 |
Book
Reviews,
Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers |
| Home / Children's
Bookwatch |
Children's Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Down with Lime Books!: A Story About Book Banning
Jan Zauzmer, author
Blanca Millan, illustrator
Familius
www.familius.com
9781641703994, $17.99, HC, 32pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Down-Lime-Books-Story-Banning/dp/1641703997
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/down-with-lime-books-jan-zauzmer/1146986082
Synopsis: Paige and her pals picked out teal books and red books and plum books and more -- so many that they spilled from the shelves to the floor... But not everyone thought that this rainbow was grand -- some wanted lime-colored books to be banned!
When a town bigwig and her cranky crew snatch all the lime-green books from the school library, Paige and her pals must defend their right to read. With rollicking rhymes by author/storyteller Jan Zauzmer and colorful illustrations by children's book artist Blanca Millan, "Down with Lime Books!" is an ideal choice for read-aloud fun as it takes young children on an empowering adventure to banish the ban and save the books.
Critique: Original, unique, timely, thoughtful, thought-provoking, and an entertaining read from cover to cover, "Down with Lime Books!: A Story About Book Banning" is a deftly crafted and thoroughly 'kid friendly' allegorical picture book about the very real dangers of book banning for children ages 5-8. While also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99), this hardcover edition of "Down with Lime Books!: A Story About Book Banning" from Familius is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for family, elementary school, and community library Contemporary Social Issues themed picture book collections for young readers.
Editorial Note #1: Jan Zauzmer is tickled lime to be the author of If You Go with Your Goat to Vote, Maxine's Critters Get the Vaccine Jitters, and Down with Lime Books! Jan lives with her husband, Bob, in the Philadelphia area, where they raised their three children once upon a lime and are now proud grandparents. She hopes that this book shines the limelight on the freedom to read.
Editorial Note #2: Blanca Millan (https://www.blancamillan.com) was born in Touro, a small town in Spain. She is a fine arts graduate from the University of Vigo with a master's in illustrated books and audiovisual animation. She has been painting for as long as she can remember and started illustrating stories when she became a mother. In 2017, she published her first works, Manuela and A maxia de mama, the latter as a sole author. In the past six years, Millan has illustrated over 40 titles for the Spanish market, and some of those books have also been translated into English, Polish, Chinese, Dutch, and more.
Not Logan: How I Accidentally Became A YouTube Star
Melanie Vitalli
Legends Ink Publishing
https://www.notloganbooks.com
9798998661907, $0.99, Kindle
Legends Ink Publishing
https://www.notloganbooks.com/aboutthebook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Not-Logan-Accidentally-Became-YouTube-ebook/dp/B0FH2G6N67
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Logan Blake is not famous. He's not cool, not coordinated, and definitely not expecting his YouTube channel, Not Logan (with a whopping three subscribers -- hi Grandma), to blow up.
But then, during a livestream, a bizarre video game glitch turns him into a headless flying bunny -- and the internet loses its mind.
Overnight, Logan becomes internet-famous. Views skyrocket. Sub counts explode. Suddenly, he's being asked to do interviews, sell merch, and play the part of "Not Logan" -- the weird, viral character the world thinks he is.
The problem? Logan's not sure being himself is enough to keep the spotlight.
He's just a middle school kid who likes snacks, gaming, and getting through the school day without face-planting in the cafeteria. Now, caught between digital chaos and real-life awkwardness, he has to figure out what happens next -- while dodging trolls, keeping up with content, and surviving sixth grade.
Critique: Original, clever, laugh-out-loud funny, and a simply fascinating read from start to finish, "Not Logan: How I Accidentally Became A YouTube Star" will prove to be of special appeal to young readers with an interest in computer/internet/YouTube themed humor in general, and 'reluctant readers' in particular. Exceptional and unique, "Not Logan: How I Accidentally Became A YouTube Star" is especially and unreservedly recommended for family, elementary school, middle school, and community library collections for children ages 8 to 13. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Not Logan" from Legends Ink Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).
Editorial Note: Melanie Vitalli is a children's book author, entrepreneur, and co-creator of the Not Logan series, which she writes alongside her 12-year-old son, Hunter Vitalli, under the pen name Melanie Hunter. What began as a desperate attempt to get Hunter to enjoy reading turned into a hilarious, illustrated chapter book that speaks directly to today's screen-obsessed kids. Hunter, who once declared he "hated books," is now a co-author who helps shape Logan's chaotic middle school adventures with real-life gamer moments, awkward tween chaos, and the kind of humor that only a real kid could write.
Into The Thicket
Gail Kuhnlein, author
John Megahan, illustrator
Book Baby Publishers
9798990747807, $27.99, HC, 60pp
Book Baby Publishers
https://store.bookbaby.com/book/into-the-thicket
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Into-Thicket-Gail-Kuhnlein/dp/B0FLNN5PWW
Synopsis: Although a fictionalized picture book story, "Into the Thicket" is based on a real-life adventure when author Gail Kuhnlein's (then) young son found an injured baby rabbit in the backyard.
"Into the Thicket" follows the journey of young Patrick and the rabbit one springtime in Michigan. Enhanced with the artwork of illustrator John Megahan, "Into the Thicket" beautifully portrays an appreciation for wildlife. It lays out the universal emotions of compassion, and loving and letting go as being central elements of the boy's experience.
Additionally, Patrick is challenged with overcoming his fears -- not only of entering and walking through the thicket to get the rabbit the help it needs quickly, but also his fear of losing the rabbit that he loves.
Finally, young readers learn how even small acts of kindness make a difference!
Critique: Original, unique, deftly crafted, informative, engaging, bearing an important and inspiring message about kindness, rescue, engagement, and liberation with respect to animals in stress, "Into the Thicket" is an entertaining and inherently fascinating read from start to finish. Of special note is the inclusion of helpful information for those who find injured or abandoned wildlife, and as importantly, how to know when to leave animals alone. There are even tips for people with dogs who find a rabbit nest in their yard. This hardcover edition "Into the Thicket" by author/storyteller Gail Kuhnlein and artist/illustrator John Megahan is especially and unreservedly recommended for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library collections for children ages 4-8.
Wildlife rehabilitators and animal lovers of all kinds will appreciate the story. The book includes helpful information for those who find injured or abandoned wildlife, and as importantly, how to know when to leave animals alone. There are even tips for people with dogs who find a rabbit nest in their yard.
Editorial Note #1: Having loved writing stories since she was young. in late 2022, Gail Kuhnlein (https://authorgailkuhnlein.com) published her first children's picture book, "How Happy Is a Lark?". Gail majored in journalism and public relations at Michigan State University. She worked in the field for over 30 years, most recently at the University of Michigan's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Serendipity lent a hand as people she met throughout her career were instrumental in publishing her picture books.
Editorial Note #2: John Megahan studied both science and art and in the early 90s decided to combine his interests in art and biology and became a biological illustrator. He is currently a Senior Biological Illustrator at the University of Michigan's Museum of Zoology and has taught several classes as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Michigan's School of Art. His past work has taken him to work on salmon in eastern Oregon, salamanders in western Oregon, Marbled Murrelets and sea lions on the Oregon coast, and marine invertebrates in Oregon and Alaska. John has also done freelance work for Weyerhauser, St. Martin's Press, MIT press, The American Fisheries Society, Arizona Highways, Oregon State University, and others. John and his family live in Michigan.
How to Say A Good-Bye!
Dr. Maria Stylianou
Independently Published
9798335240208, $12.99, PB, 44pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/How-Say-Good-Bye-Maria-Stylianou/dp/B0DCSTQT8M
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-say-a-good-bye-maria-stylianou/1146138776
Synopsis: "How to Say a Good-Bye" by educational psychologist Dr. Maria Stylianou is a tiny tale about three young friends, Pete, John and Zoe, and how they each come to terms with the loss of a loved one.
While "How to Say A Good-Bye!" is a book specifically written for children, it also aims to help parents and caregivers find the words to soothe themselves and their children when dealing with loss.
Critique Original, exceptional, effective, well written, and thoroughly 'kid friendly' in both organization and presentation, "How to Say a Good-Bye" is an ideal DIY psychological parental counseling resource for use with a grieving child who is trying to deal with the loss of a friend or loved one. Especially and unreservedly recommended for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, middle school, community, and family counseling clinic collections for children ages 3-10, it should be noted for parents and caregivers that this paperback edition of "How to Say a Good-Bye" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Dr Maria Stylianou (https://howtosayagoodbye.org) is an educational psychologist currently working in Nicosia in private practice. She was trained at the University of Natal, South Africa, where she attained her undergraduate, honours and master's degrees. Thereafter she studied for her PhD in developmental psychology at the University of Liverpool, UK. She then went on to do a post-doc at the University of Central Lancashire, working in the area of social and emotional intelligence in lonely children. She continued as a lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire until moving to Cyprus. In Cyprus, she worked as a part-time lecturer at the University of Nicosia as well as at Neapolis University, while keeping her private practice. She now works solely in her private practice in Nicosia, where she conducts psychological assessments of children, adolescents, and adults. In addition, she works psychotherapeutically with adolescents and adults. She also provides parental counseling.
The Halloween Shelf
Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween
A. J. LoCascio, author
Laurie Conley, illustrator
Top Shelf Productions
c/o IDW
www.idwpublishing.com
9781603095617, $14.99, HC, 72pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Spoops-Spirits-Halloween-J-Locascio/dp/1603095616
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spoops-aj-locascio/1146546488
Synopsis: Who changes the leaves? Summons the autumn winds? Wakes ghosts and spirits to haunt houses and chill the air? Why, Spoops, of course! These little beings hatch from the smallest gourds in your local pumpkin patch at the start of every fall, then tend to your town to ensure everything is just right for Halloween.
"Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween" is the story of young Holly Hollowell who loves Halloween more than anything, but her dentist parents are totally against any event that promotes tooth-rotting sweets. While other kids trick-or-treat, Holly watches sadly from her window... until the Spoops arrive to turn things around!
With their magical help, Holly can finally show her parents the true spirit of Halloween: not the candy, but the joy of expressing yourself, unleashing your imagination, and letting your spooky side soar!
Critique: Original, clever, and a fun read from cover to cover, "Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween" features rhyming verse by A. J. LoCascio and nostalgic images in black, white, and orange by artist/illustrator Laurie A. Conley. "Spoops" is a unique and unreservedly recommended pick for family, elementary school, and community library Holiday/Halloween collections for young readers ages 5-8. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Spoops" from Top Shelf Productions is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: A. J. LoCascio (https://www.ajlocascio.com) is an American actor, writer, and creator known for his roles as Gambit in X-Men '97, Prince Lotor in Voltron: Legendary Defender, Gizmo in Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Han Solo in various Star Wars projects, and Marty McFly in Back to the Future: The Game. AJ's lifelong obsession with Halloween led him to wonder what exactly Halloween Spirit, or Spirits, might look like... so he began hatching his own: the Spoops!
Editorial Note #2: Laurie A. Conley (https://www.laurieaconley.com) is a professional artist who has been illustrating books for over 30 years, with her work appearing in middle grade novels and in many educational books and materials for students.
Let's Get Spooky
Stepanka Sekaninova and Lukas Figel
Albatros
www.albatrosbooks.com
9788000074498, $16.95, HC, 26pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Get-Spooky-Stepanka-Sekaninova/dp/8000074494
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lets-get-spooky-stepanka-sekaninova/1146279353
Let's Get Spooky is a collection for kids who delight in spooky situations, but don't want to a story filled with fear. It packs in illustrations of eerie places, encouraging young reader interactions through such adventures as a spot-the-vampire task, sorting through graveyard ghosts to find a swinging ghost and sombrero-wearing skeletons, and confronting headless knights on a dark street. Presented in an oversized board book so that younger hands can turn the pages without ripping them, Let's Get Spooky is a visual delight that will especially engage young fans of Where's Waldo and other stories that encourage a good eye for detail.
The Multicultural Shelf
Giving Thanks with Halmoni: Celebrating Chuseok, the Korean Harvest Festival
Kathleen Choi and Sook Nyul Choi, authors
Il Sunh Na, illustrator
Red Comet Press
www.redcometpress.com
9781636551616, $19.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Giving-Thanks-Halmoni-Celebrating-Festival/dp/1636551610
Kathleen Choi and Sook Nyul Choi's Giving Thanks with Halmoni: Celebrating Chuseok, the Korean Harvest Festival features colorful illustrations by Il Sunh Na as it explores options for celebrating Chuseok and a surprise for Halmoni that two kids concoct. It takes a community, including Halmoni, to capture this festival's intentions and incarnations in a fine story about cooperation, ethnic roots, celebration, and discovery. Giving Thanks with Halmoni is highly recommended for elementary-level libraries.
The Social Issues Shelf
Bullies, Parasites and Slaves
George Byron Koch
Byron Arts
https://www.byronarts.com
9780977722624, $30.00, PB, 204pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Bullies-Parasites-Slaves-Replacing-Exploitation/dp/0977722627
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bullies-parasites-and-slaves-george-byron-koch/1147834835
Synopsis: The core message of "Bullies, Parasites and Slaves: Replacing Exploitation with Mutual Care" by George Byron Koch is that we must not see ourselves as hopeless victims of powerful people and forces beyond our control. The bullies of our world want you to believe that.
"Bullies, Parasites and Slaves" draws from religion, humanism, history, science, psychology, philosophy, and first-hand experience. It exposes how and where bullies control our lives to subsidize their wealth and power, and how parasites steal our income by stealth and fraud. Here is proof, not hyperbole. Substance, not mere allegation.
We can only replace their exploitation with mutual care. It is the wisest way forward. It is right, and we can make it happen. "Bullies, Parasites and Slaves" and its extensive online resources show the reader just how to accomplish this.
