Summer 2021 Picks

Dewey Diva Picks - Fall 2015

Elephant in the Dark

Elephant in the Dark

By Mina Javaherbin | Eugene Yelchin | ISBN 978-0-545-63670-4
Ages 4-8 | HC | Picture Books | September 2015

This well-loved story is based on a poem by the popular 13th century Persian poet, Rumi. The author, Mina Javaherbin, also from Iran, has translated and retold this resonant life-long favourite universal tale for contemporary readers of all ages. Eugene Yelchin, Newbery Honor book author/artist of Breaking Stalin's Nose, has based his brilliant illustrations on Persian miniatures.

Five Busy Beavers

Five Busy Beavers  Canadian

By Stella Partheniou Grasso | Christine Battuz | ISBN 978-1-4431-3386-9
Ages 3-8 | PB | Picture Books | October 2015

A catchy rhyme counts down from five until there is only one hardworking beaver left. The others disappeared one by one, called away to play by their animal friends — a muskrat, a heron, a frog and a turtle. When the fifth tired beaver finally heads back to the lodge he finds a big surprise! The bouncy story is rounded out with a facts page at the back, along with information about each animal featured in the book

Sing a Song of Bedtime

Sing a Song of Bedtime  Canadian

By Barbara Reid | ISBN 978-1-4431-4684-5
Ages 0-3 | HC | Picture Books | September 2015

In this beautiful companion to Sing a Song of Mother Goose, Barbara Reid's bright and tactile images illustrate a variety of bedtime rhymes and lullabies. This collection features 14 nursery rhymes and lullabies. Sure to be an instant classic.

The Little Knight Who Battled Monsters

The Little Knight Who Battled Monsters Canadian

By Gilles Tibo | Geneviève Després | ISBN 978-1-4431-3384-5
Ages 3-8 | PB | Picture Books | September 2015

In a curious kingdom built on top of a forest lives a little knight. He has no battles, because there are no enemies around. He spends long days reading and planting flowers, long nights dreaming and snoring peacefully. One day the little knight wakes with a start to a loud knocking at his fortress door. Three of his loyal subjects have been kidnapped! With fresh chocolate cake in his belly, he sets off into the dark forest to find the monsters holding them captive.

The Night Before Christmas

The Night Before Christmas

By Clement Clarke Moore | David Ercolini | ISBN 978-0-545-39112-2
Ages 3-5 | HC | Picture Books | October 2015

A hysterical new version of "The Night Before Christmas"! Creatures of all shapes and all sizes will be stirring with laughter in this overly decked out, Christmas-splendored illustrated picture book! Ercolini breathes new life into an unrivaled classic with his vibrant illustrations featuring fun, accessible scenes of holiday mayhem and spirited cheer. It's The Night Before Christmas as you've never seen it before!

Waddle! Waddle!

Waddle! Waddle!

By James Proimos | ISBN 978-0-545-41846-1
Ages 4-8 | HC | Picture Books | December 2015

What's a penguin to do when he can't find his new friend? Yesterday he made a friend who was an absolutely amazing dancer — but now he can't find him anywhere! Waddle...waddle...bellyslide! Join this hopeful penguin as his search for his new friend takes him on some zany adventures, and ultimately to an unexpected and heartwarming conclusion.

When Sophie's Feelings Are Really, Really Hurt

When Sophie's Feelings Are Really, Really Hurt

By Molly Bang | ISBN 978-0-545-78831-1
Ages 4-8 | HC | Picture Books | October 2015

Everyone's feelings get hurt, and it's especially painful in childhood. In this story, Bang's popular character Sophie is hurt when the other children laugh at her and tell her she's wrong. In the end, the students learn there are many different ways to interpret the world — and each other. Here is a simple story that tackles the common issue of hurt feelings as it gently helps us to be more kind.

Where's Walrus? And Penguin?

Where's Walrus? And Penguin?

