Nicole Melleby

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

Connecticut

A Publishers Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of 2021

One of The Nerd Daily's "Anticipated Queer Book Releases You Can't Miss in 2021"

One of Lambda Literary's "May's Most Anticipated LGBTQ Literature"



"Gorgeous." --BuzzFeed



The two most important things to know about Pluto Timoney:  (1) she's always loved outer space (obviously); and (2) her favorite season is summer, the time to go to the boardwalk, visit the planetarium, and work in her mom's pizzeria.



This summer, when Pluto's turning thirteen, is different. Pluto has just been diagnosed with depression, and she feels like a black hole is sitting on her chest, making it hard to do anything. When Pluto's dad threatens to make her move to the city--where he believes his money could help her get better--Pluto comes up with a plan to do whatever it takes to be her old self again. If she does everything that old, "normal" Pluto would do, she can stay with her mom. But it takes a new therapist, new tutor, and new (cute) friend with a plan of her own for Pluto to see that there is no old or new her. There's just Pluto, discovering more about herself every day.

 

How to Become a Planet

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Mary Hayashi

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

Breaking down the Barriers to Achieve True Representation

"Women belong in all places where decisions are being made." Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's words reflect a reality that has plagued the United States for centuries: We have work to do when it comes to gender-political parity. Still, trailblazing women in government have laid the groundwork for other women to follow in their footsteps, one inspirational example at a time. In Women in Politics, award-winning author and healthcare leader Mary Chung Hayashi offers a riveting exploration of the strides made by women in government. This essential, contemporary analysis bridges the gap between past and present, blending Mary's personal journey as an Asian American immigrant and former California State Assemblymember with the inspiring stories of trailblazing women in political leadership. Featuring interviews and insightful discussions, Mary brings to life the trials and triumphs of these women, showcasing their invaluable contributions to political landscapes and the transformative power of their perseverance. Her work sheds light on the ongoing struggles for gender-political parity and serves as a call to action: we must actively participate in shaping our democracy. Women in Politics is not just a book; it's a tribute to women's political journey and a compass guiding us all toward a future of inclusive leadership and a truly representative democracy.

Women in Politics

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Kathryn Erskine

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

National Book Award winner Kathryn Erskine teams up with Keith Henry Brown on this lyrical picture book that celebrates music and Black identity. Trevor’s dad is a DJ, and he always picks the best music— tunes jivin’, beat drivin’, high fivin’! —he’s DJ Dap Daddy! But after his parents split up and Dad moves out, Trevor feels like the pitch doesn’t fit between them. Trevor has his own music now—hip-hop—and Dad can’t seem to let go of his old soul favorites. As the end-of-year dance approaches, Trevor and his father will have to find their new groove to get the party started. My Dad Is a DJ is a hip-hoppin’, beat boppin’, tunes poppin’, not stoppin’ story of a father and son’s shared love of music and each other.

My Dad Is a DJ

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Leo Dillon

In illustrations and rhyme describes the dancing of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, one of the most famous tap dancers of all time. A brief Afterword outlines his career.

Rap a Tap Tap: Here's Bojangles - Think of That!

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Olga Herrera

A hilarious and endearing debut picture book about a dog whose daily routine is disrupted when he encounters a monstrous surprise in the living room.

The Unwelcome Surprise

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Valerie June Hockett

Grammy nominated musician Valerie June's Somebody to Love: The Story of Valerie June's Sweet Little Baby Banjolele is a children's book based on the story of how June wrote the song Somebody to Love from her album Pushin' Against a Stone. In the book, Valerie is a child given a toy banjolele. A banjolele is a very unique four-stringed musical instrument. It has a body like a small banjo, and the neck is like a ukulele. At the beginning, the baby banjolele dreams that its voice will soar and be heard all throughout the world, but very soon its musical journey meets with challenges and doubts. The little banjolele just could not play through a whole song! Valerie and banjolele want to play with the other instruments at school, but the others make fun of the banjolele saying You're just a toy. Embarrassed the banjolele, once more, can not finish the song. But "I have a dream, and I want to sing," the toy banjolele stubbornly refuses to give up. Finally, the toy finds the courage, and belief, and love it needs, coughs out a last bit of dust, and belts out a gorgeous a song. Valerie names the banjolele Baby and both go on to perform all over the world together forever. Valerie June the adult says of her banjolele: "As I traveled the world telling the story of my banjolele, I always knew it would make an uplifting children's book. It wasn't until I got a call from the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities that I was encouraged to sit down and write it out. One of the nation's most historical dreamers is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As a black female artist, his message taught me the power of dreams at an early age. He was a light for me. Each time I've shared this story with students, I watch as their eyes light up with wonder. It's been thrilling to witness that same light awakening within them. Believing you can achieve your dream is a way to be an inspiration for your community, like a great Nigerian proverb teaches us, 'Thoughts and dreams are the foundation of our being.

