Baby/Toddler:
Night Gardener by Terry Fan
(March 2016, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Each morning, William sees a new tree sculpted into an animal. Quiet language and gorgeous illustrations combine into a winning picture book.
Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run by Michael Twohy
(February 2016, Balzer & Bray)
A mouse is sound asleep until a ball, chased by a dog, bounces into his lair. The story is told one word at a time, in alphabetical order. Great for classroom use.
Emerging Reader:
Finding Winnie by Lindsay Mattick
(October 2015, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
This book tells the true story of the bear that inspired Winnie The Pooh. Rescued from an uncertain fate during World War I, Winnie became the mascot of his unit. Sophie Blackall won this year’s Caldecott award for the moving illustrations.
Ideas Are All Around by Phillip Stead
(Roaring Brook Press, March 2016)
When a young boy struggles to come up with a story idea, he takes a walk through the neighborhood. Stead uses various media to show how ideas come from many different places.
Tweens:
Hour of The Bees by Lindsay Eager
(Candlewick Press, March 2016)
Carol and her family have come to her grandfather’s ranch for the summer. Grandfather Serge has dementia, and the family needs to pack up his home for a move. Listening to her grandfather’s stories, Carol immediately connects to the land in a magical way.
Our Moon: New Discoveries about Earth’s Closest Companion
by Elaine Scott (Clarion Books, February 2016)
Local author Elaine Scott has added another gem to her shelf of informative non-fiction for this age group. With colorful sidebars, graphics, and photos, she explores the moon’s history and mystery. This one is for junior space explorers everywhere.
Teens:
Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
(Crown Books For Young Readers, March 2016)
Dill, Lydia, and Travis are friends just starting their senior year in high school. Dill’s snake-handling evangelical father is currently in prison. Lydia is desperate to break out of the town via her much-heralded fashion blog. Travis is content to stay as long as he has his Game of Thrones-like book series to make him happy. Their world is about to change in a very big way. Zentner handles their passage lovingly.
