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Aeicha @ Word Spelunking

Monday, September 23, 2019

New Books To Look For This Fall


Today, I have a great list of books to look for this Fall! With a wide variety of topics, cool photos, wondrous illustrations, and captivating writing, each of these fun books is sure to engage the mind, imagination, and heart, and provide hours of entertainment...



Life: The First Four Billion Years 
The Story of Life from the Big Bang to the Evolution of Humans 
by Maritn Jenkins and illustrated by Grahame Baker-Smith 
Candlewick Studio 
9/10/19 

Award-winning children’s book creators Martin Jenkins and Grahame Baker-Smith team up for a large-scale look at our planet, from the big bang to the dinosaurs and beyond. 

 Before humans took their first steps, there were billions of years of vibrant and varied life-forms on Earth. Discover the story of our planet during this time, from the formation of the universe to the first mammals and all the incredible life that flourished in between. Covering ice ages and fossils, the first life in the sea and on land, the time of the dinosaurs, and the rise of mammals, Martin Jenkins navigates through millennia of prehistory in a style both enthralling and accessible. With superb illustrations from Kate Greenaway Medal winner Grahame Baker-Smith, this is a captivating journey through the life of our planet before we called it ours. 

My First Book of New York 
by Ingela P. Arrhenius 
Walker Books US 
9/10/19 

See all the best-loved sites of New York City in this stylish big picture book by Ingela P. Arrhenius. 

Visit the Statue of Liberty, climb the Empire State Building, catch a show on Broadway — there’s so much to do in New York City! Take a taxi to Times Square, check out the Apollo Theater, cross the Brooklyn Bridge, and stroll in Central Park in this big word book about the Big Apple. With colorful, graphic illustrations of everything from iconic landmarks to mah-jongg players in Chinatown, this is a beautifully designed gift for New York lovers of all ages — the first in a series about the great cities of the world. 

Sleep: How Nature Gets Its Rest 
by Kate Prendergast 
Candlewick Press 
9/10/19 

All animals sleep. But do they dream? Facts inspire imaginations in a beautifully illustrated nonfiction picture book for curious young minds. 

Some animals sleep alone. Others sleep in packs. Some slumber at night, and others prefer the daytime for getting some z’s. Whether large or small, familiar or unusual, all animals must find a way to get some rest. Did you know that giraffes sleep standing up? That sloths sleep upside down? Or that fish sleep with their eyes open? Take a close look at the sleeping habits of meerkats, bats, horses, birds, and other animals around the world in a book for young nature enthusiasts that is certain to spark a sense of wonder. 


Migrations: Open Hearts, Open Borders 
The Power of Human Migration and the Way That Walls and Bans Are No Match for Bravery and Hope 
by International Centre for the Picture Book in Society 
Candlewick Studio 
10/8/19 

In a show of strength for migrants during a daunting time, more than fifty artists from around the world have created postcard images of birds, along with messages of hope. Featuring an introduction by Shaun Tan. 

 From Mexico City's Natalia Gurovic comes a jewel-toned bird opposite the words “From up here I see no borders.” From P.J. Lynch comes a seabird with the artist’s personal wish for a safe journey and an openhearted welcome. From Argentinian illustrator Isol comes a child borne aloft on a bird below the words “Life is movement.” From Jon Klassen, a sparrow, familiar and extraordinary. Sending a powerful message about human migration, more than fifty artists created postcards for the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava 2017, curated by the International Centre for the Picture Book in Society. From South Africa and Sweden, Chile and the Czech Republic, Iran and Indonesia — more than twenty-five countries in all — their images and words are now gathered into a stunning keepsake volume. 

Playing with Collage 
by Jeannie Baker 
10/22/19 

With this gem of a book, readers are invited to trust their instincts — and play — as they follow the advice of an award-winning collage artist. 

Whether using dried flowers or tiny shells, spaghetti or postage stamps, Jeannie Baker draws from the world around her to make work that is singularly beautiful and imaginative. Incorporating a wide range of textures, her arresting collage pieces have earned her international acclaim. Now she shares her secrets and encourages readers to get creative: each of the four main sections in Playing with Collage presents an abstract collage by the artist and offers suggestions and starting points for anyone aspiring to master the art. 

Walk This Underground World 
by Kate Baker and illustrated by Sam Brewster 
Big Picture Press 
10/1/19 

An around-the-world and back-in-time adventure exploring curious worlds hidden beneath our feet, from underground burrows to ancient cities and shopping malls. 

This stunning lift-the-flap book takes readers on a journey around the globe and deep underground. There they'll find amazing hidden worlds teeming with life — from prairie-dog towns and ant cities to opal mines and treasure-filled tombs. Each spread is bursting with details and surprises to discover in the cutaway artwork and under the flaps. With so much to see and explore, this is a perfect gift for young adventurers. 


Humanimal: Incredible Ways Animals Are Just Like Us 
By Christopher Lloyd 
Illustrated by Mark Ruffle 
What On Earth Books 
10/10/19 

From author of Absolutely Everything Christopher Lloyd comes a fascinating book uncovering the curious connections between humans and other animals. 

 So you think you're special? You think that just because people have built giant cities, invented pop-up toasters and put a person on the Moon that they are somehow different from other living things? Well it's time to think again! 

