Children's Book Week

May 11 - 17 is Children's Book Week - the oldest national literacy event in the United States.

It all began with the idea that children's books can change lives. Since 1919, Children's Book Week has been celebrated nationally in schools, libraries, bookstores, family homes - any place where there are children and books.

Some of my recent favorite children's books are:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

This book just won The John Newbery Medal.

Read my review here.




The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

This is the last book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Current books include:
The Lightning Thief
The Sea of Monsters
The Titan's Curse
The Battle of the Labyrinth

Read my review of the 3rd book, Titan's Curse, here.


The Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (Fablehaven #4) by Brandon Mull

Current books in this series include:
Fablehaven
Rise of the Evening Star
Grip of the Shadow Plague

The last book in the series - Keys to the Demon Prison - will be released in 2010.

Read my review here.



The Dragon's Eye (Erec Rex #1) by Kaza Kingsley

Book #2 is The Monsters of Otherness and the 3rd book - The Search for Truth - will be released on June 30th.

Read my review here.


The Journal of Curious Letters (the 13th Reality #1) by James Dashner

The 2nd book in the series - The Hunt for Dark Infinity - was released in March.

Read my review here.


The Ruby Key (Moon and Sun #1) by Holly Lisle

The 2nd book in the series is The Silver Door.

Read my review here.


Stoneheart (Stoneheart trilogy #1) by Charlie Fletcher

Rounding out the trilogy are Ironhand and Silvertongue.

Read my review here.

The Ruby Key

The Ruby Key (Moon & Sun series) by Holly Lisle

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Orchard Books
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0545000122
ISBN-13: 978-0545000123

Mankind is Sunkind
And rules by the light;
Sunrise to sunset,
No less, and no more.
Nightlings are moonkind
And rule in the night;
Sun's set to sunrise,
Or there will be war.

This is Lisle's first youth fantasy fiction and I was hooked from the first chapter. This book is a mixture of humans, who live by the sun, and nightlings, who live by the moon.

Two human children, Genna and her young brother Dan, set out on a journey to help save their mother, who is very sick. In searching for the “tree sap” that will cure her illness, they meet the nightling, Yarri, who is trying to save her people from slavery.

Different from the Harry Potter books, but in the same vein, I recommend this to children and adults alike. The world Lisle has created is truly believable and full of enchanting characters. The next book in the series is The Silver Door.