Category Archives: Books

Books

Read Minnesota! Holiday Gift Guide from U of M Press

If you love MN books as much as we do, this is the holiday gift guide for you. The University of Minnesota Press has books from a great variety of genres: children’s books, environmental, memoir, travel guides, natural history, cookbooks, and more. And they’ve gathered them up for you here in this lovely little guide. Check your local library if you want a physical copy or read it online here. I know it instantly gave me plenty of gift ideas as well as titles to add to my TBR! (Plus, right now, you can get 30% off! No, this is isn’t a sponsored post, we’re just excited about MN books 🙂 ).

Some books we’re excited to read:

Yang Warriors by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Billy Thao
“In this inspiring picture book, fierce and determined children confront the hardships of Ban Vinai refugee camp, where Kao Kalia Yang lived as a child. Accompanied by the evocative and rich cultural imagery of debut illustrator Billy Thao, the warriors’ secret mission shows what feats of compassion and courage children can perform, bringing more than foraged greens back to the younger children and to their elders. In this unforgiving place, with little to call their own, these children are the heroes, offering gifts of hope and belonging in a truly unforgettable way.”

A Natural Curiosity: The Story of the Bell Museum by Lansing Shepard, Don Luce, Barbara Coffin, and Gwen Schagrin
“A richly illustrated tour of Minnesota’s premier natural history museum after 150 years. Since its humble start in 1872 as a one-room cabinet of curiosities, the University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum of natural history has become one of the state’s most important cultural institutions. Drawing on a wealth of materials unearthed during the museum’s recent move, this gorgeously illustrated book chronicles the remarkable discoveries and personalities that have made the Bell Museum what it is today.”

Plants Have So Much to Give Us, All We Have to Do Is Ask: Anishinaabe Botanical Teachings by Mary Siisip Geniusz
“The first complete resource for the practical use of plants in the Anishinaabe culture and the stories that surround them In Plants Have So Much to Give Us, All We Have to Do Is Ask Mary Siisip Geniusz makes Anishinaabe botanical information available to native and nonnative healers and educators and emphasizes the Anishinaabe culture that developed the knowledge and practice. Teaching the way she was taught—through stories—Geniusz brings the plants to life with narratives that explain their uses, meaning, and history.”

Waterfall: A Novel by Mary Casanova
“Trinity Baird’s hope for independence is tenuous, especially when her family has the final say—and the power to lock her away. In her third Rainy Lake historical drama, Mary Casanova takes us back to pristine and rugged northern Minnesota. Informed by historical figures, by the burgeoning growth of women’s rights in the early twentieth century, and the complicated issue of mental illness and how “difficult” women were silenced, Waterfall offers a compelling story of a young woman’s fight to find her way.”

The Steger Homestead Kitchen: Simple Recipes for an Abundant Life by Will Steger and Rita Mae Steger with Beth Dooley
“Personal and simple, earthy and warm—recipes and stories from the Steger Wilderness Center in Minnesota’s north woods. This is an inspiring and down-to-earth collection of meals and memories gathered at the Homestead, the home of Arctic explorer and environmental activist Will Steger, located in Minnesota’s north woods. Interwoven with dozens of mouth-watering recipes—for simple, hearty meals shared around home chefs’ own homestead tables—are Steger’s exhilarating stories of epic adventures exploring the Earth’s most remote regions.”

Books, Check it Out:

Picture Books to Enjoy During Black History Month (and all year long!)

Picture books are such a joy, whether you are a young reader or not! We’re suggesting several today that you can enjoy during Black History Month but really are great to read anytime. Side note, Angie can verify these books are not only beautiful to look at but are also fun to read out loud!

All the links on these books go to Amazon.com. If you click on one, and then buy anything at all, Amazon will give us a small percent of their profits on the sale. It’s anonymous, so we won’t know it’s you – but we will still be grateful!

Saturday by Oge Mora
“In this heartfelt and universal story, a mother and daughter look forward to their special Saturday routine together every single week. But this Saturday, one thing after another goes wrong–ruining storytime, salon time, picnic time, and the puppet show they’d been looking forward to going to all week. Mom is nearing a meltdown…until her loving daughter reminds her that being together is the most important thing of all.”

The Night is Yours by by Abdul-Razak Zachariah, illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo 
“This lyrical text, narrated to a young girl named Amani by her father, follows her as she plays an evening game of hide-and-seek with friends at her apartment complex. The moon’s glow helps Amani find the last hidden child, and seems almost like a partner to her in her game, as well as a spotlight pointing out her beauty and strength. This is a gorgeous bedtime read-aloud about joy and family love and community, and most of all about feeling great in your own skin.”

I Am Enough by Grace Byers, illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo
“This gorgeous, lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another comes from Empire actor and activist Grace Byers and talented newcomer artist Keturah A. Bobo.”

