HAPPY NEWS! SHARK LADY IS THE 2020 BEVERLY CLEARY CHILDREN'S CHOICE WINNER!

The Reviews Are In!

Read what others are saying below:

PINK IS FOR BLOBFISH

  • “The 2016 Ambassador to Young People’s Science and Nature books is unquestionably the blobfish.” -Shelftalker
  • “Readers will never look at pink the same way…. Keating maintains a casual tone while delivering intriguing details about each animal.”  —Publishers Weekly
  • “It’s clearly time to rethink pink, people.” —Shelf Awareness
  • “You haven’t seen amazing non-fiction writing if you have not read Pink is for Blobfish by Jess Keating and David DeGrand. Not only is this a book that students have to pick up when they see it, they keep returning to it.” —Pernille Ripp, Creator of the Global Read Aloud
  • “The comical tone makes this particularly inviting, and DeGrand’s cartoonish illustrations only add to the fun. A playful introduction to the kookier corners of the animal kingdom.” —Booklist
  • An Amazon Best Book of the Month Editor’s Pick (Feb 2016)
  • An Amazon “Best Books of the Year so far” Pick (2016)
  • A Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Honor Book (2017)
  • A Nerdy Book Club Award Winner—Best Nonfiction (2016)
  • A Wisconsin State Reading List Committee Favorite (2017)
  • A Monarch Award Nominee (2018)
  • A Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List Choice (2017)
  • A Huffington Post “Best Nonfiction Book of the Year—Honorable Mention” (2016)
  • A Scholastic Book Fair Featured Book (Spring 2017)
  • Buzzfeed’s “Incredibly Awesome Books to Give This Year” List (2016)
  • A School Library Journal’s “Fuse Eight” Best Science and Nature Book (2016)
  • A “Best Nonfiction Picture Book” at School Library Journal’s “Fuse Eight” (2016)
  • A Wisconsin State Reading List Committee Favorite (2017)
  • A Utah Beehive Short List Choice (2018)
  • A Monarch Award Nominee (2018)
  • A Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List Choice (2017)
  • A Rocky Mountain Book Award Nominee (2018)
  • A WLMA Towner Award Nominee (2018)
  • A Lectio Book Award Master List Book (2018)
  • A Nutmeg Book Award Nominee (2019)

OCEAN SPEAKS

  • An Amazon Editor's Pick of the Month
  • A Jane Addams Peace Award Honor Book (2020)
  • "An intriguing tale of feminism, scientific exploration, imagination, focus, and resilience." —Kirkus Reviews
  • "A wonderful introductory biography of a woman changing the world from behind the scenes."— School Library Journal Starred Review
  • "Imaginative and attractive ... the text clearly shows the prejudice and diminished opportunities that might have deterred Tharp, as well as the intelligence, hard work, and quiet determination that led to her success." — Booklist

WHAT MAKES A MONSTER

  • “A must have for the library! The kids are going to LOVE this book!” —Niki Ohs Barnes, Elementary Librarian
  • “Armed with knowledge of her subject and gifted for knowing exactly what readers need and want to know Jess Keating educates her readers like a master teacher.” —Margie Myers-Culver, Elementary Librarian
  • A 2017 Cybils Finalist
  • A ILA/CBC Children’s Choice Reading List Pick (2018)
  • A Wisconsin State Reading List Recommended Book (2018)
  • A Nerdy Book Club Award Winner (2017)
  • A Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Award Nominee (2018)

