Categories
The Kids Are All Right

New Children’s Book Releases for January 7th, 2020

Happy New Year! My name is Louise Johnson and I’m the new writer of this newsletter. I’m a blogger, researcher, and writer based in the United Kingdom and I specialize in children’s books so you’re in safe hands, I promise. I’ll be bringing you my weekly picks from the children’s book releases in the US, backlist shout-outs, and news of the occasional British children’s book release as well. Let’s get started!

A Voice Named Aretha by Katheryn Russell-Brown, illustrated by Laura Freeman

If I want this newsletter to share anything with you, it’s books that celebrate brilliant women and make their lives accessible to young readers. Where better to kick that off than with A Voice Named Aretha? It offers children a chance to find out more about this iconic woman and the years of work it took for Franklin to become famous. Look out in particular for the recurring motif of a crown throughout – you can just see it on the cover here.

Diana Princess of the Amazons by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by Victoria Ying

Graphic novels? Young Diana? Yes please! From a dynamic team involving NYT bestsellers and an artist with credits on Moana, Frozen, Tangled, and more, this story about the young Wonder Woman looks an absolute treat. Diana is the only child on her island, and decides to make herself a friend out of clay. The only problem is that her friend might actually be a monster…

A Girl, A Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon by Karen Romano Young, illustrated by Jessixa Bagley

When a New York City branch library faces possible closure, the daughter of the librarian decides to save the library. Pearl is supported in this by the library crew which involves literate raccoons, a constantly tap-dancing girl , and an older boy she has a crush on.  This had me at literate raccoons…

 

Dare to Dream Big by Lorna Guitterez, illustrated by Polly Noakes

Dare to dream! Dare to fly higher! Dare to do what hasn’t been done! Dare to be second to none! 

It’s never too early for little ones to be empowered, and this picture book is a gorgeous way to do it. Simple bold statements encourage children to live life on their terms and make their dreams come true.

It’s A No-Money Day by Kate Milner

I promised the occasional British title and here we are! It’s A No-Money Day was released in October in both the US and the UK, and deals with financial insecurity, social vulnerability, and the reality of a society with food banks. It sensitively introduces difficult topics to readers who may be experiencing them, and does so in a caring, gentle, and kind way. This is good, classy work done by somebody who knows what they’re doing.

I think that’s a good few titles to start the year off with, so we’ll wind things up there. You can find me on social media @chaletfan – let me know what you and your kids are reading! And, if you like your fiction literary and your podcasts podcasty, then please do come and join me and Mary Kay at Novel Gazing, a podcast devoted to the world of literary fiction.

See you next time!

Louise.

Categories
New Books

First January 2020 New Books Megalist!

🥳 HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🎉 We are a week into the new decade, and I am so excited about all the amazing books we have ahead of us. I also REALLY love starting a new reading spreadsheet. It’s an epic nerdpurr. And I think this year, I’m going to go back to writing down a short synopsis of every book I read. I fell out of that habit years ago, but I think it will be helpful as I attempt to read more books than ever this year!

Like I said, I am so excited for more books! I already have a handful of 2020 titles under my belt, and am headed to read another one as soon as I finish this newsletter. You can hear about several of the great books out this first new release day of 2020 on this week’s episode of the All the Books! Rebecca and I talked about The Black Cathedral, Why We Can’t Sleep, Qualityland, and more.

And like with each megalist, I’m putting a ❤️ next to the books that I have had the chance to read and loved. It has been slow reading for me the last few months, so I haven’t read as many as I wished, but I did get to a few of today’s books. And there are soooo many more on this list that I can’t wait to read!

