Star Wars. Humpty Dumpty. Harry Potter. Stick Cat. More Star Wars! The first Tuesday of the month always means a huge crop of new books! In fact, there are so many middle grade books, they get their own section this week! Here are some that I am looking at this week.
Books for Kids
After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) – Tells the story of what happens AFTER Humpty Dumpty fell off the wall. I cannot wait to read this! I love Dan Santat’s artwork and I’ve been hearing about this story for months. This is at the top of my list for this week.
Alfie (The Turtle that Disappeared) – When Nia’s turtle, Alfie, goes missing, the story changes to Alfie’s point of view. This looks adorable, and I can’t wait to read it.
Dough Knights and Dragons – A knight and a dragon bond over a common passion, but discover they have to fight each other. This looks darling!
God’s Great Love for You – From the author of The Purpose Driven Life comes this picture book about God’s love being with us wherever we go. The cover really grabbed my attention on this one. The artwork looks terrific.
The Great Puppy Invasion – In a town where cuteness is forbidden, puppies appear. This sounds like a hoot!
I Am Gandhi AND I Am Sacagawea – From the Ordinary People Change the World series by Brad Meltzer. This has been a great series of picture book biographies that focus on the character qualities of the subject. Two new books in the series release this week.
Pigeon P.I. – A kids’ first “noir” detective book. I love the whole idea of this. Can’t wait to read it in person.
Pup and Bear – A lost wolf pup is raised by a polar bear. The cover of this one calls to me. This looks and sounds absolutely lovely.
Remembering Vera – A dog, found by some men in the Coast Guard, becomes a hero. This true story sounds perfect for every animal fan you know.
Roaring Rockets – My son ADORED the books in this things-that-go series when he was a toddler. Now they are available as board books!
That Is My Dream – An illustrated picture book of Langston Hughes’ poem, “Dream Variation.”
Amelia Bedelia on the Move – Early Reader Level 1 starring Amelia Bedelia. Now the earliest of readers can read along with Amelia Bedelia.
Heroes Who Risked Everything for Freedom: Civil War – Early Reader Level 3 acquaints kids with the heroes of the Civil War
Pinkalicious and the Babysitter – Early Reader Level 1 starring Pinkalicious and her little brother, Peter
How to Catch a Dino Thief – Book 4 in the Dino Riders series for kids branching out into chapter books. This series looks fantastic!
Star Wars Coding – Kids can learn and practice coding skills while enjoying their favorite characters from Star Wars
Middle Grade/Books for Older Kids
Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic (Timeless) – First book in a new fantasy series where the past, present and future collide.
Flash: Hocus Focus – Fans of the Flash TV show can enjoy an original story in the timeline where Flashpoint never took place. Our family loves the TV show; I hope the book lives up to that legacy.
Greetings from Witness Protection – This book was beyond fantastic, and I will be reviewing it on Thursday. Be sure you come back to read all about it!
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – Book 3 in the Harry Potter series is now illustrated. This is my favorite book in the series, and I am so excited to see what they have done with the illustrations for this.
Inferno in Tokyo – Book 20 in the Imagination Station series which is like a Christian take on Magic Tree House.
Max Tilt: Fire the Depths – First book in a new series that stars the great-great-great grandson of Jules Verne who finds an unpublished manuscript and clues that Verne’s science fiction writing was actually based on science FACT. This sounds like a terrific new adventure series!
The Midnight Peacock (October 5) – I’m not sure how I missed this series before now, but this is book 4 in a middle grade historical mystery series about two girls who solve mysteries at a departments store, a couple of balls, and one about a missing painting.
Mistress of All Evil – Part of the Villains series, this looks at the story of Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty. Great for Disney fans, especially those who love the villains.
Ms. Marvel’s Fists of Fury – Ms Marvel teams up with Thor to handle an inhuman bird infestation. Sounds great for kids who love original Marvel stories.
Mustaches for Maddie – A girl with a brain tumor faces bullying, the school play, and her medical issues with strength and bravery. This sounds amazing. This is definitely on my list.
Pashmina – A new graphic novel about a girl with questions about her culture and her family who finds a magical pashmina.
Past Times at Super Hero High – In the fourth graphic novel starring the kids from Super Hero High, time travel and one jealous choice change everything for the worse. I read this over the weekend. It’s a fun story.
Predator vs Prey – Book 2 in the Going Wild series about a group of kids with magical bracelets that give them the powers of animals. I have book 1 on my wish list right now.
Serpent’s Shadow GN – The final book in Rick Riordan’s Egyptian Mythology series gets the graphic novel treatment this week. While the graphic novels condense Riordan’s work in a lot of cases, the stories are still enjoyable in this visual format.
Ship of the Dead – Book 3 in the Magnus Chase series about Norse mythology. This is the book where Magnus meets Percy Jackson! For that reason alone, we will be reading this one at our house!
Sled Dog School – A boy who is struggling at school sets up a school for training sled dogs. That cover is adorable. I’m curious to check out this series.
Sven Carter & the Trashmouth Effect – The latest MAX book from the folks at Aladdin is about Sven Carter, a boy who is also part robot. Only, Sven didn’t know that about himself. He also didn’t know he’s part of a plot to destroy the human race.
The Perfect Score – When I was teaching, I fell in love with the Mr. Terupt series by Rob Buyea. This is the latest book by Buyea, the start of a new series. And it’s terrific! You can read my review here.
