Hi Kid Lit friends!
I hope those of you in the United States enjoyed your Thanksgiving holidays. I’m grateful that you’re with us every week celebrating children’s books!
Bookish Goods
Books and Cats Tee by GrantRBJprintdesigns
I like this tee because it describes me (and about 50 of my friends!) perfectly. $18
New Releases
Me and Muhammad Ali by Jabari Asim, illustrated by AG Ford
Inspired by a real-life event in the author’s childhood, this celebratory picture book is about the heroes we look up to as young people. In in, Langston loves everything about Muhammad Ali and is thrilled to hear that his hero will be visiting the local high school. But when he’s stopped from going inside the school, can Langston and his mom convince the guard that they need to meet the person Langston looks up to most in the world?
A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll
Adeline has a new teacher who doesn’t understand her at all. When they begin to learn about the Salem Witch Trials in class, Adeline can’t stop thinking about them. Those people were different, like Adeline who is autistic. She knows she needs to tell the story of the witches, because there is much more to their lives than anyone knows.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
I absolutely love books that feature iconic illustrations, and these wonderful books would make perfect holiday gifts for your book loving friend, teacher, librarian, or child!
Creature by Shaun Tan
I am so happy that this book was made! Shaun Tan is one of the world’s most visionary artists, capturing so much beauty in his narrative illustrations (like in his Caldecott winner The Arrival). This collection of sketches, illustrations, and illuminating essays make this a powerful and thrilling book for all fans of Shaun Tan.
The Art of Ramona Quimby: Sixty-Five Years of Illustrations from Beverly Cleary’s Beloved Books by Anna Katz
As much as I love the Ramona Quimby stories, I do think the iconic illustrations and covers play a huge part of what made this series such an incredible success. Go back in time and check out the five different illustrators — Louis Darling, Alan Tiegreen, Joanne Scribner, Tracy Dockray, and Jacqueline Rogers — who helped bring Ramona to life!
The Art of Alice and Martin Provensen by Alice and Martin Provensen
Alice and Martin Provensen are a beloved husband-and-wife team who created the art for over 40 books, many of which ended up on the New York Times Best Illustrated Books of the Year lists. One of the books they illustrated, The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot, won the Caldecott Award. Check out this gorgeous book that showcases so much of their beautiful artwork over the course of 70 years.
Hayao Miyazaki by Jessica Niebel, Daniel Kothenschulte, Pete Docter, and Hayao Miyazaki
I first came across this book in a museum, and I immediately longed to buy it. It is filled with so much gorgeous art from beloved filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki who creates stories that feature characters navigating unfamiliar terrain and looking out on a challenging and complicated world. This book is an immersion into his world and creative process.
What are you reading these days?
Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.
Until next time,
Karina
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