Category: The Kids Are All Right

Hey kidlit pals! I hope you’re having a good week, and if you’re one of the many who started school this week, I’m wishing you health and safety and strong Internet connections, no matter how you’re learning this year. And if you need a good book deal (or five!) to take your mind off of it all, then you’re in luck!

Deals are current as of this writing. Get them while they’re hot!

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet is a fun art-centric mystery for only $5, and Balliet’s Hold Fast is about a girl who must find her missing father, for $4.

Varian Johnson’s The Great Greene Heist is a middle school heist novel that you definitely need to read, for $4.

Henry Huggins (and most of the sequels) by Beverly Cleary is just $4!

Speaking of classics, snag Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald Sobol for just $4.

Here’s a steal: Most of the Ivy and Bean books by Annie Barrows are $4 or less.

National Book Award winner Inside Out and Back Again by Thanha Lai is just $5!

The Templeton Twins Have An Idea by Ellis Weiner and Jeremy Holmes is just $1!

Grab the picture book A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel for just $2.

The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcárcel is just $2.

Arthur Goes to Camp by Marc Brown (along with five other Arthur books) is just $1!

Happy reading!
Tirzah

Dear Readers,

We’re back with another set of children’s new releases for you. This week there are some beautiful picture books hitting shelves, and even though Halloween is still a ways away, you can get an early start with some of this week’s spooky releases.

Maud and Grand-Maud by Sara O’Leary, illustrated by Kenard Pak

This adorable picture book follows a girl who dreams of being just like her grandmother. On special weekends Maud gets to stay at her grandma’s house, having breakfast for dinner, watching old movies, and telling stories. This is a sweet and snuggly read about the power of generational relationships.

We’re Going On A Goon Hunt by Michael Rex

Halloween is imminent, and in case you weren’t aware, here’s a new Michael Rex Halloween parody for you. Off the heels of Goodnight Goon, this new one is a scary play on We’re Going On A Bear Hunt in which a family goes off on a Halloween jaunt, through pumpkin patches, swamps, and other spooky locales in search of a goon.

Finish the Fight by Veronica Chambers and the Staff of the New York Times

This illustrated primer on women’s voting rights is a perfect introduction for those looking to broaden kids’ understanding of the right to vote. After the passage of the 19th amendment, there were still women who were barred from voting, and this colorful book continues the story of how women of color, like Macy Mcleod Bethune, Mable Ping-hua Lee, and Jovita Idár rose to finish the fight for their rights, and how the fight continues today.

The World’s Poorest President Speaks Out by Yoshimi Kusaba, illustrated by Gaku Nakafawa. Translated by Andro-Ryuo Wong

This one is another great read for those looking to engage kids in social justice discussions, especially ones about poverty and what it means to have enough. Based on a speech given by José Mujica, the president of Uruguay, at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, this asks us to consider what our purpose on Earth is: whether its to buy and to sell or to pursue happiness.

Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor

Sci-fi wonder Okorafor makes her middle grade debut with this adventure a boy named Nmadi, seeking revenge after his father, the police chief of Kaleria, is killed. Though Nmadi doesn’t think he can do much, that changes when he’s given a magical object, an Ikenga, that gives him superpowers.

 

Thirteens by Kate Alice Marshall

This is a fun, suspenseful middle grade story about three friends (Eleanor, Otto, and Pip) in an Oregon town fighting against fate as they unravel the town’s supernatural secrets. Including one of a local legend that promises that, on every thirteenth Halloween, and on their shared thirteenth birthday, three children will disappear. If true it means Eleanor, Otto, and Pip will be the ones to disappear.

 

The Second Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street by Cory Putnam Oakes, illustrated by Jane Pica

Another spooky tale for middle grade kids, this one is a hilarious tale of a family-run haunted house forced to compete against the Hauntery, a corporate-backed haunted house that opens up nearby. Worried that their haunted house won’t survive, Willow enlists the help of one of the Hauntery’s ghosts, Evie, but Evie doesn’t tell her new friend she’s still working for the competition.

That’s all for now! See you again in seven days. If you’d like to visit with me in the meantime, you can find me on Twitter.

Chelsea

Hi Kid Lit Friends,

Dance performances might be suspended indefinitely due to social distancing, but thankfully we can still watch some performances online and we can read about famous dancers. Here are some of my favorite books about dancers and dancing.