The more we know, and talk, and commit to care for each other, the more secure will be the future of those we love, and their children, and their children's children.
Critique: Original, unique, timely, exceptionally well written, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Bullies, Parasites and Slaves: Replacing Exploitation with Mutual Care" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, highschool, and community library Contemporary Social Issues, Political Science, Leadership, Anti-Bullying, and Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted that this large format (7.44 x 0.46 x 9.69 inches, 1.1 pounds) paperback edition of "Bullies, Parasites and Slaves: Replacing Exploitation with Mutual Care" from Byron Arts is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.00).
Editorial Note: George Byron Koch (https://www.georgekoch.com) is the recently retired senior pastor of New Jerusalem House of Prayer (formerly Resurrection Church) in Carol Stream, Illinois. In a previous life he was a civil rights activist, a rock-n-roll engineer and producer, the CEO of two national companies, and the senior vice president of an international division at Oracle. This site is a collection of his work, past and present, as well as of the many things he finds fascinating -- from Hebrew to bosons, from pottery to theology, from history to mathematics, from economics to justice and moral leadership in politics.
The Education Shelf
Figure Eight (Book 1): About a Kid With Dyscalculia
Cynthia Fabian, author
Daniel Stevens, illustrator
Strategic Book Publishing
https://www.sbpra.net
9781682352861, $16.95, PB, 268pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Figure-Eight-About-Dyscalculia-Book/dp/1682352862
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/figure-eight-cynthia-fabian/1141639548
Synopsis: Set in New Jersey, the novel "Figure Eight" by Cynthia Fabian centers on a group of middle school friends who meet to help each other solve their individual problems.
Max has dyscalculia, a brain condition that makes solving math problems difficult.
His friend Eric has dyslexia, so he mixes up his words. Dyslexia causes learning difficulties in reading or interpreting words or letters properly.
Tori is a neighborhood girl who comes around to ask Max's mom for help with her problems. And Pecos the Parrot has trouble expressing herself with words. She says, "oh boy" for just about everything.
"Figure Eight" is realistic portrayal of family and friends depicts what caring people can do to help each other through their challenges.
Critique: Dyscalculia is a learning disability resulting in difficulty learning or comprehending arithmetic, such as difficulty in understanding numbers, numeracy, learning how to manipulate numbers, performing mathematical calculations, and learning facts in mathematics, and for confusing numbers such as read 13 as 31 or vice versa.
Author Cynthia Fabian explains why she wrote "Figure Eight". -- "I was a middle grade teacher, and I knew a lot of kids like the ones in the book. And there were no books for kids struggling through dyscalculia. I decided that it was time to write one."
Original, unique, deftly crafted, thoroughly 'kid friendly' in tone, concept, storytelling style and a work of fiction, "Figure Eight" is also soundly based on a clinical understanding of dyscalculia and is impressively engaging, entertaining, and informative from cover to cover.
While this paperback edition of Cynthia Fabian "Figure Eight" from Strategic Book Publishing is especially and unreservedly recommended for family, middle school, highschool, and community library Learning Disabilities/Dyscalculia and Adolescent Bullying themed fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Cynthia Fabian (www.fabianwriter.com) is a writer, retired teacher, and speaker. She specializes in books about people that are overcoming obstacles and has four children's books to her credit: Second Hand Art; Orchestra in Our Brain; Can't and Able; and Erica's Tripod. Her adult book is entitled, Those Sweet Nothings and is about dates gone wrong. Fabian also writes a host of other general topics from ghostwriting to blogs.
Figure Eight (Book 2): About the Boy with Dyscalculia and a Girl with Alopecia
Cynthia Fabian, author
Independent Publisher
https://www.sbpra.net
9798314742976, $8.99, PB, 190pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Figure-Eight-Book-Dyscalculia-Alopecia/dp/B0F227Z394
Synopsis: The fascinating group of middle school friends from the first book in this
series (Figure Eight: About a Kid With Dyscalculia) is back, but this time they are a little bit older and have added a few new friends to their group, all helping each other with their individual challenges.
Max McDonald has Dyscalculia, and it drives him crazy! Numbers float across the pages of his homework so fast they make him dizzy.
His friend Eric is Dyslexic, so he struggles with words being all jumbled up and backwards.
Tori now lives with Max and his family, after losing her father during the COVID pandemic.
And there are new friends in Max's twin neighbors, Santina and Jeff, to get used to, as well as Bree (short for Aubree) who owns her battle with Alopecia.
Another wonderfully realistic portrayal of family and friends (oh, and Pecos, the family parrot, too!), author Cynthia Fabian has created another testament to the strength people can find in each other, no matter what they're facing.
Critique: Exceptional, extraordinary, informative, well written, thought-provoking, inspiring, and 'kid friendly', "Figure Eight (Book 2): About the Boy with Dyscalculia and a Girl with Alopecia" by Cynthia Fabian will prove a welcome and enduringly appreciated addition to family, K-12 school library, and community/public library collections of books for young readers age 8-18 having to deal with learning disabilities, death/dying, social skill deficits and friendship stress. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Figure Eight (Book 2): About the Boy with Dyscalculia and a Girl with Alopecia" from
The American History Shelf
The Reagan Files 2025
Jason Saltoun-Ebin
Independently Published
9798328866248, $49.95, HC, 550pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Reagan-Files-2025-First-Unabridged/dp/B0FFND48VV
Synopsis: Jason Saltoun-Ebin's extended monograph "The Reagan Files: The First Term" takes young readers inside the White House to experience what it was like to be in the room as President Reagan and his senior advisers struggled to craft a foreign policy that would lead the United States to victory in the decades long Cold War against the USSR.
Based on over two decades of research at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Saltoun-Ebin's efforts through extensive use of the Presidential Records Act, the Freedom of Information Act and Mandatory Declassification Review requests dating back over twenty years, presents a Reagan Administration that genuinely feared a world-wide communist revolution.
For Ronald Reagan, a man who lived through two World Wars, the Great Depression, the Korean and Vietnam Wars and personally experienced the threat of communism in his days as President of the Screen Actors Guild, his crusade to defeat the Soviet Union would become nothing less than the raison d'etre of his presidency.
With a clear purpose, "The Reagan Files: The First Term" presents a bitterly divided Reagan Administration that so puzzled world leaders President Reagan would have no choice but to go on national television to remind both friends and foes that he was in charge.
Saltoun-Ebin's definitive study of Reagan's first term predominantly relies on recently declassified memorandums of conversation between President Reagan and world leaders like British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Egyptian leaders Anwar Sadat & Hosni Mubarak, French President Francois Mitterrand, Chinese Premier Zhao, Indian Prime Minister Indira Ghandi, Japanese Prime Ministers Suzuki and Nakasone, Jordan's King Hussein, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, West German Chancellor Kohl, & Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, to name just a few.
In between these tete-a-tete's Reagan would use his National Security Council and more senior group, the National Security Planning Group, to assist him as he prepared to persuade world leaders that the path out of the Cold War started in the Reagan White House.
Critique: Unique, detailed, documented, informed and informative, "The Reagan Files 2025: The First Term Unabridged" by Jason Saltoun-Ebin is an extraordinary and impressive work of extensive research and meticulous scholarship. Exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Reagan Files 2025: The First Term Unabridged" is especially and unreservedly recommended for middle school, highschool, and community/public library 20th Century U.S. History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists for young readers ages 14-18. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "The Reagan Files 2025: The First Term Unabridged" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Jason Saltoun-Ebin is also the editor of "The Reagan Files: The Untold Story of Reagan's Top-Secret Efforts to Win the Cold War," (2010), "The Reagan Files: Inside the National Security Council. (2012, 2014) and "Dear Mr. President... Reagan/Gorbachev and the Correspondence that Ended the Cold War." (2013) and most recently, "The Reagan Files 2025: The First Term." His books present new evidence from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and other archives that help to explain President Reagan's role in ending the Cold War. (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4361822.Jason_Saltoun_Ebin)
The World History Shelf
Around the World on 80 Horses
Jill Newton
Child's Play
www.childs-play.com
9781786288080, $19.99 HC, $14.99 PB, 48pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Around-World-Horses-Childs-Library/dp/1786288087
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/around-the-world-on-80-horses-jill-newton/1142556482
Around the World on 80 Horses gallops into an interconnected world of horses and folklore with a journey through some 80 horse breeds around the world. Each holds different, unique histories and characteristics. The lavish illustrations, horse facts and history, and blend of real and mythological horses is surveyed through maps, illustrations, and colorful descriptions. These encourage horse-crazy kids to learn more about equine history and attraction, while the book's oversized presentation lends to library display to attract a child's interest. Its lovely approach to horses of the world will captivate young fiction and nonfiction readers ages 5-9.
The Psychology Shelf
Bella and Bird Explore Anger
Deana Plaskon
Bella and Bird Books
https://bellabirdbooks.com
9798987268414, $19.95, HC, 32pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Bella-Bird-Explore-Anger-Understanding/dp/B0FG5MSTNB
Synopsis: "Can't you tell?" said Henry. "This is my angry face!"
When Henry storms into the pasture, Bella, the wise horse, and her wisecracking sidekick, Bird, step in to help. Together, the friends set out to explore why Henry is angry and offer better ways to cope.
By the time Henry leaves the pasture, he's gained new insights, is in better control of his feelings, and has tools to take along with him.
"Bella and Bird Explore Anger" helps children understand and manage their anger, making it a valuable resource for open and honest conversations about this challenging emotion.
Critique: Original, engaging, extraordinary, deftly crafted, and thoroughly 'kid friendly' in organization and presentation, "Bella and Bird Explore Anger: A Children's Book About Managing Anger and Understanding Big Feelings While Nurturing Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Literacy" by author/illustrator Deana Plaskon is especially and unreservedly recommended for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library 'Life Skills" picture book collections for children ages 4-8.
Editorial Note: Deana Plaskon (https://bellabirdbooks.com/speaking) is an educator, licensed clinical therapist, mom, and author whose enchanting books entertain and inspire children to embrace, process, and manage big emotions and feelings. With a PhD in Education specializing in human behavior, a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and a Masters in Education, Deana has a deeply informed, yet fun approach to children's stories. Her Bella and Bird the Emotion Explorers book series is inspired by her real-life therapy horse Bella, and Bella's friend Bird, the not-so-common barn swallow. Imbued with Bella's calm, wise presence and Bird's cheeky humor, these wonderfully unique children's books are designed to delight and empower school-age children. These books combine three core elements: engaged storytelling, informed emotional intelligence exploration, and science-based therapeutic tools. Each story captures children's imaginations while also giving them powerful, practical tools to succeed.
Editorial Note: Cynthia Fabian (www.fabianwriter.com) is a writer, retired teacher, and speaker. She specializes in books about people that are overcoming obstacles and has four children's books to her credit: Second Hand Art; Orchestra in Our Brain; Can't and Able; and Erica's Tripod. Her adult book is entitled, Those Sweet Nothings and is about dates gone wrong. Fabian also writes a host of other general topics from ghostwriting to blogs.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
We Can Do Hard Things
Melissa Dupuis, author
Maddy Moore, illustrator
Briley & Baxter Publications
https://brileybaxterbooks.com
9781961978607, $24.95, HC, 28pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/We-Can-Do-Hard-Things/dp/1961978601
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/we-can-do-hard-things-melissa-dupuis/1147808316
Synopsis: "We Can Do Hard Things: A Story of a Mother's Journey with Breast Cancer through the Eyes of Her Daughter" is the picture book story by author Melissa Dupuis and illustrator Maddy More about a brave young girl and her mama as they navigate the challenges of breast cancer together.
From drawing pictures to sharing hugs, trying on hats, and dancing through tough days, they discover that love and teamwork make even the hardest things possible.
"We Can Do Hard Things" is a touching, uplifting story that helps children understand illness, express their feelings, and find strength in family. "We Can Do Hard Things" is ideal for sparking meaningful conversations as it shows kids that they, too, can face life's challenges with courage.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and thoroughly 'kid friendly' in tone, organization, and presentation, "We Can Do Hard Things: A Story of a Mother's Journey with Breast Cancer through the Eyes of Her Daughter" is especially and unreservedly recommended for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library health/medicine themed picture book collections for children ages 3-8. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "We Can Do Hard Things" from Briley & Baxter Publications is also readily available in paperback (9781961978614, $16.95).
Editorial Note #1: Melissa Dupuis, a first-time author, is so grateful to be able to bring her story to life! She was born in Massachusetts and grew up as a professional ballet dancer in the Boston area. When she was diagnosed with Stage three HER2+ breast cancer at the age of thirty-eight, her world was rocked. She couldn't believe a healthy person such as herself could get so sick. She was a new mom of a beautiful baby girl, who was just one year old at the time. Throughout her year of treatment (chemo, double mastectomy, and radiation), she maintained her healthy lifestyle as best as she could, striving to show her daughter her strength and to set an example for women everywhere to be advocates for their own health. She was inspired to write this story of her journey through her daughter's eyes as a way to give back to the cancer community. This story is a way for others to share their diagnosis with their young children and show them that, no matter what life throws at you, you can do hard things. After treatment, she got back on the stage to perform the Nutcracker and is so grateful that she is healthy and happy. Her message -- Never take life for granted because it is truly a gift!
Editorial Note #2: Maddy Moore (www.maddymoore.art) is a professional illustrator who has been working in the industry for well over a decade. She began her career as an artist at fifteen, where she would complete commission-based illustrations around her commitments as she pursued her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Pennsylvania.
