August 2021 Prime Picks
The
Culinary Corner
BBQ
Revolution
Mitch Benjamin
Harvard Common Press
9781592339952
$30.00
www.quartoknows.com
Given the
number of
books on summer barbecue already on the market, one might wonder at the
need
for yet another; but BBQ Revolution:
Innovative Barbecue Recipes from an All-Star Pitmaster stands
out from the
crowd. It comes from BBQ competition winner "Meat Mitch," who shares
his formula for success.
From a
discussion of
the fundamentals of competition barbecue (such as what judges look for)
to
discussions of rubs, sauces, injections, brines, and winning teammate
contributions to main course and side dish innovations, this color
photo-packed
discussion is an engaging approach.
As for the
recipes,
Jerry's Brown Sugar Smoked Pork Sausage and a small Chicago
restaurant's Smoked
Mortadella Sandwich are only two examples of the diverse dishes
Benjamin presents
to expand the concept of barbecue favorites.
Readers
seeking to
think outside the smoker box and barbecue pit will find these expanded
concepts
appealing and attractive, with some recipes given in competition-style
quantities and others tailored for family-sized consumption.
'Eat' books
Lonely Planet
$17.99 each
www.lonelyplanet.com
Three new
country
titles in Lonely Planet's new 'Eat' series blend food culture
inspections with
travel tips especially of interest to foodie destination travelers, and
are
recommended picks as take-along totes and travel planning guides.
Eat Italy (9781838690496) explores
restaurants, specialty shops,
drinks, and markets in different regions of the country, pairing
full-page
color photos with travel insights that describe the food culture of
Italy.
From
seasonal produce
and different types of specialty food shops to Italian phrases that
come in
handy in restaurants, Eat Italy is
a
'must' for any traveling to Italy to experience its food.
Ditto for Eat Vietnam (9781838690502), which
considers the staples, different foods, and unusual spices and
seasonings the
Vietnam-bound traveler might encounter on a trip.
Again: the
color
photos liberally peppered throughout enhance discussions of the history
and
culture of that nation's foods, while the focus on regional specialties
assures
that no Vietnam visitor will miss a key aspect of the country's cuisine.
Eat Japan (9781838690519) is especially
notable for its focus on
ingredients intrinsic to Japanese cuisine; from dashi and wagashi
(Japanese
sweets) to ramen noodles and their diverse toppings.
Its wealth
of color
photos, food definitions and descriptions, and focus on the extent of
dishes
that make up Japanese culture and cuisine is diverse and appealing.
All three
books are
especially recommended choices for destination-bound travelers who want
to
thoroughly research each country's food and opportunities before
embarking on
their journey.
Makan:
Recipes from
the Heart of Singapore
Elizabeth Haigh
Bloomsbury
9781472976505
$35.00
www.bloomsbury.com
Makan: Recipes from the Heart of Singapore
is a tribute to
Singaporean cookery that adds to a surprisingly small list of other
books on
the subject, gathering recipes that have been handed down through
generations
of author Elizabeth Haigh's family.
These
traditional
dishes have been adapted for Western kitchens, so it will be easy to
locate
ingredients and follow instructions for such dishes as Barbecue
Sweetcorn with Miso
Koji Butter; Sweetcorn and Spare Rib Soup; or Almond Jelly with Lychees
in
Syrup.
Any Asian
grocery (or
well-stocked American supermarket) should have the few specialty
ingredients
needed for these dishes, while cooks will appreciate the full-page
color photos
of finished results that abundantly illustrate the recipes throughout.
Accompanied
by the
author's family memories, it's hard to find a better introduction to
the
culture and cuisine of Singapore than Makan,
which should be in the collections of any definitive Asian cook and
libraries
catering to them.
Mitchell
Beazley
www.octopusbooks.com
The Atlas of Bourbon & American Whiskey
(9781784727406, $19.99)
comes from spirits expert and historian Eric Zandona, who goes beyond
exploring
different American whiskey varieties to consider its regional
development and
differences.
