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!
New Picture Books, New Chapter Books, & Magical Realism Middle Grade
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In my new business, Imaginarium Author Solutions, Ellen and I do a lot of school visit consulting for authors and illustrators. Last week, I observed several pretty famous authors/illustrators at their school visits. Not only did it confirm what Ellen and I are recommending, but I got a few new ideas, too. I love learning! But I had to share with you one thing I learned from Loren Long that BLEW MY MIND (because how did I not know this after being a book reviewer for 15 years!?). Maybe everyone already knows, and I'm just late for reasons... Are you ready? Picture book illustrators often put their illustration mediums on the copyright page! Yes, that's right. I never paid attention to the copyright page, but now I WILL FOREVER. If you didn't know, now you do! (Thank you, Loren.) New Picture Books, March 2025 (Ages 4 - 8)March brings us SO MANY funny read alouds, plus picture books about words, hair, and weather, just to name a few. You’re going to love this list of new books. Spring Read Alouds (Ages 3 - 8)Introduce your children to the wonder of the spring season with good spring read alouds. After you read, try the fun spring scavenger hunt! 10 New Chapter Books, March 2025 (Ages 6 - 10)Ready for new 2025 chapter books? I have some good choices for your readers, from fantasy to realistic, adventure to mystery. This newsletter is sponsored by Kids Yoga Stories The School Yoga Program is a 6-week, step-by-step training designed to help educators, counselors, and school leaders confidently bring yoga and mindfulness into schools. You'll get a clear roadmap, proven strategies, and hands-on support to overcome challenges like funding, buy-in, and implementation. By the end, you'll have a customized plan and the confidence to make it happen in your school or community. Register Today! Magical Realism Middle Grade (Ages 9 - 12)Since magical realism is one of my favorite genres, I'm excited to share my favorite magical realism books for middle grade readers ages 9 to 12. A Teen's Guide to the Best YA Mysteries (Ages 13+)My 14-year-old (going on 30) writing intern, Beatrix Marchall, from a local school called Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning, wrote a fantastic article about her favorite YA murder mysteries. I love it and hope you do, too. Mother-Daughter Book Club Discussions to Foster Empathy & More (Ages 6 - 12)Stefanie Hohl and Meghan Voss share how a mother-daughter book club isn’t just about sharing a love of literature—it’s about building empathy, resilience, and deeper connections. Happy reading! Love, Melissa Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | LinkedIn | Amazon | Blue Sky –> If you know someone who would like the Imagination Soup newsletter, they can subscribe here. --> If you're a children's book author or illustrator who does school visits, this FREE quiet signals download will help you with your crowd management. |
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!
Did you know that kids laugh OUT LOUD hundreds of times every day? But adults…well, do we laugh at all? We all know laughing is good for us, but I, for one, am guilty of being a grumpy stress case on occasion. That's why my goal recently has been to laugh at least once a day. That seems like a small goal, but it’s been harder than I thought. I'm increasing my laughing out loud with... Funny reels (JulieStory, Bomanizer) Funny newsletters (Bob Shea) Want to join me in laughing more? (If so,...
I’m back to my usual middle grade reading, but I got a few friends to help me review February MG books. Yay for smart, bookish friends and asking for help! I’m feeling hopeful for spring. How about you? This newsletter is sponsored by Reading Simplified. You’ve Tried It All… But They’re STILL Struggling to Read Traditional reading methods are too slow for struggling students. What if your student could make years of progress in just 12 weeks—without endless drills or complex programs? Join...
I go through reading burnout phases from time to time. Do you? So, I've been taking a break from my kidlit reading for a few weeks and reading adult nonfiction books. One recent book I loved is Cues by Vanessa van Edwards --it's great for introverts and extroverts alike. Have you read it? How do you switch up your reading when you need to re-energize your reading life? What do you tell your readers when they’re in a “nothing is good” phase? I did sneak in some kidlit nonfiction a few weeks...