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Holly’s Recommendations and Other Notable Books August 2020

Holly’s Recommendations

Picture Books

The Heart of a Whale—Anna Pignataro

Penguin Random House: Hardcover: 17.99

Whale's song is full of happiness, hope, magic and wonder. All of the other sea creatures love the whale's song—it fills their hearts. But the whale's heart is empty. The whale sighs, and his sigh is carried through the ocean until it reaches someone who understands, and she follows the sound of the whale's sigh until it leads her to him. A beautiful watercolor ocean world, full of soft-edged flora and fish, make this book especially endearing

The Favorite Book—Bethanie Deeney Murguia

Candlewick Press: Hardcover: 16.99

There are so many things in the world to love, but how do you choose your favorites? Do you use a logical approach—like measuring—or do you go with your heart? What if you don't want to choose anything, or what if you can't narrow it down to one, and want two or three? With lyrical rhymes and bright illustrations, Murguia shows a busy, happy world-full of possibilities.

Middle Grade Novels

Here in the Real World—Sara Pennypacker

Harpercollins: Hardcover: 17.99

Ware's grandmother has to go to the hospital, so Ware's plan to spend the summer off in his own world, thanks to his grandmother's lax idea of supervision, is suddenly cut short. His parents are working two jobs each for the summer, in an all-out attempt to buy the house they're renting, and they won't let Ware stay home alone. They insist on signing him up at the recreation center, which Ware hates, because every minute is structured with “meaningful social interaction”. What normal kids are supposed to be able to do. But on one of their around-the-block hikes, Ware finds a tree he can climb, and he drops down on the other side of the wall. There, Ware sees the crumbling remains of a half-demolished church as a great castle, but a girl named Jolene has already claimed the property, and she isn't at all sure she wants to share her space.Jolene wants the lot for planting and planning, and Ware wants the lot for dreaming, so Jolene often scolds him for not living in the “real world”. But when they find out that their safe space is scheduled for demolition, Jolene and Ware decide they can combine their talents to save it. A wonderful story that shows how the children with the fewest social skills are often the ones most worth knowing.

Other Notable Books

Picture Books

Summer Song—Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek

Greenwillow/Harpercollins: Hardcover: 18.99

"Henkes and Dronzek make the sounds of summer--the lawn mowers, the sprinklers, the birds and the crickets--so vibrant we almost hear colors. Summer has never hummed so brightly. . . . Follow four diverse friends as they lie in meadows, chase fireflies, walk their dogs and look for frogs."-- New York Times Book Review.

After Squidnight—Jonathan Fenske

Penguin: Hardcover: 12.99

When the clock strikes midnight, a squad of squids creeps out of the ocean--and over to your house! Their mission? To leave their inky mark by drawing on walls, the floor, and even your toys. This rhyming tale showcases a crew of creative creatures as they make art (or maybe just a mess) and leave you to deal with the consequences!

Middle Grade Novels

Wink—Rob Harrell

Dial/Penguin: Hardcover: 16.99

After being diagnosed with a rare eye cancer, twelve-year-old Ross discovers how music, art, and true friends can help him survive both treatment and middle school.

Rob Harrell created the Life of Zarf series, the graphic novel Monster on the Hill, and also writes and draws the long-running daily comic strip Adam@Home, which appears in more than 140 papers worldwide. He created and drew the internationally syndicated comic strip Big Top until 2007. He lives with his wife in Indiana.

A Home for Goddesses and Dogs—Leslie Conno

Katherine Tegen/Harpercollins: Hardcover: 16.99

A unique masterpiece about loss, love, and the world's best bad dog, from award winner Leslie Connor, author of the National Book Award finalist The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle. This novel sings about loss and love and finding joy in new friendships and a loving family, along with the world's best bad dog. An uplifting middle grade novel about recovery featuring strong female characters, an adorable dog, and the girl who comes to love him.

Yes No Maybe So—Becky Albertalli

Balzer and Bray/Harpercollins: Hardcover: 19.99

YES: Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state senate candidate--as long as he's behind the scenes. When it comes to speaking to strangers (or, let's face it, speaking at all to almost anyone) Jamie's a choke artist. There's no way he'd ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes...until he meets Maya.

NO: Maya Rehman's having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is canceled, and now her parents are separating. Why her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing--with some awkward dude she hardly knows--is beyond her.

MAYBE SO: Going door to door isn't exactly glamorous, but maybe it's not the worst thing in the world. After all, the polls are getting closer--and so are Maya and Jamie. Mastering local activism is one thing. Navigating the cross-cultural crush of the century is another thing entirely.

Bloom—Kenneth Oppel

Penguin: Hardcover: 16.99

The invasion begins--but not as you'd expect. It begins with rain. Rain that carries seeds. Seeds that sprout--overnight, everywhere. These new plants take over crop fields, twine up houses, and burrow below streets. They bloom--and release toxic pollens. They bloom--and form Venus flytrap-like pods that swallow animals and people. They bloom--everywhere, unstoppable.Or are they? Three kids on a remote island seem immune to the toxic plants. Anaya, Petra, Seth. They each have strange allergies--and yet not to these plants. What's their secret? Can they somehow be the key to beating back this invasion? They'd better figure it out fast, because it's starting to rain again.

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