This
introduction
will especially appeal to fans of bourbon and whiskey, who will find in
it a
fine review of its history, flavors, technical details about its
production,
and maps and regional guides that encourage travel and exploration of
these
diverse tastes.
Some 50
distilleries
and their whiskey are featured, accompanied by maps and color photos
throughout.
Whiskey fans
will
enjoy the coverage whether they are planning a trip to distilleries or
choose The Atlas of Bourbon &
American Whiskey
for armchair enjoyment to accompany a good drink.
Chetna's 30 Minute Indian (9781784727505,
$29.99) by Chetna Makan
is based on her native Indian cuisine, but adds embellishments and
adaptations
to create dishes which can be made and served in less than 30 minutes.
This belays
the usual
perception of Indian cuisine as being time-consuming to produce at
home,
featuring dishes which use no complicated preparation methods and few
special
ingredients.
From Paneer
Onion
Masala Rolls made with ready-rolled puff pastry and grated cheese to
Spinach
Chicken made with a ginger-yogurt marinade and homemade curry, these
dishes are
appealing, quick, and only require access to a local Asian or Indian
market for
successful results.
Both are
highly
recommended acquisitions for home cooks and discriminating cookbook
libraries
seeking additions that stand out from the crowd.
Health Matters
Firefly Books
www.fireflybooks.com
Two new
publications
from Firefly Books provide health collections and readers with basic
primers
filled with foundation information for all audiences, making them
recommended
for general-interest and health collections alike.
Shelley
Ball, PhD's Lyme Disease, Ticks and You
(9780228103202, $19.95) represents the author's in-depth research into
Lyme and
OTBDs, reviewing her own health challenges related to the subject.
Readers who
have
heard of Lyme disease may be surprised to find that it is still largely
underdiagnosed and undertreated due to an ongoing lack of information
about the
disease, making consumer knowledge about it even more essential, to
augment
physician approaches.
From keeping
a
symptom diary and understanding habitats that encourage ticks to the
biology of
Lyme Disease and how it affects humans and animals alike, this is a
primer that
should be in every health collection—especially rural libraries.
Odile Bagot,
a Doctor
of Gynecology, provides clear insights in Menopause:
No Need to Panic (9780228103219, $19.95). This
straightforward, illustrated
guide covers all the basics about menopause and various options for
reducing
its impact.
Women will
find it a
wide-ranging discussion that provides all the necessary information for
women
to navigate this stage of their lives, helping them make informed
decisions
about changes and how to preserve good health and attitude through them.
Both books
are basic
primers that should be part of any discriminating collection.
The Plague
Year
Lawrence Wright
Alfred A. Knopf
9780593320723
$28.00
www.aaknopf.com
With the
flurry of
books being published about Covid and the likelihood of a plethora to
come,
it's important to note a standout that libraries will find of
long-lasting
value: The Plague Year: America in the
Time of Covid.
This is due
to many
factors. Lawrence Wright is a staff writer for The
New Yorker who has produced ten books of nonfiction, plays,
novels, and more. Acclaimed for his writing, including winning a
Pulitzer
Prize, his reasoned inspection of the evolution of Covid-19 and its
social,
political, economic, and health affects on America in particular
provides a
history that goes beyond the familiar facts, taking readers inside the
CDC and
other facilities involved in medical research and political circles.
This closer
inspection of events, influences, and outcomes provides a reasoned,
well-studied exploration that should well withstand the test of time.
It's a
superior-quality production that offers enough passion to intrigue
general-interest readers, enough science to satisfy pragmatic fellow
researchers and scientists, and enough social inspection to provide
lasting food
for thought suitable for classroom and other debates.
The Arts
ACC Art Books
www.accartbooks.com
These
outstanding,
diverse arts books are highly recommended picks for discriminating
collections
looking for lasting value from their acquisitions.
Wilfrid
Blunt and
William T. Stearn's The Art of Botanical
Illustration (9781788841085, $45.00) has been considered as
the classic,
definitive work on the subject since 1950.
In 1994
Stearn,
Blunt's assistant on the original edition, substantially updated and
expanded
the work. This new 2021 edition takes yet another leap in offering over
twice
the quantity of color plates as in the original, along with some 140
black and
white prints.
