For any book lover, this is an exciting time. You get to look at all the promising and exciting new books set to be released that you just cannot miss.
I Lay My Stitches Down (PB)
Written by Cynthia Grady
Illustrated by Michele Wood
A moving, memorable poetry collection shaped around the stories of enslaved people in America.
• Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) Nonfiction Honor List
• Bank Street College Best Children’s Books
• NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Books
• PEN Steven Kroll Award Shortlist
• Kirkus Reviews (starred)
• School Library Journal (starred)This rich and intricate collection of poems chronicles the various experiences of enslaved people in the United States. Named for traditional quilt block patterns like Log Cabin, Cotton Boll, and Schoolhouse, each poem—ten lines of ten syllables each—mimics the square shape of a quilt block. Readers experience slavery in America through fourteen different perspectives, including a woman humming “Gilead” as she quilts, a mother losing her daughter to the auction, a child discovering the freedom of learning, and a young man fleeing on the Underground Railroad. Brought to life by vivid, expressive artwork from Michele Wood, this stirring and eloquent book offers a timeless witness to the hardship endured by enslaved men, women, and children. Each poem is supplemented by historical information and notes on quilting, musical, and spiritual references in the text.
The Biggest Mistake
Written and illustrated by Camilla Pintonato
A perfect storytime pick about success, failure, and the danger of assumptions.
“It’s time to catch your own gazelle,” Papa Lion tells his little lion one morning. The cub thinks the task will be easy—which is his first mistake. He leaps on a gazelle, but it gets away from him. So the little lion laces up his sneakers, thinking he just has to outrun the gazelle—and makes his second mistake. Once again, his prey escapes! So the little lion tries to lure the gazelle into a trap. He tries to snag its horns in a net. He even tries asking nicely. But every idea fails. Maybe the little lion needs the gazelle to make a mistake of her own… This tongue-in-cheek tale offers a new delight on each page, then ends with the biggest surprise of all. With madcap action and colorful artwork, The Biggest Mistake is sure to spark giggles from readers of all ages.
The Brothers Zzli
Written by Alex Cousseau
Illustrated by Anne-Lise Boutin
Translated by Vineet Lal
A moving allegory of immigration and hospitality.
One day, the brothers Zzli come to the doorstep of a little girl named Welcome. Welcome has plenty of room in her big, empty house, and the travelers—who have come from far away—make good pancakes and even better company. But others in the forest find this new family strange, even dangerous. When the bears invite their neighbors to a big party, only Welcome’s friend the bat shows up. Soon after that, a policeman knocks on their door, threatening to destroy the brothers’ beloved beehives. Maybe Welcome and her friends need to find someplace that might accept three bears, a bat, and a girl like her: somewhere to call home at last. With charming, delightful illustrations reminiscent of vintage children’s classics, The Brothers Zzli invites readers to join a bear family’s search for belonging in a world that views them with suspicion. This poignant story will spark lasting conversations about the impact of prejudice, the struggles of refugees, and the responsibility we have to our neighbors—especially the new ones.
Later, When I’m Big
Written by Bette Westera
Illustrated by Mattias de Leeuw
Translated by Laura Watkinson
A playful, humorous look at being small but dreaming big. As a child and her mother walk up to the swimming pool, she dreams about everything she’ll do when she’s older. Maybe she’ll dance with jellyfish. Maybe she’ll fly to Saturn in a space rocket. She could even play with the monster under her bed! But for now, she’ll have to face that terrifyingly tall diving board… With alliterative language and explosively colorful illustrations, When I’m Big is an amusing journey through all sorts of fantastical futures. As readers travel to tropical rainforests, the North Pole, and beyond, they will start to dream about what their tomorrows could bring.
Building a Dream: How the Boys of Koh Panyee Became Champions
Written by Darshana Khiani
Illustrated by Dow Phumiruk
A uniquely formatted book about dreams, loneliness, and the universal longing for connection.
