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Children’s Books Featuring Octopuses

Hi Kid Lit friends,

On our way home from a family vacation in Maine last July, we listened to an audiobook called The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery. This is a book for adults but still appropriate for my eight-year-old and ten-year-old; they were enthralled. We learned something within the first minute of listening: the plural of octopus is not octopi; it is octopuses. Because octopus is a Greek word, you cannot place a Latin plural ending on it.


Sponsored by Graphix Books, an Imprint of Scholastic

From the creator of the acclaimed graphic novel The Witch Boy comes a new adventure set in the world of magic and shapeshifting — and ordinary kids just trying to make friends.


Since listening to this book, my kids have been fascinated by all things octopus-related. They went to the Baltimore Aquarium with their grandmother and spent a long time watching the giant Pacific octopus. They have been reading books about octopuses. We have watched YouTube videos of octopuses in the wild.

Octopuses are fascinating. They have three hearts! They have blue blood! The suction cups on their arms contain two-thirds of their neurons! Check out more about this amazing animal species with the books below.

Picture Books

Inky’s Great Escape by Casey Lyall, illustrated by Sebastià Serra

In April 2016, The New York Times published an article about an octopus named Inky who escaped from the National Aquarium of New Zealand through a drainpipe and into the sea. In this charming fictionalized account, Inky, worn out from his exciting life in the ocean, has retired to the aquarium. There he quietly plays cards, makes faces at the visitors, and regales his tankmate Blotchy with tales of his past adventures. Then Blotchy dares Inky to make one more great escape: out of their tank. Will Inky succeed?

Octopus Alone by Divya Srinivasan

From the author of Little Owl’s Night comes a new book about shy Octopus who lives on a lively reef, and what happens when she finds herself in a new place far from home, wonderfully, peacefully alone. As she did in Little Owl’s Night, Divya Srinivasan shows children a wonderful part of the natural world in a very warm-hearted way.

Love, Agnes by Irene Latham, illustrated by Thea Baker

Agnes has a beak that can crush bones and arms and stretch wide as a car— but that doesn’t make her a monster! After she comes across a postcard, Agnes, a giant Pacific octopus, strikes up a correspondence with various other creatures below— and above— the waves. Readers will delight in this unlikely introduction to the octopus life cycle.

Inky’s Amazing Escape by Sy Montgomery, illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford

Inky had been at the New Zealand aquarium since 2014 after being taken in by a fisherman who found him at sea. Inky had been getting used to his new environment, but the staff quickly figured out that he had to be kept amused or he would get bored. Then one night in 2016 Inky, about the size of a basketball, decided he’d had enough. He slithered eight feet across the floor and down a drainpipe more than 160 feet long to his home in the sea.

Octopus Escapes Again! by Laurie Ellen Angus

While searching for a meal, a hungry octopus encounters hazards and opportunities, and displays a dazzling array of defensive devices including jet propulsion, clouds of ink, extreme camouflage and mimicry, even sacrificing a limb if necessary. “Explore More” sections for kids and adults offer information and activities on the adaptive behavior of these very intelligent creatures.

How to Hide an Octopus & Other Sea Creatures by Ruth Heller

Go on a fascinating nature hunt to find the camouflaged octopus, crabs, brilliantly-painted tropical fish, and other wonderful sea creatures hidden in the pages of this book.

An Octopus is Amazing by Patricia Lauber, illustrated by Holly Keller

“[Here is] a charming introduction to the truly amazing octopus [from its intelligence to its ability to change colors to the camouflaging black ink it squirts to escape predators]. Lauber’s chatty, fact-filled text makes the book a good read-aloud, and Keller’s amusing and colorful drawings enhance it—a perfect match of text and illustration.” —SLJ

Also An Octopus by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Benji Davies

It begins with an octopus who plays the ukulele. Since this is a story, the octopus has to want something—maybe to travel to faraway galaxies in a totally awesome purple spaceship. Then the octopus sets out to build a spaceship out of soda cans, glue, umbrellas, glitter, and waffles. OK, maybe the octopus needs some help, like from an adorable bunny friend, and maybe that bunny turns out to be . . . a rocket scientist? (Probably not.) But could something even more amazing come to pass? Debut author Maggie Tokuda-Hall, with the help of illustrator Benji Davies, sets up an endearingly funny story, then hands the baton to readers, who will be more than primed to take it away.

 

For Middle Grade Readers

The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery

In pursuit of the wild, solitary, predatory octopus, popular naturalist Sy Montgomery has practiced true immersion journalism. From New England aquarium tanks to the reefs of French Polynesia and the Gulf of Mexico, she has befriended octopuses with strikingly different personalities—gentle Athena, assertive Octavia, curious Kali, and joyful Karma. Each creature shows her cleverness in myriad ways: escaping enclosures like an orangutan; jetting water to bounce balls; and endlessly tricking companions with multiple “sleights of hand” to get food.

The Octopus Scientists by Sy Montgomery, photographs by Keith Ellenbogen

With three hearts and blue blood, its gelatinous body unconstrained by jointed limbs or gravity, the octopus seems to be an alien, an inhabitant of another world. It’s baggy, boneless body sprouts eight arms covered with thousands of suckers—suckers that can taste as well as feel. The octopus also has the powers of a superhero: it can shape-shift, change color, squirt ink, pour itself through the tiniest of openings, or jet away through the sea faster than a swimmer can follow. But most intriguing of all, octopuses—classed as mollusks, like clams—are remarkably intelligent with quirky personalities.

Blended by Sharon M. Draper is a beautiful middle grade book about a girl living in two worlds. Eleven-year-old Isabella’s parents are divorced, so she has to switch lives every week: One week she’s Isabella with her dad, his girlfriend Anastasia, and her son, Darren, living in a fancy house where they are one of the only black families in the neighborhood. The next week she’s Izzy with her mom and her boyfriend, John-Mark, in a small, not-so-fancy house that she loves.

The Eye That Never Sleeps: How Detective Pinkerton Saved President Lincoln by Marissa Moss, illustrated by Jeremy Holmes is a fascinating nonfiction picture book about one of America’s greatest detectives. Allan Pinkerton’s life changed when he helped the Chicago Police Department track down a group of counterfeiters. From there, he became the first police detective in Chicago and established the country’s most successful detective agency. He went on to solve more than 300 murders and recover millions of dollars in stolen money. However, his greatest contribution was protecting Abraham Lincoln on the way to his 1861 inauguration.

Revenge of the Flower Girls by Jennifer Ziegler is a hilarious middle grade book about the Brewster twins. Set in summer, they are not looking forward to upending their typical summer fun to help their older sister Lily plan her wedding. Burton, Lily’s groom-to-be, is not nice or fun, and he looks like an armadillo. The triplets can’t stand to see Lily marry someone so wrong for her, so they’ll stop at nothing to delay Lily’s big day. But will sprinklers, a photo slideshow, a muddy dog, and some unexpected allies be enough to prevent their sister and the whole Brewster family from living unhappily ever after?

 

Around the web…

Best Children’s Books 2018, via Publisher’s Weekly

Best Middle Grade & Children’s Books 2018, via Goodreads

Best Picture Books 2018, via Goodreads

 

I would love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next time!
Karina

Nala keeping me company as I work.

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

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New Children’s Book Releases for October 30, 2018

Hey Kid Lit friends,

It’s almost November, and pretty soon I will be filling up your inboxes with holiday gift recommendations. For now, I am enjoying the rhythms of autumn. Today I will gather together the children’s books I will give out to trick-or-treaters. We live on the New York City Marathon route, and as I write this I am enjoying watching runners pass by the window as they train for the big race on November 4th. Leaves are finally changing color in New York City, a little later than normal, and I’ve been digging through the closets to look for warm clothing that my kids haven’t grown out of.

Today’s picture book new releases speak to the changing seasons – lots of winter books! Take a look and let me know which look interesting to you.

*Please note that all book descriptions are from Goodreads. If I had a chance to read the book and loved it, I will mark it with a ❤.


Sponsored by Graphix Books, an Imprint of Scholastic.

From the creator of the acclaimed graphic novel The Witch Boy comes a new adventure set in the world of magic and shapeshifting — and ordinary kids just trying to make friends.


Picture Book New Releases

❤ Got to Get to Bear’s by Brian Lies

Bear never asks for anything. So when she sends a note to Izzy urgently requesting her presence, Izzy can’t refuse! But a blizzard begins and slows Izzy’s progress.  As the snow accumulates, so do her friends, helping her on her way to Bear’s place.

 

❤ Horse Meets Dog by Elliott Kalan, illustrated by Tim Miller

Horse is just an oversize dog with funny paws…according to Dog. And Dog? Just a tiny baby horse with a weird tail. That’s what Horse thinks, anyway.

 

❤ Winter is Here by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek

Snow falls, animals burrow, and children prepare for the wonders winter brings. Kevin Henkes’s striking text introduces basic concepts of language and the unique beauty of the winter season. Laura Dronzek’s expressive paintings beautifully capture the joyful wonders of winter.

Penguinaut! by Marcie Colleen, illustrated by Emma Yarlett

Orville lives at the zoo, surrounded by animal pals who go on exciting adventures. A hang gliding rhino! A deep-sea diving giraffe! Orville struggles to keep up, until one day he concocts an adventure all his own: build a spaceship and fly to the moon all by himself. Can one tiny penguin get there alone?

Tallulah’s Ice Skates by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger

Tallulah is an accomplished ballerina, but she also loves to skate. After all, skating’s a lot like ballet—challenging, graceful, and glamorous. Tallulah is positive that with some hard work, she and her friend Kacie will be just as good on the ice as they are at dance. They’ll be Super Skaters! But Kacie doesn’t want to rehearse fancy moves; she wants to have fun. So Tallulah practices by herself.

 

Middle Grade New Releases

The Dreamway by Lisa Papademetriou

Every night, your sleeping body stays in your bed, while the you of you travels deep beneath the earth to ride the complex rails of the Dreamway…. Stella Clay thought it was just another ordinary day at her drab gray school. Then her twin brother, Cole, is attacked by a shadowy creature on their way home, and Stella’s world turns positively peculiar. Suddenly, her brother seems different, almost dimmer, like a candle about to flicker out. And then a talking mouse shows up in her bedroom.

❤ Blended by Sharon M. Draper

Eleven-year-old Isabella’s parents are divorced, so she has to switch lives every week: One week she’s Isabella with her dad, his girlfriend Anastasia, and her son Darren living in a fancy house where they are one of the only black families in the neighborhood. The next week she’s Izzy with her mom and her boyfriend John-Mark in a small, not-so-fancy house that she loves. Because of this, Isabella has always felt pulled between two worlds. And now that her parents are divorced, it seems their fights are even worse, and they’re always about HER. Isabella feels even more stuck in the middle, split and divided between them than ever. And she’s is beginning to realize that being split between Mom and Dad is more than switching houses, switching nicknames, switching backpacks: it’s also about switching identities.

Lumberjanes: The Good Egg by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Brooklyn Allen

Welcome to Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady Types. The five scouts of Roanoke cabin—Jo, April, Molly, Mal, and Ripley—love their summers at camp. They get to hang out with their best friends, earn Lumberjane scout badges, annoy their no-nonsense counselor Jen . . . and go on supernatural adventures. That last one? A pretty normal occurrence at Miss Qiunzella’s, where the woods contain endless mysteries.

 

Nonfiction New Releases

The Book of Ingeniously Daring Chemistry by Sean Connolly

In this  introduction to chemistry for STEM-curious kids ages 9 and up, each chapter of The Book of Ingeniously Daring Chemistry focuses on a single element—its properties, how it was discovered, and even its potential danger level. Easy-to-follow experiments help readers put their newfound knowledge into action. All that’s needed is a sense of adventure and some items from around the house.

 

Backlist Book Recommendations

Picture Book Recommendation: Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales

Frida Kahlo, one of the world’s most famous and unusual artists is revered around the world. Her life was filled with laughter, love, and tragedy, all of which influenced what she painted on her canvases.

Middle Grade Book Recommendation: The Kite Fighters by Linda Sue Park

In Seoul, Korea, in 1473, Young-sup and his older brother Kee-sup are excited about the New Year kite competition. Young-sup is an expert at kite flying. He knows just what his kite wants him to do. Kee-sup has trouble handling his kite, but can build and design a kite fit for a king. Each brother knows his own talents as they practice together for the New Year kite-fighting competition. But according to tradition, Kee-sup, the first-born son, must represent the family. Young-sup knows he must help his older brother and stay in second place. But that doesn’t stop him from hoping for the chance to show his great skill as a kite fighter.

