Baby Toddlers:
Everyone Loves Bacon by Kelly DiPucchio
(Farrar, Straus, Giroux, September 2015)
Bacon is the star of the diner and gets more attention than anyone else, much to Canadian Bacon’s disgruntlement. But Bacon’s popularity goes to his head, and trouble is on the way. Eric Wight’s illustrations set in a diner make this very clever story to share over and over again. THIS IS HILARIOUS!
Emerging Readers:
The Whisper by Pamela Zagarenski
(Harcourt Brace & Company, October 2015)
A girl’s teacher gives her a book to take home for the night, telling her it is a very special book. The girl is dismayed to learn that there are no words in the book, only pictures. A kind voice tells her that the stories are hers to tell in her own way. Gorgeous illustrations and a gentle story remind all of us about the joys of reading and storytelling.
Tweens:
The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon
(Greenwillow Books, September 2015)
What would a nine year old boy do if his overprotective parents kept him inside because his explorer grandparents have gone missing? Why, he would partner with a timid boy from next door and the newly arrived French girl (a former ballerina with a wooden leg) to go on the grand adventure in search of said grandparents. Complete with mysterious notes, mysterious people, and over the top shenanigans.
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
(Feiwel & Friends, September 2015)
The first time Jackson met Crenshaw, an imaginary black and white cat partial to purple jelly beans, was right after 1st grade when he and his family lived in their minivan for fourteen days. Now, in the summer before 5th grade, when Jackson’s family is again facing hard times, Crenshaw is back, encouraging Jackson to “tell the truth.” Katherine Applegate gently and poignantly addresses the issue of homelessness, sensitively portraying the dilemma for parents and children alike. Not to be missed.
Teens:
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
(Henry Holt Readers, Sept 2015)
Leigh Bardugo has set another story in the world of the Grisha. It’s a world familiar enough for us to immediately understand, and intriguing enough for us to immediately immerse ourselves. She tells the story of the outlaw Kaz and his band of misfits who need to pull off a nearly impossible heist. If they can do it, the rewards will be beyond what they can imagine. Clever, engaging and utterly engrossing, this was a story you can’t put down.
The Boys in the Boat (Young Readers Adaptation):
The True Story of an American Team’s Epic Journey to
Win Gold at the 1936 Olympics by Daniel Brow
(Viking Books for Young Readers, September 2015)
The amazing, inspiring story of the young men on the University of Washington’s rowing team who made it to the 1936 Olympics and shattered every record and expectation is now rewritten for young adults. Their backgrounds rooted during the Great Depression help to highlight how hard they push themselves to glory.
