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!
My First Picture Book! | New Middle Grade | New Picture Books | Sports Books & More!
|
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. Thanks for celebrating this sneak peek with me— and stay tuned for a cover reveal in August when you will be able to preorder your copies! 13 New Middle Grade Books, May 2025 (Ages 8 - 12)Some months have so many new, incredible books, like this month's new middle grade releases that range from heartwarming, realistic stories to magical and fantastical adventures. Your readers won't be able to put these books down! 15 New Picture Books, May 2025 (Ages 4 - 8)I read over fifty fiction picture books this month and chose my top 15 to share with you. Incidentally, this month’s selection of picture books prompted my rant on Instagram about the state of picture books. I'm in the unique position to see the majority of picture books published, and I am not impressed. 11 Free Summer Reading Programs (All Ages)Will these summer reading programs get your kids even MORE excited about their reading plans this summer? 50 States Reading Road Trip (Ages 8 - 12)Visit the United States from the comfort of your own couch by reading books set in each of the 50 states! Find the book recommendations and printables here. Children's Books with Muslim Main CharactersChildren's books with Muslim characters show representation, open kids’ eyes to new cultures, and build empathy. The books on this list celebrate the Muslim faith and cultures within the Islamic faith community, such as Egyptian, Pakistani, and Somali cultures. Books About Sports (All Ages)If you have a reader who loves sports, books about sports can be a great way to hook that child on reading. If you missed it, here are all the SUMMER READING LISTS!Have a wonderful day! Love, Melissa Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | LinkedIn | Amazon | Blue Sky –> If you know someone who would like this newsletter, they can subscribe 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...
Happy May! In business news, I relaunched my kidlit consulting business as Imagination Soup Consulting to provide personalized school visit coaching, book publicity, and website, newsletter, and social media consults. My newsletter for the consulting business gives pro tips on all of those things for free, and you can subscribe to that here. In case you missed it in the last newsletter, let's start with the summer reading lists again. Summer Reading Lists (All Ages) Remember that kids don't...