Category: Fiction

Posted in Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Non-Fiction

Graphic Novel rundown

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

As I continue scaling Mount TBR, I’ve got some good graphic novels to share!

Batcat, by Meggie Ramm, (March 2023, Amulet Books), $13.99, ISBN: 9781419756573

Ages 7-10

Batcat is a round, pink, half-bat and half-cat who lives alone in their oak tree home on Spooky Island. They love mushroom pizza and junk food, video games, and being alone – until the day when a ghost decides to haunt their home. Batcat is besides themselves: the ghost is SO RUDE! The ghost is constantly talking, and commits the cardinal sin of eating Batcat’s ice cream. Fed up, Batcat heads to the Island Witch for a spell to get rid of the ghost, and ends up on a journey for the ingredients to mix up the spell. First, Batcat has to go to the Cavernous Caves, where bats tell Batcat that they aren’t batty enough to be a bat. Then, it’s off to the Whispering Cemetery, where the cats that live there tell Batcat that they’re not committed to being cat enough. Batcat is frustrated and sad: why do they have to be one thing or the other? That’s the whole point of Batcat: it’s perfectly fine to be yourself, and don’t let anyone pressure you into being something you’re not comfortable with. Batcat is a delightful story about embracing our own individuality, delivering a strong, sweet message to readers throughout the story: “The Island Witch was neither a good witch nor a bad witch. She was somewhere in between. Batcat liked that, as they were neither one thing nor another themselves”. This message runs throughout the story, and some readers may notice the bright, vibrant colors running throughout the story map to the colors of the Nonbinary flag. Full of humor and moments of self-awareness and acceptance, Batcat is an adorable story about finding friendship and discovering our place in the world.

Batcat has a starred review from School Library Journal.

 

 

History Comics: Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin: Civil Rights Heroes, by Tracey Baptiste/Illustrated by Shauna J. Grant, (Jan. 2023, First Second), $19.99, ISBN: 9781250174215

Ages 9-13

The History Comics series is another nonfiction graphic novel win. The kids in my library love them, and First Second’s strong author and illustrator teams make for a winning combination of solid writing, pacing, and art. Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin: Civil Rights Heroes brings Claudette Colvin’s story to the forefront. Most people think that Rosa Parks was the first person to refuse to move to the back of the bus during the Jim Crow South, but 15-year-old Claudette Colvin was actually the first. Narrated in Colvin’s voice, readers get a summation of life during segregation and the seeds of activism planted by her teacher, Mrs. Lawrence, who told her class the unvarnished truth about history: “Are you who theysay you are? Or are youwho you say you are?” The narrative moves into Colvin’s arrest and trial, her civil rights work, and how Parks and Colvin knew one another long before Rosa Parks’s defining moment in Montgomery, which led to the Montgomery bus boycott. While covering history, Baptiste also gives a glimpse into Colvin’s and Parks’s life, providing a look at the people behind the legends. Baptiste, a bestselling middle grade author, knows how to write for her audience and provoke feelings of frustration, anger, and the desire for change. She does not shy away from the ugly side of history, touching on Emmett Till’s violent murder and Recy Taylor’s rape at gunpoint. Grant’s expressive illustrations bring Baptiste’s words to life and keep readers engaged. Afterwords from Baptiste and Grant complete the back matter. An essential addition to civil rights, social justice, and graphic novel nonfiction collections.

The Zinn Education Project has webpages dedicated to Colvin, including a Day in History link to March 2, 1955, when she refused to give up her bus seat, with links to more resources. There is a wealth of information on the Montgomery Bus Boycott, including History.com, Encyclopedia Britannica, the National Women’s History Museum, and the Encyclopedia of Alabama.

 

Codex Black (Book One): A Fire Among Clouds, by Camilo Moncada Lozano, (Apr. 2023, IDW Publishing), $16.99, ISBN: 9781684059591

Ages 12+

Set in 15th century Mesoamerica, the first book in the Codex Black series is an adventure bringing together Donají, a teen Zapotec girl who sets out on a journey to find her father, and Itzcacalotl, a teen Mexica warrior, who happens to have wings. Together, along with the god that lives inside Donají’s poncho, the two face monsters and defend villages, while trying to solve the mystery behind Donají’s father’s disappearance. Originally a webcomic on Tapas, Codex Black: A Fire Among Clouds makes a seamless transition to graphic novel. Lozano weaves a hero/heroine’s journey with fantastic and historical elements, rich in pre-Columbian history. The vibrant artwork, the expressive characters, the historical clothing, and cultural details are all breathtaking. Perfect for middle school into high school readers, this is what to hand your readers that have moved beyond (but never away from) Rick Riordan and Rick Riordan Presents adventures.

