Books about Food Waste, the Cutest Kindle Protector, and More!

Bookish Goods

Cocker Spaniel Kindle Case by LoobieandBoo

Originally I was going to post the Kindle cover with the corgi on it, but then I had to buy it so it is now unavailable. Sorry! But this cute shop has many different dogs available, including this adorable cocker spaniel, as well as a dachshund, greyhound, English bulldog, and chocolate lab. $40.

New Releases

Barely Floating by Lilliam Rivera

I have loved all the recent books about swimming, and this one is another terrific one. Twelve-year-old Nat loves spending her time in her local pool. Then she sees the L.A. Mermaids, a synchronized swimming group, and she knows that this is what she wants to do. After secretly trying out and making the team, Nat falls in love with synchronized swimming. But it’s hard to hide this new big thing from her family, and the expensive dues are adding up. Can Nat figure out how to keep this new dream alive?

Ready, Set, Run!: The Amazing New York City Marathon by Leslie Kimmelman, illustrations by Jessie Hartland

This fantastic picture book about the New York City marathon is so fun! As someone who is going to run the NYC marathon this November (gulp!), I found this book a wonderful primer about the route and what to expect.

For more new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

In New York City, we have seen an influx of orange compost bins that are unlocked via an app and powered by solar energy. I love them. There is one a few blocks away from us, and it’s such a great and easy place to take our food waste. And that brings us to some great books about food waste, and what we can do about it.

Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable Zero Waste Approach to Home Cooking by Margaret Li and Irene Li

This is not a book specifically for children, but the fun illustrations will interest kids and the recipes and ideas are great for families to check out. With 80 recipes, this is a great place to begin if you’re looking to reduce food waste and use up foods lingering in your refrigerator.

Total Garbage by Rebecca Donnelly, illustrations by John Hendrix

I love this book that analyzes the history of garbage, answering questions such as:

What is garbage?
Where does our garbage come from?
Why do we make so much garbage?
Where does our garbage go?
What can we learn from our garbage?
How bad is our garbage problem?
How can we do better?

This is a great book that provokes discussion around an issue that everyone must confront as we consider what to do with the enormous cost of garbage on our world.

What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting Our Planet by Jess French

This is a wonderful primer about trash in general, including the impacts of trash on our world. Did you know about the floating mass of trash the size of the United States in the Pacific Ocean? Have you ever considered how long it takes for a toothbrush to decompose? (Spoiler alert: every single one of the plastic toothbrushes ever made still exists.)

We Are All Connected: Caring for Each Other and the Earth by Gabi Garcia, illustrated by Natalia Jimenez Osorio

This lovely picture book brings it all back to how we can care for one another and for the earth. It is a beautiful reminder that we are responsible for the fate of the earth and that we all have a role in making the world a more beautiful place.

What are you reading these days?

Let me know! Find me on X at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.

Before I sign off, have you checked out Book Riot’s New Release Index? It will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try!

Happy reading!

Karina