Kid Lit News: Released This Week
When Spring Comes
By Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek
The award-winning, bestselling husband-and-wife team of Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek collaborate for the first time since their acclaimed picture book Birds. Before spring comes, the trees are dark sticks, the grass is brown, and the ground is covered in snow. But if you wait, leaves unfurl and flowers blossom, the grass turns green, and the mounds of snow shrink and shrink. Spring brings baby birds, sprouting seeds, rain and mud, and puddles. You can feel it and smell it and hear it—and you can read it!
Peep and Egg: I'm Not Hatching
By Laura Gehl and Joyce Wan
Egg is not hatching. No way. No how. It is too scary out there. Peep wants Egg to hatch so they can do fun things together, like watch the sunrise, splash in puddles, and play hide-and-seek. But Egg is not cracking... Joyce Wan's bright and bold illustrations will have young chickies giggling at Laura Gehl's reassuring tale that takes thenot out of I'm not.
Little Butterfly
By Laura Logan
Little Butterfly is a charming and emotional wordless picture book, in the vein of acclaimed books like Suzy Lee’s Wave and Barbara Lehman’s The Red Book, by debut author-illustrator Laura Logan. This is a story of a young girl, a simple act of kindness, and a magical, once-in-a-lifetime journey. Laura Logan’s sweet and surprising illustrations tell an extraordinary tale of compassion rewarded and the wonder of nature. Includes an author’s note about the butterfly’s metamorphosis and migratory behavior.
Bloom
By Doreen Cronin and David Small
A glass kingdom is no place for a Mud Fairy. Bloom and her mud fairy magic might be able to turn weeds into flowers and spin sand into glass, but the people of the kingdom ceaselessly complain about the trails of dirt and puddles of mud that seem to follow her every step, and finally they cast her out. But when the glass castle begins to crack, then cracks some more, the King and Queen in a panic search for the long-banished fairy, but they can’t find Bloom anywhere. Desperate to save their home, they send their meekest, most ordinary subject, a girl named Genevieve whose sole task until now has been to polish the Queen’s crystal sugar spoon—to coax anyworthy fairy to come and save the kingdom. Genevieve finds Bloom exactly where the king and queen failed to see her, and Bloom knows exactly how to save the kingdom. But it will take the two girls working together, along with a mighty dollop of self-confidence—and some very messy hands—to accomplish the extraordinary.
Tiger and Badger
By Emily Jenkins and Marie-Louise Gay
Tiger and Badger are best friends. Of course, sometimes even very best friends can get into disagreements —over a toy, or a chair, or even sharing some orange slices. But no matter what, after a bit of pouting and with the help of some very silly faces, they always make up. Tiger and Badger is an exuberant read-aloud bursting with bright illustrations to hold the attention of very young readers just learning to make—and keep—friends.
Mom, There's A Bear at the Door
By Sabine Lapin and Manuela Olten
A mother is surprised when her son tells her that there is a bear standing outside their door. How did the bear get all the way from his cave in the forest to their eleventh-floor apartment? And what is it doing here in the middle of the city? This sweet story of a wacky chain of events will appeal to young readers who like to make up their own tall tales.
My Dog's a Chicken
By Susan McElroy Montanari and Anne Wilsdorf
Lula Mae wants a puppy, but times are hard and she’ll just have to make do. Her family has plenty of chickens, so she decides maybe a chicken can be a dog. Pookie, as Lula Mae names her, is an ordinary chicken, but Lula Mae thinks she is very doglike indeed. With a bow in Pookie’s hair, Lula Mae declares her a show dog. When she runs circles around the other chickens, Pookie is a shepherd dog. And when Cousin Tater sneaks up with a snake and Pookie starts bawk, bawk, bawking, well, she’s a guard dog, too. Then Lula Mae’s brother, Baby Berry, wanders away, and who do you think comes to the rescue?
A Beginner's Guide to Bear Spotting
By Michelle Robinson and David Roberts
Do you dream of seeing some real, live bears? Then this essential guide to bear spotting, filled with offbeat humor and quirky illustrations, is for you!In this perfect read-aloud, sure to delight kids and parents alike, a young aspiring bear spotter ventures into bear country . . . But coming face-to-face with the furry creatures themselves, whether black or brown, can be dangerous, and our protagonist--accompanied by a trusty teddy bear--might need to use some unconventional means to stay out of trouble and avoid being (gulp!) eaten.
No, No, Gnome!
By Ashlyn Anstee
Gnome cannot wait to help his friends harvest the school garden! But his eagerness and excitement get him into trouble, leaving them all saying, “No, no, Gnome!”
The Quickest Kid in Clarksville
By Pat Zietlow Miller and Frank Morrison
It's the day before the big parade. Alta can only think about one thing: Wilma Rudolph, three-time Olympic gold medalist. She'll be riding on a float tomorrow. See, Alta is the quickest kid in Clarksville, Tennessee, just like Wilma once was. It doesn't matter that Alta's shoes have holes because Wilma came from hard times, too. But what happens when a new girl with shiny new shoes comes along and challenges Alta to a race? Will she still be the quickest kid?
