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Every book Maria Russo recommended on podcasts
Maria Russo brings a wealth of expertise in children's literature, young adult fiction, and family reading to her appearances on The Book Review podcast. As evident from her discussions, Russo possesses a deep appreciation for the ways picture books and adolescent novels tackle complex historical truths, emotional struggles, and imaginative storytelling. She recommended Jonah Winter's devastating picture book My Name Is James Madison Hemings, alongside beloved favorites like Vera Brosgol's Leave Me Alone, Jory John and Lane Smith's humorous Penguin Problems, and Kate Beaton's charming King Baby. In the realm of young adult and realistic fiction, Russo championed Nicola Yoon's bestselling novel The Sun Is Also a Star and A.S. King's inventive Still Life with Tornado. Furthermore, she explored fan culture and literary obsession by discussing Wendy McClure's memoir The Wilder life in connection with the enduring legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series. Russo's podcast contributions consistently highlight books that engage young readers while offering profound emotional resonance for adults.
Books recommended by Maria Russo
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Children of Blood and Bone
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi is an acclaimed young adult fantasy novel that follows a young girl's quest to restore magic to her oppressed homeland of Orïsha.
Recommended“um and then I would say if you're looking for a fantasy a fantasy the book of the year is Children of Blood and Bone by Tommy adami”
Where to get it
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After the Fall
After the Fall by Dan Santat is a celebrated picture book that explores what happened to Humpty Dumpty after his famous fall from the wall.
Recommended“another picture book that I especially love reading with my youngest child because it has a lot of humor in it is Dan and tats after the fall how Humpty Dumpty got back up again”
Where to get it
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Far from the tree
Far from the Tree by Robin Benway is a poignant young adult novel that explores adoption, sibling bonds, and identity through the lives of three teenagers.
Recommended“the realism we have the one I really liked a national book award finalist called far from the tree by Robin Benway”
Where to get it
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Feather
Feather by Rémi Courgeon is a moving children's picture book about a young boy who dreams of flying and overcomes bullying with the help of family and determination.
Recommended“Remy kjan has a adorable book called feather of course beatric almana on a magical do nothing day”
Where to get it
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Fuzzy Mud
Fuzzy Mud is a suspenseful middle-grade eco-thriller by Louis Sachar that investigates the dangerous consequences of a secret biological experiment gone wrong in a rural community.
Recommended“yeah we have a great review of Louis saar's new book fuzzy mud which has already made its appearance for weeks on the bestseller list a middle-grade book The Plot involves a corporate conspiracy to pollute and poison uh the environment that these two children have to discover and try to thwart that it's very timely and I think kids”
Where to get it
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I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L.
Recommended“then there's one other National book award finalist in our coverage I am not your perfect Mexican Daughter by Erica Sanchez that I really liked too really beautifully written”
Where to get it
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Inkling
Inkling is a delightful middle-grade novel by Kenneth Oppel that tells an imaginative story centered around a young protagonist and a living ink drawing, featuring illustrations by Sydney Smith.
Recommended“well I have to say My overall favorite middle-grade novel is called inkling it's by Kenneth oel and it's illustrated by one of our favorite illustrator Sydney Smith”
Where to get it
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King Baby
King Baby by Kate Beaton is a humorous picture book about a demanding infant who rules over the household like an absolute monarch.
Recommended“and then my other favorite picture book is King Baby written and illustrated by Kate Beaton”
Where to get it
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Leave Me Alone
Leave Me Alone by Vera Brosgol is a children's picture book about a grandmother who seeks solitude away from her many demanding grandchildren in order to finish her knitting.
Where to get it
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Little House on the Prairie
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a classic semi-autobiographical children's novel that depicts pioneer life on the American frontier during the late nineteenth century.
Recommended“and a great book by Wendy McClure a few years ago the Wilder life where she you know talks about her Obsession and she went and visited all the homesteads”
Where to get it
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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs is a dark, imaginative fantasy novel that incorporates historical elements and striking visual media into its narrative.
Recommended“we should say if you if you haven't read uh The Peculiar Children Trilogy uh that is that is one that really hits home and it's just uh also beautifully written and dark it's incredibly dark and it has a little bit of a visual it's got these crazy vintage uh postcard photos in it that kind of tell the”
Where to get it
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My Name Is James Madison Hemings
My Name Is James Madison Hemings by Jonah Winter and Terry Widener is a picture book biography that tells the story of the son of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings.
