Fresh Picks! August

Welcome to the first post in a new monthly series, "Fresh Picks", where we will post about our favorite new books that we have added to the juvenile and young adult collections here at the library. Today we are highlighting some favorite juvenile fiction for a variety of ages that just hit our shelves this month!


Emily's Blue Period by Cathleen Daly Illustrations by Lisa Brown. Roaring Brook Press, 2014.

 Image from http://www.americanchickens.com/emilys-blue-period/.

This longer picture book is a lovely story depicting how young Emily learns to deal with her parent's divorce through art. She channels Picasso upon learning about his work in school, and hence embarks upon her own "blue period", the only color sufficient to depict her sadness over their split. The cathartic quality of creating art is celebrated in this book and makes for a wonderful discussion of divorce with young readers. I enjoyed this book not only because it shows how an artist affected one girl's life positively, but it also shows relateable and realistic situations, such as how helping her father pick out furniture for his new apartment becomes frustrating and emotional. 

Image from http://www.amazon.com.

Mister Bud Wears the Cone by Carter Goodrich. Simon & Schuster, 2014. 

This hilarious picture book will entertain dog-lovers of all ages. If you have ever had a pet dog that had to wear a cone around it's head, you will laugh at this funny and often pathetic tale of Mister Bud's plight. Goodrich's story is pure fun and is perfect for a read-aloud thanks to the childlike musings of Mister Bud's furry companion, Zorro. 







My New Friend Is So Fun! by Mo Willems. Hyperion, 2014. 

Image from http://www.pigeonpresents.com/book-info.aspx?bid=82.

Willems is one of my favorite author/illustrators and basically anything he does is amazing. His new addition to the Elephant and Piggie series is no exception. Elephant and Piggie are the best of friends, just as Snake and Brian the Bat are best friends. But Brian and Piggie are spending time together now and Elephant and Snake are worried their BFFs are going to have too much fun together and ditch them! This book has Willems' signature humor while accurately capturing the panic one may experience when your best friend starts making new friends. A sweet ending will make readers smile.  



Twelve Minutes to Midnight by Christopher Edge. Albert Whitman & Co., 2012.

 Readers who aren't afraid of creepy stories: this book is for you! Set at the end of 

Image from http://fallenstarstories.blogspot.com/2012/03/twelve-minutes-to-midnight-by.html

 the 1800's, young Penelope is an orphan and has taken over the family's bestselling magazine, Penny Dreadful. Penelope's shocking stories are so thrilling and wildly popular, she hires an actor to masquerade as 'Montgomery Flinch', her pen name, to keep her identity a secret to the public. When patients at a local mental institution begin acting strangely every evening, at - you guessed it!- twelve minutes to midnight, the bewildered staff turns to the clueless Montgomery for help. Only Penelope can solve this case that could be right out of the pages of the Penny Dreadful, causing her to lurk in the shadows and risk her own safety. The twists and turns in this book will have you on the edge of your seat until the case is closed!