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At the dawn of time, Erf and his three amphibious friends, Figwillop, KWAAAH, and the Booper, take their first nervous steps out of the ocean, the beginning of an adventure into the primordial world. As they explore the exciting new lands beyond the shore, they discover that the prehistoric jungle is home to the mighty and terrifying Colossux. What follows is an evolutionary fable of love and loyalty for readers of all ages!
Dear Kid Lit Friends,
Happy November! I hope those of you who live in areas that recognize Daylight Saving Time enjoyed that extra hour on Sunday! Now that my kids are old enough to sleep in, I have started to love the November time change. The March time change? Not so much.
It’s new release Tuesday, which means I have so many great titles to share with you today! Take a look at these and let me know what you think. As always, if I loved it a particular book, I marked it with a 
. Please note that all descriptions come from the publisher.
Board Book New Releases
Horns by Katrine Crow
Whose strong horns are these? A rhino’s strong horns, of course! Little ones will love to see the close-up photography and try to guess which animal the curved, ridged, spiral, or long horns belong to. Animals featured: alpine ibex, gazelle, markhor, rhino, highland cow, and banteng.
Where is Fuzzy Penguin? by Yayo Kawamura
There are many, many, many penguins in the South Pole, but there’s only one Fuzzy! Can you spot her? Search and feel your way through the pages of this cute penguin story to see if you can either see or feel Fuzzy amidst all her penguin friends.
Picture Book New Releases
A Baby Like You by Catherine Thimmesh
Whether it’s a first step or a first bath, all babies celebrate milestones as they grow. Connecting adorable babies across our ecosystem—from polar bear cubs, giraffe calves, and zebra colts to human babies—Sibert Medalist Catherine Thimmesh shows how we are more similar than we know.
Iced Out by CK Smouha, illustrated by Isabelle Bunnell
Wilfred Walrus and Neville Narwhal are the only kids in Miss Blubber’s class who are not seals. Life is tough being the odd ones out – lunchtimes and football matches and school photos all present challenges to the two outliers. And they don’t even like each other very much! When Betty Beluga joins the class, everything changes. Betty is smart and independent and amazing at football. As a friendship forms, Betty helps the two boys to recognise that being different isn’t always a bad thing!
When the Snow Is Deeper Than My Boots Are Tall by Jean Reidy, illustrated by Joey Chou
With young, rhyming verse and bright illustrations, Jean Reidy and Joey Chou captures the joy and excitement of a big snowfall. As the snow climbs over a boy’s toes, ankles, shins, and boots, there’s more and more fun to be had―snowmen, sledding, snow angels, and, finally, a cup of hot cocoa by a warm fire.
I Am Perfectly Designed by Karamo Brown and Jason “Rachel” Brown, illustrated by Anoosha Syed
I Am Perfectly Designed is an exuberant celebration of loving who you are, exactly as you are, from Karamo Brown, the Culture Expert of Netflix’s hit series Queer Eye, and Jason Brown―featuring illustrations by Anoosha Syed. In this empowering ode to modern families, a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other.
Everybody Says Meow by Constance Lombardo
“Welcome to that magical time when everybody says, ‘Meow!’ Ready?”
Well, not quite. There’s also a “Woof.” And a “Ribbit.”
A few words and a minimal background can make for plenty of mischief—especially when your characters are adorable, delightfully silly, and probably NOT LISTENING!
I Do Not Like That Name by Erin McGill
What’s in a name? Herb and Sophie are eating breakfast one day when they notice a coupon on the cereal box for an elephant. Imagine how much fun they could have with an elephant! When the nameless elephant arrives in the mail, he announces that it is Herb and Sophie’s job to name him. Herb has many suggestions (String Bean, Sweet Potato) and so does Sophie (Buttercup, Twinkle Toes) but nothing seems quite right to the huge and very brave elephant.
Most of the Better Natural Things in the World by Dave Eggers and Angel Chang
A tiger carries a dining room chair on her back. But why? Where is she going? With just one word per page, in lush, color-rich landscapes, we learn about the features that make up our world: an archipelago, a dune, an isthmus, a lagoon. Across them all, the tiger roams. An enigmatic investigation of our world’s most beautiful places from bestselling author Dave Eggers, beautifully illustrated by debut artist Angel Chang.
