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Book Lust
Book Crush: For Kids and Teens--Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Interest
Do you remember your first book crush? You know, the first time a book completely captured your imagination, transported you to a magical place, or introduced you to a lifelong friend you will never forget?
In Book Crush , popular librarian and reading enthusiast Nancy Pearl reminds us why we fell for reading in the first place—how completely consuming and life-changing a good book can be.
Pearl offers more than 1,000 crush-worthy books organized into over 100 recommended reading lists aimed at youngest, middle-grade, and teen readers. From picture books to chapter books, YA fiction and nonfiction, Pearl has developed more smart and interesting thematic lists of books to enjoy.
Parents, teachers, and librarians are often puzzled by the unending choices for reading material for young people. It starts when the kids are toddler and doesn’t end until high-school graduation. What’s good, what’s not, and what’s going to hold their interest? Popular librarian Nancy Pearl points the way in Book Crush .
In Book Crush , popular librarian and reading enthusiast Nancy Pearl reminds us why we fell for reading in the first place—how completely consuming and life-changing a good book can be.
Pearl offers more than 1,000 crush-worthy books organized into over 100 recommended reading lists aimed at youngest, middle-grade, and teen readers. From picture books to chapter books, YA fiction and nonfiction, Pearl has developed more smart and interesting thematic lists of books to enjoy.
Parents, teachers, and librarians are often puzzled by the unending choices for reading material for young people. It starts when the kids are toddler and doesn’t end until high-school graduation. What’s good, what’s not, and what’s going to hold their interest? Popular librarian Nancy Pearl points the way in Book Crush .
304 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2007
38 people are currently reading
915 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
August 29, 2019
This was a really useful reading experience, as part of my job is reader’s advisory. Since this was published the year I graduated high school (2007) it’s a bit out of date and missing a lot. It’s also organized by arbitrary sections in alphabetical order, so if I was looking for funny books, I’d have to find the sections “Just for Fun” or “LOL”, which takes a bit longer to figure out what section I need for that genre. Besides that, I think this will come in handy when a parent or teen asks for a certain kind of book and my mind comes up blank.
July 11, 2017
It seems odd that I had never read this before-every librarian knows who Nancy Pearl is. I guess I don't typically read readers advisory book just because I never run out of anything to read. But really-I was missing out. Because Nancy Pearl is a true kindred spirit when it comes to books. Sure there were lots of books she recommended that I agreed with. But. But. She highly recommended the 4 most cherished books of my childhood/teen years that are not the world's most popular books: Gone Away Lake, The Saturdays (and sequels), And Both Were Young, and Mr and Mrs Bo Jo Jones. And yes, she did also recommend all my runner up favorites.
I loved the structure of this: recommending titles based on moods or very specific interests, rather than just general genre. I admire that (like any excellent librarian) she offered a mix of contemporary, classic, popular, and lesser known titles.
And, because this book is from 2007, all the YA books were ones that I had read and recommended when I was a teen librarian, so it was fun to see those titles again.
I loved the structure of this: recommending titles based on moods or very specific interests, rather than just general genre. I admire that (like any excellent librarian) she offered a mix of contemporary, classic, popular, and lesser known titles.
And, because this book is from 2007, all the YA books were ones that I had read and recommended when I was a teen librarian, so it was fun to see those titles again.
August 5, 2010
Not a huge fan of book list books. Thought it was mostly okay, some weird organizational things - but, really how the hell does one organize the thousands of books one wants to recommend? Disagreed with some agreed with others
AND THEN!
I saw it, a book/author I hate so much I was repelled by the thought that Pearl could even consider this book as worth mentioning and I felt that I could no longer trust a word she said. Maybe I don't even like the books we shared a taste before because I can not fathom that we could share a taste in one thing and be so off in this other area.
Is it fair? no.
reasonable? no.
am I going to be calm and rationale after the shock as worn off? no.
