Happy Book Birthday, The Genie Game by Jordan Ifueko!

Ready for another celebration? I know I am! Today's read is hitting the shelves tomorrow and kicks off a new series, which combines fantasy and a future...ummm, maybe alternate world. I'm not sure on that front, yet. It promises to be an exciting read with all sorts of adventure. Honestly, I'm not really sure what to expect and am heading into this one with a pretty open mind.

So, let's just dive right in and see what it's about!

THE GENIE GAME

The Genie Game #1

by Jordan Ifueko

Amulet Books

Middle Grade Fantasy

368 pages

ages 8 to 12

Harriet the Spy meets Black Mirror in The Genie Game, the start of a thrilling new middle-grade series from Jordan Ifueko, author of the New York Times bestselling fantasy Raybearer
 
Valentine Adesanya has two missions: 1) become a Feared and Fabulous Film Director and 2) find her missing big sister, Mango. She suspects The Trio Trust, a collection of creepy mega-companies that now rule the United States, made Mango disappear.
 
A text lures Valentine to a magical boba shop, which comes to life and tells Valentine she is now a a member of the General Employee Network of Immortal Engineers, an underground workforce run by the Trio Trust. Genies may only leave their bottles to grant the wishes of mortals. With each granted wish, The Trio Trust gains more magic, and so the Trio hosts a glamorous wish-granting competition, rewarding top players with fabulous prizes. The twist?
 
The greedy Trio forbids genies from using magic. Genies must grant wishes using nothing but smarts, luck, and elbow grease.
 
To free her sister Mango and escape the Genie Game, Valentine must score more wish-granting points than any other Genie. But how did the Trio Trust get so powerful in the first place? Why is a magical monster stomping through her home city of Gloss Angeles?
  
And why does the Trio Trust seem so afraid of 13-year-old Valentine Adesanya?

GOODREADS    /    AMAZON    /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Imagination soars in this original twist on genies, which mixes quirky moments, heart, and tons of surprises together to form an engaging read.

Valentine misses her older sister horribly. She disappeared about a year before, and for some reason, Valentine feels like she's forgetting that she even existed...kind of like her parents act like they already have. When Valentine suddenly receives an odd message from her older sister telling her to meet her at a boba shop, Valentine knows something about it feels wrong but would do anything to find her sister again. Of course, she walks right into a trap. She's now temporarily immortal and stuck in something called the Genie Game with the shop as her eternal bottle. The only way to return to the real world is to grant mortals a certain number of wishes. Soon, she discovers that the three corporations, which run the world, are heading the game and use the energy gained from each wish fulfillment to fuel their products in normal life. There are many other genies, each with their own type of shop (bottle) and all competing to grant wishes and climb the point board. Many have been there for a very long time, thrilled to have the chance to be immortal and use their wish account to grant themselves lives of luxury rather than buy their way back to reality. But Valentine isn't easily fooled and immediately suspects that something more sinister hides behind the three corporations and their wish magic. Worse yet, she fears that her sister is being held captive because of it.

This is one of the more original books I've picked up in quite a while. It takes the idea of genies on an entirely fresh, unexpected spin. Although set in a type of alternate, future reality, where three companies run everything and skies are greenish with rain like goo, and the world carries just enough familiarity to almost come across as normal in the first chapters. Valentine is a very normal 13-year-old with big dreams and an average family, which wishes she'd graduate college and have a very successful carrier. This makes the oddities of the snuggle against life as we know it. When Valentine enters the boba shop, the fun begins and takes on a whimsical atmosphere while the dark side grows with each chapter. This mix of fantastical fun next to evil schemes creates a gripping read for the age group. There's adventure, mystery, action-filled moments, friendship, questions of trust, and so much more to keep this tale speeding along. Everything melds together nicely, making it entertaining until the end. The characters also pack quirks and personality to make it fun to like or hate each one. 

It's a fun read with lots to explore, characters to root for, and even food for thought.  