Its expanded
scope on
artists both traditional and modern and its wealth of discussions
contrasting
period artists with these working in botanical illustration contribute
to a
comprehensive historical survey akin to none other.
Collections
harboring
earlier editions need this vastly expanded update, while newcomers who
seek a
definitive botanical illustration history could not do better than to
start
here.
Peter
Chakerian's Bruce Springsteen Live in the
Heartland
(9781788841191, $45.00) is packed with iconic photos by rock
photographer Janet
Macoska, who captured Springsteen's stage performances from his start
to his
2016 tour.
Her black
and white
candid portraits of Springsteen in concert will of course appeal to
prior fans
of the musical icon; but more importantly, this collection deserves a
place in
any holding strong in music photography representation.
Macoska's
images pair
well with Chakerian's recreation of the atmosphere of each concert,
providing a
"you are here" feel for those who would either relive the times or
experience a Springsteen concert from visuals and written description.
His role as
a pop
music icon, captured by these full-page black and white images and
their
accompanying history and representation, creates a celebration of the
man and
his music that will appeal to rock music and arts holdings alike.
Mothmeister: Dark and Dystopian Post-Mortem Fairy
Tales (Lannoo;
9789401473644, $59.95) is especially recommended not just for arts
holdings,
but literary collections specializing in horror and weird imagery.
Its
depiction of
human/animal hybrids marries nature and man in eerie manners, with
introductions explaining the roots of these pieces in Norway, Rome, and
other
locales and cultures.
The
discussions of
each segment of works are as thought-provoking (and eerily troubling,
to those
who may eschew dark imagery and death) as the full-page color art: "I cobble them together with little
pieces of what's left hanging around. From the newspaper, I really like
to put
in the death notices because I would like mine to wander around in a
mask...They are all different. But I put my sorrow or my anger at that
moment
into everything."
Mothmeister's
dark
designs and their evocative, disturbing meaning will delight arts and
horror
readers alike.
Codex
Metallum
Maxwell and Alt 236
Cassell/Octopus
Publishing
9781788403375
$39.99
www.octopuspublishingusa.com
Codex Metallum: The Secret Art of Metal
is the perfect item of
choice for heavy metal music fans who also enjoy visual explorations of
the
subject, and covers some 80 visual themes represented in 300 of metal
music's
album covers.
These
discussions of
metal's unique images and their meaning come with their own classy
packaging of
a faux leather case with foil finishes, gorgeous full-page
illustrations by Førtifem
and Mathias Leonard in black and white, duotone, and full color, and
discussions
of the fantastic genre elements reflected not just in music, but
literature and
other artistic metal-centric approaches.
The result
is inviting,
lovely, and intriguing—highly recommended for arts holdings, music
collections,
and anyone with an interest in metal's culture, imagery, and artistic
interpretations.
The Flowering
Judy Chicago
Thames & Hudson
9780500094389
$39.95
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
The Flowering: The Autobiography of Judy Chicago
provides an
extensive artistic and personal memoir that comes from an artist and
social
activist whose works in multimedia resulted in groundbreaking insights
into
connections between feminist thought and art.
Those who
came of age
in the 1960s and 70s may well recall the works of Judy Chicago, but
until now,
there's not been a complete retrospective of her life. At age
eighty-two,
Chicago provides these insights, updating prior autobiographical
material and
charting her struggles and identities as a teacher, feminist, activist,
and
artist.
No arts
collection
should be without this definitive, in-depth work which discusses six
decades of
her career and influences and the controversies which swirled around
her art
and representations.
That Judy
Chicago's
name is still prominent as a lasting figure of influences makes The Flowering even more relevant to
modern collections, making it highly recommended as a key arts library
acquisition.
Science, Nature & Technology
The Art of
Patience
Sylvain Tesson
Penguin Press
9780593296288
$26.00
www.thepenguinpress.com
The Art of Patience: Seeking the Snow Leopard in
Tibet is highly
recommended reading for two audiences: those who enjoy stories about
animals or
endangered species, and readers of adventure travel chronicles.
