May 2021 - New Children's Book Releases

Below is a current look at the new release books we anticipate having in store this month. If you'd like to hop on over to our books to see what's in stock and make a purchase, you can do that here, or if you would like a title that is out of stock or not in our store, send us an email and we would be happy to help you out. 

We Move the World

Created by Kari Lavelle and Nabi H. Ali 

Release date: May 4, 2021

From debut author Kari Lavelle and rising star illustrator Nabi H. Ali comes an inspiring and empowering picture book about the small things kids do that have the potential to change the world!

Meet some of the world’s most beloved movers, shakers, scientists, activists, dreamers and doers—in this inspirational book by debut author Kari Lavelle, who gently reminds us that before folks like Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Neil Armstrong, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Misty Copeland were activists and trailblazers, they spoke their first words, took their first steps, and dreamed about the future.

We Move the World introduces these folks and more from the past and present as models for what every childhood first can lead to. From first steps to solving puzzles and learning the alphabet, all the small things are only the beginning. They can lead to future activism and innovation that just might change the world!

With Nabi H. Ali’s vibrant illustrations, which introduce memorable moments from history, We Move the World is a picture book that gives the youngest movers and shakers a chance to see how much is possible just because of the things they already do. The book includes robust backmatter that gives further context on each figure and historical moment, including the most recent COVID-19 pandemic. 

Bubbles . . . Up!

Written by Jacqueline Davies and Sonia Sánchez

Release date: May 4, 2021

An everyday visit to the community pool is transformed into an unforgettable celebration of all the things one can do in the water from dunking and diving with friends to somersaulting, walking on your hands, and bursting up through the surface like a tortoise. But when a thunderstorm comes and a little brother ventures too close to the pool’s edge, will our main character be quick enough and brave enough to save the day?

Race Cars: A children's book about white privilege

Written and illustrated Jenny Devenny and Charnaie Gordon.

Release Date: May 4, 2021

Filled with bright, attention-grabbing illustrations, a notes and activities section at the back helps parents, guardians, and teachers further discuss these issues with children.

Why is this book important? As early as 6 months old, a baby’s brain can notice race-based differences; children ages 2 to 4 can internalize racial bias and start assigning meaning to race; and 5- to 8-year-olds begin to place value judgments on similarities and differences. By age 12, children have a complete set of stereotypes about every racial, ethnic, and religious group in society. Our guidance is especially crucial during this impressionable time.

Race Cars offers a simple, yet powerful, way to introduce these complicated themes to our children and is a valuable addition to classroom and home libraries. 

Beatrice Was a Tree

Written by Joyce Hesselberth.

Release Date: May 11, 2021

As Beatrice dreams of becoming a tree, she grows roots and leaves and stretches her branches toward the sky. Joyce Hesselberth, the award-winning creator of Mapping Sam and Pitter Pattern, introduces young readers to everything there is to know about trees in this beautifully illustrated informational picture book.

When it’s time to go to bed, Beatrice imagines how much fun it would be to stay outside with the trees all night long. If she were a tree, she would have a trunk and branches and lots of leaves. Her roots would reach deep. She would catch the morning sun with her limbs and cradle a bird’s nest in her branches. And when the air turned crisp, Beatrice would wait patiently for spring.

House Mouse

Written by Michael Hall.

Release Date: May 11, 2021

On a chilly morning, a mouse finds something remarkable: a warm and welcoming fire. So, she builds a stove to mark the spot. When a fox chases the mouse but suddenly stops, she builds a floor on the patch of ground where she is protected. Soon, it seems as though the mouse has everything she needs for a house. But there’s one thing missing: friends!

House Mouse is a deceptively simple story about hard work, creativity, and sharing from a master of layered, yet accessible picture books. Michael Hall’s bright, bold mixed-media artwork will catch the eye of even the youngest readers, as will the busy mouse’s tool collection and construction work. House Mouse is playful and surprising and shares a powerful message about friendship, empathy and hospitality. A must-have for fans of Mo Willems and Eric Carle.

Like a Dandelion

Written by Huy Voun Lee.

Release Date: May 18, 2021

A poetic picture book tribute to the strength of immigrants, inspired by author-illustrator Huy Voun Lee’s childhood experience of moving to the US as a Cambodian refugee

Like feathery seeds, a young girl and her mother take flight, putting down roots in an adopted country. Soon they blossom in their new home, strong and beautiful among hundreds of others just like them.

When Lola Visits

Written by Michelle Sterling and Aaron Asis.

Release Date: May 18, 2021

 

In an evocative picture book brimming with the scents, tastes, and traditions that define summer for one young girl, debut author Michelle Sterling and illustrator Aaron Asis come together to celebrate the gentle bonds of familial love that span oceans and generations.

What does summer mean to you?

All of Us

Written by Kathryn Erskine and Alexandra Boiger.

Release Date: May 18, 2021

A beautiful book about community and love by National Book Award winner Kathryn Erskine and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Alexandra Boiger.

ME can be WE. YOU can come, too. In a lyrical text that travels the globe, National Book Award winner Kathryn Erskine shows young readers how the whole world is a community made up of people who are more similar than we are different. With stunning, cinematic art by Alexandra Boiger, the illustrator of the She Persisted series, this is the perfect read-aloud at bedtime or for story time. Perfect for fans of All Are Welcome and Be Kind.

Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race 

Written by Kathryn Erskine and Alexandra Boiger.

Release Date: May 25, 2021

A shop favorite - but this time in a hardbound edition!

Andy Warhol (Little People, BIG DREAMS #60)

Written by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Timothy Hunt.

Release Date: May 25, 2021

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Andy Warhol, the ground-breaking pop artist.

Little Andy was the tiniest and palest child of the Warholas, a humble couple from Slovakia who lived in Pittsburgh. Sketchbook glued to his hand, he loved every minute of drawing, but he was too shy to show his work to others, even to his family! As an adult he got a chance to publish his first illustration for a glamorous magazine. He turned his attention to the ordinary, like soup cans he ate from for lunch every day. He showed the world that the ordinary objects could POP, and founded a cultural movement. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the inspiring artist's life.

RuPaul (Little People, BIG DREAMS #61)

Written by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Wednesday Holmes.

Release Date: May 25, 2021

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of RuPaul, the shape-shifter, performer, supermodel, and host of RuPaul's Drag Race.

Even before little Ru was born, a fortune teller told his mom that he would one day be famous... It was only a matter of time before he figured out how. Playing dress-up was his favorite game, and that's where he felt most comfortable. Ru went on to study performing arts and then moved to New York to mix things up in a punk band. Later, drag was a way to express himself as an artist. He found success for himself, then wanted to help others find theirs. He inspires us to do what feels right and love ourselves. This witty and wise book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the inspiring performer's life.