Sponsored by The Loft’s Wordplay, May 2-8, 2021.
The Loft’s Wordplay, presented by St. Catherine University and Star Tribune, is a week-long, free, and virtual celebration of the year in books (May 2-8). Each day will host a morning session for youth, including visits from Chelsea Clinton, Marjorie Liu, and Jon Klassen. Then an afternoon session with international authors including Helen Oyeyemi, Sofia Segovia, and Rivers Solomon. Finally, evening conversations between authors including Alison Bechdel, Cheryl Strayed, Hanif Abdurraqib, Kazim Ali, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Dean Koontz, and Donika Kelly on themes of climate change, black ambition, native voices, the patriarchy, and more.
Hey readers! I’m back with another week of new releases!
The Night Walk by Marie Dorleans
In this beautiful watercolor and pencil picture book, parents wake up their children for a mysterious nighttime walk. As they move to their destination, traversing beautifully-rendered, blue-hued landscapes, you’ll be eager to see where this family finally ends up.
21 Cousins by Diane de Anda, illustrated by Isabel Muñoz
This fun and colorful picture book introduces 21 first cousins, all varied in personality, appearance, and ambitions. This is a nice book for showing the variations that can exist among people in one family.
Born Ready: The True Story of A Boy Named Penelope by Jodie Patterson, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow
In this inspiring picture book, Penelope confides in his family that he’s a boy, even though his family still thinks he’s a girl. Encouraged by his family to be himself, Penelope enters a karate tournament.
Sugar and Spite by Gail D. Villanueva
Twelve-year-old Jolina has recently moved to the small island of Isla Pag-Ibig and is struggling with a girl at school who mistreats her. Finding solace in her dog and her grandpa’s magic lessons, Jolina’s able to ignore it until things come to a head, and she brews a powerful friendship potion that works perfectly. Now Jolina and Claudine are friends for real, but magic always comes with a price.
Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff
In this haunting middle grade book set in the summer before middle school, Bug’s best friend Moira insists it’s time they learn what clothes to wear and what makeup to buy. But Bug, mourning the death of Uncle Roderick, doesn’t see anything particularly interesting in Moira’s plans or learning how to be more of a girl. Then there’s also the matter of the ghost now haunting Bug.
Until next week! – Chelsea