And here he is...

Jordan Ifueko is the Nebula Finalist and New York Times bestselling author of the Raybearer series and other stories, including short fiction in the Hugo-nominated magazine Strange Horizons. She’s been featured on NPR Best Books, NPR Pop Culture Hour, ALA Top Ten, Buzzfeed, and other publications. She writes about magic Black girls who aren’t magic all the time, because honestly, they deserve a vacation. Ifueko lives in Los Angeles with her husband, David, and their three-legged trustafarian dog, Reginald Ovahcomah.

The Funniest Picture Book Ever AKA Fartnado! by Derek Taylor Kent

THE FUNNIEST PICTURE BOOK EVER

by Derek Taylor Kent

Illustrated by Filip Trajkovski

Whimsical World

Picture Book

33 pages

ages 3 to 10

The long-feared companion to The Grossest Picture Book Ever is finally here!

Award Winner: Silver Medal for Best Children's Picture Book 2026 - International BookFest Awards

Get ready for an absolutely hilarious adventure in this uproarious companion to The Grossest Picture Book Ever! Welcome to a town where silliness rules and laughter is a way of life. When the no-nonsense authorities threaten to shut down all the fun, the townspeople must band together to create the legendary 'Fartnado' to save their wonderfully wacky community. Written by Derek Taylor Kent and brought to life with vibrant illustrations by Filip Trajkovski, this picture book delivers non-stop giggles and outrageous situations that will have young readers rolling with laughter. Perfect for fans of silly humor and imaginative storytelling, this book proves that sometimes the most absurd solutions are the best ones. With its blend of humor and heart, this story celebrates the importance of staying true to yourself - no matter how quirky you might be - and how a community can come together despite their differences. A must-have addition to any young reader's collection of fun-filled picture books.

GOODREADS    /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

All those fart-humor fans out there will find giggles and snorts galore in these pages as they dive into a town, they might want to visit themselves...or maybe not?

Welcome to the town of Ha!, a place known to be the funniest town on Earth. Nothing is normal here, and readers are invited to take a tour to discover some of the highlights...at their own risk. From three-butt residents to pirates shoveling poo, every corner of the town packs a surprise. 

These pages are all about humor and steer super clear of anything that could be deemed as serious. The townspeople (and animals) embrace oddness in all those ways which are sure to make poop and fart giggle fans...well, giggle. The situations are ridiculous and surf with quirky style. It digs pretty deep, at times, making sure to let each moment holds its fill and not skim by too fast. Each character presents over-the-top personality to match the moment and keeps boredom far, far away.

The illustrations are bright and bold, letting the humorous scenes let loose. The text flows mostly smoothly and balances with the illustrations to let the silliness explode. It's a book for those listeners, who enjoy this type of humor and is anything but a calming read-aloud. But then, this book is sheerly about ridiculous and tip-toeing the line on gross fun. Oh, and as an extra bonus, there is an alternative and much grosser cover on the back.

Happy Book Birthday, WillieBoy Eats the World by Steven Schirripa!

It's time to shoutout a book birthday! Actually, I'm a teeny-bit early with this one, since it releases on the 21st (three more days), but I'm always excited to celebrate. So, I'm shouting already again.

Today's read comes from an independent publisher in New York, which I hadn't heard about before but has existed since 1996. It's always fun to expand the horizons because there are tons of publishers out there. Back to the book... it centers around a man and his dog and food. I do love food and dogs, which makes this a 'let's take a peek' book for me. I believe it will explore other cultures and the huge range of food available. 

Let's open it up and see how it goes!

WILLIEBOY EATS THE WORLD

by Steve Schirripa

and Philip Lerman

Illustrated by Kirk Parrish

Akashic Books, Ltd

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

Sopranos star Steve Schirripa gets a delicious and delightful lesson about the wondrous world of food from his dog WillieBoy in this beautifully illustrated picture book

WILLIEBOY EATS THE WORLD  is a children’s book that answers the question every parent has what do you tell children who won’t try new things?