I'm going to allow myself this one tiny hatred in my life and if casting aside Nancy Pearls opinion is part of the aftermath of that choice - so be it, she's got a big enough fan base, I'm sure I wont be missed.
AND THEN!
I saw it, a book/author I hate so much I was repelled by the thought that Pearl could even consider this book as worth mentioning and I felt that I could no longer trust a word she said. Maybe I don't even like the books we shared a taste before because I can not fathom that we could share a taste in one thing and be so off in this other area.
Is it fair? no.
reasonable? no.
am I going to be calm and rationale after the shock as worn off? no.
I'm going to allow myself this one tiny hatred in my life and if casting aside Nancy Pearls opinion is part of the aftermath of that choice - so be it, she's got a big enough fan base, I'm sure I wont be missed.
July 8, 2020
Librarian Nancy Pearl offers book titles for preschool-aged readers, elementary school readers, and young adult readers on a variety of subjects and topics. There aren't reviews or descriptive summaries of the books, so that may take some more legwork if you are interested in a particular book. I did notice that some titles were recommended as ones "boys would like" or "girls would like." I would say that adults should encourage readers to try whatever books they are interested in, regardless if they are a boy or girl. Many of these titles can be enjoyed by anyone. Other than that, this book can be a good starting point when looking for new titles for the young readers in your life.
September 26, 2019
Super! More recommendations!
-- I found it a little sexist sometimes , some things like if you are a boy you'd like this kind of books and girls would enjoy these other books in the contrary..but well, this was written in 2007..
-- I found it a little sexist sometimes , some things like if you are a boy you'd like this kind of books and girls would enjoy these other books in the contrary..but well, this was written in 2007..
September 27, 2010
Original series review posted at Layers of Thought.
If you love books and lists, and are an eclectic reader, you will adore this series. Each recommends books which are organized into themes, with great little descriptions; all are softbound, small and easy to read.
Books reviewed:
Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason ~ by Nancy Pearl
More Book Lust: Reading Recommendations for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason
Book Crush: For Kids and Teens
Thoughts: Nancy Pearl, librarian extraordinaire, has created this series of books (with the fourth to be released in a few days - its one for travelers) which contain organized collections of book recommendations, labeled under catchy little categories. Inside the categories are enticing snippets of the books in a very readable format.
The books are small and easy to handle with a soft cover. With her “lust” of reading, Pearl shares with the reader the books she loves and those which she knows about, creating more desire and adding to your ever expanding book list. I spent hours perusing these books, enjoying her fun and interesting recommendations.
Better yet, Nancy has a variety of philosophies which she labels “Pearlisms”. One is the “rule of fifty” which I have used recently when an abandoning a book (Pride and Prejudice – sorry Jane). What I love is that she gives you permission to stop reading a book when you are not enjoying it. It’s a free “get out of guilt card”. Here is her rule:
I loved these little books and will be purchasing every one for my personal collection. 4 stars for Book Lust and Book Crush, and 4.5 stars for More Book Lust – since it has so many books I had never heard of. Highly recommend resources for teachers, librarians, and book lovers within every genre.
If you love books and lists, and are an eclectic reader, you will adore this series. Each recommends books which are organized into themes, with great little descriptions; all are softbound, small and easy to read.
Books reviewed:
Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason ~ by Nancy Pearl
More Book Lust: Reading Recommendations for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason
Book Crush: For Kids and Teens
Thoughts: Nancy Pearl, librarian extraordinaire, has created this series of books (with the fourth to be released in a few days - its one for travelers) which contain organized collections of book recommendations, labeled under catchy little categories. Inside the categories are enticing snippets of the books in a very readable format.
The books are small and easy to handle with a soft cover. With her “lust” of reading, Pearl shares with the reader the books she loves and those which she knows about, creating more desire and adding to your ever expanding book list. I spent hours perusing these books, enjoying her fun and interesting recommendations.
