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New Educator Guides Available For Free Today

by Disney Books

Spring is in the air, and just like the season’s freshest blossoms our list of FREE educator guides continues to grow. Perfect for any lesson plans you might need to catch up on over your spring break or handy if you’re in need of supplemental material for a popular title in your library’s collection. Download some of the recently added guides below or click here for the full list of every free guide out now from DBG .

Bob, Not Bob

A standards-aligned guide for grades PK-1 that offers even more fun for readers of this hilarious picture book in the form discussion question to pose to your story time audience both before and after reading this latest release from authors Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick and illustrator Matthew Cordell.

Solider Song: A True Story of the Civil War

A brand new guide to go along with this stunning story from author Debbie Levy and illustrator Gilbert Ford. It is aligned with the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards (CCR) for Reading (Informational Text), Writing, and Language and an excellent supplement to this true story about the power of music during the American Civil War.

  

 

A List of Cages

Perfect for discussing all The Feels you and your readers will have experienced during Robin Roe’s gripping debut novel. These 10 questions examine what it means to be a friend when faced with overwhelming odds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recent Starred Reviews For DBG Titles

by Disney Books

Our friends at Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books have us truly humbled and seeing stars after several of their recent reviews of our latest and upcoming releases. We are truly honored by what each reviewer had to say and have collected a few here for you to read and see for yourself.

The Pearl Thief Elizabeth Wein’s prequel to Code Named Variety doesn’t come out until this May but that didn’t stop the reviewers at Booklist from digging right in to this latest outing with Julie.

“A finely crafted book that brings one girl’s coming-of-age story to life, especially poignant for those who already know her fate.” – Ilene Cooper Booklist

Be Quiet! The next laugh-out-loud picture book from Ryan T. Higgins (Mother Bruce and Hotel Bruce) hits shelves next month and has already earned TWO starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly respectively.

“From Captain Quiet’s clever belt buckle (“SH”) to Rupert’s gaping tonsil shots, Higgins has once again drawn up a winner.” – Kirkus Reviews

“The story’s backdrops are as polished as the characters, Higgins breathes emotional life into his characters, both visually and verbally, and his smart, laugh-out-loud comedy is expertly paced.” – Publishers Weekly

Soldier Song: A True Story of the Civil War by Debbie Levy and Gilbert Ford received its second starred review from Booklist following Publishers Weekly’s own favorable words about this beautifully told story about music and American History available now.

“Levy’s prose is elegant and precise, and her tone positions readers at a respectful distance from the soldiers coping with fear, homesickness, and vulnerability. The text incorporates quotes from soldiers’ letters and musical scores, alternating songs just as the battling bands did. Uniting both sides, ultimately, were the tender strains of “Home, Sweet Home.” Ford’s vivid illustrations capture the desolation of the cold, dark evenings in blues and grays, and the vibrancy of the music that sustained the soldiers, in swirls of orange and red.” – Amina Chaudhri for Booklist

“Through insightful narration and vibrant silhouettes and cartooning, Levy (I Dissent) and Ford (The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring) vividly bring to life a chapter in the U.S. Civil War and the integral role music played during the conflict.” – Publishers Weekly

Night, Night, Groot the adorably out-of-this-world bedtime story starring two of the Marvel universes own rising stars, found favor from Kirkus Magazine thanks to author Brandan Deneen and illustrator Cale Atkinson’s interstellar adventure featuring none other than Rocket Raccoon and Groot of Guardians of the Galaxy fame along side page after page of superhero cameo’s both large and small. Keep an eye out for this one in May.

“A title comics aficionados will snap up in order to groom the next generation of fandom—even if they don’t have a next generation yet.” – Kirkus Reviews

Bob, Not Bob by Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick with illustrations by Matthew Cordell earned its second starred review since it hit shelves last month thanks to The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books March 1st issue.

“This is a fond and funny take on the way illness can bring the normally independent to desperately wanting their mommy (“When Little Louie got sick, he felt littler than usual”), and the readaloud instructions make this a perfect cheer-up for a kid tucked up with a cold. Cordell’s scribbly lines are well suited to the bleariness of illness, and they contrast amusingly with the crisp hand-drawn dimensional lettering of Little Louie’s utterings (in which “Bob” meaning “Mom” is identified by the heart forming the space in the O).”  The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Book

Those are just a handful of the DBG reviews out there from some of the top industry periodicals right now. Make sure to keep an eye out for more as the February and March issues of those magazines make their rounds at your school or library, and check back often right here for more news as it comes in.

