The Children’s Book Review | April 1, 2014
Hot New Releases & Popular Kids Stories
Check out some of the best new kids books that release this month. April will be exciting for many children’s book lovers with the release of another Mo Willems “Pigeon” book, The Pigeon Needs a Bath, and the latest from Lemony Snicket, File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents. There’s also new books for “Big Nate” and “The Never Girls” fans—and a beautiful new novel by debut author Ava Dellaira, Love Letters to the Dead.
By Mo Willems
The Pigeon really needs a bath! Except, the Pigeon’s not so sure about that. Besides, he took a bath last month! Maybe. It’s going to take some serious convincing to try and get the Pigeon to take the plunge.
Ages 3-5 | Publisher: Disney-Hyperion | April 1, 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1423190875
Two heads are better than one, except when they’re crashing into each other! But that won’t prevent Big Nate and his pals from hatching great ideas for fun.
Nate Wright is a wisecracking 11-year-old who knows he’s destined for greatness. Nate is the star of Big Nate, the daily and Sunday comic strip that made its debut in 1991. Nate’s a sixth-grade chess prodigy, a self-described genius, and the all-time record holder for detentions in school history. He’s often in hot water with his teachers and classmates, but Nate’s winning personality and can-do attitude always make him a big hit with readers.
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing | April 1, 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1449436353
Match wits with Lemony Snicket to solve thirteen mini-mysteries.
Paintings have been falling off of walls, a loud and loyal dog has gone missing, a specter has been seen walking the pier at midnight — strange things are happening all over the town of Stain’d-By-The-Sea. Called upon to investigate thirteen suspicious incidents, young Lemony Snicket collects clues, questions witnesses, and cracks every case. Join the investigation and tackle the mysteries alongside Snicket, then turn to the back of the book to see the solution revealed.
A delicious read that welcomes readers into Lemony Snicket’s world of deep mystery, mysterious depth, deductive reasoning, and reasonable deductions.
Ages 8 and up | Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers | April 1, 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-0316284035
By Kiki Thorpe
Lainey’s day is turned upside down when she’s captured by the Lost Boys while visiting Never Land! Tinker Bell and the Disney Fairies star in a magical early chapter book series for girls ages 6 to 9—The Never Girls!
Ages 6-9 | Publisher: RH/Disney | April 22, 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-0736430968
By Ava Dellaira
It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May did. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to people like Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more — though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about starting high school, navigating new friendships, falling in love for the first time, learning to live with her splintering family. And, finally, about the abuse she suffered while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May. And only when Laurel has begun to see her sister as the person she was — lovely and amazing and deeply flawed—can she begin to discover her own path.
Ages 12-17 | Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux | April 1, 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-0374346676
We hope you find something that piques your interest from our list of best new kids books and popular kids stories! Which book sounds the most exciting to you? Mo Willems’ The Pigeon Needs a Bath, Lemony Snicket’s File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents, the new books for “Big Nate” and “The Never Girls,” or debut author Ava Dellaira’s Love Letters to the Dead? For more popular kids stories and recent releases, visit: Best New Kids Stories | March 2014.