The Ties That Bind
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.
Families can be a safe space filled with love and support, but they can also be a challenge filled with uncertainty and stress. It’s important that books reflect the full spectrum of family constellations so that all readers may see a story that mirrors their own. These new titles from our February Hot Off the Press list run the gamut of sprawling, loving clans to families struggling to survive and connect with each other to a child’s significant relationship with a particularly special family member. But most importantly, each title illustrates how family dynamics shape a person.
Finding Harmony, by Eric Walters (Orca Book Publishers) — Family / Community, Coming of Age, Mental / Physical Health, ages 7-12.
So what if Harmony has to be the grown-up?
After months living in a foster home (again), Harmony convinces a judge that she can move back in with her mother. Her mom even finds an apartment that the social worker, Gloria, can’t find fault with. But now Harmony has an even bigger battle ahead—trying to keep her mom on the straight and narrow, or at least keep Gloria from finding out when she slips. Which she does. A lot. Often left to fend for herself, Harmony finds an ally in Mr. Khaled, the owner of the convenience store across the street. He helps Harmony out with food in exchange for some part-time work. And at school, her principal seems to be on her side. Even so, it feels like Harmony’s life is always one step from falling apart, and she can’t really trust anyone.
Harmony knows the question is less about whether she’ll return to foster care and more about when she’s ready to do it.Finding Harmony is the prequel to the Governor General’s award-winning The King of Jam Sandwiches. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Halfway to Somewhere, by Jose Pimienta (Random House Children’s Books / Random House Graphic) — Immigrant Experience, Coming of Age, BIPOC Characters and Creators, Family / Community, ages 7-12.
New school, new country, but only half a family?! Embark on a coming of age journey with a middle school teen navigating their parent’s divorce while moving to a new country in this stunning graphic novel.
Ave thought moving to Kansas would be boring and flat after enjoying the mountains and trails in Mexico, but at least they would have their family with them. Unfortunately, while Ave, their mom, and their younger brother are relocating to the US, Ave’s father and older sister will be staying in Mexico…permanently. Their parents are getting a divorce.
As if learning a whole new language wasn’t hard enough, and now a Middle-Schooler has to figure out a new family dynamic…and what this means for them as they start middle school with no friends.
Jose Pimienta’s stunningly illustrated and thought provoking middle graphic novel is about exploring identity, understanding family, making friends with a language barrier, and above all else, learning what truly makes a place a home.
How to Draw a Secret, written & illustrated by Cindy Chang (HarperCollins / Allida) — Biography / Memoir, BIPOC Characters and Creators, Coming of Age, Family / Community, ages 7-12.
For fans of Raina Telgemeier’s Sisters and Jen Wang’s Stargazing comes the empowering autobiographical story of a young Taiwanese American artist struggling to find her voice to save what matters most.
Twelve-year-old Cindy relishes drawing flawless images, but she is stumped by an art contest prompt: “What family means to me.” No one at school can know that Cindy’s dad moved back to Taiwan four years ago, so Cindy sketches out the perfect plan to draw the perfect picture while keeping her parents’ separation secret.
Then an unexpected trip to Taipei reveals devastating new secrets. Suddenly everything from Cindy’s art to her family is falling apart. With her dream of perfection in tatters, Cindy must figure out how to draw from her heart and share her secrets. But can she really reveal the truth, messy lines and all?
Kwesi and Nana Ruby Learn to Swim, by Kobina Commeh; illustrated by Barbara Quintino (Barefoot Books) — Cultural Diversity, Sports / Games / Recreation, Family / Community, ages 7-12.
Kwesi doesn’t know how to swim… and discovers his grandmother doesn’t either! Can they conquer their fear of water together with the help of the West African legend Mami Wata?
“How about we make a deal?” Nana rubbed Kwesi’s head. “I will learn to swim, if you do.”
“Deal!”
Kwesi likes spending time at the lake with his friends, except there’s one tiny problem… he can’t swim. But guess what? Neither can Nana Ruby! When she comes over for dinner one night, she tells Kwesi about when she moved from Ghana to the US and the history of segregation that kept her out of pools and caused a fear of water among many Black people.
“So I will never learn how to swim?” Kwesi asks. But Nana Ruby tells him they will call on the strength of Mami Wata, the sea creature of West African legend, to conquer their fears together. This touching intergenerational story teaches the importance of naming, acknowledging and facing fears.
New Visit For Mouse, by Fynisa Engler; illustrated by Ryan Law (Lawley Publishing) — Social Emotional Learning, Family / Community, Kindness / Generosity, Series, ages 4-6.
Mouse is excited about his visit with his mom, but emotions escalate when she doesn’t show. During their next visit, when Mouse’s mom asks him questions about life at Mama Bunny’s house, Mouse struggles to tell her how he really feels. Mouse comes to an amazing realization that allows him to be honest with his feelings.
