BEST BOOKS

THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE WONDERFUL BOOKS FOR CHILDREN WE HAVE COME ACROSS THIS MONTH. WE HOPE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME YOU HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE AND ALSO INTRODUCE OTHERS BEING RELEASED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. ENJOY.

Fat Angie: Homecoming

by e.E. Charlton-Trujillo After hitting the road with her friends last summer and taking the stage to sing her heart out in Columbus, Angie finally feels like she’s figuring things out. And her next move? Finally asking Jamboree Memphis Jordan to be her girlfriend. Angie’s got her speech ready on a set of flash cards, but her plans are complicated when her first love, KC Romance, comes cruising back into town. And when a video of Angie’s Columbus performance goes viral, everything gets even more confusing. Kids at school are treating her with respect, she’s being recognized in public, and her couldn’t-be-bothered mother is . . . well, bothered is an understatement. With unexpected internet fame, two people vying for her heart, an all-girl band, and coming to terms with her parents’ failures, Angie comes home to herself in a rewarding finale. Ages 14 yrs and up www.candlewickpress.com

Ada and the Galaxies

by Alan Lightman; Olga Pastuchiv New York Times best-selling author Alan Lightman, in collaboration with Olga Pastuchiv, brings galaxies close in a stunning picture-book tribute to the interconnectedness of the natural world. Layering photographs taken from the Hubble telescope into charming and expressive art, illustrator Susanna Chapman zooms in on one child’s experiences: Ada knows that the best place for star-gazing is on the island in Maine where she vacations with her grandparents. By day, she tracks osprey in the trees, paddles a kayak, and hunts for shells. But she’s most in her element when the sun goes down and the stars blink to life. Will the fog this year foil her plans, or will her grandfather find a way to shine a spotlight on the vast puzzle of the universe . . . until the weather turns? Stargazers rejoice! In his first book for children, renowned physicist Alan Lightman and collaborators, with help from the Hubble telescope, light up the night sky. Ages 4 yrs - 8 yrs www.candlewickpress.com

Crashing in Love

by Jennifer Richard Jacobson Since her parents divorced, twelve-year-old Peyton has known that to achieve happier outcomes in her life, she’s got to focus on eliminating her flaws—and on making sure her first boyfriend is truly right for her. Guided by her collection of inspirational quotes and her growing list of ideal boyfriend traits, Peyton is convinced that this summer will be the perfect summer, complete with the perfect boyfriend! But when she discovers a boy lying unconscious in the middle of the road, the victim of a hit-and-run, her perfect summer takes a dramatic detour. Determined to find the driver responsible, Peyton divides her time between searching her small town for clues and visiting the comatose (and cute!) boy in the hospital. When he wakes up, will he prove to be her destiny? Or does life have a few more surprises in store? With abundant warmth and gentle humor, Jennifer Richard Jacobson offers a novel about searching for perfect answers—and finding that reality is both messier and far more intriguing than anything you can dream up. Ages 10 yrs - 14 yrs www.candlewickpress.com

Battle of the Bands

A daughter of rock ’n’ roll royalty has a secret crush. A lonely ticket taker worries about his sister. An almost-famous songwriter nurses old wounds. A stage manager tires of being behind the scenes. A singer-songwriter struggles to untangle her feelings for her best friend and his girlfriend. In this live-out-loud anthology, the disparate protagonists of sixteen stories are thrown together for one unforgettable event: their high school’s battle of the bands. Told in a harmonic blend of first- and third-person narrative voices, roughly chronological short stories offer a kaleidoscopic view of the same transformative night. Featuring an entry from Justin Courtney Pierre, lead vocalist of Motion City Soundtrack, Battle of the Bands is a celebration of youth, music, and meeting the challenges of life head-on. Ages 14 yrs and up www.candlewickpress.com

