Express your literary love all year long with our new ISBN Thinking of You totes. And just because we’ve been thinking of you, we brought back a limited number of the tees too!
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Month: March 2018
Hi mystery fans! I have some exciting news to share: starting next week I’ll be bringing you all things mystery twice a week! Basically I’ll just have more room to actually tell you about recent releases and reviews in one newsletter and then at the end of the week I’ll share news, adaptations, Little Q&As, deals, and my week in reading. So here’s to more mysteries!
Sponsored by Enigma by Catherine Coulter.
The highly anticipated twenty-first FBI thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter presents Agents Savich and Sherlock with two baffling mysteries. Working with Agent Cam Wittier (Insidious) and New York-based former Special Forces agent Jack Cabot, they must race against the clock to catch an international criminal and solve the enigma of the man called John Doe.
I LOVE Japanese Crime Novels! (TW: child death/ suicide/ ableism)
The Master Key by Masako Togawa, Simon N.C. Grove (Translator): Two incidents begin the novel: a child being buried; a man dressed in women’s clothing is in an accident. From there the story moves to a Tokyo apartment building that houses single women in the 1950s which is about to be physically moved for road expansion. While most residents are focused on the actual building being moved others are on edge over the master key–which opens every apartment–having disappeared… Something that I love in Japanese crime novels is that it will easily morph between genres. In this case the novel starts by presenting two mysteries– which the reader doesn’t know why these events have happened nor fully what the events are–then it becomes a mix of lit fic and crime novel which follows random characters, and finally it ends with a wrap up the way many mysteries end.
Over on Book Riot:
Rincey and Katie talk news, recent reads, AND an upcoming mystery that pairs Obama and Biden together–which I’ve marked as a must-read–on Read or Dead.
Speaking of podcasts: there’s a new one hosted by Rioters Kim and Alice called For Real which is fantastic–I swear I don’t have to say that, it is! I knew Kim was a true crime reader so I listened in hoping they’d talk about true crime reads sometimes and they did–in the first two episodes!
8 Great Reads with Unusual Detectives (This should be a subgenre because I would read the hell out of this subgenre.)
Teen Girl Sleuths (Another of my favorites!)
News:
J.K. Rowling announced on Twitter that she finished writing Lethal White, the fourth book in her Cormoran Strike PI series.
Laura Dern posted first look images from the set of Big Little Lies 2.
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, adapted from Douglas Adams series, will not have a season 3 after BBC America didn’t renew and the producers have been unable to find another network to pick it up.
A CIA Analyst In a Nightmare Scenario!
Need to Know by Karen Cleveland: The summary for this one doesn’t give anything away so neither will I! Vivian Miller is a CIA analyst and while combing through the computer of a possible Russian agent she comes across something that literally changes her entire life and everything she thought she knew. With a husband and four kids, one with a serious heart condition, she has no idea what to do with the information she’s discovered because no matter what direction she takes her world is sure to implode. This is a roller coaster thriller in that there are super fast paced chunks of the novel and moments I was yelling “ohmygod hurry up you’re going to get caught!” but at the same time it is very much inside Miller’s head as she tries to not only rationalize what to do next but also she’s looking back over her life trying to assess how this happened. It isn’t Annie Walker from Covert Affairs (I miss that show!) but it’s a page-turner thriller for those who like getting into the minds of the main character.
Slow-burn Suspense with a Hell of a Payoff (TW: suicide)
Tangerine by Christine Mangan: There are so many things I want to say about this novel but I can’t because I would never deny you the experience of how this unfolds–if you like lit fic and suspense I’d read this without knowing anything about it. But here’s what I will tell you: Alice and Lucy were roommates at school, bonded over being orphans, and then didn’t see each other again for years. In 1956 Alice is living in Tangier, Morocco with her husband when Lucy surprise visits. Except Lucy doesn’t find Alice exactly as she’d remembered her. Instead, Alice is hesitant to leave the apartment, doesn’t seem that thrilled to see Lucy, and there’s a strain in Alice’s marriage. This starts like a literary novel and weaves suspense throughout in a way that by the end I felt itchy by what was happening/needing to see how it would finish. An excellent read where the backdrop of the turmoil of Morocco fighting for Independence perfectly compliments the unfolding plot.
Kindle Deal:
Flower Net (Red Princess, #1) by Lisa See is $1.99 (The first book in this trilogy that pairs an American lawyer with a Chinese lawyer who met while studying in the U.S.)
Fractured by Catherine McKenzie is $1.99 (Review)
Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.
Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canaves.
If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own you can sign up here.
Welcome to Book Riot’s Events Newsletter, hosted by me, María Cristina. We’re looking at the end of March, but mostly the beginning of April. April already! Can you believe it? Clear your calendars on the following dates, my reading friends.
Sponsored by Penguin Teen, publisher of If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson.
A lyrical story of star-crossed love perfect for readers of The Hate U Give, by National Ambassador for Children’s Literature Jacqueline Woodson
Jeremiah feels good inside his own skin. That is, when he’s in his own Brooklyn neighborhood. But now he’s going to be attending a fancy prep school in Manhattan, and black teenage boys don’t exactly fit in there. So it’s a surprise when he meets Ellie the first week of school. In one frozen moment their eyes lock, and after that they know they fit together–even though she’s Jewish and he’s black. Their worlds are so different, but to them that’s not what matters. Too bad the rest of the world has to get in their way.
Jacqueline Woodson’s work has been called “moving and resonant” (Wall Street Journal) and “gorgeous” (Vanity Fair). If You Come Softly is a powerful story of interracial love that leaves readers wondering “why” and “if only . . .”
IRL GATHERINGS
Ujamaa Book Festival: March 31 in Alexandria, VA
Harambee Books and Artworks hosts this annual festival featuring local and national writers of African descent (“harambee” is Swahili for “working together”). This year Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a featured author and speaker, so if you liked Americanah or We Should All Be Feminists, take advantage of this free event open to the public (authors must register as exhibitors).
Poets and New York: Miguel Algarin, Alfred Corn, Toi Derricotte: April 7 in New York, NY
This is a members-only library on the Upper East Side, and this reading/discussion takes place in the Members’ Room. But! The event is free and open to the public (as long as you rsvp). Basically, you can take a peek behind closed doors under cover of National Poetry Month.
San Antonio Book Festival: April 7 in San Antonio, TX
The festival, in its sixth year, boasts an event listed on the schedule as “Beloved Icon Sandra Cisneros” and yeah, that is accurate. The kid in me who treasured The House on Mango Street is fangirling from here in New York. If you’re able to make it to San Antonio, please give Sandra a “Yay!” in person on my behalf.
The Telling Room Presents Show & Tell: A Literary Spectacular: April 10 in Portland, ME
John Hodgman and Jean Grae emcee this all-ages literary cabaret. It sounds like it’s going to be a magical time, but the coolest part? The price of admission goes towards supporting free creative writing programs for kids 6 to 18.
The London Book Fair: April 10-12 in London, England
This is more of a publishing industry event than a readers’ event, but as an industry person who is also a reader, I thought you’d want to know about it. Also, London!
Word of South Festival of Literature and Music: April 13 in Tallahassee, FL
I smell a conspiracy to get my attention. First of all, there’s the punny name. Then there’s the interdisciplinary focus, as guests are “authors who write about music, musicians who also are authors, authors and musicians appearing together, and everything in between.” If the food trucks have gluten-free options, there’s the María Cristina trifecta right there. And I just have to point out again: Word of SOUTH. You see what they did there? My people.
AUTHORS ON TOUR
Stops include: April 2 (Plainville, MA), 3 (Maplewood, NJ), 4 (Haverford, PA), 5 (Reston, VA), 7 (South Bend, IN), 9 (Milwaukee, WI), 10 (Downers Grove, IL), and 11 (Columbus, OH)
Rebound is the prequel to Alexander’s The Crossover. I am more excited about this middle grade basketball book release than I ever was about my little brother’s middle school basketball games. Low bar to clear, but for real, these novels are some of my favorite sports books.