Trailblazer: The Story of Ballerina Raven Wilkinson by Leda Schubert, illustrated by Theodore Taylor III is the remarkable story of Ravin Wilkinson, the first African-American woman to dance for a major classical ballet company. Born on February 2, 1935, in New York City, Raven had always wanted to dance. When she started touring with her troupe in the United States in 1955, Raven encountered much racism in the South, but the applause, alongside the opportunity to dance, made all the hardship worth it. Several years later she would dance for royalty with the Dutch National Ballet and regularly performed with the New York City Opera until she was fifty.

Firebird by Misty Copeland, illustrated by Christopher Myers is the lovely story of a young girl who questions her ability and lacks the confidence to be great at what she loves to do. Throughout the book, Misty encourages the girl and shows her how she too can be a Firebird. This book is gorgeously illustrated by Christopher Myers. (For middle grade readers, check out Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland.)

Alvin Ailey by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney, is about one of my favorite dancers of all time. Every year in December, I buy a ticket to see his company perform at the City Center in New York City, and every time the performance takes my breath away. This wonderful picture book shares Alvin Ailey’s life story and introduces readers to his lovely dance style and the incredible impact he’s had on American dance.

Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen, illustrated by Kadir Nelson is the story of Sassy, a young girl who wants to be a ballerina. But when a famous director comes to visit her class and she tries to get his attention with big dance moves and bright clothing, Sassy worries that she has ruined everything. Can her persistence win him over?

 

How Do You Dance? by Thyra Heder is about how dance is for everyone. The illustrations are so full of movement and life, and I can’t help but dance when I read this book with my kids. This book celebrates dance as a way of expressing yourself and fostering creativity and humor.

 

Lola Levine and the Ballet Scheme by Monica Brown is a fun chapter book about finding common interests. When new classmate Bella, a ballet dancer, walks into Lola’s class at Northland Elementary, all Lola can see is pink everywhere–pink ribbons, a pink sweatshirt, and pink tennis shoes. Lola is disgusted – soccer is much better than ballet. Furthermore, Lola and Bella can’t seem to stop squabbling. But when they land in the principal’s office after a mishap, Lola’s mom comes up with a way they can see that their interests aren’t as different as they think.

The Magic in Changing Your Stars by Leah Henderson is a new middle grade book about eleven-year-old Ailey Benjamin Lane. He loves to dance, but he botches his audition due to a case of nerves. He’s ready to quit but his grampa shares how he dreamed of becoming a tap dancer as a young boy. He was so good that the Hollywood star and unofficial Mayor of Harlem, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, even gave him a special pair of tap shoes. Curious, Ailey tries on the shoes . . . and instantly finds himself transported to 1930s Harlem. There he meets a young street tapper and realizes that it’s his own grandfather! Can Ailey help the 12-year-old version of Grampa face his fears?

My Seventh Grade Life in Tights by Brooks Benjamin is a fun middle grade book that follows Dillon, a middle schooler who loves to dance. He wants to win a summer scholarship at a local dance studio, but his dad wants him to play football and his freestyle dance friends think studying at a studio would ruin his creativity. Can Dillon win the scholarship, keep his friends, please his father, and keep his signature dance style?

 

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

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

Hi kidlit pals! I’m back this week with another round up of great book deals for all the young readers in your life, and this week’s selection is awesome. From great fantasies to books about friendship and competitive eating, and award-winning classics to biographies, here are some of the best kidlit book deals of the week!

These deals were active as of writing this newsletter, get them while they’re hot!

Paula Chase’s novel So Done, which is about friendship and middle school, is only $2.

Snag Love That Dog by Sharon Creech for $2.

Boy Bites Bug by Rebecca Petruck is perfect for readers who aren’t squeamish, and is $3.

Got a fantasy lover and Rick Riordan fan on your hands? Grab The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta for just $5.

Meet the Magnificant Mya Tibbs in her first book, Spirit Week Showdown, which you can pick up for under $5.

Slider by Pete Hautman is about a kid who is a competitive eater, it’s only $5.

Rules by Cynthia Lord is about a girl learning to see her autistic brother in a new light, and it can be yours for $4.

Erin Hunter fans will enjoy the first book in the Bravelands series, Broken Pride, which is available for $2.

Learn more about E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web, in Melissa Sweet’s Some Writer!: The Story of E.B White, which is only $3.

For $2, pick up The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz, a funny book about a girl destined to grow up a villain.

Happy reading!

Tirzah

Hi kidlit pals! I’m back this week with another round up of great book deals for all the young readers in your life, and this week’s selection is awesome. From great fantasies to books about friendship and competitive eating, and award-winning classics to biographies, here are some of the best kidlit book deals of the week!