The Wildlife Shelf
Bugs: A Spotter's Guide
Pauline Savage
Weldon Owen
c/o Insight Editions
www.insighteditions.com
9798886740943, $19.99, HC, 176pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Bugs-Spotters-Guide-Pauline-Savage/dp/B0DV4MW6RB
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bugs-pauline-savage/1146889704
Synopsis: "Bugs: A Spotter's Guide" by Pauline Savage will inspire young readers ages 7-10 to step into their hiking boots and haul out their binoculars as they get ready for some serious (and fun!) bug-spotting!
With "Bugs: A Spotter's Guide", kids can get up close to ants, beetles, and dragonflies, discover how fireflies make light, and learn how to tell crickets from grasshoppers and butterflies from moths. The stunning artwork throughout "Bugs: A Spotter's Guide" will show kids every detail, and the imaginative narrative will make them feel like they are actually there.
Critique: Packed from cover to cover with museum quality illustrations for more than 200 different bugs, fascinating special features, informative fact boxes, and conservation highlights, "Bugs: A Spotter's Guide" is especially recommended for family, elementary school, middle school, and community library Entomology and Wildlife collections and supplemental school curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Pauline Savage (https://www.paulinesavage.com) is a writer and editor. Her early career was inspired by travels through India and Southeast Asia. She is the author of The Rough Guide to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. She has worked on almost every subject, from wine to interior decor, from Ayurvedic medicine to Twin Births, and from ocean animals to dinosaurs.
Turtle Lovers' Guidebook
Tony Monahan, author
Russ Gurley, editor
Living Art Publishing
9798985699692, $30.00, PB, 388pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Turtle-Lovers-Guidebook-Tony-Monahan/dp/B0DC8Z88DK
Synopsis: With the publication of the "Turtle Lovers' Guidebook", readers of all ages are invited to dive into the captivating world of turtles. Profusely illustrated throughout, the "Turtle Lovers' Guidebook" is a comprehensive resource for enthusiasts and experts alike.
This meticulously crafted and impressively informative guidebook takes you on an informative journey through 164 public sites across the United States where you can witness these fascinating creatures up close.
Featuring over 500 stunning photographs that showcase more than 200 turtle species and subspecies, "Turtle Lovers' Guidebook" is a visual delight.
Whether you are a seasoned scientist, a dedicated owner of turtles, or a budding turtle lover, the "Turtle Lovers' Guidebook" will provide invaluable insights into turtle organizations, rescue centers in all 50 states, social media accounts dedicated to turtles, and various conservation projects and programs. With its wealth of information and breathtaking imagery, this guidebook is an essential companion for anyone who appreciates the beauty and diversity of the turtle kingdom.
Critique: Impressively informative, magnificently illustrated, expertly organized, and exceptionally well presented, this trade paperback edition (9 x 6 x 1 inches, 2 pounds) of the "Turtle Lovers' Guide" from Living Art Publishing is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists of turtle enthusiasts, as well as middle school, highschool, college/university, and community library Wildlife/Turtle collections for readers ages 14 to 84.
Editorial Note #1: Tony Monahan is an artist, writer, and professional educator. He is a professor at the City University of New York and has worked with a wide range of populations and programs. What began as a photography project quickly blossomed into a 46-month quest to chronicle turtle encounters in the US. The resulting product, The Turtle Lovers' Guidebook, is offered as a contribution to the myriad efforts to conserve turtles and tortoises throughout the world.
Editorial Note #2: Russ Gurley founded the TTPG in 1996 to help spread the horrible news: The world's turtles are disappearing. Across the planet there are a variety of pressures facing the world's turtles including habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation, collection for food and folk remedies, collection for the pet trade, and many more. Each year, turtle and tortoise keepers are having more and more successes with keeping their chelonians healthy and in creative enclosures and they are producing healthy captive-hatched specimens that are living stress-free and parasite-free in homes all over the world. These pets are ambassadors for their cousins, living in nature.
The Little Lobster: A Lobster Tail
W. Thomas Hotz, author
Estelle Corke, illustrator
Star Bright Books
www.starbrightbooks.com
9781649090805, $17.99 hc / $7.99 pbk / $6.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Lobster-W-Thomas-Hotz/dp/1649090803
Synopsis: Off the coast of Maine, a mother lobster crawls along the ocean floor. Hidden under her tail are thousands of tiny lobster eggs! Follow this mama lobster as she nourishes and protects her eggs and sets her newborn babies free. Then watch as the babies grow. From birth, through their four stages of growth, and molting, readers will learn how baby lobsters survive and thrive in the ocean. Teeming with facts about lobsters and their babies, The Little Lobster is perfect for the curious mind. Readers will feel as if they are swimming right alongside the little lobster, caught in the soft and flowing rhythm of Corke's enchanting watercolor illustrations, perfectly balanced with Hotz's gently presented yet informative text.
Critique: A beautiful, educational picturebook about the life cycle of lobsters, The Little Lobster: A Lobster Tail features soft, realistic, and captivating watercolor illustrations paired with a simple story about a mother lobster and the babies that hatch from her eggs and grow. Ideal for inquisitive young readers ages 4-8, The Little Lobster: A Lobster Tail is a welcome addition to family, public library, and early grade school picturebook collections, highly recommended. It should be noted for family reading lists that The Little Lobster is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.99).
The Picturebook Shelf
The Sun Sets in the Sea
Ursula C. Rance, author
Amelina Jones, illustrator
Mascot Kids
c/o Mascot Books
www.mascotbooks.com
9798891384514, $22.95, HC, 40pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Sets-Sea-Ursula-Rance/dp/B0FLLWV56R
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sun-sets-in-the-sea-ursula-c-rance/1148039622
Synopsis: When Jubi looks out her window every afternoon, she can't help but wonder, Does the sun really sleep on the ocean floor at the end of each day? Where does it go when it's out of sight? These are the mysteries Jubi ponders as she watches the sun set from her window.
Critique: Young readers will thoroughly enjoy joining Jubi on her quest in "The Sun Sets In The Sea", an imaginative picture book by author/storyteller Ursula C. Rance and artist/illustrator Amelina Jones about letting our curiosity run wild. Original, exceptional, a fun read from start to finish, and a highly recommended pick for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library children's picture book collections, this hardcover edition of "The Sun Sets In The Sea" from Mascot Kids will have immense appeal to young readers ages 4-8.
Editorial Note #1: Ursula C. Rance is a native of San Francisco, California, who transplanted to Texas. She has adult twin daughters who take her on ice cream and other foodie excursions. She enjoys baking desserts from scratch for family members, sharing her favorite 1970s music with them, and collecting roses from her rose bushes.
Editorial Note #2: Amelina Jones (https://www.amelinajones.com) has been working in the professional world of illustrations for five years and had the honor to work with publishers and on projects around the world.
All the Stars in the Sky
Art Coulson, author
Winona Nelson, illustrator
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
www.simonandschuster.com/kids
9781665931373, $19.99, HC, 40pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/All-Stars-Sky-Art-Coulson/dp/166593137X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-the-stars-in-the-sky-art-coulson/1146889438
Synopsis: When eager Clay asks his elisi (grandmother) for help to be named star of the week at school, he's surprised by her answer: No one person is more important than his family and his community. But is Clay still important at all?
"All the Stars in the Sky" by Native Americans Art Coulson (author/storyteller) and Winona Nelson (artist/illustrator) is a contemplative exploration of community, individualism, and responsibility (accentuated with traditional beadwork in the art) and is a moving invitation to consider an indigenous perspective of one's place in the world and how we all light up our sky, together.
Critique: Original, exceptional, unique, compelling, and of particular appeal to young readers with an interest in Native American perspectives, personal values, and the wisdom of their elders, "All the Stars in the Sky" is especially and unreservedly recommended for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library Native American themed picture book collections for children ages 4-8. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of 'All the Stars in the Sky" from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note #1: Art Coulson (https://artcoulson.com) a writer of Cherokee, English, and Dutch descent and comes from a family of storytellers in all three traditions. Art served as the first executive director of the Wilma Mankiller Foundation in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma after an award-winning twenty-five-year career in journalism. A 2023 McKnight Fellow in Children's Literature, Art is the author of twenty books, graphic novels, and plays, including Chasing Bigfoot, Bank Street Best Book of 2020 The Reluctant Storyteller, All the Stars in the Sky, and Look, Grandma! Ni, Elisi!, which was named a best STEM children's book by the National Science Teaching Association. Find out more at ArtCoulson.com
Editorial Note #2: Winona Nelson (https://www.winonanelson.com) is a fine artist and illustrator of comics and children's books. She's the illustrator of If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving by Chris Newell, which was a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and All the Stars in the Sky by Art Coulson. Her fine art, which often focuses on the stories and history of her tribe, the Ojibwe of Minnesota, as well as on gender and diversity, has been featured in galleries across the country.
I'm Very Busy
Oliver Jeffers
Philomel Books
c/o Penguin Young Readers Group
https://www.penguin.com
9780593622308, $17.99, HC, 32pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Im-Very-Busy-Forgotten-Birthday/dp/0593622308
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/im-very-busy-oliver-jeffers/1147319781
Synopsis: It's Bridget's birthday, and she thinks it would be fun to spend the day with friends. But Royal has places to go, Rodney has to see a man about a dog, Regis has to wash his hair, and Pearl has a list of items she needs to cross off as quickly as she can.
Bridget's friends are all too busy to hang out! Will Bridget have to spend her birthday all alone?
Critique: Original, clever, thoroughly 'kid friendly' in tone and presentation, "I'm Very Busy: A (Nearly Forgotten) Birthday Book" by author/illustrator Oliver Jeffers is a fun read from cover to cover and carries an important lesson about realizing what truly matters -- friendship. An extraordinary and strongly recommended pick for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for children aged 4-8, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "I'm Very Busy" from Philomel Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Oliver Jeffers (https://oliverjeffers.com) is a visual artist and author working in painting, bookmaking, illustration, collage, performance and sculpture. His critically acclaimed picture books have been the recipients of numerous awards. He has exhibited at institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the National Portrait Gallery in London, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Jeffers' work is currently featured in the new long-term exhibition "Building Stories" at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. He also recently received a Member of the Order of the British Empire Award (MBE) for his Services in Art
The Sleepiest Sleep
Barry Timms, author
Margarita Kukhtina, illustrator
Nosy Crow
https://nosycrow.com
9798887771496, $18.99, HC, 32pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sleepiest-Sleep-Barry-Timms/dp/B0DPFFXBLH
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sleepiest-sleep-barry-timms/1146623906
Synopsis: A dreamy bedtime story with a tender grandparent-grandchild relationship at its heart.
Night is falling and Grandma and Grandpa Tiger want their little grandcub to have the sleepiest sleep of all. But when an unexpected thunderstorm comes, it doesn't seem as though anyone will be able to nod off! Luckily the other animals in the jungle have a plan...
With mesmerizing, magical illustrations and a repeated lullaby refrain, this lyrical rhyming bedtime adventure is just right for lulling anxious grandchildren (and grandparents!) to sleep.
Critique: Ideal for bedtime parenting or nap time any time, "The Sleepiest Sleep" is a fun picture book story by author/storyteller Barry Timms and artist/illustrator Margarita Kukhtina. Especially and unreservedly recommended for family, daycare center preschool, kindergarten, and community library picture book collections for children ages 2-5, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Sleepiest Sleep" from Nosy Crow is also readily available in paperback (9781839943300, $17.07).
Editorial Note: Barry Timms secured an editorial job at Walker Books. He's been editing children's books ever since. More recently, Barry has been writing picture books of his own. (https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/5446234.Barry_Timms)
Editorial Note #2: Margarita Kukhtina (https://gitkadraws.com) has loved drawing and painting for as long as she can remember. After graduating as a Master of Fine Arts, Margarita worked as a graphic designer, creating personal projects in her spare time that helped her find her true passion in illustrating children's books. She works in mixed media, combining traditional and digital techniques to create playful and atmospheric illustrations.
Dawn
Marc Martin
Candlewick Press
www.candlewickpress.com
9781536232400, $18.99 HC, $18.99 Kindle, 48pp (Ages 4-8)
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Watch-Awaken-Marc-Martin/dp/1536232408
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dawn-marc-martin/1146489325
Gorgeous nature art by illustrator Marc Martin captures the moment-by-moment unfolding of nature as dawn reveals a gorgeous world consisting not just of a beautiful sunrise, but fish, birds and butterflies, bees and frogs, and more. Read-aloud adults will especially appreciate the insights on how to stop, wait, watch, listen, and look at this unfolding world as they narrate the step-by-step wildlife experiences with dawn for the very young. The result is a celebration of nature and dawn which deserves a place in libraries seeking simple language paired with exceptional nature illustrations.
Kisses Are Invisible
Dee Rominto
Tilbury House
www.tilburyhouse.com
9781668944899, $18.99 HC, $17.48 Kindle, 32pp (Ages 4-8)
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Kisses-Are-Invisible-Dee-Romito/dp/16689448981
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kisses-are-invisible-dee-romito/1146493006
Kisses Are Invisible is illustrated by Jen White and tells of Theodore, who feels that life can be scary. His wise mother also knows that life can be magical, but how can she impart this feeling to her cautious son? She sends him on a search for "invisibles" in his world that translate to important features of life. In the process, this quest calms his worries and teaches him that the best things are not only not frightening, but often less apparent than safer experiences. A warm story evolves about an affectionate mother who gently guides her son towards embracing new, truly remarkable facets of life.
Emmie Builds Something New
Marjorie Crosby-Fairall
Red Comet Press
www.redcometpress.com
9781636551395, $24.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Emmie-Builds-Something-Marjorie-Crosby-Fairall/dp/1636551394
Marjorie Crosby-Fairall's Emmie Builds Something New considers an attic home inhabited by inventor mouse Emmie, who has many big ideas about how to build new things from the old materials around her. Vividly colorful illustrations enhance the tale of a mouse that has many ideas, makes many plans, and enjoys successes while coping with challenges to her innovations. Read-aloud adults will especially appreciate the opportunity to explore Emmie's world with the very young.
