August 2026 Prime Picks

 
Reviewer's Choice
 

Reviewer's Choice 


Cassell/Octopus Publishing
www.octopusbooks.com

Blitz and Beyond: The New Romantic Revolution by Graham Smith with Chris Sullivan (9781788406598, $49.99) covers the New Romantic post-punk rock movement of the late 1970s through the photographic lens of Smith, who was in the thick of the action, documenting their rise and the culture the group fostered.

Some 500 images accompany behind-the-scenes inspections of the New Romantics, offering vivid descriptions not only of the people, but the places that hosted them. One example includes Le Kilt: “with its walls covered in tartan fabric, festooned with the heads and antlers of beasts far happier elsewhere and a DJ booth fashioned from a Regency stagecoach, Le Kilt appropriately resembled a Scottish hunting lodge.”

There is no better “you are here” description in print of the post-punk movement and music.

Madonna: All The Songs: The Story Behind Every Track by Benoit Clerc (9781788406345, $60.00) is a definitive “must have” acquisition for music libraries and anyone having more than a casual interest in Madonna’s musical impact.

This weighty unofficial survey is a comprehensive study of Madonna’s music that embarks on an album-by-album swing through her songs and art, blending biography with musical insights that embrace both song contents and themes and behind-the-scenes events.

Packed with color photos throughout, this definitive Madonna discography/biography is a ‘must’ that will delight a wide audience of popular music lovers, historians, and collectors.

Popular music libraries will find both volumes essential.

The Little Frog Coloring Book
Maybell Eequay
Summerdale
9781837999231    $12.99
www.octopusbooks.com

The Little Frog Coloring Book is an adult coloring book promoting mindfulness through Little Frog scenes. It includes affirmations and wisdom as it adds to the Little Frog series of self-care titles, expanding their impact with such admonitions as “I will make sure that laughter is a priority in my life.”

The result is a lovely little book of self-care sayings and coloring opportunities that will serve as a fine gift for new age thinkers, self-help and spiritual readers, or any adult holding a prior affection for Little Frog sayings and a proclivity for coloring and art.

Philip’s Little Book of Eclipses
Tom Kerss & Dr. ryan French
Philips/Octopus Publishing
9781849077545    $19.99
www.octopusbooks.com

Philip’s Little Book of Eclipses: An Essential Companion to Solar & Lunar Events is a treasure trove of global eclipse locations and science that will delight anyone interested in observing eclipses.

History, mythology, science, and travel meld in a survey of human observations of and speculations about eclipses over the centuries, broadening the appeal of a lively global guide that can also be used to chart upcoming events.

Philip’s Little Book of Eclipses will appeal to and delight a wide audience of amateur and serious astronomy buffs, as well as libraries catering to them.

Mitchell Beazley
$60.00
www.octopusbooks.co.uk

Those seeking holiday or special occasion books worthy of gift-giving that are packed with images and art will find Mitchell Beazley’s Voyage Collection ($60.00 each) worthy of library acquisition and home keepsake collecting alike.

Japan (9781846017124) packs in nearly 300 photos to accompany a play list of music and discussions of Japanese history and culture to bring the country to life:

“In the traditional Japanese lifestyle, minimalism is the order of the day: you live in a minka, the Japanese house whose floors are covered with tatami mats and whose rooms can be modulated thanks to the sliding rice-paper panels known as shoji.”

Amalfi Coast (9781846017117) does the same for the Southern Italian coastline and villages, using color photos and music play lists to create an immersive experience of the sights, sounds, peoples, history and culture of the region, creating a “you are here” experience that is the second-best thing to personal travel:

“Ravello offers one of the finest panoramas of the Gulf of Salerno. Your gaze slides over the whitewashed chapets and house scattered among vineyards and olive groves, down to the sea where the sunlight sparked with a rainbow of colours.”

These two blends of travelogue, art, history, and cultural insights offer armchair visitors the best in visual explorations that are unequalled elsewhere.

The completely revised wine bible The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding (9781784729707, $75.00) appears in its 9th edition, extensively updating references to the point that any library holding an older version will want to replace it with this latest rendition.

