Hello, friends!
Well, 2018 is coming to an end, and what a year it has been! I realized a couple of days ago that I have now written over 100 of these kid’s lit newsletters. Whew! In honor of that milestone, the next newsletter will feature the best 100 children’s books that I’ve read this year. (This will include books I’ve read in 2018, regardless of publication date.)
Sponsored by P Is for Pterodactyl by Raj Haldar and Chris Carpenter.
Turning the traditional idea of an alphabet book on its head, P is for Pterodactyl is perfect for anyone who has ever been stumped by silent letters or confused by absurd homophones. This whimsical, unique book takes silent letter entries like “K is for Knight” a step further with “The noble knight’s knife nicked the knave’s knee.” Lively illustrations provide context clues, and alliterative words help readers navigate text like “a bright white gnat is gnawing on my gnocchi” with ease. Everyone from early learners to grown-up grammarians will love this wacky book where “A is for Aisle” but “Y is definitely not for Why.”
The Ebooks And Aud
While you wait for that, here are the rest of December’s new releases. Book Riot is on vacation from December 25 to January 1, so this is a list of the children’s book releases for the rest of 2018. Happy reading!
*Please note that all book descriptions come from Goodreads.
Picture Book New Releases
A Hug is for Holding Me by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Lisk Feng
A Hug Is for Holding Me is a sweet, cozy book about love and affection and invites children to engage with the natural world in a fresh, new way. Some hugs are tight and some hugs are snug . . . but guess who gives the BEST hugs?
How Do I Love Thee? by Jennifer Adams, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
Whether in soft sunlight or rain-drizzled night or winter’s frost-etched breath, three children share the love and joy of friendship while exploring the wonders of nature. Bestselling author Jennifer Adams has reimagined Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s beloved “Sonnet 43,” best known by its opening lines, creating a lyrical, evocative ode to the love of family and friends. Christopher Silas Neal brings the poetry to life with his beautiful, imaginative, and whimsical illustrations.
I’ll Love You Till The Cows Come Home by Kathryn Cristaldi, illustratred by Kristyna Litten
Love knows no bounds in this tender tribute to the depths of family love. For fans of Guess How Much I Love You—only funnier! This book extends the saying, “I’ll love you till the cows come home” to the humorous extreme. Along the way there are yaks in cadillacs, sheep setting sail, frogs on big-wheeled bikes, and more, in this great read-aloud.
Romeosaurus and Juliet Rex by Mo O’Hara, illustrated by Andrew Joyner
In this hilarious take on Shakespeare for children 4 to 8—with dinosaurs instead of people—Romeosaurus and Juliet Rex get along perfectly well until they realize that their families should be mortal enemies! “Your family would eat mine,” says Romeosaurus, who comes from a family of herbivores. Yes, it’s true—Juliet Rex’s family are carnivores, and Romeosaurus’s family are plant-loving herbivores. With two families up in arms (very short ones for Juliet Rex) the two friends run away, determined not to let family baggage determine who their friends should be.
True Colors by Billy Steinberg & Tom Kelly, illustrated by Sarah Walsh (12/24/18, Penguin)
Through reassuring lyrics that encourage us to be our true selves, “True Colors” has become a beloved song worldwide since its release in 1986. Now, for the first time ever, this inspiring and iconic song is in book form accompanied by gorgeous illustrations, and perfectly packaged with a ribbon enclosure.
I Need a Hug by Aaron Blabey (12/26/18, Scholastic)
In I Need a Hug, a tiny porcupine just wants a cuddle. All of the other animals turn him away because of his prickly spikes. But finally the porcupine meets an animal who’s happy to hug — a snake! Rich with author-illustrator Aaron Blabey’s signature rhyming text and unforgettably splendid illustrations, I Need a Hug is a sweet story about friendship and learning not to judge a book by its cover.
Chapter Book New Releases
Mac B. Kid Spy: The Impossible Crime by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Mike Lowery (12/26/18, Scholastic)
The Crown Jewels are in danger… again! When the jewels go missing from inside a locked room, Mac’s spy skills are put to the test. How did the thief break in? Where did the jewels go? And will Mac be able to solve this locked room mystery before the thief escapes? This mystery isn’t just a whodunit… it’s a howdunit!
Geronimo on Ice! by Geronimo Stilton (12/26/18, Scholastic)
Mouse Island was getting ready for the winter Ice Skating Championships! The prize for this year’s champions was a pair of antique silver skates that were said to contain clues to a hidden treasure! Just before the championships, we learn someone wants to steal the Silver Skates to search for the treasure! I had to join the competition to help keep the skates safe. But I didn’t know how to ice skate! Would I be able to learn enough tricks on the ice to save the Silver Skates ?
Class Pets: Fuzzy Fights Back by Bruce Hale (12/26/18, Scholastic)
When Fuzzy accidentally gets a kid hurt, he feels awful. But worse — the PTA president demands to get rid of all the class pets! Fuzzy and his friends get to work. A cuteness campaign? Their selfies fall short. A hunger strike? The pets get hungry. Could the PTA president’s daughter be the key to staying in their classrooms, or will the pets get thrown out like yesterday’s juice box?