Better yet, Nancy has a variety of philosophies which she labels “Pearlisms”. One is the “rule of fifty” which I have used recently when an abandoning a book (Pride and Prejudice – sorry Jane). What I love is that she gives you permission to stop reading a book when you are not enjoying it. It’s a free “get out of guilt card”. Here is her rule:
If you’re fifty years of age or younger, give a book fifty pages before you decide to commit to reading it or give it up. If you’re over fifty, which is when time gets even shorter, subtract your age from 100—the result is the number of pages you should read before making your decision to stay with it or quit. Since that number gets smaller and smaller as we get older and older, our big reward is that when we turn 100, we can judge a book by its cover!
I loved these little books and will be purchasing every one for my personal collection. 4 stars for Book Lust and Book Crush, and 4.5 stars for More Book Lust – since it has so many books I had never heard of. Highly recommend resources for teachers, librarians, and book lovers within every genre.
December 18, 2008
I was curious to read Nancy Pearl's book, since she is supposedly "America's favorite librarian". While there is no single reader's advisory book or source that will fit every need, this one seems like a very useful one for parents and librarians who want to pick out or recommend books for young people. Although each book in this pocket-sized volume is not summarized in detail, the book is organized into age group and then by subject. Pearl has chosen snazzy titles for her subject groupings, and included books for children with a wide variety of subject preferences. I particularly liked that she considered emotional readiness in her choice of whether to group books in a certain age group. Her chatty style make the book entertaining, and inspires confidence that she is familiar with the books she writes about.
It is a bit difficult to sort through Pearl's subject groupings because of their titles; for example, I wouldn't have known that "Tam Lin" stories are about women who save their lovers from danger. Yet Pearl's subject headings are more interesting than many, so the book itself makes enjoyable reading. The short book descriptions make this book easier to use in a hurry than others that include long summaries. On the other hand, the descriptions don't give the reader any kind of summary--we must simply take Pearl's word for it that the book is a worthwhile read in a particular category. I would recommend that libraries have several copies, one for the reference desk, and others for parents and teens to borrow.
A School Library Journal review (6/1/07) questioned many of Pearl's choices for inclusion and exclusion, and said that the book would generate many arguments among youth services professionals. The reviewer complained that certain sequels had been omitted and not others, and that some of the books that Pearl recommended are out of print, which would place heavy demands on interlibrary loan services. It acknowledged, however, that the book could help new readers "get the juices flowing". A Booklist reviewer (10/1/07)shared my feeling that libraries should have multiple copies. The reviewer enjoyed Pearl's writing style, and did not take issue with the selections.
It is a bit difficult to sort through Pearl's subject groupings because of their titles; for example, I wouldn't have known that "Tam Lin" stories are about women who save their lovers from danger. Yet Pearl's subject headings are more interesting than many, so the book itself makes enjoyable reading. The short book descriptions make this book easier to use in a hurry than others that include long summaries. On the other hand, the descriptions don't give the reader any kind of summary--we must simply take Pearl's word for it that the book is a worthwhile read in a particular category. I would recommend that libraries have several copies, one for the reference desk, and others for parents and teens to borrow.
A School Library Journal review (6/1/07) questioned many of Pearl's choices for inclusion and exclusion, and said that the book would generate many arguments among youth services professionals. The reviewer complained that certain sequels had been omitted and not others, and that some of the books that Pearl recommended are out of print, which would place heavy demands on interlibrary loan services. It acknowledged, however, that the book could help new readers "get the juices flowing". A Booklist reviewer (10/1/07)shared my feeling that libraries should have multiple copies. The reviewer enjoyed Pearl's writing style, and did not take issue with the selections.