Recommended“there's another one that I really like that was absolutely devastating called my name is James Madison hemings”
Where to get it
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On a magical do-nothing day
On a magical do-nothing day by Beatrice Alemagna is a charming children's picture book that captures the experience of a child spending a rainy day disconnected from screens and immersed in nature.
Recommended“Remy kjan has a adorable book called feather of course beatric almana on a magical do nothing day”
Where to get it
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Penguin problems
Penguin Problems by Jory John and Lane Smith is a humorous picture book that follows a grumpy penguin dealing with everyday grievances in the Antarctic.
Recommended“and then my other favorite picture book is penguin Problems by Jory John illustrated by the great Lane Smith”
Where to get it
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Secret Coders
Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang is an educational graphic novel series that combines mystery, adventure, and foundational computer programming logic for young readers.
Recommended“one last comic book since we love that genre so much um or graphic novel but for readers a little bit older this one is uh it's called secret coders also the beginning of a series uh by the brilliant um Gan Len yangang”
Where to get it
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Still life with tornado
Still Life with Tornado by A.S.
Recommended“still life with Tornado by as king”
Where to get it
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The birchbark house
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich is a celebrated children's historical novel that chronicles the life of an Ojibwa girl named Omakayas living on Madeline Island in Lake Superior during the mid-nineteenth century.
Recommended“in the interum we have a great series by the the novelist Lise erdrich called birchbark house also for middle grade you know 8 to 12 readers”
Where to get it
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The boy and the whale
The boy and the whale by Mordicai Gerstein is a poignant children's book about a young boy who rescues a stranded whale.
Recommended“some of these these books like for example we have the boy in the whale by the great morai gersy a book I love”
Where to get it
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The explorer
The explorer by Katherine Rundell is an adventurous middle-grade novel that follows a group of children who must survive in the Amazon rainforest after their small plane crashes.
Recommended“in terms of middle grade fiction I would say it's a tie between those two Harlem books Stars beneath our feet and Vander beakers of of 141st Street but also the Explorer by Katherine Rondell”
Where to get it
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The Hired Girl
The Hired Girl is a historical young adult novel by Laura Amy Schlitz that follows a spirited teenager who escapes her impoverished, isolated farm life in Pennsylvania to work as a domestic servant in a wealthy Jewish household in Baltimore.
Recommended“well I loved the hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz another multiple Award winner um and this is a book set in 1911 about a girl who comes from an isolated Farm environment in Pennsylvania who was raised Catholic”
Where to get it
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The stars beneath our feet
The stars beneath our feet by David Barclay Moore is a contemporary middle-grade novel that follows a young boy navigating life, grief, and architecture in Harlem.
Recommended“well as you know I love middle grade fiction and my one of my favorites in this issue is called the Stars beneath our feet by David Barkley Moore”
Where to get it
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The Sun is Also a Star
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon is a young adult contemporary novel exploring fate, romance, and the lives of two teenagers in New York City over the course of a single day.
Recommended“for realistic fiction there's the sun is also a star which has you know immediately parked on the bestseller list”
Where to get it
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The Sword of Summer
The Sword of Summer is a children's fantasy novel by Rick Riordan that explores Norse mythology.
Recommended“I think the the the big one is probably Rick Ryan's right there's a a new series that Rick Ryan of Percy Jackson Fame has started and it's called Magnus Chase and the gods of Asgard this first uh installment is called the sword of Summer and now he's taking on Norse mythology instead of Greek mythology”
Where to get it
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The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser is a charming middle-grade novel that chronicles the adventures and neighborhood exploits of a diverse, close-knit family living in Harlem.
Recommended“the other one is called the Vander beakers of 141st Street and that one is really oldfashioned”
Where to get it
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The wall in the middle of the book
The Wall in the Middle of the Book is a whimsical and inventive picture book by Jon Agee that explores themes of boundaries, perspective, and preconceived notions through clever visual storytelling.
Recommended“my favorite overall I would say is a book by John AG who I know you like too it's called the wall in the middle of the book this is a funny picture book that's also kind of weirdly precient and really good”
Where to get it
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The wild boy
The wild boy by Mordicai Gerstein is a captivating children's book inspired by the true story of the Wild Boy of Aveyron.
Recommended“some of these these books like for example we have the boy in the whale by the great morai gersy a book I love”
Where to get it
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The Wilder life
The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure is a non-fiction book that explores the author's deep fascination and obsession with the Little House on the Prairie book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Recommended“a great book by Wendy McClure a few years ago the Wilder life where she you know talks about her Obsession”
Where to get it
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This One Summer
This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki is a critically acclaimed graphic novel that captures the delicate transitions of youth during a seaside vacation.
