Growing Bookworms Newsletter: February 27th

Today I will be sending out the new issue of the Growing Bookworms email newsletter. (If you would like to subscribe, you can find a sign-up form here.) The Growing Bookworms newsletter contains content from my blog focused on children's and young adult books and raising readers. There are 1510 subscribers. Currently I am sending the newsletter out once every two to three weeks.

Newsletter Update: In this issue I have five book reviews (two picture books, two middle grade, and one young adult title) and one children's literacy roundup. I'm currently reading a lot, and blogging not so much, because I'm a bit under the weather. Hoping to be back up to speed soon...

Reading Update: Since the last newsletter, I read 6 middle grade, 1 young adult and 2 adult novels. (I said last time that I was planning a middle grade reading binge...)

• Natalie Babbitt: The Moon Over High Street. MDC Books (Scholastic). Completed February 19, 2012. My review.
• Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver: Ghost Buddy #1: Zero to Hero. Scholastic. Completed February 20, 2012 (ARC). My review.
• Lin Oliver: Sound Bender. Scholastic. Completed February 20, 2012 (ARC). Review to come.
• Sundee T. Frazier: Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It. Yearling. Completed February 25, 2012, on Kindle. Review to come.
• Eugene Yelchin: Breaking Stalin's Nose. Henry Holt. Completed February 25, 2012 (ARC). Review to come.
• Emily Ecton: Project Jackalope. Chronicle Books. Completed February 25, 2012. Review to come.
• Robin LaFevers: Grave Mercy: His Fair Assassin Trilogy, Book 1. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. Completed February 24, 2012. Review to come.
• Deborah Crombie: No Mark Upon Her. William Morrow. Completed February 14, on Kindle. This is the newest installment of the Duncan Kincaid / Gemma James series, which I love. I enjoyed this one, though I don't think it will stand as my favorite of the series.
• Janet Evanovich: Explosive Eighteen (A Stephanie Plum Novel). Bantam. Completed February 25, 2012, on MP3. This series is pure popcorn, and I enjoy listening to the books as I go about my errands and chores.

I also, of course, continue to read picture books and board books aloud to Baby Bookworm. We're currently at about 445 books read for 2012. This includes many, many re-reads (I re-list each book no more than once per day, but still...). Her current favorites are It's a Little Book by Lane Smith (she loves to chime in with the "No" on each page spread), Hug by Jez Alborough, Bear's Busy Family by Stella Blackstone, and Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton (which I have to say is brilliant). She pretty much loves anything about bears (all of which are "teddies"), babies, and monkeys.

I'm currently listening to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (such a nostalgic treat!). I'm reading Starters by Lissa Price (ARC on Kindle from NetGalley)

How about you? What have you and your kids been reading and enjoying? Thanks for reading the newsletter, and for growing bookworms.

© 2012 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.