This month's April Rains brings a wealth of worthwhile books for young readers, including a picture-book biography of a master speller, a Grammy-winning artist's middle-grade debut, a young adult novel that follows teenage activists in Costa Rica, and much more.
picture books
Artist
Ed Vere. Two-day, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-5255-8087-4. Age 3-7 years. A little Godzilla-esque dinosaur overcomes a big mistake on her way to becoming an artist.
A bed of stars
Jessica Love. Candle Wick, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-5362-1239-6. Age 4-8 years. Father and son overnight camping offers a moment of connection with the vastness of the universe.Check out our revealed cover.The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Big kids Not all
Wednesday Kirwan. Little Simon, $8.99 (36p) ISBN 978-1-66593-241-7. Age 1-5 years. In this muted panel, the child refuses several times as a sign of his autonomy. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Balint Zsako. The Enchanted Lion, $29.95 (184p) ISBN 978-1-59270-393-7. Age 7 and up. When a tree saves a rabbit from a terrible fate, he asks it to help him find other rabbits. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
How do you spell unfair? MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee
Carole Boston Weatherford, ill. by Frank Morrison. Candle Wick, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-536-21554-0. Age 7-10. This picture book highlights the accomplishments of Cox (1923-1976), who became the first African-American to win a spelling bee in Akron, Ohio, qualifying him for the National Spelling Bee in Washington.PW.
Make Room: The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schön, and Some Very Famous Ducklings
Angela Burke Kunkel, ill. by Claire Keane. Random House Studio, $19.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-593-37335-4. Age 4-8 years. This two-picture biography combines the story of McCloskey andMake room for the ducklingswith the story of the sculptor Schön, whose duck figures in the Boston Public Garden commemorate McCloskey's work. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Miss Irwin
Allen Say. Scholastic Press, $19.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-338-30040-6. Age 4-8 years. When Andy's grandmother can't remember his name, Andy helps her regain her memory by visiting memories of her time as a teacher.
Climbing to the sky: How the tallest trees in the world grow
Rebecca E. Hirsch, ill. by Mia Posada. Millbrook, $20.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-72844-087-3. Age 5-10. Using different trees as a subject, Hirsch and Posada illustrate the biology of plants. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Intermediate level
A big tree
Brian Selznick. Scholastic Press, $32.99 (528p) ISBN 978-1-338-18063-3. Age 7 years and older. Two sycamore seed siblings, Louise and Merwin, are looking for a place to put down roots after a wildfire drives them from their home.Read more about the creation of the Great Tree.The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Elf dog and owl head
MT Anderson, illusion. by Junya Wu. Candle Wick, $18.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-536222-81-4. Age 8-12. Clay discovers paths to alternate realms led by his new white elf dog, Elphinore. Read more aboutWhat awaits Anderson this season. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Ghosts, toasts and other dangers
Susan Tan. Roaring Brook, $17.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-250-79700-1. Age 8-12. 12-year-old Chinese-American Mo Lin encounters the ghost of a deceased elephant and investigates how her death is connected to the town's history. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
The Prophecy of the Manifesto
Angie Thomas, ill. Setor Fiadzigbey. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, $19.99 (368p) ISBN 978-0-06-322513-8. Age 8-12. Nichole Blake is ready to accept her gift as a Manifestor, but stumbles upon a prophecy that promises the destruction of the Peculiar World unless the Chosen Ones can intervene.The book received an excellent review fromPW.
The rhythm of time
Questlove, from SA Cosby, ill. by Godwin Akpan. Putnam, $18.99 (240p) ISBN 978-0-593-35406-3. Age 10 and over. Hip-hop fanatic Rahim is stuck in the past and befriends his father, while his neighbor Kasia tries to find a way to bring him back to the present.
School trip
Jerry Craft. Quill Tree, $24.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-06-288554-8; $14.99 paperback ISBN 978-0-06-288553-1. Age 8-12. Accompanied by a Newbery winnerNew kidand its continuation,Take the class, eighth grader Jordan Banks goes to Paris on a school trip and deals with homesickness and friendship issues. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
sunlight
Jarrett J. Krosoczka. Graphix, $27.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-338-35632-8; $14.99 paperback ISBN 978-1-338-35631-1. Age 12 and over. This young adult graphic novel sequel is a Krosoczki National Book Award finalistBook, Kidofollows the summer years of the creator's work in a camp for children suffering from dangerous diseases.Read more about creating a schedule here.The book received an excellent review fromPW.