By Stephen Savage | ISBN 978-0-545-40295-8
Ages 3-6 | HC | Picture Books | September 2015

In this sequel to the acclaimed Where's Walrus?, author Stephen Savage doubles the fun when Walrus escapes the zoo with his mischievous pal, Penguin. Will the zookeeper find them? Or will these clever runaways stay one step ahead disguised as subway riders, baseball players, and even grand opera performers? Hiding in plain sight, they elude the clueless zookeeper until a fly ball at a baseball game leads Walrus and Penguin to a chance encounter with surprising results!

Zen Socks

Zen Socks

By Jon J Muth | ISBN 978-0-545-16669-0
Ages 4-8 | HC | Picture Books | October 2015

Leo and Molly love their new neighbourhood. Best of all is their friend Stillwater, a giant panda who lives across the way! And the three friends are quite a team! Stillwater teaches Molly about patience. Leo teaches Stillwater about sharing. And Molly shows how one act of kindness can make a world of difference. Jon J Muth's warm, compassionate stories and light-filled pictures are tinged with the wisdom of Zen. Whether young or old, we all learn from one another in the most surprising ways . . .

A Night Divided

A Night Divided

By Jennifer A. Nielsen | ISBN 978-0-545-68242-8
Ages 8-12 | HC | Middle Grade | September 2015

With the rise of the Berlin Wall, Gerta finds her family divided overnight. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Gerta knows it is dangerous to watch the wall, to think forbidden thoughts of freedom, yet she can't help herself. She sees the East German soldiers with their guns trained on their own citizens; she, her family, her neighbours and friends are prisoners in their own city.

Friends for Life

Friends for Life

By Andrew Norriss | ISBN 978-0-545-85186-2
Ages 8-12 | HC | Middle Grade | September 2015

When Jessica sits next to Francis on a bench during recess, he's surprised to learn that she isn't actually alive — she's a ghost. And she's surprised, too, because Francis is the first person who has been able to see her since she died. When they meet two more friends who can also see Jessica, the question arises: What is it that they have in common? And does it have something to do with Jessica being a ghost? This is an ideal book to generate discussions of depression and suicide, and would work well into high school.

George

George

By Alex Gino | ISBN 978-0-545-81254-2
Ages 8-12 | HC | Middle Grade | September 2015

More than anything else, George wants to play Charlotte in her fourth-grade class's production of Charlotte's Web. The problem is, her teacher won't let her, because George is a boy. But George isn't about to let that squash her dream. With the help of her best friend, George must learn to stand up for her wish — and brave a few bullies along the way. Transcending all categories and genres, George is a pertinent and poignant middle-grade read for kids of all backgrounds. An ideal book for discussions around gender identification.

Sight Unseen

Sight Unseen Canadian

By David Carroll | ISBN 978-1-4431-4690-6
Ages 9-12 | PB | Middle Grade | October 2015

Thirteen-year-old Finn loves bike riding — the more dangerous the trail, the better. But he had a spectacular crash a few months ago, and he's just received a diagnosis that will change his life. He is slowly going blind. In a few years his vision will be gone. Desperate to salvage something of his "last" summer, Finn invites a friend to the cottage and is drawn to a strange island that seems to glimmer — but no one else can see it. When he gets close, he's sucked into something he could never have anticipated.

The Lightning Queen

The Lightning Queen

By Laura Resau | ISBN 978-0-545-80084-6
Ages 8-12 | HC | Middle Grade | November 2015

Nothing exciting happens on the Hill of Dust, in the remote mountains of Mexico in the 1950s. And then one day, the mysterious young Esma, who calls herself the Gypsy Queen of Lightning, rolls into town like a fresh burst of colour. Inspired by true stories derived from rural Mexico, The Lightning Queen offers a glimpse of the encounter between two fascinating but marginalized cultures — the Roma and the Mixtec Indians — while telling the heart-warming story of an unlikely friendship.

The Marvels

The Marvels

By Brian Selznick | ISBN 978-0-545-44868-0
Ages 10 & up | HC | Middle Grade | September 15, 2015

In his most intricate and ambitious work to date, Caldecott Award-winner Brian Selznick delivers a magnificent reinvention of his signature form. Two seemingly unrelated stories — the first in pictures, the second in words — together create a beguiling narrative puzzle.