March 13, 2009
I love the structure of this book of recommended reading for children / youth. First of all, it's organized very simply into 3 sections: youngest readers, middle-grader readers, and teen readers. Having researched book recommendations online, it is incredibly hard to find a good list when children / youth have such a wide range of reading levels and interests (for instance, try finding a book for a 7th grade boy who reads at a 3rd grade level. Not as easy as you'd think when you're trying to engage him in reading and want to build his confidence as a reader).
Within these respective groups, author Nancy Pearl organizes her recommendations by interest. I found this extremely helpful. For example, if you have a reader who is interested in animals, you have, in the children's section, recommendations for different kinds of animals such as cats, pigs, and ducks (e.g. Make Way for Ducklings) and then for middle-school readers, there are recommendations for horse and dog books (e.g. Black Beauty). So regardless of the child's reading level, you can find a book according to his or her interest.
The last section, for teens, I found the least helpful. I've decided that it's simply because I'm biased and went directly from middle-school reading to adult reading, with some exceptions (I blame my English teachers). I thought some of her recommendations were insightful, but I doubt I will ever use this part of the book.
I think I may buy this, however, just for the first two sections. Or, even to just make notes about additional books I find and want to remember which were not identified in this book (e.g. Blueberries for Sal, The Ordinary Princess).
Within these respective groups, author Nancy Pearl organizes her recommendations by interest. I found this extremely helpful. For example, if you have a reader who is interested in animals, you have, in the children's section, recommendations for different kinds of animals such as cats, pigs, and ducks (e.g. Make Way for Ducklings) and then for middle-school readers, there are recommendations for horse and dog books (e.g. Black Beauty). So regardless of the child's reading level, you can find a book according to his or her interest.
The last section, for teens, I found the least helpful. I've decided that it's simply because I'm biased and went directly from middle-school reading to adult reading, with some exceptions (I blame my English teachers). I thought some of her recommendations were insightful, but I doubt I will ever use this part of the book.
I think I may buy this, however, just for the first two sections. Or, even to just make notes about additional books I find and want to remember which were not identified in this book (e.g. Blueberries for Sal, The Ordinary Princess).
September 30, 2012
First and foremost, Book Crush For Kids and Teens-Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment and Interest is a reference book, not a book with a plot or a story, and it should be read as such. I believe this book absolutely belongs on the shelf of any one who has an interest in children's lit and YA.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
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May 7, 2017I love Nancy Pearl's Book Crush series. This book alone has brought many books into my life that I might never have found, like Eloise Jarvis McGraw's Greensleeves, and Paul Fleischman's The Borning Room.
June 3, 2017
Had lots of books in it I enjoyed as a youth that I was unable to remember the titles/author of. Now I can find them again, and build up my stockpile of books I have wished to own.
October 31, 2018
This is probably meant to be a reference book rather than read cover to cover, as I did, though it took months. Reading it that way was a bit tedious, as some books have a line or two of description, but others are just titles. This allows the inclusion of more books, but requires the reader to do their own research. All book titles are in bold, making it easy to skim, and there’s an index that includes titles and authors.
Nancy Pearl is librarian and lifelong booklover, evident in this series of books full of book recommendations. Book Crush focuses on books for younger readers, dividing it into three parts: picture books for young children, middle grade/juvenile, and young adult. The parts are then broken down into brief, themed sections. The only challenge with the themed sections is they’re a bit random and the titles don’t always make the theme evident, though most do. So as a reference, it’s not as easily accessible as it could be if it was more organized and structured.
I think if I had read this soon after it was published, I would have rated it higher. But as it’s now over 10 years old, many of the books were older titles I was already familiar with, and many recent books were, naturally, omitted. Pearl also includes a number of vintage titles, including some obscure books that are out of print and hard to find. The books are mostly fiction, but there is some nonfiction included, notably a section in middle grade broken down by Dewey decimal numbers.
I enjoyed the children’s picture book section the most, as it was easy to request those that interested me from the library on-line, and read a lot of them quickly. I think picture books are also not as easily dated as books for middle grade and teen readers, and there were a number included that I remembered from my childhood.