A young adult
Apartments in Buffalo
Martin Leavitt. Vacation House/Ferguson, $18.99 (240p) ISBN 978-0-823-44342-0. Age 12 and over. In this historical novel based on the life stories of the author's ancestors, a Canadian farmer's daughter makes room for her feminist dreams in the Latter-day Saint community of the 1890s. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Bianca Torre is afraid of everything
Justine Pucella Winans. Clarion, $19.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-35872-164-2. Age 14 and over. Despite her long list of worries, Bianca Torre investigates her neighbor's murder even though she is the only witness. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
long blood
Terry J. Benton-Walker. Teen Track, $18.99 (416p) ISBN 978-1-250-82592-6. Age 13 and over. Magical heirs and siblings Cris and Clement Trudeau must uncover a traitor in their court when they learn that their mother has been poisoned. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Don't forget me
Alyson Derrick. Simon & Schuster, $19.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-6659-0237-3. Age 14 and over. After a devastating fall that leaves Stevie with no memory of the past two years, her girlfriend tries to readjust to her life.
Global: one fragile world. An epic struggle for survival
Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, ill. by Giovanni Rigano. Reference Manuals, $24.99 (144p) ISBN 978-1-7282-5723-5; $14.99 paper ISBN 978-1-7282-6219-2. Age 10-14. Two young people, 12-year-old Sami and 14-year-old Yuki, struggle to overcome the dangerous situations caused by climate change.
House of harvest
Cynthia Leitich Smith. Candle Wick, $19.99 (320 pence) ISBN 978-1-53-621860-2. Age 12 and over. Hughie Wolfe's job at a culturally insensitive haunted house leads to an encounter with a ghost who tries to protect young Native women. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
If I see you tomorrow
Robbie's couch. Simon & Schuster, $19.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-5344-9749-8. Age 12 and over. Clark Huckleton's time loop finally moves when Beau shows up and helps him change his repetitive day. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
The making of the witch Yolanda
Lorraine Avila. Levine Querido, $19.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-64614-243-9. High school sophomore Yolanda Nuelis Alvarez, an aspiring bruja, struggles with dangerous visions of gun violence at her school in the Bronx. Check out oursinterview with Aviloabout incorporating astrology into his novels for young adults. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Pardalit
Joan Estrela, trans. from Portuguese Lyn Miller-Lachmann. Levine Querido, $21.99 (224p) ISBN 978-1-64614-255-2; $16.99 paperback ISBN 978-1-64614-256-9. Age 12 and over. Raquel's new friendship with the artist Pardalita raises questions about her sexuality. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Silver in the bone
Aleksandra Brack. Knopf, $19.99 (496p) ISBN 978-0-593-48165-3. Age 14 and over. To save her brother from a curse, Tamsin competes with ruthless artifact hunters to find an ancient relic that could be a cure.
Melissa de la Cruz. Putnam, $18.99 (288p) ISBN 978-0-593-32668-8. Age 12 and over. In this reimagining of "Snow White," Sophie flees her kingdom when her relationship with a prince sparks war and finds refuge in the woods with seven young miners.
A bound spell
FT Lukens. McElderry, $19.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-66591-622-6. Age 14 and over. Sixteen-year-old Edison Rooker must team up with Sun's rival student to rescue both of his mentors after they are kidnapped by the magical authorities.
This delicious death
Kayla Cottingham. Sourcebooks Fire, $11.99 (304p) paper ISBN 978-1-7282-3644-5. Age 14 and over. Zoey, Celeste, Jasmine and Valerie's cannibalistic ghosts go to a music festival, but when they discover that someone is deliberately trying to drive the ghosts wild with drugs, they must investigate before it's too late.The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Back to the past
Maureen Goo. Zando Young Readers, $19.99 (368p) ISBN 978-1-63893-020-4. Age 14 and over. After a serious fight with his mother, Sam ends up in 1995, where he befriends a younger version of his mother and helps her campaign to win prom queen in hopes of returning home. [Read more in our cover reveal.The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Where do you see each other
Claire Forrest. Scholastic Press, $19.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-338-81383-8. Age 12 and over. Wheelchair user Effie battles talented school administrators as she searches for the perfect college. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Wings in the wild
Margaret Angle. Atheneum, $18.99 (224p) ISBN 978-1-66592-636-2. Age 12 and over. Brought together by circumstances in Costa Rica, Soleida and Dariel launch a human rights campaign to help Soleida's family and endangered wildlife and forests. The book received an excellent review fromPW.
