Hi Kid Lit Friends,
Happy last day of April! What better way to celebrate the end of the month than with new books? Take a look and let me know what you think. As always, if I’ve had the chance to read one of these books and loved it, I marked it with a 
. Please note that all descriptions come from the publisher.
Sponsored by Bloomsbury, publisher of Extraordinary Birds by Sandy Stark-McGinnis, a heartbreaking and hopeful middle grade debut for fans of The Thing About Jellyfish.
For fans of The Thing About Jellyfish, Counting by 7s, and Fish in a Tree, a heartbreaking and hopeful debut novel about a unique young girl on a journey to find home. December believes she is a bird. The scar on her back is where her wings will sprout, and soon, she will soar away. It won’t matter that she has no permanent home. Her destiny is in the sky. But then she’s placed with foster mom Eleanor, a kind woman who volunteers at an animal rescue and has secrets of her own. December begins to see that her story could end a different way – but could she ever be happy down on the ground?
Picture Book New Releases
The Happiest Tree: A Story of Growing Up by Hyeon-Ju Lee
Over the years, the gingko tree that resides outside an apartment building has seen many things. When it was ten, sounds of the Rose piano class filled the ground floor and whistled through its young branches. At fourteen, a growth spurt year, it met Mr. Artist on the second floor whose muse was the tree itself. As the years continue on, the tree encounters many people in the apartment building making memories. Some are happy, some are sad―they’re all part of growing up. All part of who we will be in the future.
Most Marshmallows by Rowboat Watkins
Most marshmallows are born into marshmallow families, play with marshmallow friends, and go to marshmallow school where they learn to be squishy. Most marshmallows read a book before bed and then fall asleep to dream ordinary marshmallow dreams. Is this book about most marshmallows? It isn’t. Because Rowboat Watkins knows that just like you, some marshmallows have big dreams, and just like you, these marshmallows can do anything they set their minds to. This sweet and silly book is an inspiring reminder that by being true to ourselves each of us can be truly extraordinary.
Mermaid Dreams by Kate Pugsley
One sunny Saturday, Maya and her parents visit the beach. Maya loves the beach: the warm sand feels wonderful between her toes. But it would be more fun if she had a friend. Too shy to say hello, Maya watches the kids play nearby, and slowly her eyes droop closed . . . When Maya awakens she has been transported to a magical underwater world. Maya admires the sea creatures flitting around her, and she discovers that she too has a beautiful tail. Maya is a mermaid! But who is calling out a greeting from behind that coral? Whose bright eyes are peering at her from the sea grass? Whose laughter does she hear? Could it be a new friend? Or just another sea creature?
You’re Missing It! by Brady Smith with Tiffani Thiessen
It’s a lively day at the neighborhood park. Birds are singing, squirrels are frolicking, dogs are causing a commotion–and wide-eyed children are enthralled by it all. Too bad the parents are missing everything! It’s going to take something really BIG to get them to disengage from their phones . . .
Pig the Stinker by Aaron Blabey
In this hilarious adventure, Pig the Pug STINKS! Pig likes to be smelly, so he rolls around in the garbage, laps up spoiled milk, tracks dirty paw prints all over the house, and even sticks his head in the toilet! But enough is enough! Pig’s owner tries to get him to take a bath, but Pig refuses! Pig has a plan to stop up the tub, but when it backfires, will Pig get clean after all?
Just Like My Brother by Gianna Marino
Continuing her picture book stories about family relationships, Gianna Marino introduces Little Giraffe, who adores her big brother. Set in a stunning African landscape, the story begins with a game of hide-and-seek as Little Giraffe looks for her big brother, who’s just out of her sight, but always safely nearby. As she asks the many animals she encounters on her search if they’ve seen him, it’s evident how much she admires him. He’s taller and faster and braver than her, she tells them. But as the search continues, the other animals insist that Little Giraffe is tall, and fast, and brave, too . . . and best of all, she has a wonderful older brother who looks out for her!
Make a Wish, Henry Bear by Liam Francis Walsh
Henry Bear has very unusual parents. They encourage him to stay up all night, eat chocolate cake at every meal, and get into trouble with his teacher. But what happens when Henry Bear grows tired of indulging in childish things?
How To Care For Your T-Rex by Ken Baker and Dave Coverly
There are a few important things to know about your pet T-Rex: What does it like to eat? Your T-Rex will eat approximately 300 pounds of food each day. Where will it have space to exercise? Your T-Rex can cover fifteen feet in a single step. How do you brush its many teeth? Especially when those teeth are nine inches long. And, most of all, how do you show your T-Rex that you love it? Get ready for a day full of giant adventures in dinosaur care!
Fergal and the Bad Temper by Robert Starling
Fergal the dragon does not like being told what to do. It’s not fair! And when things aren’t fair, Fergal loses his temper and snorts angry fire. He feels sorry afterward, but Fergal just can’t control his outburts! After one really fiery day, his family and friends offer him some advice to calm down. Can this dragon learn to cool it before a temper tantrum hits?
Chapter Book New Release
Whatever After: Spill the Beans by Sarah Mylnowski
My brother Jonah’s dream has come true. We have FINALLY landed in his favorite fairy tale: Jack and the Beanstalk! It’s a lot of fun meeting Jack. But then we accidentally mess up his story, which means Jack can’t climb up the magic beanstalk to find the giant’s riches. It’s time to take matters into our own hands.