These deals were active as of writing this newsletter, get them while they’re hot!

Paula Chase’s novel So Done, which is about friendship and middle school, is only $2.

Snag Love That Dog by Sharon Creech for $2.

Boy Bites Bug by Rebecca Petruck is perfect for readers who aren’t squeamish, and is $3.

Got a fantasy lover and Rick Riordan fan on your hands? Grab The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta for just $5.

Meet the Magnificant Mya Tibbs in her first book, Spirit Week Showdown, which you can pick up for under $5.

Slider by Pete Hautman is about a kid who is a competitive eater, it’s only $5.

Rules by Cynthia Lord is about a girl learning to see her autistic brother in a new light, and it can be yours for $4.

Erin Hunter fans will enjoy the first book in the Bravelands series, Broken Pride, which is available for $2.

Learn more about E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web, in Melissa Sweet’s Some Writer!: The Story of E.B White, which is only $3.

For $2, pick up The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz, a funny book about a girl destined to grow up a villain.

Happy reading!

Tirzah

Hello readers,

I hope August is treating you well and you and yours are staying healthy and happy at this time.  I’m Chelsea and I’m taking over this new release newsletter! This week there are some great books hitting shelves that run the gamut from silly and fun to heartfelt and inspiring.

Saturdays Are for Stella by Candy Wellins, illustrated by Charlie Eve Ryan (4-8 years)

First up is this sweet, heartwarming story of a boy and his grandmother. George and his grandma Stella spend their Saturdays together, going on adventures to museums, riding carousels, or just staying in and baking together. But when George loses his Grandma Stella, he’s ready to give up on Saturdays altogether. That is until their family gets a new addition, another Stella, and George realizes he can celebrate his memories of his grandma and make some new ones, too.

I Promise by Lebron James, illustrated by Nina Mata (4-8 years)

NBA player Lebron James joins the celebrity picture book club with this book inspired by his I Promise foundation. This is packed with color, making for a vibrant and inspiring book that’s great for both readalouds and graduation, inspiring kids to be their best and encouraging accountability, integrity, courage, and compassion.

Oliver the Curious Owl by Chad Otis (4-8 years)

If you’ve got any owl fans in your life, this is a charming and funny story of a curious owl named Oliver. Though Oliver’s family only ever asks “Who?”, Oliver has lots more he wants to know. Like who lives deeper in the woods? Where does the river go? Why isn’t he allowed to leave his tree? When his friend Bug is swept away down the river, Oliver flies to the rescue and ends up swept away himself. The two begin an adventure far from home that shows Oliver pieces of the forest he’s never seen before.

Are You Eating Candy Without Me? by Draga Jenny Malesevic, illustrated by Charlotte Brujin (4-8 years)

If you’re looking for a good time, you can’t do much better than this adorable and hilarious picture book about children wondering what exactly their parents get up to when the kids aren’t around. Do they jump on trampolines and play with ponies? Do they eat cake and ice cream? This is bursting with playful, colorful illustrations and is a sweet and amusing read.

Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (10-12 years)

This is the newest novel from the Newberry Honor winner Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (author of The War That Saved My Life) about sisterhood and sexual abuse. Ten year old Della’s always had her sister, Suki, even after their mom went to prison and their mom’s boyfriend took them in, and after that same boyfriend did something so horrible Suki and Della had to run away. Della’s always been able to rely on Suki to be her protector, but has anyone been protecting Suki? After Della attempts suicide, Della begins to wonder if she’s been quiet about the wrong things and if it’s time to be loud for her sister.

The Talk edited by Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson (8-12 years)

In light of recent events, a lot of people are looking for ways to have conversations with kids about racism, activism, and standing for change. This powerful collection of short stories, essays, poems, and art is a great way to start those talks or reinforce ones you’ve already had. Including contributions from Renee Watson, Grace Lin, Meg Medina, and more, this book is here to have tough but frank conversations with kids about racism and identity. And for those looking for what comes next, this also encourages kids to go beyond conversation and into taking action.

Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge by Grace Ellis, illustrated by Brittney Williams (8-12 years)

From the co-author of the Lumberjanes series comes this new Lois Lane graphic novel, featuring a thirteen year old Lois as she navigates social media and friendship. As to be expected, teenage Lois is intrepid and determined, chasing fame with her video channel (it may only get a couple views a week but Lois knows she’ll soon go viral!). When the annual fireworks go missing, Lois accelerates her mission for fame, testing her relationship with her best friend in the process.

