Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween from Lerner Publishing Group! Treat yourself to a spooky read today!
Happy Halloween from Monster Buddies!
Special thanks to digital intern McKenna Balzer for the following post!
October 31 marks Halloween, popularly celebrated with trick or treating, pumpkins, costumes, scary stories, and creepy, crawly, undead, slimy creatures emerging for a frightful haunt. But have no fear, after all, monsters aren’t real…right?
Have you ever wondered why ghosts like to play tricks, how to fight a vampire, how long dragons live, or why people became afraid of witches?
In the Lerner Digital Interactive Books series “Monster Buddies,” you will learn more than you ever thought possible about monsters. From a friendly ghost named Pablo to a zombie named Roscoe, every book in this series features a fictitious creature with only one desire: to tell you allabout themselves.
In the “Monster Buddies” books, authors Shannon Knudsen and Lisa Bullard create a world where monsters aren’t so scary. Each creature begins their story by ensuring the reader knows there is no such thing as ghosts, zombies, witches, aliens, mummies, dragons, vampires, or werewolves. Readers given the chance to learn all about the monster telling the tale as well as the different variations and origins of the monsters that exist throughout the world.
Titles in this exciting series include:
LernerDigital Interactive Books are designed to help readers gain confidence and improve their literacy skills. Readers can follow along with the narrator through highlighted text with a choice of three speeds of audio. With “Monster Buddies” colorful illustrations and interactive design, exploration of the text is encouraged through a glossary, quizzes, and activities. Readers are given a uniquely exciting experience!
This Halloween, before trekking into the dark night, explore “Monster Buddies” Interactive Books and make friends with all of the creepy Halloween creatures!
Happy October!
Welcome to October, everybody! It’s always been my favorite month. I love the gorgeous changing leaves; the crisp, cool weather; and those cozy early nights that start with orangey, autumny sunsets and that unmistakable scent of fall-turning-to-winter in the air.
There are lots of other things to celebrate in October too. And Lerner has a book for them all! Here’s a look at October holidays and special days, and a book to help you celebrate each one:
October 1 was World Vegetarian Day. Yes, we’ve passed it, but as a vegetarian myself, I just couldn’t let this one slip by without a mention. (Smiles!)
October 3 (today!) brings Rosh Hashanah. Sending out wishes for a very Happy New Year to all those who celebrate.
October 7 is World Smile Day!
October 10 is Canadian Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving to all our neighbors to the north.
October 12 is Yom Kippur.
October 15 is Teacher’s Day. To all you teachers, librarians, and others who do the noble work of educating children: Thank you so much for everything you do.
October 16 has a Full Moon.
October 17 is the first full day of Sukkot. Wishing a joyous Sukkot to everyone observing it!
October 22 is Make a Difference Day.
October 30 is National Candy Corn Day. Set out a bowl and offer some to any passers by as a pre-Halloween treat.
October 31 is Halloween!
Wishing all of you a happy, healthy, and very fun October!
Happy Book Birthday!
Happy Saturday and happy October! It’s time to wander hay bale mazes, drink hot cider, and pick up these reads at your local library or bookstore:
Picture Books
Dino-Racing, written by Lisa Wheeler and illustrated by Barry Gott
Middle-Grade Novels and Nonfiction
National Book Award Longlist selection
Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor’s Story by Caren Stelson
The Secret of Goldenrod by Jane O’Reilly
The Thief’s Apprentice (Master Diplexito and Mr. Scant #1)
by Bryan Methods
YA Novels
Incognita (sequel to Tabula Rasa)
by Kristen Lippert-Martin
The Immortal Throne (Into the Dark Book 3)
by Bree Despain
The Stand-In by Steve Bloom
Graphic Novels
Stone Cold (The Stone Man Mysteries #1),
written by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple and illustrated by Orion Zangara
Happy Grandparents Day
Special thanks to Kris Vetter for the following post!
This coming Sunday marks Grandparents Day – a national holiday that promotes honoring and respecting your grandparents as people who have gained wisdom and strength over their long lives.
When President Jimmy Carter officially started National Grandparents Day in 1979, he said, “Grandparents are our continuing tie to the near-past, to the events and beliefs and experiences that so strongly affect our lives and the world around us. Whether they are our own or surrogate grandparents who fill some of the gaps in our mobile society, our senior generation also provides our society a link to our national heritage and traditions. We all know grandparents whose values transcend passing fads and pressures, and who possess the wisdom of distilled pain and joy. Because they are usually free to love and guide and befriend the young without having to take daily responsibility for them, they can often reach out past pride and fear of failure and close the space between generations.”Don’t Call MeGrandma by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson (2016) encapsulates the holiday’s sentiments and is a great introduction to forming a relationship and learning history from a grandparent.
