Casey

Stardust

by Neil Gaiman

SCIENCE FICTION Gaiman, Neil
Fiction, Classics, Fantasy, Romance

Hard to believe that Stardust has been around for just over 20 years! One of, if not the, first book by modern magician, Neil Gaiman, that I read many years ago. Although written with simplistic prose reminiscent of Grimm, and Andersen fairytales, this is a work that is definitely NOT for children. I can hardly wait to cross the wall and seek a fallen star in Faerie again. -Casey

The shortest day

by Susan Cooper

jE Cooper
Picture Books, Nature, Literary Fiction

A celebration of the winter solstice and the Yuletide season. As the sun set on the shortest day of the year, early people would gather to prepare for the long night ahead. They built fires and lit candles. They played music, bringing their own light to the darkness, while wondering if the sun would ever rise again. Written for a theatrical production that has become a ritual in itself, Susan Cooper's poem "The Shortest Day" captures the magic behind the returning of the light, the yearning for traditions that connect us with generations that have gone before-- and the hope for peace that we carry into the future. Richly illustrated by Carson Ellis with a universality that spans the centuries, this beautiful book evokes the joy and community found in the ongoing mystery of life when we celebrate light, thankfulness, and festivity at a time of rebirth. Welcome Yule!

Lofty, elegant, and achingly beautiful, Carson Ellis's illustrations are the perfect pairing for Susan Cooper's poem. Don't miss this true winter solstice celebration from and for the ages! -Casey

Dragons in a bag

by Zetta Elliott

jFICTION Elliott Zetta
Fantasy, Adventure

In Brooklyn, nine-year-old Jax joins Ma, a curmudgeonly witch who lives in his building, on a quest to deliver three baby dragons to a magical world, and along the way discovers his true calling.--

Count down to the sequel! Super excited to see what happens in Jax's story next. -Casey

The girl and the wolf

by Katherena Vermette

jE Vermette
Picture Books, Nature, Animals

"A young girl becomes lost in the woods after wandering too far away from her mother. Scared because she is lost, she encounters a large wolf who reminds her of her own ability to survive and find her mother again."--

A stunning take on the classic "girl meets wolf" tale, just right for sharing! -Casey

Stargazing.

by Jen Wang

ON ORDER BOOK
Graphic Novels

I'm so happy it's September! Can hardly wait to get my hands on Jen Wang's latest graphic novel. -Casey

Goodbye, friend! Hello, friend!

by Cori Doerrfeld

jE Doerrfel
Picture Books

Two best friends understand that saying goodbye to one experience means saying hello to the next, but that does not make it easier when one friend has to move away.

Lovely, sweet, and perfect for sharing during times of transition! -Casey

Queen of the sea

by Dylan Meconis

jGRAPHIC NOVEL Meconis
Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Kids

"When her sister seizes the throne, Queen Eleanor of Albion is banished to a tiny island off the coast of her kingdom, where the nuns of the convent spend their days peacefully praying, sewing, and gardening. But the island is also home to Margaret, a mysterious young orphan girl whose life is upturned when the cold, regal stranger arrives. As Margaret grows closer to Eleanor, she grapples with the revelation of the island's sinister true purpose as well as the truth of her own past. When Eleanor's life is threatened, Margaret is faced with a perilous choice between helping Eleanor and protecting herself."--Provided by publisher.

Inspired by Queen Elizabeth I's time in exile, Queen of the Sea is beautiful and fun! Don't miss out on this fantastic piece of historical fiction. -Casey

Nine months : before a baby is born

by Miranda Paul

jE Paul
Kids, Health, Nonfiction

"As a baby grows in her mother's tummy, a soon-to-be big sister and her family spend nine months preparing for the newest member of the family to arrive."--

A beautifully written story following a family of three as they prepare for another child, featuring life-size illustrations that highlight fetal development through each month of pregnancy. Backmatter includes tons of information for older readers to peruse, making this a perfect book for sharing with siblings awaiting a familial addition or children curious about where babies come from. -Casey

Hakumei & Mikochi : tiny little life in the woods

by Takuto Kashiki‏

MANGA Kashiki Hakumei
Graphic Novels, Nature, Fantasy, Humor, Short Story

"Deep within a lush, green forest live Hakumei and Mikochi. Making their home in trees, using leaves for umbrellas, and riding bugs for transportation is just part of everyday life for these tiny pals!"--

Nonstop cuteness from start to finish--a sweet slice of teeny tiny life! -Casey

The undefeated

by Kwame Alexander

jE Alexander
Picture Books, Poetry

"The Newbery Award-winning author of The Crossover pens an ode to black American triumph and tribulation, with art from a two-time Caldecott Honoree"--

"We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated." --Maya Angelou -Casey

Sweet dreamers

by Isabelle Simler

jE Simler
Picture Books, Nature, Animals

Several different animals settle in for the night, each with their own unique way of sleeping.

