We have new books coming in all the time with them on display right as you enter the Trove.  Here’s some of our recent favorite new titles!

For Wee Ones

DJ Baby by DJ Burton & Andy J. Pizza
(Birth to 3 years-old)
Library Catalog

“While some may say that babies do not need to learn how to do a record scratch, I for one disagree heartily! These are important skills and, happily, we finally have an interactive board book to go along with this need. Now if I were handing out awards for the most creatively constructed board books of the year, DJ Baby hands down would be the winner. Two records poke through the entire book so that even on the cover you have the ability to spin them either clockwise or counter-clockwise. The text, meanwhile, is bouncy and rhyming. ‘Hey, DJ Baby! Pump up the jammies! Spin those records! Jump up, little lambies!’ Animals fill the dance floor as the reader spins those records. So entranced was I with the records that I completely missed some of the other interactive elements, like the lights you can raise and lower. A more blatant pitch to Gen X / Millennial parents I’ve yet to see, and I couldn’t care less. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when they pitched this to the Simon & Schuster sales team. Utterly original. And if you want to watch my TikTok on it, you can do so here.” -Betsy Bird, School Library Journal

A Beautiful House for Birds by Grace Lin
(Birth to 3 years-old)
Library Catalog

“A math board book sounds, on the outset, impossible. Or, at the very least, improbable. That is, until you realize that math has roots in some of the fundamental activities kids play with all the time. It’s always pleased me inordinately that Grace Lin gets this fact. Over the years she’s been contributing to Charlesbridge’s ‘Story-Telling Math’ board book series, highlighting a variety of different concepts. I like some more than others, and I happen to like this one very much. The concept being highlighted here is ‘Patterns’. I love how such a simple storyline about painting pink and green lines in succession on a birdhouse roof, interrupted by an unexpected blue line, leads the young heroine to realize that this mistake can actually become a part of the pattern too. Exceedingly clever how Lin has figured out how to make something this smart for such a young audience. The words are never too complicated, and it makes a great point not simply about pattern recognition but also extending already existing patterns into something new.” -Betsy Bird, School Library Journal

My First Baby Signs by Lee Ann Steyns & Julia Seal
(Birth to 3 years-old)
Library Catalog

“I’m placing this in the board book category in spite of the fact that technically the pages are not those thick cardboard-like surfaces we’ve grown so accustomed to over the years. Even so, the pages are very sturdy and the cover of a nice chewy, cushiony quality. When my kids were babies I found that though I wanted to find books on doing signs with them, the pickings were few and far between. The books I ended up relying on the most were, in fact, board books! Often these would contain photographs of real babies performing the signs. What sets this Steyns/Seal collaboration apart is not simply the ample additional information for parents at the start, but also tips on how to begin signing with your baby. The book is even separated into Top 10 Starter Signs, for when you’re first teaching, and the more complete listing of Daily Signs. There is even (and this is heavenly) a friggin’ Index of Signs at the back so that you can find the ones you need more quickly. The fact that it’s illustrated rather than contains photographs is no fluke. Often illustrations can be much clearer in showing parents how to perform one sign or another. I gotta say, this may be the strongest baby sign language board book I’ve ever encountered.” -Betsy Bird, School Library Journal

For Younger Readers

The Gabi That Girma Wore by Fasika Adefris, Sara Holly Ackerman & Netsanet Tesfay
(Pre-K to 3rd Grade)
Library Catalog

“The journey of an Ethiopian garment, from the literal seeds of its inception all the way to the people who wear it proudly. The Gabi, defined in the glossary as ‘a multilayered traditional Ethiopian cloth,’ starts out as cottonseed sown into the rich brown earth. Rich digital illustrations show the cotton sprouting and growing, a farmer plucking fluffy white fibers from the plant, and shemanes (the Amharic word for weavers) working the heddles and wooden treadles of the looms to produce workable textiles. Cumulative verse, similar to ‘The House That Jack Built,’ shows what a slow—but meaningful—process it is (‘This is the cottonseed, oval and slight…to sprout the Gabi that Girma wore’). As the Gabi takes shape, with an amber and burgundy border woven into the white fabric, rhyming narration thoughtfully emphasizes the ‘brightness and light’ that decorate the garment. At the marketplace, the Gabi sits alongside other wares before being bought by a woman named Genet, who gives it to a man named Girma. The authors place this purchase into cultural context, making it clear how important it is to Girma; he wears his Gabi on festive occasions and at church on Christmas and Easter, and he and a whole family of smiling and loving faces snuggle up under it on the couch. An illuminating tale of the love and care that go into creating this East African garment.” –Kirkus Reviews

Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu by Ying Chang Compestine & Crystal Kung
(Kindergarten to 3rd grade)
Library Catalog

“In this fractured fairy tale, Compestine imagines the origins of a famous dish. Ra Pu Zel is an assertive, independent Chinese princess who loves to cook. She’s constantly scolded for failing to be a proper lady until one day she’s finally had enough and locks herself in her tower; using her long braid, she pulls up baskets of food from her mother. As she cultivates her hobbies, the delicious smells and lovely music that float out into the kingdom attract suitors from near and far. The emperor decrees that the first person who can draw the princess out of the tower will receive his marriage blessing. It isn’t until a young chef arrives, pushing a cart that emits a horrible stench, that Pu Zel is finally lured out. The chef’s stinky tofu—a delicacy in his hometown—wins her heart, and the dish goes on to become one of the most renowned in China. Kung’s digital artwork is reminiscent of Chinese watercolor paintings, though with a modern sensibility and cinematic eye. The colorful, expressively detailed depictions of the princess’ attempts to conform to expectations are a hoot, and her joy in being her best self in her tower is palpable. In the backmatter, Compestine explains that this story is ‘strictly from my own imagination’ and includes a recipe for (non-stinky) tofu. A delicious mashup of fairy tales and food.” –Kirkus Reviews

Benita and the Night Creatures by Mariana Llanos & Cocoretto
(Pre-K to 3rd Grade)
Library Catalog
Benita y las Criaturas Nocturnas by Mariana Llanos & Cocoretto
(Pre-K to 3rd Grade)
Library Catalog

“Benita is wrapped up in her reading and not bothered by the night creatures who try to frighten her at bedtime. Annoyed at the growing crowd of would-be scarers, she yells, “DON'T YOU SEE I'M READING A BOOK?” Intrigued, the monsters ask Benita to read to them. Now all engrossed, they yell “SHHHH!” to latecomer Yanapuma, who instead of scaring everyone joins the storytime. Boldly colored pencil and digital illustrations pop against mostly black backdrops. Young book lovers will relate to Benita's devotion to reading and be amused by the friendly night creatures, who are all based on Peruvian legends. Concurrently published in Spanish as Benita y las criaturas nocturnas.”  –Horn Book Magazine

Fiction

The Apartment House on Poppy Hill by Sònia Albert
(Grades 2-4)
Library Catalog

“It’s wonderful having great neighbors. Ella Josephine Norwood, 9, lives with her two moms in a pink, green-trimmed apartment building on San Francisco’s Poppy Hill. Ella’s close with everybody there, except the elderly Robinsons, who cultivate magnificent rose bushes and have occupied the top floor for years but are never seen in public. Ella befriends a newly arrived engaged couple and teaches them how to deal with a few household ‘glitches.’ She keeps regular tea dates with a free-spirited neighbor and walks the dogs of a gay married couple whose wedding she attended as a flower girl. After Ella writes a ‘top-secret letter’ to the Robinsons, they invite her to visit and ask for a favor. The shy Robinsons, living in a rose-bedecked apartment, need Ella’s help tying bows for gifts they plan to give the neighbors. Their gift for Ella? A rose-shaped gold pin, like the one they wear, because she has ‘blossomed.’ Ella is sweet and self-assured, with a good sense of humor; like her building, this chapter book is cozy and comforting. Aside from a lone reference to teachers and friends, readers learn nothing about Ella’s schooling or interactions with people her own age. Still, those who enjoy stories about warm, quirky interpersonal relationships will appreciate this one. Ella and most of the other characters appear light-skinned in the attractive, atmospheric black-and-white illustrations, though Mr. Robinson and several other neighbors are people of color. Readers will want to move in here and meet these folks.” –Kirkus Reviews

Secrets of the Sky: The Poison Waves by Sayantani Dasgupta
(Grades 3-6)
Library Catalog

