Happy Tuesday, kidlit friends! I have my window open as I write this, listening to the rain and the wind rustling leaves. I have my desk right in front of the window so I can look outside at the slowly increasing fall colors as I work. I love all the fall vibes! I’m trying really hard not to crawl into bed and read all day. Oh, the temptations of working from home!
Speaking of fall and cozy reading, are you at a bit of a loss for what to read next? Whether it’s romance, creepy reads, modern classics, or escapist reads you crave, TBR can help you find the perfect books for your fall reading, with options curated to your specific reading tastes. I’m one of the TBR bibliologists, so if you sign up for a letter, I might be the one recommending you books!
Bookish Goods
New Releases
The Lion Queen by Rina Singh, illustrated by Tara Anand
This picture book biography tells the story of how Rasila Vadher became the first female guard at Gir National Park in Gujarat, western India. When her father died, Vadher’s mother fought like a lion for her to continue school. Vadher kept a lion’s roar tucked inside her even when things got hard, and when she heard that Gir was hiring forest guards, she applied and passed all the tests, though she still had to prove herself to the other male guards and show she could help protect the lions in the forest. This is a beautifully told and really cool story.
How This Book Got Red by Margaret Chiu Greanias, illustrated by Melissa Iwai
Gee (a giant panda) and Red (a red panda) are best friends. When the two find a book claiming to be all about pandas, they’re excited to read it together. However, all the pandas in the book are giant pandas. In fact, Red can’t find any books with red pandas at all. So, she decides to write and illustrate her own story. This is a sweet and clever story about the importance of representation in books.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter
Riot Recommendations
I’ve been thinking about space lately and thought I would recommend some space books for all ages!
Rover and Speck: Splash Down! by Jonathan Roth
My daughter loves the Rover and Speck early reader graphic novel series. They’re about two friendly rovers exploring space together. In this second book, the friends visit an unexplored, watery planet where they make friends with some aliens and are chased by a water monster. While the story is fictional, science facts are scattered throughout. Make sure to also read the first book, Rover and Speck: This Planet Rocks, though they can be read in any order.
Am I Made of Stardust? by Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock
Space scientist Dr. Aderin-Pocock answers common questions from kids about space in this engaging and vibrantly illustrated nonfiction. She addresses a ton of questions, like whether or not there are rainbows on other planets, how the universe will end (or will it?), if there’s ever been life on Mars, and more. This is the kind of nonfiction space kids will pour over. It’s over 100 pages, so probably best for kids 7+.
Spaceblock by Christopher Franceschelli
This super fun board book is part of the Block Book set. The pages have peak-throughs, flaps, and foldout pages and are great for exploring. This isn’t your average board book of 10-12 pages; it has 80 pages total. Despite its length, it’s still ideal and very accessible for toddlers and preschoolers. The text is kept simple as the pages explore space travel, the planets, astronauts, and more.
Glow: A Family Guide to the Night Sky by Noelia González, illustrated by Sara Boccaccini Meadows
This beautifully illustrated middle grade nonfiction by a senior science writer for NASA explores the night sky. Readers can learn about the phases of the moon, the history behind Orion’s Belt, how to spot Venus, and more. Each section includes how to spot each celestial topic in the sky, its history, some facts, and more. It’s a lovely book that would make a great gift.
My daughter has befriended Mr. Fire Hydrant, who follows her to school and back and who even plays with her at the school’s playground. Here she is whispering to it (probably a poop joke) as we wait for the school bus. She says Mr. Fire Hydrant is one of her best friends and she’s glad that he’s our neighbor. The story got some more development this morning when she told me his little sister lives across the street.
If you’d like to read more of my kidlit reviews, I’m on Instagram @BabyLibrarians, Twitter @AReaderlyMom, and blog irregularly at Baby Librarians. You can also read my Book Riot posts. If you’d like to drop me a line, my email is kingsbury.margaret@gmail.com.
All the best,
Margaret Kingsbury