The middle-grade section wasn’t as strong for me as the children’s picture book section. A lot were older books that I’m not sure modern kids would relate to, and popular classics I was already familiar with. It also seemed more focused on books for boys; I didn’t find any books that sounded like a good fit for my niece, which was disappointing. I also wasn’t inspired to add many to my “to read” list, though this was partly influenced by the fact that they take longer to read and my reading time is finite.
I had a similar issue with the young adult section. Here, Pearl includes some books shelved in the adult section that are a good fit for teens, like Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper and Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar series.
The YA and juvenile novels included that I have read are generally ones that I agree are worth recommending, notably Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series, and L.A. Meyer’s Bloody Jack novels.
Overall, this book may be worth skimming through for teachers, librarians, and parents of voracious young readers. But I think for most book lovers, an updated edition would be needed to make it really worthwhile.
Nancy Pearl is librarian and lifelong booklover, evident in this series of books full of book recommendations. Book Crush focuses on books for younger readers, dividing it into three parts: picture books for young children, middle grade/juvenile, and young adult. The parts are then broken down into brief, themed sections. The only challenge with the themed sections is they’re a bit random and the titles don’t always make the theme evident, though most do. So as a reference, it’s not as easily accessible as it could be if it was more organized and structured.
I think if I had read this soon after it was published, I would have rated it higher. But as it’s now over 10 years old, many of the books were older titles I was already familiar with, and many recent books were, naturally, omitted. Pearl also includes a number of vintage titles, including some obscure books that are out of print and hard to find. The books are mostly fiction, but there is some nonfiction included, notably a section in middle grade broken down by Dewey decimal numbers.
I enjoyed the children’s picture book section the most, as it was easy to request those that interested me from the library on-line, and read a lot of them quickly. I think picture books are also not as easily dated as books for middle grade and teen readers, and there were a number included that I remembered from my childhood.
The middle-grade section wasn’t as strong for me as the children’s picture book section. A lot were older books that I’m not sure modern kids would relate to, and popular classics I was already familiar with. It also seemed more focused on books for boys; I didn’t find any books that sounded like a good fit for my niece, which was disappointing. I also wasn’t inspired to add many to my “to read” list, though this was partly influenced by the fact that they take longer to read and my reading time is finite.
I had a similar issue with the young adult section. Here, Pearl includes some books shelved in the adult section that are a good fit for teens, like Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper and Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar series.
The YA and juvenile novels included that I have read are generally ones that I agree are worth recommending, notably Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series, and L.A. Meyer’s Bloody Jack novels.
Overall, this book may be worth skimming through for teachers, librarians, and parents of voracious young readers. But I think for most book lovers, an updated edition would be needed to make it really worthwhile.
June 30, 2023
I love booklists 😂💕 and there were some excellent recommendations and some that were just ok. I appreciated most of the middle grade recommendations but didn’t care for the teen recommendations; I skipped the little kid section As my kids are well past those books.
This list is not a list I would pick up and trust to be full of excellent books I want my kids to be reading or that I would hand over to a child, but it was great to read as a parent and get a good jumping off point for book ideas for my kids to research further. That is, not every book fits the values I have for our family and books, especially some of the teen choices, But it had excellent ideas and descriptions to consider what may interest a child and I can look into further.
This list is not a list I would pick up and trust to be full of excellent books I want my kids to be reading or that I would hand over to a child, but it was great to read as a parent and get a good jumping off point for book ideas for my kids to research further. That is, not every book fits the values I have for our family and books, especially some of the teen choices, But it had excellent ideas and descriptions to consider what may interest a child and I can look into further.
July 5, 2018
Not exactly the most thrilling read, but definitely a great list of what to read. It's exactly what the title promised. And some of the more avid readers will enjoy seeing some of their favorites mentioned.
I'm definitely going to check out Nancy Pearl's other books like this one which include Book Lust and More Book Lust .
