by Megan Ciskowski, Associate Publicist
Check out the November new releases from Lerner Publishing Group!
Picture Books
Dino-Valentine’s Day by Lisa Wheeler and illustrated by Barry Gott
Cheery rhyming text from Lisa Wheeler and delightfully goofy illustrations from Barry Gott invite readers to celebrate Valentine’s Day in true dino style! Raptor and Leso decorate card boxes at school, the Ptero twins shop for the perfect box of chocolates, and Maia has crushes on . . . everyone! There’s something for everyone to enjoy in this humorous and heartwarming look at the sweetest holiday of the year!
Praise for Dino-Valentine’s Day
“A sprightly Valentine romp to fill out holiday collections.”—Kirkus Reviews
“A roarsome addition to your Valentine and ‘Dino-Holiday’ collection.”—School Library Journal
Not Done Yet: Shirley Chisholm’s Fight for Change by Tameka Fryer Brown and illustrated by Nina Crews
Stirring free-verse poetry chronicles Shirley Chisholm’s fight for fairness and change on her journey to becoming the first Black woman ever elected to Congress—and, in 1972, the first woman to seriously run for president.
Praise for Not Done Yet
★”The tone of the book is inspiring, but Brown doesn’t shy away from the mistreatment Chisholm encountered . . . Crews’ vividly textured illustrations positively sing, enhancing the text and making for a perfect introduction for young readers everywhere. As powerful as the woman it profiles.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
“Celebrates her successes, indomitable spirit, and lasting legacy through an effective combination of free-verse poetry and digital collage illustrations. . . . Crews folds texture, patterns, and wonderful details into her artwork that evoke the time and setting, as well as Chisholm’s sparkling character.”—Booklist
“Brown’s narrative free verse and Crews’s heavily patterned digital vector art contemporize Chisholm’s ‘Let us move beyond hate’ message as just as relevant today.”—Publishers Weekly
“The layered, collage-style digital illustrations are show-stoppers . . . Many speak her name but few younger readers know her work; this is recommended for early nonfiction collections.”—School Library Journal
Graphic Novels
Notes from a Sickbed by Tessa Brunton
In 2009, Tessa Brunton experienced the first symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome). Notes from a Sickbed recalls the next eight years of her life—largely housebound—with honesty, a pointed wit, and a lively visual imagination.
Praise for Notes from a Sickbed
★”Painfully real.” –starred, Kirkus Reviews
“Notes from a Sickbed is a sympathetic, inspiring graphic memoir account of grappling with an illness.”—Foreword Reviews
“[A]lternates whip-smart humor with searing emotional honesty . . . a revelatory look into one person’s experience managing a chronic condition.”—Publishers Weekly
“An incredibly authentic and honest look at life with a chronic illness.”—School Library Journal
The Wolf in Underpants Breaks Free by Wilfrid Lupano and illustrated by Paul Cauuet and Mayana Itoïz
The Wolf in Underpants is arrested for being a lazypants! The Wolf helps out around the forest but doesn’t ask for coins in return. Some other animals get suspicious—and toss the Wolf in prison!
Praise for The Wolf in Underpants Breaks Free
“A clear message that there’s more to life than making a living.”—Kirkus Reviews
Young Adult Fiction
Torch by Lyn Miller-Lachmann
When 17-year-old Pavol fatally sets himself on fire in Prague in 1969 to protest the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, his three best friends must figure out how to survive an oppressive regime without him.
Praise for Torch
★”Equally terrifying and captivating.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
★”Miller-Lachmann deftly balances moments of happiness and hope within an ominously rendered narrative marked by fear and potential catastrophe. This captivating political thriller is perfect for Ruta Sepetys fans.”-starred, Publishers Weekly
“A bold and uncompromising portrayal of life under an authoritarian regime, Lyn Miller-Lachman’s Torch combines nuanced characters and a compelling narrative into a powerful story about survival, humanity, and hope.”-G. D. Falksen, award-winning author of The Secret Life of Kitty Granger, Maiden of War, and The Ouroboros Cycle
New in Paperback
Last of the Name by Rosanne Parry
Twelve-year-old Irish immigrant Danny O’Carolan tries to make it in 1863 New York. As racial and class tensions rise, he finds solace in the musical legacy of his family. Could his talent save their lives?
Praise for Last of the Name
★”An exuberant dash through a pivotal year in American history.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
“Textured and well-researched, Parry’s latest historical novel brings to life New York City during the peak of the Civil War . . .”—Booklist
“An excellent addition to any historical fiction collection; recommended for fans of Little Women or A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.”—School Library Journal
“An absorbing, eloquent exploration of a historically important city and time from an engaging narrator.” -BayViews
Nonfiction
Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer and Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt
Botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer’s best-selling book Braiding Sweetgrass is adapted for a young adult audience by Monique Gray Smith, bringing Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the lessons of plant life to a new generation.
Praise for Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults
★”Both an urgent, essential call to action and an uplifting love letter.” –starred, Kirkus Reviews
★”Smith smartly streamlines language while staying true to the narrative’s core concepts by adding brief sidebars that explain featured terminology, pose reflection questions, and highlight important passages, inviting collaborative discussion and acting as a call to action.”—starred, Publishers Weekly
“[F]illed with legends, reminiscences, bits of history, sidebars, drawings, and gentle challenges to readers, encouraging them to consider making changes in their actions, beliefs, and values. Truly, a lovely, calming addition for collections.”—Booklist
“If you’re interested at all in nature, the environment, climate, and science, this is a must-read.”-Book Riot
“Urging a look toward history and tradition to teach us how to answer the questions of the future, Gray Smith adapts Wall Kimmerer’s wisdom for a new, hungry audience.”—Foreword Reviews
Buildings that Breathe: Greening the World’s Cities by Nancy F. Castaldo
Urban planners, architects, and scientists are developing high-rise forests on apartment buildings that seek to balance human activity and natural regeneration. Discover how green infrastructure will transform the urban landscape and how we think about our future.
Praise for Buildings that Breathe
“This specialized but extremely helpful resource offers realistic and inspiring solutions.”—Booklist
“Hopeful and information-packed, this is a positive addition to the environmental shelf.”—Kirkus Reviews
“An exciting opportunity to engage young readers with their world and the multidisciplinary researchers working on these big, global issues.”—School Library Journal
We have new, exciting developments every week. Find past announcements here.