Buzzing With Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner by Janice N. Harrington, illustrated by Theodore Taylor III
“Can spiders learn? How do ants find their way home? Can bugs see color? All of these questions buzzed endlessly in Charles Henry Turner’s mind. As the first Black entomologist, he was fascinated by plants and animals and bugs. And even when he faced racial prejudice, Turner did not stop wondering. He constantly read, researched, and experimented.  Author Janice Harrington and artist Theodore Taylor III capture the life of this scientist and educator in this nonfiction picture book, highlighting Turner’s unstoppable curiosity and his passion for science. The extensive back matter includes an author’s note, time line, bibliography, source notes, and archival images.”

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Ekua Holmes
“Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, even being beaten to within an inch of her life, Fannie Lou Hamer was a champion of civil rights from the 1950s until her death in 1977. Integral to the Freedom Summer of 1964, Ms. Hamer gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention that, despite President Johnson’s interference, aired on national TV news and spurred the nation to support the Freedom Democrats. Featuring vibrant mixed-media art full of intricate detail, Voice of Freedom celebrates Fannie Lou Hamer’s life and legacy with a message of hope, determination, and strength.”

Books, Check it Out:

Valentine’s Reads for Kids

Even if you’re not a fan of Valentine’s Day, it’s still a good excuse to find some new books to enjoy! We’re suggesting titles you can share with your young students or patrons at your library!

All the links on these books go to Amazon.com. If you click on one, and then buy anything at all, Amazon will give us a small percent of their profits on the sale. It’s anonymous, so we won’t know it’s you – but we will still be grateful!

The Boy Who Loved Everyone by Jane Porter illus. by Maisie Paradise Shearring
“Dimitri may be small, but his heart is as big and as open as a cloudless blue sky. “I love you,” Dimitri tells his new classmates at preschool. “I love you,” Dimitri tells the class guinea pig and the ants on the ground. “I love you,” Dimitri tells the paintbrushes and the tree with heart-shaped leaves. So why doesn’t anyone say “I love you” back? Could love also be expressed in unspoken ways? In a familiar story of navigating the social cues of new friendship, author Jane Porter and illustrator Maisie Paradise Shearring offer a thoughtful tribute to the tender ones—those who spread kindness simply by being, and who love without bounds.”

How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You? by Jane Yolen illus. by Mark Teague
“Parents and children can never have enough ways to say “I love you”–and now, America’s favorite dinosaurs are giving families a funny book, perfect for bedtime, storytime, anytime. Even when little dinosaurs are naughty, it’s important to remind them that no matter what they do, they are always loved. In this book, readers will laugh aloud as parents cope with the typical antics of childhood, but in the end, hugs and kisses show your little one how much you care.”

I’m Programmed to Love You by Elias Barks illus by Gemma Román
“From hologram projector eyes to extending arms filled with books, this mom robot has a built-in feature or contraption for every parenting need. This delightful homage to innate parental love shows that a mother’s love for their child has many applications, and it’s always automatic.”

Sit, Stay, Love: A Wish Novel by J.J. Howard
“Cecilia Murray has been wishing for a dog for as long as she can remember. And when a cute pug named Potato is brought in to Orphan Paws, the shelter where she volunteers, she knows he is the dog she’s been waiting for. There’s just one problem: Eric Chung — a popular, arrogant boy from school — adopts Potato first. What’s worse, he hopes to train the little tater to become a show-dog superstar. Cecilia knows that Potato is not cut out for a life of sparkly collars and snobby judges, so she sets out to sabotage Eric’s plans. But the more time Cecilia spends with Potato and Eric, the more she questions everything she thought she knew about dog shows … and a certain cute show-dog trainer. Can Cecilia save Potato — while also listening to her heart?”

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado
“Charlie Vega is a lot of things. Smart. Funny. Artistic. Ambitious. Fat. People sometimes have a problem with that last one. Especially her mom. Charlie wants a good relationship with her body, but it’s hard, and her mom leaving a billion weight loss shakes on her dresser doesn’t help. The world and everyone in it have ideas about what she should look like: thinner, lighter, slimmer-faced, straighter-haired. Be smaller. Be whiter. Be quieter. But there’s one person who’s always in Charlie’s corner: her best friend Amelia. Slim. Popular. Athletic. Totally dope. So when Charlie starts a tentative relationship with cute classmate Brian, the first worthwhile guy to notice her, everything is perfect until she learns one thing–he asked Amelia out first. So is she his second choice or what? Does he even really see her?”

Love is a Revolution by Renée Watson
“When Nala Robertson reluctantly agrees to attend an open mic night for her cousin-sister-friend Imani’s birthday, she finds herself falling in instant love with Tye Brown, the MC. He’s perfect, except . . . Tye is an activist and is spending the summer putting on events for the community when Nala would rather watch movies and try out the new seasonal flavors at the local creamery. In order to impress Tye, Nala tells a few tiny lies to have enough in common with him. As they spend more time together, sharing more of themselves, some of those lies get harder to keep up. As Nala falls deeper into keeping up her lies and into love, she’ll learn all the ways love is hard, and how self-love is revolutionary.”