Vera and her family live on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, a place that feels like the edge of the world itself. Lucas and his family also say they live on the edge of the world, but their home is thousands of miles away on the coast of Chile. Vera spends her days devouring fantasy books, throwing balls to her dog, and longing for a friend who would care about the treasures she’s hidden underneath the alder bush. Lucas spends his days looking for fossils, playing solo games of soccer, and wishing for a friend who would read with him on the best branch of his favorite tree. One evening, both Lucas and Vera head to the beach, blink their flashlights into the dark—and discover that the edge of the world is not such a lonely place after all. In this playful, perceptive book, acclaimed author-illustrator Anna Desnitskaya shares the mirroring lives of two children in two separate but surprisingly similar settings. As readers flip the book between Vera in Russia and Lucas in Chile, they
will learn just how big—and how small—a place the world can be.
Colorful Mondays: A Bookmobile Spreads Hope in Honduras
Written by Nelson Rodríguez and Leonardo Agustín Montes
Illustrated by Rosana Faría and Carla Tabora
Translated by Lawrence Schimel
A beautiful, empowering story about the impact of literacy in underprivileged communities, based on a real bookmobile program in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Luis’s favorite day of the week is Monday, the day the bookmobile comes to his neighborhood. In Villa Nueva, sad stories can gather like dark, stormy clouds. But at the bookmobile, Luis hears stories that burst with life, laughter, and color. Maybe today will bring a song or a puppet show! He might even get to pick a book to read on his own. Every new Monday fills Luis and his neighbors with a joy they can’t help but bring back home. Co-written by the director of JustWorld International’s bookmobile program in Tegucigalpa, Colorful Mondays is an inspiring celebration of the ways books and learning can bring joy to a community. Illustrated in captivating swirls of color, this uplifting book highlights the strength of disadvantaged children and the creativity of those who help them imagine a better future.
On the Edge of the World
Written and illustrated by Anna Desnitskaya
Translated by Lena Traer
A uniquely formatted book about dreams, loneliness, and the universal longing for connection.
Vera and her family live on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, a place that feels like the edge of the world itself. Lucas and his family also say they live on the edge of the world, but their home is thousands of miles away on the coast of Chile. Vera spends her days devouring fantasy books, throwing balls to her dog, and longing for a friend who would care about the treasures she’s hidden underneath the alder bush. Lucas spends his days looking for fossils, playing solo games of soccer, and wishing for a friend who would read with him on the best branch of his favorite tree. One evening, both Lucas and Vera head to the beach, blink their flashlights into the dark—and discover that the edge of the world is not such a lonely place after all. In this playful, perceptive book, acclaimed author-illustrator Anna Desnitskaya shares the mirroring lives of two children in two separate but surprisingly similar settings. As readers flip the book between Vera in Russia and Lucas in Chile, they will learn just how big—and how small—a place the world can be.
The Young Teacher and the Great Serpent
Written by Irene Vasco
Illustrated by Juan Palomino
Translated by Lawrence Schimel
A stunningly illustrated fable about cultural humility and the transcendent power of stories.
A young teacher sets out for the Amazon rain forest, eager to share geography, science, and math with the remote community of Las Delicias. The town’s children love the books the young teacher brings, and yet they keep repeating legends about a great and dangerous serpent. The young teacher can’t believe her students still care about that nonsense. But as the river rises, those stories don’t seem so strange anymore. Maybe books aren’t the only way to discover the wisdom of past generations… The Young Teacher and the Great Serpent is a poetic, thought-provoking exploration of how stories can protect and guide a community. Bold, dynamic art and lyrical writing will open unforgettable conversations about cross-cultural relationships, the importance of indigenous knowledge, and what it means to be a lifelong learner.
Friend of Numbers: The Life of Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan
Written by Priya Narayanan
Illustrated by Satwik Gade
A memorable, inspiring introduction to a groundbreaking figure in STEM history.
Growing up in southern India during British rule, Srinivasa Ramanujan was fascinated by numbers: they made patterns only he could see. Soon he spent as much time as he could in the world of mathematics, exploring concepts and trying to publish his ideas. In 1914, twenty-six-year-old Ramanujan sailed to England to work with the acclaimed mathematician G.H. Hardy. Cambridge University was so different from home, but Ramanujan’s love of numbers kept him going. He had big questions to ask—and important discoveries to make! This captivating biography follows the short but brilliant life of a man recognized as a genius in his time and our own. With bright, occasionally amusing art and compelling back matter, Friend of Numbers is an unforgettable portrait of one of history’s most incredible mathematical minds.
