Happy Book Birthday! New Picture Books, Middle Grade, and YA
Discover great new books to read this September.Read more “Happy Book Birthday! New Picture Books, Middle Grade, and YA”
Happy Book Birthday! New Books from Carolrhoda
Monkey with a Tool Belt returns in a new back-to-school picture book adventure, and acclaimed author Geoffrey Girard’s latest novel for teens delves into the world of conspiracy theories. Learn more about these new books:
Picture Book
Monkey with a Tool Belt and the Silly School Mystery by Chris Monroe
Chico Bon Bon is having the most unusual school day. Half the library books are missing and someone (or something!) has chewed up the classroom map. Chico is on the case—with his trusty tool belt, of course!
“Monroe’s illustrations are as delightful to pore over as usual, with changes of perspective and lots of quirky details . . .”—Kirkus Reviews
View this title on Edelweiss.
Visit our website to discover more books in the Monkey with a Tool Belt series!
YA Novel
Truthers by Geoffrey Girard
Katie’s dad has a breakdown and lands in a mental hospital. To get him out, Katie needs to prove he’s not crazy—which means investigating his conspiracy theories about the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
★ “[A] fast-paced nail-biter with a resourceful heroine, packed with surprises . . .”—starred, Publishers Weekly
“Girard is a skilled storyteller, weaving history and conspiracy into a thriller that’s bold, smart, and impossible to put down.”—Natalie D. Richards, author of Six Months Later and One Was Lost
View this title on Edelweiss.
Read a sample chapter of Truthers here.
Happy Book Birthday!
Check out the picture books, graphic novels, and YA reads that are now available:
Picture Books
Niko Draws a Feeling, written by Bob Raczka
and illustrated by Simone Shin
Noah Webster’s Fighting Words, written by
Tracy Nelson Maurer and illustrated by Mircea Catusanu
Middle-Grade Novels
The Bolds to the Rescue, written by Julian Clary
and illustrated by David Roberts
Strangers in Atlantis by Matt Myklusch
#8 Life, Loss, and Lemonade by Laurie Friedman
Quartz Creek Ranch series by Kiersi Burkhart
and Amber J. Keyser
YA Novels
Pointe, Claw by Amber J. Keyser
What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnold
Graphic Novels
Andrew the Seeker by Lee Nordling
and Scott Roberts
written by Sara Latta and illustrated by Jeff Weigel
Happy Book Birthday!
It’s March 1, which means the following titles are now available at libraries and bookstores near you:
Picture Books
written by Kate Hosford and illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska
written by Laura Purdie Salas and illustrated by Jaime Kim
Middle-Grade Novels
by C. M. Surrisi
by Julian Sedgwick
written by Laurie Friedman and illustrated Jennifer Kalis
YA Novels
Camp So-and-So by Mary McCoy
Splinter by Sasha Dawn
Graphic Novels
#3 A Perfect View by Cori Doerrfeld and Tyler Page
#4 The Ghosts in the Clouds by Katherine and Florian Ferrier
Happy reading, everyone!
Happy Book Birthday!
We have two picture books coming out today:
Porcupine’s Picnic: Who Eats What?, written by Betsy R. Rosenthal and illustrated by Giusi Capizzi
Strange Fruit: Billie Holiday and the Power of a Protest Song, written by Gary Golio and illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb
For more on Strange Fruit, read this blog post by the book’s editor, Carol Hinz.
Happy reading!
Happy Year of the Rooster
Special thanks to Jeff Mitchell for the following post!
Chinese New Year’s Day is January 28 this year, ushering in a new Year of the Rooster. Perhaps the most important traditional Chinese celebration, Chinese New Year festivities are celebrated for days and often feature family reunions, provide peaceful rest prior to the new farming year, and recognize the start of spring. The celebration is also a time to wish for luck and prosperity for the upcoming year. The New Year festival is centuries old and is celebrated by Chinese communities across the globe (some estimate 1 in 6 people worldwide celebrate Chinese New Year).For younger readers curious about this holiday and its many colorful traditions, Lerner Digital offers It’s Chinese New Year! by Richard Sebra.
Part of Lerner’s exciting Bumba Books™, non-fiction for grades PreK-1, It’s Chinese New Year!has all the features you’d expect from a Bumba title: beautiful photography; bright colors; questions to promote critical thinking; and engaging, informative text. And it’s available in both standard eBook and as an Interactive Book, featuring enhanced multi-media tools and features such as audio narration at multiple speeds, fun activities, and a quiz.
It’s Chinese New Year is just one of twelve books available in the Bumba Books™ – It’s a Holiday! Series, which includes titles across a wide range of traditions, giving students an opportunity to learn more about holidays like Cinco de Mayo, Diwali, Hanukkah, Ramadan and Eid al_Fitr, St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas, and more! It’s truly a series that can provide fun, relevant titles throughout the year.
Happy Hanukkah from Kar-Ben!
Special thanks to digital intern McKenna Balzer for the following post!
This year December 24th marks the first day of the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah. Many will gather to celebrate this miraculous holiday with family and friends. Hanukkah is a very important holiday in the Jewish tradition; it is the 8 day “festival of lights” that commemorates the triumph of a group of Jewish Rebels known as the Maccabees against their oppressors, the Greek-Syrians. In the 2nd century B.C., the Greek-Syrians ruined the Jewish Temple by constructing an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs within the walls of the temple. In order to rededicate their temple, the Maccabees had to keep a menorah lit at all times, however, they only had enough pure olive oil remaining to keep the menorah lit for one day. Despite this, the miracle of Hanukkah was that this menorah burned for eight days.
