Book Crush: For Kids and Teens--Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Interest

By Nancy Pearl

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Sep 29, 2009
• ISBN: 9781570616563

Nancy Pearl

Nancy Pearl is known as “America’s Librarian.” She speaks about the pleasures of reading at library conferences, to literacy organizations and community groups throughout the world and comments on books regularly on NPR’s Morning Edition.  Born and raised in Detroit, she received her master’s degree in library science in 1967 from the University of Michigan. She also received an MA in history from Oklahoma State University in 1977. Among her many honors and awards are the 2011 Librarian of the Year Award from Library Journal; and the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association. She also hosts a monthly television show, Book Lust with Nancy Pearl. She lives in Seattle with her husband.

Reviews for Book Crush

[rachelpenso · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have (and love) Book Lust and More Book Lust. When I came across this book at a used book store for a bargain price, I just had to get it with my future children in mind!

[benjaminhahn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another great collection from Nancy Pearl. I think this book goes well with 1001 children's books you must read before you grow up, as it seems to round out some of the objectiveness of 1001 by giving Nancy Pearl's cheery librarian persona to some great young adult recommendations. Plus, she groups her book suggestions in some fun lists. I will probably mainly use this book to get ideas for gifts to my friends' children.

[katie_h_11 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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. :)

[merrymary_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In keeping with her other titles, a well-rounded and well-annotated guide to young adult literature. Most fiction, but non-fiction is included. Nancy does an excellent job, as always.

[lyrysa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent tool if you are not sure what to read next. Or to tell you what to read if you are in a certain type of mood or frame of mind.My girls really enjoyed this book and they started to listen to a few more of the suggestions I made to them about books.

[grapeapril75-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a wonderfully helpful book in selecting books for the teens I work with. I am sure I will pull it off the self often!

[abrial2433 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an excellent resource for a librarian to use to further their own knowledge and self-education in the field of youth literature. However, I may not use such a resource for a direct RA encounter with patrons.I thought that this was a very comprehensive guide to subject categories and, as I said, would be invaluable in furthering my own personal knowledge and reading in any particular area. I could then use this increased knowledge to augment and strengthen my own abilities to provide RA to patrons.

[whisper1_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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.Nancy Pearl had an unhappy childhood and spent her days and nights in libraries. And, 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.