Hi, Kid Lit Friends!
January is in full swing in all it’s post-holiday glory. How are you all doing? Are you finding time in your day to read? Do you have any reading resolutions for 2023?
If you do, make sure to sign up for the ninth iteration of our Reading Challenge here. By signing up, you’ll get recommendations and other info on the 24 prompts that are part of the challenge.
Bookish Goods
Go Away I’m Reading sticker by WildOakStickers
I love these bookish sticker decals that are perfect for water bottles, notebooks, and computers. $3
New Releases
Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life by Jerry Pinkney
The legendary Jerry Pinkney, known for his gorgeous books, such as the Caldecott award winning book The Lion and the Mouse, has always loved to draw. Growing up in postwar America, art was a way to make sense of the world and his place in it. I loved reading about his life and seeing his early sketches in this fantastic and informative book.
The Enchanted Bridge by Zetta Elliott
Fans of Dragons in a Bag rejoice, because the fourth book in the series is HEEEERRREEEE! I love this middle grade book series filled with magic, special abilities, and scrappy protagonists.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
There have been so many beautiful picture books set in countries outside of America, and it’s definitely giving me wanderlust! Here are some gorgeous stories that you will be sure to love!
A Land of Books: Dreams of Young Mexihcah Word Painters by Duncan Tonatiuh
This stunning picture book relates the history of books created in Mesoamerica, starting with the use of plants to make paper. These beautiful painted manuscripts, or codices, told the story of their people’s way of life, documenting their history, science, tributes, and sacred rituals.
Nine Color Deer by Kailin Duan
Adapted from a traditional Buddhist tale, this story of the fabled nine color deer is about promises made, greed, forgiveness, and conservation. The illustration style evokes the artwork found in the Mogao caves, located along the Silk Road in China.
The Fog Catcher’s Daughter by Marianne McShane, illustrated by Alan Marks
From a traditional Irish storyteller Marianne McShane comes a tale of intrigue, lore, and bravery. When the Fog Catcher goes missing, the Eily must venture into the waters surrounding the enchanted isle of Lisnashee to find him.
A Boy Named Isamu by James Yang
This picture book imagines a day in Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi’s life when he was a young boy growing up in Japan. He walks through a market and through a forest and along an ocean, always seeing the objects he passes through an artist’s lens. In reading this book, I looked up more about this artist and he has a museum right here in New York City. I am planning a visit!
What are you reading these days?
Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.
Happy reading!
Karina
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