The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir by E.J. Koh ❤️

Shadowshaper: Legacy by Daniel José Older

City of Stone and Silence (The Wells of Sorcery Trilogy) by Django Wexler ❤️

The Secret Chapter (The Invisible Library series) by Genevieve Cogman

We Used to Be Friends by Amy Spalding

Why We Can’t Sleep: Women’s New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun ❤️

Successful Aging: A Neuroscientist Explores the Power and Potential of Our Lives by Daniel J Levitin

Where Have All the Boys Gone? by Jenny Colgan

A Collective Bargain: Unions, Organizing, and the Fight for Democracy by Jane McAlevey

Yellow Earth by John Sayles

The Art of Dying by Ambrose Parry ❤️

Kill Reply All: A Modern Guide to Online Etiquette, from Social Media to Work to Love by Victoria Turk

The Simple Past by Driss Chraibi, Hugh A. Harter (Translator)

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer ❤️

Westering Women: A Novel by Sandra Dallas

You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley

Every Other Weekend by Abigail Johnson

Qualityland by Marc-Uwe Kling ❤️

Just Breathe by Cammie McGovern

Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLaughlin

Average is the New Awesome: A Manifesto for the Rest of Us by Samantha Matt

Topics of Conversation: A novel by Miranda Popkey ❤️

This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 lessons on how to wake up, take action, and do the work by Tiffany Jewell, Aurelia Durand

Three Things I Know Are True by Betty Culley

Clean Getaway by Nic Stone ❤️

Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It by Kamal Ravikant

BOWIE: Stardust, Rayguns, & Moonage Daydreams by Michael Allred, Steve Horton , et al.

All the Days Past, All the Days to Come by Mildred D. Taylor

Jinxed by Amy McCulloch

The Last Witness by Claire McFall

Don’t Believe a Word: The Surprising Truth About Language by David Shariatmadari

Grace Is Gone: A Novel by Emily Elgar

You Too?: 25 Voices Share Their #MeToo Stories by Janet Gurtler

Oasis: A Novel by Katya de Becerra

The Violence Inside Us: A Brief History of an Ongoing American Tragedy by Chris Murphy

The Black Cathedral: A Novel by Marcial Gala, Anna Kushner (translator) ❤️

Welcome to the Pine Away Motel and Cabins by Katarina Bivald

Diana: Princess of the Amazons by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, et al.

Come Tumbling Down (Wayward Children) by Seanan McGuire ❤️

Mr. Nobody: A Novel by Catherine Steadman

Building a Life Worth Living: A Memoir by Marsha M. Linehan

Lady Clementine: A Novel by Marie Benedict

Boys & Sex: Young Men on Hookups, Love, Porn, Consent, and Navigating the New Masculinity by Peggy Orenstein

A Love Hate Thing by Whitney D. Grandison

Keystone by Katie Delahanty

F*ck Your Diet: And Other Things My Thighs Tell Me by Chloé Hilliard ❤️

Furious Thing by Jenny Downham

Becoming a Man: The Story of a Transition by P. Carl

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez

Lady Hotspur by Tessa Gratton

A Sportsman’s Notebook: Stories (Art of the Story) by Ivan Turgenev

Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains by Cassie Chambers

Martin McLean, Middle School Queen by Alyssa Zaczek

The Kids Are in Bed: Finding Time for Yourself in the Chaos of Parenting by Rachel Bertsche

Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book by Courtney Maum

Creatures: A Novel by Crissy Van Meter ❤️

Lie to Me by Kaitlin Ward

Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Katherine Webber

How to Speak Boy by Tiana Smith

Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim

Wyntertide by Andrew Caldecott

Dear Edward: A Novel by Ann Napolitano

The Map from Here to There by Emery Lord

The Schrodinger Girl by Laurel Brett

Firebird by Mark Powell

One of Us Is Next: The Sequel to One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

long bright riverLong Bright River by Liz Moore ❤️

House on Endless Waters by Emuna Elon

The God Game: A Novel by Danny Tobey

The Heap: A Novel by Sean Adams ❤️

Rocket Man: The Life of Elton John by Mark Bego

The Girls with No Names by Serena Burdick

The Gimmicks: A Novel by Chris McCormick ❤️

Westwind by Ian Rankin

Fuel Your Fire: 200 Ways to Instantly Beat Burnout and Reignite Your Passion by Samantha Acton

Cesare: A Novel of War-Torn Berlin by Jerome Charyn

First Cut: A Novel by Judy Melinek M.D and T.J. Mitchell

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen ❤️

Butterfly by Ashley Antoinette

Deep State: A Thriller by Chris Hauty

It’s My Life by Stacie Ramey

Two Blankets, Three Sheets by Rodaan Al Galidi, Jonathan Reeder (translator)

Jane Anonymous: A Novel by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Raising Hell: Backstage Tales from the Lives of Metal Legends by Jon Wiederhorn

The American People: Volume 2: The Brutality of Fact: A Novel by Larry Kramer

Flowers in the Gutter: The True Story of the Edelweiss Pirates, Teenagers Who Resisted the Nazis by K. R. Gaddy

19 Love Songs by David Levithan

Failure to Launch: Why Your Twentysomething Hasn’t Grown Up…and What to Do About It by Mark McConville Ph.D.