Work with what you have
Zion Clark and James S. Hirsch. Candle Wick, $18.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-5362-2421-4. Age 14 and over. Professional athlete and disability activist Clark (born 1997) describes his childhood, navigating the foster care system in Stark County, Ohio, and his journey to becoming an athlete.
FAQs
What is the trend in children's books in 2023? ›
In 2023, children's books will go beyond traditional storytelling. Interactive storytelling will be a trend that encourages readers to engage with the story in different ways. This can include augmented reality, interactive illustrations, and choose-your-own-adventure books.
What is the new book coming out on April 11 2023? ›The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda.
With twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the very end, this upcoming thriller book is a must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery. Expected publication date: April 11th, 2023.
Each year a committee of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) identifies the best of the best in children's books. According to the Notables Criteria, "notable" is defined as: Worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding.
How to choose books for 3 5 year olds? ›- Choose good books that are easy to relate to. ...
- Opt for books that teach kids important things. ...
- Choose books that may not be your personal pick. ...
- Find books that are not too difficult to read for kids. ...
- Look for kids' books with strong illustrations. ...
- Choose books that are fun to read aloud.
Readers of all ages can join in the fun of Children's Book Week with this year's Find Your Spark Challenge. The 2023 theme, Read Books. Spark Change. encourages you to think about books as a spark for positive change.
What is trending in kids books? ›- Empowered Females. Now, this is something we can get behind! ...
- Dragons. Dragons have never lost their place amongst storybooks in all these years. ...
- Unicorns. ...
- Pugs. ...
- Wild Creatures. ...
- Ghosts, Monsters, and Scary Things. ...
- Video Games. ...
- Mysteries.
23 April is a symbolic date in world literature. It is the date on which several prominent authors, William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died.
What Percy Jackson book is coming out in 2023? ›Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Chalice of the Gods is scheduled for release Sept. 26, 2023. The first two books, The Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters, were adapted as films starring Logan Lerman and Alexandra Daddario.
Is World Book Day March 3 or April 23? ›Date selection
In 1995, UNESCO decided that the World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on 23 April, as the date is also the anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, as well as that of the birth or death of several other prominent authors.
The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.
What is the highest honor book award? ›
One of the Most Prestigious Book Awards: The Nobel Prize in Literature. This is the oldest literary award bestowed since 1901. The Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded 115 times to 119 Nobel Prize laureates between 1901 and 2022.
What is the most prestigious book awards for children literary pieces? ›Awarded by the American Library Association since 1922, the Newbery Medal is the most coveted award given to an author for America's Best Children's Book of the Year.
What level book should a 5 year old be reading? ›Level 1 books for 3-6 year old students are often wordless books that tell a story through pictures alone. They help children to develop speaking and listening skills through creating and telling stories.
What stage book should a 5 year old be on? ›Stage 1 | 3.5 to 4.5 years |
---|---|
Stage 1+ | 4.5 to 5 years |
Stage 2 | 4.5 to 5 years |
Stage 3 | 5 to 5.5 years |
Stage 4 | 5 to 5.5 years |
Pink book band
Level 1+. Recommended reading age 4 - 5 years. For children just starting to read. Children are getting used to reading from left to right and matching spoken words to written words.
eTwinning Theme of the Year 2023: Innovation and Education – Being Creative with eTwinning. The eTwinning Theme of the Year 2023 will revolve around the relationship between 'Innovation' and 'Education'.
What is the theme for Take Your child to Work day 2023? ›This year's event will be on Thursday, April 27, 2023 with the theme, "Working Better Together." The following resources are available to you and the children in your life to encourage learning and help them explore what is possible in their futures.
Why do kids dress up for book Week? ›By dressing up as their favourite bookish character, children are given the time to truly connect with books and to associate reading with fun. The power of choice plays an important role in costume selection as well.
