12 Books Coming Out SOON You Don't Want to Miss!!

A few weeks ago we shared 16 Winter novels you'll want to stay in and read. BUT now we've turned that winter corner and are seeing signs of spring all around! What better way to start your spring cleaning than to get lost in a new buzz book? 

There are spin-offs and retellings  about the Bronte sisters, Jane Eyre, and the Bennette family, not to mention new thrillers, continuation of series and break-out debut authors!

Here are 12 upcoming titles to watch for!

What's in your library bag?

End-of-school year craziness is almost over and hopefully you are just about to sink into a more flexible summer schedule complete with sunscreen, a beach towel and a few good books. If you are looking for ways to get out of the heat, check out your library's event calendar. There are usually several events each week. 

Here is a list of some of the events my library is hosting: Donuts with Dad Storytime, Discovering Dinosaurs, Saturday Morning Composers, Summer Reading Kickoff Party and Babysitter Bootcamp. What types of events does your library host? 

*Library Tip: Schedule your next library visit around a class, story time, or puppet show to complete your outing.

Here are a few favorites from my library bag this month. See the end of this post for a library card to make checking them out really simple. 

Moo, Baa, La La La  This book has been a favorite from the time my children crawl. Of course you have to make all the sounds, only silliness allowed. My 3 year old is now reading this (from memorization) to our almost 1 year old.

The Day the Crayons Quit The crayons are all writing to Duncan to explain their gripes of how difficult life can be as a crayon - based on their color and his use of them. It is so fun!!

Thumbelina This Hans Christen Anderson tale is a wonderful classic. Sylvia longs watercolor illustrations are unique and interesting. I haven't checked out other versions yet to say which has the most beautiful illustrations. Let me know if you have a favorite version. 

Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia It is baseball season. If you have children that are learning the sport, this will entertain in the usual Amelia Bedelia style.

Those Darn Squirrels Old Man Fookwire builds some birdfeeders and fills them with yummy seeds and berries. Then he has some unexpected visitors, the squirrels, that have their own fun plans.

Harry by the Sea This can be found as a standalone book or in a trilogy* called "Harry the Dirty Dog." Harry's owners spend a day at the beach and Harry has quite an adventure as a wave covers him with seaweed and he is mistaken for a "bushy backed sea slug."    *All three books in the trilogy are excellent.

Truckery Rhymes If you have little boys that love all things wheels, this will be a new go to book. Warning: you may forget how the actual nursery rhymes go for a few months. This book is packed with nursery rhymes adapted to characters such as Monster Max (a monster truck) or Wrecker Rosie (a wrecking crane).

Can you see what I see? Seymour makes new friends: Picture puzzles to search and solve

This "I Spy" style book is great, because it has a side bar with pictures of what the kids need to find. It is so age appropriate. I love having activity oriented books in the mix. It would also be great for road trips.

Pinwheel This book has a nice rhythm to is AND is visually interesting AND interactive. You spin these little wheels to see the images come alive. Great board book that is also interesting to preschoolers.

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb "One thumb, one thumb, drumming on a drum. Hum, ditty, hum, ditty, dum dum dum." The cadence of this book will practically have you singing the moment you start. It is fun to read and you will also happen to memorize it:)

What are some of your favorite library books this month? 

Happy reading, 

Elizabeth

What's in your library bag?

I love reading with my children, it is usually a relaxing activity where they need nothing besides a nice snuggle and a good book. We read several times a day - almost always before nap/quiet time and bedtime.  So, we cycle through a lot of books. We enjoy regular trips to the library and we typically come home with a stack of at least 15 books. Often, I feel lucky if we like 4 or 5 of the books from the pile. Here is a tip that has changed our library visits.

Library Tip: Go online and reserve your books ahead of time. That way, you can pull your stack of books from the hold shelf and enjoy a search free outing. At that point, you and your children can look through the stacks together without the pressure of finding just the right book. My local library will hold books up to 7 days.

Here is a list of delicious reads to give you a jump-start!

Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Rosenthal (age 4-8 years)
It's a Duck, no it's a rabbit... My three year old and I play a version of Duck Rabbit in the car quite regularly.

Ava's Poppy by Marcus Pfister (2 and up)
It is about a cute little red-head and has beautiful art, so I am biased. It is a sweet story of spring.

Press Here  by Tullet Herve (2 and up)
To be completely honest, I liked reading this the first 2 times....but my three year old enjoyed it every time.

Wink: the ninja who wanted to be noticed by J.C. Phillips (3-5 years)
Wink is a thoughtful story of becoming who you are, not necessarily what everyone thinks you should be.

The Wall by Eve Bunting (4-8 years)
Since Memorial Day is this month, this book will be a good way to talk about the holiday. It is about a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which happens to be one of my favorite memorials.

If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff (4-8 years)
I love donuts! This book is a string of adventure between a dog and a boy.

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey (3 and up)
I grew up picking berries and visiting Maine so this book has a wonderful nostalgic feel for me. U pick berry season is just around the corner.

Otis by Loren Long (3-5 years)
Otis will win your heart over. The illustrations are whimsical and beautiful AND the story is fun to read - putt, putt, puttedy chuff. Can you hear the little tractor?

Fables by Arnold Lobel (4-8 years)
This was a surprise for me. My 3 year old loved the stories, I would not have thought of introducing fables this young, but they were a hit.

Maisy Goes on Vacation by Lucy Cousins (3-7 years)
This is a light, easy read. It is a simple preview of going on vacation, and it is definitely that time of year!

I hope this list makes your next library trip "the best ever" (as my 3 year old would say). Happy Reading!!

Warmly, Elizabeth