Physical Intelligence: The Science of How the Body and the Mind Guide Each Other Through Life by Scott Grafton

The Vanishing (Fogg Lake) by Jayne Ann Krentz

Thanks for joining me every Tuesday. Here’s to an amazing new decade full of books. See you next week!

xx,

Liberty

Categories
Today In Books

A 2020 Literary Calendar: Today In Books

A 2020 Literary Calendar

The Guardian went all out and made this beautiful literary calendar for 2020 that lists so many adaptations, books, and bookish events organized by months. You’re gonna want to bookmark this and check it out at the beginning of each month.

More Digitizing

VAT, the Vatican Apostolic Library, has digitized a bunch of its collection, which is searchable and downloadable, perfect for anyone unable to make a quick trip to the Vatican at the moment. “The VAT has enjoyed its status as one of the chief repositories of Western civilization longer than any of us has been alive, but we can count ourselves in the first generation of humanity to see it open up to the world.”

It’s 2020 But Let’s Talk 2019

According to NPD BookScan reports Delia Owens’ Where the Crawdads Sing was 2019’s bestselling print book with Michelle Obama’s Becoming coming in second place, and third place going to Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls by Dav Pilkey. You can see the top twenty best selling print books of 2019 here.

Categories
Check Your Shelf

Making Sense of the RWA, Most Anticipated Titles, and More!

Welcome to Check Your Shelf! This is your guide to help librarians like you up your game when it comes to doing your job (& rocking it).

The world is a scary place, so let’s try to get each other through everything as best as we can.


The RWA Fiasco

If you are not currently aware, the Romance Writers of America (RWA) imploded over the holidays when the Board of Directors decided to revoke author Courtney Milan’s membership and other privileges due to Courtney calling out the racism in another author’s work over the summer, thereby continuing a long and tired tradition where calling out racism is seen as a worse offense than the racism itself. This is only the tip of what is clearly a giant dysfunctional iceberg, but I’ve tried to pull as many resources as possible to give readers a comprehensive breakdown of just wtf has been going on.

Okay. Now on to our regularly scheduled programming!


Collection Development Corner

Publishing News

New & Upcoming Titles

Best Books of 2019

Best of the Decade

What Your Patrons Are Hearing About

RA/Genre Resources

On the Riot


All Things Comics

On the Riot


Audiophilia

  • Slate: Best audiobooks of the year.

Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists

Children/Teens

Adults

On the Riot


Level Up (Library Reads)

Do you take part in LibraryReads, the monthly list of best books selected by librarians only? We’ve made it easy for you to find eligible diverse titles to nominate. Kelly Jensen created a database of upcoming diverse books that anyone can edit, and Nora Rawlins of Early Word is doing the same, as well as including information about series, vendors, and publisher buzz.

See you on Friday!

Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently reading The Body Lies by Jo Baker.

Categories
Swords and Spaceships

Swords and Spaceships for January 7: New Year, New Releases

Happy First Round of New Releases for the New Year! That’s a holiday, right? Well, it is now. I’m Alex, and I’ve got six new books (among the many releasing today!) to check out, as well as some news in the queue. And yes, it really is just the first week of the new year.

There’s been a thing on Twitter this last week with people summarizing books using the Reddit AITA (Am I the Asshole?) format, and I have just been laughing so hard. The Mary Sue collected some of the best tweets.

New Releases

Lady Hotspur by Tessa Gratton – For those of us who have ever read Shakespeare’s Henry IV part 1 and 2 and wished there were more women. The Lady Knights, whose motto is “Strike Fast, Love Hard, Live Forever,” have a war of succession on their hands, and Lady Hotspur Persy will decide the fate of the kingdom by what side she chooses.

The Black Cathedral by Marcial Gala, translated by Anna Kushner – A preacher moves his family to Cienfuegos, and receives a vision: he must build a temple greater than any other in Cuba and turn the city into the new Jerusalem. Those who grow up in the shadow of the rising cathedral are marked by violence, cruelty, and selfishness–and they have stories to tell.

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez – The usurper Atoc has killed or driven all but one of the Illustrian royal family from La Ciudad. Now he demands the hand of the survivor, Condesa, in marriage. But she sends her decoy Ximena to the wedding in her place–and Ximena is defined both by her ability to weave thread from moonlight and her all-consuming thirst for revenge.

Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire – Jack has taken the body of her sister to the Moors, a place where death definitely isn’t permanent or necessarily a problem. When she returns to the School for Wayward Children, it’s clear something has gone disturbingly wrong in a way only a mad scientist can manage–and she desperately needs her friends’ help.

Shadowshaper Legacy by Daniel José Older – Sierra, now separated from the other Shadowshapers, those with the magical ability to infuse ancestral spirits into works of art. Now she must harness the Deck of Worlds and her own power if she’s to save them all from the impending war between the houses… just when an old deal that Sierra’s ancestors made with Death is coming home to roost.

Qualityland by Marc Uwe-Kling – Welcome to Qualityland, the best country on Earth, where every aspect of a person’s life is determined by algorithms, including those that deliver products from TheShop to your doorstep before you even order them. The algorithms know best. Then a machine scrapper who can’t bring himself to actually scrap anything rebels by trying to return an item he knows he doesn’t want, shaking the very foundations of society.

News and Views

Hugo Nominations have opened for this year.

Every genre movie Netflix has announced for this year.

If you need a refresher before you leap into Come Tumbling Down, Seanan McGuire has recapped the series for you.

How Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings changed publishing forever.

The only other thing I’m going to say about The Rise of Skywalker is that I love John Boyega and I would wrestle a bear for him.

The Lost Diaries of General Hux

Cat Rambo has an amazing, massive essay that is well worth reading: The New Rude Masters of Fantasy & Science Fiction — and Romance

If you’ve ever wondered why writers spend so much time talking about money and how we never get any of it, here’s one of the reasons why.

This is fascinating on several levels: Academic paper in comic form explores ethics of treating torturer with PTSD

(Warning for annoying auto-play video) This headline is amazing: Mass. Palm Reader Stole Over $70,000 From Client in Exorcism Scheme, Police Say

On Book Riot

Roughing It in Science Fiction and Fantasy

Read Harder 2020: A Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novella

Take This Lord of the Rings Quiz to Find Your Next Fantasy Read


See you in the new year, space pirates. You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.

Categories
Kissing Books

Authors Go #NoRITAs and Pull Books From RITA Awards Consideration

Happy Monday, lovers! The world is even more on fire than it was when last we spoke, and it’s time to dig into more romance novels.

News and Useful Links

A lot of authors have pulled their books from consideration for the RITA awards (see the #NoRITAs hashtag). If you want to give them some support, here are a couple of links:

  • Romance Sparks Joy pulled together a list of authors from underrepresented groups who have pulled their books, with links. Any money made from affiliate links will be used to fund giveaways of books by underrepresented voices.
  • All About Romance created a larger list of authors who have pulled their books in an Amazon storefront. I salute them, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that they’ve contributed to the wrong end of the white supremacy conversation.

Here are some updates on the RWA front:

Because we need something thrilling and exciting: if you’ve read the Reluctant Royals series, “Girls With Glasses” might be familiar to you. IT IS NOW REAL.

Girl Have You Read is doing a quick romance challenge specifically around Black romance, so check it out and decide if you want to join in.

Deals

Have you read any Kerrigan Byrne? How To Love a Duke in Ten Days is 2.99 right now! This historical romance features two people with darkness in their pasts and their presents. I haven’t read this one or any of her work, but it’s been on my list to pick up forever! Kerrigan Byrne is one of those authors who I have regularly seen on the periphery but haven’t managed to pick up her books. I’m going to continue my goal of reading more new authors this year, and hers might be one of the first I try!