Upside Down Magic

Upside Down Magic Canadian

By Sarah Mlynowski | Emily Jenkins | Lauren Myracle | ISBN 978-0-545-80045-7
Ages 8-12 | HC | Middle Grade | October 2015

Nory Horace is nine years old. She's resourceful, she's brave, she likes peanut butter cookies. Also, she's able to transform into many different animals. Unfortunately, Nory's shape-shifting talent is a bit wonky. And when she flunks out of her own father's magic academy, Nory's forced to enter public school, where she meets a group of kids whose magic is, well, different. First in a new series.

Sunny Side Up

Sunny Side Up

By Jennifer L. Holm | Matthew Holm | ISBN 978-0-545-74166-8
Ages 8-12 | PB | Graphic Novels | September 2015
Also available in HC | ISBN 978-0-545-74165-1

Following the lives of kids whose older brother's delinquent behavior has thrown their family into chaos, Sunny Side Up is at once a compelling "problem" story and a love letter to the comic books that help the protagonist make sense of her world.

Code of Honor

Code of Honor

By Alan Gratz | ISBN 978-0-545-69519-0
Ages 12 & up | HC | Young Adult | September 2015

When seventeen-year-old Iranian-American Kamran Smith learns that his brother has been labeled a terrorist, he knows something isn't right. In a race against time, it is up to Kamran to prove his brother's innocence, even as the country has turned against him and his family. With the help of a ragtag team of underground intelligence professionals, Kamran must piece together the clues and the codes that will save his brother's life — and save his country from possibly the largest terrorist attack since 9/11.

The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall

The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall

By Katie Alender | ISBN 978-0-545-63999-6
Ages 12 & up | HC | Young Adult | September 2015

Delia's new house used to be an asylum, a place to lock up "troubled" young women long ago. And a restless, wicked spirit is still at play — and it doesn't want defiant girls like Delia to go anywhere. So the house kills her. As Delia meets the other ghost girls who haunt the narrow hallways, as well as the handsome ghost boy on the grounds, she learns shocking truths about the house's history. Delia also realizes that her alive and grieving sister might be the house's next target. Can Delia unlock the mystery of the old asylum, save her sister, and free herself?

Untwine

Untwine

By Edwidge Danticat | ISBN 978-0-545-42303-8
Ages 12 & up | HC | Young Adult | October 2015

Giselle Boyer and her identical twin, Isabelle, are inseparable — two parts of a greater whole. But when they and their parents are caught in a devastating car collision, Giselle's entire world flies apart. In the aftermath of the accident, Giselle is seriously injured, unable to escape the prison of her own body and mind. Will she be able to deal with her grief, will her family ever feel whole again? In the wake of such earth-shattering tragedy, will Giselle learn to make sense of a world she knows isn't as bright as it used to be?

Young Man With Camera

Young Man With Camera Canadian

By Emil Sher | Photography by David Wyman | ISBN 978-0-545-54131-2
Ages 12 & up | HC | Young Adult | October 2015

A picture is worth a thousand words — and with a unique photographic format, startlingly original voice, and provocative portrayal of bullying, Young Man With Camera is a debut to get people talking.

Courage & Defiance: Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in World War II Denmark

Courage & Defiance: Stories of Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in World War II Denmark

By Deborah Hopkinson | ISBN 978-0-545-59220-8
Ages 8-12 | HC | Non-Fiction | September 2015

When the Nazis invaded Denmark the morning of Tuesday, April 9, 1940, the people of this tiny country to the north of Germany awoke to a devastating surprise. The government of Denmark surrendered quietly, and the Danes were ordered to go about their daily lives as if nothing had changed. But everything had changed. With her extraordinary talent for digging deep in her research and weaving real voices into her narratives, Hopkinson reveals the thrilling truth behind one of WWII's most daring resistance movements.

Hey, Seymour!

Hey, Seymour!

By Walter Wick | ISBN 978-0-545-50216-0
Ages All | BB | Non-Fiction | October 2015

Curious seekers will expand the fun as they lift up the pages to discover that something has changed and it's time to solve a Brand-New riddle! All of Walter Wick's beautiful photographs include the character of Seymour (from the Can You See What I See? series) and introduce Seymour's new dog, Buttons. This book has sturdy gatefolds.

