The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid
by Dylan Thuras & Rosemary Mosco ill Joy Ang

The introductory and final pages are an invitation for young readers to be curious and explore wonders waiting to be discovered "starting in your own backyard." Some of the directives are practical. Others are fantastical. For example, the traveler's Packing List includes basic items such as sunscreen and a first aid kit. But look further down the supply checklist and you'll find a Geiger Counter and treats for goats "just in case you run into some adorable hungry goats." Arrangement of the book's content is intriguing. Thuras and Mosco have eschewed tradition organization. Readers are initially invited to explore the interior of a volcano, located in Iceland.  While in Iceland, the facing page describes sighting Blue Whale migration in an Icelandic bay.

Bonus: Create Your Own Adventure

The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo

Clara is the class clown, the prankster. When she takes it too far, she and her arch-nemesis Rose get into a knockdown brawl. As punishment Clara and Rose must work together at KoBra, her father’s Korean-Brazilian fusion food truck. Complications arise when Hamlet from the coffee kiosk begins to pay Clara an inordinate amount of attention. After one date, he decides that she is his girlfriend. Whoa! This is more than Clara's typical superficial relationship. Our girl has some serious growing up to do. Can she sustain a friendship with a former enemy? Can she commit to one guy? Can she work through her complicated relationship with her mother? Can she repair the damage that her impulsive actions have caused? That’s a lot to ask of one sixteen-year-old. Maurene Goo’s romantic comedy is more than a smart, slick portrait of love and friendship. It’s also a tantalizing send-up to food trucks. Impossible to read this without having some serious cravings for walk-away eats.

From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon

Twinkle feels that she is a "nobody." Ignored by her parents, she longs to be noticed at school. The opportunity comes when Twinkle is asked to direct a movie for the local arts festival. Here is her chance to show the Colorado Springs community that she has talent. Film geek Sahil has offered to help her produce her filmmaking debut. They brainstorm an imaginative story concept, turning the classic Dracula into a gender-reversal version. But Sahil clearly wants more than just a business relationship. There is a slight problem. Twinkle has an ongoing crush on Sahil's athletic superstar twin brother Neil. When she begins receiving anonymous emails from a secret admirer, Twinkle assumes (hopes) that the sender is Neil. Sandhya Menon uses a series of imaginary emails that Twinkle sends to famous women of filmdom in this story of finding where her heart lies.

American Panda by Gloria Chao

Mei Lu's parents have her life arranged. At the age of seventeen, she has followed the life plan that they set for her and is about to enter MIT, studying to become a doctor. Her mother, who gives new meaning to the term helicopter parent, has obtained a copy of her class schedule and relentlessly voicemails Mei, wanting to know where she is and what she is doing every moment of the day. She has even selected a suitable husband for her daughter. Mei, a germaphobe, constantly worries about contracting a disease from normal human contact and struggles to stay alert in biology class. She loves dance and is attracted to a young man who is definitely not Taiwanese. Gloria Chao's heartwarming tale of the girl struggling to be true to herself, while honoring and respecting her family and culture is served with a generous quantity of humor. Love her. Laugh with her. Agonize with her. Mei’s story is the quintessential romantic comedy.

Bonus: Love currently available on a screen near you. ​

Smoke and Mirrors by K. D. Halbrook

Weaving a tale of wonder filled with pain, regret, resolve, hope, and a generous dose of magic is difficult. K. D. Halbrook's words seem to flow effortlessly, creating an illusion that is enchanting, while simultaneously heartbreaking.   Sasha and Toddy are children of Cirque Magnifique performers. From infancy, their lives have revolved around the wonder of daring aerial acts and dazzling costumes. People come from afar to marvel at these performances. Everyone, that is, except for the residents on the other side of the island. They will have nothing to do with this strangeness Sasha is devastated when their parents decide that the siblings must attend school with the island children. She believes that she won't fit in. She doesn’t. ​The Cirque kids were color in a gray world, they were many languages and strange accents, they were children of bizarre grown-ups who didn’t have normal jobs or wear normal clothes or carry the same tired expressions in their eyes, like the other island parents did.

You remember every nice thing that's happened to you. The people who hugged you when you were sad. The ones who invited you to their birthday party and gave you nicest piece of cake. You think about the most beautiful sights on the island.

Oliver: The Second-Largest Living Thing on Earth
by Josh Crute ill John Taesoo Kim

Why the obsession with being first?  Josh Crute explores this ever-present phenomena in Oliver: The Second-Largest Living Thing on Earth.  Meet Oliver, a mighty sequoia standing 268.1 feet tall. One would think that this height would be impressive. Unfortunately, it is not.  There is a taller tree: Sherman, coincidentally bearing a marked resemblance to the world's largest sequoia: The General Sherman Tree located in Sequoia National Park.  Oliver notes that Sherman is the recipient of constant attention.  He, on the other hand, receives no notice. Disheartened but not daunted, he begins a regime to increase his stature. "Stretch(ing) limbs" and "munch(ing) on mulch" fail to produce results. Sherman is still bigger and taller.  What's a second-place finisher to do?

The answer comes quite by accident. Oliver changes his point of view. That's when he notices an entire forest of other sequoias. None are as tall as Sherman. However, there are a lot of them. A. Lot. They make up the Sequoia National Forest and it is indeed impressive. John Taesoo Kim renders the sequoias with insightful details. Sherman has a bushy leaf beard, mossy green growth beneath his armpit branches and some impressive tattoos sprouting on his limbs.

