Toddler:
Big Bed by Bunmi Laditan
(Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux, February 2018)
When a little girl refuses to sleep in her own bed, she concocts an idea that Daddy should sleep on the cot while she sleeps with Mommy. In this gentle but humorous book, readers deal with an all too familiar toddler situation.
Grandma’s Purse by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
(Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers January 2018)
When Grandma Mimi comes to visit, it’s always fun to look in her purse. Each item has a memory or a purpose, and the little girl loves to look at all of them. At the bottom of the purse is a gift that readers hope will lead to another story about this adorable little girl and her Grandma Mimi!
Wordy Birdy by Tammi Sauer
(Doubleday Books For Young Readers, February 2018)
A very talkative bird gets out of hand in this brightly illustrated picture book. There is a subtle lesson about paying attention throughout, but it’s the humor that makes you want to read it over and over again.
Emerging Reader:
The Word Collector by Peter Reynolds
(Orchard Books, January 2018)
Jerome is a collector. A collector of words. What a perfect book for emerging readers as they start collecting new words of their own. It’s a celebration and a call to action for a family or a classroom.
The New LiBEARian by Alison Donald
(Clarion Books, January 2018)
The children are gathered at the library for weekly story time but their librarian is missing. They go looking for her and instead find a bear taking her place – the liBEARian. When the librarian begins her story of Goldilocks, we learn that the bear is actually Baby Bear and he jumps right back into the story book! It’s a fun twist on a familiar tale.
Tweens:
Geeked Out by Obert Skye
(Henry Holt Books For Young Readers, February 2018)
In a post-apocalyptic world, the AV (audio visual) club has become the Anti Violence Club. Tip and his three friends try to survive and stay out of the way of the Jocks and the principal’s evil secretary, Darth Susan. When the four are bitten by oozing spiders, they develop superpowers that help them take over the school for the better. Told with Obert Skye’s signature humor, Geeked Out is the beginning of a very fun new series for grades 3 and up.
The Truth According To Mason Buttle by Leslie Conner
(Katherine Tegen Books, January 2018)
Mason Buttle is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade, and he struggles to read and write. But those are the least of his troubles, compared to his struggle to overcome the death of his friend Benny in the Buttle family orchard. When his new friend Calvin disappears, Mason is under more suspicion. His struggle to find Calvin and heal the rifts in his heart and his community will capture readers’ hearts. Mason’s story reminds us to see those who don’t easily fit in, to love and support them whenever possible. A lovely novel for grades 4 and up.
Problim Children by Natalie Lloyd
(Katherine Tegen Books, January 2018)
The seven Problim children, each born on a different day of the week and each with a distinct and wacky personality and interests, live seven miles out of town in the Swampy Woods where they lead unconventional lives. When their home explodes, they head into town to live in their grandfather’s house until their parents return. There they are met by the villainous neighbor, Desdemona O’Pinion, who, convinced there is treasure hidden within House Number Seven, is as determined to purchase the family home as she is to turn the siblings over to the Society for the Protection of Unwanted Children. A whimsical new series about friendship, family, and heart from the author of A Snicker of Magic.
Teens:
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
(Katherine Tegen Books, January 2018)
True crime fan Stevie Bell begins her freshman year at Ellingham Academy, a private school that’s the site of one of the greatest unsolved crimes in history. Ellingham’s curriculum allows for “playful learning” and independent study, allowing Stevie to try to solve the original crime. Her new classmates have secrets of their own and when another crime occurs, Stevie finds herself solving two cases at once. A well-done mystery full of plenty of tension and Johnson’s signature observational humor. Best for grades 9 and up.
Down And Across by Arvin Ahmadi
(Viking Books For Children, February 2018)
In this quirky coming-of-age story, seventeen year old Scott needs to figure out his future before his father does it for him. Scott’s parents are traditional Iranians living in the US. When they travel to Iran for the summer, Scott is left to work in his lab job. But things change quickly when he hits the road in search of answers. There’s love in the air when he meets Flora who is also a lover of crossword puzzles. For grades 9 and up.
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
(Flatiron Books, January 2018)
Alice’s grandmother Althea is the famous author of a cult classic collection of fairy tales called The Hinterland. When Althea dies and Alice’s mother disappears, Alice and her classmate Finch head into the Hazel Wood, the estate where Althea supposedly died. This is no sweet story – it is dark and clever, full of allusions to fairy tales both old and new. This astonishing debut novel is best for grades 9 and up.
