Good Reads Kids

Good Read: 'Bomb' by Steve Sheinkin

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:30:00 +0000

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is "Bomb: The Race to Build - And Steal - The World's Most Dangerous Weapon" by Steve Sheinkin. This nonfiction book tells the story of how the atomic bomb came to be - and how it came to be used. Critics have called this book a 'must read,' 'a complicated thriller that intercuts action with the deftness of a Hollywood blockbuster.

Good Read: Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:45:00 +0000

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is Splendors and Glooms, by Laura Amy Schlitz. Winner of the 2013 Newbery Honor, Splendors and Glooms tells the story of two orphans in splendorous Victorian London who unravel the mystery of a girl gone missing, a suspicious puppeteer, and a sinister old witch. Critics describe this young adult novel as "wonderfully twisty, delightfully eerie, and utterly transporting."

Click here to purchase the book on Amazon.

Good Read: In Darkness by Nick Lake

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Fri, 31 May 2013 21:39:07 +0000

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is In Darkness, by Nick Lake. Winner of the 2013 Printz Book Award, In Darkness is set in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti, and follows the perspective of a 15 year-old boy trapped in the rubble of a hospital. Critics describe this young adult novel as "vivid and unforgettable, nuanced, and incredibly moving.

Good Read: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:12:39 +0000

Age Range: 12 and up

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Saenz, winner of the 2013 Stonewall Book Award, Printz Honor, YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, and Pura Belpre Author Award. It's a lyrical novel about family and friendship that critics and readers have called "tender, thought provoking, and breathtaking."

Good Read: The White Bicycle by Beverly Brenna

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:13:51 +0000

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is The White Bicycle, by Beverly Brenna, a 2013 Printz Honor coming-of-age adventure told from the perspective of Taylor Jane, a young woman with Asperger's Syndrome. Booklist calls this story, for ages 14 to 17, a "finespun gem" that would be "a shame" to miss.

Good Read: Dodger by Terry Pratchett

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:32:35 +0000

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is Dodger, by Terry Pratchett, a 2013 Printz Honor recipient for young adults that The New York Times describes as "a masterwork from a treasure and hero of a writer... that will delight you."

Good Read: The One and Only Ivan

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 20:58:51 +0000

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, a Newberry Winning book for ages 8 and up that School Library Journal describes as a must-have, that the characters will capture readers' hearts and never let go.

Childrens Author Lin Oliver Comes to Madisonville

Kate Lochte — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 18:20:56 +0000

Lin Oliver is the author of the Who Shrunk Daniel Funk series, and the co-author, with Henry Winkler, of the bestselling Hank Zipzer series. She is a writer and producer of movies, books, and television series for children and families. The co-founder and executive director of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and sons. On Sounds Good, we learned more about the event in Madisonville with Lin and fellow writer Theo Baker. Visit her at linoliver.com.

Good Read: Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:34:50 +0000

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage, a Newberry Honor Winner that School Library Journal describes as a hilarious modern day mystery, that leaves the readers hoping for sequels.

Good Read: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Matt Markgraf and Katherine Farmer — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:37:36 +0000

We continue our occasional series previewing good reads for young adults from Katherine Farmer, Coordinator of the Racers Children's Preview Collection at Murray State University. This week's recommended read is Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, a book that The New York Times calls "a fiendishly-plotted mind game of a novel."