“In this second entry in the Secrets of the Sky series, sister and brother Kiya and Kinjal are called upon once again to save the Kingdom Beyond Seven Oceans and Thirteen Rivers. A few weeks after the conclusion of The Chaos Monster (2023), the fourth grade twins find themselves being summoned by Princess Pakkhiraj, leader of the flying horses in the Sky Kingdom. She wants them to save the water pari, winged mermaid residents of Pari-desh, by finding the source of a mysterious problem that is affecting the water and the health of all its inhabitants. Because Kiya and Kinjal were able to save the bees of the Sky Kingdom, and thus the whole ecosystem, ‘since everything in the natural world was connected to everything else,’ Princess Pakkhiraj believes they can do it again. After some investigating, the twins track down the source of the issue, which is rooted in science and the impact of pollution, allowing STEM-focused Kiya to shine. Filled with jokes that lighten the seriousness of the central issues, this page-turning fantasy is a must-read. Many elements of the story are rooted in Bengali folklore, particularly the folktale collection Thakurmar Jhuli. Tang’s delicate artwork shows both the kids’ ordinary home in Parsippany, New Jersey, and the many wonders they encounter. A funny and engaging sequel  that seamlessly meshes Bengali folklore and environmental justice.” –Kirkus Reviews

Camp Sylvania by Julie Murphy
(Grades 4-6)
Library Catalog

“A girl must survive not only fat camp, but the vampire who runs it. Despite Maggie’s plan to spend the summer with her best friend at Camp Rising Star, where she’ll hopefully get over her persistent stage fright, her parents instead ship her off to Camp Sylvania so she’ll finally lose her “baby fat.” Though feeling betrayed, Maggie, who is White, starts to think spending afternoons on the lake might not be so bad, especially as she gets to know her bunkmates and decides to try out for the camp musical. But between the odd diet of mostly red foods, lack of technology, and mean and creepy counselors, the only place the campers truly feel comfortable is in the air-conditioned blood bank (regular donations are mandatory). When her co-star’s brother goes missing along with several other campers, Maggie and her bunkmates begin an investigation into the gruesome truth at the heart of the camp. Murphy renders her camp of fat characters with nuance, giving them unique personalities beyond their size and often pointing out how others’ judgments ignore their full humanity and undermine their confidence. Jokes and sweet interactions round out the story, while hints at the camp’s monstrous nature create a spooky atmosphere. A continuing focus on the musical in the latter half stunts the story’s growing stakes but gives Maggie the chance to fully seize her moment in the spotlight. A fun and spooky celebration of fat kids and friendship.” –Kirkus Reviews

Nonfiction

Priya's Kitchen Adventures: A Cookbook for Kids by Priya Krishna
(Grades K-4)
Library Catalog
“From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of Indian-ish and Cooking at Home, an illustrated cookbook for kids and their parents that draws on Priya’s childhood experiences traveling the globe with her family.  ‘Will help the entire family travel the world without leaving the kitchen.’” – Parade

My Lost Freedom: A Japanese American World War II Story by George Takei, art by Michelle Lee
(Grades K-4)
Library Catalog

“Star Trek actor and activist Takei looks back on a childhood marked by war and injustice, transformed by parental heroes. Takei was 4 years old in 1941, when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Soon after, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, decreeing that Japanese American people be imprisoned in concentration camps. Takei and his parents and younger siblings were forced to leave their home in Los Angeles and live in a series of camps–first at the San Anita racetrack and later at Camp Rohwer, Arkansas, and Tule Lake, California. Takei offers an unflinchingly honest, child's-eye view of these events: stalls stinking of horse manure and filled with bugs and germs, sweltering barracks guarded by sentry towers with armed soldiers. Mindful, though, of young readers' sensibilities, he interweaves moments of levity and escape: movie nights, a baseball league, a dog named Blackie, a snowball fight, and more. His parents' courage shines through, too: Mama transforming their dismal surroundings into a home; Daddy serving as manager of their block. Lee's mixed-media illustrations depict children in brightly colored outfits set against backgrounds of earth tones and deep blues to capture readers' attention and underscore the individuality of the imprisoned citizens. Lee also inserts visual details to complement Takei's evocative text. An author's note details the harassment Takei's family experienced as they rebuilt their lives in L.A. A candid yet tender glimpse at a bleak chapter in U.S. history.”-Kirkus Reviews

Graphic Novels

Officer Clawsome: Crime Across Time by Brian Smitty Smith, art by Chris Giarrusso
(Grades 1-4)
Library Catalog
For fans of Dog Man, Spongebob Squarepants, and The Bad Guys!

