Happy Tuesday, kidlit friends! I still don’t have my Christmas tree up. We keep our Christmas tree and decorations in our attic, but our roof was replaced earlier in the year, and it left a lot of debris on everything in the attic. We haven’t had the time or energy to go up there and try to excavate the tree. I guess we should get to it soon! Or else it will be our winter solstice tree.
It’s happening, readers — we’re bringing paperbacks! Whether you (or a reader you know and love) hate carrying around bulky hardcovers, you’re on a budget, you want a wider range of recommendations or all of the above, you can now get a paperback subscription from TBR, curated just for you by one of our Bibliologists. The holidays are here, and we’ve got three different levels for gifting (to yourself or others) to suit every budget. Get all the details at mytbr.co.
This week, I give lots of ideas for books to gift on a theme, as well as reviewing two new releases.
Bookish Goods
Reindeer Reading Shirt by PoppyRosePrintCo
This reindeer reading T-shirt has such an adorable design. $16+
New Releases
I’m Going to be a Princess by Stephanie Taylor, illustrated by Jade Orlando
In this picture book, Maya tells her mom she wants to be a princess when she grows up. But her mom thinks she should aspire to be something else. She tells her daughter about many Black women and their accomplishments, like the rocket scientist Annie Easley, Olympic athlete Alice Coachman, and more, in the hope of convincing her to change her mind. She doesn’t convince Maya, though, who tells her mother about Princess Amina, who protected her West African people and helped them prosper. This is an affirming picture book celebrating Black women and their accomplishments.
I Will Find You by Daphne Benedis-Grab
In this middle grade thriller, a school camping trip goes horribly wrong when a student — the class bully — disappears. Gracie and her cabin mates were the last to see him. The three are determined to find Nicky for their own reasons, especially when it seems like the police are on the wrong track. This is an entertaining and compelling read.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
I wanted to do something a bit different this week and give short recommendations on a theme for various ages, in case anyone is doing some present shopping.
What to buy for the kid…
…who loves animals.
For board book readers, check out Copy That, Copy Cat! by Katrina Tangen, an interactive board book with flaps and peek-throughs about inventions inspired by animals. For better or worse, picture book readers will love The Big Book of Butts by Eva Manzano, which uncovers fun facts about animal and human butts. For older elementary school kids, Superpowered Animals by Soledad Romero Mariño is fascinating. While not technically for kids, Allen Crawford’s nonfiction A Wild Promise celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act and would be a beautiful gift for middle graders.
…who loves to laugh.
Kids love funny books. For picture book readers, check out The Boy Who Cried Poop! by Alessandra Requena, Cake vs. Pie by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, and I Want to Be Spaghetti! by Kiera Wright-Ruiz. Kids who want to write their own jokes will enjoy Lol 101: A Kid’s Guide to Writing Jokes by David Roth and Rinee Shah. For my daughter, I’m buying the early reader graphic novels Baloney and Friends by Greg Pizzoli. Middle graders will enjoy Link + Hud: Heroes by a Hair by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey and Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson.
…who is swept away by fantasy.
Picture book readers should check out the fantastical SEL Weather Together by Jessie Sima, the dark fairytale The Skull by Jon Klassen, and the magical River of Mariposas by Mirelle Ortega. The latest Princess in Black book is out —Prince in Pink — for chapter book readers, and I also love the new series Isla of Adventure by Dela Costa, the first book being Welcome to the Island. For middle grade readers, Nell of Gumbling by Emma Steinkellner is a delight, as is Lei and the Fire Goddess by Malia Maunakea and Abeni’s Song by P. Djèlí Clark.
…is hard to buy for.
I love a good book box! Here are some of my favorites. The ColorPop Books bundles center diverse families. Their picture book bundles are $45 and come with three hardcover books, an activity, and a card. The Little Feminist book subscriptions have four options for ages 0-9. Each box comes with 1-2 books, an activity, and discussion cards. Prices are $23 a month. I have yet to try out a middle grade book subscription, but a friend gets Owl Crate, Jr. and loves all the extra stuff. It’s $33 a month.
No matter the weather, sometimes a parent has to bundle up and put together a trolley for stuffed animals using yarn and whatever wheeled toy is around the house. Admittedly, it was only in the 30s and 40s Fahrenheit. So Tennessee cold, not Northern cold. The stuffed animals traveled to get their hair cut at the salon, had a sleepover at Unicorni’s house, and then had a picnic. We spent a solid 4+ hours outside. I’m glad for our warm coats!
If you’d like to read more of my kidlit reviews, I’m on Instagram @BabyLibrarians, Twitter @AReaderlyMom, and blog irregularly at Baby Librarians. You can also read my Book Riot posts. If you’d like to drop me a line, my email is kingsbury.margaret@gmail.com.
All the best,
Margaret Kingsbury