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Aeicha @ Word Spelunking

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

New Books To Check Out This Summer


Today I'm sharing a great list of new books for you and the young readers in your life to enjoy this summer!






A Quick & Easy Guide To They/Them Pronouns 
By Archie Bongiovannie & Tristan Jimerson
June 12, 2018 
Oni Press 

Archie, a snarky genderqueer artist, is tired of people not understanding gender neutral pronouns. Tristan, a cisgender dude, is looking for an easy way to introduce gender neutral pronouns to his increasingly diverse workplace. The longtime best friends team up in this short and fun comic guide that explains what pronouns are, why they matter, and how to use them. They also include what to do if you make a mistake, and some tips-and-tricks for those who identify outside of the binary to keep themselves safe in this binary-centric world. A quick and easy resource for people who use they/them pronouns, and people who want to learn more! 






Dr. Critchlore's School For Minions Series 
(Books 1-4, series complete) 
By Sheila Grau 
Abrams 
Welcome to Dr. Critchlore’s School for Minions, the premier trainer of minions for Evil Overlords everywhere. No student is prouder to be at Dr. Critchlore’s than Runt Higgins, a twelve-year-old werewolf. (At least he thinks he’s twelve. He was abandoned at the school as a baby, so he can’t say for sure.) Runt loves everything about Dr. Critchlore’s. He loves his classes—like History of Henchmen and Introduction to Explosives. He loves his friends—like Darthin the gargoyle and Syke the tree nymph. And he loves his foster family, who took him in when his wolf pack couldn’t.  But not everyone loves Dr. Critchlore’s as much as Runt. After a series of disasters, each worse than the next, it’s clear that someone is trying to shut the school down. It’s up to Runt, who knows the place better than anybody, to figure out who’s behind the attacks . . . and to save his home, and Dr. Critchlore himself, from total destruction. 

Nadya Skylung and the Cloudship Rescue 
by Jeff Seymour 
May 15, 2018 
GP Putnam's Sons BFYR 

From debut author Jeff Seymour and bestselling illustrator Brett Helquist (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events) comes this breathtaking fantasy adventure, starring an extraordinary new heroine and set in an unforgettable world where ships can fly.  

It takes a very special crew to keep the cloudship Orion running, and no one knows that better than Nadya Skylung, who tends the cloud garden that keeps the ship afloat. When the unthinkable happens and pirates attack, Nadya and the other children aboard--all orphans taken in by the kindhearted Captain Nic--narrowly escape, but the rest of the crew is captured. Alone and far from help, only Nadya and her four brave and loyal friends can take back the Orion and rescue the crew. And she'll risk life and limb to save the only family she's ever known. But . . . this attack was no accident. What exactly are the pirates looking for? Could it be Nadya they've been after all along? 


Just Under the Clouds 
By Melissa Sarno 
June 5, 2018 
Knopf BFYR 

Can you still have a home if you don't have a house? 

Always think in threes and you'll never fall, Cora's father told her when she was a little girl. Two feet, one hand. Two hands, one foot. That was all Cora needed to know to climb the trees of Brooklyn. 

But now Cora is a middle schooler, a big sister, and homeless. Her mother is trying to hold the family together after her father's death, and Cora must look after her sister, Adare, who's just different, their mother insists. Quick to smile, Adare hates wearing shoes, rarely speaks, and appears untroubled by the question Cora can't help but ask: How will she find a place to call home? 

After their room at the shelter is ransacked, Cora's mother looks to an old friend for help, and Cora finally finds what she has been looking for: Ailanthus altissima, the "tree of heaven," which can grow in even the worst conditions. It sets her on a path to discover a deeper truth about where she really belongs.  

Lies You Never Told Me 
by Jennifer Donaldson 
May 29, 2018 
Razorbill 

Gabe and Elyse have never met. But they both have something to hide. 

Quiet, shy Elyse can't believe it when she's cast as the lead in her Portland high school's production of Romeo and Juliet. Her best friend, Brynn, is usually the star, and Elyse isn't sure she's up to the task. But when someone at rehearsals starts to catch her eye--someone she knows she absolutely shouldn't be with--she can't help but be pulled into the spotlight.  