One Snowy Morning by Kevin Tsang, illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte
One morning, a squirrel and a chipmunk find the oddest things stuck in a giant pile of snow. Readers will recognize a snowman, but the two friends have their own ideas about what they’ve found. The top hat is a tall rowboat; the carrot nose is a rare dragon’s tooth; and the mittens, of course, are fish puppets. The squirrel and the chipmunk wonder what all of these items are for — and when they take them home, they figure out just what to do with them. The tall rowboat makes a perfect table; the rare dragon’s tooth makes a delicious soup; and the fish puppets make amazing hats! They throw a dragon-tooth-soup party for all their friends, and the next morning they put (almost) everything back, nearly where they found it.
Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts
Every morning, Abuelo walks Sofia to school . . . until one day, when Abuelo hurts his ankle at a local landfill and he can no longer do so. Sofia misses her Abuelo and wonders what she can do about the dangerous Mount Trashmore. Then she gets an idea—the town can turn the slimy mess into a park! She brainstorms and plans and finally works up the courage to go to City Hall—only to be told by a clerk that she can’t build a park because she’s just a kid! Sofia is down but not out, and she sets out to prove what one kid can do.
The Apartment: A Century of Russian History by Alexandra Litvina, illustrated by Anna Desnitskaya
The Apartment: A Century of Russian History explains the true history of 20th-century Russia through the fictitious story of a Moscow family and their apartment. The Muromtsev family have been living in the same apartment for more than a century, generation after generation. Readers are taken through different rooms and witness how each generation actually lived alongside the larger social and political changes that Russia experienced. A search-and-find element has readers looking for objects from page to page to see which items were passed down through the generations.
Bad Dog by Mike Boldt
“Look what I got for my birthday! A pet dog!” says a little girl holding a . . . cat? Rocky doesn’t listen or obey like all the other dogs. (Because Rocky is a cat.) And Rocky hates her leash and doesn’t seem to like other dogs. (Probably because Rocky is a cat.) And rather than play fetch, Rocky prefers to . . . lick between her toes? Ew. Rocky is a bad “dog”! BUT Rocky doesn’t bark, and is so cute when she sleeps in sunny spots. Maybe Rocky IS a good dog? (Or, you know, maybe Rocky is a cat.)
Jumping Mouse: A Native American Legend of Friendship and Sacrifice by Misty Schroe
Jumping Mouse is just like another other mouse, except she has a dream―a dream to reach the fabled High Places. But one small mouse can’t make the long journey alone. At the start of her journey, Jumping Mouse is gifted new long legs from wise Grandfather Frog. Filled with gratitude, she soon meets others who need assistance just like she did: a buffalo that cannot see and a wolf that cannot smell. In order to aid them, she must sacrifice her own sight and hearing, putting her dream of the High Places at risk. Through perseverance and belief, Jumping Mouse discovers who she was truly meant to be, and demonstrates the value of friendship, selflessness, and sacrifice.
Chapter Book New Releases
The Zach and Zoe Mysteries: The Lacross Mix-Up by Mike Lupica
In this sixth installment Zach and Zoe join the Middletown Elementary lacrosse club. But a day after their first game, a mystery presents itself: the netting on one of the school’s lacrosse sticks is torn through. Ms. Moriarty says the equipment is just old and worn, but the twins think it might be something else. They decide to investigate, and when the clues start coming together, they realize solving the mystery is only the first piece of an even bigger surprise.
Middle Grade New Releases
The Fowl Twins by Eoin Colfer
One week after their eleventh birthday, the Fowl twins–scientist Myles, and Beckett, the force of nature–are left in the care of house security (NANNI) for a single night. In that time they befriend a troll who has clawed his way through the earth’s crust to the surface. Unfortunately for the troll, he is being chased by a nefarious nobleman and an interrogating nun, who both need the magical creature for their own gain, as well as a fairy-in-training who has been assigned to protect him. The boys and their new troll best friend escape and go on the run.
The Princess Who Flew With Dragons by Stephanie Burgis
Sofia is the other princess. Not the crown princess – that’s her perfect big sister, Katrin. Sofia is the princess who always says the wrong thing; who hates going to parties; who doesn’t like people; who just wants to sit and read her books. So when Sofia is shipped off on a stomach-churning dragon flight to make another royal visit, she decides it’s time for this princess to take a little break. In disguise, Sofia soon finds herself discovering a magical city of learning, new friends and freedom. In short, everything is going wonderfully . right up until it goes horribly wrong. And that’s before the ice giants show up.
