GPL Blog

New YA & Children’s Books — February 2023

The Galesburg Public Library has books for all ages! This week, we’re sharing some of our newest children’s and YA books that have hit the shelves. Don’t forget to put one on hold if you want to check it out!

In the Young Adult section, we’ve got five new titles for you to try. The first two are part of the Walking in Two Worlds Series: Walking in Two Worlds and The Everlasting Road, both by Web Kinew. The first book introduces Bugz, a young girl caught between two worlds. In the real world, she’s a shy and self-conscious Indigenous teen who faces the stresses of teenage angst and life on the Rez. But in the virtual world, her alter ego is not just confident but dominant in a massively multiplayer video game universe. Meanwhile, Feng is a teen boy who has been sent from China to live with his aunt, a doctor on the Rez, after his online activity suggests he may be developing extremist sympathies. Meeting each other in real life, as well as in the virtual world, Bugz and Feng immediately relate to each other as outsiders and as avid gamers. And as their connection is strengthened through their virtual adventures, they find that they have much in common in the real world, too. 

The Stolen Heir by Holly Black is another YA title fresh on the shelves. In this fantasy book, eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There, she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge. 

If you want something more spooky, try Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers. Making her YA debut, Cherokee writer Rogers takes her place as one of the most striking voices of the horror renaissance that has swept the last decade. This collection includes werewolves, vampires, and zombies—all the time-worn horror baddies are there. But so are predators of a distinctly American variety: the horrors of empire, of intimate partner violence, of dispossession. And so too the monsters of Rogers’ imagination, that draw upon long-told Cherokee stories—of Deer Woman, fantastical sea creatures, and more.

We didn’t forget about comic fans. The Winter Soldier: Cold Front by Mackenzi Lee chronicles the life of Bucky Barnes. In 1941, as World War II begins, sixteen-year-old Bucky Barnes is determined to enlist in the US army—if only the local commander will stop getting in his way. When Bucky is offered enrollment in a training program with the British Special Operations Executive—the UK’s secret service—he leaps at the chance to become a hero. But Bucky has hardly touched down in London when he finds himself running from a mysterious assassin and accompanied by an English chess champion fond of red lipstick and double crosses. She’s in possession of a secret every side is desperate to get their hands on. If only they knew what it was…

If you’re looking for something for a younger audience, we’ve got you covered. The Mirrorwood by Deva Fagan is a middle grade fantasy. Fable has been cursed by what the people of her village call the Blight, a twisted enchantment that leaves her without a face of her own. To stay alive, Fable has to steal the faces of others, making her an outcast that no one trusts. When the fierce Blighthunter Vycorax comes to kill Fable to stop her curse from spreading, Fable narrowly escapes by fleeing into the thorny woods surrounding her small village.

The kiddos have something to read here at GPL as well. The Rainbow Snail by Karin Åkesson has educational appeal, as young readers follow a brave little creature’s exciting adventure while learning the colors of the rainbow. In The Longest Journey: An Arctic Tern’s Migration by Amy Hevron, we learn about arctic terns, who in their thirty-year lifetimes, will travel nearly 1.5 million miles—enough to fly to the Moon and back three times! Meanwhile, in Stars of the Night by Caren Stelson, your children can get the perspective of the children who were rescued from Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War II, as Hitler’s campaign of hatred toward Jews and political dissidents took hold.

Stop by the library to grab any of these titles—and more!

From the Children’s Room — January 2023: Book Showdown!

Each January, the American Library Association hands out its Youth Media Awards to authors, illustrators, and creators. Top among those awards are the Newbery and Caldecott Medals, two of the biggest prizes in the world of books for children and teens!  Librarians, classrooms, book reviewers, and many others are finalizing their predictions as to which book or books they think will come out on top.  

Caldecott: 

The Caldecott award is given …to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.” (https://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecott). Essentially it comes down to who created the best pictures used in a picture book.  Past winners of this medal include We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade (2021 winner) and Watercress by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Jason Chin (2022 winner).   

There’s been buzz about a lot of titles in contention for the Caldecott. Here are a couple of our staff favorites:

Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond and illustrated by Daniel Minter – Blue dives into the history and cultural significance of the color blue from Ancient Afghan painters to what we know it as today. 

Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall – take a glimpse into the daily life of the family that lives in this detailed farmhouse. 

Knight Owl by Christopher Denise – Owl always wanted to be a knight since he was hatched. Now he has his opportunity! Does he have what it takes to become one? 

Newbery: 

The Newbery award is given “…to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.” (https://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newbery)  Recent winners of this award include When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller (2021 winner) and The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera  (2022 winner). 

For this category, these books stand out among staff: 

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat – dive into this Thai-inspired fantasy adventure where Sai must deal with the secrets of her past in order to chart the course for her future. 

Thirst by Varsha Bajaj – Minni (living in the poorest section of Mumbai) knows that water is scarce in her neighborhood and even sees it being stolen one night. She is surprised to find out however, that it runs freely though faucets in the high-rise building she just started working in. Now she has to decide if she should expose the water-mafia boss or keep her head down and say nothing. 

Have you read any of these books? Do you have other stand out favorites? Winners in these categories and many others will be announced on Monday, January 30, 2023. 

New Children’s Books — January 2023

2023 has arrived! Visit the library to grab these new Children’s releases before someone else does! If you see something that interests you, give us a call or visit the catalog to put one on hold.