Soft and cozy, Simler's latest is a beautiful and informative look at animal sleep habits. Also, it glows under black light! -Casey

Love, Z

by Jessie Sima

jE Sima
Picture Books, Fantasy, Travel, Adventure, Philosophy, LGBTQ+

A little robot named Z finds a message in a bottle signed, "Love, Beatrice" and, unable to learn what love is from other robots, sets out on a quest to find the answer.

Z sets out on a quest to find out what "love" is. On the journey Z might just find a place in your heart. -Casey

Imagine!

by Raúl Colón

jE Colon
Picture Books, Art / Art History, Fantasy

"When a boy visits an art museum and one of the paintings comes to life, he has an afternoon of adventure and discovery [that] changes how he sees the world ever after"--

Colón’s wordless narrative highlights imaginative play utilizing and in response to art, showcasing the way art can affect our creative processes. -Casey

Dreamers

by Yuyi Morales

jE Morales
Picture Books

"An illustrated picture book autobiography in which award-winning author Yuyi Morales tells her own immigration story"--

In telling us her own immigration story, Morales reveals the power that stories, libraries as institutions, and librarians as people have to impact our communities and the world in meaningful ways. And she does so resplendently. -Casey

The stuff of stars

by Marion Dane Bauer

jE Bauer
Picture Books, Science, Nature

Explores the formation of the universe.

An intersection of art and science, breathtaking, highly abstract, and yet tangible--don't miss this one! -Casey

A big mooncake for little star

by Grace Lin

jE Lin
Picture Books, Fantasy, Nature

Reimagines the cycles of the moon as a mother bakes a Big Moon Cookie and, despite Mama's request to wait, Little Star begins nibbling at it every night.

Grace Lin has created a truly distinguished, female-centric, and empowering original folktale. -Casey

Heartbeat

by Evan Turk

jE Turk
Picture Books

Separated from her mother, a young whale swims the oceans for decades until she finds a young girl who shares her vision of one planet for which all are responsible.

Heartbeat follows a whale calf, orphaned by the early commercial whaling industry, through two hundred years of human development. Evan Turk highlights the ways in which we have used these creatures to advance ourselves, and the shifting attitudes toward whales of more recent history with thoughtfulness. A unique and timely look at human history through the lens of the animals we impact, make sure to read Turk's author's note at the end for more information. -Casey

Ocean meets sky

by Terry Fan

jE Fan
Picture Books

"A little boy builds a ship to honor his late grandfather and sets sail for the magical place where ocean meets sky from his grandfather's stories"--

Now that I’ve taken this journey a few times, what really speaks to me is Finn’s growing understanding of what it means to remember those that we have loved. How we can bring those things they have taught us to the present while also saying goodbye. This is a visually and emotionally stunning piece from the Fan Brothers. -Casey

Julián is a mermaid

by Jessica Love

jE Love
Picture Books, LGBTQ+

While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he's seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes -- and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself?

Love, in using so little text and heavily relying on her visual storytelling has left space for readers to play, imagine and feel along with Julián. -Casey

The prince and the dressmaker

by Jen Wang

GRAPHIC NOVEL Wang
Graphic Novels, LGBTQ+

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride--or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia--the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Everything about the way Wang has weaved all of the aspects of this story together makes her characters tangible and invites readers to not only empathize but to truly care for these two young people. -Casey

Snow Pony and the Seven Miniature Ponies

by Christian Trimmer

jE Trimmer
Picture Books, Fantasy, Humor, Classics, Animals

In this twist on the story of Snow White, pretty and sweet Snow Pony--beloved by children for her talent in braiding hair and dancing--follows a trail of delicious apples into the woods, where she meets seven miniature ponies.

An enchantingly hilarious retelling of Snow White that stars, you guessed it, ponies!! What's not to love? -Casey

Bark Park

by Trudy Krisher

jE Krisher
Picture Books

Told in rhyming text, dogs have a wonderful day at the dog park.

"Dogs at the park...Bark! Bark! Bark!" Repetitive and simple rhyming text combined with adorable illustrations make this a title not to miss. -Casey

Once upon a jungle

by Laura Knowles

jE Knowles
Picture Books, Nature, Animals

This rhyming text is an eye-catching and fun first look at the jungle as an ecosystem and the food chain found within. -Casey

The brilliant deep : rebuilding the world's coral reefs : the story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Restoration Foundation

by Kate Messner

jE Messner
Picture Books, Biographies, Nature, Science

Looks at the life of the coral restoration pioneer Ken Nedimyer, from his early fascination with the ocean to his ongoing efforts to save and rebuild the world's coral reefs.