Sylvain
Tesson was
used to world travels and hikes, so when an accident left him in a coma
and a
lost love left him emotionally compromised, there seemed no better
panacea than
to organize an expedition to the mountains of Tibet in search of the
elusive
snow leopard.
The life
lessons Tesson
learned, as well as the natural history of remote Tibet and the
challenges and
fruits of the team's journey, makes for riveting adventure reading that
embraces spiritual, emotional, and natural revelations alike.
Blue: In
Search of
Nature's Rarest Color
Kai Kupferschmidt
The Experiment
9781615197521
$24.95
www.theexperimentpublishing.com
Blue: In Search of Nature's Rarest Color
comes from a science
journalist who points out that his favorite color is actually quite
rare in
nature.
The few
creatures and
plants which appear to have this color in fact modify other pigments
and present
hues which are often due to lighting rather than a naturally
incorporated color.
Kai
Kupferschmidt
does more than outline where blue is to be found in the natural world.
He considers
palettes of plant pigments, theories surrounding the origins of color,
genetic
research, and the uses of blue in natural surroundings.
More than a
listing
of blue hues, Blue: In Search of Nature's
Rarest Color celebrates color in nature, considers its use
and creation,
and is a fine recommendation primarily for science and nature readers;
but also
for those interested in the arts.
Fire
& Ice
Natalie Starkey
Bloomsbury
9781472960368
$28.00
www.bloomsbury.com
Fire & Ice: The Volcanoes of the Solar
System is a surprising
exploration that maintains volcanoes are not unique to Earth, but exist
in
space, as well.
Natalie
Starkey's Fire & Ice is
the first book
dedicated to this subject, offering a consideration of space volcanoes
that
provides information on their perception, definition, and science.
Some
volcanoes aren't
even really hot, as in those on Pluto, which erupt with ice. Others are
even
hotter than those on Earth.
This survey
of the
science underlying cosmic volcanoes and their various incarnations on
each
planet of our solar system gives readers a rare glimpse into how
volcanoes are
present in and operate under vastly different environmental conditions.
Packed with
insights
on basic scientific studies and premises and discussing how and why
volcanoes
present in places with vastly differing countenances, Fire
& Ice is lively enough for general-interest readers,
yet
filled with enough science to delight audiences who already are well
versed in
Earth's geology in general and volcanoes in particular.
The Natural
Dog
Gwen Bailey
Hamlyn/Octopus
Publishing
9780600636038
$24.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com
The Natural Dog: A new Approach to Achieving a
Happy, Healthy Hound
comes from an author whose previous dog guides have become bestsellers.
Her latest
book will
especially appeal to readers who embrace an organic, natural, healthy
diet and
life themselves. This audience receives information on how to boost a
dog's
diet and health with smarter approaches to food, activity, and care.
From what a
healthy
natural diet means for a dog's special needs to exercise, cultivating
challenging activities to keep dogs engaged and lively, and creating a
safe,
supportive environment for a pet, The
Natural Dog pairs color photos throughout with specific
advice that
translates the desire for natural support with details on a canine's
special
needs.
Pet owners
who lean
towards new age health books will celebrate The
Natural Dog's specific focus.
Oregon Rocks!
Marli B. Miller
Mountain Press
9780878427031
$20.00
www.mountain-press.com
Oregon Rocks! A Guide to 60 Amazing Geologic Sites
is recommended
for two collections: those appealing to destination-oriented travelers
who
might head to Oregon, and holdings strong in geology and regional
American
natural history.
These
collections will
appreciate the focus on Oregon's diverse geologic history and locations
that
are easily accessible to visitors and hikers, which serve as examples
of
different geologic events.
From the
remains of
supervolanoes and active volcanoes (more evident in Oregon than any
other
state) to waterfalls, geologic formations, and destinations off the
beaten path
of most major park routes, Oregon Rocks! belongs
in all Oregon collections and any holding that's strong in American
geologic
history or travel.
