You're the Pumpkin in My Pie by Laura Gehl

I know I'm not the only one excited that Autumn is finally settling in. The wonderful, snuggly time of year is here! That means sweaters, cozying up in blankets in front of the fireplace, hot apple cider or tea or chocolate or...well, I have a few non-kid friendly drinks I love to sip, too. There are falling leaves, sparkling frost in the morning, and let's not forget pumpkin. I'm going to admit that while I do enjoy pumpkin in so many ways, pie is not my most favorite. Mini-pies sure. But a full slice...while find (don't get me wrong)...doesn't beat a few other pies.

Anyway, this book fits perfectly to the season, and I love the smiling pie and pumpkin.  It's for the youngest readers out there, so I'm expecting tons of warming goodness.

YOU'RE THE PUMPKIN IN MY PIE

by Laura Gehl

Illustrated by Vanessa Port

Little Simon

20 pages

ages 2 to 5

This lovey board book is perfect to share with your little pumpkin! You’re my jack-o-lantern’s smile You’re the apple of my eye You’re my trick-or-treating candy You’re the pumpkin in my pie From changing leaves to sweet treats and from Halloween to Thanksgiving, the sweet sayings in this board book show little ones how very loved they are!

GOODREADS   /    B&N   /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Autumn is revealed with its warming aspects and special moments in an endearing way.

The cover on this one already sets the tone. Along with the friendly smiles, there is a touch of sparkle built in to catch the eye, just enough to give a not of specialness but not over-the-top. The entire read is filled with phrases, which tell the listener how much they are loved. It's positivity pure and builds a strong sense of security and warmth. 

The illustrations follow a simple, more rounded scheme with Autumn colors keeping to the season. These display various aspects, which are often associated with Fall such as warm drinks, apples, and leaves. The entire thing is written in rhyme with one line on each page. The poem flows extremely well and creates a very nice read-aloud.

It's a book to cuddle up with and enjoy.

And here they are...

Laura Gehl is the author of One Big Pair of Underwear, Cat Has a Plan, Goat Wants to Eat, Pig Makes Art, Dog Can Hide, Cat Sees Snow, Frog Can Hop, Snow Is…, You’re the Sprinkles on My Ice Cream, and You’re the Pumpkin in My Pie. She lives with her husband and their four kids in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Visit her online at LauraGehl.com.

Vanessa Port is a graphic designer and freelance illustrator. She’s passionate about using the accessibility of technology combined with her creative skills to teach others or tell stories. When not drawing or designing, Vanessa likes to tend to her foster animals, hike the Oregon wilderness, and play the newest video games. Visit her online at VanessaPort.com.

A Kid's Guide to the Night Sky by John A. Read

Today's read hit the shelves about two weeks ago. It also fits great into the mini-row of books I have this week surrounding space and stars. This one is for the middle grade audience and also hits nonfiction with promises to introduce all sorts of facts and fun.

Let's lean back and see what it holds! 

A KID'S GUIDE TO THE NIGHT SKY

Simple Ways to Explore the Universe

by John A. Read

Illustrated by Ford Rasmussen

Sourcebooks Explore

Middle Grade Nonfiction

104 pages

ages 8 to 12

Learn how to stargaze and discover the most amazing sights in the night sky—no telescope required!

This easy-to-use stargazing guide for kids explores the popular night sky constellations, visits the brightest stars, and tours our solar system. As they learn step-by-step how to find the most fascinating sights in the night sky, readers will learn how the sky changes with each season, when to look for meteor showers, how to see the milky way, and much more!

A Kid's Guide to the Night Sky includes fact-packed sections

Your Stargazing Toolkit 

The Life of a Star

Learn the Constellations

Astronomical Events

Tour the Solar System Explore the Moon

GOODREADS    /    B&N    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

It's off to space and tons of facts and information as the night sky unveils its secrets and invites readers to gaze and find.

These pages dive into the constellations and star-gazing, giving tons of facts on each page the entire way through. The illustrations are bright and bold, making each moment visually clear to aide readers, not only in understanding the information, but to assist them when they turn to the sky themselves and hunt for the various things mentioned. The text flows very well and keeps everything interesting despite the large amount of information. It encompasses a vast variety of directions to make a well-rounded read, which offers not only known facts but some new tidbits, too.

Unlike many star-gazing books for kids, these pages also dive into the mythology surrounding various constellations. Not only the traditional legends are addressed, but the author includes other tales, which stem from indigenous tribes as well. 

It's an interesting read, which is sure to grab star fans and send them outdoors to see what they can discover. It works well as an addition to a classroom or in smaller settings at home or even for homeschoolers.

Happy Book Birthday, Into Starry Outer Space: A Solar System Pop-Up by Joel Stern!

It's time to shout-out another book birthday! Yay!

I'm going to stick to the theme of stars for a couple of days (yesterday, being the first). Oh, and did you know that the Earth is currently enjoying a '2nd moon'? Yep, until the end of November, an asteroid has joined the moon in circling are planet.