I’ll see you in seven days! In the meantime, you can keep in touch via Twitter. 

Chelsea

Hi Kid Lit Friends,

I am a huge fan of the postal service. I love writing and receiving letters, and I love being able to receive review copies of children’s books! Which is why I was devastated to hear that the United States Postal Service might go bankrupt this year. One thing we can all do is reach out to our elected representatives and let them know how important the postal service is to our country. And here are some lovely picture books about the beauty of mail!

Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds by Marianne Dubac is one of my favorite picture books. The illustrations are so charming with much to explore and delight on each page. The story begins with Mr. Postmouse loading up his wagon to do the day’s mail deliveries to all the animals on his route. Each home is designed for the occupant and is incredibly fun to explore.

 

The Love Letter by Anika Aldumay Denise, illustrated by Lucy Cummings is a sweet picture book about a love letter and mistaken identity. Hedgehog, Bunny, and Squirrel are best friends, and one day they find a letter. But it’s not just any letter – it’s a love letter! Who could have sent it? The answer is more complicated than you might think…

It Came in the Mail by Ben Clanton (of the Narwal and Jelly series) is a hilarious picture book about a young boy named Liam who writes a letter to his mailbox asking for something in return. The mailbox responds in kind by sending him a… dragon? The mail piles up, and Liam comes to realize that mail is best shared with friends.

 

I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives by Martin Ganda and Caitlin Alifirenka with Liz Welch is a middle grade book about a pen pal assignment. Everyone in Caitlin’s class in America wrote to an unknown student somewhere in a distant place. In Zimbabwe, Martin felt lucky to even get a letter, and their correspondence spanned six years and changed their lives.

 

Same Sun Here by Silas House and Neela Vaswani is another middle grade book about pen pals. Meena is an Indian immigrant girl living in New York City’s Chinatown, while River is a Kentucky coal miner’s son. But while they live very different lives, they also share a lot in common. Their fathers are forced to work far from home to earn money, they both have grandmothers that play a big role in their lives, and they both love dogs. Although miles separate them, their friendship helps them endure the trials they face.

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen by Sarah Kapit is a middle grade book about a young girl who is determined to pitch for a real baseball team. When her social studies teacher makes her write a letter to someone, she selects her favorite Major League pitcher. And he writes back! And then Vivy is invited to join the baseball team, when an accident threatens to derail everything, Vivy has to fight to stay on the team.

 

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

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

Hey there, kidlit pals! I hope you’re getting the most out of your summer, especially now that it’s August! For me, that means loading up on books and finding a shady corner to read and read for hours. If that’s you and your kids, then these book deals will hopefully enable that!

These deals were active as of this writing. Get them while they’re hot!

A Slip of a Girl by kidlit legend Patricia Reilly Giff is available for $2.

Natalie Lloyd’s debut novel A Snicker of Magic is just $4.

Not a novel, but The Son of Sobek, the first in a crossover series of short stories by Rick Riordan, is just $2, as are the rest of the stories in the series!

Want to learn more about fighting censorship through fiction? Ban This Book by Alan Gratz is only $4.

Half and Half by Lensey Namioka is the story of a biracial Chinese-Scottish girl, and it’s $5.

Kate Messner’s All the Answers, about a girl with a magical pencil that has all the answers on her tests, is just under $5!

For $5, pick up a copy of The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly, a Korean picture book with gorgeous illustrations.

Pie by Sarah Weeks is a clever book about a pie-baking contest, and it’s $4.

Teach kids about Cesar Chavez’s legacy in Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez for just $3.

Loving vs. Virginia is the wonderfully illustrated nonfiction book about the landmark Supreme Court case, written for young readers, and it’s $3.

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertram is on sale for $3!

Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynowski is the first in the Whatever After series, and it plus the first eight books in the series are $4 each.

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Happy reading!

Tirzah

Hello Readers,

I hope you’re having the best first week of August, so far, and getting some sun and summer fun in where you can. I’m Sharifah, subbing in for this week’s edition of new releases, highlighting some of this week’s fabulous kidlit titles. Take a gander:

The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story by Tina Cho, illustrated by Jess X. Snow (5 – 8 years)

Time for a gorgeous picture book featuring a free diving grandmother and intergenerational bonds! Dayeon aspires to be a haenyeo–a free diver–just like her grandmother and so many generations of Korean women. Dayeon practices and practices, but when the time comes to give it a go, a scary memory of the sea halts her progress. With Gradma’s help, Dayeon might be able to overcome her fears and connect with the natural world.