The Touchdown Kid – The latest from Tim Green is about a kid who gets a chance at a better life for himself thanks to his talent with a football. I enjoy these kinds of sports books by both Green and Mike Lupica. Check this one out for the sports lover in your life.
Two Catch a Thief – Book 3 in the Stick Cat series by the awesome Tom Watson. In this book, Stick Cat and Edith discover a burglar.
The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City – The gorgeous cover of this book gets me every time I see it! This book has been compared to Charlotte’s Web. It’s the story of a girl who lives in the city and tries to find a home for a rescued piglet.
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street – The Vanderbeekers are in danger of losing their home on 141st Street. They have 11 days to convince their landlord to let them stay. The cover of this one is lovely, too. It calls to me to pick it up and dive right in.
The War I Finally Won – Sequel to the highly praised The War that Saved My Life about World War II. I don’t readily read much historical fiction, but several of my friends have recommended book one to me.
Wizards of Once – From the author of How to Train Your Dragon (the book series, not the movies) comes this new fantasy series about a kingdom of wizards and warriors at war. I’m eager to read this one!
Jesus Always for Kids – The bestselling author of Jesus Calling releases a new devotional for kids focusing on joy.
Master Chef Junior Cookbook: Bold Recipes and Essential Techniques to Inspire Young Cooks – Great first cook book for aspiring chefs.
Who Was Alexander Hamilton? AND Who Was Lewis Carroll? – The latest in the Who Was series.
Books for Teens/Young Adults
Everything Must Go – A girl gives up her city/prep school life for a “hippie” farm experience all for a guy – who doesn’t show up. I would love to read this one and find out how she picks up the pieces after her expectations were destroyed.
Remember Me Always – A girl who suffered through a major car accident enters treatment for anxiety that takes her memories of the accident away. But she starts to feel as though she lost something more.
Select – Romeo and Juliet with a supernatural twist. Yes, please! Looking forward to reading this one!
NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Teen Girls – Lovely new coloring Bible for teens.
Books for Adults
Death on Tap – First in a new series by Ellie Alexander about a woman about brewing beer. I have the novella where the main character for this book meets the main character of the Bakeshop mystery series. I’m looking forward to reading that teaser and then checking out this new series.
Fatal Masquerade – Book 4 in this Kindle series. In this book there is a death at a masked ball. While I don’t generally seek out historical mysteries, I love the covers of these.
Fixing to Die – Book 4 in the Southern Ladies mystery series is a ghost story. I’ll be reviewing this one on Wednesday this week!
The Force Doth Awaken – The 7th Star Wars movie gets the Shakespeare treatment. I love these!
Lydia, Woman of Philippi – A fictionalized account of the woman, Lydia, from the Bible (Acts 16). I have done some work on this passage of scripture and have loved her story every since. I’d like to see what the author did with this story.
Merry and Bright – The latest from Debbie Macomber focuses on a young woman whose family sets her up for an online dating service. Her best match turns out to the be last person she wanted it to be. I LOVE to read holiday stories at this time of year, so this is on my library list.
A Room with a Brew – Book 3 in the Brewing Trouble series about a brewpub owner who solves mysteries.
The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck – The author of steamy romance novels becomes a Christian, but she is still under contract to write books that would make the church folks blush. I absolutely HAVE to read this book. I hope it lives up to my expectations because I think this sounds terrific.
Star Wars from a Certain Point of View – Forty short stories about iconic Star Wars scenes, told from the perspective of a secondary character. Our whole family is looking forward to reading this one! All proceeds from this book support the charity, First Book.
Church of the Small Things: The Million Little Pieces that Make Up a Life – The fourth book from author Melanie Shankle tackles the subject of the small, seemingly insignificant parts of our days that truly make up the core of our lives. I have read a little of her work before and found her writing style to be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to this one.
The Daily Question – A five-year journal with a spiritual flavor, this book poses a question every day for you to answer. Then you can look back at what you wrote in previous years. I am looking at getting this book when my current five-year journal wraps up.
Daring to Hope: Finding God’s Goodness in the Broken and the Beautiful – One woman’s story can inspire readers to see God as good in all the ups and downs of life. Sounds amazing.
Divine Encounter with the Holy Spirit – This book digs into the person of the Holy Spirit. This looks great!
Free of Me: Why Life Is Better When It’s Not About You. – If you are looking for a bigger life that than the one you are living that centers on you and you alone, check this book out.
A Life Beyond Amazing: 9 Decisions that Will Transform Your Life Today – Titles like this get me every time. What are the 9 decisions? How many have I made?! I will have to check this one out to be sure I’m not missing out!
The Midlife Kitchen: Health-Boosting Recipes for Midlife and Beyond – The older I get, the more I wonder about the long term impact of what my family is eating. I’d love to check this one out.
A Moment to Breathe – A delightful devotional from the folks at (in)courage. I will be posting a BONUS review tomorrow morning of this book.
Real American – From the author of How to Raise an Adult (which is awesome) comes this memoir about being a bi-racial black woman in America. Considering the current culture in our country, and how much I loved the author’s first book, this is on my list.
Shalom Sistas: Living Wholeheartedly in a Brokenhearted World – Peace-making strategies for Christ-followers. Sign me up for this one. I think this would make a great group discussion book.
So many books – what will you add to your TBR this week?