As we set our sights on spring, while huddling inside playing and reading, here are some
recommended books that can transport you to a warmer place, time, or season.
AGES 5 TO 8
A Day in a Forested Wetland
Written by Kevin Kurtz
Illustrated by Sherry Neidigh
Birds and bobcats and beetles, oh my! Learn about these creatures and more in this picture book for fans of Wild Kratts, National Geographic Kids magazine, and nature in general. Realistic illustrations add to the non-fiction facts told in engaging rhyming verses. Astute readers will recognize some of these critters from real-life encounters, and adventurers may set out to a marshland to seek out others. Educational activities are included in the back pages for those who want to learn more. The author lives in Rochester, so look for him at local book-related events like the Rochester Children’s Book Festival (www.rcbfestival.com) and tell him about your own animal encounters. (Arbordale, 2018, hardcover, $17.95)
AGES 8 TO 12
See You on a Starry Night
By Lisa Schroeder
A move to a beachside house might sound idyllic, but for Juliet, the timing — and circumstances — couldn’t be worse. First, she’s starting at her new school after spring break. Second, her parents are getting divorced. And third, her older sister is acting like Juliet is overreacting about it all. Then Juliet meets a girl on the beach who helps her connect to her neighbors and look outside herself. Juliet’s feelings and frustrations about her parents’ divorce are realistic, from the secret-keeping to the adult reasoning, and it all adds to the heart of this middle grade novel. The talk of food and inclusion of recipes will make the reader hungry, so pull up a bowl of snacks and dive in. (Scholastic, 2018, hardcover, $16.99)
AGES 12 TO 18
Darius the Great is Not Okay
By Adib Khorram
Darius Kellner is a teen caught between cultures. As the son of an Iranian mother and American father, he doesn’t feel like he really belongs anywhere. Add to that his depression, a first name that begs to be mocked, and a strained relationship with his father, and Darius is definitely not okay. Then Darius learns his Babou is dying of a brain tumor, so the family spends the Nowruz spring holiday in Yazd, Iran. It is there that Darius makes his first best friend and finds a place where he may finally fit in. The Star Trek: The Next Generation references and astronomical framework that Darius uses to define his feelings will amuse Captain Picard fans. This is a special coming-of-age young adult novel that offers a beautiful look at family complexities and the country of Iran. (Dial, 2018, hardcover, $17.99)
PICTURE BOOKS
AGES 4 TO 7
Bloom Written by Deborah Diesen & Illustrated by Mary Lundquist
(Farrar Straus Giroux, 2017, hardcover, $16.99)
EARLY READERS
AGES 4 TO 6
Mouse Loves Spring Written by Lauren Thompson & Illustrated by Buket Erdogan
(Simon Spotlight, 2018, hardcover, $16.99)
AGES 5 TO 7
A Windy Spring Day Written by Wendy Dunham & Illustrated by Michal Sparks
(Harvest House, 2018, hardcover, $12.99)
NON-FICTION
AGES 6 TO 10
Spectacular Spring By Bruce Goldstone
(Henry Holt, 2018, hardcover, $17.99)
MIDDLE GRADE
AGES 6 TO 9
Stink: Hamlet and Cheese Written by Megan McDonald & Illustrated by Peter Reynolds
(Candlewick, 2018, hardcover, $14.99)
AGES 8 TO 10
The Robo-Battle of Mega Tortoise vs. Hazard Hare: A Graphic Novel Written by Stephanie Peters & Illustrated by Fern Cano
(Stone Arch Books, 2018, paperback, $4.95)
AGES 8 TO 12
Lucky Little Things By Janice Erlbaum
(Farrar Straus Giroux, 2018, hardcover, $16.99)
Sabotage Stage Left By Casey Lyall
(Sterling, 2018, hardcover, $14.95)
YOUNG ADULT
AGES 12 TO 18
Finding Yvonne By Brandy Colbert
(Little, Brown, 2018, hardcover, $17.99)
Hearts Unbroken By Cynthia Leitich Smith
(Candlewick, 2018, hardcover, $17.99)
Swing By Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess
(Blink, 2018, hardcover, $18.99)
That’s Not What Happened By Kody Keplinger
(Scholastic, 2018, hardcover, $18.99)