Anyway, today's read is a pop-up book for the younger end of the reading audience, which should inspire about the wonders of space. I, personally, love pop-up books. So, I'm looking forward to it.

INTO STARRY OUTER SPACE

by Joel stern

Illustrated by Vivian Mineker

Little Simon

14 pages

ages 3 to 5

The creator of In a Spooky Haunted House and In the Holly Jolly North Pole returns with a thrilling pop-up board book that ventures into the vast, starry outer space!

Perfect for little astronauts in the making, this board book takes young readers into space for incredible sights and exciting fun facts! A sturdy page-turner, Into Starry Outer Space is an innovative, nonfiction pop-up story with galactic treats for all ages.

GOODREADS   /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Every page brings out the planets to teach a few facts and demonstrate how amazing our solar system is.

This books is sold for readers ages 3 to 5, but I'm going to shove up the recommendation just a teeny-tiny bit to 4 through 7. These pages are very enjoyable to flip through even for those who won't understand the text and facts. It heads from Mercury to Uranus and Neptune, leaving out Pluto (for arguable reasons, I guess). Not only the planet pops-out on the page, but a few other aspects as well to create a multi-leveled, 3-D scene. While the main text flows in rhyme with only a few light explanations as it introduces the youngest readers to the entire idea of planets and space, there are a couple lines on the pop-outs, which give more specific facts for slightly older readers. Some of these are lesser known, which makes it interesting even for adult readers.

The illustrations are bright and bold, and thanks to the joyful, main character floating right along, keep a very positive atmosphere the entire way through. It shows the fun space offers as well as a touch of imagination, since the entire thing is presented as a trip through the solar system. It makes a lovely read-aloud for smaller groups and works great for individual space fans, as well.

And here they are...

Joel Stern is the bestselling author of many books of paper crafts, including My First Origami Kit, My First Origami Fairy Tales Kit, and Washington Pops!. He conducts paper craft workshops for kids of all ages in camps, schools, community centers, and libraries, and his folded and pop-up paper creations have been exhibited throughout the world.

Vivian Mineker is a Taiwanese American illustrator whose work derives from a love of nature and animals, as well as an appreciation of the world around her. She creates visuals that she hopes connect with her audience and evoke the profound feelings and emotions that we all experience as humans. She has illustrated a number of children’s books, including The Road Not Taken, The Secret Life of Trees, What a Ship Sees, and Love Is in the Air. Visit her at VivianMineker.com.

A Constellation of Minor Bears by Jen Ferguson

 Time to dive deep into the emotional world! Today's read steers into teenage life, dealing with grief, stepping into new stages of life, and a touch of first love. At least, that's what I'm getting after reading the blurb. The cover is giving me camping vibes (obviously), and I assume there's deep meaning in the title, which hints at the story. Part of me secretly hopes there are bears involved, but I'm pretty sure it's referring to star constellations. 

Anyway, let's dive in and see what this one is about.

A CONSTELLATION OF MINOR BEARS

by Jen Ferguson

Heartdrum

YA Contemporary

352 pages

Award-winning author Jen Ferguson has written a powerful story about teens grappling with balancing resentment with enduring friendship—and how to move forward with a life that’s not what they’d imagined.

Before that awful Saturday, Molly used to be inseparable from her brother, Hank, and his best friend, Tray. The indoor climbing accident that left Hank with a traumatic brain injury filled Molly with anger.

While she knows the accident wasn’t Tray’s fault, she will never forgive him for being there and failing to stop the damage. But she can’t forgive herself for not being there either.

Determined to go on the trio’s post-graduation hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, even without Hank, Molly packs her bag. But when her parents put Tray in charge of looking out for her, she is stuck backpacking with the person who incites her easy anger.

Despite all her planning, the trail she’ll walk has a few more twists and turns ahead. . . .

Discover the evocative storytelling and emotion from the author of The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, which was the winner of the Governor General's Award, a Stonewall Award honor book, and a Morris Award finalist, as well as Those Pink Mountain Nights, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year!

GOODREADS    /     B&N    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Emotions slice and stab in a tale not only about forgiving others but learning to find ones' own place in the mess called life.

Molly was excited about the graduation trip, but after the accident, which left her brother injured and pushed him behind schedule, she's bordering on bitter. He could have come along but refused, since he hasn't graduated yet. So, she's stuck with their best friend Tray, who she can't help but blame for letting her brother get injured in the first place. To make things worse, her parents expect Tray to watch out for her—insulting and irritating. Somehow, she'll have to force herself to make it through the trip without letting her anger explode. But there is more coming her way than she thought.

The writing in these pages flows extremely well. The characters come across with tons of personality and a raw naturalness, which makes it easy to read and sink into. There are tons of emotions at play, and this slides in nicely with the age group. Some are understandable, while others are over-the-top. All have things they are bottling up, and each believes they can handle everything themselves, despite knowing that they truly can't. The back-and-forths carry snark edged with hints of naked truth, which hits with a personal note for readers to connect with.

