Handpicked by Our Editors

Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson
Age 5+
4

Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson

Why We Recommend It

Jackie Robinson was special on the baseball field and off. His daughter's bio of the slugger-as-dad emphasizes courage.

Read our full review
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New Book Reviews

Otis.JPG
Otis by Loren Long
Parents Need to Know...

there is nothing of concern in this gentle story. Sensitive kids might be anxious during the climactic scene as farmers and firefighters try to save a calf from drowning in mud, but all ends well, of course. read more

Age 3+
Otis
4
Waddle.jpg
Waddle: A Scanimation Picture Book by Rufus Butler Seder
Parents Need to Know...

that this third of Rufus Butler Seder's "scanimation" books is as mesmerizing as the others, with a text that is perfect for beginning readers.  read more

Age 5+
Waddle: A Scanimation Picture Book
4
Skippy.jpg
Skippyjon Jones: Lost in Spice by Judy Schachner
Parents Need to Know...

that this is the fifth in the bestselling series of Skippyjon Jones books, and includes a CD on which the author reads the story and the songs are put to music.  read more

Age 5+
Skippyjon Jones: Lost in Spice
4
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The Duchess of Whimsy by Randall de Seve
Parents Need to Know...

the vocabulary in this well-written fairy tale will challenge -- and very possibly put off -- younger readers. read more

Age 5+
The Duchess of Whimsy
4
maze_runner_book_one.jpg
The Maze Runner: Maze Runner Trilogy, Book 1 by James Dashner
Parents Need to Know...

that the scenes of violence are stronger in this book and more graphic than those of, say, The Hunger Games, partly because at times it is adults murdering children, and not from a distance or out of sight. The teens stranded in the Maze ... read more

Age 13+
The Maze Runner: Maze Runner Trilogy, Book 1
3
Ring_of_fire_book.jpg
Ring of Fire: Century Quartet, Book 1 by Pierdomenico Baccalario
Parents Need to Know...

that this is a fast-paced and fun mystery, despite the involvement of murders and assassins. There is no bad language or sex and the violence is about on the level of the first couple Harry Potter books. It's fun to see the four diverse ... read more

Age 12+
Ring of Fire: Century Quartet, Book 1
4
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Pop by Gordon Korman
Parents Need to Know...

that this is a complex story involving family secrets and the lengths that some families will go to in order to protect them. There is one party where teens drink beer and there are a couple of minor fights, but overall this is a mild ... read more

Age 12+
Pop
4
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Merry Christmas, Splat! by Rob Scotton
Parents Need to Know...

there’s nothing to worry about in this holiday story. Parents might grumble at Splat’s focus on getting a big present, but that provides an opening to talk with your kids about the value of a gift. read more

Age 3+
Merry Christmas, Splat!
3
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Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Parents Need to Know...

that for a fast paced adventure story set during WWI there is surprisingly little violence. There are some battles that culminate in deaths and injuries, but there is very little blood and no gore. Genetically engineered fighting ... read more

Age 12+
Leviathan
5
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Auntie Claus, Home for the Holidays by Elise Primavera
Parents Need to Know...

there isn’t anything to be concerned about in this pretty Christmas fantasy. read more

Age 5+
Auntie Claus, Home for the Holidays
3
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Four Friends at Christmas by Tomie dePaola
Parents Need to Know...

that this cute, simple story of friendship and Christmas celebration was previously one of four stories, the one entitled Winter, contained in Tomie de Paola's Four Stories for Four Seasons. read more

Age 4+
Four Friends at Christmas
4
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The Mitten (20th Anniversary Edition) by Jan Brett
Parents Need to Know...

that this 20th anniversary edition is a beautiful book, and one to be treasured, both for the sweetness of the story and the detailed artwork that illustrates it.  read more

Age 4+
The Mitten (20th Anniversary Edition)
5
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Lips Touch Three Times by Laini Taylor
Parents Need to Know...

that, like all fairy tales, these three tales have a dark side. The third and longest story is the darkest and most adult, with a land of demons who can take over human bodies and make them have (barley described) sex. The first two ... read more

Age 15+
Lips Touch Three Times
5
NightBeforeChristmas.jpg
'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
Parents Need to Know...

there’s nothing of concern in this rendering of the well-known holiday poem. Young children may need some help understanding some of the language -- the poem was written nearly 200 years ago -- but they’ll have no trouble ... read more

Age 4+
'Twas the Night Before Christmas
2
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A Pussycat's Christmas by Margaret Wise Brown
Parents Need to Know...

there is nothing to be concerned about in this charming holiday tale. read more

Age 3+
A Pussycat's Christmas
4
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Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson by Sharon Robinson
Parents Need to Know...

that this uplifting and personal story, told by Jackie Robinson's daughter, is about her father's bravery, outside of baseball.  read more

Age 5+
Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson
4
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The Sound of Kwanzaa by Dimitrea Tokunbo
Parents Need to Know...

that whether or not they celebrate Kwanzaa, this picture book has a positive message for readers. read more

Age 4+
The Sound of Kwanzaa
4
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Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip M. Hoose
Parents Need to Know...

that amidst this award-nominated, inspirational history lesson there are mentions of upsetting violence: stories of women being raped by men in the segregated South; several teens are arrested; a girl becomes pregnant by a much older, ... read more

Age 13+
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
5
Stitches_book.jpg
Stitches: A Memoir by David Small
Parents Need to Know...

that Norton published this memoir for adults, but it is a 2009 National Book Award Finalist in the Young Adult category. Like most graphic novels that explore childhood, they are a challenge to categorize by both awards committees and ... read more

Age 16+
Stitches: A Memoir
4
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Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica
Parents Need to Know...

that although this book will mostly satisfy sports lovers and football fanatics, it has a strong plot about Nate helping his best friend Abby deal with the onset of blindness. It also deals with how kids and parents both learn to deal ... read more

Age 10+
Million-Dollar Throw
3
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Love Is the Higher Law by David Levithan
Parents Need to Know...

that the main story is how three teens experience the terrorist attack on New York City, and the tremendous impact it had immediately on their lives. A budding gay romance between two of the characters is prominent, but secondary to the ... read more

Age 14+
Love Is the Higher Law
5

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