The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole
Cecilia Heikkila
Floris Books
www.florisbooks.co.uk
9781782509530, $19.99, HC, 44pp (Ages 4-7)
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Slightly-Spooky-Tale-Fox-Mole/dp/1782509534
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-slightly-spooky-tale-of-fox-and-mole-cecilia-heikkila/1146274874
The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole presents an autumn story in which two different friends read a slightly spooky story together. The real challenge lies not in who gets scared over what theme, but in consideration for others, and transformation opportunities. As the friends clash over many things, they grow and change... into monsters? Young readers will appreciate this thought-provoking story of friendship, cooperation, perception, and change. It's filled with evocative images and possibilities that adult readers will find equally important for discussion opportunities about friendship and growth.
Tiger, It's Snowing!
Daishu Ma
Post Wave Children's Books
www.postwavepublishing.us
9798895090336, $18.99, HC, Ages 3-5
Tiger, It's Snowing! tells of Mei's best friend Tiger, who has never seen snow before. It's up to Mei to introduce him to the wonders of snow in a manner that accents their friendship, strengths, and new possibilities. Friends can discover these through experiencing new things together and helping one another learn and have fun. Daishu Ma does a fine job of connecting weather to wonder in a picture book story about exploring the outdoors which will be appreciated by read-aloud adults and the very young alike.
Wm. Eerdmans
www.eerdmans.com
These new arrivals from Eerdmans are excellent picture books for discriminating lending libraries and adults who read aloud to kids.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Birds-Christmas-Olivia-Armstrong/dp/0802856470
Olivia Armstrong's The Birds of Christmas (9780802856470, $18.99) will reach ages 4-8 with Mira Miroslavova's delightful illustrations and the story of birds who want to participate in giving gifts to a newborn baby in a manger. Each bird seems to come up with something appropriate, but little Robin can't find a thing. How can she demonstrate her love for the newborn? A fun tale evolves.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Late-Today-Jungyoon-Huh/dp/0802856497
Skillfully translated by Aerin Park, Late Today by Jungyoon Huh and Myungae Lee (9780802856494, $18.99) will reach the same age group with its story of a morning in Seoul, Korea, and how a kitten caught in busy traffic is rescued. Will anyone have the motivation to stop and take the time to save her? A gentle story of values, life, and rescue involves kids in discussions about what it means to be too busy to help versus being conscious about stepping up to others' needs.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sound-Discovering-Vibrations-Spectacular-Curious/dp/0802856489
Smoothly translated by Lena Traer, Olga Fadeeva's Sound: Discovering the Vibrations We Hear (9780802856487, $18.99) explores sound in science, technology, and daily life, revealing how people produce, hear, and react to sounds in life. The science is peppered with "Try It!" sections encouraging young readers to experiment to better understand sound and its possibilities, while illustrations that pack the pages with lively, attractive information assume almost a graphic novel appearance of powerful pictorial support.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Consider-Birds-Jennifer-Grant/dp/0802855628
Consider the Birds by Jennifer Grant (9780802855626, $18.99) enjoys fun illustrations by Julianna Swaney as it tells of a birdfeeder that attracts all manner of birds that sport different features and attractions. Part of a planned 'Consider' series juxtaposing spiritual reinforcement with celebrations of nature, this survey pairs a love of nature with a love for God in a gentle, endearing manner.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Like-Spectacular-STEAM-Curious-Readers/dp/0802856454
Olga Ptashnik's Fly Like a Bird (9780802856456, $18.99) tells of a young bird that wonders what would happen if he never learns to fly. Then he considers all the options of different kinds of flight, from hummingbirds to condors. Science, nature, and possibilities for growth and different flight styles blend in a powerful story of possibility that incorporates many thought-provoking considerations which adults reading to kids will want to discuss: "It must feel amazing to be the fastest bird, but I don't want to hurt other birds! How can tiny birds like us protect ourselves from predators?"
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Humpbacks-Spectacular-Curious-Readers/dp/0802856438
Juliana Munoz Toro's Journey of the Humpbacks (9780802856432, $18.99) is illustrated by Dipacho and translated by Lawrence Schimel. It explores humpback whale migratory patterns. This book involved collaboration with three humpback whale researchers and presents an award-winning survey of whale science, migration process, and the influences on their lives, couched in a rich survey that young picture book readers will relish.
All of these new children's books from Eerdmans are excellent acquisitions that lend to reading aloud and discussion.
Holiday House Publishing
www.holidayhouse.com
Two new arrivals are excellent picture book stories that will appeal to a wide audience of libraries and young readers.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Way-Mr-Jay/dp/0823457044
Chelsea Lin Wallace and Thyra Heder's On Our Way With Mr. Jay (9780823457045, $18.99) tells of eighteen school kids who are driven to school by efficient driver Mr. Jay. They need different kinds of care to make the bus trip a good one, but he steps up to the task. This uplifting survey adds to the School Heroes series with yet another exploration of how adults can contribute to a child's happiness, safety, and daily life. The fun bus ride involves rescues, urban action, and efficient problem-solving as the story evolves.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ada-Goat-Heidi-Aubrey/dp/0823450805
Heidi Aubrey's Ada and the Goat (9780823450800, $18.99) tells of Ada's move from town to an old house on the hill. She didn't expect her new abode to come with a goat that wrecks havoc, so she sends the beast on its way. The only problem is that it refuses to leave its home. The dispute over whose house it really is moves into unexpected territory as Ada confronts her true feelings about her move once she rids herself of her unexpected intruder.
Both of these new titles are lively, fun stories holding thought-provoking insights that young readers and read-aloud parents will appreciate.
Nosy Crow
www.nosycrow.us
Nosy Crow has some lovely new titles suitable for a wide range of picture book readers, and these new arrivals are no exception.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Marching-Band-Kael-Tudor/dp/B0D9GHK1SY
Kael Tudor's Marching Band (9798887772073, $18.99) receives whimsical, colorful illustration by Kate Hindley as it features an animal marching band, a rollicking rhyme, and such a creative countenance that many an adult will be enchanted. Sound effects can be easily read out loud for maximum impact and emphasis: "Monkeys HOWLING, tigers ROARING./Sleepy sloths are loudly SNORING./Swing and leap from vine to vine./Here we go - it's marching time!" The result is a bright, enthusiastic book that all ages will love.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Bear-Hare-Fair-Em-Lynas/dp/B0D9GGDV1Y
Em Lynas' and Matt Hunt's The Bear and the Hare and the Fair (9798887772103, $17.99) tells of a fair visit in which Hare and Bear are not happy because its rides are too challenging and noisy. Each has a different system for rating rides; but it feels like no ride will satisfy them both. How can they compromise, with such different interests?
Each of these two new children's book comes with a free 'Stories Aloud' audiobook opportunity, making them exceptionally appealing and packed with value.
Penguin Books
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
These new arrivals from Penguin Books offer picture book readers a host of inviting stories with approaches perfect for entertainment and educational value alike.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Beatrice-Looks-Home-Ron-Grady/dp/0593696352
Ron Grady's Beatrice Looks for Home (9780593696354, $18.99) tells of a girl who loves living in the country, but faces city life when her father gets a new job. Her dads are forced to leave Gram and bring Beatrice into their new city lives, which Beatrice is nervous about. It takes a wise grandmother to help her adapt to a totally new environment in this warm story of family transition, change, and new experiences.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sammy-Sunnys-First-Day-School/dp/0593695755
New things also worry Sammy and Sunny in Sammy and Sunny's First day of School by Nina LaCour (9780593695753, $18.99). Elizabeth Lilly provides the simple but compelling pictures that bring to life the first day of a kid's school (for Sammy) and puppy school (for Sunny). Each receives basic lessons in getting along, adapting to new environments, and confronting unfamiliar situations in this warm contrast between human and animal concerns.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Proper-Badger-Would-Never-Classroom/dp/0593528190
Lauren Glattly's Proper Badger Would Never Trash the Classroom! (9780593528198, $18.99) receives large-size, engaging illustrations by Rob Sayegh Jr. as it presents a neatly-dressed, enthusiastic-about-school young badger who strives to earn gold stars at school, which he imagines will be crunchy and delicious. Unfortunately, his best badger behavior falls short of gold star material as a series of escapades constantly get him in trouble. Picture book readers and their read-aloud parents will especially appreciate the zany approach to trouble that Proper Badger introduces to his classroom.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ablaze-Story-Americas-Female-Smokejumper/dp/059346365X
Jessica Lawson's Ablaze: The Story of America's First Female Smokejumper (9780593463659, $18.99) receives vivid illustrations by Sarah Gonzales as it tells of Deanne, who loves being outdoors and feels very connected to nature. Her observations about fire season's increasing threats and her involvement with a woodland crew clearing brush and branches contributes to her decision to become a smokejumper against all odds, even though no woman has done this before. Firefighting comes to life in a vivid story packed with action and insights about combating fires and preserving nature.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Rumble-Rough-Tumble-Book/dp/0593750691
Let's Rumble! A Rough-and-Tumble Book of Play by Rachel G. Payne (9780593750698, $18.95) tells of three siblings who drum up imaginative ways to roughhouse. The story adopts an unusual format: it's told all in text bubbles enhanced with art by Jose Pimienta that describe all kinds of creative play opportunities with kids that seem surprisingly flexible, adaptable, and imaginative. The joy they all experience through these encounters contributes to a lovely story that is celebratory and hard to put down.
All of these new children's books are excellent library additions which are also well suited for adult read-aloud support.
Scallywag Press
www.scallywagpress.com
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Long-Home-Jake-Hope/dp/1836300158
Jake Hope and Brian Fitzgerald's Taking The Long Way Home (9781836300151, $18.99) tells of an uncle who picks up two siblings from school, but encourages them all to choose "the long way home" as an alternative to familiar paths. Why would he pick a longer route, especially since he knows that Sarah hates long walks? Because there are opportunities for surprises and fun in exploring something different, whether they lie in the physical environment or one's imagination. Colorful illustrations bring this route and these adventures to life.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Wolf-City-Rachel-Tilda/dp/1836300107
Rachel Tilda Wolf's Wolf in the City (9781836300106, $18.99) tells of Wolf, who lives on a pedestal in an old square on the edge of the city. Wolf is often pooped on by Pigeon and she feels discarded and old, longing to be as respected and adored as the other city statues which are located more centrally in the city. It takes a change of perspective, heart, and experience to place Wolf in the position she longs for in this thought-provoking story of belonging. Elementary-level libraries and read-aloud adults will find this unusual story compelling, and both of these new children's books from Scallywa Press truly exceptional.
Sleeping Bear Press
www.sleepingbearpress.com
New arrivals from Sleeping Bear Press offer inviting picture book surveys filled with colorful illustrations, bright moments of discovery, and diverse topics that lend to read-aloud attraction.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Miss-Betti-What-This-Detroits/dp/1534113258
Lela Nargi's Miss Betti, What Is This? How Detroit's School Lunch Lady Got Good Food on the Menu (9781534113251, $18.99) is charmingly illustrated by Kristen Uroda and tells of a savvy woman who knows about wholesome, nourishing foods and how to get them into the hands of the kids who need them the most. By beginning with an apple and sweet potato fries and moving to other foods, Miss Betti starts a revolution in good eating that changes the habits of not only one Detroit school, but an entire city as gardens are started, vegetables and fruits are gleaned, and kids enjoy healthier lunches.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Ghost-House-Hunts-Branam/dp/1534113134
Lucy Branam's Little Ghost House Hunts (9781534113138, $18.99) is illustrated by Natalie Hoopes and follows a little ghost who lives in a cozy, crowded attic with his big family. It's too crowded, though, and so the ghost decides to find a new home with more room. His endeavor introduces loneliness and other issues as the ghost tries to leave his family behind, only to face a different, equally haunting problem. Read-aloud parents will find Little Ghost House Hunts to be whimsical and fun.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Gus-Hearts-Bus-Lindsay-Leslie/dp/1534113282
Lindsay Leslie's Gus Hearts the Bus (9781534113282, $18.99) follows Gus and his family as they undertake a city bus outing. Gus loves buses and decides to learn all he can about them, but goes overboard in wanting all future expeditions to involve a bus. His enthusiasm for his new discoveries creates a winning, fun story about passion and excitement as Gus faces the dilemmas of being lost and having nobody listen to his ideas. Read-aloud parents will find his insights and lessons evocative.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Name-Lin-Maria-Wen-Adcock/dp/1534113118
Maria Wen Adcock's My Name is Ai Lin (9781534113114, $18.99) receives engaging illustrations by Yu Ting Cheng as it explores Ai Lin's ability to educate her fellow classmates on how to pronounce her name. Despite the temptation to pick an easier name to make them happy, Ai Lin is determined to preserve the significance of her Chinese name and heritage. This involves the risky venture of sharing her family's history and traditions with her new classmates. A fine story of cultural identity, fitting in, making choices, and teaching others evolves, which will be perfect for picture book readers and adults seeking to transmit information about other cultures, words, heritage, and values.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Who-Saved-Bees/dp/1534113320
The Dog Who Saved the Bees by Stephanie Gibeault (9781534113329, $18.99) enjoys good-sized, vivid illustrations by David Hohn that bring to life the challenges of training a dog to become a beehive inspector. Cybil is rambunctious. But can he become a trained detection dog that can inspect hives for a deadly disease? A fun story of a pup that becomes an invaluable dog despite his playful nature provides kids with many insights about bees, dogs, and service animals of various types.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sunday-Daddy-Church-Voices-Stories/dp/1534113339
Jeanine DeHoney's This Sunday My Daddy Came to Church (9781534113336, $18.99) receives fun illustrations by Robert Paul Jr. as it profiles Omar, who loves to go to church on Sunday. His father doesn't join the family, but it takes a mother's wise insights about different beliefs to help Omar understand his father. A fine family story evolves, perfect for read-aloud in families where different religions exist under one roof.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/We-Want-Leaves-Fall-Chant/dp/1534113355
Jamie A. Swenson's We Want Leaves! A Fall Chant (9781534113350, $18.99) receives playful, colorful illustrations by Emilie Boon as it explores, via rhyme, the delights of kids who eagerly anticipate autumn's arrival. From pumpkins to hayrides, falling leaves portend seasonal pleasures that are outlined in a happy, action-packed story perfect for read-aloud because of its many vivid descriptions.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Mouse-Buffet-Christmas-Treat/dp/153411338X
Della Ross Ferreri's The Mouse Buffet: A Christmas Treat (9781534113381, $18.99) is especially lovely in its holiday illustrations by Tim Bowers, who brings to life the mice who enjoy a good buffet table as much as any human ("Dip the ladle. Slurp the punch. Candy canes! Crunchity crunch.") The whimsical descriptions of mice that have fun raiding a holiday buffet will delight kids with their action-packed scenarios, food-laden encounters, and fun stories of mice on the run.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cowpokes-Christmas-Ann-Ingalls/dp/1534113568
A Cowpoke's Christmas by Ann Ingalls (9781534113565, $18.99) receives large-size, engaging illustrations by Lauren Gallegos as it explores Christmas Day on the farm - which almost feels like a regular day, in some ways, as chores still have to be done. It turns out that there are many reasons to celebrate this day as farm life offers seasonal pleasures and the family bands together for a good time.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/ARLO-Sophia-Gholz/dp/153411324X
Arlo by Sophia Gholz (9781534113244, $18.99) is illustrated by Mackenzie Haley and tells of a robot assembly line mechanic who puts in the hours, but longs to be something different than his fellow workers. When he sets out to explore the wider world, trouble ensues when he realizes there are no charging stations in nature. Can Arlo's inventiveness save his day and help others? Kids who eschew the outdoors and new discoveries because they may not include the latest technology will appreciate this gentle story of how a robot adapts to all kinds of situations.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Night-Deer-Mary-Kay-Morel/dp/1534112863
Mary Morel's Night of the Deer (9781534112865, $18.99) enjoys brooding, evocative illustrations by Mira Miroslavova as it provides a folktale about a pair of deer whom Arabella invites to her school's autumn dance. The problem is: they may not actually be deer, but otherworldly figures. The illustrations may be dark in color but they are vivid in detail and whimsy as a dance atmosphere evolves some surprises and reflections that challenge conventional thinking about mysteries and haunting possibilities.