Somebody to Love: the Story of Valerie June's Sweet Little Baby Banjolele

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Katheryn Russell-Brown

From acclaimed author and illustrator pairing comes a beautiful picture book biography about the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin and how she fought for respect throughout her life. Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul, a legend. But before she became a star, she was a shy little girl with a voice so powerful it made people jump up, sway, and hum along. Raised in a house full of talking and singing, Aretha learned the values that would carry her through life--from her church choir in Detroit to stages across the world. When she moved to New York City to start her career, it took years of hard work before she had a hit song. In the turbulent 1960s, she sang about "Respect" and refused to perform before segregated audiences. The first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha always remembered who she was and where she came from. In this stirring biography of a true artistic and social icon, award-winning creators Katheryn Russell-Brown and Laura Freeman show young readers how Aretha's talent, intelligence, and perseverance made her a star who will shine on for generations to come. Acclaim for Little Melba and Her Big Trombone 2015 NAACP Image Award Nominee Outstanding Literary Work--Children 2015 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honor 2015 ALA Notable Children's Book 2015 Amelia Bloomer Project - Feminist Task Force 2015 Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction, Recommended Title

A Voice Named Aretha

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Diana Ejaita

A stunning celebration of our Sun and the universal ways in which it connects each of us, all around the world. No matter who you are or where you live, the Sun graces us all. It wakes us up, lights our breakfast tables, warms our play, lifts our moods, grows our food, and gives us life! From Madagascar to Thailand, Iran to Holland, Brazil to Mali, each spread depicts children in a different country enjoying the universal benefits of the Sun. From sunup to sundown, this deceptively simple yet stunning picture book offers a wondrous sense of worldwide connection via the glowing star around which we orbit.

A Day in the Sun

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Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D.

Based on Theresa Wilson's (a.k.a. Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D.'s) beautiful, viral spoken word poem of the same name, You So Black is a picture book celebration of the richness, the nuance, and the joy of Blackness.

Black is everywhere, and in everything, and in everyone--in the night sky and the fertile soil below. It's in familial connections and invention, in hands lifted in praise and voices lifted in protest, and in hearts wide open and filled with love. Black is good.

Accompanied by powerful yet tender illustrations by award-winning illustrator London Ladd, Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. has adapted her poem, full of gorgeous lyricism and imagery, to show readers the love, joy, resilience, and universality in the beauty of Blackness.

You So Black

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Jules Machias

Jules Machias, author of Indie Next List Pick Both Can Be True, delivers another inspiring story about how an unexpected friendship transforms the lives of two middle schoolers.

Avery Hart lives for the thrill and speed of her dirt bike and the pounding thump of her drum kit. But after she's diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disease that affects her joints, Avery splits her time between endless physical therapy and worrying that her fun and independence are over for good.

Sarah Bell is familiar with worry, too. For months, she's been having intense panic attacks. No matter how much she pours her anxiety into making art, she can't seem to get a grip on it, and she's starting to wonder if she'll be this way forever.

Just as both girls are reaching peak fear about what their futures hold, their present takes a terrifying turn when their school is seemingly attacked by gunmen. Though they later learn it was an active shooter drill, the traumatic experience bonds the girls together in a friendship that will change the way they view their perceived weaknesses--and help them find strength, and more, in each other.



Diversify.Our.Parenting (Ashley)