Children's Book Reviews by StorySnoops

What have you enjoyed reading so far in 2012? We've found some fantastic reads already! Here's one of Tiffany's favorites so far. And Eden's not surprised that this new one from Maggie Stiefvater is already getting a lot of recognition. Shannon couldn't get enough of the latest from John Green. And Jen's found an audio book you won't want to miss. Enjoy!

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO

Who created StorySnoops?
- Four moms who share a passion for reading and who write children's book reviews to hook kids up with the books that will encourage them to love reading, too.
Do you sell books?
- No, but we do provide convenient links to purchase books on Amazon.com and IndieBound.org.
What qualifies you to write children's book reviews?
- We don't write children's book reviews in the literary sense. We simply provide a mom's perspective on the content of books so that you and your children can make informed choices and have productive discussions.
Why don't you offer a rating system?
- We believe ratings are subjective and may apply differently to different children. That's why we provide comprehensive information about book content and let you be the judge.

OUR OPERATING PRINCIPLES

What values do you represent?
- We don't have an agenda. We believe in informed parenting and providing children with the experiences and opportunities to develop into healthy, caring, and responsible adults. Reading is one of these important experiences.
Do you advocate censorship of books?
- Absolutely not. Our website is a resource for parents to seek out or avoid specific content in a book, and to facilitate valuable discussions with their children.
What impact do advertisers and affiliates have on your website?
- None. Our content is not influenced by present or future affiliations, or by advertisers.

THE BOOKS

Do you actually read all of those books?
- Yes, we do. From cover to cover, with no skimming! And some day, we might even read adult literature again!
What if the book I'm looking for isn't on your site?
- We're always looking for suggestions about what to read. Visit our Contact Us page to send us an email. We keep a running list of books people would like to see on the website and are reading as fast as we can to add more books to our site every day.
Can you help me pick a book for my kid? I don't know what's out there.
- Of course we can. That's what we're here for. Check out our Suggested Reading Lists in the find-a-book section on the home page, we have something for everyone.
My kid doesn't like to read. Can you help me find a book for him/her?
- Absolutely. We have kids like that, too. Check out our lists for Reluctant Readers: for tween boys, tween girls, teen guys and teen gals.
Do you accept advance review copies of books or accept book submissions for review?
- If you are a publisher or an author and would like to be in touch regarding advance review copies or a review of your book, please see our guidelines in For Authors And Publishers.

OUR METHODOLOGY

How do you choose the books that are on the website?
- We try to focus on new releases, popular books, award winners, and classics that your children are most likely to pick up in a bookstore or library and say, "Can I get this?"
How old is Young Adult?
- Most publishers define YA as ages fourteen and up.
What is a Tween?
- Technically, a Tween is between nine and twelve years old. But categorizing those thirteen-year-olds can be challenging (Young Adult typically starts at age fourteen). If you have a thirteen-year-old, check out the Tween and Teen books. Or, if you have a mature twelve-year-old, keep in mind that some of the Teen books may work for you.
How do you define Mild Language and Graphic Language?
- Mild Language gets a bit tricky because everyone's definition is different, and what might be mild for a teenager is really not mild for a nine year old. So, we take the intended audience into account and try to include specific examples or euphemisms in the Scoops. Generally speaking, "mild" might include a-s, h-ll, d-mn, b-itch, sh-t, or other crude references to body parts or body functions. Graphic Language is easy. The minute the F-word appears, we consider it Graphic Language. In addition, it could include racial slurs or other vulgar references to body parts or body functions.
I see you have some books for adults on the site. Why?
- Because teenagers read them and they are often assigned in school. We choose these books by consulting teen best-seller lists.

USING THE SITE

How does Quick Find work?
- Quick Find is a good search tool if you know what you're looking for or have a specific topic in mind. If you're looking for books about baseball, simply type in the word "baseball." You can type in author, title, even a 10-digit ISBN number--almost anything you can think of. Quick Find is available on every page, so you don't need to go back to the home page to do a new search.
What does Lexile Reading Level mean? How do I use it?
- A Lexile text measure is based on two strong predictors of how difficult a text is to comprehend: word frequency and sentence length. Many other factors affect the relationship between a reader and a book, including its content, the age and interests of the reader, and the design of the actual book. Teachers use Lexile measures to connect students with instructional resources that match their individual reading ability. Librarians use Lexile measures to support classroom teachers and enhance instruction, connect readers with books they not only can read, but want to read, and assist parents in knowing how best to support their young learners. Parents can use Lexile measures to help their children with homework and school reading, and to guide their children in picking leisure reading. Please note that a Lexile Reading Level measures difficulty only. It does not address the subject matter or quality of the text, age-appropriateness of the content, or the reader's interests. We encourage parents with questions about Lexile Reading Levels to discuss their child's individual level with their teacher.
Can I access storysnoops.com on my mobile phone?
- The site runs fairly well on the iPhone and iPad. We will soon launch a streamlined version for these and all other mobile devices. Stay tuned!