Summer marches on, but at least there are plenty of books to keep us busy! Here are some of the new books releasing this week:
Books for Kids
Cece Loves Science – Science-minded Cece and her best friend run experiments to see if Cece’s dog will eat his vegetables. I love picture books that highlight science and math in everyday stories. This would be great for classroom use.
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates – The author of the fabulous Mother Bruce series brings us a new story about a little T-Rex trying to make friends at school. This is a must read for me!
Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 – A picture book biography of Katherine Johnson, one of the women mathematicians highlighted in the movie (and books) Hidden Figures. This would be a must-have if I was still teaching!
Look at Me: How to Attract Attention in the Animal World – I don’t think you can go wrong with an animal book when it comes to material for kids. Add the fact that this is written by science writers Steve Jenkins and Robin Page, and this becomes a must-buy, too.
Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults
Everything I Know About You – On a school trip to DC, a group of seventh grade friends are partnered with some of their sworn enemies. But one of the girls suspects her roommate may have an eating disorder. Is she willing to risk humiliation to seek help for a girl she doesn’t even like? This is high on my list for this week. Sounds like the sort of middle grade story I enjoy.
The Jigsaw Jungle – A girl starts compiling a scrapbook to solve the mystery of her missing father. I already have this one in my Amazon cart. [If only I had a budget that would allow me to buy all the books I want to read….]
Kid Normal – A normal kid stumbles into a school for superheroes. I really got a kick out of this one. I’ll be reviewing this later this summer.
The Selkie of San Francisco – Book 2 in the Sam London Adventures series after Guardians of the Gryphon’s Claw about a kid who discovers mythical creatures living in our national parks. I enjoyed the first book, and this second one sounds great, too!
Takedown – A boy and a girl who love wrestling deal with the fall out of folks who don’t think a girl should wrestle and what happens when partners become opponents. This has been getting great buzz for months. I’m looking forward to checking this one out.
Dinosaurs, Dodos and Woolly Mammoths (My Weird School Fast Facts) – The latest nonfiction book from My Weird School author Dan Gutman.
What Is Climate Change? AND What Is the Constitution? – The latest books from the folks who first brought us the Who Was series of biographies feel very timely for this season in our culture!
Almost Impossible – A girl spending her first summer in America meets a boy who is determined to make it unforgettable. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week.
Not the Girls You’re Looking For – A story of a teen girl who, among other things, makes a scene at a party (she totally did not mean to make that cute guy almost drown) and also at Ramadan. She’s sure she and her friends can make the best of whatever mistakes she might make, but sometimes small-looking things become big things. Looking forward to checking this one out, too.
Books for Adults
Murder Made to Order – Book 2 in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series about a New York transplant in Florida who may lose her diner due to a zoning issue. Then the town council president – the one taking a hard line on the zoning issue – is found dead. I have book one of this series on my Kindle wish list. (It feels like maybe this series is primarily for e-readers, but a trade paperback* version is also available.)
Perfect Couple – Just before the wedding event of the season in Nantucket, a body is found in the harbor, and everyone in the wedding is a suspect. I’ve not read any of the author’s work before, but this particular mystery sounds fantastic! (Hardcover*)
#NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Line – Two survivors (siblings) of the Parkland, Florida school shooting (February 14, 2018) speak out in an effort to bring the epidemic of school shootings to a close. I definitely will be reading this one!
Uncensored: My Life and Uncomfortable Conversations at the Intersection of Black and White America – This young man shares his personal story which has led him to be a crusader for free speech. I don’t know much about the author, Zachary Wood, but I am curious to check out his story.
*I’ve noticed that publishers have shifted some of their new mystery series to Trade paperback (full size paperback with a sale price around $15 or $16) or hardcover (with a sale price around $25) instead of Mass Market paperback which runs around $8. When I think of it, I’ll try to note the format so readers can plan their book budgets – and trips to the library – accordingly.