Book Lists!

When you work in a school, there are some topics that permeate conversations and crop up in every corner of life as an educator. Usually, they’re tangled up with buzzwords: engagement, data-driven instruction, differentiation… you could make a pretty long list. My fellow teacher-authors are probably making one even now as they read these words. Sometimes we get so deep into the weeds on topics like this that we forget why we’re talking about them in the first place. That can definitely happen with my all-time favorite buzzword: inclusion.   There’s a lot to unpack in that word. As a special educator, I’ve been a part of panels, focus groups, school-wide initiatives—and I have at least three t-shirts (because if you don’t get a t-shirt, did it even really happen?). But the human side of inclusion—the story—can sometimes get lost in all the planning and coordinating. That’s when the author in me turns back to the books that, in recent...

Yesterday was the first day of Spring here in the US, and goodness am I ready for some renewal, rebirth, and growth. In the spirit of all things new and hopeful, I thought I’d round up a list of books with a Spring-vibe for you all. Nature: Let’s get outside....

Spring is right around the corner, and along with it comes the blooming of flowers. What better time to highlight anthologies! The Greek word anthology is made up of anthos, which means flowers and logia, which means collections. I invite you to check out these five, recently published short story...

I always love bringing attention to new nonfiction books for kids and this is a GOOD one! I’m delighted to welcome author Cindy Jens0n-Elliott to the Mixed-Up Files Blog today.   She will be talking about her new book, The Doomsday Detectives   Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection 2025...

It’s Blue Book Cover Month over here at the Diversity in MG Lit corner. I’m going to open with a book I blurbed this year. It’s a perfect choice for Black History Month by an author I truly admire not just for the quality of her writing by for her...

Presidents’ Day serves as a reminder of the role of the president and the foundational values of our democracy. Today and every day, it’s important to teach children about the responsibilities of leadership, including checks and balances and the democratic process. Here are some books for kids that focus on...

I grew up as the youngest of five very ordinary children. Well, we each had our individual personalities, preferences, and idiosyncrasies, but we were mainstream in the obvious ways — like being right-handed.   So, when my niece’s son turned out to be left-handed, it was a source of great...