DBG Takes Home 4 Youth Media Awards At ALA Midwinter 2017

by Disney Books

 

Last week DPW received four ALA awards during the annual American Library Association’s Midwinter Conference and Monday’s presentation of the Youth Media Awards. It was a busy couple of days and we could not be more thrilled and thankful for the medals we were awarded:

All of our winners were added to the ALA Notable Books list. In addition to those listed above three more DBG titles were selected for the list:

  • Steamboat School by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Ron Husband
  • What Elephants Know by Eric Dinerstein
  • The Wolf’s Boy by Susan Williams Beckhorn

And to top it all off two of our books were named to the 2017 Rainbow Book List:

All in all it was a great conference, (and maybe one we’re still recovering from a week later) Be sure to check out all the supplemental material available to educators and librarians on the titles above right here and keep an eye out for our next stop at TLA this spring.

DBG Heads To ALA Midwinter 2017 This Week!

by Disney Books

We’re back in Atlanta for The American Library Association’s Midwinter conference this week. Starting tonight with a special preview event and ending Monday with the annual ALA Youth Media Awards. Show attendees can be among the first to grab a special Beauty and The Beast READ poster from the ALA store (or even online if you can’t make it this year) and you can find us in the exhibit hall at booth #1931 where we’ll be giving out all kinds of great freebies all weekend long!

Including ARCs of:

  • Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds
  • Royce Rolls by Margret Stohl
  • Choose To Matter by Julie Foudy
  • The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon and Dean Hale
  • Rocket and Groot: Keep on Truckin by Tom Angleberger
  • Kill All Happies by Rachel Cohen
  • The Pearl Thief by Elizabeth Wein
  • Star Wars: Join The Resistance by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker
  • Wildman by J.C. Geiger
  • Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts
  • The World’s Greatest Chocolate Covered Pork Chops R.K. Sager
  • The Good For Nothing Button by Charise Mericle Harper
  • And many, many more!

So make sure you stop by the Disney Book Group at booth #1931 if you’re at ALAM this weekend, and if you’re free on Sunday make sure you join us in Room B203 for a special preview of our upcoming books and maybe a few more surprises before the conference is over.

 

 

 

 

Bring The Magic of Storytelling to Your School or Library Today!

by Disney Books

Last week we kicked off the fifth annual Magic of Storytelling campaign, in partnership with ABC television and a little help from our favorite book-loving princess, Emma Watson. It’s all leading up to our second annual Disney Reads Day on February 4th, and there are loads of ways you can help us bring books to children in need.

For more on how you can help bring The Magic of Storytelling to your School or Library, our friends at Learning Magazine have a ton of free resources you can access by clicking here. And be sure to enter their contest for the chance to win a classroom set of books for your students today!

A List of Cages Earns 4 Stars In December!

by Disney Books

It’s a new year, and we could not be more excited to share debut author Robin Roe’s heartfelt story A LIST OF CAGES with the rest of the world. A few lucky reviewers got their hands on advanced reader copies of this hope-filled tale of two foster brothers who must overcome insurmountable odds for a chance at peace.

When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he’s got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn’t easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can’t complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down the troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian–the foster brother he hasn’t seen in five years.

 Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He’s still kind hearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what’s really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives.

Click on the links below to read what everyone is saying about A LIST OF CAGES:

“In her debut, Roe tells the story of a friendship between two young men who will linger in the thoughts and minds of readers long after the final page is turned.…A triumphant story about the power of friendship and of truly being seen.”  — Kirkus Reviews

“A page-turner with a lot of compassion.”  — Michael Cart Booklist

“Emotional, visceral, and heartbreaking, this novel offers expertly rendered characters and beautiful language, especially when describing Julian’s struggles. VERDICT A potent and moving work. Do not pass over this book.” –Tyler Hixson, School Library Journal

“Written with honesty and compassion, this book will resonate with a wide range of readers.” – Publishers Weekly

The Trials of Apollo Book 2 Cover Revealed in USA Today!

by Disney Books

Since The Trials of Apollo Book 1: The Hidden Oracle took fans back to Camp Half-Blood this past summer we’ve all been waiting for word on what’s next from Rick Riordan. Well the wait is officially over as of this morning as USA TODAY gave us the first look at the jacketed cover to  The Trials of Apollo Book 2: The Dark Prophecy along with an exclusive excerpt of the upcoming book. Click through below for a sneak peek at what lies in wait fromt world of Percy Jackson.