What is the most read children's book? ›The Very Hungry Caterpillar, written and illustrated by Eric Carle, is of the bestselling children's books of all time. The book has been translated into over 62 languages since it was first published in 1969 and on average, a copy is sold somewhere in the world every 30 seconds.
What kind of books children like to read most? ›Rhyming stories and books with repeated patterned sounds are particularly interesting to children. Picture storybooks remain children's favorite books long after their preschool years. Participation books are another type of storybook.
What theme month is April? ›
There are several awareness months celebrated in April — though the five that often get the most attention include Stress Awareness Month, Earth Month, Alcohol Awareness Month, Arab American Heritage Month, and Autism Acceptance Month.
What is important on April 23? ›April 23rd also marks National Picnic Day, St. George's Day, and World Book Day.
What is special about April 23? ›NATIONAL TAKE A CHANCE DAY - April 23 - National Day Calendar.
Is Rick Riordan writing any more books? ›The new book is titled Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Chalice of the Gods and will be released next year. It will follow the 5th book in the series and will continue the Percy Jackson series after a 14-year hiatus.
Is there a sixth Percy Jackson book coming out? ›On October 18, Rick Riordan, author of the best-selling fantasy-adventure series, announced that a sixth (!!) Percy Jackson book is on the way. Titled Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Chalice of the Gods, the new installment will hit shelves on September 26, 2023.
Is Rick Riordan writing a new series? ›Percy Jackson & the Olympians is getting a new book in the series as author Rick Riordan confirmed Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Chalice of the Gods. Riordan announced that the new book would go on sale on September 26, 2023.
What is the theme of World Book Day 23 April 2023? ›The theme for World Book Day 2023 is “Indigenous Languages.” The theme is focused on the native languages of a country. Arthashastra, the famous Sanskrit treatise on statecraft composed in the 3rd century BC, is attributed to the author Kautilya, often identified as Chanakya and Vishnugupta.
What holiday is April 23 2023? ›National days on Sun Apr 23rd, 2023. Explore worldwide events, festivals, funny, weird, and national days on this day! It's World Table Tennis Day, National Picnic Day, St.
What is the theme for April 23 World Book Day? ›On the occasion of World Book and Copyright Day, here are quotes by famous authors to share with your loved ones. The theme for World Book and Copyright Day for April 23, 2023 (Sunday), is Indigenous Languages which need to be preserved.
What is the best award you can get for a book? ›Of all these book awards, the most prestigious are the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Pulitzer Prize, the Booker Prize, the International Booker Prize, PEN America Literary Awards, the National Book Award and the Costa Book Awards.
What level is Harvard Book Award? ›
The Harvard Book Award or Harvard Prize Book is an award given out by the alumni of Harvard University to the top-performing student(s) in 11th/12th grade reading classes in nearly 2,000 "selected" high schools from around the world. The award has been in existence since 1910.
What reading level is code of honor? ›Publisher | Scholastic Press (August 25, 2015) |
---|---|
Reading age | 10+ years, from customers |
Lexile measure | HL660L |
Grade level | 7 - 9 |
Item Weight | 13.6 ounces |
Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction
The Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction is given every year and is considered to be an extremely prestigious award.
It isn't uncommon to hear people compare the honors and make their respective choices. A common comparison on this subject is that the Pulitzer is more eminent than the Nobel trophy for instance.
How many people get the Harvard Book Award? ›The Harvard Prize Book programme was started by Harvard alumni in 1910. Today, more than 1700 Harvard Prize Books are awarded annually around the world.
What is the children's book award 2023? ›John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature: “Freewater,” written by Amina Luqman-Dawson, is the 2023 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by JIMMY Patterson/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
What is the most coveted literary award? ›Nobel Prize
The highest literary award is not easy to win. The Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to only a select number of authors by the Nobel committee since its inception, including Samuel Beckett, Virginia Woolf, Rudyard Kipling, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and T. S.
The Booker Prize for Fiction promotes the finest in literary fiction by rewarding the very best novel of the year. The prize is the world's most important literary award and has the power to transform the fortunes of authors and publishers.
What level should a 7 year old be reading? ›Most seven-year-old children are reading at a level in line with their grades in school. Most seven-year-old children are in first or second grade, so those in first grade should read at a first-grade level, and those in second grade should read at a second-grade level.
