With the holiday season upon us, we are excited to display these delightful titles and celebrate the holidays across many cultures and traditions. From Diwali to Lunar New Year, we hope to diversify your reading list into the new year.
Check Out our Winter/Holiday Titles →
Farther Than the Moon
By Lindsay Lackey
Ages 10-14
On Sale Now!
From award-winning author Lindsay Lackey comes Farther Than the Moon, a heartfelt story about a boy who wants to become an astronaut, but wonders if his dreams can include his brother with disabilities, perfect for fans of We Dream of Space and Song for a Whale.
All thirteen-year-old Houston Stewart has ever wanted is to become an astronaut. His dreams feel like they’re finally coming true when he’s accepted to the highly-competitive Junior Astronaut Recruitment Program – if only he could bring his little brother, Robbie, with him.
Ever since their dad left, Houston and Robbie have been inseparable. It’s hard to tell where Houston’s love of space ends and where Robbie’s begins. But Robbie’s cerebral palsy and epilepsy mean he needs medical attention at home, so Houston is forced to take this giant leap for the two of them all on his own.
At camp, Houston is quickly drawn into the orbit of new friends, cosmic adventures, and a long-lost grandfather. But as Houston struggles to meet the program’s rigorous demands, he’s forced to reckon with the truth that Robbie may never visit space like the brothers have always hoped. But Houston is determined to honor Robbie’s dream, even if it seems like an impossible mission. So, like a good astronaut, he dares to make a new plan — one that shoots for the stars.
Called “a remarkable and heartfelt story that is as fun and gripping as it is profoundly moving” by #1 New York Times-bestselling author Dan Gemeinhart, this is a captivating read for aspiring astronauts and scientists, and a perfect holiday gift.
DOWNLOAD THE Farther Than The Moon TEACHER’S GUIDE HERE→
Our Graphic Novel Preview series invites readers to look inside graphic novels. This month we’re highlighting the powerful own-voices young adult graphic novel Call Me Iggy by Jorge Aguirre; illustrated by Rafael Rosado, out February 13, 2024!
Look inside Call Me Iggy→
The Gray
By Chris Baron
Ages 10-14
On Sale Now!
The Gray is a sensitively told middle grade story from Chris Baron about living with anxiety and finding ways to cope.
It’s been a tough year for Sasha—he’s been bullied at his middle school and his anxiety, which he calls the Gray, is growing. Sasha’s dad tells him to “toughen up”—and he does, but with unfortunate, hurtful results. His parents and therapist agree that a summer in the country with his aunt might be the best medicine, but it’s the last place he wants to be. He’ll be away from his best friend, video games, and stuck in the house that reminds him of his beloved uncle who died two years earlier.
His aunt is supportive, and there are lots of places to explore, and even some potential new friends. When Sasha is introduced at a local ranch to a horse coincidentally–incredibly–nicknamed the Gray, he feels he’s found a kindred spirit.
But his own Gray is ever-present. When one of his new friends disappears, Sasha discovers that the country is wilder and more mysterious than he imagined. He tries to muster enough courage to help in the search . . . but will the Gray hold him back?
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT The Gray HERE →
We’re so excited to see our educator friends November 16 to 19 in Columbus, OH!
Our Graphic Novel Preview series invites readers to look inside graphic novels. This month we’re highlighting the highly anticipated sequel middle grade graphic novel Look on the Bright Side by Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann, out now!
Look inside Look on the Bright Side →
Take a deep dive with your classroom into Big Tune: Rise of the Dancehall Prince by Alliah L. Agostini; illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice. This picture book is about a community coming together to have a good time. In this activity kit, you can host your own Dancehall Party, and bring different cultures together. A Dancehall Party is when “Family, friends, music, food, and drink are a universal recipe for a good time! And in immigrant communities like the early 1990s Brooklyn, New York, Jamaican community depicted here, parties or bashments are an opportunity to reconnect with local family, friends, and the rhythm and flavors of a home thousands of miles away.”
Click below to download the activity kit to share in your school or library.
Find Out More about Big Tune: Rise of the dancehall prince Activity Kit >
This month’s Author Spotlight highlights Mitali Perkins, the author of Hope in the Valley, a middle-grade novel exploring grief, friendship, family, and growing up in a community facing a housing crisis. It’s also received five starred reviews this year!
Discover More about MITALI PERKINS and HOPE IN THE VALLEYYou’ll hear from talented creators, including author Zohreh Ghahremani and illustrator Susie Ghahremani (Memory Garden), E. L. Shen (Maybe It’s a Sign), and Amra Sabic-El-Rayess (Three Summers).
Listen to a special picture book debut interview from author Adam Pottle and illustrator Ziyue Chen in conversation with Editorial Director of Roaring Brook Press Connie Hsu to talk about Butterfly on the Wind. Plus, don’t miss our live special guest Elisha Cooper, Caldecott honor author and illustrator, in conversation with Executive Editor of Roaring Brook Press Emily Feinberg. Listen as they discuss Elisha’s new picture book Emma Full of Wonders!
Timestamps:
4:24 – Adam Pottle, Ziyue Chen, and Connie Hsu in conversation
20:18 – Picture Books
26:55 – Zohreh and Susie Ghahremani (Memory Garden) feature video
31:19 – Middle Grade Books
32:47 – E.L. Shen (Maybe It’s A Sign) feature video
40:40 – Amra Sabic-El-Rayess (Three Summers) feature video
44:15 – Young Adult Books
52:40 – Elisha Cooper and Emily Feinberg in conversation
Choosing Brave
By Angela Joy; illustrated by Janelle Washington
Ages 8-12
On Sale Now!
A Caldecott-honor winning picture book biography of the mother of Emmett Till, and how she channeled grief over her son’s death into a call to action for the civil rights movement.
Mamie Till-Mobley is the mother of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old boy who was brutally murdered while visiting the South in 1955. His death became a rallying point for the civil rights movement, but few know that it was his mother who was the catalyst for bringing his name to the forefront of history.
In Choosing Brave, Angela Joy and Janelle Washington offer a testament to the power of love, the bond of motherhood, and one woman’s unwavering advocacy for justice. It is a poised, moving work about a woman who refocused her unimaginable grief into action for the greater good. Mamie fearlessly refused to allow America to turn away from what happened to her only child. She turned pain into change that ensured her son’s life mattered.
Timely, powerful, and beautifully told, this thorough and moving story has been masterfully crafted to be both comprehensive and suitable for younger readers.
DOWNLOAD THE Choosing BRave EDUCATORS GUIDE HERE →
