The Children’s Book Review | November 2, 2015
Hot New Releases & Popular Kids Stories
It’s important to keep up on the hot new releases and popular kids’ books as we enter the gift giving season! Our list of the best new kids stories highlights some very gift-worthy books. Take a gander and let us know which titles and covers catch your eye …
Written and Illustrated by J
Publisher’s Synopsis: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack E. Levin comes a beautifully illustrated book of beloved proverbs for young readers, with a preface by his son, #1 New York Times bestselling author Mark R. Levin.
In Proverbs for Young People, Jack E. Levin brings his distinctive artistic style to twenty-nine life lessons that have been passed down from generation to generation. Filled with wit and wisdom, these life lessons have stood the test of time. From “A Stitch in Time Saves Nine” and “Early to Bed and Early to Rise” to “Practice Makes Perfect” and “Look Before You Leap,” these well-known proverbs are universal, evergreen truths that every parent and grandparent will want to share with their children.
Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Aladdin | Nov. 10, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1481459457
Written and Illustrated by Loren Long
Publisher’s Synopsis: A timeless story to share among the generations from the #1 New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of the Otis series and The Little Engine That Could.
In the middle of a little forest, there lives a Little Tree who loves his life and the splendid leaves that keep him cool in the heat of long summer days. Life is perfect just the way it is.
Autumn arrives, and with it the cool winds that ruffle Little Tree’s leaves. One by one the other trees drop their leaves, facing the cold of winter head on. But not Little Tree—he hugs his leaves as tightly as he can. Year after year Little Tree remains unchanged, despite words of encouragement from a squirrel, a fawn, and a fox, his leaves having long since turned brown and withered. As Little Tree sits in the shadow of the other trees, now grown sturdy and tall as though to touch the sun, he remembers when they were all the same size. And he knows he has an important decision to make.
From #1 New York Times bestselling Loren Long comes a gorgeously-illustrated story that challenges each of us to have the courage to let go and to reach for the sun.
Ages 5-8 | Publisher: Philomel Books | Oct. 27, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0399163975
Written by Cressida Cowell
Publisher’s Synopsis: Book 12 is the epic finale to the New York Times bestselling How to Train Your Dragon series! The Doomsday of Yule has arrived, and the future of dragonkind lies in the hands of one boy with nothing to show, but everything to fight for. Hiccup’s quest is clear… But can he end the rebellion? Can he prove himself to be king? Can he save the dragons? The stakes have never been higher, as the very fate of the Viking world hangs in the balance!
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers | Nov. 3 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0316365154
Written by Jeff Kinney
Publisher’s Synopsis: Life was better in the old days. Or was it?
That’s the question Greg Heffley is asking as his town voluntarily unplugs and goes electronics-free. But modern life has its conveniences, and Greg isn’t cut out for an old-fashioned world.
With tension building inside and outside the Heffley home, will Greg find a way to survive? Or is going “old school” just too hard for a kid like Greg?
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Amulet Books | Nov. 3, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1419717017
From Scholastic
Publisher’s Synopsis: Unleash your creativity and escape to one of the most beloved series of all time.
From the heraldry of the four Hogwarts houses to the extravagant wares of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, the world of Harry Potter overflows with radiant color. Filled with intricate illustrations and elaborate designs used in the making of the Harry Potter films, this book invites you to imbue the wizarding world with color in your own explorations of Hogwarts Castle, the Forbidden Forest, and much more. You will also find pages of magical creatures and iconic scenes from the films, from the Sorting Ceremony in Harry’s first year, to the unforgettable final battle between Harry and Lord Voldemort, as well as some of the marvelous props used in the movies, such as The Quibbler, Quidditch World Cup posters, and the Triwizard Cup. Also includes sixteen pages of full-color art from the movies to inspire you as you draw.
