I haven’t done this in a bit, so let’s shine the indie spotlight on a few books! I’ve been catching up on Mount TBR, and I’ve got a few that may have missed your notice in the last year. Let’s meet some new-to-us, folks, shall we?
Play for Me, Peter, by Carol Selick/Illustrated by Blueberry Illustrations, (July 2023, Carol Selick), $11.99, ISBN: 979-8218190521
Singer, songwriter, and novelist Carol Selick tells a gentle story of love, loss and music in her story about enduring love and the connection we have through music. Peter is a young boy who loves hearing his grandfather play jazz on the piano, but when his grandfather dies and the music stops, Peter is devastated. Slowly, with the help of his grandmother, a kind piano teacher named Mr. Wally, and a final gift from his grandfather, Peter begins to play the piano and to further his grandfather’s legacy. The story touches on the connection we all have to music and one another and is a touching story of love, loss, and moving on.
Visit Carol Selick’s website for more information about her music and writing.
Captain Baby, by Kaylynn Miller & Nathan Miller, (Feb. 2024, Independently Published), $11.99, ISBN: 979-8872966982
Ages 3-6
Written by a 7-year-old and her father, Captain Baby is a cute story about a pirate who encounters a baby while on his pirate ship. The baby initially attacks the ship – with sharks! – and turns the pirate’s crew against him, marooning him on an island. When the baby is marooned shortly after – pirates don’t change diapers, after all – the grizzly captain discovers that he’s got a soft spot and takes on the mantle of protector. The two have adventures, including fighting off crocodiles and angry, poo-flinging monkeys while questing for gold coconuts. It’s a madcap tale that only a 7-year-old could tell, and the graphic novel format fits the storytelling nicely. The authors encourage readers to read the story in their most pirate-like voice, with little “arrr” puns cropping up in the text. A sweet collaboration between parent and child.
Would You Rather?, by Anna Avelino, (Jan. 2024, Independently Published), $14.99, ISBN: 979-8871075081
Ages 7-12
Would You Rather presents 350 questions that will provoke giggles as easily as they’ll provoke thought and discussion. We started playing “Would You Rather” when my youngest was 7, coming up with questions like “Would you rather swing on webs like Spider-Man or run like Sonic the Hedgehog?” It was a fun way to start conversations, and it helped me encourage my little guy to elaborate (his English teacher was thrilled). Here, Anna Avelino offers choices like “Would you rather arrive to school or work in a hot air balloon or a horse-drawn carriage?”. Questions are organized into areas like “Feathers, Fangs, and Furry Friends”, “Hilarious and Silly Questions”, and “Around the World”. Fun for circulating and reference collections!
Look at the Picture and Write the Name Coloring Book, by Canette Arille, (Dec. 2022, Independently Published), $9, ISBN: 979-8367455830
Ages 2+
A cute hand-drawn collection of images for kids to color. Images are large, black and white, and make for easy coloring by younger learners. Each picture sports a line where kids and write the name of the image. A nice gift idea.
Mom Read It 