The Darkdeep by Ally Condie & Brendan Reichs

If I had a dollar for every time a student asked for a scary book, I could own a pair of Jimmy Choos. Let's face it: kids love creepy, spine tingling stories. Over time, this genre has consistently retained its appeal. R.L. Stein never goes out of style. Gaiman's Coraline, Black's Doll Bones, Baptist's The Jumbies, and Oppel's The Nest deliver contemporary horror to legions of young audiences. Now, a dynamic writing duo has tapped into middle grade fascination with horror. Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs invite kids to explore The Darkdeep. What if your worst nightmare came to life? What if the object of your childhood fears attacked you? What if a group of friends discovered that the terrifying figments of their collective imaginations took form? Twelve -year-old explorers Nico, Taylor, Emma, and Opal discover a mysterious island hidden beneath massive cliffs. A strange-looking houseboat is moored on the island’s pond. Filled with a collection of the bizarre, this floating oddity feels like a “psychopath’s attic.” But even more intriguing is a swirling pool of black liquid at the bottom of the houseboat.

Bonus

Coming to a city near you.... The Darkdeep launches a ten city tour, beginning October 1, 2018.

One lucky person's  will appear in next The Darkdeep book. Check out this offer to have a character named after you in the sequel.

Turning Pages: My Life Story 
by Sonia Sotomayor ill Lulu Delacre

Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court Justice, has penned a tribute to the power of books and the pivotal role that they have played in shaping her life. Born and raised in New York City, Sotomayor is the product of a vibrant Puerto Rican culture.  Books played an integral role in her young life. Superhero comic books encouraged her to be brave in the face of daily insulin shots. The local library provided solace following the death of her father. Mystery books meant searching for clues and figuring out puzzles. Novels invited her to discover the importance of law. The Bible gave her an appreciation for the importance of distinguishing right from wrong. A set of encyclopedias, science fiction, and the university library opened new vistas. Books became her maps, mirrors, lens for viewing the world, and loyal friends. Turning Pages: My Life Story highlights the importance of reading and the value that knowledge from books can have in attaining one's goals.

Bonus

Pasando páginas: La historia de mi vida, the Spanish edition is also available.

Meet Justice Sotomayor in this interview conducted during the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.

24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti Bowling

WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY

Gus, a "thirteen-year-old boy in the body of an eight-year old," abandoned by his father and now living in a trailer with his grandmother who spends her days glued to the television. The ultimate underdog. Gus and his companions Rossi, Jessie, and Matthew must get enough gold from a deserted mine to buy back Rossi's stolen motorcycle. Dead Frenchman Mine "everyone who had entered the mine in the last seventy years had died an agonizing, suffocating, bone-crushing death. 24 hours.  That's all time they have to enter the mine, find the gold, and get the motorcycle in time for Rossi to enter the dirt bike competition.  "Justice. I had to fight for justice."

Bonus

​Rossi is a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, a "federally-recognized tribe that includes approximately 28,000 members" occupying tribal lands in the Sonoran Desert located in Southwestern Arizona. Learn more about this tribe, its history, government and culture.

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

When I first viewed the illustrations featured in Yuyi Morales picture book Dreamers, I gasped in astonishment. The art was so vibrant, so full of imagination and wonder. As I read the text, tears began to form and softly spill onto my cheeks. Yuyi's story of a young immigrant mother and her child is a story of hopes and dreams, A story of discovery.  A story of possibility. A story of love. The text seamlessly blends English and Spanish, moving between present reality and the opportunities to explore the richness of art and imagination. Yuyi has created a glowing tribute to the power of libraries, books and art. Dreamers everywhere can find inspiration within the pages of books.  Hint: Be sure to look at the cover inside the book's jacket for another perspective of Dreamers.

Bonus

Yuyi describes her first encounters with picture books at the public library.

Yuyi Morales currently resides in Mexico. Learn more about her decision to return to Mexico in this interview.

There's a Hole in My Garden by James Stewart

I need to send a copy of There's a Hole in My Garden to my sister.  When she was young, she was convinced that hot dogs and hamburgers grew on trees. She even promised our dad that she would do extra chores and work extra hard if he would plant hot dog and hamburger trees in the back yard. Sadly, the trees never happened. James Stewart has taken this notion of a childhood dream and created an imaginative picture book about plants, and holes, and wishes. One blustery January day, a young boy discovers a tiny hole in the garden. It's just big enough for a marble.  He surmises that maybe if he plants his favorite marble into the hole. a marble tree will grow. Thus, the tale begins. Each month the hole is a bit bigger.  Each month he deposits a successively larger item into the hole. Everything from a piece of candy, to his favorite toy robot are planted with the hope that a candy tree or robot tree will grown.

Bonus Picture Books

We Rise. We Resist. We Raise Our Voices
Wade Hudson (editor) Cheryl Willis Hudson (editor)

Anthology of poetry, essays, and art reflects and honors the ongoing struggle for Justice, equality, and respect. It simultaneously celebrates the rich cultural heritage of under-represented members of our society, while acknowledging the painful past as well as current unsettling conditions. As the title We Rise. We Resist. We Raise Our Voices suggests, young readers are encouraged to take an active role, making positive and much-needed changes in their world. Rather than sink into despair, this book is a call to action. A reason to believe that change is possible. A sense of hope permeates every page. The striking red cover is instantly attention-catching. The bold color palette, carefully crafted page design, and visually arresting art on every page engages readers. A variety of formats fill these pages with important ideas, deeply held beliefs, and strong emotional connections.

Bonus

Yes. I have an ARC signed by both editors: Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson. Lucky me!