Stops include: March 27 (Windsor, CT), 28 (Richmond, VA), 29 (Washington, DC), April 2 (Los Angeles, CA), 3 (Albuquerque, NM), 4 (Seattle, WA), 5 (Portland, OR), 6 (San Francisco, CA), 9 (Nashville, TN), 10 (Houston, TX), 11 (Austin, TX), and 12 (Denver, CO)
You may be a bit confused right now. It’s 2018, and wasn’t Exit West a huge 2017 book? Wasn’t it a finalist for almost every award ever and on dozens of best-of-2017 lists? Yes, all true. And now it’s out in paperback!
Stops include: April 3 (Brooklyn, NY), 4 (Washington, DC), 5 (Cambridge, MA), 6 (New Haven, CT), 9 (Portland, OR), 10 (Seattle, WA), 11 (Menlo Park, CA), and 12 (San Francisco, CA)
Jamison’s The Recovering defies genre. It’s memoir, it’s journalism, it’s history, it’s social science, it’s psychology, it’s myth. Something for everybody, even if your life has been (improbably) untouched by addiction and recovery.
THERE YA GO!
If you end up participating in any of the above, tell us about it on social media.
And if there are any bookish events that should be on my radar, tweet me @meowycristina or email me at mariacristina@bookriot.com.
Hope to see you Riot readers in the wild!
-MC
PS: I’ve heard that some of you are willing and able to travel for bookish events if given enough notice. Our roughly-two-week window for the newsletter is optimal for event hosts who may not have everything set in stone any earlier, and attendees who forget something is happening a month from now. But there are a few events for which I can at least advise you to be in a certain state in a certain week. If the addition of a bare-bones save-the-date shortlist in these newsletters is appealing to you, shoot me a message to let me know. Make sure to tell me what “advance notice” means to you. Events a month from now? Two months? Three? I’m here for you, readers!
Categories
Win NOIR by Christopher Moore!
We have 250 digital early audio downloads of Christopher Moore’s Noir to give away to 250 Riot readers! Two. Hundred. Fifty.
Here’s what it’s all about:
The absurdly outrageous, sarcastically satiric, and always entertaining New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore returns in finest madcap form with this zany noir set on the mean streets of post–World War II San Francisco, and featuring a diverse cast of characters, including a hapless bartender; his Chinese sidekick; a doll with sharp angles and dangerous curves; a tight-lipped Air Force general; a wisecracking waif; Petey, a black mamba; and many more—all perfectly performed by Johnny Heller! Special thanks to Libro.fm for supplying the digital audio downloads to the winners!
Go here for your (way better than average) chance to win, or just click the cover image below. Good luck!
We have 10 copies of Alanna Okun’s The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater to give away to 10 Riot readers!
Here’s what it’s all about:
A memoir of the truths learned in life through crafting — Alanna Okun knows knows that even when we can’t control anything else, we can at least control the sticks, string, and fabric right in front of us.
Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the cover image below:
Today’s Riot Rundown is sponsored by She Caused a Riot by Hannah Jewell.
When you hear about a woman who was 100% pure and good, you’re missing the best chapters of her life’s story.
She Caused a Riot is an empowering, no-holds-barred look into the epic adventures and dangerous exploits of 100 inspiring women who were too brave, too brilliant, too unconventional, too political, too poor, not ladylike enough and not white enough to be recognized by their contemporaries.
From 3rd-century Syrian queen Zenobia to 20th-century Nigerian women’s rights activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, these are women who gave absolutely zero f**ks, and will inspire a courageous new movement of women to do the same.
We have 10 copies of You Think It, I’ll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld to give away to 10 Riot readers!
Here’s what it’s all about:
Curtis Sittenfeld, The New York Times bestselling author of Eligible and Prep, delivers her first collection of short stories, guaranteed to make you laugh, cringe, and relate…hard. Sittenfeld has established a reputation as a sharp chronicler of the modern age who humanizes her subjects even as she skewers them. With moving insight and uncanny precision, she pinpoints the questionable decisions, missed connections, and sometimes extraordinary coincidences that make up a life.
Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the cover image below:
Hey, hey, last week of March! There has already been so many amazing announcements regarding book-related news. BUT I’M NOT DONE! I have a bunch of great stuff for you today. Because I love you and I like you. I hope everything in your world is marvelous and you have something wonderful to read. Enjoy your upcoming week, and be excellent to each other. – xoxo, Liberty
Sponsored by BookishFirst
Be You. Be Bookish. Be BookishFirst.
Be the first to discover new books before they are published! Read excerpts, share your thoughts, earn points, and win FREE books. Get 500 points just for joining! Sign up at BookishFirst.com.
Deals, Reals, and Squeals!
Amazon is looking to turn Three-Body Problem into a sci-fi television series.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post finds a distributor.
And Netflix picked up To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.
And speaking of Netflix, they’ll be running a warning before episodes of S2 of Thirteen Reasons Why.
And more Netflix news: They’ll be adapting The Earthquake Bird by Susanna Jones. (I loved this book.)
And even more Netflix news: Joel Edgerton to star with Timothee Chalamet in a King Henry V film.
Two new Charlotte Brontë manuscripts to be published this fall.
Nnedi Okorafor teased a new book.
There’s going to be a film sequel of sorts to Unbroken.
Lisa Brennan-Jobs, the daughter of Steve Jobs, is writing a memoir about her childhood.
Dear Evan Hansen to become a young adult novel.
Bill Cunningham left behind a secret memoir.
JK Rowling has finished Lethal White, the next Cormoran Strike novel.
Cover Reveals
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns fans, rejoice! Here’s the cover reveal of Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix. (October 23, Philomel Books)
Sneak Peeks
It’s a new George R. R. Martin…show! Here’s the first look at Syfy’s Nightflyers.
And the trailer for Deadpool 2 has dropped.
And the teaser trailer for AMC’s Dietland!
Here’s the first look at Anthony Hopkins in the BBC adaptation of King Lear.
Book Riot Recommends
At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week!
Circe by Madeline Miller (April 10, Little, Brown and Company)
There are not enough words to describe how much I love Miller’s follow-up to The Song of Achilles, a retelling of the Greek mythology of Circe, daughter of the god of the sun, who was banished to an island for fear of her powers, and the iconic mythology characters she encounters there, as well as the complex tale of her life. Miller turns Circe into a strong, flawed heroine, and this book does her tremendous justice.
The Baghdad Clock by Shahad Al Rawi, Luke Leafgren (Translator) (May 8, OneWorld Publications)
Shortlisted for the Arabic Booker Prize, this little gem follows the lives of two little girls who meet during the Iraq War and become lifelong friends in the face of bombing, conflicts, and civil war, and how their relationship survives. Perfect for fans of The Kite Runner.
And this is funny.
Celeste Ng has raised a wise seven-year-old.
This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Disarmed by Izzy Ezagui, from Prometheus Books.
Margot Robbie Creating Female-Focused Shakespeare TV Series
Actor Margot Robbie is creating a television series based on Shakespearean works, told from female perspectives and led by an all-female creative team. Robbie is working with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to produce 10 standalone episodes, updated to both comment on modern society and highlight Australia’s cultural diversity.
Matt Bomer Buys Out Theater For Love, Simon
The actor posted an Instagram announcement that he and his husband had bought out a screening of the Love, Simon film adaptation in his hometown of Spring, Texas. Love, Simon follows a gay high schooler who falls for an anonymous classmate over email but struggles to come out.
An Edible Book Festival
The International Edible Books Festival “unites bibliophiles, book artists and food lovers to celebrate the ingestion of culture and its fulfilling nourishment. Participants create edible books that are exhibited, documented then consumed.” The festival is held every year on the birthday of the French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. Hopefully, they’ll step it up a notch this April 1st.
Hi, Kid Lit friends!
Pirates! Why are they so irresistible to kids? I have no idea either, but these pirate books are sure to captivate readers young and old.
Sponsored by PRIDE WARS Book One: The Spinner Prince by Matt Laney
For fans of the Warriors series comes a new clan of super-evolved felines in a world rife with rebellion. Only Leo, prince of Singara, has the power to save-or destroy-his kingdom. But can he conceal his curse, claim the throne, and protect his realm? A new fantasy series from debut author, Matt Laney!