At what age should a child read fluently? ›On average, most kids are able to read independently and fluently by the end of third grade, which is around when they are 9-10 years old. Children at this age are able to read simple sentences and storybooks. By age 11-13, your child should begin to use reading as a learning tool.
How far should a 5 year old count? ›
Five-year-olds are transitioning into elementary school mathematics. At this age, a child can often count up to twenty and beyond, and they'll start to apply this knowledge every week at school.
How many sight words should a 5 year old know? ›Q: How many sight words should kindergarteners learn? A: There are varying opinions as to how many words children should learn. Some literacy experts like Tim Shanahan believe that kindergarteners should master 20 sight words by the end of kindergarten.
What level should a 6 year old be reading? ›What is a 6 year old reading level in early kindergarten? A 6 year old reading level is broad. However, in general, at the age of 6, most kids are starting to string letter sounds together to read short vowel words.
What should a 6 year old be able to read? ›First and Second Grade (Ages 6–7)
read familiar stories. "sound out" or decode unfamiliar words. use pictures and context to figure out unfamiliar words. use some common punctuation and capitalization in writing.
In kindergarten, many children begin at guided reading Level A and work up to Level D. Books at these levels feature plenty of pictures for support, repetitive sentences and words, limited text, and large font. If your child is not ready for independent reading, be sure to still fit in plenty of family read-aloud time.
What age is phonics Level 4? ›A Parent Guide to Phase 4 Phonics (Ages 4 - 5)
What are publishers looking for in 2023? ›- Personalization. ...
- Artificial Intelligence. ...
- Balancing Authority Content With Approachability. ...
- Audio Content. ...
- Video Content. ...
- Podcasts, Social Video And AI-Generated Texts. ...
- P2P Publishing Opportunities. ...
- NLP Tools.
The challenge runs from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023. You can sign up any time, but only count books that you read between those dates. Read a book in any format (hard copy, ebook, audio) with a title that fits into each category. Don't use the same book for more than one category.
What type of book do children read nowadays? ›8. What type of books do children read nowadays? Young people today read a lot more books, both nonfiction and fiction. When it comes to reading such things, they find that reading them online is more convenient than publishing them.
What are the current trends in books? ›- Use of AI For Publishing. Over the years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has occupied a hovering existence in our lives. ...
- Using Audio-Visual Format For Scholarly Content. ...
- Visible Growth of Self-Publishing. ...
- Emergence Of Book Summary Platforms. ...
- Conclusion.
What are publishers looking for in children's books? ›
If your character is weak or underdeveloped, the story won't engage the reader and the plot will falter. Look for something different or unusual about your character that sets them apart from anything that's gone before. Give them a backstory; the better you know them, the better you'll write them.
What are publishers looking for now? ›Publishers want authors who use words well, who understand such basics as spelling, punctuation and grammar, and whose prose is easy to read. Publishers want authors who will be able to write additional publishable books or stories or features for them.
Do self-published books get picked up by publishers? ›Be prepared to pull your self-published book from the market
An agent or publishing house will not want self-published editions of your book up for sale on platforms like Amazon or in bookstores, so before attempting to find an agent or a publishing house, you'll have to take your book off the market.
#23in2023 is a reading challenge that has been trending on the Instagram book community (or “bookstagram.”) Essentially, you pick 23 books you want to read in 2023, preferably books you already own but haven't read yet.
What is the read 50 books in a year challenge? ›What is the 50 Book Challenge? The 50 Book Challenge is a yearly program hosted by the Twinsburg Public Library where we invite you to challenge yourself to read 50 books in a year. This means reading about one book per week (or more!).
What kind of book are most popular with children? ›Young children prefer comics and books that have nice illustration while teenagers like to read detective books and fiction.
What do children like to read the most? ›Rhyming stories and books with repeated patterned sounds are particularly interesting to children. Picture storybooks remain children's favorite books long after their preschool years. Participation books are another type of storybook.
What has replaced reading books nowadays? ›Nowadays, for many people, the Internet is replacing regular books. What do you think will happen in the future and what is your opinion about this trend?
What genre of novels are most popular right now? ›Romance: Romance is consistently one of the best-selling genres. Contemporary and paranormal romances are especially hot right now. Plus, editors and readers are hungry for diverse characters in terms of both race and sexuality—in romance stories that aren't necessarily about the trauma of their marginalized identity.