Lester Papadopoulos is a typical teenage boy in many ways, but he’s no ordinary 16-year-old.

In fact, his Greek surname hints at his true identity: he’s Apollo, son of the Greek god Zeus, cast down to Earth as a mere mortal as punishment by his really annoyed dad.

Now Lester/Apollo is back in The Dark Prophecy, The Trials of Apollo, the second book about Roman demigods in a five-book series for young readers by best-selling author Rick Riordan. It will be published on May 2 by Disney-Hyperion, and USA TODAY has a first look at the jacket and an exclusive excerpt.

Read The First Three Chapters of THE PRINCESS, THE SCOUNDREL, AND THE FARM BOY For Free Right Now!

by Disney Books

ROGUE ONE debuted in theaters this weekend to thrilling applause from STARS WARS fans new and old. The film is the first ever stand-alone entry in the series, and takes place right before the iconic opening of the original STAR WARS : A NEW HOPE movie that kicked off the global phenomenon in 1977. Without spoiling anything, there is no question now that the events of ROGUE ONE will have fans thinking about Episode IV: A New Hope in a different way.

Recently DBG got the chance to adapt the original STAR WARS trilogy into a series of young adult novels from some of the today’s best-selling authors including Adam Gidwitz, Tom Angleberger, and Alexandra Bracken, whose adaption of A NEW HOPE entitled THE PRINCESS, THE SCOUNDREL, AND THE FARM BOY actually begins in the few short moments between the end of ROGUE ONE, and the beginning of A NEW HOPE!

The force is strong with this one. So go ahead and click here to read the first three chapters of THE PRINCESS, THE SCOUNDREL, AND THE FARM BOY now. Then make sure you have plenty of these titles in stock at your School & Library for all the eager fans looking for more stories from a galaxy far, far, away.

The galaxy is at war. Although the Rebel Alliance has won a few battles against the Empire, hope is fading. The Empire is about to finish building the greatest weapon the galaxy has ever seen—the Death Star. The rebels’ only chance to defeat it now lies in the unlikely hands of a princess, a scoundrel, and a farm boy. . . . Acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Bracken delivers a captivating retelling of Star Wars: A New Hope like you’ve never experienced before. Since the premier of the original film, Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker have become iconic, larger-than-life characters. The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy takes a deeper look at these three heroes as they join forces to defeat the evil that threatens their entire galaxy.

FREE Educator Guides For Your Winter Break

by Disney Books

With the upcoming Winter Break looming closer make sure you load up on a few DBG educator guides to help make some of the catch-up lesson planning a little easier over your time away from the classroom. Many of DBG’s books include unique supplemental material available absolutely FREE to you teachers and librarians. To make things even easier we’ve highlighted a few of our recent releases with easy to download links you can access right from this post!

The Trials of Apollo

 

How do you punish an immortal? By making him human. After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. Weak and disoriented, he lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy. Now, without his godly powers, the four-thousand-year-old deity must learn to survive in the modern world until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus’s favor. The Trials of Apollo Book 1: The Hidden Oracle is packed with all the modern myth-making Rick Riordan fans have come to expect from anything Camp Half-Blood related and our FREE educators guide is loaded with great activities and talking points to pull off a mythology lesson of EPIC proportions.

Elizabeth Started All The Trouble

She couldn’t go to college. She couldn’t become a politician. She couldn’t even vote. But Elizabeth Cady Stanton didn’t let that stop her. She called on women across the nation to stand together and demand to be treated as equal to men-and that included the right to vote. It took nearly seventy-five years and generations of women fighting for their rights through words, through action, and through pure determination . . . for things to slowly begin to change. With the help of these trailblazers’ own words, Doreen Rappaport’s engaging text, brought to life by Matt Faulkner’s vibrant illustrations, shows readers just how far this revolution has come, and inspires them to keep it going! Elizabeth Started All The Trouble is the perfect tool for active student engagement and text interaction. The Latest from Doreen Rappaport aligns with Common Core standards and could not be more timely as we prepare to close out 2016.

