PICTURE BOOKS
Niko Draws a Feeling written by Raczka, Bob and illustrated by Shin, Simone; Carolrhoda/Lerner, 2017.
Biracial Niko carries around colored pencils and a pad of paper because he’s never sure when the mood may hit him to draw how he feels, in this story of a misunderstood, sensitive boy who is so in tune with his feelings that he wants to give them permanence. (Grades P-2)
A Perfect Day written and illustrated by Smith, Lane; Roaring Brook, 2017.
Some neighborhood animals have perfectly wonderful experiences until a bear comes lumbering along, ruining the day for everyone but himself. The mixed media illustrations are swirled and layered using a variety of artistic techniques, while the simple, repetitive structure to the text makes the ending land all the more firmly. (P-2)
Triangle written by Barnett, Mac and illustrated by Klassen, Jon; Candlewick, 2017.
“Sneaky trick” player Triangle learns that what goes around, comes around. Klassen’s watercolor and graphite illustrations, highly reminiscent of his hat trilogy, are very effectively employed in the sly humor about a prank battle between two highly recognized shapes. (P-2)
FICTION
Bronze and Sunflower written by Wenxuan, Cao and illustrated by So, Mielo; Candlewick, 2017.
A tragedy causes young girl from the city to be adopted by a poor village family during the Cultural Revolution in China. Their life, with all its joys and hardships, is vividly depicted by 2016 Hans Christian Andersen Award-winning author Cao Wenxuan in this outstanding and highly readable translated work. (2-5)
The Hate U Give written by Thomas, Angie; Balzer + Bray, 2017.
When 16 year-old African American Starr Carter witnesses her best friend Khalil being killed by a police officer, she realizes she needs to find justice for him and all the other “hashtags” like him. This is a novel which teens (and adults) will find thought-provoking, insightful, and stunningly of the moment. (8-Adult)
Sal spends his senior year dealing with a dying grandmother and two troubled friends who come to rely on each other and Sal’s gay, Mexican American adoptive father. Written in short chapters, this coming-of-age story has beautiful writing and deep familial relationships that ring true. (8-12)
Little Monsters written by Thomas, Kara; Delacorte, 2017.
Kara Thomas’s (The Darkest Corners, 2016) second psychological mystery is a thrillingly menacing and atmospheric chiller in which none of the characters are quite who they seem to be. When high school senior Bailey goes missing, her friends Kacey and Jade try to track her down. (8-12)
The Murderer’s Ape written and illustrated by Wegelius, Jakob; Delacorte/Random House, 2017.
After the Captain of her ship is implicated in a murder, the boat’s engineer, a gorilla named Sally Jones, takes it upon herself to prove her friend’s innocence. This epic mystery, which takes Sally Jones from Lisbon to India and back again, is highlighted by Sally Jones’ gentle, sincere narration. (4-8)
We Are Okay written by LaCour, Nina; Dutton, 2017.
This quiet and delicate realistic YA novel centers on blonde Marin, a college freshman. Over the course of a visit from her best friend, Mexican-American Mabel, the events of the previous summer are gently unfolded and the reasons for Marin’s isolation and despair are subtly revealed. (9-12)
FOLKLORE
The Crane Girl adapted by Manley, Curtis and illustrated by Wang, Lin; Shen’s Books, 2017.
This is an exceptional retelling of the traditional Japanese folk tale in which a young woman, transformed from crane form, joins a poor young man’s household to repay him for saving her life. The text utilizes both prose and haiku poetry to create engagement with the plot and emotional resonance, while detailed evocative watercolors match the mood. The author has created a new ending for the tale, but he explains his choice in the end matter and the untraditional happy ending works wonderfully. (1-4)
NON-FICTION
Grand Canyon written and illustrated by Chin, Jason; Roaring Brook, 2017.
Jason Chin takes readers on another imaginative journey, this time through the Grand Canyon. A father and daughter’s hike from the canyon’s floor to its rim gives them a glimpse of its geologic past. The vastness of the Grand Canyon, one of our country’s most popular natural treasures, has been magnificently captured in this book. (K-5)
The Hidden Life of a Toad written and photographed by Wechsler, Doug; Charlesbridge, 2017.
Through stunning close-range color photographs and lively, poetic text, readers learn all about the life stages of a toad. The content is accessible to young readers and would be equally beneficial for older students up through middle school. (P-6)
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