Melissa McAvoy

Lu, Thea. Dive, Dive into the Night Sea. Thea Lu, Illus. Candlewick, 10/2024. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-5362-3415-2. GRADES Preschool–2. OUTSTANDING. Opening horizontally, lush double-page spreads explore the night sea. Soft layers of gray and black ink wash are rubbed back to white, or touched with [continue reading]

Clarkson, Giselle. Observologist, The: A Handbook for Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions. Giselle Clarkson, Illus. Gecko, 02/2024. 120pp. Nonfiction. Trade $24.99. 978-1-7765-7519-0. GRADES 3–7. OUTSTANDING. The skills, habits, and background knowledge necessary for scientific observation are clearly laid out in this whimsically illustrated field guide, [continue reading]

Wenjen, Mia. We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court. Victor Bizar Gómez, Illus. Red Comet, 11/2024. 48pp. Biography. Trade $19.99. 978-1-63-655087-9. GRADES 4–6. HIGH ADDITIONAL. Stories matter, but it also matters who tells the story, [continue reading]

Roth, Jonathan. Almost Underwear: How a Piece of Cloth Traveled from Kitty Hawk to the Moon and Mars. Jonathan Roth, Illus. Christy Ottaviano, 08/2024. [40]pp. Nonfiction. Trade $18.99. 978-0-316-52554-1. GRADES Kindergarten–4. OUTSTANDING. Once upon a time, at the turn of the twentieth century, a plain roll of [continue reading]

Kim, Cheryl. Wat Takes His Shot: The Life and Legacy of Basketball Hero Wataru Misaka. Nat Iwata, Illus. Lee & Low, 06/2024. [40]pp. Biography. Trade $20.95. 978-1-64379-603-1. GRADES Kindergarten–4. HIGH ADDITIONAL. Against the backdrop of World War II and Japanese internment, young Wataru Misaka faced adversity, broke [continue reading]

Hurston, Zora Neale. Barracoon: Adapted for Young Readers. Jazzmen Lee-Johnson, Illus. Addl. Creator Ibram X. Kendi. Amistad, 01/2024. 195pp. Biography. Trade $18.99. 978-0-0630-9833-6. GRADES 6–8. LOW ADDITIONAL.            Zora Neale Hurston’s 1927 first-hand account of the life of Kossula, the last living U.S. victim of the Atlantic slave trade, [continue reading]

Wood, Chelsea L. Power to the Parasites. Dave Mottram, Illus. Henry Holt/Godwin, 11/2024. 80pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-250-83398-3. GRADES 4–8. HIGH ADDITIONAL.     Discover a fascinating secret world, unknown to most, but mined by Hollywood horror writers. Hidden just below the surface, in your home, your food, your [continue reading]

Swinarski, Claire. Take It from the Top. Quill Tree, 11/2024. 288pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-0-0633-2173-1. GRADES 6–8. HIGH ADDITIONAL.          What went wrong? It was supposed to be the perfect summer, back at her beloved theater camp with her best friend, co-starring in their dream [continue reading]