Recs!

It’s a regular Monday in our schedule, and I took the time at the end of the year to pick up some missed releases from 2019. I haven’t finished them all yet (facepalm) but they’re worth checking out.

Pride Prejudice and Other Flavors cover imagePride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors
Sonali Dev

I love Sonali Dev’s writing, and I love Pride and Prejudice, so I was baffled when, way back in June on a long flight home, I couldn’t get into the story. I’d barely scratched the surface of Trisha Raje’s weird brain, and I turned off my Kindle and read something else. But when I picked it up the morning of January 1st (a hard copy this time), I devoured half the book in one sitting. And this is a book that nearly qualifies for the Doorstopper task on the Read Harder challenge, short a mere 35 pages. Sonali Dev continues to tell quite the story from the perspectives of Trisha, a brilliant neurosurgeon who has major trouble talking to people, and DJ, a brilliant chef whose sister is one of Trisha’s patients. Note: ALL THE CWs are necessary for this book. There’s discussion of multiple past rapes (one of which included use of Rohypnol); discussion of lost pregnancies and attempts to get pregnant; family discord and estrangement; brain tumors; bad reaction to potential blindness; an Assigned Criminal At Birth law enforcement interaction…there’s just a lot going on here. If you’ve read Sonali Dev, she likes to make all her characters suffer a lot before they get their happy ending, and this one is no exception. So just go in with certain expectations, and be ready for something that’s more “suggested by Pride and Prejudice” than something that follows the beats more closely.

cover of White Whiskey Bargain by Jodie SlaughterWhite Whiskey Bargain
Jodie Slaughter

People have been talking about this book since long before it came out, and my intention had been to read it long before now. But things got in the way and it got pushed further and further down the list of things I had borrowed from KU. But I realized now was the time to read it, and boy am I glad I started. Hannah and Javier are the heirs to their family moonshine businesses in the hills of Kentucky. Hannah, actually, is no longer an heir; after the sudden death of her mother, she’s taken over as the HWIC in the family business. When a rich white family from out of town threatens both families and their livelihoods in increasingly bloody ways, the families decide to join forces. And what better way to prove that they are serious than for Hannah and Javier to marry? That’s right, folks. It’s a modern-day marriage of convenience story, and it’s hot and feelsy AF.

The Good, The Bad, and the Dad
Jaxon Knight

You might remember me talking about Rival Princes, the first romance I’d ever read that takes place in a theme park? This is part of that series. The father of Minako, a delightful little girl who stole the show in the first book, is the protagonist here. And he has not one but two—count em, two—suitors connected to Fairyland. One is a prince…the other is a pirate. A prince. And a pirate. And a dad.

I KNOW, right?!

I also just realized these are all books that would work for Read Harder tasks, so if you’re still looking for a retelling, a book with a rural setting, or a romance starring a single parent…you’re welcome!

So how are you starting out your first full week of 2020? More importantly, what are you reading?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Categories
Today In Books

Rescuing A Card Catalog: Today In Books

New Books Editor For L.A. Times

The Los Angeles Times has gone a whole year without a full-time books editor. But now, Boris Kachka joins them in that role, having previously been New York Magazine’s books editor.

Rescuing A Card Catalog

The University of Virginia was set to dump its card catalog, but that just didn’t sit right with a couple graduate students who had used the card catalog to research the history of the library’s collection. Read all about the volunteer rescue mission here.

Check Out The “Outlander” Trailer

The hot Scots are back in this trailer for “Outlander” season five, which will (roughly) adapt Diana Gabaldon’s The Fiery Cross.

Categories
Today In Books

Continuing To Raise Dion: Today In Books

Continuing To Raise Dion

The Michael B. Jordan-produced comic book adaptation Raising Dion has been renewed for a second season on Netflix! According to Netflix’s data Raising Dion, about a child who discovers he has powers, ranked in it’s top ten most popular original shows of 2019. Glad to see this one coming back, I loved seeing Dion and his mom’s lives as they try to make sense of his powers.