Want to learn more about the differences between Webtoons and Tapas? Check out this helpful article. Teachers Pay Teachers has some good resources for Mesoamerican studies, too: Tony the Tourist has reading passages; Teaching to the Middle has passages on Mayan religions; Mama Made Resources has reading comprehension on the Olmecs; Carroll’s Curations has a Mesoamerican Overview presentation on Powerpoint, and SimplyKristalClear has a Mesoamerican Geography document.

 

What Happens Next?: Talent Show Troubles, by Jess Smart Smiley, (Apr. 2023, First Second), $12.99, ISBN: 9781250889263
Ages 7-10

The Choose Your Own Adventure model works so well with this funny graphic novel about Megan, a tween targeted by seagulls and determined to do her part in making the school talent show a success. As readers make choices throughout the story, they’ll encounter dogs pooping backstage, a sick stage manager (or is it more?) and a wanted bandit – and that’s just a few of the wacky events in store for readers. Each turn of the page brings new decisions and consequences; there are over 100 paths and 29 endings available, meaning a LOT of re-reads in this book’s future. Bold cartoon art and hilarious dialogue makes this a graphic novel that readers are going to enjoy the first time and the hundredth time. What Happens Next?: Science Fair Frenzy just hit shelves in June, so pair them up. Booktalk this one to your storytellers who enjoy having some control over the outcome of a story.

Jess Smart Smiley’s webpage has links to events, animated stickers, and info on joining his First Readers Club, where readers can read his newest books for free while giving him feedback.

More to come!

Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Percy Jackson RETURNS! Cover reveal is live!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

More Percy Jackson is coming, Rick Riordan fans! Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Chalice of the Gods has a global release date of September 26th, and illustrator Khadijah Khatib’s cover is gorgeous. Puffin Books put up their cover reveal a few days ago. Take a look if you haven’t seen it yet!

 

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Posted in Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Remy Lai’s Ghost Book weaves myth and fantasy

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Ghost Book, by Remy Lai, (Aug. 2023, Henry Holt & Co.), $22.99, ISBN: 9781250810410

Ages 8-12

You’d think July Chen was invisible, but she’s not – at least, she’s pretty sure she isn’t, even if no one can quite remember her. She can also speak to ghosts; they tell her she’s the girl with the “yin-yang eyes”. July lives with her dad – her mother died the night July was born – and he often seems too preoccupied to notice her, too. July makes her first friend when she saves a ghost named William from a Hungry Ghost, but William is not really a ghost: he’s a boy who lives between worlds because of something that happened the very same night that July was born. July’s and William’s stories are entwined in ways they could never have imagined, and as Hungry Ghost month begins – and the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts swarm into the living world – July discovers that she may have to sacrifice herself in order for William to live. Inspired by Chinese mythology, Remy Lai’s newest shows a rich underworld; the ghost marketplace is a bustling otherworldly place where ghosts and human vendors interact; the two ghosts who collect souls are an amusing pair whose love of dumplings sets events in motion. A touching story of friendship and sacrifice, with a sensitive look at grief and loss as only Remy Lai can skillfully weave. Another win!

Want to learn more about Hungry Ghost Month? Check out Chinese American Family’s webpage on this year’s Festival; OFTaiwan has videos and photos, plus links to more resources.

 

Posted in Animal Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Middle School, Tween Reads

Reynard’s Tale breathes new life into a literary figure

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Reynard’s Tale, by Ben Hatke, (April 2023, First Second), $22.99, ISBN: 9781250857910

Ages 10+

Foxes have been tricksters in fairy tales and myths for as long as cultural memory can hold. Ben Hatke’s latest work, Reynard’s Tale, takes readers into a wonderful medieval setting to relate a new set of trickster tales starring Reynard the Fox, Isengrim the Wolf, and a series of memorable supporting characters. The short stories all link together: Reynard on the move, Isengrim on the hunt, and Reynard smooth-talking and outfoxing (pun intended) a series of love interests… but the last joke may just be on Reynard. There’s a playful sense of adventure in Hatke’s storytelling, and his ink artwork has a fairytale quality, with Reynard sporting a large hat, a cloak, and boots. If you have animal tale fans, give them this one.

