In THE AQUANAUT, by Dan Santat, Sophia’s dad has been lost at sea, and now she lives with her uncle as he carries on the “super secret research project” the two men began years ago. When a group of underwater creatures, including a sea turtle and a dumbo octopus with "an amazing appetite,” pack themselves into a deep sea diving suit and venture onto land, Sophia’s life gets a little crazy. It’s up to her—and the sea creatures (aka the Aquanaut)—to save Aqualand’s marine life. There are good guys and bad guys, an orca in distress, and (Caldecott medalist) Santat’s art is superb! (MG)
In WITCH FOR HIRE, by Ted Naifeh, when Cody gets relegated to the lunchroom loser table, she’s surprised to meet some fascinating people, one of whom, Faye, is a witch. And when Cody finds herself mixed up with shy__shelby, an online influencer who forces her to do increasingly dangerous hate crimes, she needs Faye’s help, and badly. It’s delightfully dark and full of magic. (YA)
THE DIRE DAYS OF WILLOWWEEP MANOR, written by Shaenon K. Garrity and illustrated by Christopher Baldwin, is a pleasantly odd graphic novel wherein Haley, unabashed lover of gothic romance novels, rescues a strange man who’s drowning in a river, and is in turn rescued herself by an even stranger man in a strange land that could be right out of one of Haley’s favorite stories. There’s the titular castle, complete with a foreboding housekeeper, gowns, a ghost, three brothers, and a curse. Yes, it’s weird but it’s also a complete hoot. (YA)
Picture Books:
In MINA, by Matthew Forsythe, Mina is a mouse who’s not bothered by anything until the day her father brings home a squirrel. Even though he assures her that “everything will be fine,” Mina can see at once that this is not a squirrel. And, even though the text doesn’t say so for many pages, clever readers will immediately understand, just like Mina does, that her father has clearly brought home a cat. Absolutely gorgeous watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations wonderfully depict the menacing presence of cat/s and fill the pages with magnificent decorative elements. It’s beautiful and it’s funny so, if you haven’t seen it already, don’t miss it!
BATHE THE CAT, written by Alice B. McGinty and illustrated by David Roberts, is a zany domestic episode wherein Daddy assigns Bobby, Sarah, and Dad their chores via magnetic letters on the fridge. But the orderly cleanup before Grandma’s visit is thwarted by the crafty cat, who does not want a bath. Holy hornets—the hijinks are hysterical! Colored pencil and watercolor illustrations depict this diverse family with a retro, magic marker-y feel. It’s a refreshing romp that will leave kids in stitches.
In WHERE IS BINA BEAR? by Mike Curato, Tiny is having a big party, but Bina Bear is nowhere to be found. Or maybe Bina is a lamp in a dark room. Or a table with a fruit bowl on top. Or a tree with a swing…who wants a banana. This is a lovely story of friendship and understanding that totally nails both humor and heart. The brightly-colored and cartoony ink, colored pencil, watercolor, and digital art is perfect for this winning tale.
--Lynn
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