Actor and best-selling author Steve Schirripa yields center stage to his adorable real-life dachshund WillieBoy in this New York City–based fantasy. It was inspired by the viral videos the two have become famous for, with Steve and WillieBoy chowing down on everything from pizza to churros. In WillieBoy Eats the World, Steve admits that he only eats Italian food because it’s all that he knows—so WillieBoy teaches him the joy of trying Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Korean, and dozens of other delights. WillieBoy “Trust me, my pal, you’ll be glad that I sent ya / On this great big fabulous dining adventure.”

The book is cowritten by author and journalist Philip Lerman, and illustrated by veteran artist Kirk Parrish.

GOODREADS    /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Food, food, and more food pack these pages as a man and his clever friend learn how exciting the culinary world truly is.

Steve loves to eat his favorite foods, which means all Italian foods. Pizza, pasta, and more fill Steve's table, and that's fine with his dog, WillieBoy. One day while walking through the park, they run across a large group of dogs playing together. Each dog comes from a different culture, and here, WillieBoy learns that there is more than just Italian food out there. With a mission to introduce Steve to a much wider range on the culinary front, WillieBoy takes him on a food exploration-extravaganza. 

Not only foodies are going to enjoy this book as the pages open up to a huge variety of delicious delights. It begins with a food most young readers can get behind, pepperoni pizza, and takes off from there. Actually, the book begins with the warm, snuggly relationship between Steve and WillieBoy, and invites readers immediately to find both sympathetic and fun. The relationship between man and dog is inspiring and already hooks. Then, the cute-dog-crowd hits, which is sure to win dog fans over before heading into food, food, and more food. The scenes stay lively the entire way through, going from restaurants to food markets to dream-like states of delicious dishes floating everywhere. The visual fun holds the excitement high and keeps listeners engaged during read-a-louds.

The text is written in rhyme, most of it flowing well to create a smooth tale. There's a sense of playfulness while the cultural aspects of food slide onto the page. Listeners are sure to recognize many dishes and, maybe, discover a few new ones. The level is fitting to the age group and keeps fun and humor high while building in the cultural goodness. 

 

Girl of Lore by Melanie Dale

Ghosts, spooks, and more are hitting today's read. Well, sort of, I think. This is the first in a brand new series for the young adult audience and will explore the paranormal end of things. I'm getting the impression it will embrace quite a bit of heart and high school drama as well. And it includes a graveyard and secrets. Sounds like a promising setting, right?

Let's open it up and see what chilling moments lie in store!

GIRL OF LORE

by Melanie Dale

Aladdin

Middle grade Paranormal

368 pages

ages 9 to 12

COMING APRIL 21st!!!

A girl who’s used to battling the monster of her own mind discovers there’s a sinister evil lurking in her small town in this atmospheric paranormal novel that’s perfect for fans of Tracy Wolff and Maggie Stiefvater.

Stories of dark magic and even darker creatures have always swirled about Mina Murray’s town of London, Georgia. Mina knows they aren’t true—and are likely perpetuated only to drive the quirky tourist-trap ghost tours of downtown—but that doesn’t stop her from collecting the stories and drawing them in her sketchbook. Something about the possibility of real monsters helps her deal with the monster in her own her OCD, which convinces her danger lurks everywhere.

But when a body is found drained of blood and a classmate goes missing, Mina is thrust into a tangled web of London secrets…that she seems to be at the center of.

GOODREADS   /   PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Town's secrets and myths swirl with dark undertones to create a read, which is packed with danger, drama, and more.

Mina suffers from severe OCD, her mind constantly shoving everything into category, sense, and place. She fights through each day in her mental, jumbled mess, and if that wasn't bad enough, the nights bring constant nightmares. She's found a way to gain, at least, a few minutes peace by hiding in the graveyard with her sketchbook and drawing the monsters in her mind. Or those from local myths and tales, which she know don't really exist but still finds fascinating. It's also gained her the 'creepy label at school, despite her fight to come across as normal-ish. When her dreams start showing up in reality and a dead body is found drained of all blood, she begins to realize that her nightmares and the myths might hold a truth more terrifying than anything she could have imagined.

