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There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds

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There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds
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An October Read This Next! Book

This is a stunning picture book — Jason Reynolds has a way with words that maybe no one has had SINCE Langston Hughes. Poetic yet approachable; his style is unique. The illustrations by Pumphrey make Reynolds’ words dance, jump, and soar on the pages as you go through a story that is in part bio, part resistance, part celebration of a man whose contributions to literature are still reverberating all these years later.

There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds, (List Price: 18.99, Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 9781534439443, October 2023)

Reviewed by Jamie Southern, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Empanadas for Everyone by Jackie Azúa Kramer

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Empanadas for Everyone by Jackie Azúa Kramer
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This could just as easily be called "Empanadas from Everyone" — doesn’t every culture have some form of dumpling or meat (or meatless) pastry? Hubs once had a coworker describe what I would call potstickers as "Chinese ravioli", and frankly, they’re not wrong! I love how the community came together to share the secrets of their cultures’ empanadas, samosas, patties, pierogies, & jiaozi. Food shared builds love and community.

Empanadas for Everyone by Jackie Azúa Kramer, (List Price: $18.99, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665914581, August 2023)

Reviewed by Lisa Yee Swope, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

There’s Always Room for One More by Robyn McGrath

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Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle
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This picture book is so sweet. It would make the perfect book for a child whose family is going through same changes (in this case, making room for a grandfather coming to live with them). I love the message that it is ok to feel a sense of loss for the parts of life that will be different, but that making space for those we love sometimes requires us to give up things we loved in the past and replace them with things we can learn to like even more. Both the story and the pictures are filled with heart!

There’s Always Room for One More by Robyn McGrath, (List Price: $18.99, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 9781665925372, August 2023)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Roaming by Jillian Tamaki

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Roaming by Jillian Tamaki
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Mariko and Jillian Tamaki are back with another slam-dunk of a graphic novel, this time their adult debut. I was captivated! This story of three friends visiting New York for the first time in 2009 after their first year of college was so relatable, especially the way they captured the different pairings between the trio. Zoe and Dani are long-time best friends who are reuniting after a year apart, but Fiona is the Dani’s new friend from college. I loved seeing the way tensions rose and dissipated. And as usual, Jillian Tamaki’s art is gorgeous!

Roaming by Jillian Tamaki, (List Price: 34.95, Drawn and Quarterly, 9781770464339, September 2023)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

The Six by Loren Grush

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The Six by Loren Grush
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A September 2023 Read This Next Book!

I dressed up as Sally Ride in the fourth grade after visiting the Johnson Space Center, and I’ve been a fan ever since! I have spent hours reading books and watching documentaries about all things NASA for years of my life, but I still learned so many new things reading this book. The new insight that Grush brings to this era of NASA history is fascinating; by telling the story though the perspectives of the first six women astronauts she situates the space shuttle in a way I have not seen before. She also has a knack for explaining complicated engineering or scientific concepts in very clear, short paragraphs, which I really appreciated! This will be a great addition to any space fan’s library.

The Six by Loren Grush, (List Price: $32.5, Scribner, 9781982172800, September 2023)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willan

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Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willan
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Super cute picture book for the holidays that is laugh-out-loud funny for kids and their grown-ups. Written in the style of a graphic novel, younger kids will gravitate towards this format that makes them feel like they’re reading a big kid book. Behind all the humor, this book has a great message of appearances aren’t everything.

Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willan, (List Price: 18.99, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665921794, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jamie Southern, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Ghost Book by Remy Lai

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Ghost Book by Remy Lai
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Remy Lai continues to be one of the best and most thoughtful creators working in children’s literature today. In her graphic novel Ghost Book, Lai gives us the loveable characters of July Chen who can see ghosts all around her and William, a boy whose not quite dead. Filled with vibrant images, mythology, and heart – Ghost Book proves once again that no one can weave together fun and deep emotion like Remy Lai!