Rhapsody in
Green
Charlotte Mendelson
Kyle Books/Octopus
Publishing
9780857839473
$12.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com
Rhapsody in Green: A Writer, an Obsession, a
Laughingly Small Excuse
for a Vegetable Garden comes from a gardening addict who
considers no plot
too small to grow upon. Mendelson here celebrates a seasonal gardening
year by
transforming six square meters of urban soil.
The
sometimes-whimsical, often lyrical nature of her words incorporates
gardening
wisdom and insights with considerations of gardener challenges, from
Thirty-Three Alternatives to Lettuce to common garden pests which are
considered with a flair for drama: "If,
like a giant, one put an ear to the soil and heard its secrets, every
pot would
be crackling with the sound of larvae hatching."
Rhapsody in Green is literary, fun,
inviting, educational, and
thought-provoking: the perfect blend of gardener's wisdom and educated
insights
into the challenges of successful gardening. Gardeners and collections
catering
to them will welcome this fun and informational approach to the task.
The Sound of
the Sea
Cynthia Barnett
W.W. Norton
9780393651447
$27.95
www.wwnorton.com
The Sound of the Sea: Seashells and the Fate of the
Oceans should
be required reading for anyone interested in conservation in general
and sea
life and its preservation in particular.
Like Rachel
Carson,
Cynthia Barnett sounds a warning about the increasingly fragile state
of nature
(here, oceans). Also like Carson, she combines a well-researched
approach with
a passion that invites lay readers with little prior familiarity with
the topic
to understand the nature and threats to shell creatures in the waters.
At once a
celebration
of sea life and its history and a consideration of its importance in
the
changing relationship between sea life and humans, Barnett blends
science,
history, and themes of wisdom and understanding into a passionate
survey of
seashells. This should attract and educate a wide audience, from those
already
familiar with them to others who may have harbored only a cursory
interest in
them—until now.
Science,
nature, and
general lending collections alike will find The
Sound of the Sea spirited and accessible to all.
Why Peacocks?
Sean Flynn
Simon & Schuster
9781982101077
$27.00
www.simonandschuster.com
Why Peacocks? An Unlikely Search for Meaning in the
World's Most
Magnificent Bird blends humor and insights using an eloquent
tone as Sean
Flynn covers his first year as a peacock owner.
More than a
memoir,
Flynn adds a review of the history of peacocks and human interactions,
travels
the globe to learn more about them in various communities and settings,
and
elevates the task of science journalism to personal levels of
inspection as he
considers the peacock's role in human affairs and nature.
The blend of
science,
travelogue, personal revelations, and memoir creates a lively,
accessible
coverage that will delight both science and general-interest readers.
Young Adult/Children
Candlewick
Press
www.candlewickpress.com
Three new
books are
highly recommended picks for young reader collections looking for
appealing,
exceptional productions.
Meg Rosoff's
McTavish Takes the Cake
(9781536213751,
$15.99) will reach advanced elementary grades with a simple read about
a rescue
dog, a father, and the proposed new career of being baker.
A town
baking contest
invites the newly inspired Pa Preachy to enter, but there's only one
problem.
Pa's baked goods borders on inedible. Should his family try to
encourage him,
even though he appears to have no talent in the kitchen?
It's up to
rescue dog
McTavish to save the day in a fun story that will appeal to kids just
beyond
the picture book stage.
Picture book
readers
will relish Jamie Michalak's Dakota Crumb
Tiny Treasure Hunter (9781536203943, $17.99), which receives
especially
engaging, colorful drawings by Kelly Murphy as it explores a mouse's
museum
hunt for treasure.
The humans
leave
behind many tiny things that Dakota considers desirable, but one
particular
prize noted on her treasure map keeps her on the hunt.
Sound effect
words
will lend to parental read-aloud action as Dakota Crumb searches for an
unusual
prize.
David
Martin's The More the Merrier
(9781536209181,
$17.99) receives colorful, inviting drawings by Raissa Figueroa as it
joins
forest animals in a community dance.
Rollicking
rhyme
accompanies the beat of words on the page as diverse forest animals
find their
own different grooves.
Kids
receive a
warm and fun consideration of what defines 'dance' as each creature
cultivates
a very different response to the alluring music!
