Emily’s Big Discovery,(Candlewick) by Liz Kessler, illustrated by Joanie Stone is the first in a sparkling, charmingly illustrated series of readers that brings half-mermaid Emily Windsnap—star of the New York Times best-selling series—to a younger audience.
With a mermaid tail and an entire ocean awaiting her, Emily is eager to meet new friends and swim off on big adventures in this inviting new series for the younger set.
Get the book here
Kirkus has given a starred review to Mommy’s Hometown (Candlewick) by Hope Lim, illustrated by Jaime Kim.
A child visits their mother’s hometown and is surprised to find it now differs from her recollections.
Mommy regales the young narrator with bedtime stories about a playful, carefree childhood. Against the backdrop of a verdant countryside and towering mountains, a lush river provided ample opportunity for Mommy and her friends to catch fish, splash, and treasure hunt. Idyllic and joyful, these vivid memories have given the child high expectations for an upcoming visit. A train car window offers the first glimpse of a vastly different landscape. Bustling streets and gleaming skyscrapers crowd the horizon, and the mountains struggle to be seen. The striking contrast between reality and anticipation both awes and disappoints the child. Yet while many things have changed, the river still flows through the city center. Hand in hand, Mommy and child wade in, re-creating the cherished moments of Mommy’s youth. The pair make their own memories in this special place, reinforcing that it is familial bonds and unconditional love that define home rather than physical surroundings. A tranquil warmth radiates from the illustrations, providing an underlying feeling of safety throughout the journey. Mommy and child are Korean, with black hair and pale skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An uplifting, intergenerational story. (Picture book. 3-8)
The book will be published April 12. Pre-order it here
In addition to his wonderful children’s book art, Michael Slack is also a fine artist. Currently he has two colored pencil and acryla gouache drawings on display at The Compound Gallery in Emerville, CA.
See more about the gallery here
A Sprinkle of Sadie (Affirm Press) written by Lana Spasevski, illustrated by Joanie Stone has been published in Australia.
In this sweet chapter book, Sadie needs to throw a surprise birthday for her mum, help out at the Cookgrove fundraising day,and welcome someone new to her class.
But Sadie’s sweet intentions do not always go to plan! Her vanilla ice-cream cake for Mum is as flat as a pancake. Her cupcake stall has tough competition. And her welcome treat is not welcomed!
Can Sadie find a way to save the day? In these three sprinkle-filled stories (complete with recipes!) the unstoppable Sadie shows that any problem can be solved with generosity, kindness and, of course, a delicious baked treat.
This book is the first in a series.
Congratulations Joanie!
Learn more about the book here
King of Ragtime (Simon & Schuster) by Stephen Costanza has won a Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration. The awards are given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in recognition of excellence in children’s books. Congratulations Steve!
See the full list of winners here
Get King of Ragtime here
People Magazine recently interviewed Clothilde Ewing about her book Stella Keeps the Sun Up (Simon & Schuster), illustrated by Lynne Gaines.
Ewing says she had a very clear vision for how she saw Stella that illustrator Lynn Gaines helped bring to life. “I wanted to make sure that Stella was a little black girl — complexion-wise, I wanted to make sure there wasn’t any ambiguity,” she says.
“I wanted Stella to have a beautiful brown skin tone and I wanted to make sure her hair looked like my daughter’s hair, that it had texture. And that she was colorful and exuded joy.” When she first saw Gaines’s drawings, “I almost cried,” she says. “It was so spot-on.”
Read the full interview here
Get the book here
Above the Rim (Abrams) by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Frank Morrison has been named to the Texas Library Association’s 2022 Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List. The purpose of the Texas Topaz Reading List is to provide children, teens, and adults with recommended nonfiction titles that stimulate reading for pleasure and personal learning.
Congratulations Frank!
See the complete list here
Get the book here
BECAUSE OF YOU, JOHN LEWIS: THE TRUE STORY OF A REMARKABLE FRIENDSHIP (Scholastic) by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illus. by Keith Henry Brown
Ten-year-old Tennesseean Tybre Faw finds a hero in Congressman John Lewis, a civil rights icon nicknamed “Good Trouble,” who worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. As the anniversary of Bloody Sunday and the commemorative march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge approaches, Faw begs his grandmothers to drive him to Selma. There Lewis shakes Faw’s hand and invites the boy to march with him, thus beginning a friendship. Pinkney’s lyrical prose recounts the high points of Lewis’ (and to some extent King’s) life interspersed with details of Faw’s interest in history and the particulars of his meetings with Lewis. She emphasizes Lewis’ mentoring of Faw (and its parallels to King’s mentoring of Lewis), ensuring continuity in the civil rights struggle. Brown’s digitally enhanced watercolor-and-ink illustrations focus on the humans depicted, and several compositions reflect published photos of events. Equally strong are the settings (particularly Selma) and subtle details, such as Faw reading Lewis’ graphic novel, March (2016). Appended with generous back matter, this makes an inspiring addition to the civil rights canon. — Kay Weisman
The book will be published on June 7, 2022.
Pre-order it here
Ashley Spire’s The Most Magnificent Thing (Kids Can Press) has made the shortlist of the BolognaRagazzi Crossmedia Award 2022, which goes to the publishing projects that have best expanded their narrative universe to other media. The international jury examined over 80 projects, selecting 10, from which the Grand Prize and the special mentions will be chosen.
The short animated movie, produced by Nelvana, based on the book written by award-winning author and illustrator, Ashley Spires, The Most Magnificent Thing is an inspirational story about a little girl with a creative spirit, determined to make great things. When she receives her very own tool kit, the little girl sets out to make the most magnificent thing for her best friend—but it’s not as easy as she thinks! The Most Magnificent Thing is a timeless tale about learning through perseverance and hard work, the power of love, and selflessness.
See the complete list here
Get the book here
Acamy Schleikorn discusses representation in reading in an interview on KTNV, as part of Nevada’s Reading Week. Reading week was created to encourage young readers, and this years’ theme is, ‘Catch the Reading Wave’. This year, some Educators and Illustrators are putting emphasis on ‘Representation in Reading’ to make sure all students can see themselves in books and on covers.
“I want to illustrate all kinds of people, all kinds of races, ethnicities, stories, backgrounds,” said Schleikorn.
“I’m very passionate about making sure that children can see themselves in the work that I create, because it reflects the world that we live in,” Schleikorn added. “Like we come in all kinds of shades, our hair is all kinds of textures. We’re not a monolith, and I want to show that in my work.”
See the full interview here