Three picture books with pirate protagonists are How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long, illustrated by David Shannon; Pirate Princess by Supipta Bardhan-Quallen, illustrated by Jill McElmurry; and Pirates Love Underpants by Claire Freedman, illustrated by Ben Cort. In How I Became a Pirate, Jeremy Jacob joins Captain Braid Beard and his crew in this witty look at the finer points of pirate life. Jeremy learns how to say “scurvy dog,” sing sea chanteys, and throw food . . . but he also learns that there are no books or good night kisses on board.
Pirate Princess is about Princess Bea who isn’t like other princesses—she prefers pirate ships above tea parties, the salty sea over silly dolls. But what’s a landlocked princess to do? Ahoy, Captain Jack to the rescue! When the captain offers Bea a place aboard his ship, it’s a dream come true—until she’s put to work swabbing the decks and making dinner for the crew. Can a princess like Bea put her royal gifts to work and make the pirates see that she’s seaworthy after all—or will they make her walk the plank?
The silly story in Pirates Love Underpants is sure to please the picture book crowd. Check out this opening page:
These pirates SO love underpants,
They’re on a special quest
To find the fabled Pants of Gold,
For the Captain’s treasure chest.
The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Jolly Regina by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Jen Hill, is an illustrated chapter book about two sisters who are patiently waiting for their parents to return home. One day, the Bland sisters are kidnapped by an all-female band of pirates. They’re unwillingly swept into a high-seas romp that might just lead to solving the mystery of what happened to their parents.
Hook’s Revenge by Heidi Schultz is a pirate themed middle grade series about twelve-year-old Jocelyn who dreams of becoming every bit as daring as her infamous father, Captain James Hook. Her grandfather, on the other hand, intends to see her starched and pressed into a fine society lady. When she’s sent to Miss Eliza Crumb-Biddlecomb’s Finishing School for Young Ladies, Jocelyn’s hopes of following in her father’s fearsome footsteps are lost. So when Jocelyn receives a letter from her father challenging her to avenge his untimely demise at the jaws of the Neverland crocodile, she doesn’t hesitate-here at last is the adventure she has been waiting for.
Race to the Bottom of the Sea by Lindsay Eager is a middle grade story about eleven-year-old Fidelia Quail is racked by grief when her parents, the great marine scientists Dr. and Dr. Quail, are killed in a tragic accident. But Fidelia is forced out of her mourning when she’s kidnapped by Merrick the Monstrous, a pirate whose list of treasons stretches longer than a ribbon eel. Her task? Use her marine know-how to retrieve his treasure, lost on the ocean floor. But as Fidelia and the pirates close in on the prize, with the navy hot on their heels, she realizes that Merrick doesn’t expect to live long enough to enjoy his loot. Could something other than black-hearted greed be driving him?
Flying Lessons and Other Stories, edited by Ellen Oh, is collection of short stories by well-known and award winning middle grade authors. In particular, Grace Lin’s contribution “The Difficult Path” is the tale of a young Chinese servant girl who is captured by pirates, who save her from an arranged marriage to a horrible young boy from a wealthy family.
The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked, and Found by Martin W. Sandler was a finalist for the 2018 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults. The book focuses on the 1650s to the 1730s, the golden age of piracy, when fearsome pirates like Blackbeard ruled the waves, seeking not only treasure but also large and fast ships to carry it. The Whydah was just such a ship, built to ply the Triangular Trade route, which it did until one of the greediest pirates of all, Black Sam Bellamy, commandeered it. Filling the ship to capacity with treasure, Bellamy hoped to retire with his bounty — but in 1717 the ship sank in a storm off Cape Cod. For more than two hundred years, the wreck of the Whydah (and the riches that went down with it) eluded treasure seekers, until the ship was finally found in 1984 by marine archaeologists. The artifacts brought up from the ocean floor are priceless, both in value and in the picture they reveal of life in that much-mythologized era, changing much of what we know about pirates.
New Releases!
All of these books release this Tuesday unless otherwise noted. The book descriptions are from Goodreads, but I’ll add a 
if I particularly loved a title.
