Adventure Awaits!
The CBC looks for a theme to spotlight in each month’s Hot Off the Press list so that we can alert parents, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and all children’s book enthusiasts to cool new offerings from our member publishers.
No matter if you’re lazing around on a summer day or curled up under a cozy blanket on the coldest winter night, books have the magic to transport you to wondrous places without even leaving home! With these new titles from our February Hot Off the Press list you can hit the open seas as hurricane season approaches, go head to head with reality-warping aliens, discover the dog-eat-dog world of underground spelling bees, or fly alongside migrating terns. There’s a high-octane adventure out there for every kind of reader craving excitement!
Buzz! Color Edition, by Ananth Hirsh; illustrated by Tess Stone (Oni Press) — Action / Adventure, Humor, Fantasy, Friendships, Teen.
Webster’s first day of high school goes off the rails when he ends up at a back-alley rumble . . . FOR UNDERGROUND SPELLING! (What??)
He’s dubbed the Golden Kid, and from that moment on he’s drawn into the world of underground spelling bees, where letters fly like shurikens and defeat is never an option. His talent is recognized by the mysterious and dashing Outlaw King, Khan, and the suave and plucky Black Queen, Bonnie, and they introduce to him the new challenge of no-holds-barred competitive spelling.
First released in 2013 by writer Ananth Hirsh (Lucky Penny) and artist Tess Stone (Not Drunk Enough), this new color edition comes with new cover art, freshly colored interiors (new colors by Fen Garza), and bonus material from the creators. Read and reread the frenetic tale of spelling bee battles, friendship, and the discovery of self-worth! As the Outlaw King says, “Word is bond.”
Chip and Chatti Save The Farm, by Heidi Paul (Catalyst Press / Flare Kids) — Action / Adventure, Animals, Family / Community, Friendships, ages 7-12.
Join Chip the dog and Chatti the cat on their first adventure in the countryside — which soon becomes a race against the clock to help new friends in need!
Since their family left them in this strange new home, Chip the dog and Chatti the cat have been feeling stuck. So when they meet Twinkle, a sly little mouse who grants wishes, they know just what to ask for: a way out into the countryside! Soon their wish is granted, and this funny trio–joined by a traveling man named Bingo who can speak their language–is off to the great unknown.
With the help of friendly forest creatures–from deer and rabbits to woodchucks and badgers–they arrive at a farm owned by Farmer Nils. But this farm is not what it seems. Farmer Nils is missing, and the grumpy man who took his place is not looking after the farm animals. And when Chatti is taken, Chip, Twinkle and Bingo must team up with their new pals to save her and get the farm back in working order.Chip and Chatti Save the Farm is a heartwarming story of unlikely friends, big adventures, and finding the courage to do what’s right.
The Edge of the Silver Sea, by Alex Mullarky (Floris Books / Kelpies) — Places / Travel, Fantasy, Animals, Action / Adventure, ages 7-12.
“A hundred miles from the mainland, half in the sea, half out of it. The rules are different here…” This wild and fantastical middle-grade adventure is steeped in Celtic folklore and is perfect for fans of Sophie Anderson.
All 13-year-old Blair Zielinski wants is a way off the remote Scottish island her parents have dragged her to. Roscoe is home to thousands of deer, a couple of hundred people, a complete lack of cell signal, and some unusual violet-eyed creatures.
Blair is miserable, until an otherworldly woman with antlers, one of the island’s darkly magical fey folk, offers her an irresistible deal: complete three tasks and Blair’s wish will be granted.
As she unravels the island’s secrets, Blair soon discovers that a fey bargain cannot be broken, and her wish has put everyone on Roscoe at risk. Can Blair find a way to save her family, and the place at the edge of the silver sea that she has come to call home?This wildly magical upper middle-grade fantasy explores family and friendship, the balance between humans and nature, and the people and places we embrace as our own. The Edge of the Silver Sea deftly weaves Celtic mythology and folklore with themes of environmentalism. This is the captivating US debut from Alex Mullarky: a bold new voice in children’s fiction.
El regreso de los charranes: Cómo los científicos están salvando a las aves de islas, by Jennifer Keats Curtis with Kim Abplanalp; illustrated by Phyllis Saroff; translated by Alejandra de la Torre y Javier Camacho Miranda (Arbordale Publishing, LLC) — Spanish, Animals, Action / Adventure, Science / Nature, ages 4-6.
What would you do if your usual summer vacation spot vanished? Migratory animals worldwide are facing this issue as their warm-weather habitats disappear. Rising sea levels further complicate this problem as small islands wash away. This book is about an artificial-habitat program partnership between Maryland Coastal Bays Program (MCBP), Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife and Heritage Program, and Audubon Mid-Atlantic after a Common Terns’ nesting island eroded away. A 48-square foot raft island was designed to give the birds a safe place away from disturbances, flooding, and predation. It is made of sections that are assembled, locked together and anchored near the old island for the terns’ summer nesting season. With the island gone and a raft to take its place, will the terns return?
