Watch our staff picks video to hear from our team and learn more about these must-reads below!
Author: Elysse Villalobos
May 2022 New Releases
Browse all of our May new releases, including new picture books, middle grade, young adult, and paperback books!
MacKids Spotlight: Julie C. Dao
Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena is a middle grade action-packed laser tag adventure that follows Clip and Sadie Chu, siblings who must learn that they’re far better off working together than competing for the ultimate victory.
Meet the author, Julie C. Dao, and read about the inspiration behind the book below!
Read our Q&A with Julie C. Dao here →Asian and Asian American Voices Resource Center
We’re celebrating our Asian American authors, illustrators, and creators this month (and every month)! Keep reading to discover new books and revisit your favorites!
Discover books & resources for AAPI Month →Educator Guide: The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta
The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta
Ages 14-18
On Sale Now!
Indir is a Dreamer, descended from a long line of seers; able to see beyond reality, she carries the rare gift of Dreaming truth. But when the beloved king dies, his son has no respect for this time-honored tradition. King Alcan wants an opportunity to bring the Dreamers to a permanent end—an opportunity Indir will give him if he discovers the two secrets she is struggling to keep. As violent change shakes Indir’s world to its core, she is forced to make an impossible choice: fight for her home or fight to survive.
Saya is a seer, but not a Dreamer—she has never been formally trained. Her mother exploits her daughter’s gift, passing it off as her own as they travel from village to village, never staying in one place too long. Almost as if they’re running from something. Almost as if they’re being hunted. When Saya loses the necklace she’s worn since birth, she discovers that seeing isn’t her only gift—and begins to suspect that everything she knows about her life has been a carefully-constructed lie. As she comes to distrust the only family she’s ever known, Saya will do what she’s never done before, go where she’s never been, and risk it all in the search of answers.
With a detailed, supernaturally-charged setting and topical themes of patriarchal power and female strength, Lizz Huerta’s The Lost Dreamer brings an ancient world to life, mirroring the challenges of our modern one.
Learn more about The Lost Dreamer here →Earth Day Resource Center
Celebrate Earth Day (April 22) with these books! Keep reading to discover an entire collection of books that will inspire your young readers to become environmentally conscious.
Oceans of Possibilities
Are you participating in the Oceans of Possibilities Collaborative Summer Library Program? Add these books to your shelves today!
Book Round-up: Talking to Kids About Current Events: Ukraine
Not sure how to talk to kids about what’s happening in world events? We’ve rounded up some books that provide an accessible way to talk to kids about lessons we can learn from history, and also included some books to use as resources for media literacy. Plus, see below to find journal entry prompts to help your kids process their emotions.
A Note:
Because talking about current events–especially those involving war–can be a triggering experience for people at any age, it can be a good idea to allow kids to process what they’ve already seen and heard before starting any new conversations. By creating a space for kids to journal, they can start digesting their own emotions and responses. Keep in mind that some children have experienced the effects of war and may feel a personal connection to the Eastern European population closely impacted by Putin’s actions. To provide you with some talking points, we’ve found a list of sources that can help educators talk about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with students.
Sources for Talking to Children About the Attack on Ukraine
Teachers can offer a safe space for students to talk about the war in Ukraine and help them take action – with entry-level talking points for kids at varying ages
Talking to Kids About the War in Ukraine – from San Diego County Office of Education, many resources for talking to children of all ages and includes social-emotional resources
Hear what teens have to say about the war in Ukraine – teen posts from the New York Times forum
Journal Entry Prompts for Processing Current Events:
Prompt 1 for early education: Think about the news events that you’ve watched or heard adults talk about this week. What was the news? Do you think it is important? How do you feel about this news?
Prompt 2 for middle graders: Think about the news events that have happened this week. Choose the one event that you think is important, and write a paragraph journal entry about it. What happened? Why do you think it is important? How do you feel about what you’ve heard?
Prompt 3 for high schoolers: Think about the current events that have happened in the world this past week. Choose a specific event that you think is important, and write a multi-paragraph journal entry about it. What happened? Why is it important? Do you feel personally impacted by this? How can you empathize with those affected by the event?
Click the tabs below to view more books in each age category.
Celebrate Poetry Month with a sweepstakes, giveaway, and more!
We’ve put together a roundup of titles to get you excited about National Poetry Month, including titles like National Book Award Finalist, CSK Steptoe Award Winner, and William C. Morris YA Debut award finalist Me (Moth); Caldecott Honor Book A Place Inside of Me; and My Thoughts are Clouds.
Plus, request a digital preview copy of Moonwalking by Zetta Elliott and Lyn Miller-Lachmann!
Find more poetry recommendations & learn more about MOONWALKING here →March 2022 New Releases
Browse all of our March new releases, including new picture books, middle grade, young adult, and paperback books!
Discussion Guide & Mackin Webinar: Olympians by George O’Connor
Scroll to discover each graphic novel!
Join George O’Connor, creator of the Olympians graphic novels, for a special preview event with Mackin where he talks with Mark Siegel, Creative Director of FirstSecond Books, about his journey of creating the Olympians series. Book 12, Olympians: Dionysos, is the final book in the Olympians series and is available for purchase March 8, 2022. If you’re looking to complete your collection, the final boxed set of Books 7-12 will also be available!
In the final volume of the New York Times–bestselling Olympians graphic novel series, author/artist George O’Connor focuses on Dionysos, the god of wine and madness.
The Olympians saga draws to a close with the tale of Dionysos, the last Olympian, and maybe, just maybe, the first of a new type of God. His story is told by the first Olympian herself, Hestia, Goddess of the hearth and home. From her seat in the center of Mt. Olympus, Hestia relates the rise of Dionysos, from his birth to a mortal mother, to his discovery of wine, his battles with madness and his conquering of death itself, culminating, finally, in his ascent to Olympus and Godhood.
Mackin Event: Using Comics in the Classroom Case Study: The Olympians
In case you missed it–watch a special event with bestselling, award-winning Olympians creator George O’Connor and First Second Creative Director Mark Siegel as they discuss the value of using graphic novels in libraries and classrooms. Using the Olympians series as a case study, the panelists discuss how graphic novels can supplement curriculums. Greek mythology has never been so action-packed and entertaining! Moderated by Mackin educational consultant Tuan Nguyen.
Click the image below to watch a recording of this Olympians event!