Book Accuses Author Of Rape And France Opens Investigation

In Le Consentement by Vanessa Springora, Springora accuses author Gabriel Matzneff of having raped her, leading the French public prosecutor’s office to look into the allegations: “‘After having analyzed the work ‘Consent’, published on Jan. 2, the Paris prosecutor has today opened a probe for rape committed against a minor aged under 15, in connection, notably, to Vanessa Springora’, the statement said.” Because the above linked article only named the accuser and not the accused, I’ll also link to The Guardian article that names Gabriel Matzneff.

Seattle Public Library’s New No-Fee Policy

While it was decided in 2019 it wasn’t official until the start of 2020: Seattle Public Library’s will no longer charge fees for overdue items which were at 25 cents per day and capped at $8 per item. “Lost and damaged items can still result in charges under the new policy, and library accounts will be suspended if items aren’t returned 14 days after they’re due.”

Categories
The Kids Are All Right

Twenty Picture Books I’m Excited About for 2020

Hi, Kid Lit Friends!

Happy, happy new year! I hope 2020 brings you much joy and lots of wonderful reading!

Speaking of wonderful reading, there are so many beautiful picture books coming out in the next few months! Here are some of the ones that caught my eye. What books are you excited about for the new year?

*Please note that all descriptions come from the publisher.*

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade (Roaring Brook Press, 3/17/20)

Water is the first medicine.
It affects and connects us all . . .

When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth
And poison her people’s water, one young water protector
Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.

Vamos! Let’s Go Eat by Raul the Third (HMH, 3/24/20)

In this new Vamos! title, Let’s Go Eat, Little Lobo is excited to take in a show with wrestling star El Toro in his bustling border town. After getting lunch orders from The Bull and his friends to help prepare for the event, Little Lobo takes readers on a tour of food trucks that sell his favorite foods, like quesadillas with red peppers and Mexican-Korean tacos. Peppered with easy-to-remember Latin-American Spanish vocabulary, this glorious celebration of food is sure to leave every reader hungry for lunch!

The Fabled Life of Aesop by Ian Lendler, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski (HMH, 3/10/20)

The Tortoise and the Hare. The Boy Who Cried Wolf. The Fox and the Crow. Each of Aesop’s stories has a lesson to tell, but Aesop’s true-life story is perhaps the most inspiring tale of them all. Gracefully revealing the genesis of his tales, this true story of Aesop shows how fables not only liberated him from captivity but spread wisdom over a millennium. This is the only children’s book biography about him.

Feed Your Mind: A Story of August Wilson by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Cannaday Chapman (Abrams, 1/7/20)

August Wilson (1945–2005) was a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright who had a particular talent for capturing the authentic, everyday voice of Black Americans. As a child, he read off soup cans and cereal boxes, and when his mother brought him to the library, his whole world opened up. After facing intense prejudice at school from both students and some teachers, August dropped out. However, he continued reading and educating himself independently. He felt that if he could read about it, then he could teach himself anything and accomplish anything.

Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Laura Freeman (Lee and Low, 1/14/20)

Philip Freelon’s grandfather was an acclaimed painter of the Harlem Renaissance. His father was a successful businessman who attended the 1963 March on Washington. When Phil decided to attend architecture school, he created his own focus on African American and Islamic designers. He later chose not to build casinos or prisons, instead concentrating on schools, libraries, and museums–buildings that connect people with heritage and fill hearts with joy. And in 2009, Phil’s team won a commission that let him use his personal history in service to the country’s: the extraordinary Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The Heart of a Whale by Anna Pignataro (Penguin Random House, 1/28/20)

Whale’s beautiful song winds its way through the ocean, reaching the farthest of faraways. His song is one of happiness and hope, magic and wonder–and Whale’s fellow sea creatures are calmed, cheered, and lulled by it. But though Whale sings his tender song day after day, night after night, Whale wonders why he has no song to fill his empty heart. So when he lets out a mournful sigh, the ocean carries it like a wish through its fathoms, bringing it to just the right place.