Nonfiction Recommendation: The Boys in the Boat (Young Readers Adaptation) by Daniel James Brown

Out of the depths of the Great Depression comes the astonishing tale of nine working-class boys from the American West who at the 1936 Olympics showed the world what true grit really meant. With rowers who were the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew was never expected to defeat the elite East Coast teams, yet they did, going on to shock the world by challenging the German boat rowing for Adolf Hitler. At the center of the tale is Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, whose personal quest captures the spirit of his generation—the generation that would prove in the coming years that the Nazis could not prevail over American determination and optimism.

Drawing Book Recommendation: Craft-a-Doodle by Jenny Doh

Using a simple doodle as a starting point, 18 artists take you on an inspirational, crafty journey! Filled with inventive prompts designed to fuel the imagination, these 75 exercises motivate crafters to pick up a pencil, brush, or marker, and explore their artistic voice. From quick “try it” ideas using shapes and patterns to doodled portraits and contour drawings, these step-by-step projects are wild creative fun. The featured artists include Cori Dantini, who provides a “Recipe for a Face”; Flora Chang with innovative watercolor designs; and Teesha Moore who offers ideas for adding personality to doodled characters.

 

Giveaway!

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library! Click here to enter.

 

That’s it for me – I have to get back to reading! I would love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next week!
Karina

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Children’s Books About Homelessness

Hey Kid Lit friends,

The National Center on Family Homelessness reports that 2.5 million children are homeless each year in America, representing one in every 30 children. This is a social issue that is near to my heart. My first full-time job right out of college was at a non-profit that provided transitional housing to hundreds of homeless families every night, and I was disheartened (although not surprised) to read an article last week from the New York Times that stated that tonight one in ten school children will sleep in a homeless shelter or in the homes of relatives.

There have been many children’s books written about homelessness and poverty, so I put together a reading list. I hope these books will create opportunities for discussion and social action.

*Please note all book descriptions are from Goodreads.


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Picture Books

A Shelter in Our Car by Monica Gunning, illustrated by Elaine Pedlar

Zettie and her Mama left their warm and comfortable home in Jamaica for an uncertain life in the United Sates. With Papa gone, Mama can’t find a steady job that will sustain them and so they are forced to live in their car. But Mama’s unwavering love, support, and gutsy determination give Zettie the confidence that, together, she and her mother can meet all challenges.Monica Gunning’s moving and authentic story about homelessness in an American city was developed with the help of the Homeless Children s Network in San Francisco. Elaine Pedlar’s strong and lively illustrations bring the story to life in vibrant chalk pastel.”

Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt, illustrated by Vin Vogel

Best friends Sofia and Maddi live in the same neighborhood, go to the same school, and play in the same park, but while Sofia’s fridge at home is full of nutritious food, the fridge at Maddi’s house is empty. Sofia learns that Maddi’s family doesn’t have enough money to fill their fridge and promises Maddi she’ll keep this discovery a secret. But because Sofia wants to help her friend, she’s faced with a difficult decision: to keep her promise or tell her parents about Maddi’s empty fridge. Filled with colorful artwork, this storybook addresses issues of poverty with honesty and sensitivity while instilling important lessons in friendship, empathy, trust, and helping others.

Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones

All Jeremy wants is a pair of those shoes, the ones everyone at school seems to be wearing. Though Jeremy’s grandma says they don’t have room for “want,” just “need,” when his old shoes fall apart at school, he is more determined than ever to have those shoes, even a thrift-shop pair that are much too small. But sore feet aren’t much fun, and Jeremy soon sees that the things he has — warm boots, a loving grandma, and the chance to help a friend — are worth more than the things he wants.

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis

Chloe and her friends won’t play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her. Eventually Maya stops coming to school. When Chloe’s teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship, and thinks about how much better it could have been if she’d shown a little kindness toward Maya.

 

Middle Grade Books

Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes

When her fifth-grade teacher hints that a series of lessons about home and community will culminate with one big answer about two tall towers once visible outside their classroom window, Dèja can’t help but feel confused. She sets off on a journey of discovery, with new friends Ben and Sabeen by her side. But just as she gets closer to answering big questions about who she is, what America means, and how communities can grow (and heal), she uncovers new questions, too. Like, why does Pop get so angry when she brings up anything about the towers?

The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden

Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there’s Lenny, her mom’s boyfriend―they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer. At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend Fuchsia has her own issues, and since they’re in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it’s best if no one notices them. Unfortunately, she’s not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she’s ever had?

Just Under the Clouds by Melissa Sarno

Always think in threes and you’ll never fall, Cora’s father told her when she was a little girl. Two feet, one hand. Two hands, one foot. That was all Cora needed to know to climb the trees of Brooklyn. But now Cora is a middle schooler, a big sister, and homeless. Her mother is trying to hold the family together after her father’s death, and Cora must look after her sister, Adare, who’s just different, their mother insists. Quick to smile, Adare hates wearing shoes, rarely speaks, and appears untroubled by the question Cora can’t help but ask: How will she find a place to call home?

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There’s no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again. Crenshaw is a cat. He’s large, he’s outspoken, and he’s imaginary. He has come back into Jackson’s life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?

The Exact Location of Home by Kate Messner

Kirby “Zig” Zigonski lives for the world of simple circuits, light bulbs, buzzers, and motors. Electronics are, after all, much more predictable than most people–especially his father, who he hasn’t seen in over a year. When his dad’s latest visit is canceled with no explanation and his mom seems to be hiding something, Zig turns to his best friend Gianna and a new gizmo–a garage sale GPS unit–for help. Convinced that his dad is leaving clues around town to explain his absence, Zig sets out to find him. Following one clue after another, logging mile after mile, Zig soon discovers that people aren’t always what they seem . . . and sometimes, there’s more than one set of coordinates for home.

No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen

Twelve-and-three-quarter-year-old Felix Knutsson has a knack for trivia. His favorite game show is Who What Where When; he even named his gerbil after the host. Felix’s mom, Astrid, is loving but can’t seem to hold on to a job. So when they get evicted from their latest shabby apartment, they have to move into a van. Astrid swears him to secrecy; he can’t tell anyone about their living arrangement, not even Dylan and Winnie, his best friends at his new school. If he does, she warns him, he’ll be taken away from her and put in foster care.

 

Be sure to check out the wonderful podcast Lifelines, Episode 9. Author Saadia Faruqi recommends picture books about the reality of poverty, and Ann Braden, middle grade author of The Benefits of Being an Octopus, shares the first half of her conversation with 5th grade educator Kristin Crouch.

 

Jasmine Toguchi: Flamingo Keeper is the latest book in Debbi Michiko Florence’s wonderful chapter book series. Jasmine’s best friend, Linnie, has just gotten a puppy. And now Jasmine wants a pet of her own―a flamingo! So when her grandmother sends Jasmine a daruma doll as a surprise gift, Jasmine colors in one doll eye and wishes for a flamingo to keep.

Horse Meets Dog by Elliott Kalan and Tim Miller (Balzer & Bray, 10/30) is a new picture book about a horse that is just an oversize dog with funny paws…according to Dog. And Dog? Just a tiny baby horse with a weird tail. That’s what Horse thinks, anyway. A story with hilarious misunderstandings!

Nowhere Boy by Katharine Marsh is a middle grade book told in two perspectives. Max, a thirteen-year-old American boy from Washington, D.C. is lonely and homesick when he starts a new school in Brussels, Belgium. Fourteen-year-old Ahmed has just fled a life of uncertainty and suffering in Aleppo, Syria, to find himself in Belgium, his father lost on the trip to Europe. Their lives intersect in Brussels in surprising and life-changing ways.

 

Around the web…

In Conversation: Sharon M. Draper and Jason Reynolds, via Publisher’s Weekly

Middle Grade Books About Indian Mythology, via Book Riot

Are you a diverse writer of middle grade literature? HarperCollins Children’s Books is hosting a Diverse Voices Open Inbox. For more information and the official rules, check out this website.

 

Giveaway!

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library! Click here to enter.

 

I would love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next time!
Karina

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

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New Children’s Book Releases for October 23, 2018

Hey Kid Lit friends,

There are some sweet new children’s books out today, including gift editions of children’s book classics Mary Poppins and The Little Prince! As usual, if there is a book I read and loved, I’ll mark it with a ❤.

*Please note that all book descriptions are from Goodreads.


Sponsored by Caracal, an imprint of Lion Forge

Rox and Zam spend their days repairing clunkers in a spaceship junkyard and yearning for the chance to test their skills on something besides rusted old rockets and broken-down planet-hoppers. Their big chance finally comes when the captain of a mysterious ship enlists them into his crew of colorful misfits… little do they know, they’ve been taken in by space pirates! Now the girls must choose: do they want the comforts of home and family, or the glamorous adventure of a lifetime? Quantum Mechanics by Jeff Weigel is in stores now from Caracal, an imprint of Lion Forge!


Picture Book New Releases

I Am Not A Fox by Karina Wolf, illustrated by Chuck Groenink

When Luca first arrives at the dog park, the other dogs turn him away. “You’re not a dog,” they say, “You’re a fox.” But . . . Luca likes to chase cats. He likes to yip at mailmen. And he likes sniff other dogs you-know-where. Still, Luca has to admit, he doesn’t look like the other dogs. So . . . he must be a fox, right? But when Luca finds a trio of foxes in the forest and asks to join them, they don’t think that Luca is a fox at all. After all, Luca acts just like a dog. Luca can’t seem to find anyone quite like him, but then he meets a caring little girl and finds something even better–a friend.

❤ Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers, illustrated by Genevieve Godbout

When the East Wind blows Mary Poppins over Cherry Tree Lane and into the lives of the Banks children, nothing is ever the same! This picture book adaptation of the original novel is full of Mary’s unique brand of whimsical adventure: There’s a tea party on the ceiling, a visit to the night zoo, and a trip to a mysterious shop that sells stars. Told in a lyrical text with fresh yet timeless art by Genevieve Godbout, this version of Mary Poppins is perfect for reading aloud.

 

Middle Grade New Releases

❤ Knights vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan

Knights vs. Dinosaurs is a highly illustrated, fast-paced adventure full of uproarious knightly hijinks, surprising secrets, and terrifying dinosaurs. With art on nearly every page, including an epic fight scene depicted in several graphic-novel style spreads, this engaging story is Monty Python for young middle school readers.

The Danger Gang and the Isle of Feral Beasts! by Stephen Bramucci, illustrated by Arree Chung

Ronald Zupan, his quick-witted fencing partner Julianne Sato, and his trusty butler Jeeves are off on another adventure. This time, they’re trying to rescue the movie star Josh Brigand–who was kidnapped from his latest film premiere by the dreaded Liars’ Club. As the Danger Gang races to save their friend, they face off with a poisoning poet, a band of Roman candle-wielding thugs, and thousands of feral foxes. When their skills of deduction are put to the ultimate test, will Ronald and his pals be able to stick together long enough to rescue Josh and defeat the Liar’s Club once and for all?

❤ Mary Poppins (illustrated gift edition) by P.L. Travers, illustrated by Júlia Sardà

Experience the fantastical adventures of the magical nanny who inspired the classic film, stage show, and young imaginations the world over in a whole new way. This illustrated gift edition features silver foil on the cover and beautiful artwork by Júlia Sardà that re-imagines Mary’s London in rich, full color. Ideal for the lifelong Mary Poppins fan or serious collector, this edition also makes for a lovely family read-aloud.

Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks

Sanity Jones and Tallulah Vega are best friends on Wilnick, the dilapidated space station they call home at the end of the galaxy. So naturally, when gifted scientist Sanity uses her lab skills and energy allowance to create a definitely-illegal-but-impossibly-cute three-headed kitten, she has to show Tallulah. But Princess, Sparkle, Destroyer of Worlds is a bit of a handful, and it isn’t long before the kitten escapes to wreak havoc on the space station. The girls will have to turn Wilnick upside down to find her, but not before causing the whole place to evacuate! Can they save their home before it’s too late?

❤ The Little Prince: 75th Anniversary Edition by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

This special edition of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s world-famous classic marks its seventy-fifth anniversary in print. Featuring a beautiful new cover and a special look at its history and making—including a biography of Saint-Exupéry, sketches, photos, and reviews from the first edition—this new anniversary edition of The Little Prince will capture the hearts of both devoted and new readers alike.

