Sponsored by Scholastic.
Can a lost girl save a found dog? Hadley is angry about a lot of things: Her mom going to jail, moving in with her older sister even though they haven’t spoken in five years, leaving her friends and school behind, and she is going blind. Lila is an abandoned dog who spends her days quietly lying around at the local dog rescue. She doesn’t listen to directions, play with the other dogs or show any interest in people…until she meets Hadley. Lila and Hadley is an unforgettable story about discovering true friendship, finding home, and the possibilities of forgiveness.
Hello readers!
How are you doing? I have been working on my TBR pile this week, and it is becoming slightly more manageable. Another couple of weeks and I might actually get to the bottom of it. Fingers crossed!
If you’re looking for COVID-19 news from the literary world, we’ve got you covered. My favourite pick for this week is the news that JK Rowling and her publishers have released a host of free Harry Potter resources. Check out Wizarding World Introduces Harry Potter At Home for more on that.
And now, let’s talk books.
Mary Underwater by Shannon Doleski
Be the hero you’re waiting for.
Inspired by her heroine Joan of Arc (honestly, I love this so much), Mary Murphy decides to go on her own quest and built and then pilot a submarine across the Chesapeake Bay. How’s that for a hook?
A rich story of female empowerment, heroism, and submersibles this is a really strong debut from a new middle-grade author.
How To Solve A Problem : The Rise (And Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion by Ashima Shiraishi, illustrated by Yao Xiao
Ashima Shiraishi is one of the world’s youngest and most skilled climbers. For rock climbers, a boulder is known as a “problem” and you figure it out by climbing to the top.
This is a story on how to deal with the problems in your own life – and how to get back up when they knock you down. Told in wise, clean text and paired with bold and vivid artwork this is an absolute treat.
Bedtime Bonnet by Nancy Redd, illustrated by Nneka Myers
“In my family, when the sun goes down, our hair goes up!”
A heartwarming celebration of Black hair traditions, this is a lovely thing. It features a close and multi-generational family, all with their own personal hair routine at night, and pairs this with soft, loving artwork. Perfect for bedtime!
Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera
Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) was the first Black writer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize. She wrote about “real life” – bringing everything she lived into her work – and this is a wise, elegant biography of her.
Cabrera’s art is evocative and reverential, embracing the wildness of imagination and Gwendolyn’s power to capture the world around her. A big, important and relevant book.
Into The Tall Grass by Loriel Ryan
Yolanda Rodríguez-O’Connell is the only member of her family to not have magic. And one day when her grandmother, Wela, falls into an unexpected and unexplained sleep, Yolanda must act. If she loses her grandmother, she’s got nothing and nobody left.
Yolanda’s quest sees her discover long-buried secrets, the healing power of the magic all about her, and how a curse might be considered as a gift…
An eloquent magical realism middle grade, this is perfect for anybody who needs a little hope in their world.
Okay! That’s all from me for now. I’ll be back with more new releases next week (what is a week? what is time right now?), but until then you can say hello to me on social media @chaletfan (Come and chat with me about endpapers!) and elsewhere on Book Riot co-hosting the biweekly litfic podcast Novel Gazing.
Louise.