Hi Kid Lit Friends!
I had a wonderful weekend at the North Texas Teen Book Festival. I always love meeting new readers, and it’s so awesome to see thousands of kids lugging around totes full of books and wearing their bookish t-shirts with pride. I also got to meet some of my kids’ favorite authors, including David Levithan (one of my 13-year-old’s favorite book is Every Day) and Stacey Lee (my 15-year-old has read all of her books! Her favorite is The Downstairs Girl). I just adore book festivals!
Bookish Goods
Embossed Bookish Cocktail Napkins by JoycesStitchery
This would be perfect for a bookish-themed party! These come in dozens of colors, so it will be sure to match any color scheme. $8+
New Releases
Best Wishes: The Sister Switch by Sarah Mlynowski and Debbie Rigaud (chapter book)
In the first book of the series, Becca receives a magic bracelet that will grant her any wish. Unfortunately, things don’t get as planned…and in the second installment, more mayhem ensues when Addie Asante of Columbus, Ohio receives the box with the mysterious wish-granting bracelet. Addie, who feels stuck in the middle between her sisters, wishes to no longer be the middle kid. Suddenly, the bracelet does its magic and Addie becomes the older sister! But being the oldest isn’t what it’s cracked up to be…
You Are Here: Connecting Flights edited by Ellen Oh (middle grade)
This book is written by 12 incredible authors: Linda Sue Park, Erin Entrada Kelly, Grace Lin, Traci Chee, Mike Chen, Meredith Ireland, Mike Jung, Minh Lê, Ellen Oh, Randy Ribay, Christina Soontornvat, and Susan Tan, and edited by Ellen Oh. When an incident at a TSA security line causes chaos, the lives of 12 young Asian Americans collide in unexpected ways. This is a terrific book that centers on the Asian American experience.
This is a Story by John Schu, illustrated by Lauren Castillo
This sweet picture book is all about the importance of books and libraries, and if you are a newsletter reader, those are probably two topics that are very close to your heart! Author John Schu gently guides us into this story where readers explore their passions and find community at the local library.The illustrations, created with watercolor, ink, and pastel, are gorgeous!
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Every Cake Has a Story by Christina Tosi, illustrated by Emily Balsley (picture book)
This sweet (see what I did there?) picture book by Christina Tosi, the creator of the bakery Milk Bar, is about Sammi, a young girl who lives in Samesville and is tired of everything being so boring and dull in her town. When she goes to bed with a recipe card under her pillow, she wakes up to a town that is bolder and brighter and more colorful! And it’s a perfect place to bake a bold and bright and colorful cake with her friends!
From the Desk of Zoe Washington (middle grade)
Zoe Washington really wants to prove to her parents that she is a good enough baker to audition for Food Network’s Kids Bake Challenge. But when a letter arrives on her twelfth birthday from her father, her life is upended. Her dad has been in prison, and in his letter he says he’s been falsely accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Can Zoe believe him? And if what he’s saying is true, is there anything she can do to help? Be sure to check out the sequel, On Air with Zoe Washington!
Baking Day at Grandma’s by Anika Denise, illustrations by Christopher Denise (picture book)
This charming picture book by the award-winning couple Anika Denise and Christopher Denise is about a group of young bears who spend the day baking with their grandmother. The illustrations are so sweet and capture that warmth and love that is unique to a grandmother’s kitchen!
Dozens of Doughnuts by Carrie Finison, illustrated by Brianne Farley (picture book)
These illustrations just make me smile! LouAnn is getting ready for winter, and she is making one final batch of doughnuts. Friends, lured to her home by the smell of fresh doughnuts, partake in the festivities. LouAnn makes more and more doughnuts until she realizes that her cupboard is totally empty…and winter is coming!
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.
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Do you like my hat? I got it at Books Are Magic, an indie bookstore in Brooklyn, NY. It’s my favorite!
Happy reading!
Karina
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