Kate Messner and Matthew Forsythe's new picture book biography about Ken Nedimyer is absolutely stunning. This is a perfect place to start learning about our rapidly changing oceans and the efforts being made to combat the bleaching of coral reefs. Parents and children will love this title, not only for it's beautiful artwork, but for the wealth of information and hope that it embodies. It's never too early or late to learn that individuals have the power to impact great change. -Casey

Prince & knight

by Daniel Haack

jE Haack
Picture Books, LGBTQ+

A prince and a knight in shining armor find true love in each other's embrace after fighting a dragon together.

This spin on classic fairy tale tropes is delightful and a lovely way to show children that true love can come from anyone. -Casey

People don't bite people

by Lisa Wheeler

jE Wheeler
Picture Books, Humor

Illustrations and rhyming text urge children to use their teeth for biting food, not their friends or relatives.

"Biting is for food!" a friendly and sometimes necessary reminder. -Casey

Harriet gets carried away

by Jessie Sima

jE Sima
Picture Books

While shopping with her two dads for supplies for her birthday party, Harriet, who is wearing a penguin costume, is carried away by a waddle of penguins and must hatch a plan in order to get herself back to the store in the city.--Provided by Publisher.

It's time to get carried away with Jessie Sima's new picture book! -Casey

Together

by Emma Dodd

jBOARD BOOK Dodd
Board Books

This little sea otter loves spending time with his parent learning new things, playing together, or even just holding each other. In fact, every day this little sea otter spends with his parent is special, just because they are together.

Emma Dodd's "Love" books are finally being released as board books! Look for this one and more from this series to come--perfect for sharing at bedtime. -Casey

In your hands

by Carole Boston Weatherford

jE Weatherf
Picture Books

"A prayer from mother to son that he will always in safe hands"--

Stunning art and an important message. -Casey

Through the woods

by Emily Carroll

GRAPHIC NOVEL Carroll
Graphic Novels, Horror, Fantasy

"A collection of five spine-tingling short stories"--

Emily Carroll's collection of horror stories is absolutely thrilling. -Casey

Anya's ghost

by Vera Brosgol

GRAPHIC NOVEL Brosgol
Graphic Novels, Horror, Fantasy

Anya, embarrassed by her Russian immigrant family and self-conscious about her body, has given up on fitting in at school but falling down a well and making friends with the ghost there just may be worse.

If you're looking for something unputdownable this is it! -Casey

Leave me alone!

by Vera Brosgol

jE Brosgol
Picture Books

Grandmother wants so badly to be left alone to finish the knitting for her grandchildren that she leaves her tiny home and her big family to journey to the moon and beyond to find peace and quiet to finish her knitting.

Vera Brosgol's debut picture book is a smash hit! Award committees think so too, this one was given a Caldecott Honor in 2017. -Casey

Dad is fat

by Jim Gaffigan

817.6 /Gaffigan
Humor, Memoir

Stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan, who's best known for his legendary riffs on Hot Pockets, bacon, manatees, and McDonald's, expresses all the joys and horrors of life with five young children.

Fun fact: Jim Gaffigan and I grew up in the same place! He's great to listen to as well if you need a driving companion--super funny and family friendly. -Casey

Wandering son

by Takako Shimura

MANGA Shimura Wandering
Graphic Novels, LGBTQ+, Young Adult

V. 1: "The fifth grade. The threshold to puberty, and the beginning of the end of childhood innocence. Shuichi Nitori and his new friend Yoshino Takatsuki have happy homes, loving families, and are well-liked by their classmates. But they share a secret that further complicates a time of life that is awkward for anyone: Shuichi is a boy who wants to be a girl, and Yoshino is a girl who wants to be a boy "-- back cover.

This is a beautiful and touching series about friends supporting one another through thick and thin. -Casey

The princess in black

by Shannon Hale

jFICTION Hale Shannon
Early Chapter Books

Hiding her secret identity as a monster-fighting superhero, Princess Magnolia interrupts her fancy tea with the unsuspecting Duchess Wigtower to stop a big blue monster from endangering her kingdom's goats.

This is not your typical princess! Get ready to fight crime and save the kingdom with Princess Magnolia. -Casey

Nightlights

by Lorena Alvarez

jGRAPHIC NOVEL Alvarez
Graphic Novels, Horror, Fantasy

Every night, tiny stars appear out of the darkness in little Sandy's bedroom. She catches them and creates wonderful creatures to play with until she falls asleep, and in the morning brings them back to life in the whimsical drawings. When a mysterious new girl appears at school, Sandy's drawings are noticed for the first time, but Morfie's fascination with Sandy's talent soon turns into something far more sinister.

Gorgeous and just the right amount of scary--a quick and enjoyable read. -Casey