Scholastic Canada Children's Atlas of the World (revised edition)

Scholastic Canada Children's Atlas of the World (revised edition) Canadian

By Chez Picthall | ISBN 978-1-4431-4668-5
Ages 6 & up | HC | Non-Fiction | September 2015

This revised and updated edition features the latest digital mapping techniques, full-colour photographs and fascinating facts on every spread! Learn all about countries and their national flags, capital cities, populations and more! Readers will be introduced to global topics such as climate, conservation and the environment.

Superstars of Science

Superstars of Science

By R.G Grant | Simon Basher | ISBN 978-0-545-82627-3
Ages 8-12 | PB | Non-Fiction | September 2015

Superstars of Science tells the stories behind the big ideas in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, mathematics, cosmology, earth sciences, and engineering. Read about 40 great scientists! Each one of these greats of science has had some vital flash of insight that has changed the way we see the world and the way we live. Come meet the superstars of science!

The Survival Guide to Bullying

The Survival Guide to Bullying

By Aija Mayrock | ISBN 978-0-545-86053-6
Ages 12 & up | PB | Non-Fiction | July 2015
Also available in HC | ISBN 978-0-545-86066-6 | September 2015

"One day I realized that I had to create a little, yet powerful survival guide that any kid could use as a life-saving device when they were being bullied in the gym, the cafeteria, the locker room, the hallways — anywhere. A guide that could help any kid dry their tears and put a half smile on their face. A guide that could convince a kid to come out of the bathroom stall that they have locked themselves in and see the flickering light at the end of the tunnel. A guide that could be a road map, a flashlight, or a friend."

Comptines pour fair dodo (Sing a Song of Bedtime)

Comptines pour fair dodo (Sing a Song of Bedtime) Canadian

By Barbara Reid | ISBN 978-1-4431-4685-2
Ages 0-3 | HC | French | September 2015

Pour le plus grand plaisir des tout-petits, Barbara Reid signe les illustrations en pâte à modeler de ce merveilleux album illustré à couverture rigide qui comprend 14 comptines soient : L'homme sur la Lune; étoile brillante; Berceuse pour toi; Tourlou, tourlou, mon fils Simon; Une vieille dame vivait dans un gros soulier; Petit berger; Rame, rame, rame doucement; Dors, mon chéri; Un vieil hibou sage et Frère Jacques.

In this beautiful hardcover book, Barbara Reid's bright and tactile images illustrate a variety of bedtime rhymes and lullabies. This collection features 14 nursery rhymes, including: The Man in the Moon; Starlight, Star Bright; Wee Willie Winkie; Diddle Diddle Dumpling My Son John; There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe; Little Boy Blue; Jack be Nimble; Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Go to Bed; and the ever popular French nursery rhyme Frère Jacques.

La mouche dans l'aspirateur (Bug in a Vacuum)

La mouche dans l'aspirateur (Bug in a Vacuum) Canadian

By Mélanie Watt | ISBN 978-1-4431-4787-3
Ages 7 & up | HC | French | October 2015

Une mouche entre dans une maison par une porte entrouverte. Elle passe par la salle de bain, traverse la cuisine, zigzague jusqu'à la chambre et se pose dans le salon où sa vie se verra à jamais changée suite à la pression d'un simple petit bouton. Happée dans le sac poussiéreux d'un aspirateur, la mouche aura à passer par les cinq phases du deuil : le déni, le marchandage, la colère, le désespoir et l'acceptation. Est-ce qu'elle pourra se libérer de cet endroit sale et sombre? La lumière apparaîtra-t-elle au bout du tunnel? Une histoire émouvante remplie de suspens et d'humour à la Mélanie Watt. Un excellent livre pour aborder le thème du deuil avec les enfants de tous âges.

A bug flies through an open door into a house, through a bathroom, across a kitchen and a bedroom and into a living room... where its entire life changes with the switch of a button.

Art © 2021 by Victo Ngai from Wishes by Mượn Thị Văn. All rights reserved.