Board Book New Releases
Animal Colors by Christopher Silas Neal (Little Bee Books)
When a blue whale and a yellow lion mix, it makes a . . .
Green Whion
In this delightful board book with bold, striking images, Christopher Silas Neal combines animals of different colors and species to form one unique creature! Children will have endless fun guessing what brand-new, made-up animal will appear next! This book will have them playing and guessing with each reread and features a list of color combinations from the book for kids to reference!
Animal Shapes by Christopher Silas Neal (Little Bee Books)
When a cozy cat meets a circle, they make a . . .
Purrrrrcle
In this delightful board book with striking images, Christopher Silas Neal combines animals and shapes to form a unique, inventive objective. Children will have endless fun guessing what brand-new, made-up animal will appear next! This book will have kids playing and guessing with each reread!
Picture Book New Releases
World Make Way: New Poems Inspired by Art from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins (Abrams)
“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”
—Leonardo da Vinci
Based on this simple statement by Leonardo, 18 poets have written new poems inspired by some of the most popular works in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum. The collection represents a wide range of poets and artists, including acclaimed children’s poets Marilyn Singer, Alma Flor Alda, and Carole Boston Weatherford and popular artists such as Mary Cassatt, Fernando Botero, Winslow Homer, and Utagawa Hiroshige.
With My Hands: Poems About Making Things by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, illustrated by Lou Dancher and Steve Johnson (HMH Books for Young Readers)
Building, baking, folding, drawing, shaping . . . making something with your own hands is a special, personal experience. Taking an idea from your imagination and turning it into something real is satisfying and makes the maker proud.
Exoplanets by Seymour Simon (HarperCollins)
There are thousands of exoplanets scattered throughout the Milky Way galaxy, and scientists are on a constant quest to find one just like Earth. In Exoplanets, Simon examines the planets outside of our solar system and uncovers what makes them habitable, our efforts to discover new life, and more. With clear, simple text and stunning full-color photographs, readers will explore the farthest reaches of space and explore the answer to the question: do aliens exist?
Down By The River by Andrew Weiner, illustrated by April Chu (Abrams, 3/6/18)
One beautiful autumn day, Art sets out with his mother and grandfather for a fishing trip. Fishing days are Art’s favorite. He loves learning the ropes from Grandpa—the different kinds of flies and tackle and the trout that frequent their favorite river. Art especially appreciates Grandpa’s stories. But, this time, hearing the story about Mom’s big catch on her first cast ever makes Art feel insecure about his own fishing skills. But, as Art hooks a beautiful brown trout, he finds reassurance in Grandpa’s stories and marvels in the sport and a day spent with family, promising to continue the tradition with his own grandkids generations later.
Honey by David Ezra Stein (Nancy Paulsen Books)
Bear is ravenous when he wakes up from his winter sleep and has one thing on his mind: honey! Alas, it is too soon for honey, so Bear tries hard to be patient. The world around him is waking up, too, and he soon remembers all the other things he loves, like warm grass, berries, and rain. He’s almost content, until, one day, he hears a welcome buzzing sound . . . and finally it is time for Bear to delight in the thing he relishes above all others–and it is as warm, golden, sweet, and good as he remembered.
Forever or a Day by Sarah Jacoby (Chronicle)
The seconds that count in catching the bus;
The idyllic hours that slip by so quickly during a perfect day on the lake;
The summer days that disappear into blissful happiness . . .
This beautiful picture book follows an unassuming narrator through a meditation on time through the course of a single day. Inviting comparisons to Virginia Lee Burton and Margaret Wise Brown, this book’s musings on time are at once simple, peaceful, and profound—the work of a truly genius picture book maker.
Middle Grade New Releases
Bat and the Waiting Game by Elana K. Arnold (HarperCollins)
For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life is pretty great. He’s the caretaker of the best baby skunk in the world—even Janie, his older sister, is warming up to Thor. When Janie gets a part in the school play and can’t watch Bat after school, it means some pretty big changes. Someone else has to take care of the skunk kit in the afternoons, Janie is having sleepovers with her new friends, and Bat wants everything to go back to normal. He just has to make it to the night of Janie’s performance. . . .
