OH OCTOBER!

I read a lot of wonderful books this month! How about you? It is the eve of the "Best Books of 2024" lists season and also ALA awards predictions. I think Hello Day: A Child's-Eye View of the World written and illustrated by Charlie Mylie, Two Together written and illustrated by Brendan Wenzel, and Sometimes We Fall by Randall de Sève; illustrated by Kate Gardiner might have Caldecott potential. As for the Newbery - The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys & Steve Sheinkin has gotten a fair amount of buzz and The Wrong Way Home by Kate O’Shaughnessy has also been mentioned. Not Nothing by Gayle Forman is a gut punch of a book that left me a bit teary. It is a hopeful book, though. Not Nothing and The Wrong Way Home are both realistic middle grade fiction. Though Not Nothing does have historical Holocaust fiction based on fact woven throughout. The Bletchley Riddle is excellent World War 2 historical fiction set, for the most part, at Bletchley Park. I'm Sorry You Got Mad by Kyle Lukoff is also a great book about dealing with anger. 

                      

    

    

   

 

 

 IT'S FALL, Y'ALL!

Hooray for October! Have you had anything pumpkin flavored yet? I actually prefer apple - and we brought home some yummy apple butter from our trip. My favorite picture book this month is The Boy and The Elephant by Freya Blackwood. It is a wordless delight! Next would be Touch the Sky written by Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic and illustrated by Chris Park. This one is getting some Caldecott buzz. Well deserved! It's a lovely story about perseverance, kindness, and the joy of learning how to pump a swing. My Daddy is a Cowboy written by Stephanie Seales and illustrated by C. G. Esperanza is also a book about joy - special daddy/daughter joy. It's also being mentioned as a Calde-possible. While You're Asleep by Emmy Kastner is a lot of fun and Just One Flake by Travis Jonker will help you start thinking about winter. Happy reading!

           

   

  

 DOG DAYS OF AUGUST

August is not quite over but I'm heading out of town so this is dropping a little early!  The top three books listed are all fun Halloween books. 

Keep Up, Duck! by Ivan and Rachel Bates was probably my favorite new picture book. Life After Whale examines what happens when a whale dies and floats to the bottom of the ocean. It's pretty amazing! If you get a chance, check out the graphic novel version of A. A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh. I promise it will brighten your day!