These are fun picture book stories that kids will appreciate. All of them are excellent and highly recommended choices elementary-level libraries will want to consider seriously.
Tiger Tales
www.tigertalesbooks.com
Tiger Tales has some impressive new picture books that will reach a wide audience of young readers and libraries catering to them.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Go-Dodo-Huw-Lewis-Jones/dp/1664300732
Huw Lewis Jones and Fred Blunt's Go, Go, Dodo! (9781664300736, $18.99) tells of a carefree dodo that takes a peaceful jungle stroll. He may think that nothing really is going on around him, but he misses a hungry tiger who is stalking him as they move ever closer to grass where the tiger could pounce. A fun story explores different viewpoints about the evolving situation in a manner that invites read-aloud adults to delight kids with unusual vantage points.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/No-More-Mr-Mice-Guy/dp/1664300740
Fiona Ross's No More Mr. Mice Guy (9781664300743, $18.99) tells of Squeak the mouse, who has won a dubious prize in a competition. This leads his grandmother to toss it out. Squeak can't help thinking that his smelly win may hold more attraction than he knows about, but when he takes a bite, unexpected trouble develops. With its spoof about Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde (presented mouse-style) and its insights about monsters, transformations, and trying new things against all odds, a hilariously slimy, fun story evolves.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Street-Where-Santa-Lives/dp/1664300759
Harriet Howe's The Street Where Santa Lives (9781664300750, $18.99) is illustrated by Julia Christians and enjoys engaging illustrations that accent the story of a little girl whose new next-door neighbor looks just like Santa. In fact, he's convinced he is Mr. Claus. But when he becomes ill, a new worry develops over whether Christmas can happen without him in this engaging story of holiday magic, appearances, and helpful neighbors with big imaginations.
All of these new Tiger Tales children's boos are engaging stories that kids and elementary-level libraries will appreciate.
The Middle Grade Fiction Shelf
Cemetery Ridge
Barbara Eckholdt Johnstone
Proving Press
9781633379251, $16.99 Paperback/$9.99 eBook (Grades 3-4)
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cemetery-Ridge-Barbara-Eckholdt-Johnstone/dp/1633379256
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cemetery-ridge-barbara-eckholdt-johnstone/1147505381
In Cemetery Ridge, twelve-year-old Lucy has already faced a big move from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the small town of Cemetery Ridge, Ohio. The process of settling into a new school would be difficult for anyone, but Lucy faces additional trauma and challenge when she becomes involved in a solving the puzzle of a young girl's disappearance. Facing the disdain of classmates over her school's new principal being her father, Lucy tries to tackle the mystery alone, but soon finds that she must overcome resistance and reluctance to make friends in order to achieve her goals.
Barbara Eckholdt Johnstone creates a spooky suspense mystery in Cemetery Ridge that juxtaposes some adult-sounding problems with a preteen's consideration of her new life. She reinforces Lucy's conundrums via a vivid, first-person reflective voice to bring young readers into the nuts and bolts of Lucy's life: "I dawdle at my locker, checking my phone for messages from Caitlin or Kristine and trying to avoid the groups of kids leaving the building. But zip, zilch, nada. Not one message from either of them or anyone else for that matter. Doesn't anyone back home miss me? Logan has made a smooth transition to this new school already, while I'm still fumbling, trying to... what? Fit in with the other kids? Find something I'm good at doing? Discover a new interest? My brain's on overload."
As relationships begin to form with Beth, Tiara, and others, Lucy must make some difficult decisions about trust, friendship, and perseverance as her family settles into their new lives in unexpected ways. Johnstone excels in growing a plot filled with satisfying twists and turns, clear motivations, and realistic emotional connections.
Libraries seeking leisure reads for preteens that simmer with intrigue and self-inspection will find Cemetery Ridge more than satisfies the bill for a story that operates on more than one level. It attracts with mystery while solving the bigger picture problems of finding one's place in a new environment. Filled with reflective and heart-stopping encounters, Cemetery Ridge is a story kids can learn from, enjoy, and grow from as themes of adoption and adaptation emerge from a small-town adventure.
The Beast in the Dark
John Smelcer
Epicenter Press
https://epicenterpress.com
9781684922628, $12.95, PB, 136pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Beast-Dark-Frank-John-Smelcer/dp/1684922623
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-beast-in-the-dark-frank-john-smelcer/1147370614
Synopsis: After a ferocious beast attacks a small Alaskan village, a mysterious shaman helps a courageous teenage boy prepare to defeat it. A classic hero-journey story, "The Beast in the Dark" is about how the smallest and seemingly weakest among us can overcome obstacles even the biggest and strongest could not. "The Beast in the Dark" is a Native American themed campfire tale proves that every culture has its heroes.
Critique: Original, exceptional, thought-provoking, and a fully engaging read from cover to cover, "The Beast in the Dark" is a deftly crafted novel by John Smelcer. It is an especially, unreservedly recommended pick for elementary school, middle school, and community/public library Action/Adventure Fiction collections for young readers ages 8-12. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Beast in the Dark" from Epicenter Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: John Smelcer (https://www.johnsmelcer.com) is a member of Ahtna Native Corporation. Throughout the mid-to-late 1990s, Dr. Smelcer was the tribally-appointed Executive Director of the Ahtna Heritage Foundation. Hailed as "Alaska's modern day Jack London," John Smelcer has published over sixty books, including The Raven and the Totem, his best-selling collection of Alaska Native myths and legends. His writing appears in almost a thousand magazines worldwide. As a boy, John sat around campfires in his Native village listening to elders tell traditional stories like this one.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Core Haven
Drew Faraday
Independently Published
9798290564814, $9.99, PB, 309pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Core-Haven-Drew-Faraday/dp/B0FGY8VMBM
Synopsis: At the height of the Oregon Meltdown, survival is no longer measured in days, it is measured in choices.
When a deadly mistake separates Nate from his family at the edge of an evacuation corridor, he is left with nothing but his determination, a battered water bottle, and the clothes on his back.
With the military preparing to close the last bridge across the Columbia River, time is running out. His only hope is to endure a fifty-mile trek on foot through a broken wilderness where the rules of the Old World no longer matter. Ahead lies a landscape of abandoned towns, fractured alliances, and ruthless factions fighting for control. Food is scarce, trust is dangerous, and enemies lurk in every shadow.
To survive, Nate must draw on his father's training, the memory of what he has already lost, and the hope of what he might still save.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from cover to cover, "Core Haven" by novelist Drew Faraday is aptly described as "a riveting dystopian novel of endurance, family, and the fight to keep hope alive when the world has fallen apart." As an author Faraday shows a genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling that quickly and fully engages the reader's full attention for start to finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended for middle school, highschool, and community library Science Fiction collections for young readers ages 14-18, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dystopian science fiction fans that this paperback edition of "Core Haven" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Drew Faraday (https://drewfaraday.com) is also the author of "Pearl Fields and the Oregon Meltdown" (2022).
The Cursed Cloak of the Wretched Wraith
Rob Renzetti
Penguin Workshop
c/o Penguin Young Readers Group
https://www.penguin.com
9780593519585, $21.99, Library Binding, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cursed-Cloak-Wretched-Wraith-Horrible/dp/0593519582
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cursed-cloak-of-the-wretched-wraith-3-rob-renzetti/1146455291
Synopsis: Zenith Maelstrom is running out of time. It's only been a month on Earth since he was ejected from the macabre world of GrahBhag, with his sister Apogee and best friend Kevin still trapped inside, but in GrahBhag, years are passing. And with the horrible bag out of reach, Zenith has no way to get back to save them.
That is, until a new portal opens up and provides him passage back to GrahBhag. Once there, he learns that things are more dire than he thought, as the literal fabric of the terrifying world has begun to rip at the seams. If Zenith has any chance to save his sister (and maybe even GrahBhag in the process) he will have to dive deeper into the secrets of this terrible world than he ever has before. For the Wraith is haunting, and time is not on his side...
Critique: With a unique and deftly crafted combination of dry, absurdist humor and no-holds-barred horror, with the publication of "The Cursed Cloak of the Wretched Wraith", author Rob Renzetti has once again crafted a delightfully imaginative fantasy world that will hook readers as surely as it will send chills down their spines. The third book in 'The Horrible Bag' fantasy series, "The Cursed Cloak of the Wretched Wraith" is an original and fun read from cover to cover. A welcome and highly recommended pick for elementary school, middle school, and community library Fantasy Fiction collections for young readers ages 8-12, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated action/adventure fantasy fans that this edition of "The Cursed Cloak of the Wretched Wraith" from Penguin Workshop is also readily available in paperback (9780593519592, $9.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Rob Renzetti (https://robrenzetti.com) is a veteran of TV animation whose work on Cartoon Network's Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends earned him an Emmy. He created the Nickelodeon show My Life as a Teenage Robot, acted as the supervising producer for Disney's Gravity Falls, and served as executive producer on the first two seasons of Disney's Big City Greens, among other projects. Recently, he has published four books for Disney Publishing, including Gravity Falls: Journal 3 and Onward: Quests of Yore.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Champion: A Graphic Novel
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & Raymond Obstfeld, authors
Ed Laroche, illustrator
Ten Speed Graphic
c/o Ten Speed Press
https://crownpublishing.com/imprint/ten-speed
9780593835746, $26.99, HC, 128pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Champion-Graphic-Novel-Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar/dp/0593835743
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/champion-kareem-abdul-jabbar/1146626686
Synopsis: Monk Travers is the star basketball player on his high school team. Confident about his future as an NBA player, he doesn't see the point in caring much about school, let alone his community. But his world is about to change -- big time!
After getting caught graffitiing his team's rival school, Monk comes to the awful realization that his actions have put his place on the team (and his future) in jeopardy. He's taken by surprise when his coach offers him an unorthodox way to atone: completing a report on the life of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Monk is ecstatic. He knows all Kareem's records and stats. He smugly announces that the project will be a snap, but his excitement is short-lived when Coach tells him that the project is not about Kareem's basketball career -- it's about his life as an advocate for change.
As Monk grudgingly begins his research, he discovers a history of struggles, conflicts, frustrations, and violence that he'd never been aware of, awakening a passion for social justice that rivals Kareem's own.
Authored by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar himself, alongside longtime collaborator Raymond Obstfeld, and vividly illustrated by artist Ed Laroche, "Champion: A Graphic Novel" highlights and celebrates Kareem's work for good like never before, inspiring fans of all ages.