I'm definitely going to check out Nancy Pearl's other books like this one which include Book Lust and More Book Lust .
June 5, 2019
Perhaps my review of this one, and lack of my reviews of the other two, proves that children's lit is where my heart really lies. :D
Of course, I didn't like all the recommendations and I vehemently disagreed with several suggestions. But I rarely agree with anyone 100%.
Of course, I didn't like all the recommendations and I vehemently disagreed with several suggestions. But I rarely agree with anyone 100%.
July 28, 2021
I devoured and marked up my copy of this book and used her suggestions to make my next order for the library.
(Catching up on reviews for books read before blogging/Goodreads days, made from notes made at the time the book was read. Written on 7/27/21.)
(Catching up on reviews for books read before blogging/Goodreads days, made from notes made at the time the book was read. Written on 7/27/21.)
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April 2, 2024Es una lista de libros recomendados. Lo leí principalmente por la introducción, ngl: quería saber más sobre por qué se aprecia tanto a Nancy Pearl en usa. No lo califico porque tendría que leer toodas las recomendaciones para eso, considerando la naturaleza del libro.
November 7, 2018
This is a reread.
February 5, 2019
A. nonfiction, children's books, reviews. Multiple possibilities for youngsters' reading
November 20, 2020
What I thought would be a fun, quick read took twice as long to finish because I was literally pausing every few minutes to jot down titles or authors to check out!
July 6, 2021
For what it is, this is a four star book - although obviously not better than reading the books listed in it!
August 28, 2021
Nice collection of titles and reviews for children, middle grade and young adults. I enjoyed it.
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April 29, 2012Pearl, N. (2010). Book crush: For kids and teens: Recommended reading for every mood, moment,
and interest. Seattle, WA: Sasquatch Books.
Citation created by: Amanda Daugherty
Type of reference: Bibliography
Call number: 011.625
Cost: $16.95
Description: This book is a bibliography of over 1,000 books that are recommended for children and teenagers.
Content/Scope: This book contains a list of titles broken down by age group and then by interest.
Accuracy/Authority: This book is a newer version published in 2010, so the information should still be accurate. This bibliography is written by Nancy Pearl who is considered to be “America’s Favorite Librarian;” however, she better known for her knowledge in adult readers.
Arrangement/Presentation: The book is divided into three age groups: easy, middle-grade, and young adults. It is further subdivided into 118 categories where a brief synopsis is given for each title. The book also contains an index.
Timeliness/Permanence: The book was published in 2010, so the information is timely. It would be advisable to update a library collection with newer versions of this book.
Rationale for Selection: I felt that this book would be a good addition to the library since it allows students to select books based on their interests and feelings. This might guide them into selecting a book that they would enjoy reading.
Professional Review:
Edwards, C. A. (2007). Book crush: For kids and teens- recommended reading for every mood, moment, and interest. School Library Journal, 53(6), 184.
Relation to Similar Works:
Gillespie, J. T. (1991). Best books for junior high readers. New Providence, N.J: R.R. Bowker.
This is another bibliography of books geared specifically to students in middle school.
and interest. Seattle, WA: Sasquatch Books.
Citation created by: Amanda Daugherty
Type of reference: Bibliography
Call number: 011.625
Cost: $16.95
Description: This book is a bibliography of over 1,000 books that are recommended for children and teenagers.
Content/Scope: This book contains a list of titles broken down by age group and then by interest.
Accuracy/Authority: This book is a newer version published in 2010, so the information should still be accurate. This bibliography is written by Nancy Pearl who is considered to be “America’s Favorite Librarian;” however, she better known for her knowledge in adult readers.
Arrangement/Presentation: The book is divided into three age groups: easy, middle-grade, and young adults. It is further subdivided into 118 categories where a brief synopsis is given for each title. The book also contains an index.
Timeliness/Permanence: The book was published in 2010, so the information is timely. It would be advisable to update a library collection with newer versions of this book.
