Illustrator Spotlight: Jerry Pinkney

I was deeply saddened to read about Jerry Pinkney's recent passing. To call Pinkney foundational and essential to any children's collection would be an understatement. Pinkney had a career spanning decades, exploring the world of fables, fairy tales, and biblical stories alongside realistic and historical books focusing on the Black experience. In 2010, his book … Continue reading Illustrator Spotlight: Jerry Pinkney

Adventure and Survival Stories in Memory of Gary Paulsen

The first thing that came to mind when I'd heard that Gary Paulsen passed away was sitting in my fourth grade classroom listening to Mr. Taibbi introduce us to the unit on Hatchet. Right away I was hooked on the adventure and survival genre. I blew through the Hatchet books and a few other Paulsen … Continue reading Adventure and Survival Stories in Memory of Gary Paulsen