Not only has the text been fully revised and updated and new photographs added, but all information on every existing map has been checked and updated, with eighteen new maps added for this edition, while eight others hold major extensions.

With new illustrations throughout, new themes, climate change maps contrasting regional shifts, and revised history and modern additions, this essential reference has been extensively revamped. Any library strong in wine knowledge needs to include it in their reference collection.

Harriet Thistlethwayte’s A Country Style: Living and Creating With Nature Through the Seasons (9781840919707, $39.99) surveys the nature-connected character of “country style” and will appeal to a wide audience, from interior and exterior designers to homeowners interested in capturing the basics of such style. Its attention to atmosphere, budget, and seasonal representation make it especially attractive to homeowners considering renovations.

Packed with full-page color photos, A Country Style even includes gardening tips and some recipes in its wide-ranging attention to bringing the joys of country living and the greater outdoors inside.

Librarians seeking a warm, embracing look at living not just alongside, but within nature will find A Country Style a delightful acquisition.

Wojtek’s Bistro
Wojtek Van Portek
Mitchell Beazley
9781846016783    $34.99
www.octopusbooks.com

Wojtek’s Bistro: Recipes from a Polish Kitchen blends the author’s Polish roots with flavors from his adopted city of London. Wojtek Van Portek presents over a hundred recipes that meld the two influences into fare ranging from one-pot dishes to soups, small plates, and sweets.

From classic Potato Pancakes to Garlic Pepper Rabbit with Pear & Miso or Pork Belly Casserole, the dishes are accompanied by facing page color photos and feature fare which is hearty, appealing, and reflective of two different cultural influences.

Cooks interested in European cooking syntheses will appreciate the entwining of Poland and England in these blends of classic and creative dishes.

Young Adult/Children


America’s Founding Myths
Christy Mihaly
Barefoot Books
9798888599082
www.barefootbooks.com

America’s Founding Myths ... And What Really Happened! presents a host of facts about American history, from how Columbus discovered America to the nation’s declaration of independence, its war with the British, and myths such as that of the shot heard around the world.

This oversized presentation for advanced elementary-level readers, which packs in action-packed, inviting illustrations by Marta Sevilla, lends to library display with eye-catching cover art. Sidebars of information, and highlighted facts and contrasts, add excitement and interest to the book’s history.

From the true events that comprised the Boston Tea Party to bigger-picture critical thinking about how to discern truth from lies or embellishments and how to better understand historical events, this picture book holds both educational and entertainment value.

First Fire: An Algonkian Story
Retold by Joseph Bruchac & James Bruchac
Wisdom Tales
9781957670225    $19.95
www.wisdomtalespress.com

First Fire: An Algonkian Story receives gorgeous illustrations by David Kanietakeron Fadden as it presents a picture book First Nations origin story about how humans acquired fire thanks to a clever fox. This happens despite the obstacle of a monstrous mother and her three daughters, who are determined to keep fire trapped in a cave, inaccessible to mankind.

Exceptionally gorgeous illustrations bring all characters (including animals) to life as a boy who frees a fox is rewarded with her knowledge.

First Fire is one of the most visually vivid retellings of the Algonkian story in print. It is highly recommended not just for elementary-level libraries and collections strong in First Nations folklore, but for all ages, who will appreciate its bright illustrations and creative portrait of the power of good deeds.

My America Blooms
Nazanin Agange Ford
Beaming Books
9798889833437    $19.99
www.beamingbooks.com

My America Blooms receives inviting, colorful illustrations by Fateme Mokhles, accompanying a picture book story that follows a young girl and her family as they flee Iran for the promise of America.

Inspired by Nazanin Agange Ford’s own family experiences of immigrating when she was a child, this story follows a girl’s creation of a garden that reflects her new life in America.

Vivid descriptions of the immigration process embrace experiences at the airport, where “We drag our luggage to ladies who rake through everything. They keep things we did not want to leave behind.” Also included are notes of positivity about the unknown yet to come: “Still, we weave to our gate. Chadors flying, smiles wilting, courage rising skyward.”

Elementary-level libraries seeking to add picture book accounts of immigrant experiences for the very young or insights about Iranian culture to their collections will find My America Blooms uplifting.