Racing the Clouds, by Sydney Dunlap (North Star Editions / Jolly Fish Press) — Contemporary, Coming of Age, Family / Community, Mental / Physical Health, Teen.
If thirteen-year-old Sage had done one thing differently that day last November, everything would be fine. Only she didn’t, so she and her dad had to leave Philadelphia for a new life in middle-of-nowhere Virginia. Her dad has never actually said he blames her for what happened, but how could he not?
Sage is determined to push it all out of her mind, but then, just before summer vacation, she hears from the grandparents she’s never met. They want her to visit, and she realizes this could be her chance to mend the rift that’s kept everybody apart.
When she meets Grandmother Marion, though, Sage is sure her trip is headed for disaster. Except she wasn’t counting on making a new friend or rescuing a sweet stray dog. With them by her side, maybe she can find the courage to face what she’s been avoiding all along.
From the award-winning author of It Happened on Saturday comes a heartfelt and empowering story that explores the complexity of family relationships, the value of forgiveness, and how to find your way forward in a tough situation with resilience and hope.
Soggy Like Cush Cush, by Karly Pierre; illustrated by Kristen Uroda (Little Bee Books) — BIPOC Characters and Creators, Family / Community, Food / Cooking, Cultural Diversity, ages 4-6.
A gloomy, rainy day is turned upside down when Grandmoman takes Petite Marie on an adventure through town. Celebrate joy, creole culture, community, and the love of a wonderful grandparent in this gorgeous story about making every day count.
Rain falls outside an old Louisiana Creole house until the ground is as soggy as a bowl of cush cush. Petite Marie thinks she’s going to have to spend all day indoors, but Grandmoman takes Petite Marie on an unexpected journey around town. Soon, Petite Marie is having a magical day filled with friends, delicious creole cooking, and a lot of care and kindness. With the help of Grandmoman she discovers that any day can be beautiful, no matter the weather.
Thread by Thread, by Alice Brière-Haquet; illustrated by Michela Eccli; translated by Sarah Ardizzone (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. / Eerdmans Books for Young Readers) — Immigrant Experience, Social Emotional Learning, Family / Community, Animals, ages 4-6.
A moving refugee story, told through the language of knitting.
Knit one. Purl one. Oh no—there goes another stitch: and a family of mice watches its nest unravel. They flee across the water, past a fire-breathing dragon, toward the unknown. At last the family lands in a place where they can gather the strings of their past and their present together. With the help of some new friends, they can knit a new life.Illustrated with colored-pencil drawings and plenty of yarn, this poetic book is a gentle way to discuss migration and displacement with children. Thread by Thread expresses both the pain of losing a home—and the joy of creating a new place to belong.
Tios y primos, written & illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara; translated by Yanitzia Canetti (Penguin Random House / Nancy Paulsen Books) — Spanish, BIPOC Characters and Creators, Family / Community, Cultural Diversity, ages 4-6. Spanish edition.
A little girl meets more relatives than she can count—but how will she communicate with them if she can’t speak their language?
It’s a little girl’s first trip to her papa’s homeland, and she’s wowed by all the amazing sights and sounds—and especially by the size of her enormous family! But she only knows a little Spanish, and it’s hard not to be able to share jokes and stories. Fortunately, her relatives help her see that there are other ways they can connect, and soon she feels like she’s right where she belongs: in the heart of a loving family, learning as she goes along.
Two-Mom Families, by Connor Stratton (North Star Editions / Focus Readers) — Social Emotional Learning, Family / Community, LGBTQIA+, ages 4-6.
This compassionate book explores the dynamics of two-mom families. Young readers learn about the different kinds of two-mom families, the ways they form, the challenges they can face, and strategies for working through those challenges. This book also features a “Many Identities” special feature, several “Did You Know?” facts, a table of contents, a reading comprehension quiz, a glossary, additional resources, and an index. This Focus Readers book is at the Beacon level, aligned to reading levels of grades 2-3 and interest levels of grades 3-5.
Under the Light of Fireflies, by Lee Sanders (Catalyst Press / Flare Books) — Coming of Age, Friendships, Death / Grief / Loss, Family / Community, Teen.
A big-hearted coming-of-age debut about a tiger, a Russian, a model airplane, unexplainable disaster, and a bewildered twelve-year-old boy just trying to find his place in the world.
It’s 1981 in Texarkana, Texas, and Noah Ellis is trying hard to remember. Still reeling from the loss of his father in a suspicious tragedy, Noah is in a tragedy of his own—one that results in another inexplicable death, this time leaving Noah to suffer from severe amnesia.
After that day, everything changes. Noah becomes an unwitting star in a highly publicized trial. Girls start to notice him, and kids who once bullied him now allow him to run with their pack—at a cost. Standing as always in his big brother’s shadow, Noah also has a little sister he must look out for. But Noah’s still stuck on that day and the accident he can’t remember. As town secrets come to light and summer draws to a close, Noah must find a way to salvage all that he’s lost, and to learn what is truly precious.
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.
