By Megan Ciskowski, Assistant Publicist
Check out February new releases from Lerner Publishing Group!
Picture Books
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation’s history.
Upcoming Educator Resources!
The Unspeakable teaching guide was developed by Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul—educator, author, co-founder of the Institute for Racial Equity in Literacy, and director of diversity and equity at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University. Sign up here to receive a link to the teaching guide when it is available.
Praise for Unspeakable
★”Ideal for classroom libraries and a deeper study of American history, this title is a must-have for those seeking the painful and complete truth.”—starred, Booklist
★”Unspeakable deserves to be read by every student of American history.” —starred, BookPage
★”A somber, well-executed addition to the history as the incident approaches its 100th anniversary.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
★”[S]ucceeds in teaching the tragedy of the Tulsa Race Massacre and the legacy of Black Wall Street.”—starred, Publishers Weekly
★”This moving account sheds light on shameful events long suppressed or ignored. All collections should consider this title’s value in providing historical context to current conversations about racism and America’s ongoing legacy of white supremacy.”—starred, School Library Journal
★”Far from romanticizing history, Weatherford is equally descriptive in explaining how a false accusation of assault brought simmering racial tensions to a violent end . . . Cooper’s illustrations (‘oil and erasure’) are the perfect partner to this history, the sepia-toned images resembling historical photographs. The portraits of Black residents are particularly moving, seeming to break the fourth wall to implore the reader to remember their story.”—starred, The Horn Book Magazine
New in Paperback
Sometimes You Barf by Nancy Carlson
With her characteristic humor and compassion, Nancy Carlson helps young readers through what is often a scary and embarrassing rite of passage. Sometimes you barf. But it’s OK. You get better!
Praise for Sometimes You Barf
“Giddily illustrated with glorious cartoon grossness, this is a great normalizing device for all those reluctant regurgitators out there.” —Booklist
“A delightful and helpful treatment of a somewhat taboo topic.” —Kirkus Reviews
“[Carlson] writes with empathy, reassurance, and a ‘them’s the breaks, kid’ brand of humor as she follows a girl’s bout with the flu…. and her matter-of-fact writing and visual demonstrations that everything from aardvarks to leprechauns throw up, too, are a kind of medicine in themselves.” —Publishers Weekly
“Getting sick is never fun, but this reassuring and humorous book makes the experience much more tolerable.” —School Library Journal
Middle-Grade
My Ex-Imaginary Friend by Jimmy Matejek-Morris
Educator Resources
Engage young readers with this free discussion guide!
Praise for My Ex-Imaginary Friend
Eleven-year-old Jack thought he’d outgrown his imaginary friend, George, until his family hits a crisis and Jack decides that George may hold the key to putting his life back together.
Graphic Novels
Super Potato Gets Buff: Book 6, written and illustrated by Artur Laperla
The laughs continue in the latest installment of the Super Potato series! Gigantic flies are rampaging at a research center, thanks to a beam that boosted their molecules! Fortunately, the beam also creates a gigantic Super Potato . . . who’s delighted with his new muscles.
Verdad a la Vista (Truth in Sight): Libro 2 (Book 2), written by Cori Doerrfeld and illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld and Tyler Page
When Cici gets jealous of her classmate Kendra, she messes up Kendra’s doll. Then the changes show up on Kendra! Now in Spanish, this graphic novel shows Cici learning to see the best in people.
Praise for Verdad a la Vista (Truth in Sight)
“A likable protagonist and fantasy elements make this well-trod ground feel fairly fresh.”—Kirkus Reviews
“A wonderful addition to a must-have series.”—School Library Journal
Nonfiction
Hack Your Kitchen: Discover a World of Food Fun with Science Buddies ® written by Niki Ahrens
Young scientists will learn all about many different scientific principles and properties using everyday tools and ingredients from their own kitchens! Make a lemon volcano, flour craters, edible paper, and more with these hands-on science projects.
Praise for Hack Your Kitchen
“Something old, something new, some with batter, some are blue, and lots of projects here to do!”—Kirkus Reviews
“[O]ffers eight kitchen activities for curious youngsters . . .”—School Library Journal
Taking Care of Me: Healthy Habits with Sesame Street ® written by Mari Schuh
What is a habit? How do we make habits that are good for us? With help from their Sesame Street friends, young readers learn about the good choices they can make every day, such as eating healthy foods, washing their hands, brushing and flossing their teeth, staying active, and getting enough sleep.
Praise for Taking Care of Me
“[A] useful tool for caregivers . . . to help reinforce positive behaviors.”—Kirkus Reviews
“A solid choice for developing public health collections for the very young.”—School Library Journal
Cyberspies: Inside the World of Hacking, Online Privacy, and Cyberterrorism written by Michael Miller
As the digital world grows, teens must be aware of threats to their online privacy and security. This book details forms of cyberspying, explores careers in cyberintelligence, and looks at various online threats.
#MeToo and You: Everything You Need to Know about Consent, Boundaries, and More written by Halley Bondy
Author Halley Bondy explores the nuances of emotions, comfort, and discomfort in sexually charged and emotionally abusive situations. Tween readers will learn about consent, harassment, abuse, and healthy boundaries in all types of relationships.
Educator Resources
Empower and encourage students to practice healthy relationship decisions with this free Flowchart of Consent.
Praise for #MeToo and You
“Real talk about sexual abuse and harassment that neither sugarcoats nor catastrophizes.”—Kirkus Reviews
“A recommended resource to jump-start difficult conversations.”—School Library Journal
Billie Eilish, The Unofficial Biography: From E-Girl to Icon written by Adrian Besley
Billie Eilish is a phenomenon, a teenager whose beautifully crafted hits defy categorization and whose defiant persona mirrors the attitudes of a generation. Explore the life, talent, and philosophy of the fastest-rising star in pop music.
Praise for Billie Eilish, The Unofficial Biography
“A straightforward and positive portrayal of a young singing sensation.”—Kirkus Reviews
“This starry-eyed, adulatory biography of 18-year-old white pop singer Billie Eilish will please her legions of fans.”—School Library Journal
sandranickel
What a great batch of books!