SHARK LADY

  • An Amazon Editor’s Pick (June 2017)
  • Winner: The Children’s Literature Association of Utah’s Beehive Book Award (2019)
  • Winner: The Chickadee Award (2019)
  • Winner: Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Award (2020)
  • Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee (2019)
  • A Subaru/The American Association for the Advancement of Science “Excellence in Science Books” Nominee (2018)
  • A Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award Winner (2018)
  • A Nerdy Book Club Award Winner (2017)
  • A 2017 Cybils Finalist
  • A Maine Chickadee Award Nominee Book (2017-2018)
  • A Fall 2017 Starred Selection for the Best Books for Kids and Teens (The Canadian Children’s Book Centre)
  • A 2018 Top Ten pick for the Amelia Bloomer List
  • A 2018 Best STEM Trade Book for Students K-12 by the Children’s Book Council
  • A 2018-2019 Great Words, Great Works List book by the Scripps National Spelling Bee
  • A Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee (2020)
  • “A tribute to the courage and indomitable will of the renowned ichthyologist. This eloquent profile follows Clark from a childhood visit to an aquarium through her demonstration that sharks can actually be trained and so are not “mindless killers” as widely supposed.” —Kirkus
  • “The aquatic creatures, drawn with big doe eyes, are depicted as friendly, happy creatures. Back matter includes additional information in a section titled “Shark Bites.”  A fine way to introduce young children to science.” —School Library Journal
  • “The writing flows well, keeping a clear focus on Clark and her dream, while including pertinent details from the career of “the Shark Lady,” known for her groundbreaking research and her work to change people’s perceptions of sharks… A lively introduction to an American scientist.” —Booklist

CUTE AS AN AXOLOTL 

  • “A dynamic introduction to 17 of the world’s most adorable creatures…[a] highly engaging overview that will have readers eager to learn more.” —Kirkus Reviews
  • “A home run for public and school libraries.” —School Library Journal
  • A School Library Journal Best Science and Nature Book (2018)
  • A School Library Journal Favorite Nonfiction Chapter Book (2018)
  • A Nerdy Book Club Award Winner (2018)
  • A Rocky Mountain Book Award Nominee (2019)

NIKKI TESLA AND THE FERRET-PROOF DEATH RAY

  • “Full STEAM ahead on a series debut equally charged with personal issues and science in (dramatic) action.” – Kirkus Starred Review 
  •  “Keating’s action-packed mystery kicks off her new Elements of Genius series, which combines intelligence with superhero appeal. Nikki’s comical narration is printed on graph-paper pages and embellished by illustrations, all of which give STEM a fun new spin.” – Booklist
  • This fast-paced caper features plot twists galore and a main character who confronts her past and learns that she can make friends along the way. A lively series kick-off. – Publishers Weekly

MY LIFE IS A ZOO SERIES

  • “Following in the tradition of Judy Blume and Paula Danziger, debut author Keating delivers a fun-filled, pitch-perfect book about one of the most fraught stages of life. An amusing, highly readable book about the perils of being 12 in a snake-eat-snake world.” —Kirkus Starred Review
  • “Keating maintains the same humorous, lightly soul-searching tone, perfect for a barely teenage girl…An enjoyable frolic with a great message that kids won’t even notice they’re absorbing.” —Kirkus
  • “With her trademark kid-oriented wit and lighthearted touch, Keating leads readers through the daily emotional ups and downs of the typical just-turned-teenager who is trying to juggle hormones, parents, schoolwork, and, most importantly, her friends. Ana’s voice is refreshingly distinct. A sweet reminder that being a middle school girl is about far more than boys and makeup.” —Kirkus Starred Review
  • “This debut novel deals with the hardships of junior high in a funny and zany, yet thoughtful, manner.” —Library Media Connection
  • “A zoologist, an educator, and an author, Jess Keating wrote the perfect book for students: a middle grade guide for navigating a zoo- I mean, middle school…My Life is a Zoo series speaks to tweens…” —About.com
  • “The voice of Ana is one of the most genuine personalities in middle grade literature.” —Margie Myers-Culver, Nerdy Book Club Librarian
  • “An absolutely perfect summer read.” —Girls’ Life Magazine
  • A Los Angeles Times Summer Book Pick (2014)
  • A Nerdy Book Club Award Winner (2014)
  • A Forest of Reading Red Maple Nominee (2015)
  • A Georgia Children’s Book Award Finalist (2015-2016)
  • A Rocky Mountain Book Award Nominee (2015)

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