Reading

"Reading a good story is like wrestling
with angels – you do not expect to win,
but you should expect to come away from
the experience changed."
— author Jane Yolen

An incredible author I know says that to be the best writer you can be, you must read. Read children’s books in the genre in which you want to write. Read a lot of them. Hundreds of them. Only then sit down to write. She credits that philosophy, in part, as the reason she got published in the first place, and the reason she was recognized with a prestigious writing award.

Following her advice, I try to read as much as I can. My goal is a mere three books a month but, depending on the time of year and my schedule, sometimes I can’t fill even that quota. But my intentions are good.

Here is a list of books I’ve read recently and some I simply adore. Most are children’s books, but there are a few good commentaries on writing.

Picture Books
"Handel: He Knew What He Liked" by M.T. Anderson

"The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins" by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Brian Selznick

"Good Night Engines" by Denise Dowling Mortensen, illustrated by Melissa Iwai

"The Beeman" by Laurie Krebs, illustrated by Melissa Iwai

"Snuggle Mountain" by Lindsey Lane, illustrated Melissa Iwai

"Robert's Snow" by Grace Lin

"The Ugly Vegetables" written and illustrated by Grace Lin

"Alexander & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" by Judith Viorst

Anything by Jan Brett -- "The Mitten," "The Hat," "On Noah's Ark," "Comet's Nine Lives," "Christmas Trolls"

"Strega Nona" by Tomie dePaola

"Grandfather Twilight" by Barbara Helen Berger

"A Kiss for Little Bear" by Else Holmelund Minarik, ill. by Maurice Sendak

"Aunt Flossie's Hats" by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard

Middle-grade
Sammy Keyes series by Wendelin Van Draanen

"Olive's Ocean" by Kevin Henkes

"The Midwife’s Apprentice" by Karen Cushman

"Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo

"Sarah, Plain and Tall" by Patricia MacLachlan

"Holes" by Louis Sachar

"Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson

"There’s a Dead Person Following My Sister Around" by Vivian VandeVelde

"The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare

"Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White

"Shredderman" by Wendolin Van Draanen

"Pictures of Hollis Woods" by Patricia Reilly Giff

"Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech

"The Tale of Despereaux" by Kate DiCamillo

Young Adult
"Dunk" by David Lubar

"Kindred" by Octavia Butler

Books on Writing
"Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott

"On Writing" by Stephen King

"The Invisible Child" by Katherine Paterson

"The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White