Hi Kid Lit friends,
Happy December! One of my favorite parts about December is figuring out what books to give loved ones for the holidays. For last Sunday’s newsletter I gave you my 2018 middle grade favorites, and this Sunday I’ll send you a whole list of picture books.
But while you’re waiting for the 2018 picture book picks, check out the brand new books out today as well as some great backlist recommendations. * Please note that all book descriptions are from Goodreads.
Sponsored by So Done, by Paula Chase.
Inseparable since they were toddlers, Metai Johnson can’t understand how her best friend, Jamila can go away for an entire summer and not return a single text. When Jamila returns, Metai is ready to pick up where they left off. Jamila, on the other hand, is determined to change everything about her situation, which may include letting go of Tai. A 2018 Junior Library Guild Selection, So Done dives into the complexity of middle school friendships and the dangers of keeping secrets.
Picture Book New Releases
Goat’s Coat by Tom Percival, illustrated by Christine Pym
Alfonzo couldn’t be happier. He just got an amazing new coat, and he feels like a million dollars. But when he discovers some creatures in need of help, will Alfonzo be able to give up his treasured possession to save the day? This great big hug of a book shows that kindness is definitely the best recipe.
Little Owl’s Snow by Divya Srinivasan
“Winter’s almost here!” says Little Owl, as he observes leaves falling, animal friends hibernating, and a chill from his feathers to his feet. And just as he and his friend raccoon are watching their breath make fog in the cold air, it happens: Snow! Here is the perfect follow-up to Little Owl’s Night and Little Owl’s Day, and a wonderful introduction to the changing of the seasons!
The Littlest Things Give the Loveliest Hugs by Mark Sperring, illustrated by Maddie Frost
In this tender celebration of love, you’ll find the sweetest bug hug, the cutest fox cuddle, and the gentlest elephant embrace you’ve ever seen. Playful poetry and bright illustrations of adorable baby animals will inspire cozy time from morning to night, all the way to bedtime.
Nonfiction New Releases
The Superpower Field Guide: Beavers by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Nicholas John Frith
Meet Elmer, an ordinary beaver. He may not be as mighty as a lion or as dangerous as a shark. He may be squat and brown. But never underestimate a beaver. I can almost hear you saying, “But aren’t beavers just lumpy rodents with buck teeth and funny flat tails?” Yes, they are! And believe it or not, those buck teeth and funny flat tails are just a few of the things that make beavers extraordinary.
Backlist Book Recommendations
Picture Book Recommendation: A Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
No book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better than The Snowy Day. Universal in its appeal, the story has become a favorite of millions, as it reveals a child’s wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever. The adventures of a little boy in the city on a very snowy day.
Middle Grade Book Recommendation: Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
It’s 1936, in Flint Michigan. Times may be hard, and ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, but Bud’s got a few things going for him:
1. He has his own suitcase full of special things.
2. He’s the author of Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.
3. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: flyers advertising Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!!!
Bud’s got an idea that those flyers will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road to find this mystery man, nothing can stop him—not hunger, not fear, not vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself.
Nonfiction Book Recommendation: Humphrey the Lost Whale by Wendy Tokuda and Richard Hall, illustrated by Hanako Wakiyama
In October 1985 a forty-five-foot long, forty-ton humpback whale wandered into San Francisco Bay and for twenty-six days struggled mightily to find his way back to the ocean. This true, illustrated story of Humphrey’s adventure has been a children’s favorite for more than twenty-five years. The 2014 edition has updated news on whales but retains the beloved art and text for big-ocean-mammal lovers everywhere.
That’s it for me – I have to get back to reading! Stay tuned for this Sunday’s newsletter with picture book gift recommendations!
I would love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.
Until next week!
Karina
Annabelle helped me sort out my book mail this week. She is a great assistant!
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