Posts Tagged book lists

December New Releases

By on December 1, 2025   /   Articles, New Releases  

December is here. Take a break from the year-end rush and curl up with some fun December New Releases. (They all pair well with some hot cocoa, a couple of cookies, and a cozy blanket).

 

Asterwood by Jacquelyn Stolos

Family secrets, friendship, and magic burst from the seams of this thrilling fantasy adventure that follows a ten-year-old girl as she discovers a new world behind her home in desperate need of her help and within it, her own troubling family legacy.

Madelyn has always been satisfied with her life of cozy meals, great books, and adventures with her father in the woods behind their farmhouse.

But when a mysterious child appears and invites her down a forbidden trail and into a new world, Madelyn realizes that there’s far more to life than she ever allowed herself to realize.

This new world, Asterwood, is wider, wilder, and more magical than she could ever imagine. And somehow, it’s people know who she is—and desperately need her help.

Accompanied by new friends—one ​who can speak the language of the trees and one with a mind as sharp as her daggers—and her calico cat, Dots, Madelyn embarks on an epic quest across a strange and sprawling forest world whose secrets  just might help her save her own.​

 

 

At the Speed of Gus by Richard Scrimger 

A smartly funny and sympathetic story about being different and understanding that there is more than one way to see the world.This new novel from middle grade master Richard Scrimger will reach so many kids who need to see that their brains are a gift.

Augustus (Gus) Constantine’s brain moves fast, and not necessarily on a straight track. His mind (and mouth) operates at a different speed than everyone else he knows. This might have something to do with the fact that Gus has ADHD. Sometimes it feels like the best thing about him, and sometimes it lands him in a load of trouble.

For example, one morning, Gus takes morning announcements wildly off script. Even though he hears nothing but laughter from fellow students at Pendrell Elementary, he’s finally pushed Miss Funn (who’s anything but) and Principal Gorby (who’s getting tired of Gus’s endless jokes and unfiltered stream of consciousness) to the limit.

Now he’s suspended for two whole days. With nothing else to do, Gus takes up his sister’s invitation to take the ferry to meet her at her college. But on the ferry, Gus’s thoughts begin to race. He’s having trouble concentrating and can’t calm down. At the speed of Gus’s brain, the ride gets wilder and wilder, until it’s hard to tell what’s real from what’s imagined. But despite the convoluted road he takes, can he still find a way to get to his destination?

Fast-paced, funny and deeply sympathetic, At the Speed of Gus is about not always fitting, but figuring out how to find your own way.

 

 

The Stolen Songbird by Judith Eagle (Author) and Jo Rioux (Illustrated by)

When Caro finds a stolen masterpiece in her missing mother’s suitcase, she’s thrust into a thrilling art-heist caper in 1950s London.

When Caro Monday’s mother disappears on one of her jaunts across the globe, Caro is forced to stay with her miserable great-aunt all the way across town. To make matters worse, Caro’s beloved rabbit, His Nibs, isn’t allowed to come with her. Of course, Caro sneaks him into her aunt’s strict household anyway. Although Caro’s wild behavior exasperates her dour aunt, she never dreamed of the trouble she finds herself in when she discovers a small painting of a thrush hidden in the lining of her suitcase—a stolen masterwork that some dangerous art thieves are desperately searching for! Catapulted into a caper with more twists and turns than the alleys of London, Caro and her friends, including budding fashion designer Horace, expert knitter Albie, and a wise “gentleman of the road”—not to mention His Nibs himself—must unravel a decades-old mystery and return the purloined picture before the thieves hunt them down. Plenty of surprises and a diverse cast of memorable characters await in this rousing art-themed adventure.

 

 

 

 

 

Talons of Power: A Graphic Novel (Wings of Fire Graphic Novel #9) by Tui T. Sutherland (Author) and Mike Holmes (Illustrated by)

The graphic novel adaptations of the #1 New York Times bestselling Wings of Fire series continue to set the world on fire!

