The Best Upcoming Children’s Books of the Year

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We’re more than halfway through 2015, and it’s already been a great year for books. But, there’s still plenty of other great books on the horizon. These are a few of the very best upcoming reads that we’re excited about.

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

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Mega-talented author Katherine Applegate, burst onto the scene in 2012 with the awesome The One and Only Ivan. But she’s written plenty of other great stuff, too, including the Roscoe Riley books and even a few Animorphs titles. 

So, when we saw her newest novel, Crenshaw, come through the office, we were very excited. Good news: the book doesn’t disappoint. It’s an incredible story of limitless creativity, overcoming adversity and unexpected friendship. The only bad news: you’ll have to wait until Sept. 22 to read it.

Here’s the official synopsis:
Crenshaw is the unforgettable and magical story about family, friendship, and resilience.

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There’s no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.

Crenshaw is a cat. He’s large, he’s outspoken, and he’s imaginary. He has come back into Jackson’s life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?

Read an excerpt here.

How to Tell a Story by Daniel Nayeri

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If you’re a fan of telling tall tales, How to Tell a Story is for you. The interactive game book comes with 20 six-sided illustrated story cubes that provide all you need to craft more than a million stories. Roll the story cubes to get the story started, and let your imagination do the rest.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Introducing an incredible storytelling package—a full-color, 144-page book paired with a collection of 20 six-sided, beautifully illustrated storytelling cubes that make it easy for any imaginative child (and that is every child) to start creating wonderful stories. Roll the blocks, and you can make anything happen, to anyone, anyplace in this or any other world.

The book is a guide to the principles of creative storytelling. It covers the essential elements like conflict—that thing that no one likes in real life, but without which no story could ever start—characters, motivation, dialogue, theme, and, of course, the climax. As you turn the pages, you’ll be prompted to roll the story blocks. And that’s when the magic starts to happen.

How to Tell a Story will be in stores starting Oct. 6, but be sure to come back to BookZone in October for a giveaway of the book.

Kid Athletes by David Stabler

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In 2014, Quirk Books released the hilarious Kid Presidents, telling true stories of the childhoods of the American Presidents. Now, the same minds behind that book, are back with Kid Athletes. Learn about hilarious childhoods of Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Peyton Manning and more of the most legendary sports stars in history. The book includes quirky illustrations and plenty of unusual trivia.

Kid Athletes hits bookstores in November. For now, you can read an excerpt here.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School by Jeff Kinney

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With more than 150 million copies in print, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid is one of the most popular series of all-time. The lastest installment is called Old School.

Life was better in the old days. Or was it?

That’s the question Greg Heffley is asking as his town voluntarily unplugs and goes electronics-free. But modern life has its conveniences, and Greg isn’t cut out for an old-fashioned world. With tension building inside and outside the Heffley home, will Greg find a way to survive? Or is going “old school” just too hard for a kid like Greg?

The 10th entry in the series will be published on November 3. Read an excerpt here.

The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

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Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus and Kane Chronicles series were all about Greek and Egyptian mythology. Now, author Rick Riordan is covering Norse legends in the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series.

If you love Riordan’s book, get excited. This one is already in high demand around the BL office. Early reviews? Epic and haw-dropping.

Read an excerpt here.

The Marvels by Brian Selznick

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If you’re not already familiar with Brian Selznick, drop everything and go read The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Finished? Good, now that you’re fully aware of the author’s immense talent for world-building and epic storytelling, you can prepare yourself for his latest: The Marvels.

Here’s what you can except from The Marvels when it’s released on Sept. 15:

Two seemingly unrelated stories — one in words, the other in pictures — come together with spellbinding synergy! The illustrated story begins in 1766 with Billy Marvel, the lone survivor of a shipwreck, and charts the adventures of his family of actors over five generations. The prose story opens in 1990 and follows Joseph, who has run away from school to an estranged uncle’s puzzling house in London, where he, along with the reader, must piece together many mysteries. How the picture and word stories intersect will leave readers marveling over Selznick’s storytelling prowess. Filled with mystery, vibrant characters, surprise twists, and heartrending beauty, and featuring Selznick’s most arresting art to date, The Marvels is a moving tribute to the power of story.

Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar

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Fifth grader Tamaya Dhilwaddi and seventh grader Marshall Walsh have been walking to and from Woodbridge Academy together since elementary school. But their routine is disrupted when bully Chad Hilligas challenges Marshall to a fight. To avoid the conflict, Marshall takes a shortcut home through the off-limits woods.

Fuzzy Mud hits bookstores on Aug. 4.

Read the first chapter here.

One thought on “The Best Upcoming Children’s Books of the Year

  1. kittokonosekainokyotsukengowaeigojyanakuteegaodatoomouotonatokaonnanikakawarazuegaowoshinnjiteikiteiitoomou

    Fuzzy Mud is the best book ever!!!

    Reply

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