Sponsored by Holiday House & Margaret Ferguson Books.
Lucy Lopez: Coding Star is the 3rd book in the funny, informative After-School SuperStars series. Talented Lucy Lopez is passionate about her after-school coding camp, but can her sister come to terms with their shared hobby? Learn basic coding while having fun! Out 10/6/20. Star on TV, Lucy McGee is the 4th book in the “Ramona-esque” Lucy McGee series! (BCCB). A chance to be on TV brings out the worst in fourth grader Lucy—and now her friends want her out of the Songwriting Club! This upbeat book talks about apologizing and includes songs readers can sing themselves. Out 11/10/20.
Hello readers!
Can you believe it’s October? I’m fighting not to turn the heat on and using this as an excuse to break out all my sweaters and sweatshirts. And, of course, cuddle up with some good books. Here’s a few of this week’s crop of new releases to help you do the same.
My Hair is Magic by M.L Marroquin; illustrated by Tonya Engel
This warm, uplifting story is empowering for little ones with textured hair, illustrating its beauty and versatility. This is written in verse and recalls how our heroine’s hair is constantly touched and misunderstood. But our heroine knows better, and her personality is as big as her hair.
Louis by Tom Litchtenheld, illustrated by Julie Rowan-Zoch
This cute picture book follows Louis, a teddy bear who has many problems with his owner’s treatment of him. He’s tired of being used as a tissue and tossed in the washing machine and so plans a half-hearted, and much delayed escape, until he’s reminded of how much his owner loves him.
Sugar In Milk by Thrity Umrigar; illustrated by Khoa Le
This is a gorgeous picture book with overlapping narratives about immigration. A young girl comes to America and, missing her friends and family, her aunt tells her a story about a group of immigrants who landed in India where the king initially refused to let them stay. Showing them a too-full glass of milk to illustrate his point, the king changed his mind when one of the immigrants easily added a spoonful of sugar to the glass.
The Boys in the Back Row by Mike Jung
Matthew and Eric, best friends for years, plan one last hurrah before one of them moves across the country. They’ll perform with their school band at a big music festival and successfully sneak off to a convention to meet their favorite author. Of course, nothing goes as it should in this funny, heartwarming tale of friendship.
Twins by Varian Johnson
Fans of Raina Telgemeier will enjoy this new graphic novel from the author of The Parker Inheritance, about the Carter twins. On the first day of sixth grade, Maureen is nervous about having no classes with her sister while the outgoing Francine can’t wait to see what the new school year has in store. When both twins decide to run for student council, the race threatens to tear them apart.
Girl Giant and the Monkey King by Van Hoang; illustrated by Nguyen Quang and Kim Lien
Thom Ngho is incredibly strong, and she doesn’t want to be. It’s hard enough to fit in at her new, mostly white school without being super strong. So Thom makes a deal with the monkey god: she’ll help him retrieve his magical staff if he’ll take away her strength. Soon Thom’s swept away into a land of Vietnamese folklore and myth.
The Way Past Winter by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Yes, I know, fall is just starting, but if you’re in the mood for something wintry and atmospheric, this Scandinavian-inspired fairy tale is just what you need. Siblings living in an endless winter, one parent lost to death and the other having abandoned them, must embark on a journey across the mythical, frozen land to find their missing brother.
The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan
Oh, and lastly, though I’m sure this comes as news to few of you diehard Riordan fans, The Tower of Nero is out. It wraps up the Trials of Apollo series, and the Percy-verse as a whole. It’s been a wild ride, and I’m eager to see how it all ends.
Until next week!
Chelsea (@ChelseaBigBang on Twitter)