Posts Tagged books

New books for the holidays!

By on December 2, 2024   /   Articles, New Releases  
Exciting new books coming out this month for the middle-grade readers on your holiday gift list.
The titles below include new additions to several New York Times Bestselling series, and two war-time historical fiction titles. Although intended for younger readers, A Sea of Gold, the latest by the amazing author/illustrator Patricia Polacco, would make a great companion to either of the historical fiction works.
Time for Kids has two new nonfiction titles coming out at the end of the month. One offers the “scoop” for young cub reporters, the other a thoroughly researched listing of amazing athletes.
Links are included to bookshop.org, which supports local booksellers. Want to learn more about the authors? Simply click on their names.
Happy shopping and reading!
Keeper of the Lost Cities Unraveled, Author: Shannon Messenger, Aladdin, December 2

The past and present unravel into staggering truths in this can’t-miss installment of the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Keeper of the Lost Cities series told entirely from Keefe’s point of view.
Please be careful. Please be happy. And PLEASE forget all about me. It’ll be better for everyone that way.
Those were the last words Keefe Sencen wrote to Sophie Foster before he ran away to the Forbidden Cities. He didn’t want to leave, but it was the only way to keep his friends safe while he figured out how to control his scary new powers and searched for answers about his past.
What he found was so much more than adventures in Humanland.
Where did he go? What did he do? And who did he meet while the rest of his friends worked to solve the mystery of Stellarlune? The answers go far beyond anything anyone could have ever imagined and give Keefe the power to change his destiny.

 

 The End of the Story, Author; Melissa De La Cruz, Roaring Brook Press, December 3

Return to the land of Never After for the last time in the riveting conclusion to New York Times-bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz’s hit middle-grade series perfect for fans of The Land of Stories books. The Never After crew is back for a final epic adventure . . . With Queen Olga drawing ever nearer, Filomena and her friends race to find the last surviving fairy, Sabine, and protect her at all costs. For if Sabine dies, so does all of Never After. Without a moment to lose, Filomena, Jack, Alistair, Gretel, and the rest of the gang–along with some new pals like Captain Hook–set off for Pan’s Neverland to find Sabine. But even in Neverland, there’s mischief afoot. Pan is no ordinary boy, and the group discovers Sabine goes by another name in this mysterious realm: Tinker Bell! But trickster gods and undercover fairies are just the beginning for Filomena and her adventurous friends. As Olga’s evil forces close in, will Filomena find a way to protect the magic of Never After once and for all, and ensure a happily-ever-after for the End of the Story?

 

Swimming with Spies, Author: Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger, Scholastic Press, December 3

As war escalates between the Russians and Ukrainians in the port city of Sevastopol, can one girl and a pod of dolphins prove that communication is the greatest weapon of all?

It’s February of 2014 in the seaport city of Sevastopol in Crimea. Sofiya Oleksandrivna only wants two things: to figure out a way to get Ilya Ilyich to stop bullying her, and to convince her mother to come back home. But as battleships come to populate the waters around their city and Russian forces, including Ilya’s father, start to make their presence known, an even greater threat takes over Sofiya’s life.

The only escape Sofiya has is the dolphinarium where her father is a trainer at the forefront of teaching sign language to a pod of dolphins. And now the Russian military has ordered the dolphinarium to hand over its animals for military use. As armed Russian troops invade Crimea and conflict and tension continue to rise, Sofiya will do everything she can to keep her pod safe. And what she knows better than any of the soldiers occupying her city, is that the most powerful force is communication.

Based on the true events of the 2014 annexation of Crimea, Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger depicts a familiar world where divisions are sown by hate, but where love can make a world of difference.

Wolves at the Door, Author: Steve Watkins, Scholastic Press, December 3

War. Wilderness. And the will to live.Asta and her younger sister, Pieta, have watched in terror as Hitler’s invasion spreads across Europe. Eventually, the war arrives in their city, bringing with it destruction and death. As the Nazis clash with Stalin’s Red Army and relentless bombing rains from above, the girls flee to their grandparents’ farm. But no place is safe. Surrounded by enemies, Asta and Pieta are presented with one chance at escape: a transport ship leaving from the Baltic Sea.

Getting from the farm to the coast is an impossible trip through a brutal war in the dead of winter. With food scarce, warm clothing lacking, and few resources, the sisters have little chance of making it. And Asta and Pieta are not alone in their plans–everyone is headed to the harbor with the same desperate hope. Securing a place on the ship will require nothing short of a miracle. Their dangerous journey is only just beginning, though, and the sisters can’t begin to imagine what they’ll have to sacrifice to survive . . .

 

A Sea of Gold, Author/Illustrator Patricia Polacco, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, December 3

“An empathetic, heartbreaking look at how warfare can tear families apart–and how traditions still endure.” –Kirkus Reviews

Beloved and bestselling storyteller Patricia Polacco draws on her Ukrainian heritage in this picture book following one family’s history through the generations and the powerful bond of their love.
In the village of Cherinovska, Ukraine, a family raises sunlasknuk (sunflowers) through the generations. When war erupts, they’re forced to leave their beloved home for a faraway world: America. Arriving with nothing but the clothes on their back–and the seeds in one little girl’s pockets–can they make a living…and a new home?