All
are
wonderful, original creations.
Our
House
Graham Nash
Backbeat Kids
9781493060115
$19.95
www.backbeatbooks.com
Musician
Graham
Nash's Our House includes a new recording of the
classic song (accessible
online by a special code provided within the book) and pairs 30
original
artworks by Hugh Syme and a reading app created by Stanley Hainsworth
and
Tether, Inc. with a lovely story influenced by a true experience of
home in the
San Fernando Valley in the 1960s.
Young
picture
book readers are treated to a simple exploration of what makes a house
a home,
from flowers in a vase and a warm fire to sleepy cats and love songs.
Adults
interested in a simple, attractive read that encourages both literacy
and
reflection on what makes a home will relish this story's colorful
review of
both in a production highly recommended for its simple message and
charming
delivery.
Random
House/Knopf
www.rhcbooks.com
These new
picture
books from Random House provide intriguing stories that kids will find
unusual
and attractive on different levels.
Matthew
Burgess's Bird Boy (9781984893772,
$17.99)
receives simple drawings by Shahrzad Maydani as it tells about Nico,
who feels
lost in his new school.
His special
gift is
befriending birds. As Nico lets his imagination soar, young observers
who at
first think him strange are drawn to his kindness and other qualities.
This simple
story
celebrates differences and invites kids to consider friendships based
on not
just appearance and ability, but admirable emotional qualities.
Kristy
Everington and
AG Ford's Isobel Adds It Up
(9780593178102, $17.99) presents a young girl who tries to do her math
homework, but faces a big problem with noisy next-door neighbors who
sound like
a marching band.
How can she
complete
her math problems over the weekend with such a ruckus going on? And,
can a girl
who loves and needs quiet live next to people who think that racket is
fine?
A fine story
of
neighbors and getting along incorporates a surprise twist to the tale.
Scholastic,
Inc.
www.scholastic.com
These new
arrivals
from Scholastic and its Orchard Books imprint are highly recommended
additions
to discriminating children's book collections. Each offers something
different
that makes it a standout from the crowd.
Monica
Clark-Robinson's Standing On Her
Shoulders: A Celebration of Women (9781338358001, $18.99)
features lovely
art by Laura Freeman as it invites kids to think of women of color who
have
forged pathways to freedoms which modern life rests upon.
From
revolutionaries
and champions of equality to women who explored, flew airplanes, and
overcame
many challenges to achieve their dreams, young picture book readers
receive an
invitation to realize how their own ambitions and choices might pave
the way
for future generations.
Malcolm
Mitchell's My Very Favorite Book in the Whole
Wide
World (9781338225327, $17.99) receives simple, appealing
drawings by
Michael Robertson as it explores the dilemma of young Henley, who has
never
found a book he loves. He'd actually rather being doing anything
other than reading.
When a
classroom
assignment challenges him to locate and present his favorite book to
the class,
Henley is more than perplexed by the assignment. How can he achieve
this if no
book really moves him?
He tries
reading all
kinds of fiction and nonfiction stories, to no avail. The surprise that
unfolds
is a wonderful conclusion that invites kids to reconsider books,
stories, and
opportunities.
Brenda
Maier's The Little Blue Bridge
(9781338538014,
$18.99) features pictures by Sonia Sanchez that are whimsical,
emotionally
evocative, and fun as they reveal Ruby's idea to harvest some
blueberries that
lay on the other side of a bridge blocked by scary Santiago.
Ruby isn't
one to let
obstacles keep her from her goal, however, and she devises a creative
way to
gain her desire in this modern takeoff on The
Three Billy Goats Gruff.
Mươn
Thi Văn's
Wishes
(9781338305890, $18.99) receives especially attractive illustrations by
Victo
Ngai, who brings to life the story of a family that packs up and leaves
their
home, traveling by boat in search of a safe haven and a new refuge to
call
home.
Beautiful,
dark
images accompany equally compelling language ("The clock wished it was
slower.") that capture a variety of wishes leading to departure.