For every villain, there is a hero …

Turtle isn’t one of the heroes he reads about in stories. If he were, he’d use his animus powers to help Pyrrhia — instead of keeping his abilities a secret, even from his own sister. Now that Darkstalker, the sinister and impossibly old dragon from Pyrrhia’s most notorious legends, has returned, Turtle knows his own role is simple: hide. And stay hidden.

The more he watches Darkstalker from the shadows, the more Turtle knows that someone needs to stop the powerful dragon. A real hero. But Turtle is running out of time to find one, which means … he might have to try to save the day himself.

 

 

 

Outer Space by Ken Jennings (Author) and Mike Lowery (Illustrated by)

Blast off into outer space with this interactive trivia book from Jeopardy! host and champion and New York Times bestselling author Ken Jennings—featuring updated facts!

Take one giant leap into space with Ken Jennings to become a Junior Genius! In this book about outer space, you’ll discover Mars’s massive volcanoes, witness the birth of stars like our sun, explore black holes, and more! With stellar illustrations, cosmic facts, and out-of-this-world activities, this Junior Genius Guide will have you reaching for the stars!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red & Blue: Monster Hunters by Sara Soler (Author), Silvia Perea Labayen (Translated by), and Joamette Gil (Illustrated by)

When Red and Blue started out on the road to being professional heroes, they didn’t expect it to be so…well, difficult.

Written and drawn by celebrated comics creator Sara Soler (Us, Season of the Bruja), with English translation by Silvia Perea Labayen and letters by Joamette Gil, Red & Blue: Monster Hunters is a stand alone, action packed graphic novel full of humor and heartfelt adventure!

While Blue is feeling disheartened by what seems to be a dead-end internship, Red is struggling to find jobs that actually pay in cash. But all this could change when they get sucked into a hidden crime ring that might help them get their dream jobs…if they’re willing to compromise their heroic morals and fall in line.

After waiting months and months to get their shot at being real heroes, Red and Blue join an excursion to take down a dragon that’s been terrorizing local inhabitants. But when they enter the creature’s mountain stronghold, they discover the truth behind the operation’s purpose: the head of the hero corporation Slayer, Inc. is out to capture a valuable and highly endangered giant chicken that lays golden eggs.

Red and Blue have to choose between doing what’s right in trying to save the chicken and her baby, and following orders to secure their places among the ranks of professional heroes.

Originally published in Spanish, Red & Blue: Monster Hunters is translated to English for the first time!

 

Vortex of the Chaos Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters #30) by Tracey West (Author) and Graham Howells (Illustrated by)

Drake and Worm face off against the evil wizard Maldred with the help of the mysterious Chaos Dragon in the latest action-packed installment of this New York Times bestselling series perfect for newly independent readers!

Pick a book. Grow a Reader! This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

The evil wizard Maldred has been turned into one hundred mini-Maldreds! Dragon Masters around the world are battling them, and it’s up to Drake, Worm, and their friends to stop Maldred once and for all. Drake, Rori, Bo, Ana, and their dragons travel to Goryeo to meet the Chaos Dragon Seong-Min and her Dragon Master Ji-Min. Seong-Min is the only dragon powerful enough to stop the chaos the Maldreds are causing! But Ji-Min warns that the Chaos Dragon is very difficult to control, even for her. Will Drake and his friends convince Ji-Min to help them defeat the Maldreds? What will happen when the Chaos Dragon uses his powers?

With engaging black-and-white artwork on every page, kids won’t be able to put down this page-turning adventure!

 

Any of our December New Releases catch your fancy? Let us know in the comments.

Back to Top

STEM Tuesday– Transportation– Author Interview

By on November 25, 2025   /   STEM Tuesday, Transportation  

 

 

Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview, a repeating feature for the last Tuesday of every month. Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math!

Today we’re interviewing Jennifer Swanson, author of Save the Crash-test Dummies. The book discusses how restoring the balance between the primary predator and prey was instrumental in restoring a U.S. park’s ecosystem.

This book won a Parent’s Choice GOLD Award!!