THE FLAMINGO: A GRAPHIC NOVEL CHAPTER BOOK by Guojing

A little girl arrives, excited for a beachy vacation with her Lao Lao. The girl and her grandmother search for shells, chase crabs, and play in the sea, but when the girl finds an exquisite flamingo feather in her grandmother’s living room, her vacation turns into something fantastical.

Fiction, Middle Grade


SHOT CLOCK by Caron Butler and Justin A. Reynolds

Tony loves basketball. But the game changed recently when his best friend, Dante, a hoops phenom, was killed by a police officer. Tony hopes he can carry on Dante’s legacy by making the Sabres, the AAU basketball team Dante took to two national championships.

Tony doesn’t make the team, but Coach James likes what he sees from Tony at tryouts and offers him another chance: join the team as the statistician. With his community reeling and the team just finding its footing on the court, can Tony find a path to healing while helping to bring the Sabres a championship?

Fiction, Middle Grade


WHAT WAS RECONSTRUCTION? by Sherri L. Smith

Learn about a pivotal time in American history and its momentous effects on civil rights in America in this enlightening title about Reconstruction.

Reconstruction — the period after the Civil War — was meant to give newly freed Black people the same rights as white people. And indeed there were monumental changes once slavery ended — thriving new Black communities, the first Black members in Congress, and a new sense of dignity for many Black Americans. But this time of hope didn’t last long and instead, a deeply segregated United States continued on for another hundred years. Find out what went wrong in this fascinating overview of a troubled time.

Nonfiction, Middle Grade


A BLUE KIND OF DAY by Rachel Tomlinson

Coen is having a sniffling, sighing, sobbing kind of day.

His family thinks they know how to cheer him up. His dad wants to go outside and play, Mom tells her funniest joke, and his little sister shares her favorite teddy. Nothing helps. But one by one, they get quiet and begin to listen. After some time, space, and reassurance, Coen is able to show them what he needs.

With poignant text and stunning illustrations, A Blue Kind of Day explores how depression might feel in the body and shows us how to support the people we love with patience, care, and empathy.

Fiction, Picture Books


NOODLE AND THE NO BONES DAY by Jonathan Graziano

Noodle is a sweet, silly old pug who enjoys doing all his favorite activities with his favorite human, Jonathan. But one day when Jonathan goes to take Noodle on his morning walk, he finds Noodle still comfortable in bed. When Jonathan lifts Noodle up, Noodle just flops over. It’s almost like Noodle woke up without any bones!

Noodle isn’t sick or sad—but he also isn’t interested in going for walks or sitting outside (he will accept snacks, though). Today, all he needs are extra snuggles and belly rubs. Jonathan soon learns that not every day can be a Bones Day, and sometimes a No Bones Day is exactly what you need to get through the week.

Fiction, Picture Books


A CHILD’S INTRODUCTION TO JAZZ: THE MUSICIANS, CULTURE, AND ROOTS OF THE WORLD’S COOLEST MUSIC by Jabari Asim

Welcome to jazz! Feel the music and rhythms of all the different styles of jazz, from swing and Dixieland to the blues and bebop, with this interactive introduction to the world’s coolest music.

Author Jabari Asim will take you on the journey through the history of jazz as you discover the most important musicians and singers while hearing some really cool sounds. You’ll learn all about the roots of jazz in Africa and New Orleans and how the music traveled to different parts of the United States and around the world. Along the way you’ll meet legendary trumpeter Louis Armstrong, who shaped a new form of jazz called improvisation; pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington, who helped create the big band sound of the swing era; and the singer Billie Holiday, whose songs such as “God Bless the Child,” “Don’t Explain,” and “Lady Sings the Blues” have become jazz standards.

Listen along to the sounds of jazz by downloading music and hearing instruments such as trumpets, clarinets, trombones, and even singers scatting as they improvise melodies. With a pull-out poster showing the different instruments of jazz, A Child’s Introduction to Jazz hits the perfect beat and will have you bebopping and scatting in no time!

Nonfiction, Picture Books


All book descriptions are courtesy of the publisher.

From the Children’s Room — December 2022

Hi-ho! Ms. Meghan here to talk to you about Animal Explorers!

Before joining the awesome Galesburg Public Library team, I was an animal keeper for over 15 years, and one of the things I loved best about the job was the opportunity to educate visitors about incredible animals. Animal Explorers is a monthly club geared for kids in grades K-3 held in the Children’s Room where I do just that! Every month kids check out a couple pre-selected animal books before the meeting.

 

We focus on a different animal or group of animals each month. One month might be cats big and small, and the next may be primates. Then on the first Thursday of each month we get together to talk about the books and what we learned. We usually watch a couple fun videos of the animals in action, and sometimes I bring in something cool from my zoo days, or borrow some biofacts from a local nature center. I’ll also use my contacts in the zoo world to get neat materials for events like World Lemur Day and World Penguin Day. Then we’ll finish up with a craft or activity. Over the past several months, we’ve made colorful peacock spiders out of paper plates and pipe cleaners, covered up bare polar bears with cotton balls (while learning about their heat absorbing black skin), and made geckos and ‘Christmas lizards’ out of cardboard tubes. There’s also a different button to collect from each meeting.

 

So come join us for a wild time at Animal Explorers the first Thursday of each month at 4 pm. Registration is required.

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