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
“Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay — Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor. But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down . . . until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.”

Books, Check it Out:

Congrats to the 2021 Youth Media Award Winners

Need some new reading material to enjoy and recommend to students? ALA has you covered! At their virtual Midwinter conference, they announced the recipients of this year’s Youth Media Awards which includes digital media, videos, audiobooks and of course, regular books!

American Libraries Magazine has this article recapping all the winners. Linda Sue Park, creator of the site Kids Books by Korean Americans highlights some of the winners on her page. A CMLE office favorite, We Are Water Protectors, made history with a Caldecott win. And School Library Journal has this very detailed page with links to reviews, interviews, guest posts, and further reading suggestions to explore!

We’ll share some of the winners below (link to the full list here!) and want to let you know the links take you to Amazon. If you buy anything at all, Amazon will give us a small percent of their profits on the sale. It’s anonymous, so we won’t know it’s you – but we will still be grateful!💗

Newbery Medal: When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
“When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni’s Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now they want it back. And when one of the tigers approaches Lily with a deal–return what her grandmother stole in exchange for Halmoni’s health–Lily is tempted to agree. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister and her new friend Ricky, Lily must find her voice…and the courage to face a tiger.”

Caldecott Medal: We Are Water Protectors illustrated by Michaela Goade, written by Carole Lindstrom
“Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption―a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade.”

Coretta Scott King Author Book Award: Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
“For as long as ZJ can remember, his dad has been everyone’s hero. As a charming, talented pro football star, he’s as beloved to the neighborhood kids he plays with as he is to his millions of adoring sports fans. But lately life at ZJ’s house is anything but charming. His dad is having trouble remembering things and seems to be angry all the time. ZJ’s mom explains it’s because of all the head injuries his dad sustained during his career. ZJ can understand that–but it doesn’t make the sting any less real when his own father forgets his name. As ZJ contemplates his new reality, he has to figure out how to hold on tight to family traditions and recollections of the glory days, all the while wondering what their past amounts to if his father can’t remember it. And most importantly, can those happy feelings ever be reclaimed when they are all so busy aching for the past?”

Pura Belpré Awards (for a Latinx writer and illustrator whose children’s books best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience):
¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat illustrated and written by Raúl Gonzalez
“In this new Vamos! title, Let’s Go Eat, Little Lobo is excited to take in a show with wrestling star El Toro in his bustling border town. After getting lunch orders from The Bull and his friends to help prepare for the event, Little Lobo takes readers on a tour of food trucks that sell his favorite foods, like quesadillas with red peppers and Mexican-Korean tacos. Peppered with easy-to-remember Latin-American Spanish vocabulary, this glorious celebration of food is sure to leave every reader hungry for lunch!”

Schneider Family Book Award (for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience):
I Talk Like a River written by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith
“When a boy who stutters feels isolated, alone, and incapable of communicating in the way he’d like, it takes a kindly father and a walk by the river to help him find his voice. Compassionate parents everywhere will instantly recognize a father’s ability to reconnect a child with the world around him. Poet Jordan Scott writes movingly in this powerful and ultimately uplifting book, based on his own experience, and masterfully illustrated by Greenaway Medalist Sydney Smith. A book for any child who feels lost, lonely, or unable to fit in.”

Odyssey Award (for best audiobook): Kent State by Deborah Wiles, produced by Paul R. Gagne for Scholastic Audio, narrated by Christopher Gebauer, Lauren Ezzo, Christina DeLaine, Johnny Heller, Roger Wayne, Korey Jackson, and David de Vries.
“From two-time National Book Award finalist Deborah Wiles, a masterpiece exploration of one of the darkest moments in our history, when American troops killed four American students protesting the Vietnam War.”

Books, Check it Out:

Register Now for the Heartdrum Launch Event!

According to the Diversity in Children’s Books 2018 graphic, only 1% of published children’s books contain characters who are Native American or First Nations people. So it’s extremely exciting that a new imprint from Harper Collins is focused on publishing books specifically by and about Native Americans!

The imprint Heartdrum will offer “a wide range of innovative, unexpected, and heartfelt stories by Native creators, informed and inspired by lived experience, with an emphasis on the present and future of Indian Country and on the strength of young Native heroes.”

Minnesota’s fantastic Native-focused bookstore Birchbark Books (owned by award-winning author Louise Erdrich!) is helping to host this FREE virtual launch event to celebrate Heartdrum! Birchbark Books carries many Heartdrum titles and has plenty of reading recommendations if you are looking for more books by Native authors.

You can register here for the event! Hope to see you there!