Ages 8+ | Publisher: Scholastic | Nov. 10, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1338029994
By Jodi Lynn Anderson
Publisher’s Synopsis: Told in diary form by an irresistible heroine, this playful and perceptive novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the May Bird trilogy sparkles with science, myth, magic, and the strange beauty of the everyday marvels we sometimes forget to notice.
Spirited, restless Gracie Lockwood has lived in Cliffden, Maine, her whole life. She’s a typical girl in an atypical world: one where sasquatches helped to win the Civil War, where dragons glide over Route 1 on their way south for the winter (sometimes burning down a T.J. Maxx or an Applebee’s along the way), where giants hide in caves near LA and mermaids hunt along the beaches, and where Dark Clouds come for people when they die.
To Gracie it’s all pretty ho-hum…until a Cloud comes looking for her little brother Sam, turning her small-town life upside down. Determined to protect Sam against all odds, her parents pack the family into a used Winnebago and set out on an epic search for a safe place that most people say doesn’t exist: The Extraordinary World. It’s rumored to lie at the ends of the earth, and no one has ever made it there and lived to tell the tale. To reach it, the Lockwoods will have to learn to believe in each other—and to trust that the world holds more possibilities than they’ve ever imagined.
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Aladdin | Nov. 3, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1442483873
Written by Coralie Bickford-Smith
Publisher’s Synopsis: From the award-winning designer of the iconic Penguin Hardcover Classics comes a beautifully illustrated fable about loss, friendship, and courage.
The Fox and the Star is the story of a friendship between a lonely Fox and the Star who guides him through the frightfully dark forest. Illuminated by Star’s rays, Fox forages for food, runs with the rabbits, and dances in the rain—until Star suddenly goes out and life changes, leaving Fox huddling for warmth in the unfamiliar dark. To find his missing Star, Fox must embark on a wondrous journey beyond the world he knows—a journey lit by courage, newfound friends, and just maybe, a star-filled new sky.
Inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement and the art of William Blake, The Fox and the Star is a heartwarming, hopeful tale which comes alive through Bickford-Smith’s beloved illustrations, guiding readers both young and grown to “look up beyond your ears.”
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Penguin Books | Nov. 10, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0143108672
Written by Various Authors
Publisher’s Synopsis: Puffin in Bloom: A collection of classics with stunning cover art by renowned stationery brand Rifle Paper Co.’s principal artist, Anna Bond, now available as an exquisite gift set! Featuring all four Puffin in Bloom classics with illustrated covers by Anna Bond in a charming keepsake box designed in her signature style.
Box includes: Anne of Green Gables, Heidi, Little Women, and A Little Princess
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Puffin Books | Nov. 3, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0147518743
Written by Vesa Lehtimaki
Publisher’s Synopsis: LEGO® Star Wars® sets and minifigures come to life in this beautiful photography book.
Created by Finnish photographer Vesa Lehtimäki using his son’s favorite toys, the book features painstaking recreations of classic movie moments and hilarious new takes on fan-favorite characters and themes. Informative captions give technical details for each scene, while anecdotes from Lehtimäki offer background insights to his creative process.
LEGO Star Wars Small Scenes from a Big Galaxy is a breathtaking new look at a timeless icon that allows fans to see their favorite minifigures from the classic saga in an exciting new way.
Ages 9-12 | Publisher: DK Children | Nov. 10, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1465440099
Written by Sarah Beth Durst
Publisher’s Synopsis: Sophie loves the hidden shop below her parents’ bookstore, where dreams are secretly bought and sold. When the dream shop is robbed and her parents go missing, Sophie must unravel the truth to save them. Together with her best friend—a wisecracking and fanatically loyal monster named Monster—she must decide whom to trust with her family’s carefully guarded secrets. Who will help them, and who will betray them?
Ages 10-12 | Publisher: Clarion Books | Nov. 3, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0544464971
Written by James Dashner
Publisher’s Synopsis: From James Dashner, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series, comes The Game of Lives, the final book in the Mortality Doctrine series, an edge-of-your-seat cyber-adventure trilogy that includes The Eye of Minds and The Rule of Thoughts.
