A Walk in the Forest

Maria Dek explores the wonders of the forest with lush, verdant watercolors in every shade of green.  She paints varying perspectives of the woods, zooming in to the smallest of details and pulling back to sweeping panoramic views.  The book exudes such a sense of serenity and quiet reverence for nature that you’ll want to take a slow, deep breath after reading it.  And then go for an amble through the woods.

A Walk in the Forest was written and illustrated by Maria Dek and published by Princeton Architectural Press.

The Terrible Two Go Wild

It’s shaping up to be a terrible weekend.  Insanely hilarious and smartly written, this prankster duo is back.  In the history of funny books, this one is pretty up there.  And I loved the prologue.  Can’t wait to deliver the third installment of The Terrible Two to Avery, who’s been asking for a while now when it will be published.

The Terrible Two Go Wild was written by Mac Barnett and Jory John, illustrated by Kevin Cornell and published by Amulet Books.

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History

Forty brave women, forty bold women, forty women who thought outside of the box, forty women who changed the world.  “In a society where being black and female meant being an outsider or sometimes invisible, these women dared to go after what they wanted, to demand what they deserved.  Some of them were reluctant leaders, while others were not even conscious of their bravery, but their legacies live on to pave the way for more of us to follow.  Many of them didn’t set out to be pioneers, but all of them were, and we can look to each one of them for inspiration.”

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History was written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison and published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers.

ABC Pop-Up

This is not your run-of-the-mill abecedarian primer.  It’s hard to resist a pop-up book, especially such a clever one.  Little ones will be taken with how letters of the alphabet are presented through intricately-designed and well-executed concepts.  A work of art that teaches as much as it inspires awe.

ABC Pop-Up was created by Courtney Watson McCarthy and published by Candlewick Studio.

Stella Díaz Has Something to Say

This week we’re reading Stella Díaz Has Something to Say, an early middle grade novel written and illustrated by Angela Dominguez.   It’s based on her childhood growing up Mexican American, and her note at the end explains similarities and differences between her and Stella.

Stella loves drawing, going to the library, and spending time with her best friend Jenny, who’s Vietnamese American.  She’s shy to speak out loud in class because she’s still learning to how to say certain sounds (which she’s working on with her speech teacher) and is sometimes misunderstood, which is frustrating.  Her goal is to make friends with the new kid in class, but the problem is she gets pretty nervous whenever Stanley’s around.  She’s also pretty worried about the big presentation she has to give in front of her class.  Stella’s story is about becoming comfortable with her differences, finding courage and her voice, and watch out when she does. ;) We also really love her supportive and loving mother and older brother and the roles they play in her life.

Published by Roaring Brook Press, Stella Díaz Has Something to Say will be out next Tuesday, January 16!