Hi Kid Lit Friends,
Last weekend, I was at the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival in New York, a wonderful outdoor event that went forward despite the horrible flooding we had in the region the day before. (I had an author visit at a school and then got stuck in midtown after the subway was shut down!)
Book festivals are amazing places to meet your favorite authors, ask your questions, and get your books signed. The most popular times for book festivals are the fall and the spring, so do a quick search to see if there are any happening in your area!
Bookish Goods
Halloween Book Tote by BlissfulBoutiqueUsa
Where are my Halloween people at? I’m already looking forward to giving out books to trick-or-treaters! $12+
New Releases
Kin: Rooted in Hope by Carole Boston Weatherford, art by Jeffery Boston Weatherford
This middle grade book tells a personal story of Carole and Jeffery’s family tree, a history shaped by enslavement and freedom. With Carole’s stunning verse paired with her son’s incredible etchings, this book is essential reading.
Dory Fantasmagory: Can’t Live Without You by Abby Hanlon
I am a huge fan of this fantastic series! This is the 6th book, and Dory is back and up to all of her shenanigans. In this installment, Dory is facing separation anxiety. She deals with it by throwing a sheet over her head and “haunting” her family to make sure they never leave her.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter
Riot Recommendations
With the global climate crisis creating a preponderance of wildfires, I thought I would highlight some books with these themes.
They Hold the Line: Wildfires, Wildlands, and the Firefighters Who Brave Them by Dan Paley, illustrated by Molly Medoza
This carefully researched picture book highlights the work of the highly trained first responders who manage the health of our forests and fight fires during the ever-increasing length of fire season.
Wombat Underground: A Wildfire Survival Story by Sarah L. Thomson, illustrated by Charles Santoso
When forest fires plagued Australia in 2019 and 2020, over three billion animals were threatened. Wombats (who we must agree are the CUTEST) shared their deep burrows with other animals while the fires raged. This picture book shows how a wombat saves a skink, an echidna, and a wallaby and her baby.
The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla
This middle grade novel follows Maudie and her dad, who have to move after fires force them to relocate to a beach town. I always love Sally’s books (have you read The Someday Birds?), and I admire her ability to weave relatable middle school emotions into her stories.
Paradise on Fire by Jewell Parker Rhodes
In this stirring middle grade book, Addy is traumatized by a fire that killed her parents. After years of being raised by her grandmother, she is sent off to a summer camp in the wilderness. When the campers find themself in the midst of a forest fire, they have to work together to survive.
What are you reading these days?
Let me know! Find me on X at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.
You might have heard that my final book in the Vanderbeeker series, The Vanderbeekers Ever After is out now! Lalo is proud to have inspired a part of this book.
Autumn is here, which means it’s time to curl up with a great read and get cozy — whatever your version of cozy looks like. 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.
Happy reading!
Karina