Happy May! Yes, there have been a lot of release dates postponed because of the pandemic, but you can’t tell it by this great slate of books we have to look forward to. Here are some of the new books releasing this week:
Books for Kids
Pterapunzel (Board Book) – Book 3 in the Once Before Time board book series of fractured fairy tales starring dinosaurs. You can read my review of Sleeping Bronty here. A dinosaur with a beautiful singing voice is captured by a witch and imprisoned in a tall tower. This looks adorable!
I Really Want the Cake – A girl and her pup struggle against temptation when there’s cake!
Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse – Sequel to Llama Destroys the World (♥♥♥). Llama clones his friend Alpaca to help him clean up his baking mess leading to the “alpacalypse.”
The One and Only Dylan St. Claire – A boy who loves the spotlight is cast as a squirrel in the school play about outer space – instead of the starring role he was hoping for.
Welcome to the Party – A new picture book by Gabrielle Union inspired by the anticipation of the birth of her daughter.
Clever Hans – The true story of a clever horse that changed the course of science! I am so excited to read this!
Cutiecorns: Heart of Gold – The first of two books launching this series this week. It’s time for the Cutiecorns to learn to use their magic when Sparkle’s locket is stolen.
Frog and Dog: Frog Meets Dog AND Goat in a Boat (ACORN) – There are three short, rhyming friendship stories in each of these books launching the Frog and Dog series from Scholastic Acorn.
Hotdog! AND Hotdog!: Party Time – These two books launch the Hotdog! series. Hotdog and his friends help a baby bird find its mother in book one, and in book two the friends are planning a surprise party.
Itty Bitty Princess Kitty: The Puppy Prince – Book 3 in the Itty Bitty Princess Kitty series about a princess kitty and her unicorn best friend. These look DARLING!! This time, a royal family of dogs comes to visit, and Itty has trouble connecting with the prince.
Jewel Kingdom: The Ruby Princess Runs Away – The first of FOUR books launching the Jewel Kingdom series release this week! Four girls about to become princesses must face personal challenges in their kingdom(s). These look so fun! The covers for all four are gorgeous! The other titles are: The Sapphire Princess Meets a Monster, The Emerald Princess Plays a Trick, and The Diamond Princess Saves the Day.
Layla and the Bots: Happy Paws (BRANCHES) – Book 1 in the new Layla and the Bots series from Scholastic Branches that combines a rock band with cool inventions. In this book, Layla tries to help a failing amusement park by turning it into a park for dogs. This also looks adorable!
Jesus, Who Are You? – An inductive Bible study for kids on the names of Jesus from Kay Arthur and other authors. This sounds really cool!
Books for Older Kids/Teens
Becoming Brianna – Book 4 in the Emmie & Friends line of graphic novels after Invisible Emmie, Positively Izzy, and Just Jaime (♥♥♥♥). This book focuses on Bri’s preparations for her Bat Mitzvah, especially considering she does not enjoy being in the spotlight. I’ve already requested this one from the library.
Camp Jupiter Classified (Trials of Apollo) – The journal of Claudia, a probatio at Camp Jupiter might lead readers to discover who is really responsible for all the problems that have cropped up recently at the camp. Fans of Rick Riordan’s series should check this one out.
Cursed (Older Middle Grade) – The sixth and final book in the Fairy Tale Reform School series which started with Flunked (♥♥♥♥). Gilly is pitted against her own sister as she battles Rumpelstiltskin and his Stiltskin Squad when they try to curse Enchantasia out of existence.
Donut Dreams: Family Recipe – Book 3 in the Donut Dreams series focuses on an adopted girl wrestling with a family tree assignment for school.
Jacky Ha-Ha (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel adaptation of the Chris Grabenstein/James Patterson novel.
Katie Cupcakes and Wedding Bells – Book 33 in the Cupcake Diaries series. Katie is excited about her mom’s upcoming wedding until she finds out it means they are going to have to move.
Keep It Together, Keiko Carter – At the start of middle school, Keiko finds herself caught between her feuding best friends as the pressure builds to have boyfriends before Fall Ball.
Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy from 15 Muslim Voices – A collection of short stories about the celebration of Eid, the festival at the end of Ramadan.