The graphic novel series Cici: AFairy’s Tale by Cori Doerrfeld and Tyler Page also depicts the healthy relationship between a granddaughter and her abuela—as well as some magic!—and how the bond that skips a generation can be different from a mother/daughter relationship.
All of these books are available in print and digital formats from www.lernerbooks.com.
Happy Book Birthday!
Take a look at our new releases for September (yes, we can’t believe it’s September already either):
Picture Books
written by Jane Yolen, with photographs by Jason Stemple
written by Cynthia Grady, with concept and art by Michele Wood
written by Michael J. Rosen and illustrated by Julia Patton
by Chris Monroe
written by Rebecca E. Hirsch and illustrated by Mia Posada
Middle Grade
Blast from the North by David Zeltser
written by Laurie Friedman and illustrated by Jennifer Kalis
The Secret of the Puzzle Box by Penny Warner
Top Prospect by Paul Volponi
by Dennis Denenberg and Lorraine Roscoe
YA
The Giant by Lex Thomas
Naked ’76 by Kevin Brooks
by Sashi Kaufman
Graphic Novels
by Katherine and Florian Ferrier
Truth in Sight by Cori Doerrfeld and Tyler Page
Happy reading!
Happy 400th Deathday, Shakespeare!
Special thanks to Kris Vetter for the following post!
April 23 was Shakespeare’s 400th deathday! (Sorry for the Harry Potter reference, everyone.) And a lot can happen in 400 years. The English language has evolved, America was founded and is celebrating its 240thbirthday, and almost every high school student is required to read one of Shakespeare’s plays. To commemorate the Bard’s memory, we’ve published a 4-book young adult series written by Patrick Jones that reimagines Shakespeare’s most famous plays in modern-day America.
Tension between African Americans and Somalis at Rodney’s high school erupts into a riot. In the midst of it, Rodney helps a Somali classmate to safety. Soon they fall for each other. But can they keep their relationship safe?
This modern twist on Romeo and Juliet explores the themes of love vs. loyalty and societal clashes.
When Hinton Helsinger leaves the Youth Correctional Center, he’s set on reforming his impulsive ways. But things at home have changed, and he’s torn between the impulse to avenge his dad’s death and the desire to find a way out.
This modern twist on Hamlet explores the themes of reform, revenge, and self-destruction.
Ian’s band was finally taking off, until his best friend and the band’s front man, Orlando, gets arrested. When Orlando chooses the bassist to take over, Ian plots revenge. Slowly he turns his bandmates against one another, with tragic results.
This modern twist on Othello takes a gritty look at betrayal, revenge, and obsession.
Alejandro has served six months after a brutal encounter with police. Chrissie suffered a similar police assault. They just want to move forward—together. Are they willing to hatch a plan that puts them back in harm’s way?
This modern twist on Antony and Cleopatra explores questions of retreating, fighting back, and defending what you love.
All four books are available in print and digital from Lerner Publishing and major retailers.
Happy Earth Day from Lerner!
Special thanks to Jeff Mitchell for the following post!
Earth Day is April 22. This year, approximately 120 states plan to sign the Paris Agreement on Earth Day, expressing a worldwide commitment to mitigate climate change. Nearly 200 countries—including both developed and developing nations—negotiated the deal within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and it’s intended to mark the beginning of the end of over 100 years of relying on fossil fuels as the primary engine of economic growth. The Paris Agreement aims to limit the global average temperature to less than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, as well as enhance our ability to adapt to adverse impacts of climate change and encourage countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible. Supporters consider it a milestone towards reducing global warming due to its ambitious scope and its widespread support and collaboration.
Considering Earth Day’s grassroots beginnings in 1970 as a day to rally and raise public awareness over pollution, it is remarkable it’s now considered the day to demonstrate international solidarity and action for the environment. The Earth Day Network, a nonprofit organization that coordinates Earth Day activities, collaborates with more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries and estimates over 1 billion people will participate in Earth Day activities. And of course, many participants are young students with a big stake in keeping our planet livable!