The story starts out with delicious, dark tones and lets the reader dive right into chills before pulling back just enough to bring Mina and her circumstances across with sympathy. From paranormal fears to high school drama, the tale slides back-and-forth to weave both together to keep spooks, heart, and drama flowing. It's the OCD aspect, however, which the author brings across with potency. Mina doesn't just carry the label with a few hints of the challenge, but it grips her every move and thought. The chaos in her head constantly holds a battle, which not only lays an interesting background for everything else but also raises awareness of what OCD can really mean.

While the reader dives into Mina's mind, the entire atmosphere hangs a bit on the young side. There's enough depth to keep most characters interesting, and the author has packed in a lot on the plot and subplot end, bringing in the paranormal danger, Mina's OCD, family issues, school drama, and much more. Something is always happening and shifting, to keep Mina's world anything but boring. At the same time, less can be more, and the large amount of directions means that some points get lost in the crowd and don't receive the power they could wield. 

Fans of vampire, graveyards, friendship drama, dark secrets, and more will want to take a peek at this tale, and it will be interesting to see where Mina might go next.

And here she is...

Before embracing her love of monsters and sneaking into Mina’s fictional world, Melanie Dale published a bunch of nonfiction books, shambled around as a zombie on TV, and survived cancer. She’s written episodes for the anthology horror television series Creepshow and over a decade of essays for Coffee + Crumbs. While she has won no awards for literature, she won a Halloween costume contest one time and still feels pretty stoked about it. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching yoga or battling her own brain. She lives in the Atlanta area. 

Uh, Oh Spaghetti-Oh! by Susie O'Leary

Ready for a little humor and fun? At least, I hope that describes today's read. The title mixed with the wondrous little girl on the cover promise all of this. Add that this is a music book...meaning that there is a song, which can be played right along with it...and it should be more than just a little entertaining.

But let's open it up and find out!

UH, OH SPAGHETTI-OH!

by Susie O'Leary

Illustrated by Amna Zaki

Happy Singing Kids

Picture Book

26 pages

ages 3 to 6

"Uh oh spaghetti-oh!" is a bubbly tale that spins life's little hiccups into hilarious, sing-songy moments.

When zany mishaps, tumbling tumbles, or cheeky ant nibbles come your way, what's the perfect chant to chase the blues away - "Uh oh spaghetti-oh!" Join the silly spree, where a sprinkle of fun can fix any Whoopsie-doo!

GOODREADS    /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Mistakes and mishaps are a part of life, and this book takes a silly and enjoyable twist to release the tension that comes with it.

This little girl is a ball of energy and enjoys almost everything she does, but not everything runs smoothly. Little mishaps happen, and instead of growing upset, she sings a silly song. This leads to a book, which listeners can join in on themselves, since it is connected with a song. This is available through the included QR code in the book (or through the website if you want to take a peek first).

The verses are short and describe an every day life situation, which suddenly takes a small turn in an awkward or not-so-great direction. Then, the refrain dives in, and here's where listeners can quickly join in with the funny words.

The book is brightly illustrated with familiar situations and a bubbly girl with a perky attitude. Some situations will make readers cringe and others will make them giggle. Each one is brought across clearly and shows the little girl, while not super happy about each incident, taking it with relaxed style. The text rhymes and flows smoothly, since it's also the lyrics of the song. Still, the book works nicely as a read-aloud. Of course, it also works very well when the song is played with it and lets listeners sing along.

There's a lovely message about taking things in stride and not turning every little incident into a huge problem or depressing moment. So, there's quite a bit of goodness in the pages.

You can find out more as well as other titles and songs at :  happysingingkids.com