Crushes of the Week: July 25-31, 2021

This week's crushes:

1. Bartholomew and the Morning Monsters by Sophie Berger and Ruan Van Vliet (Cicada Books, August 2021)
2. Sonny Says Mine! by Caryl Hart and Zachariah Ohora (Bloomsbury Publishing, August 2021)
3. What Is Fall? Genie Espinosa (Random House Books for Young Readers, August 2021)
4. Fussy Flamingo by Shelly Vaughan James and Matthew Rivera (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, August 2021)
5. The Bug Club by Elise Gravel (Drawn & Quarterly, August, 2021)

    

#Endpapers for the end of your week!

WISHES

Wishes by Mượn Thị Văn and Victo Ngai is a powerful and succinct look at one family's harrowing and emotional journey from Vietnam to Hong Kong.

Let's Talk Illustrators #188: Gracey Zhang

I felt super lucky to catch Gracey Zhang on her first children's book Lala's Words: A Story of Planting Kindness because it's clear from her debut that she's going places! Getting to peek behind the curtain to see Gracey's process was an absolute privilege, and I'm excited to share what I learned with you today!

Crushes of the Week: July 18-24, 2021

This week's crushes:

1. Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, July 2020)
2. Ride the Wind by Nicola Davies and Salvatore Rubbino (Candlewick Press, July 2020)
3. My Voice Is a Trumpet by Jimmie Allen and Cathy Ann Johnson (Flamingo Books, July 2020)
4. When Grandfather Flew by Patricia MacLachlan and Chris Sheban (Holiday House, July 2020)
5. Amara and the Bats by Emma Reynolds (Atheneum Books, July 2020)

    

#Endpapers for the end of your week!

FAMILY REUNION

Family Reunion by Chad & Dad Richardson and Ashleigh Corrin is about family love, even those you may not have met yet!

Let's Talk Illustrators #187: Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv

Collaborative duo Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv have made some of my favorite books over the years (check out Stars and Poppy Seeds on my Favorites of 2019 list here), so it was an extra special treat to catch them both to discuss their work together. Most recently they published Sight: Glimmer, Glow, Spark, Flash!, a follow up to last year's Sound: Shhh . . . Bang . . . Pop . . . Boom!, and this vibrant series serves as an engaging and immersive set of scientific learning! Enjoy!

Crushes of the week: July 11-17, 2021

This week's crushes:

1. If the World Were 100 People: A Visual Guide to Our Global Village by Jackie McCann and Aaron Cushley (Crown Books for Young Readers, July 2021)
2. Adventure Starts at Bedtime: 30 Real-Life Stories of Daring and Danger by Ness Knight (Laurence King, July 2021)
3. It Could Be Worse by Einat Tsarfati (Candlewick Press, June 2021)
4. Ship in a Bottle by Andrew Prahin (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, June 2021)
5. Vampenguin by Lucy Ruth Cummins (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, July 2021)

   

 

Endpapers for the end of your week!

WHERE'S BABY ELEPHANT?

Where's Baby Elephant? by Ali Khodai is a super-fun flap book that introduces readers to a plethora of fun animals!

Let's Talk Illustrators #186: Isol

It was an absolute dream come true for me to talk to Isol about her work in children's books. I vividly remember seeing two of her books for the first time--It's Useful to Have a Duck, which I talk about here, and Nocturne: Dream Recipes--and instantly falling in love with their ingenuity and creativity. Today I'm talking to her about her newest book out in the United States, Impossible, which is yet another creative addition to an overall delightful collection of stories!

Crushes of the Week: July 4-10, 2021

This week's crushes:

1. Jet the Cat (Is Not a Cat) by Phaea Crede and Terry Runyan (Barefoot Books, June 2021)
2. Marty by Rachel Noble and Zoey Abbott (Holiday House, July 2021)
3. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Elements: The Powers, Uses, and Histories of Every Atom in the Universe by Lisa Congdon (Chronicle Books, July 2021)
4. We Love Pizza: Everything You Want to Know about Your Number One Food by Elenia Beretta (Little Gestalten, June 2021)
5. Home Alone by Barbara Nascimbeni (Thames & Hudson, July 2021)

  

 

Endpapers for the end of your week!

NOT LITTLE

Not Little by Maya Myers and Hyewon Yum shows readers that bravery and courage come in all shapes and sizes.

Let's Talk Illustrators #185: Ana Aranda

It was such a pleasure talking to Ana Aranda about her latest illustrated book Moth & Butterfly: Ta Da!, written by Dev Petty! Ana's illustrations bring into colorful focus an insect world full of warmth and friendship, and it was so much fun peeking behind the curtain to see how Ana brought to life these delightful characters. Enjoy!

Crushes of the Week: June 27-July 3, 2021

This week's crushes:

1. Numbers Everywhere by Linda Leopold Strauss and Sara Infante (Holiday House, June 2021)
2. Run, Little Chaski!: An Inka Trail Adventure by Mariana Llanos and Mariana Ruiz Johnson (Barefoot Books, June 2021)
3. The Neighborhood Surprise by Sarah Van Dongen (Tiny Owl Publishing, May 2021)
4. Mayowa and the Masquerades by Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn and Francis Blake (Cassava Republic Press, January 2021)
5. Mucky Truck by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Elisa Ferro (Henry Holt & Company, June 2021)

    

#Endpapers for the end of your week!

STROLLERCOASTER

Strollercoaster by Matt Ringler, Raúl the Third, and Elaine Bay is the ride of a lifetime!