Critique: Original, unique, engaging, deftly crafted, exceptionally well illustrated, inspired and inspiring, and an absolute 'must read' pick for the legions of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar fans, "Champion: A Graphic Novel" will prove to be an immediately welcome and enduringly popular addition to middle school, highschool, and community library Graphic Novel collections for young readers ages 12-18. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Champion: A Graphic Novel from Ten Speed Graphic is also readily available for personal reading lists in paperback (9780593835753, $19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is one of the greatest basketball players of all time as well as a committed social justice activist. In 2020, the NBA created the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award in his honor. He is a New York Times bestselling author, an award-winning documentary producer who has won two NAACP Image Awards, and a twice Emmy-nominated narrator. He is the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Ford Medal of Freedom, the Rosa Parks Award, the Double Helix Medal, the University of California Presidential Medal, and Harvard University's W. E. B. Du Bois Medal of Courage. He holds eight honorary doctorate degrees and is a U.S. Cultural Ambassador. Currently, Abdul-Jabbar serves as the chairman of Skyhook Foundation, bringing educational STEM opportunities to underserved communities. He also writes a biweekly newsletter commenting on the intersection of news, sports, and popular culture, for which he has won nine Columnist of the Year awards.
Editorial Note #2: Raymond Obstfeld is a poet, novelist, screenwriter, and nonfiction writer. He has coauthored several books with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and has published over fifty books of his own. He teaches creative writing at Orange Coast College.
Editorial Note #3: Ed Laroche is an illustrator, storyboard artist, and graphic novelist who has created advertising and commercials for clients such as CBS Studios, Warner Bros., Cartoon Network, Hasbro, and AMC. He is the creator of the Warning series and has written two critically acclaimed graphic novels, Almighty and Waveform.
The Art Shelf
How to Draw the Presidents and First Ladies
John Hutton
The White House Historical Association
www.whitehousehistory.org
9781950273454, $25.00, PB, 112pp
White House Shop
https://shop.whitehousehistory.org
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/How-Draw-Presidents-First-Ladies/dp/1950273458
Synopsis: The presidents and first ladies of the United States of America have always been a popular subject for American artists. Their official portraits line the walls of the White House, reminding all of their extraordinary lives.
Professor John Hutton, the author and illustrator of many award-winning children's books, says "Anyone can learn to draw!" And he created "How to Draw the Presidents and First Ladies" to teach children of all ages how to make their own great drawings of all of the presidents and first ladies of the United States -- from President and Mrs. George Washington to President and Mrs. Donald Trump.
Critique: John Hutton's DIY step-by-step drawing process showcased in "How to Draw the Presidents and First Ladies" is exceptionally 'kid friendly' in organization and presentation is easy and fun to follow. This large format () paperback edition of "How to Draw the Presidents and First Ladies" from The White House Historical Association is especially and unreservedly recommended for family, elementary and middle school figure drawing curriculum studies lists for children ages 8-14.
Editorial Note: John Hutton was educated at Princeton, Harvard, and the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London. He has taught art history at Salem College for more than thirty years. For the White House Historical Association, he has illustrated the presidents for our popular children's book series; How to Draw the Presidents; and The White House Easter Egg A History for All Ages.
The Native American Shelf
Origin
Nat Cardozo, author
Ian Farnes and Layla Benitez-James, translators
Red Comet Press
www.redcometpress.com
9781636551555, $25.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Origin-illuminating-Indigenous-peoples-connection/dp/1636551556
Nat Cardozo's Origin focuses on indigenous peoples of the world and their closeness to nature. Translated by Ian Farnes and Layla Benitez-James, it introduces over twenty Indigenous young people and reviews their lives, creating "you are here" attention to describing and contrasting diverse natural environments and the animals and people that live in them. Geographical sketches of the population, language, territories, and experiences of these tribes add color to the oversized presentation's full-page pictures and evocative descriptions. Origin is an engaging and standout children's picturebook.
The Music CD Shelf
Warm Fuzzies
Katie Dwyer
www.katiedwyermusic.com
West Side Rose
$15.00 CD / $10.00 digital
Creator's Website
https://www.katiedwyermusic.com/music
The third album for children and families by International Songwriting Competition and John Lennon Songwriting Contest finalist Katie Dwyer, Warm Fuzzies is a charming music album featuring original songs that range from old school rock to doo wop and jazz. Featuring Katie Dwyer's and Hazel Dwyer's jubilant vocals, Matt Nelson on piano, Sean Campbell on drums and percussion, and Blake Fougerousse on bass and guitar, Warm Fuzzies is a pleasure for all ages and especially appealing to children ages 2-7. Highly recommended! The tracks are Metronome; Moody Schmoody; Shaky Shake; Robin Bop; Heyo! (feat. Hazel Dwyer); Groovin'; Farmer Fred; If You Give Good to the World (feat. Hazel Dwyer); Hello!; Fox Socks in a Box; Pirate Red; Warm Fuzzies; Goldfish Swish; I Got a Boo Boo; Bittle Wittle Bumblebee The Cutest Thing I Ever Did See; and The Laughing Song (feat. Hazel Dwyer). 41 min.
It Goes This Way
Carol Nicodemi
Featuring Eddie, Federico, and Elyse
https://edandcarolnicodemi.com
Privately Published
$11.99 CD / $7.99 MP3 download
Creator's Website
https://edandcarolnicodemi.com/store
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008QBI3J0
Intended primarily for pre-K and kindergarten children (ages 0-7), It Goes This Way features twelve original songs that encourage positive qualities like friendship, self-esteem, imagination, love of reading, and more. The delightfully catchy guitar music makes It Goes This Way a choice pick for families, as well as school and public library collections of children's music. Highly recommended! The tracks are It Goes This Way; The Three Billy Goats Gruff; Two Kids in the City; Betcha I'm Having More Fun; I'm Glad I'm Not a Monkey; Feelings, Feelings, Feelings; Small Moments; Mr. Bubbles; Autumn; Monet's Garden; and Vincent van Gogh. 33 min.
Make a Happy Face
Carol Nicodemi
https://edandcarolnicodemi.com
Privately Published
$11.99 CD / $7.99 MP3 download
Creator's Website
https://edandcarolnicodemi.com/store
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0993Y2MBD
Intended primarily for pre-K and kindergarten children (ages 0-7), Make a Happy Face is a fun and playful music album of original, educational songs. The lyrics encourage children to develop social and emotional skills as they sing and move to the music. Carol Nicodemi's vocals (with guest vocals from Elyse Orecchio and Melody Orecchio) are a joy to listen to, supported by Ed Nicodemi's whimsical music artistry on guitar, bass, piano, toy piano, and theremin as well as Max Maples on percussion and Rachel Gawell on cello. Make a Happy Face is a choice pick for families with young children, ideal for car trips, rainy day fun, and children's parties. Highly recommended! The tracks are Dance All Over the Map; Do Like the Animals Do; Make a Happy Face; I Love To Dance Ballet; It's Ok to Make Mistakes; I Make Funny Faces For My Grandpa; We're Twins; and Storyland. 19 min.
The Multimedia Shelf
The Awesome Wonders of Your World
Houston Howard
Global Galactics, LLC
www.globalgalactics.com
9798991154697, $24.99 Hardcover/$19.99 Paperback, (Ages 5-10)
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/AWEsome-Wonders-Your-World-Jaw-Dropping/dp/B0F9P2GFSP
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-awesome-wonders-of-your-world-houston-howard/1147470717
The Awesome Wonders of Your World is based on a concept by Karinna and Timothy Karsten. It presents the adventures of SparkStar, a galactic pup from the planet Sirius whose favorite word is 'AWE'.
This world prefaces many of his descriptions and encounters, making for a picture book story warm in surprise and replete with excitements further enhanced by the story's interactive potential as SparkStar explores the wonders of Planet Earth.
Kids are invited to "dive into a rainbow sea" to observe how reefs protect ocean life; to "hear the whispers of the clouds" over Machu Picchu, whose stones tell the stories of the ancient Inca; or paddle into Chile's Marble Caves, where the walls shimmer with color.
Each observation is linked with an actionable thought that read-aloud parents can transmit to kids to encourage them to better understand their own place in the world and their connections to it "These colorful caves were shaped drop by drop. Little steps can make big change. What little steps will YOU take today?"
This impact is deepened by a suite of sing-along lyric videos (one for each wonder) accessible through QR codes in the book. These videos transform reading into a multi-sensory experience, blending music, imagery, and words to spark joy, movement, and memory.
The book also comes with a free downloadable Adventure Pack filled with activities, prompts, and creative challenges that invite children to take the spirit of exploration into their own backyards, neighborhoods, and imaginations -- bridging the gap between the wonders on the page and the awe waiting in their everyday world.
Exceptionally gorgeous, colorful landscapes permeate this uplifting survey of the Earth's physical wonders, reviewing how mental adjustments can empower kids to better appreciate and interact with these worlds: "Climb with me to the clouds! Mount Everest is so tall, it kisses the stars. Even the best climbers need friends to reach the top."
The Awesome Wonders of Your World's lessons in positivity draws important connections between humans and nature that makes it a standout both for its visual attraction and for its psychological strengths. Kids and read-aloud adults will find The Awesome Wonders of Your World celebratory, exceptional, and the perfect tool for introducing issues of responsibility, connection, and self-examination to the very young.
All these elements make for an exceptional book highly recommended for all kinds of picture book collections as well as adults seeking especially evocative, thought-provoking reading for kids.
The Folktale/Fairytale Shelf
The Boy Who Cried Wolf!
Retold by Uzma Farooq, MD, and Samir and Amani Ahmad
Dark Horse Studios, LLC
https://boywhocriedwolfbook.com
9798891385672, $19.95 HC, $9.99 Kindle, 38pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cried-Other-Great-Stories-Lessons/dp/B0F7S5YK3X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-boy-who-cried-wolf-and-other-great-stories-with-lessons-dr-uzma-farooq/1147559943
The Boy Who Cried Wolf! And Other Great Stories With Lessons takes a number of classics and translates them into new forms of understanding that read-aloud parents and picture book readers and listeners will find fresh and original.
Take the opening story of 'The Tortoise and the Hare.' Added descriptive embellishments portray the "arrogant hare mocking an old tortoise," retold in a colorful way that emphasizes the lesson that "slow and steady wins the race..." (even impossible races, apparently, where the outcome seems set before the contest begins).
The lesson in 'The Fox and the Crow' offers a fun example of avoiding false admiration as a clever fox finds a way to make a crow drop her food by praising her ability to sing.
Equally (and perhaps especially) notable is the gorgeous full-page art by Kam Wing Lo and Lai Sun Ip which bring these fables to life. Yes, these stories are classics. But, retold here and emphasized by concluding rationale that parents can easily use to teach the very young about morals of the stories, The Boy Who Cried Wolf! And Other Great Stories With Lessons creates a vivid, colorful contemporary winner that libraries and read-aloud parents will want to acquire.
The Christian Shelf
Wild Faith Devotional for Kids
Valerie Ellis, author
Jen Bricking, illustrator
WaterBrook Press
c/o WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
https://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9780593582596, $16.99, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Faith-Devotional-Kids-Amazing/dp/0593582594
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wild-faith-devotional-for-kids-valerie-ellis/1146800753
Synopsis: God created the world. Every aspect displays God's strength and love. And though Creation can never fully express the wonders of the Lord, sometimes examples from nature can make God's truth come alive to us.
That's why "Wild Faith Devotional for Kids: 52 Amazing Animals That Point to One Great God" gathers well-known animals like flamingos, snakes, dogs, and cats along with lesser-known creatures like the capybara, glass frog, and rock-climbing goby to help kids celebrate God's creativity, seek God with all their hearts, and rest in God's great love for them.
"Wild Faith Devotional for Kids" by author Valerie Ellis is simply packed from cover to cover with spiritual truths and scientific knowledge. All 52 devotions comrising this devotional include:
Stunning illustrations and striking photography by Jen Bricking
Bible verses and short prayers
Interactive "Make It Stick" and "Live It Out" sections
Fun facts highlighting quirky or unbelievable details
The "Wild Faith Devotional" is perfect for creature-loving and Bible-loving kids ready to go deeper into their Christian faith!
Critique: Original, clever, beautifully illustrated throughout, impressively informative, and thoroughly 'kid friendly' in tone, style, organization and presentation, "Wild Faith Devotional for Kids: 52 Amazing Animals That Point to One Great God" is inspired and inspiring -- making it an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to family, Sunday School, and community library Animal/Zoology and Christian Studies collections for children ages 7-12.
Editorial Note #1: Valerie Ellis (https://valerieellis.com) is an author, speaker, and founder of Our Everyday Parables, an online resource with book reviews and ideas for families pursuing faith and compassion. She lives in Houston, Texas, where she stays involved with The MomCo, SCBWI, and a variety of local nonprofits.
Editorial Note #2: Jennifer Bricking (https://jenbricking.com) is an artist currently living in Seattle, Washington. She works as a concept artist for video games and as an illustrator for young adult and middle grade books, picture books, magazines and ads.
God Loves Kids: A Gospel-Centered Book About Foster Care
Jamie C. Finn, author
Juliana Oakley, illustrator
Baker Publishing Group
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9781540904041, $18.99, HC, 32pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/God-Loves-Kids-Gospel-Centered-Foster/dp/1540904040
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/god-loves-kids-jamie-c-finn/1147013441
Synopsis: God loves kids, and his really good plan is for them to grow up in loving families with everything they need to be safe, happy, and whole.
But the brokenness in the world has caused really big problems in some families. Because God loves these families, he provides people to help them, as well as foster families to welcome the kids who need safe and loving homes. How can we help young kids in foster families, kids in foster care, or kids simply learning to understand foster care in a gentle and biblical way?
Beautifully illustrated by Juliana Oakley, "God Loves Kids: A Gospel-Centered Book About Foster Care" by author/storyteller Jamie C. Finn is a trauma-informed, gospel-centered children's picture book designed to help foster parents, caregivers, and children to navigate difficult conversations and discussions about foster care with kids.
