Tag: humor

cover of Charts for Babies with a pie chart for "what to do with this book"
Posted in PB, Read-aloud, So Many Good Books

Charts for Babies

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

Charts for Babies (Abrams Appleseed, 2026) Michelle Rial is so darn cute. And will especially appeal to any nerdy parent, grandparent, or aunt or uncle. As you can tell from the cover, the book includes humor.

But, make no mistake–this books IS for kids. It shares concepts such as big/small, flat/curvy, behind/ahead/between and much more, in rhyme. Not only is it a fun read-aloud, but the book will grow with the kids as they can return to it for more complex ideas such as types of charts.

This is Michelle’s debut picture book. Read about the author/illustrator here. She has also written a book for adults. If you like, read an interview with Michelle about Charts for Babies.

cover of Milton Makes a Move shows a happy pug in a small suitcase with toys and blanket spilling out against a soft green background
Posted in PB, Read-aloud, So Many Good Books

Milton Makes a Move

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

Coming in August, Milton Makes a Move (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2026) by Jonathan Graziano and illustrated by Dan Tavis, is a delightful story of pet adoption.*

Milton, a pug, lives in a yard with lots of other dogs. One day he gets the news: he’s “moving into a new home with his very own family!” He knows he should be excited, but what if his new home doesn’t have his favorites? But Milton tries to be brave. He packs his suitcase and is on his way.

I love the tender heart of this story–how pug and man help each other. Plus, there’s humor in text such as “stinky stinks” and adorable illustrations. (I don’t want to reveal too much.) Dog lovers will definitely relate to this story.

The author wants to encourage others to adopt a senior pet next time they add to their family. Jonathan’s the creator of the viral “Bones or No Bones” TikTok videos and a bestselling author of Noodle and the No Bones Day. Here’s an article with videos on how it all got started in August of 2021.

I’m a bit jealous that I won’t be in New York on August 2nd, as Milton and Jonathan will be appearing at the Union Square Barnes and Noble that afternoon. A list of appearances is here.

Read about the bestselling illustrator here. Dan’s portfolio of wonderful illustrations is here and his books here.

*I received a copy of the book from the publisher. Note, I only recommend books I like.

cover of novel BUSTED - cartoon style kid with a black eye leaning out a front passenger car window, through the window there's a hairless cat, an old man driving and a red-haired girl in the backseat
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Busted

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Busted (Henry Holt, 2025) by Dan Gemeinhart is a fun romp.

Oscar sounds like an old man in a twelve-year-old body–mostly because he lives at a retirement home and has spent so much time with the residents. (He loves Bridge and Frank Sinatra.) When Pop is threatened with eviction, Oscar agrees to help old man Jimmy Deluca escape Sunny Days, for a promised amount of money. Along for the ride is twelve-year-old Natasha, the daughter of the man who owns the home, and Mr. Buttercup, a hairless cat. A wild adventure ensues.

Previously I recommended these of the author’s books: The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise, and the sequel Coyote Lost and Found, and The Honest Truth.

You can read about Dan here.

cover of Right Back at You. Hanging from the O as if it is a key chain are a clock face set to ten:10, a single blue sneaker, a baseball glove, a gold Star of David, An @ symbol, and a red and white striped lollipop.
Posted in Award Winners, MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Right Back at You

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Right Back at You (Scholastic Press, 2025) by Carolyn Mackler was so good and had a surprising ending. I enjoyed it immensely.

It’s 2023, and 12-year-old Mason’s parents have split up, plus he’s being bullied at school, partially about his dad leaving. Mason says his life, “sucks” and is the equivalent of a “black hole.” Told to write a letter about his troubles to someone, Mason chooses Albert Einstein. Embarrassed by what he wrote, Mason throws it in his closet, but when he decides to destroy it, the letter is missing. In it’s place is a letter from a girl named Talia who claims it’s 1987.

Talia is also 12 and has troubles of her own–her best friend ditching her and a boy at school teasing her about being Jewish. How did Mason get a letter in her closet?! Especially since he says he lives in New York and she lives in Pennsylvania…

The book is a National Jewish Book Award Finalist and a Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Book.

Carolyn writes both middle grade and young adult books. Read about the award-winning author here. And here’s an interview with Carolyn about this book.

Cover of book 24 Hours in Nowhere - a reddish orange desert scene, bright blue sky, hot yellow sun, a trailer house, and four kids silhouetted as the climb.
Posted in Award Winners, MG Novels, So Many Good Books

24 Hours in Nowhere

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

24 Hours in Nowhere (Stirling Children’s Books, 2018) by Dusti Bowling is a fantastic tale of events that happen in 24 hours. (Honestly, I didn’t plan to recommend two books with the same time frame two weeks apart–I just happened to read them both now.)

13-year-old Gus can’t wait to get out of the town of Nowhere, Arizona. Their town is number one in things like poverty, high school drop outs, and drunken mine deaths. His hope is the SAT, which will get him to college. But meanwhile, Rossi gave up her motorbike to the local bully to save Gus from eating a cholla (nasty cactus), and Gus has to buy it back. His only hope is gold from the dangerous Dead Frenchman Mine.

I loved seeing how Gus grew and how his relationships changed on this adventure that involves a cave-in, a mountain lion, a black underground lake, and of course, a failing light source. Definitely a compelling read.

Check out all the awards for this book:
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
One of Shelf Awareness’s Best Books of 2018
A Golden Kite Honor Winner
A Silver Nautilus Award Winner
A Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year

Last year I recommended Dusti’s book Holding on for Dear Life. Dusti’s newest book is a YA coming out this October–The Drowning Game. She has many other books I haven’t read…yet. Go to her website for more info.