On each night of Hanukkah, a new candle on the nine-branched menorah is lit, one for each day. The ninth space on the menorah is for the candle that will light all of the other candles. Many families celebrate by gathering and exchanging gifts, reciting blessings and eating traditional foods.
During this year’s Hanukkah celebration, share with your family one of Kar-Ben’s many Hanukkah themed eBooks. With many stories about Hanukkah celebrations such as “Happy Hanukkah Lights” by Jacqueline Jules, “Rainbow Candles” by Myra Shostak, or “Hanukkah Delight” by Lesléa Newman, Kar-Ben offers a wide variety of eBooks for all types of readers. With so many beautifully illustrated titles and stories sure to engage all ages, these eBooks are perfect to share with all members of the family during this year’s Hanukkah celebrations.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Special thanks to digital intern McKenna Balzer for the following post!
This Thursday is Thanksgiving and many will gather with loved ones to reflect on all of the good in their lives (and eat way too much!). In a sometimes chaotic world, it is nice to have a day to feel the love of those around us and have the uncomfortably wonderful privilege of rolling around on the floor as full as can be. Many families have Thanksgiving traditions that have been passed down through generations or big celebrations complete with a picture perfect Turkey. No matter what tradition you and your loved ones hold, It’s Thanksgivingby Tessa Kenan is the perfect Lerner Interactive Book to prepare for the holiday festivities. Throughout this book, readers can learn more about Thanksgiving and the different ways it can be celebrated.
Bumba Books’ entire Interactive Book series “It’s a Holiday” allows readers to explore the ways that many holidays are celebrated and help readers to build nonfiction reading skills through a photo glossary and quiz. These Interactive Books are designed to help readers gain confidence and strengthen literacy skills. Readers can follow along with the narrator through highlighted words, with a choice between three speeds of audio.
Soon we will find ourselves surrounded by pumpkin pie, delicious cranberry sauce, and mountains of mashed potatoes. It is important to embrace holidays like Thanksgiving and recognize all that we have to be grateful for. This Thanksgiving, remember to tell those in your life how thankful you are for them and make time for the small things, like sharing a book with someone you love.
Election Day 2016: A Roundup of Titles on Presidents, Elections, and Government
Happy Friday! Congratulations to Marty C., who’s won The Atlas of Cursed Places series. Marty, please send your address to publicity@lernerbooks.com so we can get your books in the mail.
What are you doing next Tuesday? We’ll be hitting the polls! Election day is looming, and we have several titles and series that are perfect for teaching young readers and future voters about presidents, elections, and government:
Grades K-2
First Step Nonfiction — Exploring Government (6-book series)
This set in the trusted First Step Nonfiction brand explains how government works, what its basic functions are, and how it affects our daily lives. From elections to citizenship, these titles will help young readers understand the key concepts of government. Bright, interesting photos align closely with the text on each page, helping readers decode and comprehend the sentences.
Download a free teaching guide and worksheets here.
Grades 3-5
Searchlight Books ™ — How Does Government Work? (6-book series)
As part of the Searchlight Books™ collection, this series sheds light on an important civics question—how does government work? Informative text, interesting photos, and useful examples will help you find the answer. The six books in the series cover everything from the Declaration of Independence to the Judicial Branch to getting elected yourself.
Download a free teaching guide and worksheets here.
Grades 4-8
On April 27, 2015, a packed Senate gallery watched as Loretta Lynch became the first African American woman to be named US attorney general.
Long before Lynch became attorney general, she found herself immersed in politics. When she was fourteen, her father ran for mayor of Durham, North Carolina. This inspired a passion for politics in Lynch. Upon graduation from law school, Lynch quickly rose through the ranks at a high-powered law firm, and eventually she pursued a career as a top federal prosecutor. This position gave her the professional boost she needed to become attorney general of the United States. Follow Lynch’s journey from a young law student to the nation’s top legal adviser.
Also available in our Gateway Biographies series: Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Grades 6-8
Inside Elections (4-book series)
What’s going on behind the scenes during an election? Readers will explore the inner workings of our political system from a critical thinking perspective. Each book examines key factors that affect the outcome of an election, such as campaign funding, media coverage, the influence of political parties, and the electoral college system. Readers will learn about questioning their sources, analyzing arguments, examining differing points of view, and other media literacy skills.
Download a free research project assignment pdf here.
Grades 6-12
Presidential Powerhouses (8-book series)
Examine the professional and personal lives of eight of America’s most influential presidents. Readers will investigate the key ideas behind their presidential platforms, analyze the policies they made in office, and evaluate how they shaped and were shaped by history.
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And, if election fatigue has set in, here’s a shamelessly fun YA novel for you to pick up:
After 17-year-old Brooks agrees to be a stand-in Homecoming date for a friend’s geeky but wealthy cousin, he realizes becoming a rent-a-date for the socially awkward could help him earn college money. What’s the harm?
“The Stand-In has a John Hughes-esque feel and several positive, subtle themes woven throughout that will leave teen and adult YA readers with the good vibes of story satisfaction at the end.”
—USA Today‘s Happily Ever After