- Ashley S.
- Friday, March 15
Check out these February 2024 youth titles you may have missed!
Keeping up with new book releases is an extremely difficult task. Even as a voracious reader, I'm unable to keep up with every single youth title that releases each week. "Did You Miss It" is a new review based series that takes time to explore and highlight youth titles that may have gone unnoticed. Each month, I will showcase a few titles from the previous month providing both a summary and my own personal thoughts. This month's post features a few of my favorite reads from January! I hope you enjoy!
Beginner Readers:
Rabia's Edi by Rukhsana Khan, illus. by Debby Rahmalia (Released February 13th)
Summary: It's Eid-al-fitr—the last day of Ramadan, which means it is the last day for Rabia to fast with the rest of her family and she has never done it before. Rabia is so excited! She eats just before sunrise and then the day of fasting begins! Rabia gets to have her hands painted with henna, wear a new dress, and put her family's donation in the box at the mosque. It's a special Eid all around!
My Thoughts: Rabia's Eid is a wonderful and beautifully illustrated beginner reader that focuses on Eid. Reader's follow Rabia, Maryam and their mother as they wake up for suhoor on the last day of Ramadan and prepare for the day of celebration. There are descriptions of fasting, prayer, and gift giving to the less fortunate. This is the perfect read for those who want to know more about the customs and traditions of Eid al-Fitr.
Ty's Travels: Showtime! by Kelly Starling Lyons, illus. by Niña Mata (Released February 20th)
Summary: Rap-a-tap-tap! Thrum, thrum, thrum! Plink-a-plink-plink! Ty loves playing the instruments, but something’s missing—his friends! With the help of his vivid imagination, Ty and his friends are onstage in a band making great music together.
My Thoughts: This is another great addition to the Ty's Travels series and is perfect for those who are fans of instruments and music. The bright joyful art and simple rhythmic text will remind readers why it's fun to do things with friends.
Picture Books:
I Lived Inside a Whale by Xin Li (Released February 20th)
Summary: A quiet child in a boisterous family, Emma Wen dreams of a world that is peaceful and silent. When she reads about the blue whale – with a heart so big her father could stand in it – she has an idea. She fashions a boat out of household objects and sails from her bedroom into the mouth of a whale, where she settles in happily. Emma has finally found her peace and quiet. That is until another child, Owen Tang, arrives inside the whale and is loud, noisy and “everything she is running away from”. Emma and Owen’s unlikely friendship blossoms inside the microcosm of the whale in a beautifully told story of friendship and finding your own voice in a world that is “filled with too much of everything, everywhere.”
My Thoughts: The illustrations are MAGNIFICENT, EXQUISITE, BEAUTIFUL, and COZY. This is such a wonderful love letter to readers who understand what it’s like to be overstimulated. Xin Li captures these feelings beautifully while showcasing the development of a beautiful friendship. I Lived Inside a Whale captures a unique aspect of the human experience, but from the vantage point of a child. This book took my breath away and is easily one of my favorite picture books of 2024.
Kadooboo!: A Silly South Indian Folktale by Shruthi Rao, illus. Darshika Varma (Released February 6th)
Summary: As soon as it’s ready, Kabir runs home with some to share. He’s got to be quick, before the rain! But wait … can he remember the treat’s name? (His Amma is sure to ask!) Of course he can. That is, if fun and friends aren’t too distracting along the way. As Kabir makes his way, the sights and sounds of the street and interactions with friends start to jumble his memory. A cool new comic, and suddenly the treat is book-oo-doo! When a ball whizzes toward him―duck-oo-boo! With so much fun to be had, Kabir reaches home with a trail of friends … and a jumble of names. Could he possibly remember the right one?
My Thoughts: This is a cute and hilarious take on a South Indian folktale told by Rao's grandmother. Not only are readers learning about various cultural aspects of South India, but they also engage with laugh out loud moments that make for a fun read aloud. Each time Kabir forgets the name of the Kadooboo, in it's place comes a list of silly and hilarious tongue twisters sure to delight all readers. Varma compliments the text with beautiful illustrations that showcase the cultural and geographical beauty of South India.
Children's Non-Fiction:
Not Yet: The Story of an Unstoppable Skater by Zahra Lari & Hadley Davis, illus. by Saara Alfageeh (Released February 6th)
Summary: After watching an ice-skating movie, young Zahra sets her mind to learn how to ice skate even though her family and friends doubt her abilities. After all, she's too old to learn, the rink is too cold, and figure skaters don't look like her... not yet at least! Illustrated with Sara Alfageeh's energetic lines and colors that pop right off the page, we follow Zahra's story as she glides across the floors of her house in her socks all the way to the ice rink... and as she repeatedly says ''not yet'' to naysayers -- including herself -- who try to convince her to stop pursuing her dream.
My Thoughts: This is perfect for fans of figure skating. Prior to reading this book, I had no idea that they deducted points from her performance for wearing a hijab because it was considered a dangerous prop. Regardless of these harmful thoughts and comments on Zahra's religious practices, she pushed back against these rules and was officially permitted to wear her hijab without performance violations. Accompanied by bright and thoughtful illustrations that reflect the cultural and religious practices of her family, this book gives a more diverse perspective of the figure skating community.