The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher, illustrated by Shane Devries

Once upon a time–long, long ago, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth–an egg rolled away from its mother and landed in the ocean, where it froze solid and stayed peacefully for thousands of years. Then one day Santa and his elves discover the frozen egg, and Santa sits on it to see if it will hatch. But he can’t guess what’s inside. . . . A dinosaur!

❤ Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows by Ryan Calejo

Charlie Hernández has always been proud of his Latin American heritage. He loves the culture, the art, and especially the myths. Thanks to his abuela’s stories, Charlie possesses an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the monsters and ghouls who have spent the last five hundred years haunting the imaginations of children all across the Iberian Peninsula, as well as Central and South America. But when Charlie begins to experience freaky bodily manifestations—ones all too similar to those described by his grandma in his favorite legend—he is suddenly swept up in a world where the mythical beings he’s spent his entire life hearing about seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Hispanic folklore and into his life.

Lu by Jason Reynolds

Lu was born to be cocaptain of the Defenders. Well, actually, he was born albino, but that’s got nothing to do with being a track star. Lu has swagger, plus the talent to back it up, and with all that—not to mention the gold chains and diamond earrings—no one’s gonna outshine him. Lu knows he can lead Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and the team to victory at the championships, but it might not be as easy as it seems. Suddenly, there are hurdles in Lu’s way—literally and not-so-literally—and Lu needs to figure out, fast, what winning the gold really means.

 

Graphic Novel New Release

❤ Phoebe and Her Unicorn in Unicorn Theater by Dana Simpson

Summer is here, and Phoebe and Marigold are headed to drama camp. Phoebe’s expecting some quality time with her best friend, but in a surprise twist, Marigold has invited her sister, Florence Unfortunate Nostrils! While the unicorn sisters head to camp in a magical rainbow pod, Phoebe is stuck riding with her parents in their boring car, wondering where it all went wrong. But at Camp Thespis, there are more daunting tasks at hand: writing, producing, and acting in an entirely original play! The second Phoebe and Her Unicorn graphic novel is a sparkling tale of sisterhood and summer fun, as well as a reminder that sometimes it takes a bit of drama to recognize true friendship.

 

Nonfiction New Releases

❤ Backyard Bears by Amy Cherrix

What happens when conservation efforts for a species are so successful that there’s a boom in the population? Part field science, part conservation science, Backyard Bears looks at black bears—and other animals around the globe—who are rapidly becoming our neighbors in urban and suburban areas. North Carolina’s black bears were once a threatened species, but now their numbers are rising in and around Asheville. Can humans and bears live compatibly? What are the long-term effects for the bears? Author Amy Cherrix follows the scientists who, in cooperation with local citizens, are trying to answer to these questions and more.

❤ Reach Higher: An Inspiring Photo Celebration of First Lady Michelle Obama by Amanda Lucidon

As a former official White House photographer, Amanda Lucidon shares an insider’s view on the role of the First Lady by documenting life at the White House and sharing personal memories that reveal what makes Mrs. Obama so special.

 

Backlist Book Recommendations


Picture Book Recommendation:
Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People by Monica Brown, illustrated by Julie Paschkis

Once there was a little boy named Neftalí who loved wild things wildly and quiet things quietly. From the moment he could talk, he surrounded himself with words. Neftalí discovered the magic between the pages of books. When he was sixteen, he began publishing his poems as Pablo Neruda. Pablo wrote poems about the things he loved―things made by his friends in the café, things found at the marketplace, and things he saw in nature. He wrote about the people of Chile and their stories of struggle. Because above all things and above all words, Pablo Neruda loved people.

Middle Grade Book Recommendation: Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace, illustrated by Lois Lenski

There are lots of children on Hill Street, but no little girls Betsy’s age. So when a new family moves into the house across the street, Betsy hopes they will have a little girl she can play with. Sure enough, they do—a little girl named Tacy. And from the moment they meet at Betsy’s fifth birthday party, Betsy and Tacy becoms such good friends that everyone starts to think of them as one person—Betsy-Tacy. Betsy and Tacy have lots of fun together. They make a playhouse from a piano box, have a sand store, and dress up and go calling. And one day, they come home to a wonderful surprise—a new friend named Tib.

Drawing Book Recommendation: Ed Emberley’s Drawing Book of Animals by Ed Emberley

Using simple shapes, Ed Emberley shows would-be artists how to draw a variety of animals, including lions, frogs, mice, birds, dragons, and more! This classic book is packed with cool things that kids-and not a few adults-really want to draw. Easy and fun, the book provides hours of art-full entertainment.

 

Giveaway!

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library! Click here to enter.

 

That’s it for me – I have to get back to reading! I would love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next week!
Karina

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

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Children’s Books About Advocacy and Elections

Hey Kid Lit friends!

With the midterm elections in America coming up, I thought I would collect some new children’s books about advocacy and elections so our young people have the opportunity to learn how important their voice is from an early age. As usual, all book descriptions are from Goodreads.


Sponsored by Shadow Mountain Publishing

The dragons have declared war! After a humiliating defeat at the hands of Kendra and Seth, Celebrant, King of Dragons, prepares to unleash his fury and take control of his native preserve. Two of the seven dragon sanctuaries have already fallen. Will Wyrmroost be next? One thing is certain – dragons are deadly foes, and one wrong move could bring swift defeat. It will take more than Kendra, Seth, and their current allies have ever given to endure the wrath of the Dragon King.


Board Books & Picture Books

A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara

A is for Activist is an ABC board book written and illustrated for the next generation of progressives: families who want their kids to grow up in a space that is unapologetic about activism, environmental justice, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, and everything else that activists believe in and fight for.

What Can a Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris

Across the course of several seemingly unrelated but ultimately connected actions by different children, we watch how kids turn a lonely island into a community—and watch a journey from what the world should be to what the world could be.

Enough! 20 Protesters Who Changed America by Emily Easton, illustrated by Ziyue Chen

America has been molded and shaped by those who have taken a stand and said they have had enough. In this dynamic picture book, stand alongside the nation’s most iconic civil and human rights leaders, whose brave actions rewrote history. Join Samuel Adams as he masterminds the Boston Tea Party, Ruby Bridges on her march to school, Colin Kaepernick as he takes a knee, and the multitude of other American activists whose peaceful protests have ushered in lasting change.

 

For Middle Grade Readers

What’s the Big Deal About Elections by Ruby Shamir, illustrated by Matt Faulkner

Did you know that Election Day is on Tuesday because that was the best day for farmers to vote? Or that George Washington was our only elected president who ran unopposed? Or that Native Americans were only given the right to vote in 1924? It’s all true! We hear a lot about political campaigns on the news, but there’s tons to know about elections beyond the politics of each race. Who gets to vote? Who gets to run? What do elected officials do once they’re in office–and what do candidates do if they lose? Why do people fight so hard for the right to vote? In this kid-friendly, fact-filled book, young readers will find out how Americans choose their leaders, local and federal, and why elections should matter to them, even if they can’t vote (yet)!

Being the Change by Sara K. Ahmed

Being the Change is based on the idea that people can develop skills and habits to serve them in the comprehension of social issues. Sara K. Ahmed identifies and unpacks the skills of social comprehension, providing teachers with tools and activities that help students make sense of themselves and the world as they navigate relevant topics in today’s society. Each chapter includes clear, transferrable lessons and practical strategies that help students learn about a targeted social comprehension concept. From exploring identity and diversity to understanding and addressing biases and microaggressions, Sara demonstrates how to address real issues honestly in the classroom while honoring and empowering students.

We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices edited by Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson

Fifty of the foremost diverse children’s authors and illustrators–including Jason Reynolds, Jacqueline Woodson, and Kwame Alexander–share answers to the question, “In this divisive world, what shall we tell our children?” in this beautiful, full-color keepsake collection, published in partnership with Just Us Books. What do we tell our children when the world seems bleak, and prejudice and racism run rampant? With 96 lavishly designed pages of original art and prose, fifty diverse creators lend voice to young activists.

Art in Action: Make a Statement, Change Your World by Matthew “Levee” Chavez

In the days leading up to and following the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election, artist Matthew “Levee” Chavez arrived at the Union Square subway station and passed out blank sticky notes, urging New Yorkers to express themselves. As the notes were posted to the wall, a colorful and moving collage emerged that reflected the city’s rich and diverse personal responses to a divisive moment in history. In that moment, art and activism united a community. In this DIY guide, Chavez shows young readers how to create their very own art projects with a purpose.

Resist: 35 Profiles of Ordinary People Who Rose Up Against Tyranny and Injustice by Veronica Chambers

Before they were activists, they were just like you and me. From Frederick Douglass to Malala Yousafzai, Joan of Arc to John Lewis, Susan B. Anthony to Janet Mock—these remarkable figures show us what it means to take a stand and say no to injustice, even when it would be far easier to stay quiet.

It’s Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired, and Get Going! by Chelsea Clinton

With an eye toward empowering and inspiring kids, Chelsea Clinton explores some of the biggest challenges facing our world today. Using data, charts and stories she unpacks challenges related to Poverty, Climate Change, Gender Equality, Health, Endangered Species and talks about what’s being done to make a difference in each area–particularly by kids and teenagers. With lots of suggestions and ideas for action, Chelsea Clinton shares her passion for helping others and shows readers that the world belongs to every single one of us, and every one of us counts–no matter how young.

Start Now! You Can Make a Difference by Chelsea Clinton

With information on problems both large and small, Chelsea Clinton breaks down the concepts of health, hunger, climate change, endangered species and bullying, so that readers can understand the world around them, and how they can make a difference in their own lives, as well as in their communities and the world at large. With comic drawings to illustrate Clinton’s words, photographs of real live kids who are making a difference today, and lists of ways to get involved, this book is the perfect introduction to young activists who want to make the world a better place.

 

There have been so many great books out this fall!

Charlie Hernández and The League of Shadows by debut novelist Ryan Calejo (Aladdin, 10/23) is about Charlie, who loves his abuela’s stories. He especially the monsters and ghouls who have spent the last five hundred years haunting the imaginations of children all across the Iberian Peninsula, as well as Central and South America. But when Charlie begins to experience freaky bodily manifestations—ones all too similar to those described by his grandma in his favorite legend—he is suddenly swept up in a world where the mythical beings he’s spent his entire life hearing about seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Hispanic folklore and into his life.

Dream Big, Little One by Vashti Harrison is the board book version of Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History. The vibrant illustrations will surely interest the youngest readers.

Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito, illustrated by Laura Freeman (little bee books, 11/6), is the story of a hidden figure of history who played a critical role in the civil rights movement and used her passion for baking to help the Montgomery Bus Boycott achieve its goal.

 

Around the web…

Kid Lit Activism Continues with Focus on November 6, via Publisher’s Weekly

Children’s Classics Are Not Universal Worldwide, via Book Riot

 

Giveaway!

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library! Click here to enter.

 

I would love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next time!
Karina

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

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New Children’s Book Releases for October 16, 2018

Hey Kid Lit friends,

There are lots of holiday books coming out today as publishers and booksellers gear up for December! As usual, if there is a book I have read and loved, I’ll mark it with a ❤.

*Please note that all book descriptions are from Goodreads.


Sponsored by …And Then You Die of Dysentery: Lessons in Adulting from the Oregon Trail by Lauren Reeves

Pack your wagons, find your ride-or-(literally) die friends, and roll up to Matt’s General Store with a sack of cash—it’s time to hit the Oregon Trail, twenty-first-century style! …And Then You Die of Dysentery is the perfect send-up to the sometimes frustrating, always entertaining, and universally beloved Oregon Trail computer game. Featuring a four-color design in the game’s iconic 8-bit format, alongside pop culture references galore, the book offers 50 humorous, snarky life lessons gleaned from the game’s most iconic moments—it’s the ultimate trip down memory lane . . . all the way to the Willamette Valley.


Board Book New Releases

❤ Dream Big, Little One by Vashti Harrison

Among these women, you’ll find heroes, role models, and everyday women who did extraordinary things – bold women whose actions and beliefs contributed to making the world better for generations of girls and women to come. Whether they were putting pen to paper, soaring through the air or speaking up for the rights of others, the women profiled in these pages were all taking a stand against a world that didn’t always accept them.