The One and Only Bob – The long-awaited sequel of The One and Only Ivan. Ivan, Ruby, and Bob set off on an adventure as they search for Bob’s sister as a hurricane approaches.
One Last Shot – In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with a book by John David Anderson. I’ve already pre-ordered this one, I am so confident it will be amazing. A non-sporty kid discovers he loves mini-golf, but his dad’s sports obsession threatens to ruin the game for him.
Real Pigeons Eat Danger – Book 2 in the Real Pigeons series starring crime fighting feathered friends. I have book 1 on hold at the library. This series looks hysterical!
Sal & Gabi Fix the Universe – Book 2 in the Sal and Gabi series from Rick Riordan’s imprint for mythological stories. This time, there is a rogue Gabi duplicate on the loose that threatens the world as we know it.
Shuri – My favorite character from the Black Panther movie now gets her own book (in addition to the comics and graphic novels where you can already find her). From the author of Dear Martin (♥♥♥♥). In a story that seems to be launching a series, Shuri leaves Wakanda to find out what is causing the Heart-Shaped Herb to die. This is at the top of my list for this week.
Sprinkle Sundays: A Sprinkle of Friendship – Book 10 in the Sprinkle Sundays series. Allie and Sierra are trying to do the jobs of three people at the ice cream shop when Tamiko goes on vacation during the busy summer season.
Swimming with Dolphins – A girl’s worries about her family’s move and how she’ll adjust to new spaces with her wheelchair are compounded when her dream of swimming with a dolphin doesn’t go like she thought it would.
Throwback: The Chaos Loop – Book 2 in the Throwback series from the author of the Seven Wonders books and the Max Tilt series. In the first book, Corey discovered he has the power to go back in time and change history, but now he’s becoming addicted to the rush of fixing past problems. And a trip back to WWII Germany could ask more of him than he is able to give.
Turtle Boy (Older Middle Grade) – Will, a struggling middle schooler who prefers a quiet life by himself, gets to know RJ, a boy in the hospital with an incurable disease, as part of his Bar Mitzvah preparations. But when RJ’s health starts to decline, Will decides he needs to tackle the items on RJ’s bucket list for him. This will be powerful.
We Dream of Space – Three siblings in 7th grade (a pair of twins and an older sibling taking a second run at it) dig into a class assignment in anticipation of the Challenger launch (1986). This sounds lovely. I am fascinated by the full description of the three kids, the ways they are each struggling, and I’m eager to see how the class assignment impacts each of them.
Show Me History: Benjamin Franklin, Inventor of the Nation! (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel biography of Benjamin Franklin.
What Is Lego? AND Where Is the Congo?
Books for Teens/Young Adults
Aurora Burning – Sequel to the terrific Aurora Rising. Squad 312 is still on the run as Aurora tries to get a handle on her powers. And a message from the past – the black box on the Hadfield – could be just what they need to figure out how to save the galaxy. I already have this on hold at the library.
The Betrothed – Kiera Cass, author of the fantastic Selection series, is back with a new story about a would-be queen. Hollis has grown up at the palace, so of course she is thrilled to hear the King has his eye on her. But a commoner with a mysterious gift shows Hollis that her heart may actually want something besides the future she was raised to pursue.
Clap When You Land – A novel in verse about two girls – one in the Dominican Republic and the other in New York – who learn about one another when their father is killed in a plane crash.
The Declaration, the Sword and the Spy – Book 6 in the Epic Order of the Seven series. The Epic Order of the Seven animals try to help the Founding Fathers through the treacherous twists of the American Revolution.
Forged in Fire and Stars – Ara was always told her destiny was to become the Loresmith, the blacksmith who armed the kingdom for war. But after the kingdom was overthrown years back, she thought that destiny was gone. Until the lost prince and princess come looking for Ara to help them retake their kingdom and defeat their foes.
Four Days of You and Me – Every year their class takes an all-day class trip. And every year the trip draws Lulu and Alex together again. Looks like this will explore the class trip from all four years of high school with these two teens.
Fractured Tide – A new novel from Blink YA publishing. A scuba diving teen is marooned on an island after her boat is attacked by a mysterious creature and some of her tourist passengers are killed. Reuniting with some survivors on the island is not the relief she first thinks it is. Described as a mix of suspense and horror.
