The Children’s Book Review | May 1, 2014
Hot New Releases & Popular Kids Stories
This month we’re all about featuring the best new releases from popular kids book series. Many readers will be excited to get their hands on the latest books featuring their favorite characters, while others will be happily introduced for the first time. For graphic novel fans there’s a new Zita the Spacegirl book from Ben Hatke, and, for younger readers, Mo Willems has the bestselling duo Elephant & Piggie meeting a new friend. Fans of Dork Diaries, Magic Tree House and Spirit Animals will be super excited to see new books, too. Who’s excited for some summer reading?
Publisher’s synopsis: Everyone’s been rooting for Nikki Maxwell and her crush, Brandon—and fans will finally learn if they had their first kiss in this seventh book of the New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series!
Nikki’s juggling a lot this month. A reality TV crew is following Nikki and her friends as they record their hit song together, plus there are voice lessons, dance practice, and little sister Brianna’s latest wacky hijinks. Nikki’s sure she can handle everything, but will all the excitement cause new problems for Nikki and Brandon, now that cameras are everywhere Nikki goes?
The Dork Diaries series has more than 13 million copies in print worldwide!
Ages 9-13 | Publisher: Aladdin | June 3, 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1442487673
Publisher’s synopsis: Just in time for the 2014 Fifa World Cup, Magic Tree House #52: Soccer on Sunday will take Jack and Annie to a soccer field in Mexico where they must find the final secret of greatness for Merlin. On the field, they’ll meet a young soccer player who dreams of one day playing in the World Cup just like his hero, the great Brazilian soccer player, Pelé!
The Magic Tree House books, with their fiction and nonfiction titles, are perfect for parents and teachers just starting to get into the “Core Curriculum.” With a blend of magic, adventure, history, science, danger, and cuteness, the topics range from kid pleasers (pirates, the Titanic, pandas) to curriculum perfect (rain forest, American Revolution, Abraham Lincoln) to seasonal shoe-ins (Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving). There is truly something for everyone here!
Ages 7-10 | Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers | May 27, 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-0307980533
By Mo Willems
Publisher’s synopsis: Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In My New Friend Is So Fun!, Piggie has found a new friend! But is Gerald ready to share?
Ages 6-8 | Publisher: Disney-Hyperion | June 3, 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1423179580
By Shannon Hale
Publisher’s synopsis: The adventure continues in this fourth book in the New York Times bestselling series.
Strange things are happening at the frozen edge of the world. Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan have crisscrossed Erdas in their quest to stop the ruthless Conquerors. Only the four of them, supported by the gifts of their legendary spirit animals, have the power to defeat an evil takeover.
While chasing down a lead in the cold North, the heroes arrive at a quiet village where not everything is as it seems. Rooting the truth out of this deceptively beautiful place won’t be easy-and the team is already out of time.
The Conquerors are right behind them.
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Scholastic | June 24, 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-0545522465
By Ben Hatke
Publisher’s synopsis: F
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: First Second | May 13, 2014 | ISBN-13: 978-1626720589
We hope you find something that piques your interest from our list of best new kids books and popular kids stories! Which series is the most exciting to you? Dork Diaries, Magic Tree House, Elephant & Piggie, Spirit Animals, or Zita the Spacegirl? For more popular kids series, visit: Best Selling Kids Series | May 2014.