LitBit Speaks

Petite though she may be, Zuzana is not known for timidity. Her best friend, Karou, calls her “rabid fairy,” her “voodoo eyes” are said to freeze blood, and even her older brother fears her wrath. But when it comes to the simple matter of talking to Mik, or “Violin Boy,” her courage deserts her. Now, enough is enough. Zuzana is determined to meet him, and she has a fistful of magic and a plan. It’s a wonderfully elaborate treasure hunt of a plan that will take Mik all over Prague on a cold winter’s night before finally leading him to the treasure: herself! Violin Boy’s not going to know what hit him. This book is super cute, full of delightful romance and inventive magic. DiBartolo's illustrations beautifully complement the narrative. I will note that it's a companion novella to go along with Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone  series, so on its own, the book does lack a little bit of depth. However, when read in addition to the other novels, the story works rem...

Picturebook Favorites [Part II]  ALA (2017) La La La  Kate DiCamillo (Author) and Jaime Kim (Illustrator) A beautiful story of hope and personal exploration told through a simple, repeated refrain, and accompanied by incredible illustrations rendered in a combination of black and white and vibrant color. You won't want this wonderful little book to end! (10/03/2017 - Candlewick Press) Love, Triangle  Marcie Colleen (Author) and Bob Shea (Illustrator) Told through a delightful combination of word play and geometric imagery, Love, Triangle  is a hilarious story of friendship and the complications that ensue when a new arrival comes into the picture. As circle and square compete for triangle's attention, Shea's illustrations perfectly capture the and exaggerate their shenanigans. (10/03/2017 - Balzer + Bray) Read the Book, Lemmings!  Ame Dyckman (Author) and Zachariah OHora (Illustrator) Why won't the lemmings r...

Picturebook Favorites [Part I] ALA (2017) Claymates  Dev Petty (Author) and Lauren Eldridge (Illustrator) Metafiction at it's finest, this hilarious picturebook features two clay creations playing around with an artist's tools, turning themselves into increasingly bizarre and silly shapes. What a bunch of trouble-makers! What will the artist think when she gets back to her studio?! (Little, Brown - 06/20/2017) Little Penguin and the Lollipop Tadgh Bentley When Little Penguin eats his friend's lollipop, he feels bad and tries to make things better, but he just can't seem to figure out what to do (even a hug doesn't work!) Funny faces and silly escapades abound as Little Penguin tries everything he can think of to make up for his bad behavior. He's certainly learned his lesson: Never take a lollipop from a seagull! (Balzer + Bray - 10/03/2017) That is My Dream Langston Hughes (Author) and Daniel Miyares (Illustrator) ...

When Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she isn't sure if she'll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are (along with her crush, Emil). And her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, needs her emotional support. But as she settles into her old life, Suzette finds herself falling for someone new...the same girl her brother is in love with. When Lionel's disorder spirals out of control, Suzette is forced to confront her past mistakes and find a way to help her brother before he hurts himself--or worse. Though the novel starts off from a seemingly simple premise, the characters and relationships are anything but. Colbert is a masterful writer. I was first introduced to her through Pointe , a fabulous novel by the way, and was so excited to see Little & Lion  show up in the mail! I love the quietness of Colbert's work, the fact that she knows how to write strong and compel...

Sebastian Cody did something horrible, something no one--not even Sebastian himself--can forgive. At the age of four, he accidentally shot and killed his infant sister with his father's gun. Now, ten years later, Sebastian has lived with the guilt and horror for his entire life. With his best friend away for the summer, Sebastian has only a new friend--Aneesa--to distract him from his darkest thoughts. But even this relationship cannot blunt the pain of his past. Because Sebastian knows exactly how to rectify his childhood crime and sanctify his past. It took a gun to get him into this. Now he needs a gun to get out. This book is hard to read. Seriously! But it's worth it! Barry Lyga is the master of uncomfortable subjects, from Boy Toy  (about relations between a teacher and student) to I Hunt Killers  (a sort of Dexter  for the young adult crowd), and now Bang ! Sebastian accidentally killed his sister when he was just a toddler, and it's been following him around...