Nell plants a tree and it grows into a base for games, a spot for reading, and a place for generations to gather. This beautiful picture book celebrates extended families and the delight of spending time together.
Nell Plants a Tree by Anne Wynter, (List Price: $17.99, Balzer + Bray, 9780062865779, January 2023)
Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee
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So much love for Lasagna Means I Love You! A lovely novel about how food tells our stories and what means family. When sad circumstances leave Mo alone in the world, she discovers the path to a new beginning is filled with tears, frustration, laughter, love and a full tummy!
Lasagna Means I Love You by Kate O’Shaughnessy, (List Price: $17.99, Knopf Books for Young Readers, 9781984893871, February 2023)
Reviewed by Susan Williams, M. Judson, booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina
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Gorgeous drawings meet a classic childhood tale of a toy who comes to life at night. A wonderful early graphic novel to introduce young children to the format.
Good Night, Planet by Liniers, (List Price: $7.99, TOON Books, 9781662665035, March 2023)
Reviewed by Jill Hendrix, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina
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Simon has my heart! His spirit, authenticity, and humor make him one of the most compelling characters I’ve met in a long time. Simon, along with his parents, show that trauma changes us in terrible & beautiful ways that create something new. This tough but tender novel shines with hope and resilience. As Dolly Parton says, laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.Please don’t let the subject matter push you away from this wonderful, funny, and important book. It’s a perfect example of its OK to read dark things, our lives are full of dark things and fictional characters working their way towards the light helps us do the same. Simon Sorta of Says is fantastic!
Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow, (List Price: $16.99, Disney-Hyperion, 9781368082853, January 2023)
Reviewed by Susan Williams, M. Judson, Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina
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A February 2023 Read This Next! Title
When Sea Becomes Sky is a book that needs to be read spoiler free, but what I can tell you is that this is Gillian McDunn at her finest. The intersection of science and art is a perfect complement to the interpersonal relationships in the book, every single detail adds a layer and a complexity the story that makes this one to sit and think about. I love how careful McDunn is with her characters and their emotions – and the experience of her readers. Bex and her family will stay in my heart for a very, very long time.
When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn (List Price: $16.99, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 9781547610853, February 2023)
Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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So often, when people are asked what they would wish for, they reply “World Peace.” In The Kindest Red, Faizah wishes for “World Kindness,” and isn’t that really the first step to world peace? This simple picture book with a big message is just perfect for families or classrooms looking to celebrate diversity and personal responsibility.
The Kindest Red by Ibtihaj Muhammad, (List Price: $19.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9780759555709, February 2023)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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Everything is better with dogs, and the tale of Cinderella is no exception. Not only does Cinderella get a fairy dogmother instead of a fairy godmother, but she also gets some nice updates to her story, including a chance to suggest she gets to know the prince first instead of marrying him right away. I loved all the dogs in this book, but there are plenty of cute cats to see on each page, too!
Cinderella–with Dogs! by Linda Bailey, (List Price: $18.99, Nancy Paulsen Books, 9781984813824, February 2023)
Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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World Made of Glass has the exact range of emotions tweens need and crave – sorrow, love, laughter, tears, regret – in deep swings. And more importantly, this historical fiction novel tells a story that few really know – I didn’t – about the prejudice, misinformation, and rampant fear surrounding AIDS in 1987 – told through the eyes of twelve-year-old Iris. She’s a character who experiences life-shattering circumstances beyond her control – yet with the help of her family and friends, she rises to the occasion. Our youth should read this book because it will build empathy and acceptance of marginalized groups of people, educate a new generation about the AIDS epidemic and LGBTQIA History – an area sorely under-represented in literature and inspire people of all ages to use their voices to fight for justice in their communities. As a bookseller in an indie bookstore who sees firsthand so many young adults purposefully seeking out books that provide a safe place to explore a range of emotions and tackle challenging, complex subjects, I cannot wait for this novel to do just that and find so many readers. Ami Polonsky will inspire the upcoming generation to use their voices for good!
World Made of Glass by Ami Polonsky, (List Price: $16.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316462044, January 2023)
Reviewed by Michelle Uhlfelder, Sundog Books in Seaside, Florida
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Ray Xu delights in this graphic memoir about immigration, family, and fitting in in middle school. The art and the story are both top-notch and it’s so easy to identify with the characters as they navigate the ins and outs of their new-to-them country. This will bring joy to readers of all ages.
Alterations by Ray Xu, (List Price: $14.99, Union Square Kids, 9781454945857, January 2024)
Reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia
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I always like to see more middle grade science fiction coming out on bookshelves! This one felt like it was slow to start out with and really ramped up when Leandro started uncovering all the secrets the Pocatelan leaders have been hiding. Then it was like hold on to your drone beaks. With an unputdownable blend of heart, bravery, Old-World fusion technology, and Mexican folklore, these Cascabeles will slither in and have you wringing out every drop of hope in this harsh landscape. Want to point out that this is upper middle grade for 10 Undoubtably for a certain scene that I was for sure not expecting, and don’t want to spoil. But definitely caused me to eek.
Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera, (List Price: $18.99, Levine Querido, 9781646142637, October 2023)
Reviewed by Candice Conner, The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, Alabama
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My mom always wears a hat, and has passed that love on to me. Where Very Good Hats goes farther is the creativity of children to make other things hats for objects of the right scale (they missed Bugles for the fingertips, though, sticking to acorn caps). My favorite image by illustrator Bianca Gomez is the accidental soup hat — make sure your hat is empty before you put it on!
Very Good Hats by Emma Straub, (List Price: $18.99, Rocky Pond Books, 9780593529430, January 2023)
Reviewed by Lisa Yee Swope, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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One of my favorite picture books of the last couple years, this debut from June Tate is like a warm hug in a book. A playful book about appreciating the smaller things and slowing down, it’s quirky and cute yet modern. The illustrations are my favorite, there’s a nostalgic feeling to the drawing style that just makes this book even better and reminds me of what I grew up with. Lots of love for this tiny treat of a book.
What’s Sweeter by June Tate, (List Price: $17.99, Katherine Tegen Books, December 2022)
Reviewed by Grace Sullivan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia
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Alan Gratz brings his ability to make young kids want to read to graphic novels, and it’s great! Merging an exciting story with historically accurate information on WII, any fan of history, Marvel, or ghost stories will love this book.
Captain America: The Ghost Army (Original Graphic Novel) by Alan Gratz, (List Price: $14.99, Graphix, January 2023)
Reviewed by Kelley Barnes, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina
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What a beautiful unfolding of sisterly love! Beatrice Likes the Dark reinforces the wisdom so difficult to impart on young hearts: It is what makes us uniquely different, that also makes us uniquely lovable. The book is sitting on my Grandma shelf–ready to share with my own darlings.
Beatrice Likes the Dark by April Genevieve Tucholke (List Price: $18.95, Algonquin Young Readers, 9781643751573, September 2022)
Reviewed by Annell Gerson, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia
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Reading this book made me step back, rethink my middle school days, and want to wrap my younger self in a hug. Such a tough story, told in such a way where even though the reader and the main character don’t know the full story, you know more than the main character. You are seeing their final report, not just her findings, as she is investigating.
What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski (List Price: $16.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780063213098, January 2023)
Reviewed by Jamie Kovacs, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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