This Month in Kids Books: April 2022

Reading recommendations for kids
April 18, 2022
An award-winning picture book creator has his author/illustrator debut on the way to library shelves, and it looks absolutely wonderful.
 
Kick Push by Frank Morrison
Epic has tricks you won't believe. He's the kick flipping, big rail king. When his family moves to a new neighborhood, he can't wait to hit the street with his skateboard. But his old moves don't feel fresh without a crew to see them. Epic thinks about giving up his board to fit in, but an encouraging word from his dad helps him see that the trick to making new friends is to always be yourself. Be you…be epic!
 
 



What’s New This Month
Many more forthcoming picture books are now available in the library catalog, from authors like Jacqueline Woodson, Minh Lê, Shannon Hale, Kat Zhang, and Clint McElroy. Also on the way are new entries in the Jo Jo Makoons and Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series, along with new middle-grade books by Xiran Jay Zhao, Marti Dumas, Chris Grabenstein, Tae Keller, Dhonielle Clayton, and more.  
What We’re Reading
Here are some quotes from library staff about their latest recommended picks:

Garlic & the Vampire by Bree Paulsen – “Garlic must conquer her fears and face off against a vampire that poses a threat to the humans that buy her products. It’s perfect for ages 7-10 and the art is gorgeous for a story about talking vegetables.”
 
Skulls! by Blair Thornburgh: “The main character/narrator of this book is both a textbook ‘kindergoth’ and such a perfect representation of a neurodivergent ‘special interest.' Bonus, it’s full of excellent vocabulary about skulls and bones and bodies! Hooray for learning about cool stuff!”
 
Little Witch Hazel by Phoebe Wahl: “This book is so cozy, you’ll want to live in it!”
 
Jayden’s Impossible Garden by Mélina Mangal: “Jayden wants to have a big, lush, thriving garden.  He lives in an urban area of the city that doesn’t seem like a likely place for a garden. Jayden’s mom tells him it won’t happen, but Jayden makes the impossible possible. A great Black Joy selection.”
 
Slow down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature by Rachel Williams: “This beautiful oversized book helps us to be mindful in the outdoors. Great for children and adults!”  
For more lists of recommended reads from the book world and beyond, check these out: