The Wildcat Behind Glass by Alki Zei; trans. from Greek by Karen Emmerich Intermediate Restless 224 pp. 5/24 9781632063649 $18.00 A chapter book, first published in 1963, by the author of the wonderful Petros’ War (winner of the 1974 Batchelder Award) is back in a new translation for contemporary readers....
A Song for August: The Inspiring Life of Playwright August Wilson by Sally Denmead; illus. by Alleanna HarrisPrimary, Intermediate Levine/Levine Querido 40 pp.6/24 9781646144396 $18.99August Wilson (1945–2005), the renowned African American playwright, was born with “a song inside him.” He liked words and the way they had their own kind...
The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall; illus. by Faith Schaffer High School HarperAlley/HarperCollins 336 pp.5/24 9780358464945 $26.99Paper ed. 9780358464938 $18.99e-book ed. 9780358467175 $12.99A pair of mismatched fighters embarks on a quest to vanquish a yamauba (a monster that devours children) in a graphic novel that seamlessly blends fantasy in a...
The Mango Tree / La mata de mango by Edel Rodriguez; illus. by the author Preschool, Primary Abrams 48 pp. 6/24 9781419745867 $18.99 e-book ed. 9798887073736 $17.09 In this wordless picture book, two boys make a mango tree (or mata de mango) their hideout — napping, eating juicy mangos, and...
Black & White in Color by Tana Hoban; illus. by the author Preschool Greenwillow 16 pp. 5/24 9780063384743 $10.99 This hybrid accordion board book gives babies the best of both worlds. To many of the iconic images from Hoban’s classic board books Black on White and White on Black (both...
The Mine Wars: The Bloody Fight for Workers’ Rights in the West Virginia Coal Fields by Steve WatkinsMiddle School Bloomsbury 272 pp.5/24 9781547612185 $19.99e-book ed. 9781547612192 $13.99West Virginia, the Mountain State, is also historically known for both coal mining and Appalachian poverty. Watkins explores the nexus between them in this...
Telephone of the Tree by Alison McGhee Intermediate Rocky Pond/Penguin 208 pp.5/24 9780593698457 $17.99e-book ed. 9780593698464 $10.99In a first-person narrative, ten-year-old Ayla relates her special connection to her best friend, Kiri, beginning when they first reached out to each other as infants. Together they develop a keen interest in trees:...
Soul Step by Jewell Parker Rhodes and Kelly McWilliams; illus. by Briana Mukodiri UchenduPrimary Little, Brown 48 pp.6/24 9780316562713 $18.99“STOMP, CLAP, / FLIP, FLAP, / GO HARD, / SNAP BACK!” A rhythmic refrain immerses readers in step, an age-old African American tradition that includes stomping, clapping, singing, chanting, cheering, and...
Julius by Angela Johnson; illus. by Dav PilkeyPrimary Scholastic 32 pp.11/23 9781338898330 $14.99Only-child Maya, a young Black girl, receives a present from her granddaddy: an unruly and very large pink pig named Julius to be her companion. Julius creates chaos in the household but also brings a riot of fun...