Decked Out for Christmas! by Ethan Long

The mice at the North Pole are getting ready to deck the halls with all the essentials. They’ve got ornaments and twinkle lights, candy canes and popcorn garlands. One by one, the mice unpack all the merriest decorations, but soon the items become a bit unexpected. Hot cocoa? Fuzzy dice? A map? In a festive twist, it’s revealed that it’s not a tree the mice are decorating, but Santa’s sleigh, all decked out for Christmas Eve!

All Aboard! The Christmas Train by Nichole Mara, illustrated by Andrew Kolb

Folding out car by car, this accordion-style book takes readers on a tour of Santa’s Christmas train. Each car has lots to see—elves making toys, penguins playing, reindeer preparing for the big day—as Santa searches for his missing boot.

❤ Be Bold, Baby! Oprah! by Alison Oliver

Celebrate Oprah Winfrey’s most motivational and powerful moments, with quotes from the media mogul, and vibrant illustrations by Alison Oliver. Be encouraging. Be brilliant. Be you. Each book ends with a mirror! Look for the companion volume, Be Bold, Baby: Michelle Obama.

 

Picture Book New Releases

❤ Tomorrow I’ll Be Brave by Jessica Hische

Journey through a world filled with positive and beautifully hand-lettered words of widsom, inspiration, and motivation. As this book reminds readers, tomorrow is another day, full of endless opportunities–all you have to do is decide to make the day yours.

The Little Girl Who Wanted to Be Big by Dave Engledow

There once was a little girl who wanted to be big. Her dad told her that to be big, she had to think big. So she did—she grew taller than the tallest buildings, larger than the largest mountain, and big enough to reach the farthest plants. But being the biggest person in the universe also makes it hard to go home. What’s the biggest girl in the world to do when she’s grown up a little too fast?

Will You Help Me Fall Asleep? by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weyant

Tomorrow is the annual boat race and Monty needs as much energy as possible to make sure he crosses the finish line first. He tried closing his eyes, counting sheep, and reading a book, but nothing will help him fall asleep.

❤ The Lost Christmas by B.B. Cronin

It’s time to decorate the tree for Christmas–but Grandad can’t find any of his ornaments! The hunt for the missing decorations takes the children up and down in Grandad’s bric-a-brac-filled house and out into a winter wonderland. And when every ornament is on the tree at last, Grandad has a wonderful holiday surprise in store. This seek-and-find book from the award-winning author of The Lost House and The Lost Picnic will delight readers of any age and belongs under a Christmas tree.

❤ Construction Site on Christmas Night by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrated by Ethan Long

The trucks are gearing up for Christmas by building a special gift! But, there’s a surprise waiting for each of them, too! Presents await for Excavator, Bulldozer, Crane, Dump Truck, and Cement Mixer as each finishes their part of this big, important job and rolls off to a sweet and sleepy goodnight.

If You Ever Want to Bring a Pirate to Meet Santa, Don’t! by Elise Parsley

If your dad says you’re going to meet a bearded guy with a red suit and a bag full of treasures…he is not talking about meeting a pirate! But Magnolia has already invited the misbehaving swashbuckler to jump in line to meet Santa. So what if pirates are on the Naughty List? She’ll just teach this one to change his scurvy ways–no plundering or sword-fighting or plank-walking allowed! Plus, Santa is happy to hear everyone‘s wish list. Right?

Life With My Family by Renee Hooker and Karl Jones, illustrated by Kathryn Durst

When a young girl gets frustrated with her chaotic life at home, she imagines what things would be like if her family were animals instead. Would life be better as a pod of pelicans, a pride of lions, or a herd of buffalo? Or is it ultimately a family of humans that she needs?

Meet the Latkes by Alan Silberberg

Lucy Latke’s family is just like yours or mine. Except that they’re potato pancakes. And also, they are completely clueless. After lighting the menorah and gobbling the gelt, Grandpa Latke tells everyone the Hanukkah story, complete with mighty Mega Bees who use a giant dreidel to fight against the evil alien potatoes from Planet Chhh. It’s up to the Latke family dog to set the record straight. (To start with, they were Maccabees, not Mega Bees…) But he’ll have to get the rest of the Latkes to listen to him first!

 

Chapter Book New Releases

❤ The Infamous Ratsos: Project Fluffy by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Matt Myers

Chuck Wood is the most popular kid in school, and Louie Ratso can’t believe that Chuck has asked him for help! Chuck likes Louie’s friend Fluffy Rabbitski, and he wants Louie to help him get Fluffy to notice him. As for Ralphie Ratso, he can’t believe that his brother wants to spend all his time with Chuck instead of with him. Meanwhile, despite Louie and Chuck’s attempts to get Fluffy’s attention, she has eyes for only one thing: her garden. But there may be hope. As their father, Big Lou, tells his boys, the best way to get someone to like you is to show that you’re interested in what they like. After all, that’s how Big Lou won over Mama Ratso years ago.

 

Middle Grade New Releases

Ogre Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Evie is happiest when she is healing people, diagnosing symptoms and prescribing medications, with the help of her devoted friend (and test subject) Wormy. So when Wormy unexpectedly proposes to her, she kindly turns him down; she has far too much to do to be marrying anyone. And besides, she simply isn’t in love with him. But a certain meddling fairy named Lucinda has been listening in, and she doesn’t approve of Evie’s rejection. Suddenly, Evie finds herself transformed from a girl into a hideous, hungry ogre! Stuck in this new and confusing form, Evie now has only sixty-two days to accept another proposal—or else be stuck as an ogre forever.

Monstrous Devices by Damien Love

On a winter’s day in a British town, twelve-year old Alex receives a package in the mail: an old tin robot from his grandfather. “This one is special,” says the enclosed note, and when strange events start occurring around him, Alex suspects this small toy is more than special; it might be deadly. Right as things get out of hand, Alex’s grandfather arrives, pulling him away from an attack—and his otherwise humdrum world of friends, bullies, and homework—and into the macabre magic of an ancient family feud. Together, the duo flees across snowy Europe, unraveling the riddle of the little robot while trying to outwit relentless assassins of the human and mechanical kind.

The No-Good Nine by John Bemelmans Marciano

Pittsburgh, 1931. When Peter awakens on Christmas morning to find his stocking full of coal, he is outraged. After he finds the Naughty List, which contains the names of some other children who received no gifts, he decides they should band together and journey to Santa’s workshop to plead their case, as well as play with the toys intended for the Nice children. The ragtag band of misfits sets out on a series of wild misadventures as they travel by train, truck, dog sled, and boat, encountering thieves and bootleggers, in order to reach the renowned Toy Factory only to accidentally burn it down.

 

Nonfiction New Releases

❤ Lafayette! by Nathan Hale

A captain at eighteen and a major general by nineteen, he was eager to prove himself in battle. When he heard about the Revolution going on in America, he went overseas and fought alongside Alexander Hamilton and George Washington for America’s independence. Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales are graphic novels that tell the thrilling, shocking, gruesome, and TRUE stories of American history. Read them all—if you dare!

❤ Something Rotten by Heather Montgomery

When Heather L. Montgomery sees a rattlesnake flattened on the side of the road, her first instinct is to pick it up and dissect it–she’s always wanted to see how a snake’s fangs retract when they close their mouths, and it’s not exactly safe to poke around in a live reptile’s mouth. A wildlife researcher with a special penchant for the animals that litter the roadways, Heather isn’t satisfied with dissecting just one snake. Her fascination with roadkill sets her off on a journey from her own backyard and the roadways of the American South to scientists and kids in labs and homes across the globe.

❤ How We Got to Now by Steven Johnson

In the lively storytelling style that has made him a popular, bestselling author, Steven Johnson looks at how accidental genius, brilliant mistakes, and unintended consequences shape the way we live in the modern world. Johnson’s “long zoom” approach connects history, geography, politics, and scientific advances with the deep curiousity of inventors or quirky interests of tinkerers to show how innovation truly comes about.

 

Backlist Book Recommendations

Picture Book Recommendation: Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson

This poetic book is a resounding tribute to Tubman’s strength, humility, and devotion. With proper reverence, Weatherford and Nelson do justice to the woman who, long ago, earned over and over the name Moses.


Middle Grade Book Recommendation
The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

In the town of Spring Haven, four children have been selected to compete in the national candymaking contest of a lifetime. Who will make a candy more delicious than the Oozing Crunchorama or the Neon Yellow Lightning Chew?

Logan, the candymaker’s son, who can detect the color of chocolate by feel alone? Miles, the boy allergic to rowboats and the color pink? Daisy, the cheerful girl who can lift a fifty-pound lump of taffy as if it were a feather? Philip, the suit-and-tie-wearing boy who’s always scribbling in a secret notebook?

Nonfiction Recommendation: One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

Plastic bags are cheap and easy to use. But what happens when a bag breaks or is no longer needed? In Njau, Gambia, people simply dropped the bags and went on their way. One plastic bag became two. Then ten. Then a hundred.

 

Giveaway!

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library! Click here to enter.

 

That’s it for me – I have to get back to reading! I would love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next week!
Karina

Annabelle is trying to hypnotize you into reading ALL THE BOOKS.

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An Interview with Alan Gratz

Hi, Kid Lit fans!

I am very excited to have New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz on the newsletter today! Alan is the author of multiple books for young readers, including Refugee, Ban This Book, Projekt 1065, Code of Honor, and The League of Seven series. His most recent book, Grenade, is set during World War II, the day the Americans land on Okinawa. The Japanese Army pulls Hideki Kaneshiro and all the other boys out of middle school and gives them each two grenades. One grenade, they tell Hideki, is to kill an American soldier. The other grenade is to kill himself.


Sponsored by Zola’s Elephant, written by Randall de Sève and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski.

In this stunningly illustrated book about making a new friend and moving into a new home, two-time Caldecott-honor winning illustrator Pamela Zagarenski and New York Times bestselling author Randall de Sève create a dazzling world that celebrates both the power of imagination and the bravery it can inspire.


I had a chance to ask Alan about his research, writing habits, and the historical middle grade books he loves. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Wes Stitt

Karina Yan Glaser: I absolutely loved Grenade. I read in an interview you did with the Cybils Awards that this book began when you visited Japan and met an old man who was a boy on Okinawa during World War II. Did you keep in touch with this man while writing the book?

Alan Gratz: Hi Karina! Thank you! Yes, I was first turned on to this story by a man I met when I visited Japan almost eight or nine years ago, but alas, no, I haven’t been in touch with him in a long time. I was in Tokyo as an Artist in Residence at the American School in Japan in 2010, and he was introduced to me casually by one of the teachers at the school. His story stunned me, and stuck with me.

I don’t know about you, but there are some ideas I know I am not ready to write when they come my way. I could have never written Refugee at the beginning of my career, for example. That was a book I needed a lot more experience to be able to write. Grenade was the same for me. I knew this was an incredible situation—untrained Okinawan middle school boys given grenades and sent off to kill trained American Marines—but I didn’t even know where to begin to tell that story. So I filed it away in my brain with all the other book ideas I have, and sat on it for years.

Cut to 2017. I’ve just tackled the biggest story of my career so far, Refugee, and the story of the battle of Okinawa resurfaced for me. In fact, it was Refugee that showed me the way in to telling the story that became Grenade. Refugee is the story of what happens to three kids and their families when war comes and they have to leave their country to find safety. Grenade would be the story of what happens when war comes and a boy and his family are unable to leave. Grenade is, essentially, a story about refugees in their own land.

When I decided I wanted to write about the Battle of Okinawa, I tried getting back in touch with the teachers at the school to see if they could reconnect me with the man who had told me the story, but folks had moved on by then. I wish I’d had him as a resource! If I had, I might have written specifically about him and his experiences, the way I did with Jack Gruener and his personal experiences in the Holocaust for my book Prisoner B-3087. Unable to track him down, I had to use the story he told me only as inspiration. From there I had to find other resources to bring this piece of history to life.

KYG: What type of research did you have to do to write Grenade?

AG: I read a number of books about the war in the Pacific, some specifically about the Battle of Okinawa. Much has been written about the battles in the Pacific, and I read historians’ accounts as well as the accounts of soldiers and Marines who were on Okinawa and other islands where the Americans and Japanese fought. But those books only told one side of the story: the American side. And the American military side at that.