Now we have to:
– Make a deal with a sneaky trader
– Climb a beanstalk into the sky
– Try not to get eaten by a giant
– Find the goose that lays golden eggs
Otherwise, Jack won’t get his treasure, and our troubles will be GIGANTIC . . .
Middle Grade New Releases
Mya’s Strategy to Save the World by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Mya Parsons runs her school’s social justice club with her best friend, Cleo. Her lifelong desire is to work for the United Nations and change the world, and then bask in all the ensuing adulation. Her more immediate desire is to get a phone, preferably one like Cleo’s, with a leopard-print case to match. When her distracted dad and her long-distance mom (temporarily in Myanmar taking care of Mya’s grandmother) both say no, no way, and possibly never, Mya launches a campaign to prove herself reliable and deserving.
Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi
Aru is only just getting the hang of this whole Pandava thing when the Otherworld goes into full panic mode. The god of love’s bow and arrow have gone missing, and the thief isn’t playing Cupid. Instead, they’re turning people into heartless fighting-machine zombies. If that weren’t bad enough, somehow Aru gets framed as the thief. If she doesn’t find the arrow by the next full moon, she’ll be kicked out of the Otherworld. For good. But, for better or worse, she won’t be going it alone. Along with her soul-sister, Mini, Aru will team up with Brynne, an ultra-strong girl who knows more than she lets on, and Aiden, the boy who lives across the street and is also hiding plenty of secrets.
A Dog’s Porpoise by M.C. Ross
When a bad storm throws Bangor, a harbor porpoise, off course, he finds himself all alone in the harbor of Ogunquit, Maine. And he’s not the only one who’s lost in these wayward waters: Lars, a rowdy pup, is knocked overboard a nearby boat. With the help of a girl named Natalie, Bangor rescues Lars, and they become fast friends. But not everyone in the small town approves of this unlikely friendship. Some find Lars a nuisance to the community, and it isn’t safe for Bangor to remain in the harbor. It’s up to Natalie to convince the town to locate Bangor’s pod and return him safely home — even if it means saying goodbye to her new friend.
Bigger, Badder, Nerdier by Obert Skye
Otto Waddle Junior High School is worse than ever. Tip and his geeky friends have finally come into their superpowers―well, their mediocre powers―and now have a whole new cast of impersonators to take on. Their foursome is being challenged by a rival group of students who are pawns in Darth Susan’s evil plot against them. If middle school has any chance of survival, Tip and his friends must take their unusual powers to a whole new level and nerd things up big time.
The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander
With her parents off traveling the globe, Lenora is bored, bored, bored―until she discovers a secret doorway into the ultimate library. Mazelike and reality-bending, the library contains all the universe’s wisdom. Every book ever written, and every fact ever known, can be found within its walls. And Lenora becomes its newly appointed Fourth Assistant Apprentice Librarian. She rockets to the stars, travels to a future filled with robots, and faces down a dark nothingness that wants to destroy all knowledge. To save the library, Lenora will have to test her limits and uncover secrets hidden among its shelves.
Our Castle by the Sea by Lucy Strange
Growing up in a lighthouse, 11-year-old Pet’s world has been one of storms, secret tunnels, and stories about sea monsters. But now the country is at war and the clifftops are a terrifying battleground. Pet will need to muster all her bravery to uncover why her family is being torn apart. This is the story of a girl who is afraid and unnoticed. A girl who freezes with fear at the enemy planes ripping through the skies overheard. A girl who is somehow destined to become part of the strange, ancient legend of the Daughters of Stone.
Nonfiction New Releases
Ninita’s Big World: The True Story of a Deaf Pygmy Marmoset by Sarah Glenn Marsh, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman (picture book)
Ninita is the only known deaf pygmy marmoset in the world, but that doesn’t stop her from making friends and chasing her next adventure! Abandoned by her parents and rescued by the RSCF, this tiny, curious monkey loves exploring her habitat. And when she meets Mr. Big—another pygmy marmoset—she has finally found a friend who likes to eat, climb, and play as much as she does. A YouTube celebrity, Ninita’s videos have been viewed nearly 2 million times!
See the famous Ninita video here!
Share Your Smile: Raina’s Guide to Telling Your Own Story by Raina Telgemeier
Have you ever thought about telling your own story, whether it be true or imagined? Are you interested in writing, drawing, or both? If the answers are yes, this fun, colorful, and interactive journal is for you! With guidance from Raina herself, brainstorm ideas, make lists, paste in personal photos, and use your imagination like never before to create your own stories. For additional inspiration, behind-the-scenes info from Raina’s own comics-making adventures is featured inside.
Hands to Heart: Breathe and Bend with Animal Friends by Alex Bauermeister, illustrated by Flora Waycott
With a gentle reminder for children to breathe and to connect their bodies, this beautifully illustrated picture book contains a sweet cast of animal friends to guide young readers from one yoga pose to the next. From reaching your hands up to the sky to stretching like a cat to pressing up like a cobra snake, each posture helps to control breathing, engage in the present moment, and ultimately lead towards calmness and peacefulness.
I would 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 time!
Karina
Annabelle is not happy I’m working on this newsletter instead of petting her.
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