Dragon Masters: Treasure of the Gold Dragon by Tracey West (12/26/18, Scholastic)
In the 12th book of this fantasy series, Maldred is after the powerful Gold Key! Drake and Rori travel to the lair of the Gold Dragon to help protect the key. There, they meet a new Dragon Master named Darma. If dark wizard Maldred gets his hands on the Gold Key, he will be one step closer to controlling a powerful Earthquake Dragon. Can the Dragon Masters stop him before it’s too late? The action is nonstop in this exciting, heavily illustrated early chapter book series!
Middle Grade New Releases
Hoops: Out of Bounds by Elena Delle Donne
Elle is finally finding her groove and is excited about how her year is turning out. But when her team loses a major game against their rivals, Elle doesn’t know if basketball is worth it anymore. It feels like she can’t win—even when she’s improving and doing well, everyone always expects more from her. With her changing attitudes on basketball, will she let everyone she knows down if she decides to take a break?
Blizzard Besties by Yamile Saied Mendez (12/26/18, Scholastic)
Vanesa Campos can’t wait for winter vacation. Skiing on the slopes, sipping hot cocoa . . . her week at Pinecloud Lodge promises to be cozy and perfect. And maybe she can make some new friends! Never mind that glamorous Beck writes off Vanesa right away; twins Emma and Eric are ready to join the fun out in the snow. But when the flakes start falling, everything changes. Vanesa’s little brother, Hunter, might be stranded out in the blizzard! Vanesa will have to team up with all the kids — plus one giant dog — to rescue him. Can she save her brother and discover which real friends will weather the storm with her?
Wings of Fire: The Hive Queen by Tui T. Sutherland (12/26/18, Scholastic)
Growing up in the hives, Cricket has always had a million questions. Why are trees forbidden, even in art? Why do her parents seem to hate her? And the biggest, most dangerous and secret question of all: why is Cricket immune to Queen Wasp’s powers? Whenever the queen takes control of all the HiveWings, speaking through their mouths and seeing through their eyes, Cricket has to hide, terrified of being discovered. Now she’s hiding again, wanted for stealing the Book of Clearsight along with her new SilkWing friends, Blue and Swordtail, and the fierce LeafWing, Sundew. The fugitives need answers, and fast, in order to prevent a LeafWing attack. But Cricket has more questions than ever. How can she stay hidden and discover the queen’s deadliest secret? And if she does succeed — can a powerless dragonet really do anything to topple a regime and stop a war?
Turbo Racers: Trailblazer by Austin Aslan (12/31/18, HarperCollins
In Turbo Racers: Trailblazer, twelve-year-old Mace Blazer gets the chance to pilot a state-of-the-art vehicle that transforms at the touch of a button from race car to jet plane to single-person sub, in the biggest race in the world. The roar of the crowd, the glow of the spotlight, the thrill of the race–Mace Blazer dreams of going TURBO. So when a reclusive retired racer chooses Mace to try out to be part of the next generation of TURBOnauts, Mace knows that this is his moment to show what he can do. But the path to his big shot means facing down the best and the brightest from around the world. Mace will have to live more fearlessly, hone quicker reflexes, be revolutionary–but will it be enough?
The Fork, The Witch, and the Worm, Tales from Alagaesia by Christopher Paolini (12/31/18, Penguin)
It’s been a year since Eragon departed Alagaësia in search of the perfect home to train a new generation of Dragon Riders. Now he is struggling with an endless sea of tasks: constructing a vast dragonhold, wrangling with suppliers, guarding dragon eggs, and dealing with belligerent Urgals and haughty elves. Then a vision from the Eldunarí, unexpected visitors, and an exciting Urgal legend offer a much-needed distraction and a new perspective.
Backlist Book Recommendations
Picture Book Backlist Recommendation: Snow by Uri Shulevitz
“It’s snowing, said boy with dog.
“It’s only a snowflake,” said grandfather with beard.
No one thinks one or two snowflakes will amount to anything. Not the man with the hat or the lady with the umbrella. Not even the television or the radio forecasters. But one boy and his dog have faith that the snow will amount to something spectacular, and when flakes start to swirl down on the city, they are also the only ones who know how to truly enjoy it.
Middle Grade Book Backlist Recommendation: One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Carley uses humor and street smarts to keep her emotional walls high and thick. But the day she becomes a foster child, and moves in with the Murphys, she’s blindsided. This loving, bustling family shows Carley the stable family life she never thought existed, and she feels like an alien in their cookie-cutter-perfect household. Despite her resistance, the Murphys eventually show her what it feels like to belong–until her mother wants her back and Carley has to decide where and how to live. She’s not really a Murphy, but the gifts they’ve given her have opened up a new future.
Nonfiction Book Backlist Recommendation: Twelve Rounds to Glory by Charles R. Smith, illustrated by Bryan Collier
From the moment a fired-up teenager won 1960 Olympic gold to the day when a retired legend, hands shaking from Parkinson’s, returned to raise the Olympic torch, the boxer known as “The Greatest” waged many a fight. Some were in the ring, against opponents like Sonny Liston and Joe Frazier; others were against societal prejudice and a war he refused to support because of his Islamic faith. The rap-inspired verse weaves and bobs and jabs, while bold collage artwork matches every move, capturing the “Louisville loudmouth with the great gift of rhyme” who shed the name Cassius Clay to take on the world as Muhammad Ali.
That’s it for me this week; I need to get back to narrowing down my top 100 reads of 2018! Int he meantime, find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.
Until next time!
Karina
Wishing you a cozy reading/sleeping spot today!
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