out some other books you might like…

…about siblings:

• Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
• The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter
• The Tapper Twins Go to War by Geoff Rodkey
• Never Mind! by Avi and Rachel Vail

…that take place on a road trip:

• Hit the Road by Caroline B. Cooney
• United Tates of America by Paula Danziger
• The Vacation by Polly Horvath
• Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

…and more graphic novels:

• Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
• Drama by Raina Telgemeier
• Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, and Noelle Stevenson
• Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke

If any readers (especially Sophia!) decide to read any of these books (especially Sisters!), please leave us a review! And if there are any other Kidsmomo readers are unsure about what to read next or have a question about a book, feel free to submit an Ask Kidsmomo question below: