Top Ten Tuesday – Recommended Recommenders

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the bookishly inclined team over at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week’s prompt is recommendations, and today I’m going to talk about a few of my favourite sources of bookish inspiration. I follow a lot of blogs, and narrowing the list down to ten was a bit of a challenge! I can always rely on these sites/sources to inspire me and fill my wish list with fantastic book suggestions. And because sharing is caring, I’m going to share them with you!

The Book Wars

OK, I’ll admit it, I’m a bit biased here, because in addition to Raincity Librarian I also blog over at The Book Wars. In my defense,  I was inspired to join the brilliant Book Warriors because I admired and was inspired by these children’s literature aficionados. The original four bloggers behind the site are all graduates of the Masters of Children’s Literature program at the University of British Columbia, so they definitely know a thing or two about children’s books! The team has now grown to include a children’s librarian and a graphic novels specialist, so there’s really something for everyone at The Book Wars. Be sure to check it out and subscribe!

There’s a Book for That

Carrie Gelson is a fellow Canadian, as well as a passionate children’s book lover and educator. Her Monday posts are guaranteed to have you running to the library and filling up your basket with heaps of fantastic children’s books. Carrie is also an active Twitter user, so definitely make sure you’re following her!

The Logonauts

I work in a highly diverse city, and being able to connect my patrons with an inclusive array of materials is such an important part of my work. The Logonauts is dedicated to celebrating fantastic children’s books with a diverse and global  focus, and is the driving force behind the DiverseKidsLit linkup. A visit here never fails to inspire me.

Gathering Books

The majority of the books available in libraries in my area come from our neighbours down south, which isn’t a bad thing in itself – you Yankees make a lot of fantastic books! But the world is a big old place full of brilliant minds, incredible talents and fascinating cultures, and the team at Gathering Books are always introducing me to exciting new-to-me books that I immediately want to get my hands on. If you’re looking for a children’s literature blog with a global approach, definitely follow Gathering Books.

Kid Lit Frenzy

Alison Beecher is the queen of children’s nonfiction, and the host of the Wednesday nonfiction picture book challenge. She regularly does previews of upcoming nonfiction titles, as well as blog tours, interviews and giveaways. If you’re looking for nonfiction inspiration, this is definitely the place to be.

Unleashing Readers

Yet another teacher-led blog, Unleashing Readers is all about connecting readers of all ages and levels with inspiring, engaging books. They regularly participate in linkups and memes like Top Ten Tuesday and IMWAYR, and regularly review children’s materials represented a range of themes, formats, genres and levels. A great all-around children’s book resource.

Nerdy Book Club

Nerdy Book Club isn’t just a blog, it’s a community. Teachers, librarians, bloggers, writers, reviewers, readers and other children’s literature lovers share their thoughts, ideas, impressions and opinions to create an inclusive and inspiring online community.

Fab Book Reviews

Oh, Canada! We do have some pretty fantastic bloggers up here, if I do say so myself. Check out Fab Book Reviews for “book reviews, pop culture & more bookish goodness from a librarian in Canada” – now that is definitely right up my alley! Michelle’s book reviews are fun and informative, and she reads and reviews a great variety of genres, themes, styles and subjects. There’s a little bit of everything for everyone!

Picture Books Blogger

Exactly what it says on the tin! This is really a go-to resource for anything and everything picture book. Fantastic reviews, awesome images, and a really great variety of old and new, well-known and obscure, local and global make this one of my favourite new-to-me book blogs.

Read it Real Good

Read it Real Good is a celebration of diverse voices in children’s literature. Blogger and bookseller Alia Jones definitely knows and loves children’s literature, and I’ve discovered so many fantastic titles through her thoughtful reviews. A really great resource for infusing new voices and perspectives into your reading and recommending.

Here Wee Read

Blogger, mother, computer programmer and book lover Charnaie shares reviews of children’s books that have been tested and approved by her own kidlets! She features a really great variety of titles, and I’ve discovered so many great titles on her beautiful, clearly organised blog.

So, even with an extra blog sneaked in  I’ve still got so many resources left to share! Maybe I’ll do another post sometime in the future with more of my favourite book blogs – the interwebs is bursting with inspiring and exciting bloggers who generously share their love for children’s books with us.

Be sure to check out these blogs, follow them if you’re new, and enjoy all the bookish goodness!