Happy Book Birthday: New Middle-Grade and Nonfiction

by Megan Ciskowski, Associate Publicist

Check out November new releases from Lerner Publishing Group!

Middle Grade

Eddie Whatever by Lois Ruby

Thirteen-year-old Eddie needs to do a community service project in preparation for his bar mitzvah. Against his better judgment, he ends up with a volunteering gig at Silver Brook Pavilion retirement home, where the residents call him “Eddie Whatever” rather than worry about remembering his last name. These old folks soon upend all Eddie’s assumptions about the boringness of the elderly. There’s a dramatic courtship unfolding, long-hidden secret identities, a rumor of a vengeful ghost, and a thief on the loose. When suspicion falls on Eddie, he teams up with his fellow volunteer (and crush), Tessa, to solve the mysteries of Silver Brook.

Praise for Eddie Whatever

“Short chapters and snappy first-person narration give this wide appeal. . .An enjoyable intergenerational story.”—Kirkus Reviews

“[A] winning and unexpected combination of mystery, intrigue, and social commentary, interlaced with wisecracks and school woes.”—School Library Journal

“Readers looking for a quirky ensemble cast, a breezy mystery, and just a bit of middle school angst will find this fits the bill quite nicely.”-The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Filled with humor, poignancy and mystery, Eddie Whatever explores the realities of aging in a fast-paced story that will draw in middle-grade readers.” -Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Nonfiction

A Dog’s Best Friend: A Sesame Street ® Guide to Caring for Your Dog by Marie-Therese Miller

Celebrate all there is to love about getting a new dog with Sesame Street! Learn how to prepare for getting a dog, how to take care of and play with your new friend, and how to help shelter animals, whether or not you can have a dog as a pet.

Spread from A Dog’s Best Friend in which Elmo cuddles with Tango.

Visit SesameStreet.org to learn more about Tango and her adoption. Coloring pages, mazes, matching activities, and more can also be downloaded here so learning can continue all day long!

A Hot Mess: How the Climate Crisis Is Changing Our World by Jeff Fleischer

We already know what climate change is and many of us understand the human causes. But what will climate change do to our world? Who will be affected (spoiler: all of us!) and how will our lives change in the future? Topics include sea levels, extreme weather, drought, animal and plant extinction, and human and animal migration. Drawing on real-life situations and stories, journalist Jeff Fleischer takes an informed, approachable look at how our world will likely change as a result of our actions, including suggestions on what we can still do to slow down these unprecedented effects.

Praise for A Hot Mess

A Hot Mess is an unvarnished introduction to climate change that’s refreshing about sharing the supporting science.”—Foreword Reviews

“A wealth of information and an engaging approach are certain to have a lasting impact.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Engaging with a capital E, Readable with a capital R.” – YA Dude Books

American Jaguar: Big Cats, Biogeography, and Human Borders by Elizabeth Webb

In the borderlands between the United States and Mexico, America’s largest cat—the jaguar—is fighting to regain its kingdom. Added to the endangered species list in 1997, the jaguar has declined in population mainly due to habitat fragmentation created by roads, farms, mines, and most controversially, the border wall. Such human-made barriers prevent free movement of many wild animals for predation and mating, thereby threatening their reproduction, DNA transfer, and overall survival. Author and wildlife biologist Elizabeth Webb examines the jaguar’s predicament and highlights the work of field scientists who are searching for solutions. “Conservation Connection” features throughout the book underscore the importance of protecting this keystone species of the Americas.

Praise for American Jaguar

★”A powerful call to protect our Earth and its vulnerable creatures.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews

Find more announcements on the Lerner blog here!

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