 

 

Time for Kids* Kid Reporter Field Reporter: A How-To Book for Junior Journalists,

Author: Hannah Rose Holzer, Penguin Young Readers, December 29

Learn how to be a junior journalist with this TIME For Kids Field Guide!

This field guide teaches you how to write many types of articles across several different sections including News, Opinion, Reviews, Arts and Culture, Sports, and more! Learn how to be a journalist in this book that explains how to interview sources, cover sports events, critique restaurants, write features on impactful people, and create great articles. This guide also features biographies on several famous journalists throughout history, including Ida B. Wells and Nellie Bly.

Providing reliable sources for parents and educators for over 25 years, the TIME for Kids field guide is an excellent gift for young readers who want to learn more about the world and how to write about it.

 

 

Time for Kids* Amazing Athletes:101 Stars You Need to Know! Author: James Buckley, 

Penguin Young Readers, December 29

Learn about 101 of today’s greatest athletes in this TIME for Kids book!

The fact-filled TIME FOR KIDS: AMAZING ATHLETES includes biographies on 101 of today’s most impressive sports stars. Kids will be inspired by the careers of LeBron James, Simone Biles, Travis Kelce, Caitlin Clark, Coco Gauff, Nathan Chen, and more! Perfect for young sports fans, this book is a great introduction to the best of the best athletes across eighteen different sports.

Providing reliable news sources to parents and educators for over 25 years, this TIME for Kids book is perfect for sports fanatics and introducing different types of sports.

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STEM Tuesday — Human Body– Book List

By on November 5, 2024   /   Human Body, STEM Tuesday  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone has one, but not everyone understands it: their body, that is!  Listed below are some engaging books that will get readers excited. Filled with hands-on activities, great visuals and fun facts, learning about the body will be a treat!

 

 

 

Human Body Learning Lab: Take an Inside Tour of How Your Anatomy Works

by Dr. Betty Choi 

Learn about the human body with awesome hands-on projects and activities. Shaping bones from salt dough? Creating a moving model of the eye? Setting up a model of the urinary system to see how pee is produced? Yes, please! With loads of colorful diagrams, fantastic fun facts, and easy exercises that kids can use to learn about their own bodies, this engaging book is the perfect addition to any kids library. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fantastic Body: What Makes You Tick and How You Get Sick

by Dr Howard Bennett

This fun anatomy book with fun facts, gross stories and DIY projects that demonstrate body functions, also has tips to make regular checkups less scary

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knowledge Encyclopedia Human Body! (DK Knowledge Encyclopedias)

An encyclopedia like no other. This book explores the human body, and each bodily system, in ways you’ve never considered.  Along with CGI imagery and gorgeous graphics, this encyclopedia reveals the inner workings of our bodies in fantastic detail. Packed with cool facts, interesting illustrations and loads of diagrams – it’ll keep anyone curious happy for hours. 

 

 

A Really Short Journey Through the Body

written by Bill Bryson, adapted by Emma Young, Illustrated by Daniel Long, Dawn Cooper, Jesus Sotes and Katie Ponder

Full of facts, history and humor, this illustrated book, adapted from Bill Bryson’s bestselling book The Body, will tell you everything about our body, from the brain to the heart and everything in between.

 

 

 

 

 

The Ultimate Kids’ Guide to Being Super Healthy: What You Need To Know About Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Hygiene, Stress, Screen Time, and More 

by Dr. Nina L. Shapiro

Embark on a fact-filled journey through the human body. What happens when it gets fed? Exercised? Cleaned? Rested? Read it and find out. This in-depth book gives answers to those pressing questions between kids and parents about how to take care of yourself and why it is important.

The Brainiac’s Book of the Body and Brain

Written by Rosie Cooper, Illustrated by Harriet Russell

Let’s take a look at the human body from head to toe, as well as everything in between! This fun book is full of funky facts and awesome hands-on activities. Learn about optical illusions, keep a poop diary, and find out how and why we dream!  Readers will discover more than they expected about the body and its brain in a zany, humor-filled way. 

 

Spacecare: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space

by Jennifer Swanson

What can you eat in space? What happens if you get a stomach bug? How does microgravity affect the human body? This fascinating book takes a look at the day-to-day experiences of astronauts living aboard the ISS. With questions from kids and answers from actual astronauts, it will answer your questions on how being in space affects the human body.

 

 

 

 

It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, Gender and Sexual Health

by Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley

A book for young people who want answers to questions about their bodies, about growing up, and about new, unfamiliar feelings in their tween years.

 

 

 

 

Puberty is Gross but Also Really Awesome

Written by Gina Loveless, Illustrated by Lauri Johnston

Puberty can be smelly, hairy, sticky, confusing … but awesome! With a lot of jokes and facts, this book gives you the scoop about puberty – with the help of illustrations, scientific studies, research and tips from experts.