Michael used to live to game, but the games he was playing have become all too real. Only weeks ago, sinking into the Sleep was fun. The VirtNet combined the most cutting-edge technology and the most sophisticated gaming for a full mind-body experience. And it was Michael’s passion. But now every time Michael sinks, he risks his life.
The games are over. The VirtNet has become a world of deadly consequences, and Kaine grows stronger by the day. The Mortality Doctrine—Kaine’s master plan—has nearly been realized, and little by little the line separating the virtual from the real is blurring. If Kaine succeeds, it will mean worldwide cyber domination. And it looks like Michael and his friends are the only ones who can put the monster back in the box—if Michael can figure out who his friends really are.
Ages 12+ | Publisher: Delacorte Press | Nov. 17, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0385741439
Written by Marissa Meyer
Publisher’s Synopsis: Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.
Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.
Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? Fans will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to Marissa Meyer’s national bestselling Lunar Chronicles series.
Ages 12-18 | Publisher: Feiwel & Friends | Nov. 10, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0312642983
Written by Jenn Bennett
Publisher’s Synopsis: Artist Beatrix Adams knows exactly how she’s spending the summer before her senior year. Determined to follow in Da Vinci’s footsteps, she’s ready to tackle the one thing that will give her an advantage in a museum-sponsored* scholarship contest: drawing actual cadavers. But when she tries to sneak her way into the hospital’s Willed Body program and misses the last metro train home, she meets a boy who turns her summer plans upside down.
Jack is charming, wildly attractive . . . and possibly one of San Francisco’s most notorious graffiti artists. On midnight buses and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who Jack really is-and tries to uncover what he’s hiding that leaves him so wounded. But will these secrets come back to haunt him? Or will the skeletons in Beatrix’s own family’s closet tear them apart?
Ages 12-18 | Publisher: Feiwel & Friends | Nov. 3, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1250066459
Written by Charlotte Huang
Publisher’s Synopsis: “Welcome to your new obsession,” says Becky Albertalli, author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, about this raw, honest YA debut celebrating music, friendship, romance, and life on the road.
Chelsea thought she knew what being a rock star was like . . . until she became one. After losing a TV talent show, she slid back into small-town anonymity. But one phone call changed everything
Now she’s the lead singer of the band Melbourne, performing in sold-out clubs every night and living on a bus with three gorgeous and talented guys. The bummer is that the band barely tolerates her. And when teen hearthrob Lucas Rivers take an interest in her, Chelsea is suddenly famous, bringing Melbourne to the next level—not that they’re happy about that. Her feelings for Beckett, Melbourne’s bassist, are making life even more complicated.
Chelsea only has the summer tour to make the band—and their fans—love her. If she doesn’t, she’ll be back in Michigan for senior year, dying a slow death. The paparazzi, the haters, the grueling schedule . . . Chelsea believed she could handle it. But what if she can’t?
Ages 12+ | Publisher: Delacorte Press | Nov. 10, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0553511826
Written by Lauren Kate
Publisher’s Synopsis: It’s the book FALLEN fans have been waiting for: Cam’s story, the brooding, bad-boy dark angel readers love.
High school can be hell.
Cam knows what it’s like to be haunted. He’s spent more time in Hell than any angel ever should. And his freshest Hell is high school, where Lilith, the girl he can’t stop loving, is serving out a punishment for his crimes.
Cam made a bet with Lucifer: he has fifteen days to convince the only girl who really matters to him to love him again. If he succeeds, Lilith will be allowed back into the world, and they can live their lives together. But if he fails . . . there’s a special place in Hell just for him.
Tick-tock.
Spread your wings and cry as bad boy dark angel Cam finally reveals his anguished heart in the epic new FALLEN novel, UNFORGIVEN.
Ages 12+ | Publisher: Delacorte Press | Nov. 10, 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-0385742634
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