A
particularly
gorgeous presentation marrying words and art, Wishes
brings alive the heartfelt worries and wishes of boat people
who undertake a dangerous journey.
Young adults
receive
books that are important collection additions, as well.
Dana L.
Church's The Beekeepers: How Humans Changed
the World
of Bumble Bees (9781338565546, $18.99) is particularly
inviting because
many books about bees are directed to picture book readers and the very
young,
leaving a gap in literature for those in advanced elementary through
middle
school who already know the basics of bee natural history.
This survey
spotlights
the latest bee research and management systems, providing a
contemporary
inspection of bees and considering how they are altering ecosystems
around the
world.
Some bumble
bees are
thriving while others are disappearing. This important survey will even
reach
into adult circles
with the latest
research and information key to understanding bee management and modern
dilemmas in assuring their survival.
Deborah
Hopkinson's We Must Not Forget: Holocaust
Stories of
Survival and Resistance (9781338255775, $18.99) uses the
voices of
Holocaust survivors to document their experiences, charting persecution
and
resistance across various European countries as it explores Jewish
youth
experiences of the times.
Archival
images and
numerous interviews bring these experiences to life for young adult
audiences,
pairing biographical sketches with overall moral, ethical, historical,
and
personal conundrums that will lend particularly well to classroom
discussion
and family reading.
Simon and
Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com/kids
Three new
picture book
stories are engagingly presented, filled with satisfying color and
insights that
kids and read-aloud parents alike will find compelling.
Sarah
Dillard's Blueberry Cake
(9781534451346, $17.99)
tells of a young bear's determination to gather lots of blueberries for
his
favorite cake.
This would
seem a
simple task, but the little bear also suffers from attention deficit
disorder,
and is easily distracted by the environment that harbors the
blueberries.
The little
bear has
fun...but will he reach his goal?
This picture
book
excels in a minimum of words and a maximum of interest that young
readers can
use as a stepping stone to literacy.
Jamie A.
Swenson and
Scott Magoon's Chirp! Chipmonk Sings for
a Friend (9781534470026, $17.99) will reach ages 4-8 with a
story that
celebrates friendships and acknowledges loneliness.
Chipmonk
longs for
someone to help chirp along with her song, but her search for a
companion
singer isn't fruitful.
Pinecone,
Rock, and
other potential friends get along well with each other, but their
talents don't
extend to music.
How can
Chipmonk find
someone who shares in her vision?
A fine story
about
differences and friendships emerges in a treat for read-aloud parents
and the
very young.
Brian
Floca's Keeping the City Going
(9781534493773,
$17.99) comes from a Caldecott Medal winner who explores the mechanics
of
keeping a city running under shutdown conditions. It mirrors recent
Covid
experiences for kids with a story of how things kept running during the
early
days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ages 4-8
will
appreciate the focus on the different kinds of people who keep grocery
stores
running, make buses and trains move, deliver letters and packages, and
who
prove to be real everyday heroes.
Disney/Hyperion
www.DisneyBooks.com
These new
books will
reach a wide audience with intriguing stories and creative, original
directions.
Andrea
Tsurumi's I'm On It!
(9781368066969, $9.99)
presents an easy reader covering Frog and Goat, who busily demonstrate
the
concepts of being 'on it', 'above it', 'behind it', etc.
Through
their simple
antics and attempts at one-upping one another, Frog and Goat
demonstrate their
zany skills and illustrate concepts of 'on', 'over', 'under', 'above',
'through', and more.
Adult who
want to
teach these concepts to the very young will find I'm
On It! the perfect read-aloud opportunity to pair a whimsical
story of friendship with some real concepts.
Middle grade
readers
will find J.J. Gilbert's The Mouse Watch
Underwater (97811368052191, $16.99) an intriguing marine
mission of
investigation as a brave mouse and a shy rat become agents working
together to
move up the ranks of the Mouse Watch.
When
evidence shows
that a lost spy vessel may be still operating underwater, it's up to
the brave
duo to scuba into deep-sea adventure in a tiny submarine.
Advanced elementary to early middle grades will find this whimsical story of action and friendship involving.