History, as they say, is told by the winners. But I wanted to tell a different history. One that isn’t often told. I wanted this book, as I said before, to be the story of the civilians on Okinawa. The people who became refugees in their own country when two powerful nations chose their island to wage war against each other. For those stories, my primary course was a wonderful book of interviews done with dozens of Okinawans who survived the Battle of Okinawa. Many stories were told in that collection—stories of boys sent into battle, of girls recruited as nurses, of families separated by war, and always of civilians in harm’s way, sometimes deliberately so. Nowhere on the island was safe during the month-long battle. From those stories, I built my fictional Okinawan boy and his family, basing everything that happens to them on things that really happened to the Okinawan people during the battle. I read other books about Okinawa as well—books about Okinawan history, and culture, and religion. And we had Okinawan readers to help me too.

KYG: You have a very busy travel schedule! How do you find time to write?

AG: I block my travel out so that I have three months on the road doing school visits and conferences, then three months home, then three months on the road again doing visits, then three months off again. I have to get most of my writing done in those six months I’m home! It certainly forces me to focus if I want to have a new book out each year…

KYG: What first got you interested in writing books for middle grade readers?

AG: The first three books of my career were really more young adult than middle grade. I thought that was the direction I was going to go the idea for The Brooklyn Nine came along. The Brooklyn Nine is nine “innings”—nine short stories—about the nine kids in nine successive generations of an American family, and their connections to baseball and American history. The kid in one story is the parent in the next, and the grandparent in the next, and so on. It made sense for most of them to be between the ages of 8 and 12, and suddenly I found myself writing my first truly middle grade novel. And I loved it. Which shouldn’t really have come of as much of a surprise as it did. I was an eighth grade English teacher in a former life, and in some ways I feel like I never left middle school. 🙂 I am very happy where I am now, writing middle grade fiction. I wouldn’t want it any other way!

KYG: What are you working on now?

AG: Next up is a novel about D-Day! It’s middle grade, and told from the perspectives of a number of different people, both kids and adults, who came together to make the Allied invasion of France a success. I wrote the first draft over the summer, and will jump into revisions when I’m home for the winter!

KYG: What are some other middle grade historical novels you would recommend?

I love Between Shades of Gray and Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. I’m also a big fan of The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Gary Schmidt’s Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy is a favorite. Laurie Halse Anderson’s Revolutionary War era trilogy Chains, Forge, and Ashes are amazing. Linda Sue Park’s A Long Walk to Water was a real inspiration when I was writing Refugee, and her books about Korean history—The Kite Fighters, A Single Shard, and When My Name was Keoko—are terrific. Lauren Tarshis’s I Survived series is a great introduction to historical fiction for a lot of kids.

KYG: What great book recommendations! Thank you, Alan, for taking time to chat with me!

Check out Alan Gratz’s terrific new book, Grenade, available now. More information about all of his books is available on his website.

 

I’m really enjoying Donna Gephart’s In Your Shoes. It’s about two middle school students: Amy is new to Buckington Middle School, and Miles is an anxious boy who enjoys working at his family’s bowling ally. Their lives intertwine in unexpected and beautiful ways.

Don’t Touch My Hair! by Sharee Miller (Little, Brown, 11/6) is a great picture book! Aria gets frustrated because wherever she goes, someone wants to touch her hair. In the street, strangers reach for her fluffy curls; and even under the sea, in the jungle, and in space, she’s chased by a mermaid, monkeys, and poked by aliens…until, finally, Aria has had enough!

Nathan Hale continues his bestselling Hazardous Tales series with Lafayette!, a story about the Marquis de Lafayette, a French noble. He was a captain at eighteen and a major general by nineteen, but he was eager to prove himself in battle. When he heard about the Revolution going on in America, he went overseas and fought alongside Alexander Hamilton and George Washington for America’s independence.

 

Around the web…

Finalists for 2018 National Book Award in Young People’s Literature Announced, via Publisher’s Weekly

7 #ownvoices Native American Picture Books, via Book Riot

Be Loud: 28 Best Kindergarten Read Aloud Books, via Book Riot

Podcast: 20 Years of Magic, Part 2: The Artists of Harry Potter, via Scholastic

 

Giveaway!

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library! Click here to enter.

 

I would love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next time!
Karina

Annabelle says hello!

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The Kids Are All Right

New Children’s Book Releases for October 9, 2018!

Hey Kid Lit friends,

Happy new release Tuesday! I’ve got a big list of great books for you today, and as usual if there is a book I have read and loved, I’ll mark it with a ❤. There are too many books to read these days – I need another 15 hours in every day to keep up!

*Please note that all book descriptions are from Goodreads.


Sponsored by Vesuvian Books

Ike Rupert Hollingsberry is haunted by the past. Complete strangers won’t let him forget his famous father died on the set of The Fighting Dragons. But when he’s attacked by a large locust, like the one that killed his dad, Ike is helped by the geekiest nerd of all, Elmira Hand. Killing the giant locust was only the beginning as Ike is whisked from New York to an isolated Florida compound to assume his role as the next in line to lead the Royal Order of Fighting Dragons—and learns his dad’s death was a cover-up for a greater purpose.


Board Book New Releases

Don’t Wake the Tiger! by Nathan Thomas, illustrated by Carles Ballesteros

All the animals are sleeping until—with each turn of the page—the reader wakes each of them up! First the tiger is sleeping, then the panda, the lion, and the elephant. Children will be delighted to watch each animal’s eyes pop open as its facial features go from asleep to awake.

1 Grumpy Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

1 grumpy bear
2 uninvited skunks
3 mice throwing a party

. . . and it only gets worse from there. Long-suffering Bruce once again contends with an increasingly crowded household, this time in an original board book where young ones can count the never-ending party guests. Full of fun characters and humor, 1 Grumpy Bruce is just right for our littlest readers.

 

Picture Book New Releases

❤ Ode to an Onion: Pablo Neruda and His Muse by Alexandria Giardino, illustrated by Felicita Sala

A poetic, beautifully illustrated picture book inspired by Ode to the Onion by Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (1904–1973).  Pablo has a lunch date with his friend Matilde, who shows the moody poet her garden. Where Pablo sees conflict and sadness, Matilde sees love and hope. The story is less a biography of Neruda and his muse, Matilde Urrutia (1912–1985), and more a simple ode to a vegetable that is humble and luminous, dark and light, gloomy and glad, full of grief and full of joy—just like life.

Owl Love You by Matthew Heroux and Wednesday Kirwan

The sun is setting, time to rise! At dusk, when an owl’s day is just beginning, a baby owl asks questions and a mama owl offers comforting answers in this gentle, reverse bedtime book, featuring lulling, lyrical text and luminous illustrations of the nighttime world.

❤ Zola’s Elephant by Randall de Seve, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

When Zola moves into the neighborhood, her new next-door neighbor is too shy to go over and introduce herself. Plus, Zola already has a friend to play with—an elephant! What we imagine is not always true, as the little girl discovers. Luckily, she also discovers that being brave can lead to new friendships—and even richer imaginary worlds—in this heartwarming book about friendship, moving, and the power of imagination.

❤ The Very Last Castle by Travis Jonker, illustrated by Mark Pett

A curious little girl watches the man who guards the last castle in town. Every time she passes by him, she tries to catch his eye. While the other townspeople fear what may be locked up inside the mysterious castle, the girl finally gets up the courage to knock on the door and find out what’s really behind the gate. A story about overcoming fear of the unknown, trying new things, and reaching out to make new friends, The Very Last Castle shows that bravery comes in packages both big and small.

Gator, Gator, Gator! by Daniel Bernstrom, illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon

Put on your life jacket, hop in the boat, and raise your binoculars—it’s time to go on an adventure! In Daniel Bernstrom’s follow-up to the critically acclaimed One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree, a fearless little girl takes off in search of a giant gator—but she’s not going into that swamp alone! No way! She wants YOU, the reader, to come along. Off you go, peering through the lush landscapes, looking for that gator! But each time you think you see it? Oops! Just a fox. Or some ducks! Or a snake. Maybe you’ll never find the gator, gator, gator . . .

❤ Benji, the Bad Day, and Me by Sally J. Pla, illustrated by Ken Min

Nothing seems to be going right for Sammy today. At school, he got in trouble for kicking a fence, then the cafeteria ran out of pizza for lunch. After he walks home in the pouring rain, he finds his autistic little brother Benji is having a bad day too. On days like this, Benji has a special play-box where he goes to feel cozy and safe. Sammy doesn’t have a special place, and he’s convinced no one cares how he feels or even notices him. But somebody is noticing, and may just have an idea on how to help Sammy feel better.

I’m Tough! by Kate McMullan, illustrated by Jim McMullan

I’m not the BIGGEST TRUCK in the parking lot . . . but when my cargo bed’s PACKED and STACKED
I’ve got what it takes to HAUL it ALL!
You can count on me—I’ll get the job done!
‘Cause guess what—
I’M TOUGH!

Violet and the Woof by Rebecca Grabill, illustrated by Dasha Tolstikova

Riding their building’s elevator and traveling the hallways past apartment doors to bring soup to a sick neighbor, Violet and Peter encounter both real and imagined adventure—getting lost in the laundry room, running into a troll, and escaping scary noises in the nick of time, only to find that their poor sick neighbor looks . . . like a wolf! Clever, thought-provoking, and with an unforgettable ending, Violet and the Woof is a book that explores the power of imaginative storytelling and will have kids asking: “What’s real?”

Little Bear’s Big House by Benjamin Chaud

This follow-up to Benjamin Chaud’s critically acclaimed The Bear’s Song and its sequels is graced with richly detailed art, immersive scenes, and an irresistibly sweet story! Little Bear is embarking on his biggest adventure yet. After discovering an empty house, his wish is granted: He can play all day and stay up as late as he wants! But he also gets a big scare. There are mysterious noises downstairs—could there be monsters . . . or ghosts?! Will Little Bear be able to brave the big house all by himself? In step with the previous books in the series, Little Bear may venture far and wide, but his loving family is never far behind!

Builders and Breakers by Steve Light

When their dad forgets his lunch box on his way to the construction site, a young brother and sister set out to take it to him, and along their way witness all the noisy, exciting action of a build site in the city. With builders building, breakers breaking, and a whole host of impressive machines and vehicles hard at work, this book bursts with color and offers children plenty to enjoy. In his trademark intricate style, Steve Light captures the satisfaction of working hard to create something new — and, of course, taking a well-deserved break.

Best Friends in the Universe by Hector and Louie by Stephanie Watson, illustrations by LeUyen Pham

Louie and Hector are the best friends in the universe. Get ready to laugh out loud as the two boys fall in and out and eventually back into their best friendship ever through a series of funny secrets that neither one was supposed to reveal. Each episode is told in a journal format in four parts: “Best Friends in the Universe,” “Best Friends in the Universe Forever and Ever,” “Worst Friends in the Universe,” and finally “Worst Secret Keepers in the Universe But Still Best Friends Forever and Ever.”

❤ We’ve Got the Whole World in Our Hands by Rafael Lopez

Award-winning illustrator Rafael López brings new life with his adaptation of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” saluting the lives of all young people. The rhythmic verse and repetitive emphasis on “we” and “our” encourages inclusive communities and the celebration of unity and diverse friendships all around the world. Come and read along and sing along as we celebrate the magic of unity. From the rivers to the mountains to the oceans and to the sea — we’ve got the whole world in our hands.

 

Chapter Book New Releases

❤ Sam Wu Is Not Afraid of Ghosts by Katie and Kevin Tsang, illustrated by Nathan Reed

After an unfortunate (and very embarrassing) incident in the Space Museum, Sam goes on a mission to prove to the school bully, and all his friends, that he’s not afraid of anything—just like the heroes on his favorite show, Space Blasters. And when it looks like his house is haunted, Sam gets the chance to prove how brave he can be. A funny, touching, and charming story of ghost hunting, escaped pet snakes, and cats with attitude!

❤ Malala: My Story of Standing Up for Girls’ Rights by Malala Yousafzai

Malala’s memoir of a remarkable teenage girl who risked her life for the right to go to school is now abridged and adapted for chapter book readers. Raised in a changing Pakistan by an enlightened father from a poor background and a beautiful, illiterate mother, Malala was taught to stand up for what she believes. Her story of bravery and determination in the face of extremism is more timely than ever.

 

Middle Grade New Releases

Wicked Nix by Lena Coakley, illustrated by Jaime Zollars

Mischievous woodland fairy Nix is up to no good. His beloved fairy queen has gone away, leaving him with a very important job: He must protect the forest from a most dangerous enemy—humans. When a determined invader trespasses on his territory, Nix’s skills are put to the test as he invents several wicked tricks to chase the sorry fellow away. But when his efforts don’t go quite according to plan, it becomes clear that this intruder—and this sprite—may not be at all what they seem.

