WPL New Children's Books

Jacob’s New Dress
Call #: JP HOFFM
by Sarah and Ian Hoffman, Illustrated by Chris Case

“Jacob loves playing dress-up, when he can be anything he wants to be. Some kids at school say he can’t wear “girl” clothes, but Jacob wants to wear a dress to school. Can he convince his parents to let him wear what he wants? This heartwarming story speaks to the unique challenges faced by boys who don’t identify with traditional gender roles.”

Pig Kahuna Pirates!
Call #: JP SATTL
by Jennifer Sattler

“Fergus and Dink love playing at the beach.But when Dink wakes up from his nap in a crabby mood, it’s up to big brother Fergus to pull him out of it. Does the little fella want to take a swim? Build a sand castle? Have a juice box? Aaargh! Only one thing will tame the tantrum:When Fergus invites Dink to play with his new pirate ship of sand, and gives him the starring role as pirate captain. Sometimes it feels right to squint your eyes and act like a scurvy dog of a pirate. And with a little brotherly love, you might even forget what was so terrible in the first place…”

Two Speckled Eggs
Call #: JP MANN
by Jennifer K. Mann

“A birthday party sets the scene in this sweet and relatable story for anyone who’s ever been the odd girl out.

“It’s Ginger’s birthday, and she has to invite all the girls in her class to her party, including Lyla Browning. Lyla isn’t like the other girls: she smells like old leaves, doesn’t talk much, and once brought a tarantula to school for show-and-tell. On the day of the party, Lyla is much earlier than everyone else. But even after the others arrive, Ginger’s party doesn’t go quite the way she’d hoped: some of the girls change the rules to the games, and no one likes her silver and gold birthday cake — except Lyla. By the time Lyla gives Ginger her present — a tiny homemade nest with two delicious malted-milk eggs — Ginger begins to wonder: is being different really such a bad thing?”

Boa’s Bad Birthday
Call #: JP WILLI
by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross

“It was Boa’s birthday. It was going to be the best one ever. Or so he hoped. He invited his friends round. They would all bring him wonderful presents. . . . Or would they?”

Bad Bye, Good Bye
Call #: JP UNDER
by Deborah Underwood and Jonathan Bean

“‘Bad truck, bad guy; bad wave, bad bye . . .’ A boy and his family are packing up their old home, and the morning feels scary and sad. But when he arrives at his new home, an evening of good byes awaits: bye to new friends, bye to glowing fireflies, bye to climbing trees. The New York Times bestselling author Deborah Underwood’s spare text and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award winner Jonathan Bean’s lush, layered illustrations perfectly capture the complex emotions of moving day. The child-centric transition from dreary morning to cheerful evening comforts young readers facing big changes of their own.”

The Day I Lost My Superpowers
Call #: JP ESCOF
by Michael Escoffier and Kris Di Giacomo

“Childhood is a magical time when even the stuff of the day-to-day is exciting and the ordinary often seems extraordinary. A part of this magic is that with just a little imagination, we all might be found to possess true superpowers!

“This isn’t the first or last book where a child delightedly discovers her own superpowers. But it may be just about the driest, funniest, and sweetest, where the discovery is handled with humor and charm.

“One of the book’s true pleasures is that it’s a girl who discovers her own extraordinary abilities, and when her powers fail, as they must, she discovers them in her mom. All of which leads to a lovely intimacy between the two.”

Nine Words Max
Call #: JP BAREL
by Dan Bar-El and David Huyck

“Maximilian is a prince who loves to talk: No topic is too small, no story too boring. Max’s brothers are the opposite–the less said the better. When the king and queen go on a trip and leave the brothers alone, the 3 princes put a spell on Max that limits him to speaking only 9 words at a time. The brothers are delighted: peace and quiet at last! But when a fearsome dignitary arrives, they realize the true value of their brother’s insatiable need for information. A cautionary tale and a tongue-in-cheek tribute to trivia buffs, Nine Words Max is also a sly satire of our modern world’s obsession with media–the 3 reticent princes spend a lot of time sending silly messages, lying around watching puppet shows and speaking in 140 characters or less… This book is a funny, quirky and madcap tale with fantastic illustrations from illustrator David Huyck.”

I Wish I Could Draw
Call #: JP FAGAN
by Cary Fagan

“The narrator of I Wish I Could Draw shares a name with creator Cary Fagan and has the same curly hair and glasses. Perhaps most interesting of all, though, the narrator believes he has no artistic talent — just like the Cary Fagan, who not only wrote but also bravely and exuberantly illustrated this book. Fortunately for readers, both Cary-the-narrator and Cary-the-children’s-book-creator refused to let self-doubt stop them from trying to tell (and draw) the funniest and most exciting story they could think of. The result is a book that delivers plenty of excitement, silly jokes, and fun — and also an important message about self-confidence and perseverance. Designed to look like a child’s notebook, I Wish I Could Draw will inspire readers to pick up a pencil and let their imaginations do the rest.”