Kids Can Read Big Books
Jennie Ivins
In sixth grade, my English teacher tried to talk me out of reading Watership Down when I found it in the school library. It was too big and “advanced” for…
children’s books
Descent to Azakmar by Michael R. Fletcher – Review
Julia Kitvaria Sarene
An excellent blend of action, world-building, humor, and heart.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Jessica Juby
Sometimes trips to the local charity shop can be a bust. There are however rare occasions where you’ll find a gem. For me, that gem was Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard…
Ripple Grove Press Interview – Fantasy in Children’s Picture Books
Kellie Doherty
When I was at Portland State University going for a master’s in book publishing (Yes, that’s a real thing!), I had the amazing opportunity to work one-on-one with some local…
Frances Hardinge Interview – A Skinful of Shadows
Jonathan Thornton
Frances Hardinge is one of the finest fantasy authors around. Her inventive and beautifully written YA novels, the most recent of which is A Skinful of Shadows (2017), are widely…
Monthly Short Story Winner: Writing In A Subgenre You Don’t Like
Xiagan
We chose this topic to achieve two things: First, to acquaint entrants with something new, and second, to help entrants identify what they normally don’t like about their chosen subgenre.…
J. K. Rowling is Better than Shakespeare
Max Freeman
Tell me if you’ve ever read these stories before: – A young male sociopath disapproves of everyone and everything around him, including any of his romantic interests. He changes nothing,…
Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes by Henry, Josh, and Harrison Herz. Illustrated by Abigail Larson.
Liz Fellshot Ambrose
Re-imagining fairy tales has been going on since the invention of fairy tales, so it stands to reason that it was only a matter of time until someone did the…
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen
Before I get started, this isn’t the sort of review that folks are used to here, given that the book in question is meant for little kids. However it should…
A Genre for the Ages
Nicole Singer
Think back to the first time you picked up a fantasy book. What was it? How old were you? For most of us, the answer is probably pretty young. I…
The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Chris Riddell
Lucy Hounsom
Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell: a partnership fated to succeed from the start. Gaiman’s modest, restless prose teamed with the trademark art of Riddell results in a frank and glorious…
Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis – Series Review
Victoria Hooper
Kat, Incorrigible is a fun and charming series of children’s historical fantasy books combining magic, adventure, romance and the Regency period, and I’d highly recommend them to both children and…