Don’t miss Katherine Applegate’s newest series, “Endling,” consisting of the first book, “Endling: The Last” and this book, “Endling: The First,” and the thrilling conclusion, “Endling: The Only.” Applegate’s genius is her ability to write a book filled with adventure and endearing characters, and at the same time use the beliefs and lessons learned in the stories to teach readers about kindness, compassion, and above all, justice.
“The Last Time I Saw You” by Liv Constantine is a fabulous mystery. Like their first novel (Liv Constantine is actually two sisters), “The Last Mrs. Parrish,” which was a bestseller, this one has twists aplenty and keeps the reader glued to the story until the wonderful ending.
While some mysteries keep the reader guessing and then spring a surprise at the end, the Constantine sisters present many, many suspects, yet the ending isn’t really a total surprise. They’ve cleverly and carefully planted clues all along the way — clues that don’t seem to be clues unless viewed in retrospect — and the reader might begin to suspect toward the end, but won’t truly understand what has happened until the final reveal.
“Pie in the Sky” by Remy Lai is a beautifully crafted middle grade story about some very real issues, loss and feeling alone, that almost everyone, at every spectrum of socio-economic status, experiences. In this story, two brothers and their mother move to Australia after their father dies.
In “Such a Perfect Wife,” author Kate White’s main character, Bailey Weggins, not Wiggins, is on the scene of another complex murder. This one is in the Adirondack area of New York, on scenic Lake George, where beautiful Shannon Blaine takes off for her usual morning jog and disappears.
Summer brings visions of blue skies, green fields, turquoise waters, and carefree days. Summer days are perfect for sharing poems that will bring the beauty of nature and animals home to us. These three picture books filled with poetry do just that.
With “Spark,” Sarah Beth Durst proves that you don’t have to be loud or pushy to make a difference. In this middle grade fantasy, Mina learns that with the support and love of friends and her storm beast, she can change big things.
The month of May is good for flowers and green growing things, but it’s also got some wonderful picture books just released in time for spring. And after a long day filled with sunshine, or even a long day filled with rain, nothing gets a kid ready for bed better than a wonderful picture book. Here are a few fabulous suggestions: some will make your child laugh and giggle, others will lead to fabulous discussions. Enjoy.
“The Mother-in-Law” by Sally Hepworth is a story that intrigues while also leaving the reader to reconsider what is important in life. The story is told from two points of view — Diana, married with two adult children, and Lucy, married to Ollie, Diana’s oldest son. At the very start of the story, Lucy and her family learn about Diana’s death.
“Kid Normal” by Greg James and Chris Smith is a wonderful illustrated novel that is sure to attract readers. Kicking off the start of a series, it is packed with action and humor. It shows how something good can often come out of something bad. The characters are passionate and will not give up. This book proves what working together can accomplish.
“The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade” by Jordan Sonnenblick is a book that will inspire readers to think about bullying and do their part to make their world a bully-free zone. Even though it is a little bit sad, the bibliophile will be touched by this moving story. This book shows how some people have to survive without a lot of money. Whoever is reading this book might realize that they take too many things for granted.
In “The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters,” Balli Kaur Jaswal tells the story of three Sikh sisters whose lives have drifted apart, but who honor their mother’s final wish by taking a pilgrimage to India to visit places in her home state of Punjab that she didn’t get to see during her life and taking her ashes to spread as she desired.
“Perfect Imperfection: Dog portraits of resilience and love” by Alex Cearns is a book about dogs who are missing something — an eye or a leg. Some have had rough beginnings, but make no mistake, these dogs are all beautiful.