Read more about Reynard at Britannica.com. Listen to audio, watch a dramatic reading, and learn to make a fox bookmark at Oxford’s Bodleian Library’s website.

Posted in Fiction, Middle Grade

Reads for Respect for All Week

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

NYC public schools have a week in February called Respect for All Week, where the students have discussions, assemblies, and programs geared toward a respect, appreciation, and understanding of diversity and inclusion. I went to speak my Kiddo’s – now a fifth grader! – classroom and realized that I couldn’t find specifically Respect for All booklists, so I made up my own and it went over pretty well. Here are my booktalks as presented to the class, with links to the publishers’s webpages with publishing details:

American as Paneer Pie, by Supriya Kelkarr

Lekha is an Indian-American girl – the ONLY Indian-American girl – living in a small town. She puts up with casual everyday racism and tries to cover up who she is culturally in order to fit in until she meets Avantika, a new girl who is also Indian, and who has no interest or patience to hide who she is! Avantika helps Lekha find her voice in this community, and together they have to be strong: a racist is running for Congress in their community and they need to stand up for themselves and their families.

 

A Good Kind of Trouble, by Lisa Moore Ramee

First, I explained “good trouble”, and read the John Lewis quote on getting into “good trouble” to the class. After establishing what “good trouble”, I started my booktalk:

Shay is 12 and tries to stay far away from trouble. Her older sister, Hana, is an activist who takes Shay to a Black Lives Matter protest; the protest awakens Shay’s sense of social justice. Shay begins wearing a black armband to school as a silent protest, but that causes division among the students, and Shay has to hold onto her values and beliefs in the face of anger and bullying.

 

Front Desk, by Kelly Yang

Who doesn’t love Kelly Yang? The kids went wild when I held up the book, because Ms. Yang was a virtual visitor to their 4th grade class last year and they all have signed copies of her book, New From Here. Quite a few had already read Front Desk, so I asked them if they’d known that Ms. Yang was the victim of a racist Zoom-bombing during a virtual visit over the pandemic. The kids were mortified when I told them what happened to them, and we talked more about how this is why Respect for All is so important: we have to do better. That said, I gave a quick booktalk for the handful of kids who hadn’t yet read Front Desk.

Mia is a fifth grader working at the front desk of the hotel where her parents also work, but she has a secret: her parents help shelter newly-arrived immigrants at the hotel, giving them a place to stay until they can get on their feet. Mia wants to be a writer, but has to navigate her parents’ expectations, her job, and hoping that the hotel owner doesn’t find out about Mia’s parents and their shelter work or they’ll all be out on the street!

 

Green Lantern Legacy, by Minh Lê & Andie Tong

This is one of my favorite original graphic novels, and I’m pretty happy to stay I made quite the stir by booktalking this one! A large number of the kids were familiar with Green Lantern, so I was able to start with just a quick explanation of Green Lantern and how the Lantern Corps protect the universe. Whoever gets a ring joins the Corps. Tai Pham is a 13-year-old living with his family above his grandmother’s store. At his grandmother’s funeral, he meets Xander, who tells him that his grandmother was a hero – a superhero! – and leaves him a ring. Tai discovers that his grandmother was a GREEN LANTERN.

That alone set the room of kids off, but when I explained that Tai’s family were refugees from Viet Nam, and showed them my favorite panel in the book, when Tai’s grandmother used her Lantern powers to get the refugees’ boat to safety, the kids were sold. One of my Kiddo’s classmates is Vietnamese and gave me a fist pump. It was fantastic. I’ve since been told that there is a “10-person deep line to borrow the book”.

 

Restart, by Gordon Korman

Everything changed for Chase Ambrose the day he fell off the roof. He has no idea who he was before the fall, or why the kids all look at him the way they do. Or why that girl in the cafeteria, poured yogurt over his head one day. Chase wasn’t just a bully: he was THE bully, enouraged by his father and his friends. Chase doesn’t think he wants to be that person any longer, but can he really have a restart?

This was another home run with the class. Gordon Korman is aces with these kids, so a couple had read Restart, and most had read at least one other book by him.