“The ocean's top cops dive into the timestream in pursuit of fishy archfiend Brain Sturgeon. Something's definitely fishy in underwater Caper Cove, with finny scientists and piles of gold all vanishing. Fortunately, lobster lawman Clawsome and his doughty if diminutive starfish partner, Stariana, are on the case. In a caper that takes them from prehistoric times to the Old West and even into “outer space” (i.e., above the ocean's surface), they battle cavegoons and robots, both giant and regular size, to save their undersea town and the future itself from a sneering mastermind with a time machine. Fueled by kelpcakes (like doughnuts, but green) and exchanging eye-rolling banter as they go (“Wanna do some bowling?” “As long as you don't spare any of these goons.” “Let's see if I can strike up a conversation!”), the dynamic duo suffers reverses. But as depicted in fast-flowing panels flooded with loud, punchy action and massive explosions, they ultimately deliver just deserts once again. Even (literally) crabby Captain Badmood has to offer reluctant congrats. Young fans of Dav Pilkey's work will appreciate the action-packed storyline, humor, and bright illustrations. The crustacean crimefighter and his sidekick really earn their doughnuts in this smash-'em-up slugfest.”-Kirkus Reviews

Kira and the (Maybe) Space Princess by Megan Brennan
(Grades 3-7)
Library Catalog

“Entering the seventh grade at Neo-Earth Junior High is a new chance at a first impression for Kira. Over the summer, her self-proclaimed rival Tulip became a Magical Girl, complete with a familiar, and was able to participate in the Sealander champions in battle competitions. It quickly becomes clear that most of the school is focused on their new hometown hero, Fairytale Fighter, and this year is not the fresh start that lonely Kira had planned. At home, a shooting star illuminates a frustrated Kira's window, so she makes a wish and a subsequent crash leads to her meeting Catacorn–a space princess who has come to Neo-Earth on a secret mission. Kira is soon pulled into helping Catacorn use Cutie gadgets, close warp zones, and develop the duo's abilities. At first, Kira is self-absorbed and really only helps Catacorn because she thinks it'll get her recognition as a Magical Girl. By the end, Kira begins to understand that there's more to friendship and to being a Magical Girl than simply getting what she wants. Brennan's artwork is playfully colorful with a loose feel that matches the silly nature of the story. Often, the tale is a bit over-the-top, and young readers probably will not recognize the satire behind some of the humor, but the struggle of finding your place and making true friends will resonate. End notes indicate a sequel is already in the works.”–School Library Journal

Next Stop by Debbie Fong
(Grades 4-7)
Library Catalog

“There are strange stories about what's possible after a drink from Cessarine Lake, stories of people having visions and being cured of fatal illnesses. One year after Pia's brother drowns at the beach on her watch, fracturing her family, all Pia wants is to take the sightseeing bus to Cessarine Lake, keeping both her belief in the lake's powers and her brother's old action figure close to her chest. When a broken leg means that her dad can't make the trip, he's willing to put her in the care of tour manager Caroline and her daughter Sam. As Pia encounters the weird culture of roadside tourism blended with surreal fantasy, from the utterly skippable ‘world's smallest corn maze’ to the plant-hybrid people populating the town nearest Cessarine, a slow-burn narrative reveals a youth's homelife shattered by loss. “My mom hates me,” Pia confides to fast-friend Sam, as heart-rending flashbacks show Pia's mother lashing out at her as the source of their family's grief. Fong has a knack for infusing the mundane with the surreal to enhance emotional impact, and for recreating the comfortably uncomfortable, anything-could-happen atmosphere of an extended road-trip. Wordless panels fully immerse readers in Pia's silently conveyed moods, pulling them into a desert haze of tourism-time under shockingly blue roadside skies, eager to uncover the mysteries of Cessarine Lake themselves. Mixing young friendship and whimsy with a depth of feeling as long as any highway, this introspective graphic novel should be the obvious next stop for middle grader readers looking for the weird and wonderful.”-Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books