Stephen Constanza’s latest picture book King of Ragtime (Simon & Schuster) has received glowing starred reviews form Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. Kirkus calls the book “Outstanding” and Publishers Weekly says the “pitch-perfect picture book biography of Black ragtime composer Scott Joplin (c. 1867–1917)” is “A richly detailed profile fit for a king.” The book will be published September 14.

Read the Kirkus review here

Read the Publishers Weekly review here

Pre-order the book here

My School Stinks! (Philomel/Penguin) written by Becky Scharnhorst, illustrated by Julia Patton was published July 6, 2020.

The book is a hilarious back-to-school story told through journal entries about a boy who finds himself at a new school where the other students are REAL animals.

Kirkus says “This story has an amusing tongue-in-cheek quality in which the text can be read as exaggeration but the pictures bear out the child’s perspective. For children accused of having wild imaginations, this is an affirming treat. Just might convince complaining children that their school isn’t so bad after all.”

Get the book here

Big Apple Diaries (Roaring Brook) Alyssa Bermudez‘s graphic novel memoir about growing up in New York around the time of 9/11 will be published August 17. It is already getting great reviews.

Publishers Weekly says “Bermudez puts her whole heart on the page, and the love she holds for her younger self can be deeply felt in every entry.” Read the full review here

Kirkus calls the book “An authentic and moving time capsule of middle school angst, trauma, and joy.” Read the full review here.

You can preorder the book here

Tiny Barbarian (HarperCollins) by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Ashley Spires, and Blueberry Cake (Aladdin) by Sarah Dillard have been named Amazon picks for ages 3 to 5 for July.

See all of the picks here

Preorder Tiny Barbarian here

Preorder Blueberry Cake here

Paletero Man (HarperCollins), written by Lucky Diaz and illustrated by Micah Player is on Publishers Weekly New and Noteworthy List for June. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly says “Player adds dynamic spreads in bright hues that often illuminate the untranslated Spanish.”

See the full list of New and Noteworthy books for June here

Nadya Bonten-Slenders was chosen from the more than two hundred Dutch and Belgian entries, as one of the winners of the 2021 Picture This competition. You can see her beautiful illustrations, along with the other winners here.

Picture this! is an initiative of Lemniscaat Publishers (NL) and the International Centre for the Picture Book in Society (GB). The competition is supported by Protea (ZA), Walker Books (GB), the Burg Wissem Bilderbuch Museum (DE), Kaléidoscope (FR), Lemniscaat Publishers (NL) and the International Centre for the Picture Book in Society (GB).

Congratulations Nadya!

2020 Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor book Sharuko (Lee & Low) by Monica Brown, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri has been named to Horn Book Magazine’s 2021 Summer Reading list.

See the complete list here

Get the book here

Paletero Man (HarperCollins) by Lucky Diaz, illustrated by Micah Player has received a 3rd starred review, this time from Publishers Weekly. It has also received stars from Kirkus and School Library Journal.

PW says Player adds dynamic spreads in bright hues that often illuminate the untranslated Spanish. A wonderfully executed treat of a book with a sweet community focus.

Read the full review here

Get the book here

Federico and the Wolf (HMH) by Rebecca Gomez, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri continues to receive accolades. It is on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award List for 2020-2021, as well as the Pennsylvania Young Readers’ Choice Award List and is a Kansas National Education Association Reading Circle Recommended Title. Congratulations Elisa!

Brittany Jackson has illustrated new middle grade novel from NBA superstar and New York Times bestselling author LeBron James and Andrea Williams!