❤ The Collectors by Jaqueline West

Van has always been an outsider. Most people don’t notice him. But he notices them. And he notices the small trinkets they drop, or lose, or throw away—that’s why his collection is full of treasures. Then one day, Van notices a girl stealing pennies from a fountain, and everything changes. He follows the girl, Pebble, and uncovers an underground world full of wishes and the people who collect them. Apparently not all wishes are good and even good wishes often have unintended consequences—and the Collectors have made it their duty to protect us. But they aren’t the only ones who have their eyes on the world’s wishes—and they may not be the good guys, after all.

Soof by Sarah Weeks

All her life, Aurora has heard stories about Heidi and all the good luck she brought Aurora’s family. Aurora, though, doesn’t feel very lucky. The kids at school think she’s weird. And she’s starting to think her mom thinks she’s weird, too. Especially compared to Heidi. On the eve of a visit from Heidi, more bad luck hits Aurora’s family. There’s a fire in their attic, destroying a good part of their house. And, even worse, Aurora’s beloved dog goes missing. Aurora and her family have always believed in soof — Heidi’s mom’s word for love. But sometimes even when soof is right there in front of you, you still need to find it — and that’s exactly what Aurora is going to do.

Forgotten City by Michael Ford

Thirteen years ago, the world ended. A deadly chemical called Waste began to spread across the globe, leaving devastation in its wake. Millions died. Cities fell into chaos. Anything the Waste didn’t kill, it mutated into threatening new forms. Kobi has always believed he and his dad were the only survivors. But when his dad goes missing, Kobi follows his trail—and discovers a conspiracy even deadlier than the Waste itself.

❤ The Perfect Secret by Rob Buyea

GAVIN finally joins the football team–a dream come true!–but Coach Holmes refuses to play him for reasons that also threaten to tear Gavin’s family apart. When RANDI attends an elite gymnastics camp, she uncovers a startling family connection. SCOTT starts researching an article for the school newspaper and stumbles right into a hornet’s nest of lies. With his loser older brother, Brian, out of the house, TREVOR’s life is loads better–until he realizes that only he can save Brian from getting into deep trouble. NATALIE’s top goals: (1) find out why Mrs. Woods and Mrs. Magenta no longer speak to each other–a mission shared by all the kids–and (2) teach a certain someone an important life skill without anyone knowing. It’s tough keeping secrets. And tougher still to deal with the fallout when secrets spill out.

The Turnaway Girls by Hayley Chewins

On the strange, stormy island of Blightsend, twelve-year-old Delphernia Undersea has spent her whole life in the cloister of turnaway girls, hidden from sea and sky by a dome of stone and the laws of the island. Outside, the Masters play their music. Inside, the turnaway girls silently make that music into gold. Making shimmer, Mother Nine calls it. But Delphernia can’t make shimmer. She would rather sing than stay silent. When a Master who doesn’t act like a Master comes to the skydoor, it’s a chance for Delphernia to leave the cloister. Outside the stone dome, the sea breathes like a wild beast, the sky watches with stars like eyes, and even the gardens have claws. Outside, secrets fall silent in halls without sound. And outside, Delphernia is caught — between the island’s sinister Custodian and its mysterious Childer-Queen.

The Magicians of Elephant County by Adam Perry

Best friends Duncan Reyes and Emma Gilbert want to be as great as Harry Houdini someday. But when they discover that their neighborhood witch is more than just a local legend, their dreams of stardom quickly turn into a nightmare. After they (accidentally) steal the witch’s magic wand, the duo uses it to put on an impossible new act—which draws even more dangerous foes to town in search of their secret. How are these two friends supposed to defeat the powerful dark forces threatening their town? Well, it may just take some sleight-of-hand, a bit of magic…and (allegedly) a little destruction of public property.

The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone by Jaclyn Moriarty

Bronte Mettlestone is ten years old when her parents are killed by pirates. This does not bother her particularly: her parents ran away to have adventures when she was a baby. She has been raised by her Aunt Isabelle, with assistance from the Butler, and has spent a pleasant childhood of afternoon teas and riding lessons. Now, however, her parents have left detailed instructions for Bronte in their will. (Instructions that, annoyingly, have been reinforced with faery cross-stitch, which means that if she doesn’t complete them, terrible things could happen!)

The Lotterys More or Less by Emma Donoghue, illustrated by Caroline Hadilaksono

Sumac Lottery is the keeper of her family’s traditions — from Pow Wow to Holi, Carnival to Hogmanay, Sumac’s on guard to make sure that no Lottery celebration gets forgotten. But this winter all Sumac’s seasonal plans go awry when a Brazilian visitor overstays his welcome. A terrible ice storm grounds all flights, so one of her dads and her favorite brother can’t make it home from India. And then the power starts going out across the city… Can Sumac hang on to the spirit of the season, even if nothing is going like a Lottery holiday should?

❤ Grenade by Alan Gratz

Hideki lives with his family on the island of Okinawa, near Japan. When WWII crashes onto his shores, Hideki is drafted into the Blood and Iron Student Corps to fight for the Japanese army. He is handed a grenade and a set of instructions: Don’t come back until you’ve killed an American soldier. Ray, a young American Marine, has just landed on Okinawa. This is Ray’s first-ever battle, and he doesn’t know what to expect — or if he’ll make it out alive. He just knows that the enemy is everywhere.

Jack (Not Jackie) by Erica Silverman, illustrated by Holly Hatam

Susan thinks her little sister Jackie has the best giggle! She can’t wait for Jackie to get older so they can do all sorts of things like play forest fairies and be explorers together. But as Jackie grows, she doesn’t want to play those games. She wants to play with mud and be a super bug! Jackie also doesn’t like dresses or her long hair, and she would rather be called Jack.

❤ In Your Shoes by Donna Gephart

Miles is an anxious boy who loves his family’s bowling center even if though he could be killed by a bolt of lightning or a wild animal that escaped from the Philadelphia Zoo on the way there.
Amy is the new girl at school who wishes she didn’t have to live above her uncle’s funeral home and tries to write her way to her own happily-ever-after. Then Miles and Amy meet in the most unexpected way . . . and that’s when it all begins. . . .

 

Nonfiction New Releases

❤ Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot’s World War II Story by Marc Tyler Nobleman, illustrated by Melissa Iwai

The devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, drew the United States into World War II in 1941. But few are aware that several months later, the Japanese pilot Nobuo Fujita dropped bombs in the woods outside a small town in coastal Oregon. This is the story of those bombings, and what came after, when Fujita returned to Oregon twenty years later, this time to apologize.

Apollo 8: The Mission That Changed Everything by Martin W. Sandler

In 1957, when the USSR launched Sputnik I, the first man-made satellite to orbit Earth, America’s rival in the Cold War claimed victory on a new frontier. The Space Race had begun, and the United States was losing. Closer to home, a decade of turbulence would soon have Americans reeling, with the year 1968 alone seeing the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy as well as many violent clashes between police and protesters. Americans desperately needed something good to believe in, and NASA’s mission to orbit Earth in Apollo 8 and test a lunar landing module was being planned for the end of the year. But with four months to go and the module behind schedule, the CIA discovered that the USSR was preparing to send its own mission around the moon — another crucial victory in the Space Race — and it was clearly time for a change of plan.

❤ Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by Catherine Thimmesh, illustrations by Melissa Sweet

In kitchens and living rooms, in garages and labs and basements, even in converted chicken coops, women and girls have invented ingenious innovations that have made our lives simpler and better. What inspired these girls, and just how did they turn their ideas into realities? Retaining reader-tested favorite inventions, this updated edition of the best-selling Girls Think of Everything features seven new chapters that better represent our diverse and increasingly technological world, offering readers stories about inventions that are full of hope and vitalityempowering them to think big, especially in the face of adversity.

 

Backlist Book Recommendations

Picture Book Recommendation: Here Comes the Easter Cat by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Claudia Rueda

Why should the Easter Bunny get all the love? That’s what Cat would like to know. So he decides to take over: He dons his sparkly suit, jumps on his Harley, and roars off into the night. But it turns out delivering Easter eggs is hard work. And it doesn’t leave much time for naps (of which Cat has taken five–no, seven). So when a pooped-out Easter Bunny shows up, and with a treat for Cat, what will Cat do? His surprise solution will be stylish, smart, and even—yes—kind.

Middle Grade Book Recommendation: Midnight Without a Moon by Linda Williams Jackson

It’s Mississippi in the summer of 1955, and Rose Lee Carter can’t wait to move north. For now, she’s living with her sharecropper grandparents on a white man’s cotton plantation. Then, one town over, an African American boy, Emmett Till, is killed for allegedly whistling at a white woman. When Till’s murderers are unjustly acquitted, Rose realizes that the South needs a change and that she should be part of the movement. Linda Jackson’s moving debut seamlessly blends a fictional portrait of an African American family and factual events from a famous trial that provoked change in race relations in the United States.

Nonfiction Recommendation: Me… Jane by Patrick McDonnell

In his characteristic heartwarming style, Patrick McDonnell tells the story of the young Jane Goodall and her special childhood toy chimpanzee named Jubilee. As the young Jane observes the natural world around her with wonder, she dreams of “a life living with and helping all animals,” until one day she finds that her dream has come true. With anecdotes taken directly from Jane Goodall’s autobiography, McDonnell makes this very true story accessible for the very young–and young at heart.

 

Giveaway!

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library! Click here to enter.

 

I would love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next week!
Karina

I took my kids to the Blessing of the Animals at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City this past Sunday. The service included an animal procession with a camel, horse, a tortoise, a cow, and a llama! I think llamas might be one of my favorite animals – they have the sweetest faces!

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A Big List of Spooky Children’s Books for Halloween

Hello, Kid Lit friends!

It’s October, which means it’s time to talk spooky books! Here are some wonderful children’s books that will get you in the mood for fall and Halloween. All descriptions from Goodreads.


Sponsored by So Done. “Verdict: A pitch-perfect look at changing adolescent relationships and resilience.”– School Library Journal, Starred Review

Being a girl in the Cove is different from being a boy. A girl needs her crew. But what happens when your crew is finished with you? Jamila Phillips and Tai Johnson have been inseparable since they were toddlers. In Pirates Cove – a low-income housing project – Mila’s single father does everything he can to support his kids and his community. Tai lives across the street with her grandmother, who is the only family she needs. When they are reunited after a summer apart, their friendship threatens to combust from the pressure of secrets, middle school, and dance auditions for a new talented-and-gifted program.


Picture Books

Monster School by Kate Coombs, illustrated by Lee Gatlin

Twilight’s here. The death bell rings. Everyone knows what the death bell brings—it’s time for class! You’re in the place where goblins wail and zombies drool. (That’s because they’re kindergartners.) Welcome to Monster School. In this entertaining collection of poems, award-winning poet Kate Coombs and debut artist Lee Gatlin bring to vivid life a wide and playful cast of characters (outgoing, shy, friendly, funny, prickly, proud) that may seem surprisingly like the kids you know . . . even if these kids are technically monsters.

Ginny Goblin is Not Allowed to Open This Box by David Goodner, illustrated by Louis Thomas

Ginny Goblin has one simple rule to follow: She is not allowed to open this box. Not until dinnertime. But Ginny Goblin doesn’t like to follow the rules, so nothing will stop her from trying to open this box. Not a tall tower, not a misty mountain, not a frightful forest, and certainly not a murky moat filled with scaly, scary serpents . . .  But wait! What is in the box? You’ll have to open this book to find out! (Don’t worry, you’re allowed.)

Monster Academy by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple, illustrated by John McKinley

Come along with Principal Frank N. Stein into a bright, energetic classroom where the class pet is a big purple boa constrictor, recess is in a swamp, and class bats help build a Creepy Castle in the Monster Maker’s Lab. When Tornado Jo, a new student, roars into class, a storm is brewing. Who could ever guess that her new best friend will be a vampire, and she’ll help him find his missing fang?

Bear’s Spooky Book of Hidden Things by Gergely Dudas

On Halloween night, Bear is hoping for all treats and no tricks. And he’d like lots of his very favorite treat: honeycomb! Bear is off on an adventure—through a pumpkin patch and a haunted house and a corn maze—to search for this sweet. Can YOU help Bear sort through all the tricks to uncover where his treat is hidden?

