The Three Billy Goats Gruff – Jerry Pinkney
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (May 9, 2017)
When the three billy goats Gruff are hungry, they see bountiful grass to eat across an old bridge. But the bridge is home to a terrible troll, who is peckish himself, and looking for a tasty morsel to gobble up. In his interpretation of the timeless tale, Jerry Pinkney shows there’s little good to come from greed–but in the end, redemption for even the most trollish bully is possible. A dramatic gatefold heightens the climax of this brilliant rendition.
Clayton Byrd Goes Underground – Rita Williams-Garcia, Illustrator – Frank Morrison
Amistad (May 9, 2017)
Clayton feels most alive when he’s with his grandfather, Cool Papa Byrd, and the band of Bluesmen—he can’t wait to join them, just as soon as he has a blues song of his own. But then the unthinkable happens. Cool Papa Byrd dies, and Clayton’s mother forbids Clayton from playing the blues. And Clayton knows that’s no way to live. Armed with his grandfather’s brown porkpie hat and his harmonica, he runs away from home in search of the Bluesmen, hoping he can join them on the road. But on the journey that takes him through the New York City subways and to Washington Square Park, Clayton learns some things that surprise him.
The Go-Between – Veronica Chambers
Delacorte Press (May 9, 2017)
She is the envy of every teenage girl in Mexico City. Her mother is a glamorous telenovela actress. Her father is the go-to voice-over talent for blockbuster films. Hers is a world of private planes, chauffeurs, paparazzi and gossip columnists. Meet Camilla del Valle—Cammi to those who know her best. When Cammi’s mom gets cast in an American television show and the family moves to LA, things change, and quickly. Her mom’s first role is playing a not-so-glamorous maid in a sitcom. Her dad tries to find work but dreams about returning to Mexico. And at the posh, private Polestar Academy, Cammi’s new friends assume she’s a scholarship kid, the daughter of a domestic. At first Cammi thinks playing along with the stereotypes will be her way of teaching her new friends a lesson. But the more she lies, the more she wonders: Is she only fooling herself?
Sights I Love to See – Cheryl Willis Hudson, illustrator – Laura Freeman
Marimba Books (May 15, 2017)
In this engaging, multicultural series, see, feel and explore the world of irresistible youngsters from different cultural backgrounds as they share people, places and things that are important to them. Share a close-up view of nature through the eyes of a little girl as she goes about her daily activities in Sights I Love to See.
Friends I Love to Keep – Wade Hudson, Illustrator – Laura Freeman
Marimba (May 15, 2017)
In this engaging, multicultural series, see, feel and explore the world…of irresistible youngsters from different cultural backgrounds as they share people, places and things that are important to them. Friends can be our next door neighbors, classmates, or someone new in the community. They can be introduced to us through books, social gatherings or by other friends. A friend is a person whose company we enjoy.
My Daddy Rules the World: Poems About Fathers – Hope Anita Smith
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (May 16, 2017)
Told through the voice of a child, My Daddy Rules the World collection of poems celebrates everyday displays of fatherly love, from guitar lessons and wrestling matches to bedtime stories, haircuts in the kitchen, and cuddling in bed. These heartwarming poems, together with bold folk-art-inspired images, capture the strength and beauty of the relationship between father and child.
Greetings, Leroy – Itah Sadu, illustrator – Alix Delinois
Groundwood Books (May 16, 2017)
The first day at a new school is nerve-wracking enough, never mind when it’s in a new country! In this lively picture book from award-winning storyteller Itah Sadu, Roy realizes he may come to love his new home as much as he loves his old home.
How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child – Sandra Uwiringiyimana with Abigail Pesta
Katherine Tegen Books (May 16, 2017)
This profoundly moving memoir is the remarkable and inspiring true story of Sandra Uwiringiyimana, a girl from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who tells the tale of how she survived a massacre, immigrated to America, and overcame her trauma through art and activism.
We Are Shining – Gwendolyn Brooks, Illustrator – Jan Spivey Gilchrist
HarperCollins (May 30, 2017)
Marking the 100th birthday of Gwendolyn Brooks, this powerful picture book is a celebration of the diversity of our world. This life-affirming poem is now illustrated for the very first time, with stunning, vibrant images.
A story of our shared humanity, Gwendolyn Brooks honors the beauty of our world and the many different people in it. Brooks speaks to all children of the world in this moving poem about acceptance, stressing that every child should have the opportunity for a shining future and offering hope for a better tomorrow.