Younger readers can harbor a strong sense of curiosity and compassion for the natural world, and often students carry their inspiration from Earth Day activities at school beyond the classroom. Lerner Digital offers several titles and formats for eco-minded readers interested in the well-being of our land, air, animals, and water. Here are just a few:
Earth Day Every Day by Lisa Bullard, illustrations by Xiao Lin
One of Lerner Digital’s Interactive Book titles, Earth Day Every Day, provides emerging readers an enhanced experience, featuring three audio speeds synched with word and phrase highlighting, interactive tools, a quiz and activities. On Earth Day, we find ways to help the Earth. Trina plants trees with her class. She forms an Earth Day club with her friends. What can you do to make every day Earth Day? Do your part to be a planet protector! Discover how to reduce, reuse, recycle, and more with Tyler and Trina in the Planet Protectors series, part of the Cloverleaf Books™ collection. These nonfiction picture books feature kid-friendly text and illustrations to make learning fun!
Part of Lerner Digital’s renowned Audisee line, Meltdown! is available as an eBook with audio and sentence highlighting, bringing this fascinating account of a recent environmental disaster and its impact to life for reluctant readers. Japan. March 11, 2011. 2:46 P.M. The biggest earthquake in Japan’s history—and one of the world’s five most powerful since 1900—devastated the Tohoku region, 320 kilometers (200 miles) northeast of Tokyo. It triggered a huge tsunami that left crippling damage in its wake. More than 13,000 people drowned, and thousands of buildings and homes were reduced to rubble.
As people assessed the damage, they made the most frightening discovery of all: the Fukushima #1 nuclear power plant was seriously damaged and three of its six reactors were heading for meltdowns. Workers tried desperately—but unsuccessfully—to save them. Explosions and fires released radioactivity into the air. Within days the Japanese government declared a 20-kilometer (12-mile) evacuation zone. The future of the plant, the long-term health of those exposed to radiation, and the effects on the environment remained uncertain.
Learn more about this massive catastrophe as Dr. Fred Bortz examines both the human tragedy and the scientific implications of the nuclear meltdown. Compare this disaster to similar nuclear events in the United States and in Ukraine, and move ahead with Dr. Bortz as he explores the global debate about the future of nuclear power and alternative sources of energy.
“This clear and wide-ranging introduction to essential energy issues has much to offer.” —Kirkus Reviews
How Can We Reduce Transportation Pollution? By L.J. Amstutz
Available as an eBook, How Can We Reduce Transportation Pollutionis part of the Searchlight Books™ collection, a series that sheds light on an important question—What Can We Do about Pollution? Informative text, compelling photos, and engaging captions will help you find the answer! Vehicles such as cars, trucks, planes, and ships create much of the pollution in our environment. But did you know that engineers have developed cars that don’t produce any pollution at all? Or that good city planning greatly reduces the amount of pollution being produced? See what you can do to reduce transportation pollution.
Happy 100th birthday, Beverly Cleary!
I’d like to wish all my fellow book lovers out there a happy Beverly Cleary’s birthday! This prolific writer, creator of Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins, Ellen Tebbits, and more, is one hundred years old today! You can read a fantastic interview with her in last week’s Publishers Weekly.
I loooooved Beverly Cleary’s books. I remember checking them out from the public library, but I also ended up with my own copies of many of them. Some of these are in storage in my basement, waiting for my kids to be old enough to enjoy them.
My book-loving four-year-old and I recently started reading Ramona the Pest. Our copy is the same one I read as a child, and it belonged to my older sister first, which I know because her name is written in it. The book is pretty fragile by now, and the pages fall out if we’re not careful.
A few years ago I was in Portland, Oregon, to see friends. We visited Cleary’s/Ramona’s neighborhood and I saw the the street where many of those fictional characters lived, as well as the elementary school they attended. Around that time, I read both of Cleary’s memoirs, A Girl from Yamhill and On My Own Two Feet. I didn’t know it when I was a child, but Cleary worked as a children’s librarian for a while. And I didn’t know in my youth or even when I was in Portland, taking pictures with the statues of Ramona, Henry Huggins, and the rest of the gang, that I’d end up working in the world of school library publishing. But here we are.
I’ve not been fortunate enough to cross paths with Beverly Cleary in real life, but her work has certainly influenced mine, and I’m delighted that she continues to be such a robust person and an inspiration after all these years. Happy birthday, Beverly Cleary!