 HUMANIMAL shows the inextricable interconnections of the human and animal worlds in ways you never before imagined... Inside you will discover how slime moulds can solve how to navigate through a maze; how rats tickle and laugh out loud; how elephants have funerals for their lost loved ones; how bees vote in elections to decide where to locate their nests; how crows use cars to crack nuts and a whole lot more! This oversized, richly illustrated, mesmerizing exploration shows that humans and other animals don't just live on the same planet, they also share many of the same patterns of behavior, making us all fellow players in the drama that is life on Earth.  

Prehistoric: Dinosaurs, Megalodons and Other Fascinating Creatures of the Deep Past 
By Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld 
Illustrated by Julius Csotonyi 
What On Earth Books 
9/5/19 

Travel back in time hundreds of millions of years, stopping in frozen ice ages, lush prehistoric rainforests and ancient oceans along the way. Journey backwards to prehistoric Earth, starting in the present and zipping back hundreds of millions of years, stopping in frozen ice ages, lush prehistoric rainforests and ancient oceans along the way. Bold illustrations allow children to discover fascinating creatures, including hungry dinosaurs and enormous mammoths. Infographics reveal the secrets of Earth's geology and environments, linking ancient creatures and places to our own time and to some of the major issues facing societies right now, such as climate change, deforestation and extinction events. 

North America: A Fold-Out Graphic History 
By Sarah Albee 
Illustrated by William Exley 
What On Earth Books 
10/1/19 
Featuring a unique fold out format that can be read as a book or unfolded onto the floor, North America emphasizes the diversity of the continent’s population and helps readers explore the rich and often surprising history of the peoples of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the islands of the Caribbean —  a story never before included in one book.  

North American history unfolds in this graphic timeline that places the United States, Canadian, Mexican and Caribbean histories in the context of their continent, including:  

* From healers in the Aleutian islands in 10,000 BCE to the first to cultivate corn in 3,000 BCE in Mexico, to Canadian scientists studying butterfly migration in 1975.  
* From the Aztecs of the city of Tenochtitlan to the Mississippians who built Cahokia to the Inuit of the arctic and the Taino of the Caribbean.  
* The Spanish, French, English, and other Europeans who invaded in the 1500s, the enslaved Africans forcibly brought to our shores, and millions more, from all around the world. 

This is the story of creation and destruction, migration, exploration, conquest, wars, alliances, trade, governments, railroads, mutinies, panning for gold, invention, and art. It includes terrible injustices and amazing movements toward equality and freedom, and so much more. Created in partnership with the Smithsonian Institute, the graphic novel style illustrations by William Exley coupled with Albee’s signature pithy, accessible text results in an engrossing, visually stunning reference book for both home and classroom use. 

Playlist 
The Rebels and Revolutionaries of Sound 
By James Rhodes 
Illustrated by Martin O’Neill 
Candlewick Studio 
10/8/19 

In a stunning and innovative performance, piano maestro James Rhodes introduces today's readers to seven of the greatest composers of all time. 

Bach. Mozart. Beethoven. Old guys with curly wigs, right? But trust me: those composers were the original rock stars. 

Open your mind to some of the most breathtaking and magnificent pieces of music ever created, and find out why the rebels and revolutionaries who wrote them are responsible for every track on your phone today. Discover their backstories and how each one shaped and defined classical music. Learn about the structure of an orchestra, the language of music, and the history of musical periods. With jaw-dropping artwork and avant-garde design, this visually exquisite celebration of classical music is a surefire hit for both first-time listeners and longtime fans. Budding aficionados will appreciate the online playlist featuring James Rhodes's favorite selections. 

Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror And Speculative Fiction
By Lisa Kroger 
Quirk Books 
9/17/19 
Add on Goodreads 
Meet the women writers who defied convention to craft some of literature’s strangest tales, from Frankenstein to The Haunting of Hill House and beyond. 

Frankenstein was just the beginning: horror stories and other weird fiction wouldn’t exist without the women who created it. From Gothic ghost stories to psychological horror to science fiction, women have been primary architects of speculative literature of all sorts. And their own life stories are as intriguing as their fiction. Everyone knows about Mary Shelley, creator of Frankenstein, who was rumored to keep her late husband’s heart in her desk drawer. But have you heard of Margaret “Mad Madge” Cavendish, who wrote a science-fiction epic 150 years earlier (and liked to wear topless gowns to the theater)? If you know the astounding work of Shirley Jackson, whose novel The Haunting of Hill House was reinvented as a Netflix series, then try the psychological hauntings of Violet Paget, who was openly involved in long-term romantic relationships with women in the Victorian era. You’ll meet celebrated icons (Ann Radcliffe, V. C. Andrews), forgotten wordsmiths (Eli Colter, Ruby Jean Jensen), and today’s vanguard (Helen Oyeyemi). Curated reading lists point you to their most spine-chilling tales. 

Part biography, part reader’s guide, the engaging write-ups and detailed reading lists will introduce you to more than a hundred authors and over two hundred of their mysterious and spooky novels, novellas, and stories. 



**I received copies of the titles above for review/feature purposes. All thoughts, opinions, and reviews are my own.

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