Previously in my capacity as Children's Department Manager for the
Odyssey Book Shop, I had the opportunity to look over publisher's
catalogues at the new books for each season. Thanks to
Edelweiss, I can now look at publisher's catalogues as a blogger! Here are my picks for Spring 2012:
Trains Go
by
Steve Light
9780811879422, $8.99,
Pub. Date: January 2012
For the very youngest reader, a new board book of sights and sounds guaranteed to capture their attention.
Publisher's description: All aboard! Take a trip on eight noisy trains as they huff, puff, and
toot-toot their way through this lively book filled with onomatopoetic
text and interactive illustrations.
Animal Spots and Stripes
by
Britta Teckentrup
9781452109947, $12.99,
Pub. Date: February 2012
Animal 123
by Britta Teckentrup
9781452109930, $12.99,
Pub. Date: February 2012
For the toddler in your house, 2 new colorful lift-the-flap books.
Publisher's descriptions: With a bold palette, striking graphics, and a bouncing menagerie of
animals, this pair of uniquely formatted lift-the-flap books introduces
young readers to the basic concepts of counting and patterns. Each is a
boisterous, vivid trek of discovery, providing irresistible clues which
encourage lifting the flap - a hands-on, educator-approved strategy of
uncovering and learning concepts. Whether it's finding out just who's
next in
Animal 123, or exploring differently patterned
creatures hiding in the habitats of
Animal Spots and Stripes,
these ultra-sturdy books provide not just an intriguing way to
communicate essential building blocks of learning, but also offer an
energetic playground of sheer delight.
Water Sings Blue (poetry)
by
Kate Coombs, illustrated by
Meilo So
9780811872843, $16.99,
Pub. Date: March 2012
While
the poems in this book are well-written, it's really the illustrations
that make this picture book worth the price. At turns a dreamy wash and a
bold statement, Meilo So's watercolor illustrations are the perfect
compliment to the lyrical text.
Publisher's description: Come down to the shore with this rich and vivid celebration of the
ocean! With watercolors gorgeous enough to wade in by award-winning
artist Meilo So and playful, moving poems by Kate Coombs, Water Sings
Blue evokes the beauty and power, the depth and mystery, and the endless
resonance of the sea.
Chloe, Instead
by
Micah Player
9780811878654, $15.99,
Pub. Date: April 2012
Bright illustrations with bold color and simple text, this is a to-the-point picture book about the trials and triumphs of a new sibling.
Publisher description: Molly always dreamed of having a sister who is just like her. But she
got Chloe, instead. These two sisters are nothing alike: Molly loves to
color with crayons. Chloe prefers the taste of wax. Molly loves to read.
Chloe prefers to nibble a book's spine. Molly is frustrated! But then
she realizes that maybe sisters aren't the ones next to you on the piano
bench, they're the ones dancing to the music you play! This humorous,
perceptive snapshot of sibling love is perfect for those who may need a
bit of convincing what fun little siblings can be!
Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns:
A Muslim Book of Colors
by
Hena Khan
9780811879057, $17.99,
Pub. Date: June 2012
More than a book to learn colors, this can also serve as an introduction for a child (or even an adult) to a world that might be unfamiliar to them. Even if I recognized the object, there were several words I did not know that named specific objects important in the Muslim religion and culture. This is a great cross-cultural way to learn both colors and cultural acceptance.
Publisher's description: Magnificently capturing the colorful world of Islam for the youngest
readers, this breathtaking and informative picture book celebrates Islam's beauty and traditions. From a red prayer rug to a blue hijab,
everyday colors are given special meaning as young readers learn about
clothing, food, and other important elements of Islamic culture, with a
young Muslim girl as a guide. Sure to inspire questions and observations
about world religions and cultures,
Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns is equally at home in a classroom reading circle as it is being read to a child on a parent's lap.
Tua and the Elephant
by Randal Harris, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo
9780811877817, $16.99,
Pub. Date: April 2012
Cheating a bit as this one is not a picture book, but instead is an illustrated chapter book for the 8-12 Middle Grade Reader set.
Publisher's description: Ten-year-old Tua - Thai for peanut - has everything she needs at home in
Chiang Mai, Thailand, except for one thing she's always wanted: a
sister. In the market one day, Tua makes an accidental acquaintance - one
with wise, loving eyes, remarkable strength, and a very curious trunk.
And when Tua meets Pohn-Pohn, it's clear this elephant needs her help.
Together, the unusual team sets off on a remarkable journey to escape
from Pohn-Pohn's vile captors. From the bustling night market to the
hallowed halls of a Buddhist temple and finally, to the sanctuary of an
elephant refuge, this clever girl and her beloved companion find that
right under their noses is exactly what each has been searching for: a
friend.
Froi of the Exiles: The Lumatere Chronicles
On
the third night, as Scrooge lay in bed, double-checking accounts on his
iPad, once again the Phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached from
deep within the dimly backlit touch screen. When it came, Scrooge tapped
furiously, hoping to delete the specter, but to no avail, for in the
very pixels through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom
and mystery.
Then
Scrooge went to his shelves and found his own leather-bound volume of
Mr. Dickens's fine story, which had been too long neglected after the
introduction of an enhanced digital edition.