 

Blackbird Girls, by Anne Blankman

Valentina Kaplan and Oksana Savchenko live in Russia near the Chernobyl nuclear plan, but they aren’t friends: Valentina is Jewish and Oksana has been told to avoid her. Their fathers die in the nuclear reactor explosion, they’re separated from their moms, and the government isn’t exactly forthcoming. Together, they discover that they need to rely on one another to save themselves.

This was a surprise hit! The idea of two girls relying on each other to survive, especially if they weren’t really friends to begin with, really appealed to boys and girls alike in the class. I’ve since been told there was a “WWE-like brawl” for the book (which I’ve confirmed was not really a brawl, just a group of kids surging the desk for the book).

 

Me and Marvin Gardens, by Amy Sarig King

I finished with Me and Marvin Gardens, beginning with a quick chat on how respect for our world and our environment is just as important as respect for one another. The kids hadn’t heard of this book, so I was excited to booktalk it, since it’s one of my favorites.

Obe Devlin has some big problems: developers are taking over his family’s farmland and he keeps getting nosebleeds. While he’s on what’s left of his family’s land, cleaning up the trash, he discovers a not-quite-dog, not-quite-pig, eating plastic. It only eats plastic. Naming it Marvin Gardens (any Monopoly fans here?), Obe quickly takes to his new friend and has to keep it safe from everyone.

So that’s my fledgling Respect for All list, which will only get better as I refine it. Feel free to weigh in with your favorites to add!

 

Posted in Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Club Roll Call: Where Middle School is the Dungeon

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Roll Call, Molly Knox Ostertag/Illustrated by Xanthe Bouma, (Nov. 2022, HarperAlley), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063039247

Ages 8-12

This graphic novel is just what I needed to booktalk D&D to my Corona Kids! Combining D&D fantasy roleplaying with fantasy storytelling, Roll Call is the first in a new series, written by the amazing Molly Knox Ostertag and illustrated by Xanthe Bouma, who illustrates the 5 Worlds series – another series I can’t keep on my shelves. Olivia and Jess are best friends who make up incredible stories: it’s how they met on a school playground, and it’s brought them even closer in their 2-person Dungeons & Dragons campaign. They’re heading to middle school, which Olivia is really excited about. Jess? Not so much, especially when Olivia decides to expand their D&D campaign into a full-on school club. Not willing to share her game time and her best friend with anyone, Jess expresses her frustration through the game, and when it affects one of the new members of the club, Jess discovers that sometimes, you need to find room in your heart – and in your dungeon-raiding party – for new friends.

Ostertag’s got storytelling down, effortlessly moving back and forth between fantasy and reality. I’m excited for more backstory as the series develops; Jess is Diné from the Navajo Nation, living with her father, and playing a character named Sir Corius. Olivia is Afro-Latina, sporting hot-pink hair and can effortlessly rattle off character and monster stats, several of which are incorporated into the story; it gives readers a sense of game play. Having story characters create genderfluid, speciesfluid characters is wonderful, inviting readers to see what so many of us have known for a while: you don’t have to conform to any gender in the game. It says so in the Player’s Handbook! Bouma’s vibrant illustration creates personable characters and exciting fantasy settings. The whole story comes together beautifully and is an excellent choice for readers who are interested in gaming, fantasy, and realistic fiction. Display and booktalk these with any of your fantasy roleplaying graphic novels, like 5 Worlds and Dragon Prince; The Witch Boy; Popular MMOs and Dan TDM, and the Dungeon Academy middle grade novel series by Madeline Roux.

 

Posted in Fiction, Middle Grade, Middle School, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

Tales from the TBR: The Kids Under the Stairs

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

More reporting as I continue scaling Mount TBR. Two years ago, I read BenBee and the Teacher Griefer; the first in a new series from KA Holt. The Minecraft-looking cover art and storyline drew me in – I’m a kids’ librarian and a mom, Minecraft and Roblox is allllll around me – and seriously, a KA Holt book is an exciting time. I loved BenBee, and finally made time to read the next two books in the series. Folx, I am a fan.