Kitten Ninja: Braver Than Ever, by Colleen AF Venable, Marcie Colleen; illustrated by Ellen Stubbings (Andrews McMeel Publishing) — Animals, Action / Adventure, Humor, Imagination / Play, ages 7-12.
Kitten Ninja is back in three adorable new stories for comics-loving kids of all ages!
Before he became Metro City’s greatest defender, Cat Ninja was a cute and cuddly kitten facing tiny foes! In book 2 of this popular series, Kitten Ninja faces down a tall tower, takes on a swarm of leaves (while fighting a rumbly tummy!), and battles to find a new favorite spot when he outgrows his favorite box. Plus, with lots of love and support from his old ninja master, he learns kindness—and that even ninjas need a little help, now and then.
Orisha, Volume 1, written & illustrated by Huzayfa Umar (The Quarto Group / Rockport Publishers) — Fantasy, BIPOC Characters and Creators, Folklore / Fairytales / Myths, Action / Adventure, Teen.
In Orisha, Volume 1, the world’s most powerful human is a humble African teenager who has the potential to save humankind.
This African shonen manga fantasy features fun-loving teen Aboki, who unexpectedly receives the superhuman power of the Orisha, powerful beings imbued with godlike power who are born from celestial seeds that randomly appear throughout the world and can use their immense power for good or evil.
When Aboki gains a seed, he is reluctant to use the power at all. As he builds alliances with loyal companions, Aboki must also prevent those who wish to use his new Orisha powers for their own conquests. But can he trust everyone around him? Will his happy outlook on life be ruined by a gnawing cynicism that humankind is inherently corrupt?Orisha, Volume 1 is an uplifting tale of how those with superhuman powers are connected with the planet—and to life itself.
Out of the Valley of Horses, by Wendy Orr (Pajama Press) — Fantasy, Animals, Action / Adventure, Family / Community, ages 7-12.
The valley of horses has been a safe haven for Honey and her family for seven peaceful years, but this seemingly perfect valley has also become their prison. Trapped by a mysterious magic, and fearing for her father’s life, Honey is determined to find a way out of the valley of horses.
The valley of horses is the only true place Honey remembers since her family stumbled upon it in their converted ice cream truck while escaping from the rest of the world, and the illnesses that was spreading there. Honey’s parents, her brother Rumi, and her NanNan become self-sufficient, living off the land and sharing the valley with mystical horses who seem to have a wisdom of their own. But there is a magic in the valley that prevents Honey and her family from ever leaving. When Honey suspects her father has become ill, Honey knows she must find a way to escape the valley to find help from a world she only knows about through stories.
Wendy Orr, author of the award-winning Nim’s Island and Dragonfly Song, creates a magical land filled with awe and mystery. Showcasing the endurance of family, and the beauty of restoration and self-sufficiency, Orr crafts a heartfelt adventure and enchanting world to fall into.
Sea Legs, by Jules Bakes; illustrated by Niki Smith (Scholastic / Graphix) — Places / Travel, Friendships, Action / Adventure, Biography / Memoir, ages 7-12.
Set sail for adventure! Dive into this hilarious and moving middle grade graphic memoir about friendship, growing up, and life at sea.
Janey’s family is about to set sail for the adventure of a lifetime! The only problem? Janey must leave her school, her life, her best friend, the entire country behind for new adventures – coral reefs, colorful markets, and new cultures. Life at sea is exhilarating, but there’s a major downside: when you’re raising anchor every few days with sights on a new harbor, it’s almost impossible to make new friends.
Finally, Janey meets the cool and aloof Astrid – a fellow boat kid who’s equally starved for friendship. But Astrid can be a challenging friend to navigate, and beyond that, hurricane season has only just begun . . . .
At turns laugh-out-loud hilarious and heartbreakingly poignant, this stunning middle grade graphic memoir charts both the turbulence and joys of growing up.
Someone’s Been Messing with Reality, by John Hearne (Little Island Books) — Sci-Fi, Action / Adventure, Friendships, Fantasy, ages Teen.
When Martin Ryan sees a video of his father flying unaided through the air, he realises everything he believed about his life has been a lie.
Now his parents have disappeared and Martin discovers something weird brewing in the disused mines of the seaside village where he lives. Something glowing. Something … egg-like.
Someone’s definitely been messing with reality. Martin and his friends must do whatever they can to defeat the aliens that threaten the entire human race. Even if it means stealing cop cars, blowing up the mines and turning a paddling pool into a fighter aircraft.
For more great book suggestions, be sure to check out the full February Hot Off the Press list!
List compiled by CBC’s resident book connoisseur, Brooke Pisarsky. Check out other Hot Off the Press Spotlight book lists on our blog.