Children's Fiction:
Dancing in the Storm by Amie Darnell Specht & Shannon Hitchcock (Released February 6th)
Summary: Kate’s life in Baton Rouge, full of friends and family, gymnastics and Girl Scouts, is just plain great. But then, at the age of twelve, she suddenly develops a mysterious shoulder pain that won’t go away . . . and that will change her life forever. It turns out that Kate has one of the rarest genetic disorders in the world, Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva. FOP causes bone to form in places in the body where it shouldn’t, and there’s no cure yet. Kate will need to learn how to live with this difficult new reality, helped by those close to her and by a new pen pal named Amie, who has been living with FOP for years.
My Thoughts: For the past few years, I've tried to increase the amount of books that I read that include disability representation. Dancing in the Storm caught my attention due to it's focus on gymnastics and the main characters experience with FOP (fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva) which is a rare musculoskeletal condition. Those with this genetic disorder develop bone in areas of the body where it is not normally present including places like ligaments, tendons, and skeletal muscles. The book follows main character Kate who is a competitive gymnast until she begins to develop shoulder pain that won't disappear. As a result of her diagnosis, Kate is discouraged from doing any physical sports. What follows is a emotional journey in not only understanding FOP and how it will impact her life, but also the difficulties is causes in friendships and familial relationships. Because Shannon Hitchcock wrote this in collaboration with Amie Darnell Specht who has FOP, the development of Kate as a character and the emotional and physical changes she experiences at the onset of the novel feel authentic. Although she struggles in the beginning, it was refreshing to see Kate develop a support system. There are various moments where she struggles with family and friends; however, there were always characters in background that showed up during her greatest times of need. This was an eye-opening and engaging read that ultimately encouraged me to seek out more information about those who have this rare genetic disorder and the research being conducted to help find a cure.
Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar (Released February 6th)
Summary: In 1492 , during the Spanish Inquisition, Benvenida and her family are banished from Spain for being Jewish, and must flee the country or be killed. They journey by foot and by sea, eventually settling in Istanbul. Over four centuries later, in 1923 , shortly after the Turkish war of independence, Reina’s father disowns her for a small act of disobedience. He ships her away to live with an aunt in Cuba, to be wed in an arranged marriage when she turns fifteen. In 1961 , Reina’s daughter, Alegra, is proud to be a brigadista, teaching literacy in the countryside for Fidel Castro. But soon Castro’s crackdowns force her to flee to Miami all alone, leaving her parents behind. Finally, in 2003 , Alegra’s daughter, Paloma, is fascinated by all the journeys that had to happen before she could be born. A keeper of memories , she’s thrilled by the opportunity to learn more about her heritage on a family trip to Spain, where she makes a momentous discovery. Though many years and many seas separate these girls, they are united by a love of music and poetry, a desire to belong and to matter, a passion for learning, and their longing for a home where all are welcome. And each is lucky to stand on the shoulders of their courageous ancestors.
My Thoughts: As one of my favorite authors, Ruth Behar never ceases to amaze me. Spanning across centuries and told through four different perspectives, Across So Many Seas captures the experiences, cultural/ religious practices, and displacement of Sephardic Jews beginning with the Spanish Inquisition. Perfect for those who love historical fiction, Behar captures some of the most pivotal moments of history and how they ultimately impact this family of women. She perfectly designs the distinct personalities and voices of each character as readers are transported through time thereby permitting each reader to better understand how time and history has shaped us and our ancestors. Although I am a frequent reader of historical fiction, Behar (one again) captured tidbits of history that I've never come across in other middle grade novels. Laced with themes of new beginnings, renewal, growth, pain, fear, and love, this is a new release that I highly recommend checking out.
Children's Graphic Novels:
Wildful by Kengo Kurimoto (Released February 6th)
Summary: Poppy’s mother hasn’t been the same since Gran passed away. She stays inside and watches TV, unable to leave the couch. So maybe that’s why Poppy has started spending more time outside, taking her dog Pepper for walks around the neighborhood. When Pepper leads Poppy through a hole in the fence, she finds a forgotten forest that’s been there all along, as well as a new friend named Rob. Rob teaches Poppy that you can find magic in the wilderness – if you know where to look! Poppy looks, and then she looks closer … and sees flowers opening before her eyes, watches animals slip into their hidden homes, and listens to the sound of water droplets falling gently on puddles, leaves and feathers. She can barely wait to tell Mum about everything she’s seen, and asks her to come see, too – but her mother rarely has the energy to leave the couch. Will Poppy ever be able help her mother see the beauty in the woods – and in life?
My Thoughts: The artwork in this graphic novel is absolutely breathtaking. Nearly wordless, the focus on the storytelling is done via the art rather than the words. The appreciation for nature and all it's wonders are not only central to the illustrations, but also the development of the character Poppy as she attempts to assist her mother in coping with the death of Gran. Though subtle as first, it is clear that the friendship between Rob and Poppy serves as the catalyst for the healing that is brought by immersing oneself in nature. Poppy experiences an entire world she never knew existed. This is absolutely a love letter to nature and a reminder to all of us to slow down and appreciate the world around us.