The Bone Sparrow

Subhi is a refugee. He was born in an Australian permanent detention center after his mother and sister fled the violence of a distant homeland, and the center is the only world he knows. But every night, the faraway whales sing to him, the birds tell him their stories, and the magical Night Sea from his mother’s stories brings him gifts. As Subhi grows, his imagination threatens to burst beyond the limits of the fences that contain him. Until one night, it seems to do just that. Another timely discussion topic for the new school year The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon provides a unique outlet for discussion on the topics of immigration and what it means to be a refugee. Make sure you read the author’s Q&A as well.

Magnus Chase And The Gods of Asgard

Thor’s hammer is missing again. But this time the hammer isn’t just lost, it has fallen into enemy hands. If Magnus Chase and his friends can’t retrieve the hammer quickly, the mortal worlds will be defenseless against an onslaught of giants. Ragnarok will begin. The Nine Worlds will burn. Unfortunately, the only person who can broker a deal for the hammer’s return is the gods’ worst enemy, Loki–and the price he wants is very high. Once again Rick Riordan has provided a fantastic resource for teacher’s and librarians looking to introduce students to the culture’s of the ancient world both The Sword of Summer and this year’s Hammer of Thor have all the makings of a thrilling historical read. Check out the teachers guide and make history come to life for your students in 2017.

Of course, these are just a few of the FREE resources Disney Publishing Worldwide offers for educators. Click here for dozens of other guides just like the ones we’ve listed above, and if you have an idea for something you don’t see on our site we’d love to hear about it. Get in touch with us using the contact button over on the right and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Set Sail With The Friend Ship This Week

by Disney Books

THE FRIEND SHIP by Kat Yeh and illustrator Chuck Groenink sets sail for story times everywhere this week, and in honor of this brand new release we wanted to throw the spotlight on some of our favorite Friendships in other DBG books perfect for reading with a buddy, or two, or three. Check out the list below and gather up a group of your pals for a few friendly stories.

 

Boy and Bear from EXPLORERS OF THE WILD by Cale Atkinson. When Bear and Boy meet in the woods, they’re scared at first. Really scared. But soon these kings of the wild realize that no mountain is too big to conquer if you have a friend to climb it by your side.

Moana and the Ocean in MOANA AND THE OCEAN by Heather Knowles and illustrator Annette Marnat. This beautiful jacketed picture book based on this season’s hit Disney Animation Studios’ film, Moana, features an engaging story about Moana’s unique relationship with the Ocean that playfully interacts with stylized artwork.

Bruce and…all the wonderful woodland creatures author Ryan T. Higgins packed into HOTEL BRUCE and MOTHER BRUCE respectively. When a very grumpy Bruce returns home after a trip south with his Goslings he is greeted by a possum pillow fight wreaking havoc in one room of his once peaceful den, a fox luring guests into a stew in the kitchen, and a snuggly crew of critters hogging the bed. Perfect for when you have a friend who just can’t “take a hint”.

Owl and one tiny, squeaky, mouse-shaped detail in Greg Pizzoli’s GOOD NIGHT OWL. Owl is ready for bed. But as soon as he settles in, he hears a strange noise. He’ll never get to sleep unless he can figure out what’s going on! He looks everywhere—in his cupboard, underneath the floorboards—even in his walls… Will Owl ever get a good night’s sleep?

And of course… Elephant and Piggie from Mo Williems’ award-winning ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE series of books. No list about friendships would be complete without Gerald the Elephant and his faithful pal Piggie. 25 books later and these two friends are better than ever as they continue to delight fans of all ages, and while this year’s THE THANK YOU BOOK may have marked the end of their own series of early readers, the new ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE LIKE READING series has already introduced a few new friends of theirs to readers around the world.

Bob, Not Bob and Soldier Song Earn Stars in November

by Disney Books

Two upcoming titles from Disney-Hyperion earned stars last month from Publishers Weekly. BOB, NOT BOB by Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick with illustrations by Matthew Cordell, and SOLIDER SONG by Debbie Levy and illustrated by Gilbert Ford. Take a look below for the full reviews and keep an eye out for both books early next year.

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BOB, NOT BOB!