 

 

 

 

 

The Museum of Odd Body Leftovers: A Tour of Your Useless Parts, Flaws, and other Weird Bits

written by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Clayton Hanmer

A funny, wacky book, led by tour guides Wisdom Tooth and Disappearing Kidney, about our vestigial organs: our body parts that were essential to our ancestors but are no longer useful to us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shruthi Rao is an author. Her home on the web is https://shruthi-rao.com

 

 

 

Susan Summers is a wildlife enthusiast and an author. Contact her at: https://susan-inez-summers.weebly.com/

 

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STEM Tuesday– Glow in the Dark — Book List

By on October 1, 2024   /   Bioluminescence, STEM Tuesday  

Ever wonder about fireflies or glowing ocean waves? Scientists are discovering just how many plants and animals use biofluorescence, bioluminescence, and ultra-violet light and how we might use these phenomena in the future.  

Mysterious Glowing Mammals: An Unexpected Discovery Sparks a  Scientific Investigation by Maria Parrott-Ryan

When a forest ecologist took an ultraviolet flashlight outside one night, he discovered something unexpected – a flying squirrel that glowed bright pink! The squirrel wasn’t making its own light using chemicals. Instead, it absorbed UV light and released it as the pink glow. This book dives into biofluorescence in animals and outlines future directions for scientific study.

Nature at Night by Lisa Regan

This visually stunning photo-illustrated book explores the ways plants and animals use biofluorescence, bioluminescence, and ultra-violet light for hunting, mating, or camouflage. In addition to aquatic animals, it also examines some unusual land-based ones, such as fungi, click beetles, chameleons, polka dot tree frogs, swallowtail butterflies, scorpions, and puffins. Texturing on a number of pages provides a glow-in-the-dark feature and the pronunciation guides in the text and glossary help with the scientific terminology.

Curious Creatures Glowing in the Dark by Zoë Armstrong, illustrated by Anja Sušanj

A fascinating lower middle grade text, which combines an evaluation of biofluorescence and bioluminescence with a wide range of historic and recent research by scientists and some intriguing future possibilities. The engaging text, detailed illustrations, and “Just Like You“ sidebars relate the numerous animal’s use of light to human actions. 

Glow Down Deep: Amazing Creatures That Light Up by Lisa Regan

In this second glow-in-the-dark book, which focuses on biofluorescence and bioluminescence in the ocean, stunning close-up photographs stand out against dark backgrounds. Ranging from tiny krill to delicate sea pens and fanged dragonfish to the unusual chain catshark, this stunning book discusses many well-known and also lesser-known sea creatures and the myriad of reasons they use light, including unique methods of defense. Intriguing facts, pronunciation guides, “Did You Know” sidebars, and a glossary create a really engaging book on glowing sea life.

Living Light: Conserving Bioluminescent Plants and Animals (Orca Wild) by Stephen Aitken

This book explores light made and used by living organisms, from fireflies to fungi to creatures in the darkest deep ocean. It also shines a light on research using bioluminescence to learn more about cancer and other diseases in humans. It ends with environmental threats, and actions people can take to conserve habitats that glow-in-the-dark creatures depend on.

Glow: The Wild Wonders of Bioluminescence  by Jennifer N R Smith

An oversize overview of bioluminescent organisms. From fungal fairy lights to denizens of the deepest sea, this book shows how light is used to communicate, attract, protect, and warn. One section features the anatomy of bioluminescence, another highlights current research.

Lights on! Animals that glow (series) by Joyce Markovics

This series of six books highlights fireflies, octopuses and squid, deep sea fish, jellyfish, shrimp and krill, and plankton. Easy-to-understand explanation of how bioluminescence works, animal adaptations, and conservation issues.

DK Bioluminescent Animals by Ruth Musgrave

A great high-low reader about fascinating glowing creatures. This photo-illustrated book offers a quick note about glowing snails, fireflies, and railway worms, then dives into a look at bioluminescent animals in the sea. Exposing many using light to hide, form glowing goo, trick predators or prey, and stump scientists. Lots of detailed information and a glossary make this a great introduction to the science of  bioluminescence.

Cold Light: Creatures, Discoveries, and Inventions That Glow by Anita Sitarski

The conversational tone of this fascinating photo-illustrated book creates an easily accessible evaluation of the many scientists involved in the creation and study of the science of bioluminescence from 1602 to the invention of chemical luminescence and LEDs.   

This month’s STEM Tuesday book list was prepared by:

Sue Heavenrich, author

Sue Heavenrich, who writes about science for children and their families on topics ranging from space to backyard ecology. Bees, flies, squirrel behavior—things she observes in her neighborhood and around her home—inspire her writing. Visit her at www.sueheavenrich.com.

Maria Marshall, a children’s author, blogger, and poet who is passionate about making nature and reading fun for children. When not writing, critiquing, or reading, she watches birds, travels the world, bakes, and hikes. Visit her at www.mariacmarshall.com.

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