PINE RIVER LIBRARY

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Kids Book Recs

Summer's Favorite New Books Hitting the Shelves!

Whose Bones? An Animal Guessing Game by Gabrielle Balkan

A fun guessing game where you first get to see them skeleton then guess the animal! Such a delight.

Board Book

Kiss by kiss: a Counting book for families  Ocêtôwina : peyak ôskân ohcih – akitâh-masinahikan by Richard Van Camp

A delightful counting/rhyming board book in English and Plains Cree.

Board Book

In the Half Room by Ellis Carson

With inventive flair, Caldecott Honor winner Carson Ellis explores halves and wholes in an ingenious and thought-provoking picture book. Ink and gouache illustrations featuring wry detail and velvety textures conjure a dreamlike mood while leaving space for imagining. A celebration of the surreal and the serendipitous and the beauty of the two together, this brilliant picture book will have readers seeing halves with whole new eyes

Picture Book

Don’t Hug Doug by Carrie Finison

“Doug prefers not to be hugged, but there are a variety of other ways his loved ones can show him affection” A delightful picture book about consent and autonomy. 

Picture Book

 Baby-Sitters Little Sister by Katy Farina

Karen Brewer’s imagination gets the best of her when she decides that her neighbor, Mrs. Porter–who has wild gray hair, wears black robes, and has a garden full of mysterious herbs–must be a witch.

Graphic Novel

 

For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why it Matters by Jeff Foster

“Now more than ever, it’s so important for everyone to understand our government: where it came from, how it works, and how we can bring about change. And, after all, in the words of author and government teacher Jeff Foster, “If you don’t participate, you can’t complain.” This book is a comprehensive and entertaining guide that answers questions like: What is the Constitution? What are the branches of the government? What is the Electoral College? What are the political parties? What are the different responsibilities of the city, state, and federal governments? Plus, discover the complete backstory on some of our government’s most important moments, like why we wrote the Declaration of Independence, and how people since then have worked with — and protested against — the government to improve the lives of all Americans”–

JNF Government

The Pig War: How a Porcine Tragedy Taught England and America to Share by Emma Bland Smith

In 1859, the British and Americans coexist on the small island of San Juan, located off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. They are on fairly good terms–until one fateful morning when an innocent hog owned by a British man has the misfortune to eat some potatoes on an American farmer’s land. In a moment of rash anger, Lyman Cutlar shoots Charles Griffin’s pig, inadvertently almost bringing the two nations to war. Tensions flare, armies gather, cannons are rolled out… all because of a pig! Emma Bland Smith’s humorous text and Alison Jay’s folksy illustrations combine in this whimsical nonfiction picture book that models the principles of peaceful conflict resolution.

JNF History

 

From Here to There: Inventions that Changed the Way the World Moves by Vivian Kirkfield

“Celebrating the invention of vehicles, this collective biography tells the inspiring stories of the visionaries who changed the way we move through air, water, and land. Perfect for fans of Mistakes that Worked and Girls Think of Everything”–

JNF Transportation

Teddy: the Remarkable Tale of a President, a Cartoonist, a Toymaker and a Bear by James Kirkfield

“It all started when one of America’s most iconic and beloved presidents, Theodore Roosevelt, refused to shoot a bear on a hunting trip. A newspaper cartoonist, Clifford Berryman, heard the news and created a political cartoon about it, which a candy shop owner, Morris Michtom, showed to his wife, Rosie. Rosie Michtom, whose handmade toys were often displayed in their Brooklyn shop, was so inspired by the story that she made an adorable stuffed toy bear, which the couple decided to name “Teddy’s Bear.” Demand for Rosie’s bears grew so high that the couple went on to found their own toy company and opened a factory in Brooklyn. While most of the events in this story are widely accepted to be true, certain details cannot be corroborated, and a historical note at the end of the book will make this clear”–Provided by publisher.

JNF Biography Roosevelt

Saucy  by Cynthia Kadohate

When eleven-year-old Becca, a quadruplet, finds a sick piglet on the side of the road, her life is changed forever.

Chapter Book

Ghost squad by Claribel A. Ortega

“For Lucely Luna, ghosts are more than just the family business. Shortly before Halloween, Lucely and her best friend, Syd, cast a spell that accidentally awakens malicious spirits, wreaking havoc throughout St. Augustine. Together, they must join forces with Syd’s witch grandmother, Babette, and her tubby tabby, Chunk, to fight the haunting head-on and reverse the curse to save the town and Lucely’s firefly spirits before it’s too late.”–Jacket.

Juvenile Fiction

Monster and Boy by Hannah Rodgers Barbaby

“When Monster (who lives under the bed) meets Boy (who sleeps in the bed), the boy starts to scream–and Monster promptly swallows him. It’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship!” 

Chapter book

 

The Dog Who Saved the World by Ross welford

A girl and her dog set out to save the world from a deadly plague by time traveling into the future.

Chapter Book

Hidden Gems in the Stacks

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me. She meant to bestow a gift. When I cried inconsolably through my first hour of life, my tears were her inspiration. Shaking her head sympathetically at Mother, the fairy touched my nose. ‘My gift is obedience. Ella will always be obedient. Now stop crying, child.’ I stopped. So begins this richly entertaining story of Ella of Frell, who wants nothing more than to be free of Lucinda’s gift and feel that she belongs to herself. For how can she truly belong to herself if she knows that at any time, anyone can order her to hop on one foot, cut off her hand, or betray her kingdom–and she’ll have to obey? Against a bold tapestry of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella’s spirited account of her quest to break the curse is a funny, poignant, and enchanting tale about an unforgettable heroine who is determined to be herself.

Chapter Book

The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by 

“For the first time ever, America’s Test Kitchen is bringing their scientific know-how, rigorous testing, and hands-on learning to kids in the kitchen! Using kid-tested and approved recipes, America’s Test Kitchen has created THE cookbook every kid chef needs on their shelf. Whether you’re cooking for yourself, your friends, or your family, The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs has delicious recipes that will wow!”–Publisher’s description.

JNF Cooking

Frida: viva la vida by Carmen Bernier-Grand

“Biographical poems about the life and work of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo”–Provided by publisher, verso t.p. “Biographical poems about the life and work of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo”–Provided by publisher.

JNF Biography Kahlo

Last updated: 2/25/2021