Austin native Gabe is contemplating the unthinkable--breaking up with Sasha, his headstrong, popular girlfriend. She's not going to let him slip through her fingers, though, and when rumors start to circulate around school, he knows she has the power to change his life forever.  

Gabe and Elyse both make the mistake of falling for the wrong person, and falling hard. Told in parallel narratives, this twisty, shocking story shows how one bad choice can lead to a spiral of unforeseen consequences that not everyone will survive.  

What I Leave Behind 
By Alison McGhee 
May 15, 2018 
Atheneum 

After his dad commits suicide, Will tries to overcome his own misery by secretly helping the people around him in this story made up of one hundred chapters of one hundred words each. 

Sixteen-year-old Will spends most of his days the same way: Working at the Dollar Only store, trying to replicate his late father’s famous cornbread recipe, and walking the streets of Los Angeles. Will started walking after his father committed suicide, and three years later he hasn’t stopped. But there are some places Will can’t walk by: The blessings store with the chest of 100 Chinese blessings in the back, the bridge on Fourth Street where his father died, and his childhood friend Playa’s house. 

When Will learns Playa was raped at a party—a party he was at, where he saw Playa, and where he believes he could have stopped the worst from happening if he hadn’t left early—it spurs Will to stop being complacent in his own sadness and do some good in the world. He begins to leave small gifts for everyone in his life, from Superman the homeless guy he passes on his way to work, to the Little Butterfly Dude he walks by on the way home, to Playa herself. And it is through those acts of kindness that Will is finally able to push past his own trauma and truly begin to live his life again. Oh, and discover the truth about that cornbread. 

Champions of Women's Soccer 
by Ann Killion
May 1, 2018 
Philomel 

From the World Cup to the Olympics, from Mia Hamm to Carli Lloyd to Alex Morgan, here is the ultimate guide to Women's Soccer for young sports fans from an award-winning sports journalist. 

The moment the U.S. Women's Soccer team won the World Cup in 1999, the team's--and the sport's--popularity exploded in America. The Americans' electrifying rise to the top marked the biggest women's sporting event in our nation's history. Players like Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain instantly became international stars, setting the stage for the arrival of future greats like Carli Lloyd, Abby Wambach, and Alex Morgan. And with women's professional leagues continuing to take shape in America, as well as the skyrocketing popularity of the U.S. Women's National Team, there's no doubt that women's soccer has captivated fans across the country and beyond. 

Featuring Top Ten Lists and stunning photos of history-making moments, this comprehensive collection catalogs the rise of women's soccer in America; the greatest American players such as Mia Hamm, Hope Solo, and Alex Morgan; the greatest international stars, including Marta and Homare Sawa; the future class of superstars; and the most thrilling World Cup and Olympic matches. This is the perfect book for young sports fans eager to kick off their soccer schooling. 

Champions of Men's Soccer
Ann Killion 
May 1, 2018 
Philomel 

Just in time for the World Cup! From Pele to Messi to Tim Howard, here is the ultimate guide to Men's Soccer for young sports fans from an award-winning sports journalist. 

From fields all across the United States to the streets of South America to pitches in Europe and Asia, the global passion and love for soccer knows no borders. It is simply the most popular sport in the world. Giants of the game like Cristiano Ronaldo, Tim Howard, and Lionel Messi have become international celebrities and role models to young fans across the globe. And as soccer continues to expand in America, with the growth of leagues like Major League Soccer and the rise in popularity of the US Men's Olympic team, there's no doubt that it's the fastest-growing sport in the United States. 
 Featuring Top Ten Lists and stunning photos of history-making moments, this comprehensive men's pro soccer collection catalogs the greatest international players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Pel'; the greatest Americans, including Tim Howard, Landon Donovan, and Clint Dempsey; the future class of superstars; and the most thrilling World Cup and Olympic matches. Here is the ultimate guide to men's soccer for young sports fans. 


Disclaimer: I received copies of the titles above for review/feature purposes

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