Itzhak: A Boy Who Loved the Violin by Tracy Newman, illustrated by Abigail Halpin (Abrams, 5/12/20)

Before becoming one of the greatest violinists of all time, Itzhak Perlman was simply a boy who loved music. Raised by a poor immigrant family in a tiny Tel Aviv apartment, baby Itzhak was transformed by the sounds from his family’s kitchen radio—graceful classical symphonies, lively klezmer tunes, and soulful cantorial chants. The rich melodies and vibrant rhythms spoke to him like magic, filling his mind with vivid rainbows of color. After begging his parents for an instrument, Itzhak threw his heart and soul into playing the violin. Despite enormous obstacles—including a near-fatal bout of polio that left him crippled for life—Itzhak persevered, honing his extraordinary gift.

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak (Henry Holt, 2/18/20)

As days stretch longer, animals creep out from their warm dens, and green begins to grow again, everyone knows―spring is on its way! Join a boy and his dog as they explore nature and take a stroll through the countryside, greeting all the signs of the coming season. In a series of conversations with everything from the melting brook to chirping birds, they say goodbye to winter and welcome the lushness of spring.

Nesting by Henry Cole (Katherine Tegen, 3/3/2020)

In this black-and-white picture book highlighted with robin’s egg blue, the reader will follow two robins as they build a nest with twigs and grass. Then mother robin lays four beautiful blue eggs and will keep the eggs warm in the nest until they hatch into four baby robins. The father robin protects the babies until they can fly on their own. The perils the babies encounter are many, including snakes and storms. The nest is always their safe place.

The Moon Keeper by Zosienka (Harper, 3/10/2020)

Emile, a very responsible polar bear, has a new job as moon keeper. He spends his evenings making sure the moon has everything it needs to shine its light over the night creatures. Night after night he keeps watch over the moon—clearing away the clouds and telling the fruit bats to move along when they play too close. Emile finds the moon nice to talk to in the stillness of the night. But what happens when the moon starts to change and slowly disappears? In a lovely and touching series of small investigations, consultations with neighbors, and a fair amount of worry, he learns that in life, things come and go—and it’s okay.

Goodnight, Veggies by Diana Murray and Zachariah Ohora (HMH, 3/10/2020)

As the sun begins to set, the tomatoes are tuckered out, the cucumbers are calm, and the beets are simply beat.
But what’s got them all so exhausted?
Celebrate the turning of day to night in this perfect bedtime ritual for plants—and humans—everywhere!

 

Woke: A Young Poet’s Call to Justice by Mahogany L. Browne, illustrated by Theodore Taylor III (Roaring Brook Press, 3/10/2020)

Historically poets have been on the forefront of social movements. Woke is a collection of poems by women that reflects the joy and passion in the fight for social justice, tackling topics from discrimination to empathy, and acceptance to speaking out. With Theodore Taylor’s bright, emotional art, and writing from Mahogany L. Browne, Elizabeth Acevedo and Olivia Gatwood, kids will be inspired to create their own art and poems to express how they see justice and injustice.

The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America’s Presidents by Kate Messner, illustrated by Adam Rex (Chronicle, 3/31/2020)

Who will be the NEXT president? Could it be you? When George Washington became the first president of the United States, there were nine future presidents already alive in America, doing things like practicing law or studying medicine. When JFK became the thirty-fifth president, there were 10 future presidents already alive in America, doing things like hosting TV shows and learning the saxophone. And right now—today!—there are at least 10 future presidents alive in America. They could be playing basketball, like Barack Obama, or helping in the garden, like Dwight D. Eisenhower. They could be solving math problems or reading books. They could be making art—or already making change.

That’s Life! by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld (Little, Brown, 3/31/2020)

After Life literally knocks on their door, one kid discovers that Life is truly what you make it. It’s weird and may not always cooperate, but Life’s beauty becomes apparent when it’s embraced for all of its quirks. This story is filled with tongue-in-cheek idioms that will appeal to readers of all ages and will impart deeper wisdoms about the many milestones and stages of life.

Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera (Abrams, 4/7/2020)

Gwendolyn Brooks (1917–2000) is known for her poems about “real life.” She wrote about love, loneliness, family, and poverty—showing readers how just about anything could become a beautiful poem. Exquisite follows Gwendolyn from early girlhood into her adult life, showcasing her desire to write poetry from a very young age. This picture-book biography explores the intersections of race, gender, and the ubiquitous poverty of the Great Depression—all with a lyrical touch worthy of the subject. Gwendolyn Brooks was the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize, receiving the award for poetry in 1950. And in 1958, she was named the poet laureate of Illinois. A bold artist who from a very young age dared to dream, Brooks will inspire young readers to create poetry from their own lives.

A Book for Escargot by Dashka Slater, illustrated by Sydney Hanson (Farrar Strauss and Giroux, 4/7/2020)

Bonjour!
It is moi, Escargot, your favorite French snail.
Today I am going on a trip to the library, where there are so many stories to choose from!
Stories about dog superheroes…
guinea pig detectives….
and flamingo astronauts.
But sadly, none of these books is about a daring snail hero who saves the day. What is that you say? Perhaps this is the book about the snail hero? Ooh-la-la!

Tiny Bird: A Hummingbird’s Amazing Journey by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Wendell Minor (Henry Holt, 4/14/2020)

When the last summer flowers open their petals to the sun, it’s time for a tiny ruby-throated hummingbird to dip its beak into the heart of each bloom, extracting as much nectar as possible before the hard trip ahead. Today is the day Tiny Bird begins its amazing journey south for the winter, traveling as fast as thirty miles an hour for hundreds of miles on end. The trip is long, with savage weather and many predators along the way, but Tiny Bird is built for this epic journey and eventually arrives at its winter home.

Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal (HMH, 5/5/2020)

Captain Swashby loves the sea, his oldest friend. And he loves his life by the sea just as it is: salty and sandy and serene. One day, much to Swashby’s chagrin, a young girl and her granny commandeer the empty house next door. All Swashby wants is for his new neighbors to GO AWAY and take their ruckus with them. When Swashby begins to leave notes in the sand for his noisy neighbors, however, the beach interferes with the messages that are getting across. Could it be that the captain’s oldest friend, the sea, knows what Swashby needs even better than he knows himself?

Story Boat by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh (Tundra, 2/4/2020)

When a little girl and her younger brother are forced along with their family to flee the home they’ve always known, they must learn to make a new home for themselves — wherever they are. And sometimes the smallest things — a cup, a blanket, a lamp, a flower, a story — can become a port of hope in a terrible storm. As the refugees travel onward toward an uncertain future, they are buoyed up by their hopes, dreams and the stories they tell — a story that will carry them perpetually forward.

In A Jar by Deborah Marcero (Penguin Random House, 1/21/2020)

Llewellyn, a little rabbit, is a collector. He gathers things in jars–ordinary things like buttercups, feathers, and heart-shaped stones. Then he meets another rabbit, Evelyn, and together they begin to collect extraordinary things–like rainbows, the sound of the ocean, and the wind just before snow falls. And, best of all, when they hold the jars and peer inside, they remember all the wonderful things they’ve seen and done. But one day, Evelyn has sad news: Her family is moving away. How can the two friends continue their magical collection–and their special friendship–from afar?


What are you reading these days? I want to 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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Today In Books

World’s Oldest Illustrated Book Discovered: Today In Books

World’s Oldest Illustrated Book Discovered

Egyptologists have discovered the Book of Two Ways, 4,000-year-old writing inscribed on the walls of sarcophagi meant to assist the dead through the underworld. “…Willems believes this newly identified ‘Book of Two Ways’ is at least four decades older than any of the two dozen previously known versions of the text.” This is definitely how an adventure movie starts.

Hansel and Gretel Retelling Leads To Author Charged With Child Porn

Canadian author Yvan Godbout’s retelling of Hansel And Gretel has a sexual assault scene involving a minor that lead a reader to call the authorities, which then resulted in the author and his publisher, Nycolas Doucet, being arrested. The case, set to go to trial in September in Quebec, is the first time a work of prose has lead to an author having Canada’s child pornography laws brought against them.

Gretel & Hansel Trailer

In completely unrelated to the above story the film Gretel & Hansel, based on the folklore tale of siblings that stumble upon a witches home in the woods, has a trailer! The dark fantasy horror film will be in theaters on January 31st and stars Sophia Lillis and Sam Leakey.