Bone Talk by Candy Gourlay
It is 1899. Ten year old Samkad thinks he knows everything about the world. He knows that home is in the mountains. He knows who his friends and his enemies are. And he knows that he will grow up to become a warrior like his dad, with his own shield, spear and axe. His best friend is Little Luki and she too wants to become a warrior – though there’s little chance of that because she is just a girl. Then strangers arrive: a boy with many languages in his throat … and weird-looking men called Americans who bring war and death. Set during the U.S. invasion of the Philippines.
Stuffed by Liz Braswell
Everyone thinks that Clark is too old to still play with stuffed animals. He’s almost eleven! Bullies target him at school while his mother tries increasingly un-subtle ways to wean him off his toys and introduce more “normal” interests. But Clark can’t shake the feeling that his stuffed friends are important, even necessary. Sometimes they move around in the night, and sometimes in the morning they look a little worse for wear, as if they’ve engaged in battle. And it turns out . . . he’s right.
Graphic Novel New Releases
Lily the Thief by Janne Kukkonen
Lily is a young novice who dreams of being a master thief. That’s not easy when the Guildmaster of Thieves only assigns you the lowliest jobs: pick-pocketing, trespassing, and petty theft. But on one of these meager quests, Lily unearths a plot involving a mysterious cult and long-forgotten gods―a secret that could destroy the whole world.
The Midwinter Witch by Molly Knox Ostertag
Aster always looks forward to the Midwinter Festival, a reunion of the entire Vanissen family that includes competitions in witchery and shapeshifting. This year, he’s especially excited to compete in the annual Jolrun tournament-as a witch. He’s determined to show everyone that he’s proud of who he is and what he’s learned, but he knows it won’t be easy to defy tradition. Ariel has darker things on her mind than the Festival-like the mysterious witch who’s been visiting her dreams, claiming to know the truth about Ariel’s past. She appreciates everything the Vanissens have done for her. But Ariel still craves a place where she truly belongs.
Nonfiction New Releases
Fearless Felines: 30 True Tales of Courageous Cats by Kimberlie Hamilton (middle grade)
Drawing from the thrilling lives of more than 30 adorable cats throughout history, Kimberlie Hamilton retells the fascinating tales of cats through the centuries. Meet Mrs. Chippy, a cat who joined a daring ocean journey to Antarctica, or Simon, the only cat to receive a medal for wartime bravery, and dozens more. Filled with colorful depictions of each cat and feline facts throughout, this is the perfect gift for cat and history lovers alike.
How Do Computers Follow Instructions? by J.T. Liso, illustrated by Srimalie Bossani (middle grade)
Have you ever wondered how computers follow instructions so well? Or how they do math so quickly? In the How Do series, readers are invited to guess and then explore the science behind the right answers. Basic principles of coding, including variables, binary code, loops, programming languages, and more, are explored through diagrams, photos, and informative and engaging text.
Insect Superpowers by Kate Messner, illustrated by Jillian Nickell (graphic novel)
Insect Superpowers is an action-packed nonfiction picture book about the incredible insect abilities found in the natural world. Packaged comic book style, this book explores 18 awesomely real superheroes and supervillains, who each possess powers far beyond the average insect.
Games of Deception: The True Story of the First U.S. Olympic Basketball Team at the 1936 Olympics in Hitler’s Germany by Andrew Maraniss (middle grade)
This is the incredible true story of basketball, from its invention by James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1891, to the sport’s Olympic debut in Berlin and the eclectic mix of people, events and propaganda on both sides of the Atlantic that made it all possible. Includes photos throughout, a Who’s-Who of the 1936 Olympics, bibliography, and index.
What are you reading these days? I want to know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.
Also, if you love listening to podcasts while you’re cooking, commuting, or getting ready for the day, check out the Kidlit These Days podcast. We examine the intersection between children’s books and current events, and our topics have included the decline of school libraries, the history of indigenous peoples of the United States, and trailblazers in kid lit. Give it a listen!
Until next time!
Karina
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