Recommended“we could mention in a previous book by one of the authors we reviewed in the summer reading issue U Maro Tamaki this one summer oh and the the art was done by her cousin Jillian Tamaki that is just one of the most um emotionally gorgeous resonant books again about a summer”
Where to get it
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Waiting
Waiting by Kevin Henkes is a charming and gentle picture book that explores patience and the simple joys of anticipation through the experiences of five animal toys sitting on a windowsill.
Recommended“there's um Waiting by Kevin hanky one my favorites”
Where to get it
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Who is Rich?
Who Is Rich? by Matthew Klam is a darkly comic contemporary novel about a middle-aged cartoonist grappling with marriage, art, and desire.
Recommended“I thought Matthew clams who is Rich would have been a fantastic Darkhorse choice”
Where to get it
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A Fine Dessert
Discussed“and oddly the controversy over refined dessert also showed um an enslaved mother and daughter baking together and uh the slave girl in that picture book was smiling and a lot of people thought that was disturbing”
Where to get it
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A year without mom
Discussed“there's actually another great graphic novel by Dasha tsova is that her name called a year without Mom which another great one”
Where to get it
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Be Prepared
Discussed“the first one is called be prepared it's by Vera brosgol this is one of those middle-grade novels that also I think skews on the older side”
Where to get it
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Jesus' son
Jesus' Son is a potent and slender 1992 short story collection by Denis Johnson that portrays the chaotic, gritty lives of marginal figures through the perspective of an unreliable narrator.
Discussed“and they're just like Jesus's son”
Where to get it
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Life on Mars
Discussed“and Life on Mars is another one with a that he he likes to have a big surprise at the end which I think is great for small children”
Where to get it
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Milo's hat trick
Discussed“Milo's hattick is a great one and Life on Mars is another one with a that he he likes to have a big surprise at the end which I think is great for small children”
Where to get it
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Mr. Wolf's class
Discussed“it's a new graphic novel series called Mr Wolf's Class by Aaron Nell stanky”
Where to get it
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The Cat in the Hat Comes Back
Discussed“well I have to pick uh an outlier that some people haven't even read is the Cat in the Hat Comes Back”
Where to get it
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The Day the Crayons Came Home
Discussed“well we have we have a sequel uh The Day the Crayons came home”
Where to get it
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The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
Discussed“and gersen of course is an award-winning illustrator and author who did a book that many listeners who read picture books would know of which is the man who walked between in to he's just a wonderful Picture Book Creator”
Where to get it
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The Poet X
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo is a celebrated young adult novel in verse that follows a Dominican-American teenager in Harlem who uses slam poetry to understand her world and find her voice.
Discussed“well of course we have on our list the national book award winner for young people's literature the poet X by Elizabeth asedo”
Where to get it
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When the Sea Turned to Silver
Discussed“it's called when the sea turned to Silver by Grace Lynn”
Where to get it
Appearances
Other mentions (16: passing, ad reads, own books)
“The Book Thief for example have been bestsellers for years and still have a devoted following”
“Vera brasal wrote a really terrific graphic novel for older readers called Ana's ghost a few years ago”
“she was the author of everything everything which another bestseller”
“we have a pregnant 16-year-old and we don't necessarily see the sex but release by Patrick NES which is on the fantasy”
“uh well I think this was probably written in 1958 The Cat in the Hat was published in 1957”
“and um and then in 1960 was One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish”
“it's a new novel by Rebecca St who uh is the author of When You Reach Me Newberry winner from a few years back”
“one of the biggest hits from recent years was The Day the Crayons Quit uh in the picture book world”
“one last comic book since we love that genre so much um or graphic novel but for readers a little bit older this one is uh it's called secret coders also the beginning of a series uh by the brilliant um Gan Len yangang who wrote um American boorn Chinese and the secret the boxers and Saints series”
“and you really see um you know that a little bit more of a subversive take on uh the parent child relationship Marlo frzy Illustrated um everywhere babies which I think is like one of the go book she has so many great ones”
“and Saker wrote holes which was turned into a movie”
“and the review is by Elliot Sher who our readers might know is the author of endangered right he has he writes um really well about environmental issues for children”
“you know Jane air and um ivanho are are books that are kind of embedded in the plot of this novel The heroine wants to better herself through literature”
“you know Jane air and um ivanho are are books that are kind of embedded in the plot of this novel The heroine wants to better herself through literature”
“okay people know Jesse Andrews because he's the author of me and Earl and the dying girl”
“won the governor general award uh last year for the her 13B”