Rationale for Selection: I felt that this book would be a good addition to the library since it allows students to select books based on their interests and feelings. This might guide them into selecting a book that they would enjoy reading.
Professional Review:
Edwards, C. A. (2007). Book crush: For kids and teens- recommended reading for every mood, moment, and interest. School Library Journal, 53(6), 184.
Relation to Similar Works:
Gillespie, J. T. (1991). Best books for junior high readers. New Providence, N.J: R.R. Bowker.
This is another bibliography of books geared specifically to students in middle school.
April 26, 2015
Pearl, N. (2007). Book crush: For kids and teens: recommended reading for every mood, moment, and interest. Seattle, WA: Sasquatch Books.
Citation by: Bonnie Blevins
Type of Reference: Bibliography
Call Number: Ref 028.5
Content/Scope: A bibliography covering picture books, chapter books, young adult books, and nonfiction books. This bibliography recommends books from over 100 categories for kids and teens and contains bibliographical references and index.
Accuracy/Authority/Bias: The author, Nancy Pearl, is a former librarian and bookseller. She has won awards such as: Library Journal, Fiction Reviewer of the Year and Library Journal, Librarian of the Year.
Arrangement/Presentation: This bibliography is divided into three sections; easy, middle-grade, and young adult. Each section is then divided into essays which are arranged alphabetically.
Relation to other works: The other bibliography in the library contains addresses to popular and important people or organizations. This book will add to the collection
Accessibility/Diversity: This book covers material for a broad range of children so it may be used by teachers or students since the school has students P-6. The index in the back allows a search by title or author.
Cost: $16.95
Professional Review:
Edwards, C. A. (2007). Book crush: For kids and teens-recommended reading for every mood, moment, and interest. School Library Journal, 53(6), 184.
Citation by: Bonnie Blevins
Type of Reference: Bibliography
Call Number: Ref 028.5
Content/Scope: A bibliography covering picture books, chapter books, young adult books, and nonfiction books. This bibliography recommends books from over 100 categories for kids and teens and contains bibliographical references and index.
Accuracy/Authority/Bias: The author, Nancy Pearl, is a former librarian and bookseller. She has won awards such as: Library Journal, Fiction Reviewer of the Year and Library Journal, Librarian of the Year.
Arrangement/Presentation: This bibliography is divided into three sections; easy, middle-grade, and young adult. Each section is then divided into essays which are arranged alphabetically.
Relation to other works: The other bibliography in the library contains addresses to popular and important people or organizations. This book will add to the collection
Accessibility/Diversity: This book covers material for a broad range of children so it may be used by teachers or students since the school has students P-6. The index in the back allows a search by title or author.
Cost: $16.95
Professional Review:
Edwards, C. A. (2007). Book crush: For kids and teens-recommended reading for every mood, moment, and interest. School Library Journal, 53(6), 184.
September 14, 2016
What I most appreciate about reading this book is that I've already read a lot of the books that she recommends for young readers, so I feel very accomplished now :)
July 20, 2015
I'm a sucker for booklists, and this one is great. Does Nancy Pearl really read all of these books she recommends??? If only I had the time to keep up with her! There aren't enough hours in the day! In this installment of her collection, she focuses on books for kids and teens. The book is divided up by age, beginning with the "Earliest Readers," a category that includes babies and toddlers as well as young elementary school children. She continues with the interesting, and sometimes humorous, categorization that she uses in the other Book Lust books. Does your child love dogs? Well you're in luck, because there is a section on dogs! Did a loved one just pass away? Well, there's a section on "Death & Dying" too. What I like about Book Crush, is that while it does include the most popular children books, such as "Goodnight Moon" and "Cat in the Hat," it also provides many more suggestions (thousands of them!), most new to me. I borrowed this book from the library to see if I liked it, and now it's in my Amazon shopping cart. :)
March 11, 2013
I was unsure about the format of this book; most reference books of this sort have lists of books to choose from. I found, though, that the set-up was easy to work with and had enough of a teaser for most of the books to get the gist of what they were about. While most of the categories that the books were broken down into were very easy to navigate and could be skipped entirely if you knew it was a topic that did not interest your child, there were a few that didn't mesh as well and the books within could have been better filed. For instance, the categories where the only thing the books had in common were that the titles were single words.
