Miss Becky's Book Reviews

My name is Becky Laney, and I’m an MLS student who loves to read. My site will include reviews of recent books I’ve read, particularly focusing on books published in 2004-2006, essentially "new" or "recently published" titles, although I will also include some reviews of my favorite books as I have time.

In addition to book reviews, my site will feature recommended reading lists of books, lists of my favorite authors, illustrators, and books, and topical bibliographies. Also included are author studies on Orson Scott Card, Janet Wong, Taro Yashimo, Kathleen Krull, and Angela Johnson. I hope to include more author studies in the upcoming months.

This website started as a result of a class I took in the Fall of 2004, in which I participated in a course that focused on reviewing children’s and YA literature published in 2004. As a class we selected one hundred books that we felt represented the best books published that year. Each student was responsible for writing a certain number of reviews and a feature article on a publishing trend. These reviews and articles were published as LIBRARIANS’ CHOICES 2004. My professor, Dr. Vardell, has graciously allowed me to post the bibliography of our Choices. In addition, four of my fellow classmates have allowed me to post their reviews and feature articles. Thanks Rose, Julie, Cay, and Andrea! The next fall, the Fall of 2005, I repeated the course again. While I can publish the final list of Librarians Choices 2005, I was only able to post my own reviews. Currently, the fall of 2006, I am involved in a free-lance book reviewing 'class' of former students in the TWU LS program. We will be composing a list of the year's 100 best titles for children and young adults. While updates to the site have been infrequent in the spring of this year, I hope to update quite frequently in the upcoming weeks.

Recent Updates To The Site

Review of New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (added July 2006)

Review of Hit The Road by Caroline B. Cooney. Added 8/29/06

Review of Over A Thousand Hills I Walk With You by Hanna Jansen. Added 8/29/06

Added two new authors to favorite author page: Stephenie Meyer and Joan Bauer. Updated Orson Scott Card entry. 8/29/06

Review of Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata. Added 8/29/06

Added new section "Favorite Research Topics" and posted first topical bibliography. Holocaust Bibliography added 8/29/06

Review of The Candy Darlings by Christine Walde added. 9/4/06. Also added link to blog site.

Review of Mercy Unbound by Kim Antieau added 9/4/06

Review of Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson. Added 9/5/06

Review of Here There Be Dragons by James A. Owen. Added 9/5/06

Review of First Impressions by Marilyn Sachs. Added 9/14/06.

Review of Alabama Moon by Watt Key. Added 9/14/06.

Added review of The Silver Donkey by Sonya Hartnett. 9/22/06

10/24/06 Multiple reviews added including:

Surviving Antarctica by Andrea White

Snow, Fire, Sword by Sophie Masson

Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga

10/30/06 Added several authors to favorite authors page.
Lauren Child, Sarah Dessen, Carolyn Meyer, and Scott Westerfeld!

1/16/07 Librarians' Choices 2006 posted to the site! See what these 'experts' rate as the 100 best books for kids and young adults.
1/17/07 Posted links to Listmania lists for Librarians' Choices 2006.

1/19/07 Added four reviews to the site: Mercy Unbound by Kim Antieau, London Calling by Edward Bloor, The Two Loves of Will Shakespeare by Laurie Lawlor, and Loving Will Shakespeare by Carolyn Meyer.