Beginning with God's initial plan for kids and families, the story of "God Loves Kids" introduces, with compassion and sensitivity, the challenges that bring about the need for foster care, what it looks like for foster families to show up for kids, and the different feelings everyone involved in foster care may experience.
"God Loves Kids" ends where it begins -- with the promise that God has a good plan for the kids he loves. This unique resource helps children understand foster care and how they can trust God and his good plan to redeem every single story.
Critique: Original, unique, informative, engaging, and thoroughly 'kid friendly' in tone, organization, presentation, and attraction, "God Loves Kids: A Gospel-Centered Book About Foster Care" is an especially and unreservedly recommended for family, foster family, daycare center, preschool, Kindergarten, Sunday School, and community/public library picture book collections for children ages 3-5
Editorial Note #1: Jamie C. Finn is also the author of "Foster the Family and Filled". She is the founder and president of Foster the Family, a national nonprofit that serves vulnerable children and the families welcoming them, as well as the founder of the Filled Gathering, the largest gathering of foster and adoptive moms in the world. She shares about the real life of a foster and adoptive mom on her popular social media accounts and is a sought-after speaker. Jamie is the mother of seven children through foster care, adoption, and birth.
Editorial Note #2: Juliana Oakley (https://www.julianaoakley.com) is an Illustrator from Latvia who is now based in Bahrain. Her art is contemporary in style but with a bit of nostalgia with respect to mid-century designs. Her work is very colorful, often childlike, with a touch of humor and mystery. Her illustration process often starts with pencil sketch. Some elements of her illustrations might be done in colored pencils, gouache or acrylics and then incorporated in the illustration and finished digitally.
The Just Love Story Bible
Jacqui Lewis, author
Shannon Daley-Harris, author
Cheryl Thuesday, illustrator
Beaming Books
https://www.beamingbooks.com
9781506487182, $24.99, HC, 295pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Just-Love-Story-Bible/dp/1506487181
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-just-love-story-bible-jacqui-lewis/1145582297
Synopsis: In a bold and inspiring new storybook Bible for children, co-authors Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis and Rev. Dr. Shannon Daley-Harris join a long line of sacred storytellers and question-askers. For thousands of years, people have told stories, sung songs, asked hard questions, and shared experiences to learn about God and how to live as God's people. The big message of the Bible is that God loves us and created us to love God and each other, to do justice, and to love kindness.
"The Just Love Story Bible" invites children into this big story. The Just Love Story Bible" is isn't a book of answers but an invitation to ask important questions. People have always wondered about the great mysteries and, most importantly, the great questions of life. What are the best, most loving, and fairest ways to live with each other? Can we believe in something huge and mysterious and invisible like God and still have questions, doubts, and disagreements? What does it look like to be a follower of Jesus?
Through retellings of thoughtfully selected Bible stories, "The Just Love Story Bible" presents a way to hear how others have also had questions about God, and the answers they discovered; to have your own ideas and ponder your own experiences; and to keep on wondering.
"The Just Love Story Bible" includes:
Fifty-two Bible stories: Twenty-six from the Old Testament and twenty-six from the New Testament.
Bold, striking illustrations created by Cheryl "Ras" Thuesday, depicting gorgeous scenes and biblical characters in various shades of brown.
Cultural, religious, and historical context to help kids learn about the experiences of people in ancient times.
Explorations of genre and biblical storytelling styles in words kids can understand.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout by Cheryl Thuesday, and thoroughly 'kid friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Just Love Story Bible" is especially and unreservedly recommended for family, Sunday School, and community library Devotional Christianity and Bible Story collections for children ages 4-10. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "The Just Love Story Bible" from Beaming Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.08).
Editorial Note #1: The Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis is Senior Minister and Public Theologian at Middle Church in New York City. In her activism, preaching, speaking, writing, and teaching, Jacqui advocates for racial equality, gun control, economic justice, and equal rights for all sexual orientations and genders. A world-renowned theologian, Jacqui has been featured on The Today Show, All In with Chris Hayes, Good Morning America, The Jonathan Capehart Show, The Brian Lehrer Show, The Takeaway, NY1, ABC, NBC, PBS, CBS and many more. Her writing has appeared in outlets like Harper's Bazaar, Vox, Ebony, Essence, The Huffington Post and Religion News Service. She is the author of several books, including the children's books You are So Wonderful and The Just Love Story Bible. Her most recent book for adults is Fierce Love: A Bold Path to a Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness That Can Heal the World.
Editorial Note #2: The Rev. Dr. Shannon Daley-Harris is the Associate Dean of Auburn Theological Seminary. Previously, she was the director of Just Love Families and worked with Middle Church to develop its Just Love Families initiative to equip parents and other caregivers across the country with resources, approaches, and coaching to use the power of story to nurture a justice- and love-centered faith in their children. Shannon served for over three decades with the Children's Defense Fund including creating and directing CDF's Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry and National Observance of Children's Sabbaths. Shannon is also the author of Hope for the Future: Answering God's Call to Justice for Our Children and numerous other publications. An ordained minister of word and sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), she holds an M.Div. from Wesley Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from Drew Theological School.
Editorial Note 33: Cheryl "Ras" Thuesday is an illustrator originally from South London, England. At an early age, her family moved to the United States and settled in a small town in New Jersey. Later, she attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where she learned to marry fine arts with commercial artistry. Her Caribbean and Asian heritage influences her color choices throughout her illustrations. She has created artwork for various companies and publications including the New York Times, NPR, Adobe, and others. She has illustrated several picture books including Kind Like Marsha, Willis Watson Is a Wannabe, and Edie for Equality.
The Judaic Shelf
The Remembering Candle
Alison Goldberg, author
Selina Alko, illustrator
Barefoot Books
www.barefootbooks.com
9798888596487, $17.99, HC, 32pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Candle-Alison-Goldberg/dp/B0DY4573CT
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-remembering-candle-alison-goldberg/1147044294
Synopsis: "The Remembering Candle" is a peaceful picture book celebration of the memories our loved ones leave with us when they pass.
I was sad when Grandpa died. I think about how sad Mom was too.
Mom says she misses Grandpa, but all her memories are like shining lights.
Grandpa died last November. Now, one year later on the anniversary of his death, a boy and his family light a special candle. It's not a birthday, Hanukkah, or Shabbat candle. It's a yahrzeit candle in remembrance of him, and it will burn all night and all day tomorrow until sunset. But why does it burn for so long?
The boy and his family spend the next night and day remembering Grandpa and sharing stories with each other. From his stylish hats, to piano duets, and apple squares for dessert, warm memories of Grandpa shine like stars with them while the yahrzeit candle burns - and continue to shine when it goes out.
Critique: "The Remembering Candle" by author/storyteller Alison Goldberg and artist/illustrator Selina Alko explains the Jewish memorial tradition of a yahrzeit candle, demonstrates how happy memories of our loved ones help us deal with grief, and is enhanced for the reader's benefit with
Endnotes with more information about the Jewish calendar and memorial traditions. Thoroughly 'kid friendly' in tone, organization and presentation, "The Remembering Candle" is an original and highly recommended pick for family, elementary school, and community library Jewish Culture & Religion themed picture book collections for young readers ages 6-8. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "The Remembering Candle" from Barefoot Books is also available in paperback (9798888596494, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Alison Goldberg (www.AlisonGoldberg.com) is the author of fiction and nonfiction picture books. She often finds writing inspiration from family stories and thinking about the ways that stories can connect people across generations.
Editorial Note #2: Selina Alko (https://www.selinaalko.com) spends her days dreaming and remembering in her Brooklyn, New York, studio where she mixes collaged papers and acrylic paint to make richly textured illustrations for children's books. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Selina often thinks about her Turkish father who taught her how to paint and encouraged her to become an artist.
Suzie Housley's Bookshelf
The Central Park Irregulars
Paul Cicchini
One Knight Publishing
9798218685539, $11.99 PB, $2.99 Kindle, 135 pages
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Central-Park-Irregulars-Paul-Cicchini-ebook/dp/B0FHHZ7CZP
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-central-park-irregulars-paul-a-cicchini/1147428515
Synopsis: Life on the family farm changes dramatically for Harper Jensen when her mother accepts a curator position in Manhattan. Skyscrapers, bustling streets, and the sprawling paths of Central Park suddenly replaced the countryside of Devon. Adjusting isn't easy, especially since Harper's father stays behind to manage the farm.
But Central Park holds more than its picturesque scenery. On her first adventure there, Harper and a group of new friends uncover a mystery linked to a missing artifact - one that places her mother's career in jeopardy.
Banding together as The Central Park Irregulars, the kids set out on a thrilling quest through iconic landmarks, face down a schoolyard bully, and follow a trail of cryptic clues. Can they solve the mystery before time runs out and her mother's reputation is lost?
Critique: The Central Park Irregulars is an energetic and compelling mystery that will keep young readers turning the pages. The characters are vivid and relatable, each contributing to a story that blends humor, suspense, and heart.
Paul Cicchini skillfully portrays the excitement and challenges of adapting to a new city while weaving in themes of friendship, courage, and perseverance. This is an imaginative and memorable read that mystery lovers will treasure.
Editorial Note: Recommended for readers ages 9-14.
Carter Knox and The Lost Legacy
Dr. Michael J. Hockwater
NFB Publishing
https://www.nfbpublishing.com
9798999085177, $5.99 Kindle, $14.95 PB, 151 pages
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Carter-Knox-Legacy-Michael-Hockwater-ebook/dp/B0FJ8Y1X1B
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/carter-knox-and-the-lost-legacy-michael-j-hockwater/1147867479
Synopsis: In the blink of an eye, Carter Knox's world turns upside down when his mother disappears and restless ghosts invade his once-normal life. What begins as a desperate search for answers quickly transforms into an epic adventure when Carter learns the Egyptian god Osiris has chosen him to protect history itself.
With only a magical ankh, the loyalty of his best friends Charlotte and Lincoln, and sheer determination, Carter plunges into a high-stakes quest against the sinister Knowledge Keepers - a secret society willing to destroy anyone who threatens their control.
Will his powerful will and determination be enough to battle the Knowledge Keepers and find his mother? Or is he placing himself on a path of destruction?
Critique: Carter Knox and The Lost Legacy is a fast-paced, imaginative adventure layered with mystery and rich in atmosphere. From eerie museum halls to ancient ruins steeped in legend, the story sweeps readers into a world where history, myth, and danger collide. At its core, it's not only a race to preserve the past but also a journey of friendship, bravery, and self-discovery.
Dr. Michael J. Hockwater writes with the true heart of a storyteller, blending intrigue, emotional depth, and page-turning suspense. Both teens and adults will find themselves captivated by this tale - a story that lingers long after the last page. Carter emerges as an unforgettable hero, destined to capture the imagination of all who are brave enough to travel with him on his adventure.
Editorial Note: Recommended for readers ages 12-18 years old.
The Best Worst Christmas Ever
Thomas J. Thorson
Independently Published
9781735836690, Kindle $5.99, $13.99, HC, 164 pages
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Worst-Christmas-Ever/dp/1735836699
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-best-worst-christmas-ever-thomas-j-thorson/1147825049
Synopsis: What if the worst Christmas ever... turned out to be the best?
The Best Worst Christmas Ever is a side-splitting and heartwarming holiday tale full of charm, chaos, and unexpected magic. When a surprise blizzard derails the Natale family's sunny Christmas vacation, they find themselves snowed in, powerless, and way off their original destination.
Amid the mayhem, something unexpectedly beautiful unfolds - laughter, love, and the rediscovery of what truly matters. With quirky humor, lovable characters, and just the right amount of holiday whimsy, Thorson captures the spirit of Christmas most unexpectedly.
Critique: The Best Worst Christmas Ever is a book that shines most in its subtle but powerful message: that the true spirit of Christmas lies not in picture-perfect plans or warm-weather escapes but in shared experiences - even (or especially) the chaotic, unplanned ones.
Thomas J. Thorson's signature quirky humor creates a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. The Best Worst Christmas Ever is a warm, feel-good story that resonates with readers of all ages.
Thorson crafts a narrative that balances humor with heartfelt moments. The characters, with their relatable struggles and ultimate rediscovery of joy, are endearing and engaging. His writing style is crisp and charming, with just the right touch of whimsy to elevate the story beyond typical holiday fare.
Editorial Note: Recommended for readers ages 6-12 years old.
Suzie Housley, Senior Reviewer
https://housleysliteraryservices.com
The Story Monsters Ink
Shelf
Story Monsters LLC is dedicated to helping authors of all genres strive for excellence through our marketing and
publicity services, Dragonfly Book Awards contests, Story Monsters Approved! awards program, opportunities for
connecting with schools, and the award-winning Story Monsters Ink(R) magazine.
Wriggle and Buzz: My First Book of Bugs
Simon Mole, author
Adam Ming, illustrator
Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536238877, $19.98
Lindsay Moretti
Reviewer
An entertaining and vibrant introduction to the world of bugs, this playful collection of poems brings the world of crawlies to life. Colorful illustrations and witty verse offer readers an exploration of the important roles bugs play in our ecosystem and celebrates their diversity. Engaging back matter extends the learning, explaining the difference between bugs and insects and offering practical tips for supporting these critters in our environment. (Ages 2-5)
Animal Heroes: Supersquads!
