The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Frank Morrison, was chosen by Amazon as one of their best books of February for ages six to eight. The book won’t be out until February 9th, but you can pre-order your copy here. The full list of best books for ages six to eight can be found here.

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville tells the story of Alta and Charmaine, two rival girls who love running and want to prove themselves to their hero, Olympian Wilma Rudolph. Booklist praises the The Quickest Kid for its inspiring message of “teamwork and unification,” and they write that, “Morrison’s bold, expressive watercolors capture the flavor of the era (1960s) with a contemporary tone that will make this story feel strikingly current.” (Read the full Booklist review here.)

Il Sung Na’s Opposite Zoo, coming out March 8th, has received advanced praise from Kirkus. Opposite Zoo uses the setting of a zoo at night to help explain the concept of opposites to young readers. Kirkus praises his humor and writes that, “Readers…will be struck by the simplified, free style he adopts in this book for young learners.” They call Opposite Zoo, “A beautiful treatment of a familiar subject that repays close looking again and again.”

You can pre-order Opposite Zoo here.

Two of our illustrators have new books out today! The first is Spare Dog Parts, written by Alison Hughes and illustrated by Ashley Spires, a charming story about what makes our pets unique. It can be purchased here. The second is How to Dress a Dragon, a cute instruction of how to get a dragon dressed, written by Thelma Lynne Godin and illustrated by Eric Barclay. It can be bought here. Congratulations to Ashley and Eric, and happy birthday to your new books!

Echo Echo: Reverso Poems About Greek Myths, written by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Josée Masse, received amazing advance praise from the School Library Journal. Echo Echo is a clever retelling of various Greek myths, such as the tales of Narcissus and Icarus. The Journal called the story “A witty, seductive pairing of poetic imagination and artistic vision,” and praised Josée’s illustrations. They write, “Perfectly complementing—indeed, enhancing—the sly subtlety of the text are Masse’s compelling stylized acrylics.” What a great first review!

The full review is in the School Library Journal’s January issue. Echo Echo isn’t out until February 16^th, but you can pre-order it here!

I Want A Monster!, Elise Gravel’s new picture book from Katherine Tegen Books, won’t hit shelves until March, but the positive reviews are already rolling in. Quill & Quire, Canada’s top book news magazine, praised the book in their January/February issue. They write, “Silly and offbeat, I Want A Monster! is more fun than a barrel of baby Oogly-Wumps.”

Pre-0rder your copy here.

Frederick’s Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass, written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by London Ladd, has been named a 2016 Notable Children’s Book: Middle Reader by the American Library Association. The full list can be viewed here.

Congrats London on this terrific honor!

Sewing Stories, written by Barbara Herkert and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton, is the wonderful picture book biography of Harriet Powers, a little-known artist born into slavery in rural Georgia. The book was released in late 2015 by Random House Children’s Books to praise from Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal, and was recently featured on SLJ’s list “Celebrating African Americans: The Arts.” The list features recent picture book biographies that introduce young readers to “noteworthy African Americans who have defined their place in the world by following their passions and pursuing their art. The full list can be viewed here.

Praise for Sewing Stories:

“A much-needed introduction to the life of a little known African American artist, with many possible curriculum connections: artists, quilters, women’s history, and the Civil War.”–School Library Journal

“As a picture-book introduction to an unsung artist, it inspires. Harriet Powers: an artist worth knowing.”–Kirkus Reviews

Ashley Spires‘ Over-Scheduled Andrew was released by Tundra Books this week.  In this sequel to Edie’s Ensembles, Andrew and Edie return in a cautionary tale that Kirkus calls a “tongue-in-cheek take on an all-too-common plight.” When Andrew signs up for too many extracurricular activities, he learns the trouble in spreading oneself too thin.  Publishers Weekly writes, “While the premise of the overcommitted child has been explored before…Spires makes it her own, bringing a playful touch to her writing and artwork. In fact, insofar as this is a message book, the real takeaway is less ‘know your limits’ than ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained.'”

You can read the Kirkus review here, and the Publishers Weekly review here. Over-Scheduled Andrew was also featured on CBC Canada’s Spring 2016 Book Preview.

Purchase a copy of the book here.

One Plastic Bag, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon and written by Miranda Paul, has been included on the 2016 Amelia Bloomer List which celebrates “Recommended Feminist Literature for Birth through 18.”  One Plastic Bag tells the true story of Isatou Ceesay who started a recycling movement in her village in Gambia by inspiring women to turn plastic bags into plastic purses.  This tale is the perfect book to empower young girls to dream big and create change.

Visit the full list here.

Congrats Elizabeth and Miranda!

Sarah Dillard‘s new chapter book series Mouse Scouts is now available from Knopf Books for Young Readers. The first two books in the series, Mouse Scouts and Mouse Scouts Make A Difference were released simultaneously at the beginning of the month.  Kirkus calls the books “a welcome series for new readers.”

Order your copies here.