New Children’s Books for January 4, 2022

This is a cute picture book about discovering more about where you’re from and learning to appreciate those different places. Growing up in Hawaii, Claire has never seen snow. With a school assignment that requires her to recreate it, her parents take her to Mauna Kea to see it, but she’s disappointed when it isn’t what she expected.

This sweet, call-and-response picture book explores all the ways, and all the reasons, people love one another. It’s meant to be read aloud by two people, exploring all the complexities and simplicities of love.

For those waiting for a sequel to Dragon Pearl, this is not it, but it is a companion novel introducing a new family, this one of tiger spirits. Juhwang Sebin is a nonbinary thirteen year old recruited into Space Forces Command just as their uncle’s accused of treason. Alongside new friends, Sebin struggles with the idea of their uncle’s guilt as they try to learn who sabotaged their ship.

This graphic novel adapts Kwame Alexander’s bestselling Booked, illustrated in striking black and white (with green accents) and telling the story of talented soccer star Nick Hall. Nick is coping with a difficult period in his life, compounded by his parents’ approaching separation, bullies at school, and others’ high expectations of him.

In this joyous middle-grade read that’s reminiscent of The Babysitter’s Club, Bo struggles with her new life and her new family. It’s always been just Bo and her Mum until it’s not. Now their pair has increased to eight, including her mom’s boyfriend, his daughter, a pair of twins and their parents, as well as a host of animals. Crammed together in a single brownstone, Bo begins to wonder if there’s a place for her.

This fun middle grade book follows seventh-grader Maya, now doing deliveries at her parents’ pizza shop. And it’s off to a bad start. She clashes with a rude customer, who turns out to be one of her new classmates, and after making a new friend who shares her passion in art, Maya’s parents won’t let her participate in an art contest because she has to work. Cue Maya and her new friends scheming up a plot to let her take part anyway.