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Adventure awaits! A quest is coming! Excitement envelopes all! …And it’s disturbing a reclusive, young wizerd’s peace and quiet! A garden-tending wizerd is dragged into the adventuring life by a small warrior princess as they seek the ingredients of a wish-granting potion. (The warrior princess’s wish? To get big and strong — and hunky! — really hunky!) Thanks to ransacking goblins, a too-noble knight, an evil wych, and the warrior’s endless appetite, securing the potion ingredients won’t be as quick or as simple as the wizerd had hoped!
Dear readers,
I hope you all had a restful Labor Day and got some great reading time in! I’m back with a new crop of new children’s releases that hit shelves this week.
My Day With Gong Gong by Sennah Yee, illustrated by Elaine Chen
In this adorable picture book, May spends the day with her Gong Gong. She doesn’t think they can really have much of a nice day together when May doesn’t speak Chinese, and her Gong Gong doesn’t speak English. As the day continues, May is frustrated by her inability to understand her Gong Gong, and by what seems to be his obliviousness to her, but it soon becomes clear that her Gong Gong understands more of her than she realizes.
Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away by Meg Medina, illustrated by Sonia Sanchez
In this sweet picture book, Daniela’s best friend, Evelyn, is moving away. The two girls have always been mostly alike until this moment, when they are given just one day to play together for the last time before saying goodbye.
Digging For Words: José Alberto Gutiérrez and The Library He Built by Angela Burke Kunkel and illustrated by Paola Escobar
This picture book retells the story of José Alberto Gutiérrez , a garbage collector in Bogotá who created a library for his neighborhood out of books discarded by the wealthy families on his route. Also along for the ride is a fictional boy named José, counting down the days before he and his friends can visit the library.
Amazing Women of the Middle East: 25 Stories from Ancient Times to Present Day by Wafa’ Tarnowska
This compilation of twenty-five short biographies is packed with inspiring and educational write-ups on Middle Eastern women, both past and present, whose contributions changed the world. Some names are probably widely recognized like Queen Nefertiti, Scheherazade, and Cleopatra. But it also includes plenty of opportunity to widen a reader’s knowledge of notable women, including Amal Clooney, a Lebanese British human rights lawyer and poet Rabiya al Adawiyya.
The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling
From the author of Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus comes this thrilling novel in verse. On her last birthday, Nora’s mother was killed in a public shooting. Still recovering from the trauma, Nora and her dad spend this year’s birthday rock climbing. When a sudden flash flood washes away all their supplies and Nora’s father, Nora is forced to rely on her parent’s desert training to survive on her own.
Lupe Wong Won’t Dance by Donna Barba Higuera
This fun and cute read is about Lupe, a true jock, determined to get rid of the square dancing unit in her P.E class. She needs straight A’s across the board if she wants to meet her favorite pitcher, Fu Li Hernandez, who’s Chinacan/Mexicanese (Chinese and Mexican) just like Lupe, and square dancing will only mess it up. So Lupe becomes determined to get the unit canceled, but her efforts set off a chain reaction that creates even more trouble for her.
One Time by Sharon Creech
New from Newberry Medalist Sharon Creech (Walk Two Moons and my childhood favorite, Bloomability) is this sweet coming-of-age tale. Eleven year old Gina has a sprawling mind and a colorful wardrobe. When given writing prompts by her English teacher, Gina is challenged to consider who she is and who she could one day be, opening her mind to a greater understanding of herself and the people around her.
Until next week!
Chelsea (@ChelseaBigBang on Twitter)