I disagreed on a few of the books that Nancy Pearl thought were fantastic reads, but I am looking forward to sharing many of the titles with not only my children, but with some of their friends. Book Crush is a book that I will be recommending to others!
I disagreed on a few of the books that Nancy Pearl thought were fantastic reads, but I am looking forward to sharing many of the titles with not only my children, but with some of their friends. Book Crush is a book that I will be recommending to others!
July 11, 2010
This is an exceptionally well thought out book with superb reading lists directed at youth, but I think that the lists could be used by adults as well.
Parents can appreciate the first section of the book entitled Part 1: Youngest Readers, which is full of brilliant suggestions for little ones.
Part 2: Middle-Grade Readers Ages 8-12 is a terrific mix of classic and modern literature that will turn any child into a life long reader (this is a great section for books to give as gifts to kids as well!).
Part III: Teen Readers is full of mature reads that teenagers will love. This section could easily be read by adults also as the suggestions are well worth our time. Many of the works listed are probably on adult reading lists already anyway.
This is definitely Nancy Pearl's best collection of books to read. I can't imagine what she will come up with next!
Parents can appreciate the first section of the book entitled Part 1: Youngest Readers, which is full of brilliant suggestions for little ones.
Part 2: Middle-Grade Readers Ages 8-12 is a terrific mix of classic and modern literature that will turn any child into a life long reader (this is a great section for books to give as gifts to kids as well!).
Part III: Teen Readers is full of mature reads that teenagers will love. This section could easily be read by adults also as the suggestions are well worth our time. Many of the works listed are probably on adult reading lists already anyway.
This is definitely Nancy Pearl's best collection of books to read. I can't imagine what she will come up with next!
September 26, 2010
Nancy Pearl is also the author of Book Lust and More Book Lust. In this edition she writes recommendations regarding children and teen books.
Packed full of suggestions, I added many to my already bulging impossible to finish tbr list.
While one might think this would be a dry list of recommendations, rather, it is written with a style that kept me reading and very interested.
Like me, Nancy had a not so happy childhood. Like me, Nancy Pearl spent her childhood in libraries. And, like me, she was very fortunate to have wonderful mentors in librarians who knew her, made excellent suggestions and developed her intelligence through kind outreach.
Avoid this book if you do not want additional piles of books to read. Add this book if you delight in witty banter and excellent suggestions with explanations of why the books are recommended.
Packed full of suggestions, I added many to my already bulging impossible to finish tbr list.
While one might think this would be a dry list of recommendations, rather, it is written with a style that kept me reading and very interested.
Like me, Nancy had a not so happy childhood. Like me, Nancy Pearl spent her childhood in libraries. And, like me, she was very fortunate to have wonderful mentors in librarians who knew her, made excellent suggestions and developed her intelligence through kind outreach.
Avoid this book if you do not want additional piles of books to read. Add this book if you delight in witty banter and excellent suggestions with explanations of why the books are recommended.
July 8, 2007
Unfortunately not comprehensive or always on the mark. For instance, A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle is mentioned as a good book for discussion in one section, but under The Middle Grade Readers ages 8-12, when Madeleine L'Engle is mentioned, her only book listed is Meet The Austins, a book I loved, but A Wrinkle In Time should have been put in that section also or instead of Meet The Austins. A Wrinkle In Time was my favorite book when I was 10 & up and loved it when I was was first introduced to it by my 4th grade teacher reading it to the class when I was 9.
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