Lots of Cats by E. Dee Taylor

A lonely little witch tries to brew a magical potion to conjure up some friends, but instead she gets cats…lots of cats! Margaret the witch is about to find out that taking care of a bunch of lively cats sounds like lots of fun…but it could turn out to be lots of trouble!

Monsters Go Night-Night by Aaron Zenz

Bedtime means brushing your teeth, putting on pajamas, snuggling, and kissing your family goodnight. For monsters, bedtime looks a little different. They brush their teeth, but not with a toothbrush. They get dressed for bed, but not in slippers and nightcaps. They snuggle, but not with a blankie or a teddy bear. Monsters Go Night-Night takes readers through the bedtime rituals of seven friendly monsters while making each step of the routine a guessing game. Getting ready for bed has never been so much fun!

How to Knit a Monster by Annemarie van Haeringen

Greta the goat is a wonderfully accomplished knitter. She can even knit little goats and turn them loose to play around her feet. But when she gets distracted from her knitting, threatening creatures spring from her needles, each more menacing than the last. It takes quick thinking, courage, and brilliant knitting for Greta to find her way out of a perilous situation. In this whimsical story, creativity and craft empower our heroine to restore her safety . . . as long as she pays attention to what is growing on her knitting needles!

 

Chapter Books

The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Princess Magnolia is excited. Excited and nervous. She’s going to the Interkingdom Science Fair today to present her poster about seeds and plants, and when she arrives, she sees that her friends are there too! Princess Honeysuckle made a mole habitat, Princess Sneezewort has built a blanket fort, and Tommy Wigtower has a talking volcano that’s saying “EAAAAT!” Wait, what? A surprise goo monster makes this a job for the Princess in Black, and the Princess in Blankets is on the scene to lend a hand. But will two masked heroes be enough to save the science fair?

Sam Wu Is Not Afraid of Ghosts by Katie and Kevin Tsang

After an unfortunate (and very embarrassing) incident in the Space Museum, Sam goes on a mission to prove to the school bully, and all his friends, that he’s not afraid of anything—just like the heroes on his favorite show, Space Blasters. And when it looks like his house is haunted, Sam gets the chance to prove how brave he can be. A funny, touching, and charming story of ghost hunting, escaped pet snakes, and cats with attitude!

Big Foot and Little Foot: The Monster Detector by Ellen Potter, illustrated by Felicita Sala

Hugo is a young Sasquatch. Boone is a young boy. After an unlikely encounter, they’ve become an even unlikelier pair of best friends. After saving up his Monster Card wrappers, Hugo sends away for a special prize in the mail—a Monster Detector! Using the watchlike device, Hugo quickly spots a monster right in his own cavern. Spooked, but still excited about his prize, Hugo heads to school and finds yet another surprise—his friend Boone!

 

Middle Grade Books

Hoodoo by Ronald L. Smith

Twelve-year-old Hoodoo Hatcher was born into a family with a rich tradition of practicing folk magic: hoodoo, as most people call it. But even though his name is Hoodoo, he can’t seem to cast a simple spell. Then a mysterious man called the Stranger comes to town, and Hoodoo starts dreaming of the dead rising from their graves. Even worse, he soon learns the Stranger is looking for a boy. Not just any boy. A boy named Hoodoo. The entire town is at risk from the Stranger’s black magic, and only Hoodoo can defeat him. He’ll just need to learn how to conjure first.

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie only finds solace in books. So when she happens upon a crazed woman at the river threatening to throw a book into the water, Ollie doesn’t think–she just acts, stealing the book and running away. As she begins to read the slender volume, Ollie discovers a chilling story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who both loved her, and a peculiar deal made with “the smiling man,” a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price.

Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh

Harper doesn’t trust her new home from the moment she steps inside, and the rumors are that the Raine family’s new house is haunted. Harper isn’t sure she believes those rumors, until her younger brother, Michael, starts acting strangely. The whole atmosphere gives Harper a sense of déjà vu, but she can’t remember why. She knows that the memories she’s blocking will help make sense of her brother’s behavior and the strange and threatening sensations she feels in this house, but will she be able to put the pieces together in time?

Spirit Hunters: The Island of Monsters by Ellen Oh

Harper Raine faces new challenges ahead when her parents take the whole family to a remote tropical island for vacation. As Harper starts to have visions of the resort’s history of disappearances and discovers more about the island’s dark and fabled past, she must use her newly acquired spirit hunting talents to save everyone on the island from murderous spirits on the attack.

The Serpent’s Secret (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond) by Sayantani DasGupta

MEET KIRANMALA:
INTERDIMENSIONAL DEMON SLAYER
(Only she doesn’t know it yet.)
On the morning of her twelfth birthday, Kiranmala is just a regular sixth grader living in Parsippany, New Jersey . . . until her parents mysteriously vanish and a drooling rakkhosh demon slams through her kitchen, determined to eat her alive. Turns out there might be some truth to her parents’ fantastical stories-like how Kiranmala is a real Indian princess and how she comes from a secret place not of this world.

Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier

It’s been five years since the Sweep disappeared. Orphaned and alone, Nan Sparrow had no other choice but to work for a ruthless chimney sweep named Wilkie Crudd. She spends her days sweeping out chimneys. The job is dangerous and thankless, but with her wits and will, Nan has managed to beat the deadly odds time and time again. When Nan gets stuck in a chimney fire, she fears the end has come. Instead, she wakes to find herself unharmed in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature—a golem—made from soot and ash.

The Mesmerist by Ronald L. Smith

Thirteen-year-old Jessamine Grace and her mother make a living as sham spiritualists—until they discover that Jess is a mesmerist and that she really can talk to the dead. Soon she is plunged into the dark world of Victorian London’s supernatural underbelly and learns that the city is under attack by ghouls, monsters, and spirit summoners. Can Jess fight these powerful forces? And will the group of strange children with mysterious powers she befriends be able to help? As shy, proper Jess transforms into a brave warrior, she uncovers terrifying truths about the hidden battle between good and evil, about her family, and about herself.

The Phantom Tower by Keir Graff

Colm and Mal are twins so identical their own mom can’t tell them apart, but they’re different in just about every other way. Mal’s a pragmatist while Colm’s a dreamer, and they bicker and battle constantly. Neither brother is excited to be moving to Chicago for a fresh start with their mom just after their dad’s death. But nothing cures homesickness like intrigue–and their new home, Brunhild Tower, has plenty of it: mysterious elderly neighbors who warn against wandering the building at midday, strange sounds in the walls, and an elevator missing a button for the thirteenth floor.

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn’t like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead . . . and enter the world of spirits. Her best friend is even a ghost. So things are already pretty strange. But they’re about to get much stranger. When Cass’s parents start hosting a TV show about the world’s most haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, graveyards, castles, and secret passageways teem with restless phantoms. And when Cass meets a girl who shares her “gift,” she realizes how much she still has to learn about the Veil — and herself.

The Gift of Dark Hollow by Kieran Larwood

The Longburrow series is Middle-earth for middle graders as readers are drawn deeper and deeper into the story of the young rabbit Podkin One-Ear fighting to save his land from evil. Hiding with fellow refugees, Podkin, Paz, and Pook are temporarily safe in Dark Hollow Warren. But their enemies—the evil Gorm—still search for them. The rabbits’ only hope may be to locate twelve magical Gifts and use them to defeat the Gorm. The fate of all rabbitkind is at stake, and danger lurks at every turn. It will take all the siblings’ courage and ingenuity to find the Gifts, battle the Gorm, and stay alive. Action and intrigue infuse the second installment of a series that shows that anyone—even little rabbits—can do great things.

The House in Poplar Wood by K. E. Ormsbee

For as long as the Vickery twins can remember, Lee and his mother have served Memory, while Felix and his father assist Death. This is the Agreement. But one Halloween, Gretchen Whipple smashes her way into their lives. Her bargain is simple: If the twins help her solve the murder of local girl Essie Hasting, she’ll help them break the Agreement. The more the three investigate, however, the more they realize that something’s gone terribly wrong in their town. Death is on the loose, and if history repeats itself, Essie’s might not be the last murder in Poplar Wood.

Monstrous Devices by Damien Love

On a winter’s day in a British town, twelve-year old Alex receives a package in the mail: an old tin robot from his grandfather. “This one is special,” says the enclosed note, and when strange events start occurring around him, Alex suspects this small toy is more than special; it might be deadly. Right as things get out of hand, Alex’s grandfather arrives, pulling him away from an attack—and his otherwise humdrum world of friends, bullies, and homework—and into the macabre magic of an ancient family feud. Together, the duo flees across snowy Europe, unraveling the riddle of the little robot while trying to outwit relentless assassins of the human and mechanical kind.

Begone the Raggedy Witches by Celine Kiernan

On the night that Aunty dies, the raggedy witches come for Mup’s family. Pale, cold, and relentless, the witches will do anything for the tyrannical queen who has outlawed most magic and enforces her laws with terror and cruelty — and who happens to be Mup’s grandmother. When witches carry off her dad, Mup and her mam leave the mundane world to rescue him. But everything is odd in the strange, glittering Witches Borough, even Mam. Even Mup herself. In a world of rhyming crows, talking cats, and golden forests, it’s all Mup can do to keep her wits about her. And even if she can save her dad, Mup’s not sure if anything will ever be the same again.

Scream and Scream Again! by R.L. Stine and the Mystery Writers of America

Scream and Scream Again! is full of twists and turns, dark corners, and devilish revenge. Collected in conjunction with the Mystery Writers of America, this set includes works from New York Times bestselling authors telling tales of wicked ice-cream trucks, time-travelling heroes, witches and warlocks, and of course, haunted houses. Read it if you dare! With twenty never-before-published scary stories from some of the most popular authors today, it’s sure to leave readers screaming for more.

The Backstagers and the Ghost Light by Andy Mientus, illustrated by Rian Sygh

The stage crew at St. Genesius Prep—or Backstagers, as they like to call themselves—are ready for whatever the theater world can throw their way: the madness of tech week, inevitable prop malfunctions, and all the paranormal activity that goes on behind the scenes. Luckily Jory, Hunter, Sasha, Beckett, and Aziz are up for the job!

Graphic Novels

Rickety Stitch and the Gelatinous Goo: The Middle-Route Run by Ben Costa and James Park

Rickety Stitch is a walking, talking, singing skeleton minstrel, the only animated skeleton in the dungeon who seems to have retained his soul. He has no idea who he used to be when he was covered in a living, breathing sack of meat and skin. His only clue to his former identity is a song he hears snippets of in his dreams, an epic bard’s tale that could also explain the old fog covering the comical fantasy land of Eem… Oh, and his sidekick and only friend is a cube of sentient goo.

 

Malala: My Story of Standing Up for Girls’ Rights by Malala Yousafzai with Patricia McCormick (Little, Brown, 10/9/18) is a great chapter book for kids who are reading beyond picture books but are not quite ready for the middle grade autobiography, I am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World. This chapter book version has shorter chapters as well as illustrations throughout, and it is a good introduction to Malala’s life and influence.

Ode to an Onion: Pablo Neruda and His Muse by Alexandria Giardino, illustrated by Felicita Sala (Cameron Kids, 10/9/18) is a gorgeous picture book about the poet Pablo Neruda and his friend Matilde. Pablo is in a sad mood, and his friend Matilde encourages him to find the beauty and joy in the garden around him.

Welcome, Wombat by Kama Einhorn (HMH, 11/20/18) is a great nonfiction chapter book for kids interested in animals and conservation. Filled with adorable photos and interesting facts, the story follows the life of Panzer, an injured baby wombat who arrives at Sleepy Burrows Wombat Sanctuary in Australia.

 

Around the web…

Q & A with Kekla Magoon, via Publisher’s Weekly

19 Sparkly and Wonderful Unicorn Books for Babies and Children, via Book Riot

Which Vanderbeeker Sibling Are You?, via Book Riot

 

Giveaway

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library!

 

I’d love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next time!
Karina

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

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The Kids Are All Right

New Children’s Book Releases for October 2, 2018!

Hey Kid Lit friends,

Happy Tuesday! Happy new release day!

Quick public service announcement: Due to the large number of books I am receiving each week, I will be limiting the number of new releases I feature to books I really love or books that are highly anticipated.

That being said, enjoy these new books! As usual, the book descriptions are from Goodreads.