Authors: Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick

Illustrator: Matthew Cordell

ISBN: 978-1-4847-2302-9

Scanlon and Vernick’s opening description of their young hero, Louie, creates instant intimacy: “Little Louie wasn’t all that little. It wasn’t like he needed his mom every minute of the day.” But after Louie gets a terrible cold, his calls for “Mom” come out sounding like “Bob” (the family dog), and the big, lolloping hound “came running. And slobbering.” Cordell (The Knowing Book) is wonderful at capturing the chaos of the sickroom: Bob drooling on the bed, tissue that didn’t make it into the wastebasket, overturned baskets of laundry. Scanlon (In the Canyon) and Vernick (Unlike Other Monsters) understand the way that being sick makes kids need comfort that they don’t usually need, how it makes them unrecognizable even to themselves, and the comfort a mother’s presence brings. Every page offers a giggle: “His lips chapped and his eyes gunked. As for his nose, you can’t even imagine.” With its funny, congested language (“I doan wan by bedicine”) and problems every reader will understand this is read-aloud gold. Ages 3–5.

 

14847259801

Solider Song

Author: Debbie Levy

Illustrator: Gilbert Ford

ISBN: 978-1-4847-2598-6

Through insightful narration and vibrant silhouettes and cartooning, Levy (I Dissent) and Ford (The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring) vividly bring to life a chapter in the U.S. Civil War and the integral role music played during the conflict. Levy sets the stage two years into the war, just before the Union defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg; excerpts from soldiers’ letters are incorporated throughout, giving the account striking immediacy. When opposing troops became entrenched for the winter, music created a temporary connection: “Across the river the melodies floated. Sometimes the soldiers fired tunes back and forth, like musical cannonballs.” Ford depicts this volley with swirling music staffs that rise like orange smoke from the encampments. The motif crescendos at the story’s climax, when one song, “Home, Sweet Home,” unites both sides one winter night. A timeline, bibliographies, and history of the battle, as well as of the poem and song that uplifted homesick soldiers, conclude a bittersweet account of a sharply divided America. Ages 8–10.

DBG Comes To Atlanta Georgia For NCTE Conference

by Disney Books

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The National Council of Teachers of English annual conference is here and The School & Library Marketing team has The Disney Booth well stocked and ready rock in Atlanta Georgia this weekend. Some of your favorite authors will be stopping by Booth 113 and we’ll be hooking up attendees with some seriously awesome swag over the next four days (yes, we have the owl totes)

The full list of all things Disney Book Group at NCTE is right here. Take a look and be sure to come say hello if you’re in town this weekend:

Friday, November 18th

Exhibit Hours: 12:00—6:00pm

9:30am – 10:45am

Starting Off Right: First Literature Choices in the High School English Classroom

(Alan Sitomer)

Location: A410

11:00am – 12:15pm

Diversity 2.0: Continuing the Conversation (Ami Polonsky)

                Location: A302

1:30 – 2:30pm

                Author Signing: Ami Polonsky

                Location: Disney Book Group Booth #113

                Signing: Threads

2:30 – 3:45pm

Igniting Instruction- Round 1 (Alan Sitomer)

Location: A411

3:30 – 3:30pm

Author Signing: Heidi Schulz      

                Location: Disney-Hyperion Booth #113

                Signing: The Pirate Code

Saturday, November 19th    

Exhibit Hours: 9:00am—5:00pm

8:00 – 9:15am

Advocating for Picture Books at Every Grade Level (Cale Atkinson)

                Location: B214

10:00 – 11:00am

Author Signing: Deborah Hopkinson

                Location: Disney Book Group Booth #113

                Signing: Steamboat School

10:00 – 11:00am

Author Signing: Cale Atkinson

                Location: Disney Book Group Booth #113

                Signing: Explorers of the Wild

11:30am – 12:30pm

Author Signing: Jason Reynolds

                Location: Disney Book Group Booth #113

                Signing: Miles Morales Chapter Sampler

1:00 – 2:30pm

Author Signing: Alan Sitomer

                Location: Disney-Hyperion Booth #113

                Signing: Noble Warrior PB, Cage Warrior PB, Homeboyz PB and Hip-Hop High School PB

3:30 – 4:30pm

Author Signing: Rahul Kanakia

                Location: Disney-Hyperion Booth #113

                Signing: Enter Title Here

3:30 – 4:30pm

Author Signing: Robin Roe

                Location: Disney-Hyperion Booth #113

                Signing: A List of Cages GALLLEY

5:45 – 7:00pm

CLA Master Class 2016: Diverse Children’s Literature at the University (Chris Myers)

Location: Rm. B406

                Chair: Lauren Liang

Sunday, November 20TH     

Exhibit Hours: 9:00—1:00pm

7:00 – 8:45am

Children’s Literature Assembly Author’s Breakfast (Chris Myers)

