Kids

Forget worms.  Here’s the real question: will the early bird get the cookie?  Find out when you read the third installment in the delightful Interrupting Chicken series.

Interrupting Chicken: Cookies for Breakfast by David Ezra Stein (11/09/21)
It’s bright and early on a Saturday morning, and the little red chicken wants cookies for breakfast. What better way to persuade Papa than by jarring him awake and gleefully interjecting cookies—and herself!—into every nursery rhyme they read together? Though the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe heartily endorses the little red chicken’s plan, Papa has his own idea for a sweet breakfast for his determined daughter.

Don’t miss this delightful video featuring the author/illustrator and a fantastic Interrupting Chicken marionette!

EEEEEeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

That was me, squealing, when I learned that Sharon Draper planned to write a sequel to Out of My Mind.  You will probably make a similar squealing noise when you learn that it is coming out this week!

Out of My Heart by Sharon M. Draper (11/09/21)
Melody is a year older, and a year braver. And now with her Medi-talker, she feels nothing’s out of her reach, not even summer camp. There have to be camps for differently-abled kids like her, and she’s going to sleuth one out. A place where she can trek through a forest, fly on a zip line, and even ride on a horse! A place where maybe she really can finally make a real friend, make her own decisions, and even do things on her own—the dream!

There’s a new book in The Questioneers picture book series!  Get ready to meet Aaron, a boy who loves to draw – and struggles to read.  The author says this latest story is inspired by the book’s illustrator David Roberts, who is dyslexic.  And, super-cool, it is printed with a dyslexia-friendly font!

Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty (11/02/21)
 Aaron Slater loves listening to stories and dreams of one day writing them himself. But when it comes to reading, the letters just look like squiggles to him, and it soon becomes clear he struggles more than his peers. When his teacher asks each child in the class to write a story, Aaron can’t get a single word down. He is sure his dream of being a storyteller is out of reach . . . until inspiration strikes, and Aaron finds a way to spin a tale in a way that is uniquely his. 

November is Native American Heritage Month.  There is an excellent website curated by the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Gallery of Art, the National Park Service, the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.  It pays tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.  I have also put together booklists of the most recent releases.  Native American/First Nation narratives make up only 1% of the total publishing industry each year.  This means we don't have enough books!  But there is good news.  Of those titles, 83% are OwnVoices works.  This means they were written and/or illustrated by people that identify as Native American/First Nation.  I hope you'll read at least one of them this month.

2021 Native American Picture Books & Biographies

2021 Native American Novels

ROOAAARRRR into Dinovember with these dino-mite new picture books!

The last Friday of October is always declared Frankenstein Friday, in honor of author Mary Shelley and her literary creation.  Her groundbreaking book about Dr. Frankenstein and his monster continues to inspire in the year 2021.  Check out these two new picture books!

Frankenslime by Joy Keller (07/13/21)
Victoria Franken is a slime scientist.  Her experiments lead to amazing slimes. Until, one dark and stormy night, her latest experiment goes awry and her newest creation COMES TO LIFE!  This picture book twist on horror movies also explores the scientific method and the importance of recording observations and results.  If the story inspires you to make your own slime, you’ll want to take a look at Super Slime by Sophie Parkes and Ultimate Slime by Alyssa Jagan.

Discover the Korean War through the eyes of the journalist who covered it in this 11th installment of the New York Times bestselling graphic novel series.

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Cold War Correspondent (10/26/21)

Jeff Kinney has penned the 16^th book in his popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series!  I think that officially makes him a big shot author.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot (10/26/21)
After a disastrous field day competition at school, Greg decides that when it comes to his athletic career, he’s officially retired. But after his mom urges him to give sports one more chance, he reluctantly agrees to sign up for basketball.  Tryouts are a mess, and Greg is sure he won’t make the cut. But he unexpectedly lands a spot on the worst team.

As Greg and his new teammates start the season, their chances of winning even a single game look slim. But in sports, anything can happen. When everything is on the line and the ball is in Greg’s hands, will he rise to the occasion? Or will he blow his big shot?

Watch the book trailer!

Do YOU have what it takes to be an owl?  Find out in this funny, fact-filled book!

So You Want to Be an Owl by Jane Porter (01/12/21)
Welcome to Owl School! Professor Olaf Owl is here to tell you everything you need to know about being an owl, from hunting to camouflage to seeing in the dark. Study hard, and soon you’ll be a first-rate member of Team Owl!  Offers nine lessons on being an owl for human readers – including hoots, toe swivels, and alertness.