Thursday, December 4, 2008

School Library Journal's Best Books for 2008

In their December 1st edition, School Library Journal lists their Best Books for 2008. Below is an excerpt from the article. For the complete article, go to Best Books for 2008.

Of the more than 5,000 books reviewed in SLJ’s pages in 2008, the 67 books listed below stood out as having distinctive voices, singular vision, and/or innovative approaches. They include books for toddlers and preschoolers, terrific picture books and easy readers, and some highly original novels. Fantasy, historical fiction, science fiction, humor, mystery, affecting family stories, and adventure all make an appearance. It was an amazingly strong year for YA novels, several with hard-hitting, powerful themes. There’s also some spectacular science and history. Deciding among all of the books about Lincoln published this year was not easy; we selected two that we felt were the most unusual and creative. The arts fared well also, with lively titles about Alexander Calder, Mark Twain, Billie Holiday, and William Carlos Williams.