Location: Rm. A412

                Chair: Donna Adomat

9:30 – 10:30am

Author Signing: Christopher Myers

                Location: Disney-Hyperion Booth #113

                Signing: My Pen

10:30 – 11:30am

Author Signing: Neal Shusterman

Location: Disney-Hyperion Booth #113

                Signing: Hawking’s Hallway

10:30 – 11:45am

Who Advocates for the New Teachers? (Alan Lawrence Sitomer)

Location: A411

1:30 – 2:45pm

Using Virtual Reality in the Secondary ELA Class: The Pedagogical Power of Standards-Based Ed Tech Merging with Traditional, Canonical Literacy    (Alan Lawrence Sitomer)

Location: B407

Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! Heads To NAEYC

by Disney Books

 

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This week the S&L marking team is on the road with best-selling authors Mo Willems, Dan Santat, and Laurie Keller for The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Annual Conference, taking over the Los Angeles Convention Center.

If you’re in sunny SoCal tomorrow (11/9) you can catch the entire Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! team at the convention where each author will be on hand to sign their books (including the recently released Nanette’s Baguette) and talk about this newest imprint from DBG. But you will need to be fast as this is one signing that is sure to go quick.

Check out the schedule here for the full info:

1:00-2:30pm

  • Elephant & Piggie Like Reading!
  • Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Concourse Hall 152

3:00-4:30pm

  • EPLR/Nanette signing
  • Location: Publisher Spotlight booth #1201

 

7 Stars for DBG Books in October

by Disney Books

Seven was more than just a lucky number for DBG last month as our friends at School Library Journal, Kirkus, Booklist and School Library Connection saw fit to award us with seven starred reviews for some of our biggest titles of the year. In case you missed it, here is a quick rundown of all the stars that shined so brightly in October 2016.

9781484722862

Nanette’s Baguette by Mo Willems (Reviewed by School Library Journal on Oct. 24th)

There is so much to discover and enjoy in this treat for eye and ear—even a hidden Pigeon. VERDICT For a storytime treat that children will devour, don’t miss this shopping trip.– Marianne Saccardi, Children’s Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA SLJ

Creeping Shadow, The

Lockwood & Co. Book 4: The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud (Reviewed by Booklist on Oct. 15th)

The wry first-person narrative is a pleasure, relating the story with an impeccable, understated sense of drama. Appearing at chapter headings, Adams’ dark, richly atmospheric, and often ghostly vignette drawings can make even a sandwich look downright sinister. Stroud’s scene setting and storytelling are second to none, but it’s his ability to create credible, idiosyncratic characters and relationships that makes avid fans of the Lockwood & Co. series.— Carolyn Phelan Booklist

1484763807

A List of Cages by Robin Roe (Reviewed by Booklist on Oct. 15th and Kirkus on Oct. 1st)

A page-turner with a lot of compassion. — Michael Cart SLJ

In her debut, Roe tells the story of a friendship between two young men who will linger in the thoughts and minds of readers long after the final page is turned… A triumphant story about the power of friendship and of truly being seen.  – Kirkus

9781484726976

Bella’s Fall Coat by Lynn Plourde and Susan Gal (reviewed by School Library Journal on September 7th)

…Ripe apples and Delicious verb pairs such as “twirled and whirled,” “crinkled and crackled,” and “picked and plucked” and outstanding illustrations make this offering a treat for eye and ear. A first choice for fall units.– Marianne Saccardi, Children’s Literature Consultant, Greenwich, CT SLJ

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Rules of The House by Mac Barnett and Matt Myers (Reviewed by School Library Connection on Oct. 1st)

Myers contrasts Jenny’s disheveled appearance and untidy surroundings with Ian’s neat, orderly clothing and belongings. This is an amusing cautionary tale with no preaching and just a bit of a scare. – MaryAnn Karre, Retired Librarian, Vestal, New York SLC

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Steamboat School by Deborah Hopkinson and Ron Husband (Reviewed by School Library Connection on Oct. 1st)

This title joins the ranks of Deborah Hopkinson’s outstanding body of historical fiction picture books… A terrific read on its own, this title would be a wonderful addition to a civil rights unit or a character education collection.  – Leigh Russell King, School Librarian, Lincoln St. Elementary School, Northborough, Massachusetts SLC