Happy New Year!
We highlighted the best gift books and holiday books last month, and hopefully you got lots of new things to read for the new year! But if you didn’t, you can come check out all the shiny new books we’ve got to offer.
From picture books to chapter books, from fiction to nonfiction (and everything in between), you can find the best new books here at the library. We also have access to an ever-growing number of e-books that you can check out and read on your smartphone, tablet, or other e-reading device. We are happy to help you find and select the right titles for you and your family, whether you like the classics or want to discover something new.
First, we’ll highlight some books that talk about the icy landscape of winter, starting with A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse, by Frank Viva. Here we join a young explorer and his best friend, Mouse, on a sea journey to Antarctica, where they make new friends with penguins and a whale–and have all kinds of fun. This comic-style tale is perfect for beginning readers with bright pictures and large text bubbles. Follow this up with a fascinating look at Laurence Pringle’s story of Ice! : The Amazing History of the Ice Business. This history begins with the simple idea of using and selling ice for keeping food and drink chilled year round. Harvesting, storing, and transporting ice became a booming business in the United States in the early 1800s. Filled with photos and interesting facts, this is a great read for older children.
Next, we’ll take a look at books featuring the earth and space beyond beginning with Seymour Simon’s Extreme Earth Records. This book probes into all the “-est” destinations around the globe, including the driest, snowiest, deepest, rainiest, tallest, and coldest places you’ve ever seen. This books is also filled with plenty of photos and facts on every page that will be sure to satisfy every child’s curiosity. Pair this book with National Geographic Little Kids’ First Big Book of Space by Catherine D. Hughes. The book will explain basic concepts of space, beginning with what is most familiar to kids and expanding out into universe. Full of stunning illustrations and answers to every kid’s most pressing questions about space, this book will be a treat to look at over and over again.
Finally, we’ll end with a couple of books all about food. The first is A Few Bites by Cybele Young. Younger brother Ferdie would rather play than eat the lunch his sister Viola made, but with the help of her wonderful imagination, Viola convinces Ferdie the broccoli and carrots on his plate are actually dinosaur food and Orange Power Sticks. Just like Ferdie, any child would clear their plate after hearing stories like the ones Violet told! Lastly, we’ll look at a new cookbook that features cookies and how to decorate them. Imagination is just one ingredient you’ll need to turn ordinary cookies into works of art. In Smart Cookie: Designing Creative Cookies, Dana Meachen Rau has laid out some simple steps for decorating some extremely cool cookies. Best of all, you can eat your artistic creations when you’re done!
We’ve given you some great ideas for new books to read this new year. Whether you choose one of these, or want something entirely different, let us help you find the perfect book to stimulate and entertain during this long, cold winter season!