 

“Attractively designed and engagingly written—sure to appeal to readers with a taste for the scientific and technical.”—Kirkus Reviews

★ “[An] innovative blend of history, technology, and engineering. . . insightful fun. STEM at its best.”—Booklist, Starred Review

 

 

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks so much for joining us today!

 

ST: Tell us a little bit about Save the Crash-test Dummies and the impetus behind writing it?

JS: For an earlier book I was doing, I had to research the self-driving car. At the time, Google was the only one making them. I LOVED the idea of a self-driving car! I mean, I am not a fan of driving. For more than 5 years I spent every afternoon from 3pm to 7pm in the car. That’s the price of  having 3 kids in 3 different sports across town all at the same time. Have a robot drive you? YES! Sign me up! (After all, I had alerady survived 3 teenage drivers).

But I knew I wanted this book to be a trade book, so I had to find the right hook. One night I was walking with my husband and we were talking about an old Crash-test dummy commercial that they had brought back (from the 70’s). I said something like, “Hey, if we have self-driving cars, we won’t need the dummies.” He said, “Yes, that would certainly, save the crash-test dummies life.” OMG! That was it! The hook, the title—everything all in one neat package. Suddenly,  the whole book popped into my head. I sat down to write my book about the history of car safety engineering from the Model T to self-driving cars.  The rest, as they say, is, well history.

 

 

ST: It looks fascinating! Everyone should go buy the book, but can you give us one thing that really surprised you while researching?

JS: It might surprise people to know that engineers were always concerned about safety, but the first group to create seatbelts was an emergency room doctor who saw first-hand the dangers of not having them in your car. He made them for his family.

 

ST: Have you ever been to see an actual crash test in person?

JS: Unfortunately, no. I would love to do so, though! I think it would be cool to see all of the equipment that is hooked up to the dummy. These things may be called “dummies” but they are really smart pieces of equipment, holding thousands of sensors to track every tiny movement and impact. We owe our lives to these “dummies” .

 

ST: Yes, we do. You’ve been very prolific in getting books out. How long does it take you to go from concept to finished product?

JS: Well that all depends on the publisher. I have TONS of ideas. But since I write for middle grade readers, I don’t write the entire manuscript, instead I submit a proposal. Sometimes the proposals are accepted right away. Then I start writing. If that happens, it can be about 3-4 months from idea to first draft. But if it takes longer to sell, it can take a while. In the meantime, though, I’m off and running on my next project and proposal. At any one time I may be working on 4-6 different projects (at various stages of publication) at once. It’s fun, if a bit challenging. But I love my job!

 

ST: What was the first book you wrote?

JS: The first book I ever wrote was in kindergarten. I used to write “books” about my dog, Lucky. I even illustrated them (with stick figures). My first nonfiction book that I wrote was called “Uninvited Guests: Invisible Creatures Lurking Inside Your Home” by Capstone Press. Very cool, but creepy if you don’t like crawly things.

 

ST: Can you tell us about any other books you have out recently and what we might expect to see from you in the future?

JS:  Yes, thanks for asking! My two recent books are:

Atlas Obscura Explorers Guide to Inventing the World

 

The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide to Inventing the World 

by Dylan Thuras (Author), Jennifer Swanson (Author), Ruby Fresson (Illustrator)

The team behind the bestselling Atlas Obscura presents a kids’ illustrated STEM-oriented exploration of the world’s most interesting technologies, inventions, and scientific discoveries.

 

3 weeks in the rainforest book 3 Weeks in the Rainforest: A Rapid Inventory in the Amazon
by Jennifer Swanson

A women-led team of scientists protect the Amazon rainforest from destruction as readers get a firsthand account of real-life fieldwork in action.  A compelling, nonfiction, photo-illustrated STEM read for 8-12-year-olds who aspire to be future scientists, environmentalists, and conservationists!

 

As for what’s in the future, I have a middle-grade graphic novel about science coming out in 2027. And a book titled, How to Talk to an Alien (Should You Ever Meet One), also in 2027.

 

Thanks so much for having me!

