Imagination Soup shares curated book reviews, book lists, and learning resources for parents, teachers, and librarians. As a former teacher, former literacy trainer, and a mother of two, you can trust my expertise in children's books, reading levels, developmental appropriateness, and education. Join my community of 35,000 subscribers by signing up for my weekly newsletter!
Graphic Novels I New Middle Grade I New Picture Books
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Last week, I zipped through a middle grade graphic novel. It took me about 40 minutes. It made me think about the difference in time spent reading and the number of words I was reading compared to a prose novel. Compared to most prose novels, graphic novels have fewer words and they're quicker in terms of sustained reading time. Both matter for growing readers. Ultimately, the more words a child reads, the better their vocabulary and reading comprehension will be. Don't misunderstand. I will forever recommend graphic novels. I wholeheartedly believe (and know from the research) that they count as real reading. I've written about this for fifteen years. But many of us know readers who ONLY read graphic novels. So what if we thoughtfully consider a few new strategies for these readers? What if we encourage our graphic novel readers to:
What do you think? How do you support your graphic novel readers in their reading growth? 7 Middle Grade Graphic Novels with Female Protagonists That Boys Will Love, Too (Ages 9 - 12)Cartoonist and graphic novel expert Joshua Smeaton knows that a good book is a good book. Period. It doesn't matter whether or not the protagonist is male or female. With this in mind, he shares seven graphic novels with girl heroes that boys will love, too. More Graphic Novels That Kids Will Love (Ages 6 - 12)Graphic Novels in a SERIES (Ages 6 - 12) FUNNY Graphic Novels for Beginning Readers (Ages 6 - 9) FUNNY Middle Grade Graphic Novels (Ages 9 - 12) New Picture Books, June 2025 (Ages 4 - 8)This fresh crop of picture books is funny, imaginative, heartwarming, and playful. (July picture books will be in the next email!) New Middle Grade, July 2025 (Ages 9 - 12)I highly recommend these seven new middle grade books! Check them out. Wishing you a July filled with good books! Love, Melissa Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | LinkedIn | Amazon | Blue Sky –> If you know someone who would like this newsletter, they can subscribe here. P.S. If you're a kidlit writer or illustrator who wants to know how to pitch a book reviewer like me, I have a checklist & examples here. |
Hi! I'm a Melissa Taylor of Imagination Soup.
Imagination Soup shares curated book reviews, book lists, and learning resources for parents, teachers, and librarians. As a former teacher, former literacy trainer, and a mother of two, you can trust my expertise in children's books, reading levels, developmental appropriateness, and education. Join my community of 35,000 subscribers by signing up for my weekly newsletter!
One of the most important thing you can do over the summer is ensure your readers are reading DAILY. Why? Because regression is real. To that end, here are several ideas to keep up the reading motivation this summer. Start a book club! Read a book with a movie or show. Grab my fun-filled Reading Journal. (Shown above. Interior pages here.) Make a cozy reading nook. Get a headlamp or book light and read under the covers. Read to a new (stuffed) reading buddy. Let your kids spend $20 at the...
Happy June! Have you tried to gamify your reading before? Yesterday, my twenty-year-old daughter explained to me that she and her best friend love playing a bookstore game. They look for the weirdest manga book titles. Here are some examples:Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?Because I, the True Saint, was Banished, that Country is Done For! Fun, right? You can do this, too! Think about what fun bookish games you could play with your readers. Maybe at the library they...
I'm thrilled to share a sneak peek at my first picture book, TOVA’S SWEET SOLUTION, which will be published on April 21, 2026 by Red Comet Press! How cute is this artwork from illustrator Aurélie Lise-Anne? TOVA’S SWEET SOLUTION is a heartfelt and deliciously sweet story about food allergies, creativity, resilience, and the magic of family.Bursting with playful language, cozy charm, and a dash of culinary creativity, this story celebrates perseverance, problem-solving, and the loving support...