★★★★★ UPDATE: All the Blues in the Sky is the 2026 John Newbery Award Winner!! Wow, this is a beautifully written, incredibly moving novel in verse about 13-year-old Sage who has just lost her best friend. Renee Watson's ability to put into words the feelings, the confusion, the conflicting and raw emotions surrounding the death… Continue reading Book Review: All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson
Tag: 7th grade readers
Book Recommendation: Louder Than Hunger by John Schu
Louder Than Hunger took my breath away. It is a heartbreaking but inspiring novel in verse. It was a 2025 Schneider Family Book Award Honor, and I think it is a great read that leads to better understanding and compassion for kids who are having mental health struggles. I will read it with my children… Continue reading Book Recommendation: Louder Than Hunger by John Schu
Book Recommendation: Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson
Freewater is the 2023 John Newbery Award and Coretta Scott King Book Award winning novel that I wholeheartedly recommend to upper elementary and middle grade readers. It is a beautifully written and inspiring story about two young runaway slaves who escape deep into the swamp and find a hidden community of formerly enslaved people called… Continue reading Book Recommendation: Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson
Birdie's Bookshelf 