A Journey Toward Hope by Victor Hinojosa, Coert Voorhees, and illustrated by Susan Guevara (6 – 8 years)

This book sounds like an excellent starting point for conversations about migration. A Journey Toward Hope follows four unaccompanied migrant children journeying from Central America to the United States through Mexico. The kids, coming from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, each making the journey for unique reasons, band together to get across the border safely. The book is written in collaboration with Baylor University’s Social Innovation Collaborative, and even includes additional information and resources created by Baylor University’s Global Hunger and Migration Project.

Birrarung Wilam: A Story from Aboriginal Australia by Aunty Joy Murphy, Andrew Kelly, and illustrated by Lisa Kennedy (6 – 9 years)

Just look at this beautiful picture book featuring an Aboriginal story. Aunty Joy Murphy is a Senior Wurundjeri elder of the Kulin Nation who, along with Andrew Kelly, brings us a celebration of Indigenous culture and Australia’s ecology. Birrarung Wilam tells the Indigenous and geographical story of Melbourne’s Yarra River through both poetic descriptions of the region’s flora and fauna and stunning illustrations by Lisa Kennedy. You also get a glossary of the Woiwurrung words used in the story.

Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia (8 – 12 years)

Fans of the Rick Riordan Presents series of books and the We Set the Dark on Fire author, rejoice! Here’s a new middle grade fantasy adventure based on the Mexican legend of La Llorona (a truly frightening story, in case you haven’t heard it). Twelve-year-old Paola Santiago is all about science, and is totally embarrassed by her mom’s superstitions. She knows better than to venture to the river where a schoolmate was drowned, and where, she’s been warned, La Llorona lurks. But a mysterious sighting by the Gila will test Pao’s assumptions about the legend and send her on a journey into a frightening realm to find her friend.

The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf (8 – 12 years)

Here’s a middle grade debut based on a chilling Malaysian folk tale. A dark spirit appears with the announcement that it’s Suraya’s inheritance and hers to command. Suraya and the pelesit, a gift from her grandmother, become inseparable. But when Pink’s dark side surfaces, the friends have to find a way to defeat the darkness. Sounds like this is a good one for conversations about jealousy and overcoming obstacles in friendships. I love seeing lesser-known mythologies and ghost stories in books.

All Together Now by Hope Larson (10 – 14 years)

If you loved Hope Larson’s All Summer Long, don’t miss this middle grade graphic novel and standalone sequel. This one sounds like an especially good pick for the musically inclined. Bina is in a band with her friends, and things are going splendidly until Darcy and Enzo start dating. Nobody likes being the third wheel, and things get even more complicated when Bina’s bestie starts developing a crush on her and she can’t return the feelings. Navigating friendships isn’t always easy; All Together Now might be the relatable content someone out there needs.

Hi Kid Lit Friends!

Happy August! The weeks are churning along, and our lonely summer is full of both good and bad days. Thankfully, there are quite a few picture books that deal with bad days which has helped us all cope with unexpected situations and disappointments.

Soaked! by Abi Cushman is about a Bear who is looking forward to a fun day with his friends. But it is a wet, dreary day and Bear cannot possibly have fun with Badger, Rabbit, and Moose when he is soaked and miserable. But his friends have some ideas about how to turn the day around. Will Bear join them?

Rita and Ralph’s Rotten Day by Carmen Agra Deedy and Pete Oswald is a story of two friends who always get together to play under the apple tree. They play games and have fun, until one day a new game goes awry. Just when it seems nothing will ever be right again, a surprising thing happens. The old friends try something new, that isn’t new at all. Something they’ve done a hundred times…

Saturday by Oge Mora is a sweet picture book about a mom and her daughter who look forward to their day together on Saturday. They have plans to go to story time and the salon and have a picnic and go to a puppet show. But Saturday doesn’t go as planned. Story time is cancelled. Rain ruins their post-salon hair styles as well as their picnic. Can they save their Saturday, or is it ruined forever?

The Rough Patch by Brian Lies is a Caldecott award winning picture book about Evan and his dog. They spend their day together tending the garden and eating ice cream. But when Evan’s dog dies, Evan is heartbroken and destroys his garden. Weeds take over, and the end of a tangled vine reveals a pumpkin. Evan ends up bringing the pumpkin to the county fair, where unexpected surprises await him.

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

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*