Back to Top

Blasts From the Past: Diverse Historical Fiction

By on November 19, 2025   /   Book Lists, Fiction  

As a kid, I loved reading historical fiction. In my day, most of these stories centered on Europe and a war. I felt transported to other times and places, and was introduced to characters my age confronting challenges of survival. I enjoyed connecting with kids from the past who, with their friends and families, bravely faced difficulties.

Now, we have more novels told by historically underrepresented voices that offer perspectives on a wide variety of events. Rudine Sims Bishop described how books can be mirrors to a readers life, or can build empathy through windows where readers can view lives of others, or may provide sliding doors where readers can step into another world and immerse themselves in a new reality.

Here, I offer six wonderfully written, diverse titles that serve as a portal to another time.

A Sea of Lemon Trees

A Sea Of Lemon Trees by Maria Dolores Aguila, Macmillan, 2025, 273 pp.

This novel in verse is inspired by the true story of Robert Alvarez and the Lemon Grove Incident where one child’s courage to stand up for what is right and the determination of the Mexican community will transport readers to the challenges confronted by Robert in 1931 San Diego. Young Roberto was chosen to speak up about the horribly unfair conditions in the separate school for Mexican immigrants. This is the uplifting story of how his activism brought great changes to the “Americanization” efforts.

 

 

 

 

Zarina Divided

Zarina Divided by Reem Faruqi, Harper Collins, 225, 326 pp.

Zarina’s idyllic life in 1947 Poona, India is abruptly ended when her Muslim family moves to Pakistan during the Great Partition. Lyrical verse paints a realistic picture of Zarina’s hardships, including acts of violence and racism, as she journeys by train and boat to a new home. Just as Zarina begins to settle into her new life, she makes a big mistake. Her family agrees to let her go to boarding school, where a whole new set of challenges confront her. This novel brings a fresh perspective to the religious divide of a country.

 

 

 

Nine Moons

The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli by Karina Yan Glasser, Harper Collins, 2025, 420 pp.

 

Han Yu and Luli Lee live 1200 years apart, yet they both share a goal: they go to great risks to save their families. In 731 a plague threatens Chang An, China, and Han Yu must trek across the Silk Road to fulfill a promise and find a cure. In 1931, New York’s Chinatown, Luli starts up her own bun business to bring her family’s restaurant back from the brink of foreclosure. Big themes and small details – like buns and birds – connect these two stories. The ties that bind Han Yu and Luli across centuries are an unforgettable surprise.

 

Seabird

Seabird by Michelle Kadarusman, Pajama Press, 2025, 199 pp.

Twelve-year-old Katina brings nineteenth century Indonesia (also known as the Dutch East Indies) to life through her letters to her best friend and her passion for learning. Inspired by the real-life Javanese noble turned activist, Raden Adjeng Kartini, this novel depicts how girls were given little freedom. Noble-born Kartini was confined to her house at twelve until she was to be married. Educated, Kartini turned to her best friend, Letsy, who had returned to Holland for help. Through her skills as a writer, Kartini speaks out, and like a seabird, gets free of her cage, and becomes a celebrated advocate for education.

 

 

How to Say Goodbye in Cuban

How To Say Goodbye in Cuban by Daniel Miyares, Random House, 2025, 223 pp.

Readers get a visual and personal view of Castro’s Revolution in Cuba in this emotionally gripping graphic novel. Based on the experiences of the author’s father, readers see the uncertainty and fears Carlos faced as a child while his family was being threatened for owning land. Major events in Castro’s path to power are explained in a straightforward manner. Miyares does an excellent job describing the differing opinions of Castro that the Cubans held.

 

 

 

Will's Race For Home

Will’s Race For Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Little Brown, 2025, 196pp.

This is a Western like no other. It’s 1889, and Will has persuaded his father to allow him to accompany him on the treacherous trek from Texas to Oklahoma. It’s been several decades since the Emancipation Proclamation, yet his father still does not have the right to own land – unless he takes advantage of the Oklahoma Land Rush. The journey is difficult not only because of the difficult terrain, but also because of the racism, poverty, and violence Will and his father experience along the way. Belle the mule, and frequent illustrations add charm to the story.

 

 

 

Back to Top