Ben Y and The Ghost in the Machine: The Kids Under the Stairs, by KA Holt, (Sept. 2021, Chronicle Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9781452183213

Ages 10-14

The second Kids Under the Stairs book puts Ben Y on center stage: Ben Y, Benita, whose older brother, Benito, helped create Sandbox and communicated with her via Sandbox chat. and whose recent sudden death has her reeling. She still logs into chat to talk to him, but one night, someone responds. Who knows about Benito’s and Ben Y’s secret chat? Grief and recovery are major plot drivers in Ben Y and the Ghost in the Machine, and equally strong subplots about gender identity, dress coding, and journalism drive this brilliant story. Ben Y narrates most of the story, with appearances from the other Kids Under the Stairs: BenBee, Jordan, Javier, and Ms. J, the lovable teacher-turned-librarian who runs the “Newspaper Typing Club”, the new name for the Sandbox club. The introduction of a new character, Ace, keeps the narrative even more interesting and adds a drop of conflict. The story narrative pairs with Sandbox interactions to keep readers engaged. Ben Y’s writing is in verse, with other character interactions emphasized with italics and written in straight prose. Chat room interactions are presented as block text interactions and set off with black-framed pages. The Kids Under the Stairs is an excellent series that examines issues facing tweens and young teens and features brilliant portrayals of neurodiverse people. Download a free teacher guide to the book at Chronicle’s book detail page.

Ben Y and The Ghost in the Machine has a starred review from Kirkus.

 

 

Jordan J and the Truth About Jordan J: The Kids Under the Stairs, by KA Holt, (Sept. 2021, Chronicle Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9781452183213

Ages 10-14

It’s Jordan’s turn, and I am psyched! Jordan’s energy and honest enthusiasm made this my favorite book in the Kids Under the Stairs series so far. Jordan loves a competitive dance show, Fierce Across America; as such, he obsessively talks about it and even writes a column about it in the school newspaper – it doesn’t go well, because Jordan is a little too honest in his opinions about the school’s dance team and where they stand in reference to Fierce Across America hosts and dancers. Things change when Fierce Across America tryouts come to the Kids’ town in Florida, and Casey Price – one of Jordan’s schoolmates – asks him to choreograph a winning routine to advance her through the competition. Subplots on Jordan and Javier connecting through an art class and family financial stress meet many readers where they’re at, addressing issues that they can understand and work through. Jordan’s voice is exuberant and sweet, hesitant and apologetic, as he navigates situations; storytelling takes place in Sandbox chat rooms, through notes drawn on artwork from the “old lady art class” Jordan and Javier take together, school newspapers, Jordan’s notes to his therapist, and Jordan’s own storytelling. Boo-yah!

Download a free teacher guide at Chronicle’s book detail page.

 

Posted in Adventure, Fiction, Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Tween Reads

BOOK BLITZ! NatGeo Explorer Academy Forbidden Island

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Buy | Goodreads | Trailer

A heart-pounding final showdown changes the life of Cruz Coronado forever in the seventh and final book in this thrilling fact-based fiction series.

Amid assignments that take the Explorer Academy recruits from the iceberg-filled waters of Antarctica to the bone-dry deserts of Argentina, Cruz Coronado is scrambling to complete the last piece of the cipher. With Nebula agents and the elusive explorer spy still out there, his opportunity to recover his mother’s world-changing formula is slipping away. But as Cruz has learned from his time aboard Orion, true explorers must never give up.

Even after completing dozens of high-risk missions and traveling to all seven continents, Cruz could never prepare himself for one ultimate surprise.

Explorer Academy features: Gripping fact-based fiction plot that inspires curiosity with new technology and innovations; amazing inventions and gadgets; a cast of diverse, relatable characters; secret clues, codes, and ciphers to track down within the text; vibrant illustrations; elements of STEAM; National Geographic explorer profiles in the "Truth Behind" section.

Check out the Explorer Academy website featuring videos, comic shorts, games, profiles of real-life National Geographic Explorers, chapter excerpts and more. 
 


Praise:

"Sure to appeal to kids who love code cracking and mysteries with cutting-edge technology."  
—Booklist

"A perfect blend of adventure with real science and technology!"
—New York Times #1 best-selling author Rick Riordan

"A fun, exciting, and action-packed ride that kids will love."
—J.J. Abrams, director and screenwriter of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Lost, Alias

"Inspires the next generation of curious kids to go out into our world and discover something unexpected.”
—James Cameron, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and acclaimed film-maker

 

About the Author

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

TRUDI TRUEIT has written more than 100 books for young readers, both fiction and nonfiction. Her love of writing began in fourth grade, when she wrote, directed, and starred in her first play. She went on to be a TV news reporter and weather forecaster, but she knew her calling was in writing. Trueit is a gifted storyteller for middle-grade audiences, and her fiction novels include The Sister Solution, Stealing Popular, and the Secrets of a Lab Rat series. Her expertise in kids nonfiction encompasses books on history, weather, wildlife, and earth science. She is the author of all the narratives in the Explorer Academy series, beginning with Explorer Academy: The Nebula Secret. Trueit was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, and lives in Everett, Washington.