Ghost Book by Remy Lai, (List Price: 14.99, Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks, 9781250810434, August 2023)

Reviewed by Caleb Masters, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

You Stole My Name by Dennis Mcgregor

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You Stole My Name by Dennis Mcgregor
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Absolutely astoundingly gorgeous illustrations in this charming picture book that celebrates the natural world. A Kangaroo Rat meets a Kangaroo, a Spider Monkey greets a monkey; each of these mini poems and paintings celebrates the vibrancy and diversity of life on our planet and is a perfect gift for kids obsessed with animals.

You Stole My Name by Dennis Mcgregor, (List Price: 18.99, Blue Star Press, 9781941325988, August 2023)

Reviewed by Caleb Masters, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault

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Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault
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This graphic novel was such a delight to read. It acknowledges the importance of being able to see the many different make ups of family. Family is so much more than the people we are related to, it can be friends, community and sometimes we find it in the most unexpected places. I love how it shows that sometimes we are afraid of things we do not understand and once we take the step to look a little deeper our fear begins to diminish.

Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault, (List Price: 14.99, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 9781665903073, July 2023)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

A First Guide to Dogs: Understanding Your Very Best Friend by John Bradshaw

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The Third Daughter by Adrienne Tooley
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This is a fantastic book to give to a young reader who’s about to get their first dog! This book follows a day in the life of a terrier named Rusty, explaining how dogs live in the World of Smells, how dogs like to greet each other, how they communicate with us, and why they don’t like to be left alone. It’s very cute and fun to read and packed with important information!

A First Guide to Dogs: Understanding Your Very Best Friend by John Bradshaw, (List Price: 7.99, Penguin Workshop, 9780593521830, June 2023)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Frontera by Julio Anta

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Frontera by Julio Anta
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Incredibly moving and powerful. Frontera gives emotional insight into deportations, border crossing and the separation of families. Through impactful graphics and storytelling, it showcases the harsh realties of those making a perilous journey across the border in search of a better life or in Mateo’s case the life they once had.

Frontera by Julio Anta, (List Price: $18.99, HarperAlley, 9780063054943, July 2023)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto

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Forget Me Not by Julie Soto
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A July 2023 Read This Next! Book

I adored this book! Ama and Elliott have my whole heart. I loved Ama’s tenacity and dedication to her career as a wedding planner; she is one of my favorite romance characters I’ve met this year. Elliott, the quietly ambitious florist who believes in happily ever afters, is the perfect balance to Ama. This will be one of the big romances of the summer! I can’t wait to talk about it with everyone!

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto, (List Price: $16.99, Forever, 9781538740880, July 2023)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

And Then He Sang a Lullaby by Ani Kayode

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And Then He Sang a Lullaby by Ani Kayode
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And Then He Sang a Lullaby is a powerful debut that follows the story of Segun and August, two college students in Nigeria who yearn for love and connection. Readers will be deeply moved by this brave and beautiful tale of two men who can’t help but deny their attraction despite the risks to themselves and each other.

And Then He Sang a Lullaby by Ani Kayode, (List Price: 27, Roxane Gay Books, 9780802160751, June 2023)

Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

The Mighty Bite by Nathan Hale

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The Mighty Bite by Nathan Hale
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A trilobite has a dream to become famous and it gets silly from there; what’s not to love? Nathan Hale has crafted a delightfully wacky, hilarious, and clever graphic novel filled with ape gods, extinct animals, Amber the walking whale, a video-making contest, and a floating talking cat head. Pure fun!

The Mighty Bite by Nathan Hale, (List Price: 14.99, Harry N. Abrams, 9781419765537, April 2023)

Reviewed by Caleb Masters, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Cape by Kevin Johnson

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Cape by Kevin Johnson
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A June 2023 Read This Next! Title

A touching story about grief. Losing someone is never easy and often we never know what to do with those feelings. Cape shows us the beauty of remembering someone we’ve lost and how through remembrances we can find some peace.

Cape by Kevin Johnson, (List Price: 18.99, Roaring Brook Press, 9781250840509, June 2023)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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