April is the perfect time for new beginnings…and new books! Check out our new releases to discover entertainment for the rainy spring days.
New in Picture Books
Haiku, Ew!: Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature by Lynn Brunelle and illustrated by Julia Patton
Interest Level: Grade 2 – 5
These gross and engrossing haiku highlight thirteen animals (and a few fungi) and the exceptionally icky things they do! Accompanied by bonus facts that will delight—and disgust—readers of all ages.
Praise for Haiku, Ew!
“Brunelle subverts this normally staid 17-syllable Japanese poetic form in this collection celebrating nature at its grossest.” — Booklist
“Offers a crowd-pleasing angle on both nature and poetry.” — Kirkus Reviews
Mami King: How Ma Mon Luk Found Love, Riches, and the Perfect Bowl of Soup by Jacqueline Chio-Lauri and illustrated by Kristin Sorra
Interest Level: Grade 2 – 5
The true story of an intrepid young man, Ma Mon Luk, who leaves China for the Philippines, desperate to earn a living—and the approval of the parents of the woman he loves.
Praise for Mami King
“A savory success story.” — Booklist
“As heartwarming and satisfying as a bowl of noodle soup.” — Kirkus Reviews
“A resourceful young man employs his cooking skills to make his fortune and assist others in this lively biography of entrepreneur Ma Mon Luk.” — Publishers Weekly
Jewish Mindfulness for Kids by Blanca Sissa and illustrated by Camila Carrossine
Interest Level: Grade PreK – 2
The exercises in this unique book encourage children to use everyday items to inspire mindfulness. Mindfulness, the Jewish value of Yishuv Hada’at, means paying attention to what is happening around us.
Page Plus QR codes links to Jewish mindfulness exercises for kids.
Praise for Jewish Mindfulness for Kids
“The exercises are creative and beautifully exemplify the Jewish concept of Yishuv Ha Da’at—more than mindfulness, creating a connection and harmony to calm oneself. Carrossine’s illustrations bring these exercises to life.” — Association of Jewish Libraries
New in Middle Grade
Cruzita and the Mariacheros by Ashley Granillo
Interest Level: Grade 6 – 8
Cruzita wants to be a pop star. She doesn’t want to take mariachi lessons—until she and her fellow mariacheros come up with a plan to save her family’s struggling bakery and to let Cruzita shine.
Praise for Cruzita and the Mariacheros
★ “Mariachi, family, and pan dulce are the ingredients for this perfect middle grade novel. Highly recommended for all middle grade collections.” — starred, School Library Journal
“This excellent debut has heart and soul, with an obvious deep love and appreciation for the culture in each word.” — Booklist
“Many readers will resonate with the demands on her time, and the children and grandchildren of immigrants will likely identify especially strongly with Cruzita’s journey toward connecting with her roots. A sweet summer quest for identity and belonging.” — Kirkus Reviews
Things that Shimmer by Deborah Lakritz
Interest Level: Grade 3 – 6
Melanie desperately wants to be accepted by the Shimmers, the popular kids in her class—until she gets to know the new girl in town. Soon she must choose between popularity and true friendship.
Praise for Things that Shimmer
“Young readers interested in historical fiction and tween friendship books will enjoy this novel.” — School Library Journal
“A tale of friendship dynamics that doesn’t reach for easy resolutions or immediate forgiveness.” — The Horn Book Magazine
New in Graphic Novels
Just Another Story: A Graphic Migration Account by Ernesto Saade
Interest Level: Grade 9 – 12
When Carlos was nineteen, his mother decided to leave her life in El Salvador. Refusing to let her go without him, Carlos joined her journey north. Together they experienced the risks countless people face as they migrate.
Praise for Just Another Story
★ “Powerful vignettes weave the epic odyssey of one family’s migration while highlighting the risks and sacrifices undertaken daily by migrants searching for the American dream. The striking illustrations deftly convey complex emotions and poignant symbolism.” — starred, Kirkus Reviews
★ “With delicacy and grace, Salvadoran cartoonist Saade crafts a resonant and distinctive graphic novel debut . . . Each panel is a testament to individual resilience, culminating in an expansive story of human beings triumphing against unspeakable odds.” — starred, Publishers Weekly
Una historia más: Un relato gráfico de migración by Ernesto Saade
Interest Level: Grade 9 – 12
Just Another Story be released simultaneously in Spanish!
New in Nonfiction
The Lost Forest: An Unexpected Discovery beneath the Waves by Jennifer Swanson
Interest Level: Grade 4 – 8
Take a deep dive with scientists exploring a sunken cypress forest that had been undisturbed in the Gulf of Mexico for fifty thousand years. Page Plus links lead to videos of the scientists at work.
Praise for The Lost Forest
“Swanson, who shadowed the scientists, documents their methods and discoveries in an appealing narrative, complemented by photos of the scientists in action. In the process, readers learn such amazing details as the dangers of diving, organizing experiments, gene sequencing, and finding new species.” — Booklist
“A detailed, thought-provoking account of the work of scientists.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Features photographs of the dives to the forest and the surrounding ecosystem. Scientific processes are explained and illustrated, and several at-home experiments are provided.” — School Library Journal
Wildfire: The Culture, Science, and Future of Fire by Ferin Davis Anderson and Stephanie Sammartino McPherson
Interest Level: Grade 8 – 12
Environmental scientist Ferin Davis Anderson and author Stephanie Sammartino McPherson examine how Indigenous people, farmers, and forestry departments have used fire to manage resources and how climate change is impacting the future of fire.
Praise for Wildfire
★ “It’s nice to have this balanced, reassuring offering that puts wildfires into ecological perspective. . . This authoritative STEAM selection has multiple crosscurricular applications, engaging live action-style reporting on narrow escapes and heroic deeds, and serves as a buffer for climate anxiety.” — starred, Booklist
“Advocacy for Indigenous fire-management practices, a thorough account of wildfire science, information on firefighting—and a blazing black-and-orange color scheme—make this book a hot ticket. . . Skillfully introduces the complex story of wildfires, Indigenous knowledge, and climate change.” — Kirkus Reviews