Cilla Lee-Jenkins: This Book Is A Classic by Susan Tan, illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte (Roaring Brook Press)
Priscilla “Cilla” Lee-Jenkins has just finished her (future) bestselling memoir, and now she’s ready to write a Classic. This one promises to have everything: Romance, Adventure, and plenty of Drama―like Cilla’s struggles to “be more Chinese,” be the perfect flower girl at Aunt Eva’s wedding, and learn how to share her best friend. In Cilla Lee-Jenkins: This Book Is a Classic, author Susan Tan seamlessly weaves experiences as a Chinese American with universal stories about being a big sister, making friends, and overcoming fears. Cilla Lee-Jenkins will bulldoze her way into your heart in this winning middle grade novel about family, friendship, and finding your voice.
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi (Rick Riordan Disney Publishing)
This adventure by Roshani Chokshi is about twelve-year-old Aru Shah, who has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. While her classmates are jetting off to family vacations in exotic locales, she’ll be spending her autumn break at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, waiting for her mom to return from her latest archeological trip. Is it any wonder that Aru makes up stories about being royalty, traveling to Paris, and having a chauffeur?
Elementals: Ice Wolves by Amie Kaufman (HarperCollins)
So when twelve-year-old orphan Anders takes one elemental form and his twin sister, Rayna, takes another, he wonders whether they are even related. Still, whether or not they’re family, Rayna is Anders’s only true friend. She’s nothing like the brutal, cruel dragons who claimed her as one of their own and stole her away. In order to rescue her, Anders must enlist at the foreboding Ulfar Academy, a school for young wolves that values loyalty to the pack above all else. But for Anders, loyalty is more complicated than obedience, and friendship is the most powerful shapeshifting force of all.
King of the Bench: Kicking and Screaming by Steve Moore (HarperCollins)
Steve is King of the Bench. No brag. It’s just a fact. But this season, his soccer-loving pals Joey and Carlos—plus soccer superstar Becky O’Callahan—are dragging him off the bench to play for the Spiro T. Agnew JV soccer team, even though soccer doesn’t exactly fry his burger. Will Steve’s epic and hilarious weekend at an away tournament leave him hating soccer more than ever? Or will he finally discover what all the kicking and screaming is about?
The Train of Lost Things by Ammi-Joan Paquette (Penguin Random House, 3/20/18)
Marty cherishes the extra-special birthday present his dad gave him — a jean jacket on which he’s afixed numerous buttons — because it’s a tie to his father, who is sick and doesn’t have much time left. So when his jacket goes missing, Marty is devastated. When his dad tells him the story of the Train of Lost Things, a magical train that flies through the air collecting objects lost by kids, Marty is sure that the train must be real, and that if he can just find the train and get his jacket back, he can make his dad better as well.
Around the web…
John Oliver Challenges V.P. Pence Via Picture Book Showdown, via Publisher’s Weekly
4 Great Bilingual English Spanish Books for Toddlers, via Book Riot
Now Quick, Sleep Tight!: Short Bedtime Stories for Kids and Kids at Heart, via Book Riot
12 Kid-Approved Middle Grade Books That Tackle Mental Health, via Brightly
I’ve been busy reading a lot of middle grade books lately. Kwame Alexander’s prequel to The Crossover is coming out on April 2, 2018 with HMH Books for Young Readers. I didn’t think the author could pull off a book as great as The Crossover, but he did with Rebound.
The third book in the Book Scavengers series is a real treat. The Alcatraz Escape (Henry Holt & Co., 5/1/18) by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman is filled with puzzles, intrigue, and mystery, and I could not put it down!
I was happy to be a part of the cover reveal for Amal Unbound (Nancy Paulsen Books, 5/8/18) by Aisha Saeed over on the Book Riot main website. Amal Unbound is set in a Pakistani village. Amal has no complaints, and she’s busy pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher one day. Then the unimaginable happens–after an accidental run-in with the son of her village’s corrupt landlord, Amal must work as his family’s servant to pay off her own family’s debt.
I’d love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.
Until next week!
Karina
Nala demonstrating how we all feel when we’ve finished a book series we absolutely loved.
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