 

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  • Three (3) winners will receive the COMPLETE 7-book Explorer Academy series and an Explorer Academy map, showing all the places around the world that Cruz and his classmates visit over the course of the series!
  • US/Canada only
  • Ends 11/27 at 11:59pm ET
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Posted in Animal Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Odder will melt your heart

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Odder, by Katherine Applegate/Illustrated by Charles Santoso, (Sept. 2022, Feiwel & Friends), $16.99, ISBN: 9781250147424

Ages 8-12

Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate does it again. Odder is the “Queen of Play”: a curious young otter who loves to play in the water and wander where she really shouldn’t. While splashing in the water with her best friend, Kairi, they have a run-in with a hungry great white shark, and Odder is injured. Rescued by the same humans that saved her as an otter pup, the story takes an introspective turn as Odder confronts truths about herself and life in the ocean. Inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that rescues otters, Applegate creates movement and emotion through her verse: “…there is time for a bit of deep diving / wave chasing / tail spinning / smooth gliding / bubble blowing / FUN”; “She doesn’t just swim to the bottom, / she dive-bombs. / She doesn’t just somersault / she triple-doughnuts. / She doesn’t just ride the waves, / she makes them”. Applegate makes strong points about conservation and throughout the story and in her author’s note, which provides background on her inspiration for Odder. Charles Santoso’s black and white illustrations guarantee that you’ll need to stock your nonfiction section with more books on otters; kids will fall in love with gentle story. A glossary helps readers with new vocabulary. Visit Katherine Applegate’s author website for more about her books and educator resources.

Education.com has some otter-related coloring sheets and worksheets for a book club or STEM extension activity.

Odder has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist.

Posted in Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Humor, Intermediate, Middle Grade

The BIG Adventures of Babymouse is here! (And there’s a Giveaway!)

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Fan favorite Babymouse is back with a new series, and it’s BIG! The full-color series is an bigger volume – 9.8″ x 7.9″ – than the original Babymouse books and the middle grade adventures, so it’ll stand out on shelves for sure.

The BIG Adventures of Babymouse: Once Upon a Messy Whisker (Book 1), by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm,
(Sept. 2022, Random House Books for Young Readers), $20.99, ISBN: 9780593430903

Ages 7-10

Babymouse’s imagination runs wild in this hilarious new story. When Babymouse is tired of her messy whiskers, she dreams up what life would be like if she didn’t have them at all – and her whiskers have their own idea of how to stay in the picture! Dreaming up fairy tale scenarios and waking up each day to a new whisker-related adventure, there are genuine laugh-out-loud moments: the interplay between Babymouse and the omniscient narrator; Babymouse and her nemesis, the locker; Babymouse as Rapunzel. The message for Babymouse and readers: be careful what you wish for, and be proud of who you are, messy whiskers and all. Artwork is the boldly outlined work that Babymouse readers know and love. Color really makes this a book that attracts readers, moving away from the pink, black and white artwork of the original series. If your newer readers don’t know Babymouse, this is a perfect time to introduce them to this loveable tween and her group of friends. Create a display for all ages that includes the original graphic novels, the middle grade series, and put BIG Adventures front and center.

Visit Jennifer Holm’s webpage for more resources, information about her books, and a video on Babymouse’s origin.

 

JENNIFER L. HOLM and MATTHEW HOLM are the sister-and-brother team behind the Eisner Award–winning Babymouse graphic novel series and the New York Times bestseller Sunny Side Up. Jennifer is the author of many acclaimed novels, including three Newbery Honor winners, Our Only May Amelia, Penny from Heaven, and Turtle in Paradise. Matthew Holm is a graphic designer and freelance writer. They are also the creators of the Squish series. To find out more, visit Babymouse.com and facebook.com/babymousebooks.

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