Sponsored by Encounter Vol. 1 by Art Baltazar & Franco

A brand-new comic collection from the creators of Tiny Titans and Mini Marvels—Art Baltazar, Franco, and Chris Giarrusso—teamed up for the first time! Encounter is a new kind of hero; an alien escaped to Earth with pods that will eventually hatch to become his siblings. He can take any form he chooses, and decides to become a hero! With help from his talking dog, Barko, Encounter fights crime on our planet. Catch up on the colorful duo’s adventures in Encounter Vol. 1: Out of This World, in stores October 9th from Caracal, an imprint of Lion Forge.


Board Book New Releases

Baby Feminists by Libby Babbott-Klein, illustrated by Jessica Walker

Before Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mae Jemison, Frida Kahlo, and others were change-making feminists, they were . . . babies! In this board book that’s perfect for budding feminists, lift the flap to discover what these iconic figures might have looked like as adorable babies and toddlers. With its inspiring message that any baby can grow up to make the world a better place for all genders, this sturdy 7″ x 7″ board book makes the perfect baby gift for any family that wants to raise children who can recognize Gloria Steinem on sight.

Dump Truck’s Colors by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrated by Ethan Long

Join Dump Truck on his colorfully busy day at the construction site! Little construction fans will love the colors that fill the world of the bestselling Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, from the BLUE sky in the morning to the WHITE moon at night!

Into the Forest by Laura Baker, illustrated by Nadia Taylor

Through a simple narrative about a squirrel looking for her family, Into the Forest introduces different animal families as they go about their daily lives. With a gentle rhyming text and beautiful illustrations, Into the Forest’s die-cut pages and embossing make this the perfect tactile package for little hands.

Cement Mixer’s ABC by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrated by Ethan Long

Sing along with these construction ABCs! Cement Mixer churns out a rollicking alphabet rhyme that makes work light and teaches little readers the words of the construction site, from A to Z.

Picture Book New Releases

Imagine by Juan Felipe Herrera, illustrated by Lauren Castillo

Have you ever imagined what you might be when you grow up? When he was very young, Juan Felipe Herrera picked chamomile flowers in windy fields and let tadpoles swim across his hands in a creek. He slept outside and learned to say good-bye to his amiguitos each time his family moved to a new town. He went to school and taught himself to read and write English and filled paper pads with rivers of ink as he walked down the street after school. And when he grew up, he became the United States Poet Laureate and read his poems aloud on the steps of the Library of Congress. If he could do all of that . . . what could you do?

Potato Pants by Laurie Keller

Potato is excited because today―for one day only― Lance Vance’s Fancy Pants Store is selling . . .POTATO PANTS! Potato rushes over early, but just as he’s about to walk in, something makes him stop. What could it be? Find out in this one-of-a-kind story about misunderstandings and forgiveness, and―of course―Potato Pants!

The Hen Who Sailed Around the World by Guirec Soudee

Monique is a highly accomplished chicken: she surfs, she skateboards, and she just crossed the world on a tiny boat with her human companion, Guirec, who helped steer. On their three-year journey, together they were unstoppable. When they became stranded in the ice off Greenland for four months, Monique, unruffled as always, kept Guirec alive with her eggs– and they both made it home.

Balance the Birds by Susie Ghahremani

A follow-up to Stack the Cats, Balance the Birds is about balance and relative size. When birds spot a tree and decide to land on its branches, the readers can help them find the perfect balance. Like Stack the Cats, Balance the Birds introduces key early math skills for toddlers.

I Am Human: A Book of Empathy by Susan Verde, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

From the picture book dream team behind I Am Yoga and I Am Peace comes the third book in their wellness series: I Am Human. A hopeful meditation on all the great (and challenging) parts of being human, I Am Human shows that it’s okay to make mistakes while also emphasizing the power of good choices by offering a kind word or smile or by saying “I’m sorry.” At its heart, this picture book is a celebration of empathy and compassion that lifts up the flawed fullness of humanity and encourages children to see themselves as part of one big imperfect family—millions strong.

A History of Pictures for Children by David Hockney & Martin Gayford

A History of Pictures takes young readers on an adventure through art history. From cave paintings to video games, this book shows how and why pictures have been made, linking art to the human experience. Hockney and Gayford explain each piece of art in the book, helping young minds to grasp difficult concepts. The book tracks the many twists and turns toward artistic invention, allowing readers to fully appreciate how and why art has changed and includes an illustrated timeline of inventions.

Car, Car, Truck, Jeep by Katrina Charman, illustrated by Nick Sharratt

This book is bursting with cars, buses, planes, trains, trucks, diggers–and many more Things That Go. And with a text set to the tune of Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, vehicle-obsessed little ones will never want to put this book down!

The Diamond and the Boy by Hannah Holt, illustrated by Jay Fleck

Before a diamond is a gem, it’s a common gray rock called graphite. Through an intense trial of heat and pressure, it changes into one of the most valuable stones in the world. Before Tracy Hall was an inventor, he was a boy—born into poverty, bullied by peers, forced to work at an early age. However, through education and experimentation, he became one of the brightest innovators of the twentieth century, eventually building a revolutionary machine that makes diamonds.

Door by JiHyeon Lee

JiHyeon Lee’s debut book, Pool, was lauded as a wordless masterpiece. Here she takes readers on another journey into an unexpected world. Delicate drawings transform from grays to vivid color as a curious child goes through a mysterious door and discovers that open-mindedness is the key to adventure and friendship.

Mapping Sam by Joyce Hesselberth

Maps can show us streets and subways and cities and countries. But they can also show us what we can’t see, what we can only imagine, or how to build something. In Joyce Hesselberth’s Mapping Sam, Sam the cat puts her family to bed, and then—when all is quiet—heads out to explore her neighborhood.

Bitter and Sweet by Sandra V. Feder, illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker

When Hannah’s family has to move, her grandmother tells her how she felt leaving the old country ― it was both bitter and sweet. As Hannah leaves her friends behind and tries to get used to a new house, she only feels bitterness. Was her grandmother wrong about the sweetness? Hannah starts to feel better about the move when she sees her new house in the soft light of the Shabbat candles. When a new friend reaches out with a special gift, Hannah realizes that sweetness can come from unexpected places and that she can even create some herself.

I Hate My Cats (A Love Story) by Davide Cali, illustrated by Anna Pirolli

Ginger is the weird one. She plays with peas, purrs at artichokes, and has a strange fondness for chicken (but only the neighbor’s chicken). Then there’s Fred. His greatest talent? Sleeping. Oh, and hiding. And when he’s not hiding, he’s conspiring with Ginger to destroy the house! Such is life with cats. . . can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em—if you love them, that is.

Chapter Book New Releases

Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters by Andrea Beaty, illustrations by David Roberts

Rosie Revere is no stranger to flops and fails, kerfuffles and catastrophes. After all, engineering is all about perseverance! But this time, Rosie has a really important project to tackle—one that feels much bigger than herself. Rosie’s beloved Aunt Rose and her friends, the Raucous Riveters—a group of fun-loving gals who built airplanes during World War II—need help inventing something new. And Rosie is just the engineer for the job!

 

Middle Grade New Releases

Bluecrowne: A Greenglass House Story by Kate Milford

Lucy Bluecrowne is beginning a new life ashore with her stepmother and half brother, though she’s certain the only place she’ll ever belong is with her father on a ship of war as part of the crew. She doesn’t care that living in a house is safer and the proper place for a twelve-year-old girl; it’s boring. But then two nefarious strangers identify her little brother as the pyrotechnical prodigy they need to enact an evil plan, and it will take all Lucy’s fighting instincts to keep her family together.

Dog Days in the City by Jodi Kendall

Anytime Josie Shilling’s large family gets too chaotic, volunteering at the local animal clinic is the one place she can escape—and she loves working with the animals. But when a box mysteriously appears on the clinic’s front steps, Josie suddenly becomes responsible for seven adorable puppies! Taking care of her pig, Hamlet, last fall was a bit harder than she thought. So how is she ever going to handle a whole litter of mischievous pups and find the right homes for them all? This summer will bring big changes for Josie as she learns about growing up, letting go, and loving your pack no matter what.

Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo

When Louisiana Elefante’s granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home.

My Father’s Words by Patricia MacLachlan

Declan O’Brien always had a gentle word to share, odd phrases he liked to repeat, and songs to sing while he played basketball. His favorite song was “Dona Nobis Pacem, “Grant Us Peace.” His family loved him deeply and always knew they were loved in return. But a terrible accident one day changes their lives forever, and Fiona and Finn O’Brien are left without a father. Their mother is at a loss. What words are there to guide them through such overwhelming grief?

9 From the Nine Worlds by Rick Riordan

The Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy may have concluded, but we haven’t heard the last of our favorite peeps from the Nine Worlds. Join Hearthstone, Blitzen, Samirah, Alex, Jack, T.J., Mallory, Halfborn, and more on a hilarious and unforgettable journey through Rick Riordan’s unique take on Norse mythology. While Magnus is off visiting his cousin, Annabeth, his friends find themselves in some sticky, hairy, and smelly situations as they try to outwit moronic giants, murderous creatures, and meddlesome gods. Can they stave off Ragnarok at least until Magnus gets back?

Apple Pie Promises by Hillary Homzie

Lily has lived with her mom since her parents got divorced several years ago, and her dad has recently remarried to a woman with a daughter her age named Hannah. But now, Lily’s mom has gotten a once-in-a-lifetime work opportunity in Africa and she’ll be gone for a year, so Lily is moving in with her dad―and new stepmom and new stepsister. It’ll be as easy as apple pie, right? Wrong.

Skylark and Wallcreeper by Anne O’Brien Carelli

Queens, 2012. Hurricane Sandy is flooding New York City, and Lily is at a nursing home with her grandmother, Collette. Lily visits Collette often, as she is beginning to lose her memories. When the National Guard shows up to evacuate the building and take them to safety at the Park Slope armory in Brooklyn, Lily’s granny suddenly produces a red box she’s hidden in a closet for years. Once they get to safety, Lily opens the box, where she finds an old, beautiful Montblanc pen. Granny tells Lily that the pen is very important and that she has to take care of it, as well as some letters written in French.

The Truth About Martians by Melissa Savage

Mylo never really believed in Martians, unless they had a starring role in one of his comic books. But then a flying saucer crash-lands next to his Roswell, New Mexico, ranch, and he starts to hear voices–like someone is asking for his help. With his best friend Dibs and crush Gracie by his side, and his Cracker Jack superhero membership card, a slingshot, and a small American flag–for peace–in tow, Mylo sets out on an epic adventure to investigate the crash and find the Martians. But he and his friends end up discovering more about the universe than they ever could have imagined.

The Flash: The Tornado Twins by Barry Lyga

Catch up with the super adventures of Barry Allen, also known as the Flash, in the third book of this middle-grade series. Featuring adventures not seen on TV, Barry continues his mission to protect Central City from sinister plots. The book builds upon the world of the popular TV show in a new medium by author Barry Lyga. Fans won’t want to miss the exciting conclusion to the series!

 

Backlist Book Recommendations

 Poetry Recommendation: Poems to Learn by Heart by Caroline Kennedy, illustrated by Jon J. Muth

There’s a poem to celebrate every moment in life-whether it’s hitting a home run, watching a sunset, or laughing with your best friend. A poem is a gift of the heart that can inspire, reassure, or challenge us. Memorize it-share it-it’s yours forever.

Picture Book Recommendation: Firebird by Misty Copeland, illustrated by Christopher Myers

In her debut picture book, Misty Copeland tells the story of a young girl–an every girl–whose confidence is fragile and who is questioning her own ability to reach the heights that Misty has reached. Misty encourages this young girl’s faith in herself and shows her exactly how, through hard work and dedication, she too can become Firebird.

Middle Grade Recommendation: Shadows of Sherwood by Kekla Magoon

The night her parents disappear, twelve-year-old Robyn Loxley must learn to fend for herself. Her home, Nott City, has been taken over by a harsh governor, Ignomus Crown. After fleeing for her life, Robyn has no choice but to join a band of strangers–misfit kids, each with their own special talent for mischief. Setting out to right the wrongs of Crown’s merciless government, they take their outlaw status in stride. But Robyn can’t rest until she finds her parents. As she pieces together clues from the night they disappeared, Robyn learns that her destiny is tied to the future of Nott City in ways she never expected.

 

Giveaway!

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a custom book stamp for your personal library! Click here to enter.

 

I would love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next week!
Karina

This is Mary Todd Lincoln, one of the shop dogs at Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee!

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*