Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Middle-grade novel, contemporary
Middle-school-aged boy as main character
Rating: One of my very favorite children’s books–even before the movie. (Newberry Award Winner)
Short, short summary: Most of you have probably heard of this book before, read it, and seen the movie. Sachar created two brilliant, funny, heartwarming plots and connected them together like [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Young adult novel, historical fiction, 1906
16-year-old girl as main character
Rating: A genius plot and can’t-put-it-down voice.
Short, short summary: If you have ever read An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser, then you are familiar with a huge sub-plot in this book. Sixteen-year-old Mattie Gokey works at a summer resort in the [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Picture book for K-5, contemporary
Fifth-grade class as main characters
Rating: A beautiful book with a wonderful message.
Short, short summary: If you have ever heard of the nonprofit organization, Heifer International, then you may be familiar with “giving a goat.” In Give a Goat, a fifth-grade class listens to the book Beatrice’s [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Middle-grade fantasy novel
11-year-old boy (wizard) as main character
Rating: I fell in love with the series on the first page. Obviously, so did millions of others.
Short, short summary: A new generation of Harry Potter readers are born. I saw a kindergartner reading HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone the other day and [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Young adult sports novel, Contemporary
16-year-old boy as main character
Rating: I had trouble putting this book down and kept thinking about it when it was over.
Short, short summary: Nick Taglio is a high school hockey stud with a hot girlfriend, sort of cool parents, a goody-two-shoes younger brother, and a future [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Picture book for preK-K
Two young boys as main characters
Rating: A beautiful season deserves a beautiful, simple book.
Short, short, summary: If you teach preschool or kindergarten, this is a great book to use with your students. You can also use it at home if your child is this age and wants [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Middle-grade novel, contemporary
10-year-old girl as main character
Rating: It won the Newberry–Lucky’s story is perfectly endearing, and I can’t wait for the sequel.
Short, short summary: Lucky’s life is extremely interesting even though her hometown of Hard Pan, CA is in the desert with a population of 43. She works at the [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Chapter book, contemporary mystery
Elementary school girl who is quite a mystery sleuth!
Rating: One of my favorite Cam Jansen mysteries!
Short, short summary: If you aren’t familiar with Cam Jansen, then go to the library and get familiar! She is a super sleuth and solves all sorts of mysteries with her photographic [...]

Not quite Gloria, but. . .he’s awful cute.
Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Picture book for preK-3, contemporary
A very talented dog and her police officer as main characters
Rating: Wonderful illustrations and a cute story that make safety lessons fun!
Short, short summary: I always used this book when I had to teach safety lessons to my students. [...]

I am currently a freelance writer and editor, speaker, children’s author, and substitute teacher in East Central Illinois. I have a children’s book coming out from White Mane Kids, hopefully in 2009, called Finding My Place. This book is a middle-grade, historical fiction novel set in Vicksburg, MS, during the Siege of Vicksburg. More to [...]