October Recommendations

Novels:

IGNITING DARKNESS, by Robin LaFevers, is the glorious conclusion to the Courting Darkness duology. There’s enough action, intrigue, romance, and betrayal to keep readers up late for many a night. And if you haven’t encountered LaFevers’s assassin nuns before, please go find the book that started it all, Grave Mercy. It’s the first in the His Fair Assassin trilogy, which precedes this duology. It’s all top-notch fantasy! (YA)

WE DREAM OF SPACE, by Erin Entrada Kelly, tells the story of Cash, Fitch, and Bird, who live with parents who fight—a lot. Cash loves basketball, but was kicked off the team for failing seventh grade last year, and he’s in danger of failing again. Fitch is obsessed with his favorite video game, but his temper scares his friends and family—and himself. Bird is a space nerd, obsessed with becoming NASA’s first female shuttle commander, but it’s 1986 and her class is closely watching the lead-up to the launch of the Challenger mission… Bird emerges as a sweet but sensitive, quiet child, one who easily becomes lost in a rambunctious household. The author does a terrific job of presenting this page turner without passing judgement on any of her complex characters. (MG)

THE FABLED STABLES: WILLA THE WISP, by Jonathan Auxier, illustrated by Olga Demidova, features Auggie who works at said Fabled Stables looking after one-of-a-kind creatures, some of which are “magical," some “mysterious," and some “just plain weird.” When a new stall appears, heralding the arrival of a wisp named Willa, Auggie must brave a dark swamp to find and bring her back —before three nasty hunters capture her. The language in this chapter book for ages 6 to 9 makes it fun as a read-aloud, and plenty of whimsical illustrations should appeal to emerging readers. (CB)

Picture Books:

SOAKED, by Abi Cushman, is narrated by one very gloomy bear. It’s raining and his ice cream cone is wet, and his cave is crowded, and he can’t find his umbrella… But when he helps out his friend, a hula-hooping moose, he discovers at least one thing that’s fun in the rain. The pencil and digital illustrations are full of movement and nicely capture the emotions of the dismal bear and his rather more upbeat friends. Bear’s voice should be especially fun as a read-aloud.

WHEN I DRAW A PANDA, by Amy June Bates, is a terrific exploration of the joys to be found in following your own creativity wherever it leads, as opposed to adhering to the “right” way of doing things. A young girl gets upset when she’s told her perfectly drawn circle is “a little wonky,” but finds joy as she describes her “not-perfect” way of working. Luckily, her panda agrees! Delightful watercolor, gauche, pastel, and colored pencil illustrations complete the package.

THANK YOU, MIYUKI, by Roxane Marie Gallierz, illustrated by Sen Soun Ratanavanh, is the third book in this endearing series about the diminutive, always-impatient Miyuki, who lives with her gentle, understanding grandfather. In this installment, Miyuki wants to learn to meditate, so Grandpa shows her in terms she can understand. Also look for Time for Bed, Miyuki, and Patience, Miyuki. All are whimsically illustrated in watercolors and colored pencils.

--Lynn