A Big Surprise for Little Card
By Charise Mericle Harper and Anna Raff
In the world of cards, each one has a special job to do. Big Card keeps important papers in order. Tiny Card can be exchanged for a prize in an arcade. Round Card hangs out in a glamorous boutique. But is any card as lucky as Little Card? He’s going to school to become a birthday card — in other words, to sing, play games, eat cake, and be happy all day long. But wait! On the day he’s supposed to take his talents into the world, Long Card tells him there’s been a mix-up and they need to trade jobs. How can Little Card bring his exuberance into a library, a quiet place of books and rules and hushing? Offbeat and utterly endearing, this tale of a little guy who gives it all he’s got is complete with a sweet twist and a surprise ending.
Swap!
By Steve Light
In a young scalawag's first tale of bartering, a peg-legged youngster sets out to help his captain repair his vessel. One button for three teacups. SWAP! Two teacups for four coils of rope. SWAP! And so it goes, until the little swashbuckler secures sails, anchors, a ship’s wheel, and more . . . including a happy friend. Steve Light’s intricate pen-and-ink illustrations, punctuated by brilliant blue and other hues, anchor this clever tale of friendship and ingenuity.
If I Had a Gryphon
By Vikki VanSickle and Cale Atkinson
Sam is already bored of her new pet, a rather sedate hamster. Inspired by her book of mythological creatures, Sam longs for a more exciting pet. But she soon realizes that taking care of these magical beasts might not be as wonderful as she thought. Unicorns are shy, gryphons scare the dogs at the dogpark, and having a fire extinguisher handy at all times makes dragons seem like an awful lot of work. In the end, Sam realizes that her hamster is a pretty sweet and safe pet ... or is he? If I Had a Gryphon is a raucous rhyming read-aloud about fantastical beasts in everyday situations--and the increasingly beleaguered heroine who has to deal with them. The perfect primer on mythological and fantastic beasts for young kids not quite ready for Harry Potter!
Brambleheart: A Story About Finding Treasure and the Unexpected Magic of Friendship
By Henry Cole
Twig has always wondered who he will become. In the Hill, everyone studies a craft and becomes a master’s Apprentice, but first you have to be good at something. Twig tries very hard in all his classes, but his imagination wanders to his favorite books or the delicious mayapples growing beyond the scavenge yard...and then he loses his focus. Unsure he’ll ever amount to anything, Twig sets out on a journey to discover himself. However, instead of finding answers, he stumbles upon a strangely colored globe that contains a curious secret. Protecting his secret is all Twig wants to do. But when he learns that his secret might hurt others, he’s forced to make a choice between his place in the world and the feelings in his heart.
Stink and the Attack of the Slime Mold (Stink #10)
By Megan McDonald and Peter H. Reynolds
Glip! Glop! Gloop! What looks like dog vomit, smells like a corpse flower, and stars in one of the scariest movies Stink Moody has ever seen? Is it the Blob? The Glob? Son of Glob? No, it’s . . . slime mold! Stink may be a super science geek, but even Dr. Stinkelstein is feeling freaked out about having a slime mold living and growing in his very own room. At Saturday Science Club, Stink learns that these one-celled organisms are smart enough to find their way out of mazes and gang up on food sources — so who says they aren’t smart enough to take over Stink’s pets, Stink’s room, Stink himself, and . . . the world? Vintage horror flicks meet classic Star Trek episodes as a wary Stink (with some help from Dr. Judy Moody) comes to know and love an unusual new pet in a hilarious adventure that sneaks in factoids and comics at each chapter’s end.
Fenway and Hattie
By Victoria J. Coe
This lovable new series introduces a little dog with a GIANT personality! Fenway is an excitable and endlessly energetic Jack Russell terrier. He lives in the city with Food Lady, Fetch Man, and—of course—his beloved short human and best-friend-in-the-world, Hattie. But when his family moves to the suburbs, Fenway faces a world of changes. He’s pretty pleased with the huge Dog Park behind his new home, but he’s not so happy about the Evil Squirrels that taunt him from the trees, the super-slippery Wicked Floor in the Eating Room, and the changes that have come over Hattie lately. Rather than playing with Fenway, she seems more interested in her new short human friend, Angel, and learning to play baseball. His friends in the Dog Park next door say Hattie is outgrowing him, but that can’t be right. And he’s going to prove it! Get a dog’s-eye view of the world in this heartwarming, enthusiastic “tail” about two best friends.
Princess in Black and the Hungry Bunny Horde (#3)
By Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, and LeUyen Pham
Princess Magnolia and her unicorn, Frimplepants, are on their way to have brunch with Princess Sneezewort, an occasion Frimplepants enjoys more than anything in the world. But just when he can smell the freshly baked bread and the heaping platters of sugar-dusted doughnuts, Princess Magnolia’s glitter-stone ring rings. The monster alarm! After a quick change in the secret cave, Princess Magnolia and Frimplepants are transformed into the Princess in Black and her faithful pony, Blacky. But when they get to the goat pasture, all they can see is a field full of darling little bunnies nibbling on grass, twitching their velvet noses, and wiggling their fluffy tails. Where are the monsters? Are these bunnies as innocent as they appear?
Ravenous
By MarcyKate Connolly
A witch has come to the city of Bryre. She travels in a hut that has chicken feet, and is ravenous for children. And once she gets what she desires, she never lets it go. But when the witch captures Hans, Greta’s little brother, Greta refuses to let her have him. The two strike up a bargain. Greta will retrieve something the witch desires in exchange for her brother’s freedom. To get the prize Greta must travel to Belladoma—a city where she was once held captive—which brings back terrible memories. With the help of a new friend, Dalen, a magical half-boy and half-horse, Greta embarks on the journey and tries to overcome both foes and her own weaknesses.