A Child of Books

by Oliver Jeffers; Sam Winston A little girl sails her raft across a sea of words, arriving at the house of a small boy and calling him away on an adventure. Through forests of fairy tales and across mountains of makebelieve, the two travel together on a fantastical journey that unlocks the boy’s imagination. Now a lifetime of magic and adventure lies ahead of him . . . but who will be next? Combining elegant images by New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers with fine artist Sam Winston’s typographical landscapes that are shaped from excerpts of children’s classics, A Child of Books is a stunning prose poem on the rewards of sharing stories—an immersive and unforgettable reading experience that readers will want to pass on to others. Ages 6 yrs - 9 yrs www.candlewickpress.com

Across the Rainbow Bridge: Stories of Norse Gods and Humans

by Kevin Crossley-Holland Step back into a sweeping landscape of green glades and glaciers where dwarves, frost giants, and ghosts roam and where gods and goddesses work their magic for Middle Earth, sometimes crossing the great rainbow bridge to come to the aid of humans. Five gripping new tales by Kevin CrossleyHolland plumb Norse mythology as never before, while Jeffrey Alan Love’s illustrations give the epic figures bold new life. Eerie, lyrical, and arresting, this must-have companion book to Norse Myths: Tales of Odin, Thor, and Loki is the ideal gift for fantasy and mythology fans as well as newcomers to Viking lore. Ages 10 yrs and up www.candlewickpress.com

Colossus The World’s Most Amazing Feats of Engineering

by Colin Hynson Have you ever wondered how it’s possible for the tallest buildings in the world to stay standing through the most severe earthquakes? Or how a prehistoric civilization managed to build something as impressive as Stonehenge? Discover the engineering that has led to the most innovative buildings, bridges, and monuments on the planet, from towering skyscrapers to energy-creating dams to underground tunnels miles long. Learn how people have historically turned to engineering to build higher, farther, faster, and greener into the future. Colossus explores some of the greatest feats of engineering in history, from ancient pyramids to enormous bridges to towering skyscrapers. Ages 8 yrs - 12 yrs www.candlewickpress.com

A House in the Woods

by Inga Moore One little pig has made a little den for herself in the woods, and another little pig has a small hut next door. One morning they return from a walk to find that their big friend Bear has moved into the den and an even larger Moose into the hut. CRASH! With both homes collapsed, they’re all in a pickle—but what if they find a way to build a house in the woods that all four of them can share? With lush, whimsically detailed illustrations and a cast of endearing, industrious (and most accommodating!) characters, Inga Moore constructs an inviting story of friendship that kids will be happy to visit awhile. Ages 3 yrs - 7 yrs www.candlewickpress.com

Castle Gesundheit

by Mark Fearing The poor villagers of Handkerchief! For as long as they can remember, the Baron Von Sneeze, who lives in Castle Gesundheit, has been sniffling, wheezing, and coughing day and night, and no one can get any rest. Hoping for some sleep, a girl named Fiona finally drums up the courage to visit the castle and find out what’s ailing its noble resident. When she arrives, she discovers that the Baron Von Sneeze is the only human around, and that he’s convinced his itchy eyes and runny nose are incurable. But as Fiona walks through the many rooms amid the baron’s hundreds of cats, she has a suspicion just what (or who) might have him feeling so unwell, and she has the perfect solution! Mark Fearing’s satisfying tale about lending a helping hand will have little listeners joining in a chorus of “ahhhh-chooo!” Ages 3 yrs - 7 yrs candlewickpress.com

Astro Girl

by Ken Wilson-Max Astrid has loved the stars and space for as long as she can remember. “I want to be an astronaut!” she says to everyone who will listen. While her mama is away, Astrid and her papa have fun acting out the challenges an astronaut faces on a space mission—like being in zero gravity, eating food from a kind of tube, and doing science experiments with the help of cookie sheets. When at last it’s time to meet Mama at the air base, Astrid wears her favorite space T-shirt to greet her. But where exactly has Mama been? Channeling a sense of childlike delight, Ken Wilson-Max brings space travel up close for young readers and offers an inspiring ending. Ages 4 yrs - 8 yrs www.candlewickpress.com