An entire kettle full of problems and baggage stew in these pages, and many of the themes fit well with the audience. The first pages head right into this turmoil as Molly prepares for her graduation and trip, and that with a begrudging attitude carrying bite. Her anger is clear, and it hits everyone around her. The reader, however, remains in the dark concerning most of the reason until later in the novel...which does build tension and hold curiosity but isn't quite my thing. This brewing negativity clings to Molly like a second skin, and while she forces herself to be pleasant and deal with things, it makes her hard to like, at times. The other characters harbor their own issues to add to a thick weave of subplots and keep the tale intriguing. It mishes together to create a rich, emotional read, which hits upon more than a few social issues and personal battles on the path to finding balance.

And here she is...

Jen Ferguson is Michif/Métis and white, an activist, an intersectional feminist, an auntie, and an accomplice armed with a PhD in English and creative writing. Visit her online at jenfergusonwrites.com.

Mysterious World by Laura Knowles

Today's read comes from another one of my preferred publishers. Lonely Planet concentrates on nonfiction, and I'm a huge nonfiction fan...as are my kids. Even my youngest, who isn't exactly a book fan, snatched this book from my fingers when it arrived (literally) because the second she saw it, she knew it was nonfiction mystery. She loves unexplained or odd things which exist in reality. So, I'm going to pry it away from her and take a peek at it myself...but I'm already pretty sure it's good because she would have said otherwise already.

 

MYSTERIOUS WORLD

by Laura Knowles

Lonely Planet Kids

Middle Grade Nonfiction

192 pages

ages 9 to 12

Uncover our planet's most sensational secrets with this mind-boggling atlas of mysteries that's packed with more than 100 strange and unexplained enigmas.

What happened to the Bermuda Triangle? Where have Bigfoot, the Yeti, and the Yowie been sighted? Why does the legend of Area 51 fascinate us? Bursting with stories about ghostly hauntings, bizarre disappearances, and curious cryptids, this awesome guide to the unusual is the ultimate fact-packed mystery book for readers all over the world.

Inside Mysterious World: 

• More than 100 famous and obscure mysteries from across the planet
• Provides a global view of all that is unexplained with continent-based chapters that take an in-depth look at each thrilling tale
• Fascinating fun facts for kids to impress their friends and family with, plus historic photographs, maps, illustrations, and bespoke original art throughout
• Contents include: North America - Roswell, USA; The Oak Island Mystery, Canada; Pacal the Great, Mexico. South America - El Dorado, Colombia; Nazca Lines, Peru; The Devil's Lagoon, Chile. Europe - The Missing Lighthouse Keepers, UK; The Crooked Forest, Poland; The Tatzelwurm, Central Europe. Africa - The Curse of Tutankhamun, Egypt; Kongamato, Zambia; The Dogon and Sirius, Mali. Asia - The Mongolian Death Worm, Mongolia; The Sky Caves, Nepal; Naga Fireballs, Thailand. Oceania - The Yowie, Australia; The Kaikōura Lights, New Zealand; The Giant Heads of Rapa Nui
• Written by Laura Knowles, author of It Starts with a Seed, which won the 2017 Margaret Mallett Award for Children's Nonfiction

PUBLISHER   /    B&N    /     BULK BOOKSTORE

MY TIDBITS

Reality makes the best fiction, and these legends, monsters, mysteries, ghosts and more take a look at some of the oddest and unexplained things of our world.

Broken down into the continents and larger areas of Earth, this book slides through a variety of mysterious, odd, and sometimes, creepy things found all over the globe. A table of contents on the first pages makes referencing certain ones simple. Each chapter begins with a short introduction, which draws readers in with an atmospheric description and hints at the mysterious and strange things that area holds. Then, a detailed 'key' lists the specific topics found in the chapter along with the page on which it can be found. A rough map correlates with the the key to give readers an idea where the strange things originated or are located. 

Everything from Ogopogo to bioluminescent bays to the Darvaza Gas Crater and even aliens get a quick moment in the spotlight. The pages hold real life photos or helpful illustrations to bring the information to life, and these are fun to flip through just to get a glance at the variety. The information surrounding all these topics appears as short paragraphs over each two-page spread. These each hold a question or title to highlight different theories, facts, or possibilities. They are quick, short, and interesting, never tip-toeing into boredom or long babbles. While some of the information might already be known, many tidbits will raise eyebrows. Plus, the explanations often make readers think about the logic and connections between various aspects. There are several sections with highlighted mysteries, which have been solved as well. I found this to be a nice touch, since it reminds readers that there are answers...and these are waiting to be discovered. To round everything off, there's a glossary and an index at the end. 

Middle graders (and even older readers) eager to learn more about the stranger side of our world are sure to enjoy this collection. It's interesting, surprising, and holds a large variety.