Hunting November – Sequel to the stunning Killing November. November has survived her training at the espionage boarding school where her father sent her, but now she has to use those skills – and the ones he gave her growing up – to find her father before someone kills him. I adored the first book and will be reading this one as soon as I get my hands on it.
The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly – A teen waitressing at a medieval-themed restaurant longs for the chance to be a knight instead of a wench. The pay is better – and her family needs it – and the job is more fun. But when she fills in for her brother as a knight, wins, and then is revealed to be a girl, she decides there’s no way she is going back to waiting tables without a fight. I have this on hold at the library, too.
War and Speech – When her dad goes to prison, Sydney loses a lot. But she gains a new school that is ruled by the blistering speech team of all things. But Sydney’s new group of misfit friends realizes she could actually get onto the speech team and help them take it down from the inside. But what will Sydney choose to do when she realizes she actually has a chance to win the national competition and get some of her life back instead of toppling the power structure? I’ll be reviewing this one soon!
Books for Adults
The Farm Stand (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Amish Marketplace series. An Amish woman running her own produce stand at the market starts to fall for the Mennonite chef working next door. But she’s already in a relationship.
Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish (Trade Paperback) – From the author of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck and Wooing Cadie McCaffrey. The top two chefs on the Culinary Channel have to work together as he is trying to repair his reputation, and she has all the sweet and respectable qualities he needs to find if he wants to keep his career.
Hello Summer (Hardcover) – A journalist stuck back at home working on the gossip column in the family newspaper stumbles into the story of a lifetime.
The Imperfects (Hardcover) – The three Miller siblings launch an investigation into their family history when their grandmother dies and they discover a famous, long-missing diamond among her belongings.
Mousse and Murder (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 1 in the Alaskan Diner Mystery series. A chef returns to her Alaskan home to take over the family diner, but soon finds herself wrapped up in a murder investigation when her head cook is killed.
A Murderous Misconception (e-book May 8) – Book 7 in the Victoria Square Mystery series. When Kate hears her boyfriend Andy’s assistant manager is pregnant with his child, she is floored. When the woman is later killed (and determined to NOT be pregnant), Kate and Andy both become murder suspects.
My Brother’s Keeper (e-book May 8) – Book 4 in the Reverend Margot Quade Cozy Mystery series. When Margot tries to get away for a restorative vacation, the Lord has other plans. She finds plenty of people at the B&B in need of pastoral care and counsel. When one of those people ends up dead, she feels compelled to investigate. I love the idea of a Christian Cozy mystery! Book 1, Into the Lion’s Den, is free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers at the time of this writing.
Network Effect (Hardcover) – Book 5 in the Murderbot Diaries series, the first full-length, standalone novel in the series. I am fascinated by this Artificial Intelligence story. I have book 1 on my list at the library.
The Resolutions (Hardcover) – The Brennan siblings are close to achieving everything they ever dreamed. But when roadblocks threaten to undo everything, they return home to each other for the holidays, and then head to West Africa to try to save everything they have worked for.
Storing up Trouble (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the American Heiresses series. An independent young woman encounters a scientist on the train to Chicago when someone tries to steal the man’s research. When they bump into each other again, it becomes clear that the thieves have not given up their plans to steal the research, and both the scientist and the young woman may get caught in the middle. This series looks delightful! I can’t wait to read these.
The Tourist Attraction (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Moose Springs, Alaska series. A grumpy local with no patience for tourists may have to change his tune when he gets to know the young woman who frequents his diner and blushes every time he catches her eye. I have had this on hold at the library for ages!
Upsy Daisy (e-book) – Book 1 in the Higher Learning series. Two young people at college believe this time in their lives is crucial to achieving the future they dream of, but they could quickly become a distraction for one another.
Grace for the Moment Family Devotional (Hardcover) – 100 devotions for families from Max Lucado.
The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill America’s Sixteenth President – and Why It Failed (Hardcover) – The latest from Brad Meltzer looks into a little-known failed assassination attempt against President Lincoln.
The Myth of the American Dream: Reflections on Affluence, Autonomy, Safety, and Power (Hardcover) – A collection of essays around these four American values and how they line up to Jesus’ commands for his followers.