Heather Lang and Jamie Harper, authors
Jamie Harper, illustrator
Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536217988, $18.99
Deb Greenberg
Reviewer
For kids (and adults) interested in animals in the wild, this comics-style book offers an engaging presentation about animal squads and their communication, leadership, organization, diversity, and unity. You'll learn that spiny lobsters take turns at the front of the line when navigating to warmer waters. Ostriches use their keen eyesight and team up with zebras and their excellent sense of smell to create a defense against predators. Chickadees add extra "dees" to their calls to warn their flock. Complete with creative illustrations, interesting animal facts, and resources in the back. (Ages 3-7)
Sometimes You Find a Dragon
Viviane Schwarz
Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536245110, $18.99
Deb Greenberg
Reviewer
There's creativity in all of us... and there are many ways to express ourselves through words, art, and more. Like when a dragon (twig) falls to the ground after a storm, the first step is to figure out what it needs and wants, and then put your creative energy to use. There are dragons (different forms of art and expression) in every paintbrush, musical instrument, dance step, and more. A wonderful message for all kids (and adults) to give their creativity a try. (Ages 3-7)
Oh Dear, Look What I Got!
Michael Rosen, author
Helen Oxenbury, illustrator
Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536235685, $17.99
Lindsay Moretti
Reviewer
Another delightful read-aloud from the beloved creators of We're Going on a Bear Hunt. Sent on a simple errand to buy a carrot, the main character returns with an unexpected - and increasingly wild - menagerie of animals instead. With Rosen's signature rhythmic repetition and Oxenbury's charming, expressive illustrations, this playful tale overflows with humor and heart. (Ages 3-7)
One Diwali Day
Dev Kothari, author
Aditi Anand, illustrator
Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536247473, $18.99
Deb Greenberg
Reviewer
Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, and little Ronak is excited for all the joyous activities that it brings: There are rangolis to draw with colorful powders and chalk, new outfits to wear, lots of sweets to eat, and bright fireworks to light up the sky. Little readers can experience the excitement with him and even learn to make their own Diwali Pedas using the instructions in the back. (Ages 4-6)
Adventures at Lake Omigosh
Scott Sollers
Mascot Kids
https://mascotbooks.com
9798891381742, $19.95
Deb Greenberg
Reviewer
For many years, kids and adults have flocked to Lake Omigosh in New Hampshire, where some claim to have witnessed a mysterious creature drifting on the lake. When best friends Felix and Harry arrive at summer camp on the lake, they're super excited to go biking, hiking, and canoeing... so excited that they ignore camp rules and take the canoe out right before a big storm arrives. See what happens (and learn a lesson about following rules) when their canoe flips over, stranding the boys in the lake. (Ages 4-8)
Nini at Carnival
Errol Lloyd
Thames & Hudson
https://www.thamesandhudson.com
9780500653791, $16.95
Lindsay Moretti
Reviewer
Originally published in 1978, Nini at Carnival is a timeless celebration of friendship and community. When Carnival day arrives, Nini feels left out and disappointed as she has no costume to wear. But with the help of a "fairy godmother," she discovers the magic of Carnival isn't just in the costumes, but in the spirit of celebration itself. Filled with rich color and textured illustrations, this classic story continues to bring joy to its readers. (Ages 4-8)
My Brave Friend: Emma and Noah Face Cancer Together
Suzanne Stone and Brett Fox, authors
Srimalie Bassani, illustrator
Mascot Kids
https://mascotbooks.com
9798891383425, $22.95
Lindsay Moretti
Reviewer
My Brave Friend is a heartfelt tribute to the power of friendship during life's toughest moments. When Noah learns his friend Emma has cancer, his initial fear gives way to understanding and support. With clear, kid-friendly language, the book explains what cancer is and how it affects people, helping young readers process a difficult topic. This story thoughtfully reminds us that what brave kids need most is love, empathy, and support. (Ages 4-8)
I am NOT Sophie!
Robyn Hodess, author
Terry Kole, illustrator
Mascot Kids
https://mascotbooks.com
9798891383838, $19.95
Lindsay Moretti
Reviewer
A joyful celebration of imagination and playful identity. Sophie insists she's not herself, but rather a different wild animal each day of the week. From a roaring tiger to a chomping alligator, her mom happily joins in on the fun. This spirited story captures the magic of pretend play. Vibrant and energetic, it's sure to spark laughter and inspire young readers to unleash their own creativity. (Ages 5-8)
Measuring Up: How Oliver Smoot Became a Standard Unit of Measurement
Jenny Lacika, author
Anna Bron, illustrator
MIT Kids Press
c/o Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536230123, $18.99
Deb Greenberg
Reviewer
What's a smoot? The true story of an MIT student and his classmates will give readers the answer. At five-foot-seven-inches, Oliver Smoot was selected by his student friends to be used to measure the length of a bridge that runs over the Charles River from Boston to their college in Cambridge... one lying-down Oliver Smoot at a time. See how Ollie became famous for his height and what became of the smoot. Entertaining and informative with a unique presentation to get kids interested in mathematics. Learn more about smoots, MIT pranks, and unusual measurements in the back of the book. (Ages 5-8)
Some of Us: A Story of Citizenship and the United States
Rajani LaRocca, author
Huy Voun Lee, illustrator
Christy Ottaviano Books
c/o Hachette
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com
9780316571753, $18.99
Lindsay Moretti
Reviewer
A thoughtful nonfiction exploration of the many paths to American citizenship. With clarity and heart, the book highlights the diverse journeys people undertake in search of opportunity, and the various processes they navigate to become citizens. Vibrant illustrations add depth and warmth to the narrative. It is a powerful message, both timely and truthful. Whether born on this soil or choosing it as home... we are all Americans. (Ages 5-9)
Unicorn Post
Emma Yarlett
Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536246469, $17.99
Lindsay Moretti
Reviewer
Engaging and full of heart, this delightful novelty book invites readers to open letters and join a young girl on her quest to find the perfect home for a unicorn. From pet shops to grand castles, each stop on the journey captures the magic of friendship, determination, and the joy of finding a place where you truly belong. With delightful interactive elements, this is a warm, enchanting read that's sure to captivate young readers. (Ages 5-9)
Galaxy Mapper: The Luminous Discoveries of Astrophysicist Helene Courtois
Allie Summers, author
Sian James, illustrator
MIT Kids Press
c/o Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536228977, $18.99
Deb Greenberg
Reviewer
Astrophysicist Helene Courtois, the only woman in her science classes, learned to map the compositions of galaxies. This book about a contemporary female scientist will fascinate young readers and science enthusiasts interested in the cosmic landscape (and even those who might not yet be interested). With lyrical text, captivating illustrations, and additional interesting information in the back, Galaxy Mapper is a wonderful story for all kids. (Ages 5-9)
Maggie Sparks and the Swimming Pool Sharks
Steve Smallman, author
Esther Hernando, illustrator
Jolly Fish Press
c/o North Star Editions
https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press
9781631639289, $28.39 library binding / $6.99 pbk
Deb Greenberg
Reviewer
The curly-haired, freckle-faced witch is up to mischief again in book 2 of the Maggie Sparks series. Despite not being allowed to do magic on her own, and especially not weather spells, Maggie not only makes snow for her and best friend Arthur to play in, she also warms her boots, then falls through the ice and into the freezing water... which creates a small problem: she can't swim. That's when her mother signs her up for swimming lessons, and the real shenanigans begin. Dive into the magical world of Maggie Sparks, as she uses her powers to help Arthur and to reach the ranks of Sharks swimmers. (Ages 7-11)
I Am America: Brave Bird at Wounded Knee
Rachel Bithell, author
Eric Freeberg, illustrator
Jolly Fish Press
c/o North Star Editions
https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press
9781631636851, $11.99 pbk
Deb Greenberg
Reviewer
Patsy Antoine is a young girl in Denver, Colorado in 1973. Her mother is white, and her father is Lakota. When she learns in school about the Battle of Wounded Knee, she realizes it's near the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, where her relatives are. They are stuck amid the conflict between American Indian Movement activists and Oglala Lakota tribe members, and federal marshals and FBI agents. Follow Patsy as she gets caught up in the protests, and learn more about the Lakota and U.S. history. Part of the I Am America series, which features fictional stories based on important events. (Ages 8-12)
The Stolen Songbird
Judith Eagle, author
Jo Rioux, illustrator
Walker Books US
c/o Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536242683, $18.99
Christine Irvin
Reviewer
Caro's mother often takes off for parts unknown to participate in adventures Caro is never part of. But Caro's mother always comes back, even if sometimes it takes longer for her to do so than others. Until this time. This time, Caro's mother not only disappears, but no one really knows where she has gone. Caro must go to live with her grouchy great-aunt, someone she barely knows and doesn't like. She also discovers a piece of art hidden in the lining of one of her mother's old suitcases. The combination of a new home, the uncertainty of her future, and the mystery surrounding the artwork thrust Caro into a precarious position. Author Judith Eagle weaves these elements together into a story readers can enjoy. (Ages 8-12)
The Picasso Curse
Dan Gutman
Holiday House
https://holidayhouse.com
9780823453856, $18.99
Christine Irvin
Reviewer
Edwin Hodge bought a poster of Kobe Bryant at a local flea market. He paid $10 for it. He liked the poster but he didn't like the frame it was in. When he removed it from the frame, a piece of paper with what looked like a scribbled doodle fell out. Turns out the "doodle" was allegedly a Picasso original. Of course, that discovery changed everything - and not necessarily for the better. Author Dan Gutman mixes fact with fiction for an exciting story that, as he says, is like "watching a movie." And just like in a movie (a good one), you never know what is going to happen next. (Ages 8-12)
Bunns Rabbit
Alan Barillaro
Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536214673, $18.99
Christine Irvin
Reviewer
Bunns Rabbit is born with an abnormality: instead of having long ears, she has two very small ears. Even though they work like regular ears, they don't look like everyone else's. So, of course, every rabbit in the burrow makes fun of her. There is also talk of ostracizing Bunns and her family. Bunns runs away from home in an effort to protect her family and also with the hopes of finding a magic cure for her ears. What transpires is an unexpected journey of danger and self-discovery that takes Bunns far away from home, where she realizes it's okay to be different and that being different is oftentimes better than being "normal." Alan Barillaro is an award-winning writer, director, and animator. He uses his skills to bring some "magic" to the hearts of both the young and old. (Ages 8-12)
In the Forests of the Night
Alison Hughes
DCB Young Readers
c/o Cormorant Books
https://www.cormorantbooks.com
9781770867857, $14.95
Christine Irvin
Reviewer
Ellis lives in an orphanage, one that is anything but bright and sunny. Ellis now has no friends at the orphanage as her only friend, Lora, disappeared about a year ago. Since then, Ellis has been haunted by Lora's last words, spoken in a dream, "We must get to the forests of the night." Many unexpected twists and turns of the narrative put Ellis in danger, where she must fight for her very survival, all the while trying to figure out what Lora meant. This is a story of a world run by evil people who want to control everything. It's a dark tale, but it has a good ending. (Ages 9-12)
Sweet, Tart
Kara Thom
Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536239256, $18.99
Christine Irvin
Reviewer
Halle loves horses and is heartsick after witnessing the death of a racehorse. She has just moved to a new home, which is a short distance from the horse farm where the racehorse that died was raised. Halle meets the farm's owner and spends time with the other horses there. While she learns to take care of horses, she also learns how to slowly let go of her grief. The author shares with readers not only some trivia about horses but also some insight as to how horses can be used for emotional therapy, all while telling a good story. (Ages 9-12)
Magicalia
Jennifer Bell
Walker Books US
c/o Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536251401, $18.99 hc / $12.99 pbk
Deb Greenberg
Reviewer
In the first book in a new fantasy series, after Bitsy's dad is kidnapped by a woman with a giant hamstoceros, Bitsy and her best friend Kosh find themselves in a world of magical creatures, ancient meteorites, strange beasts, and secret organizations, following clues that take them on an around-the-world adventure in an attempt to rescue him from a mysterious villain. Another imaginative fantasy from internationally bestselling author Bell. (Ages 9-12)
Biggest Fake in the Universe
Johan Rundberg
Amazon Crossing Kids
9781662532030, $18.99 hc / $9.99 pbk
Christine Irvin
Reviewer
In an effort to impress a girl, Mo takes up the sport of skateboarding, although he's never been on a skateboard. After a few weeks of learning to ride, Mo and others are given a chance to show off their skills. Mo is sure he will wipe out and end his short career. But he accidentally manages to not only stay on his board but to make some maneuvers that impress everyone, so much so that his exploits go viral. He knows his performance was just a fluke, but how can he convince others without making a fool of himself? This is a story that accurately portrays the angst of growing up - understanding your strengths and weaknesses and figuring out how to be comfortable being who you are. (Ages 9-12)
Undisclosed
Aya de Leon
Candlewick
https://www.candlewick.com
9781536239348, $19.99 hc
Christine Irvin
Reviewer
Amani Kendall's family is part of an organization of spies known as the Factory. Their mission is to safeguard people of color. Their cover might soon be blown by Danielle, a teenager whose father was killed in the line of duty for the Factory. She feels the need to share her story with unauthorized people, and that puts everyone in the organization at risk. Amani goes undercover in an effort to stop this from happening. This is the third installment of DeLeon's Factory series that features the Kendall family as they fight for truth and justice for people of color. The storyline provides an interesting take on the topic of racism, as well as an interesting story overall. (Ages 12-14)
Walking on Eggshells
Jennifer Phillips
Jolly Fish Press
c/o North Star Editions
https://northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press
9781631639128, $27.39 hc / $8.29 pbk
Deb Greenberg
Reviewer
Kai, a 16-year-old aspiring chef, must learn how to accept help after he experiences his first episode of psychosis. He now has medications to take, his dad is always hovering, and everyone at school keeps staring at him. But Kai is determined not to let any of that distract him from making it as a chef as he attempts to focus on his culinary arts program. Things start to spin out of control, and he struggles with who he can trust. Another winner from Horizon's Hi-Lo books that provide simple sentence structures and an accessible format, making them perfect for teen reluctant readers. (Ages 14+)
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
www.midwestbookreview.com
Copyright ©2001
Site design by Williams Writing, Editing &
Design