SUMMER READING: What's in YOUR beach bag? Picture Books Edition

(read/sing to Summer Lovin' from GREASE)

Summer readin' had me a blast!

Summer readin' pages go FAST!

Made some friends BOOK crazy like me!

Created to read lists...no less than three!

Summer days driftin' away, but OH...

THOSE BOOKISH NIGHTS!

That's right!

It's that time of year again.

Time to put away the pencils and textbooks, in exchange for late movie nights, long days in the sun, and reading JUST FOR FUN!  Who's with me?  ^-^  But, wonder of wonders...how to decide just WHAT to read?

 No worries! I'm here to help along with a plethora of amazing author talent and publishing house know how to bringing to the spotlight a few titles that just might be your best friend for a few days, or few hours this season.  So grab your beach towel, some sunscreen, and pull up a chair, it's time to dive into a pool of bookish fun!  Today's category is...

PICTURE BOOKS!

Ah yes, one of my favorite ways to add some bookish fun to my day.  Even when I'm stressed out beyond belief with nary a moment to spare, I can almost always work one these beauties into my busy day and escape to a land of childish wonder, if only for the moment.  If you're beyond the targeted age range and have no kiddos of your own, no worries!  These are for anyone and everyone with an imagination, love for simple but meaningful passages, and gorgeous illustrations to tie it all together.  So, make room in your beach bag, here come a few titles from the Picture Book arena that are destined to own a few moments of your day this summer!

Nobody Likes a Goblin

by

Ben Hatke

9781626720817

First Second Books

This is the story of one little goblin who's determination to save his unconventional friend could have led to his ruin, but instead showed him that many in fact DO like goblins...given the right audience and/or circumstances.  For older readers, you'll recognize bits and pieces of several famous fantasy stories you may have read (or watched) throughout the years...there's certainly a healthy dose of LOTR for starters...but that just serves to broaden the enjoyment for all ages.  I mean, it's not like you NEED another reason to read this story since you've seen the cover and if you're like me at all, you'd have no choice but to indulge in a looksee at the very least, but trust me when I say, that while the tale is fun and adventure filled, those illustrations go a long way in making this the "complete package". 

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Hensel and Gretel:  Ninja Chicks

by

Corey Rosen Schwartz and Rebecca J. Gomez

Illustrated by

Dan Santat

9780399176265

G.P. Putnam's Sons

Who said chickens had to be helpless and foxes the only cunning creatures in the bunch?  Not THIS story, that's for certain!  Here we have a rooster-napping most fowl...I mean, foul, and two sister hens that aren't about to take it sitting down.  If you thought Kung Pao Shrimp was spicy, just wait until you get a "taste" of what these ladies have in store for the fox that dared take their dear Papa!  A fun new vision of the classic diabetes inducing story (hey, there's a lot of sugar in a gingerbread house!) that will have readers young and young at heart practicing their HI-YA's with the best of them.  It reminds us that anything is possible if only we put our hearts and minds to it, with a bit of Kung Fu style to spare.

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Roy's House

by

Susan Goldman Rubin

Art by

Roy Lichtenstein

9781452111858

Chronicle Books

A great introduction for readers of all ages to the artwork of Roy Lichtenstein.  His iconic works have been seen and shown the world over.  Their bright robust colors and simple lines appeal to a wide range of art lovers, from those just learning to crawl to those rolling through the hills.  He took the everyday and gave it flair with images ranges from the average living room to what you might be having for lunch.  It reminds us that the value of art is not only what the artist gives to it, but what we take from it, while stoking the creative fires of the next generation.

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The Truth About My Unbelievable Summer...

by

Davide Cali

Illustrated by

Benjamin Chaud

9781452144832

Chronicle Books

AVAILABLE AFTER 07/05/16

A story about one boy's unbelievable summer as told by him to his new teacher.  Funny thing is as far out as it sounds...she tends to believe him.  (Hmm...)  This is a great adventure about what could, should, and might happen when one embarks on a summer vacation.  I mean, who's to say that you WON'T get a message in a bottle, escape the mundane on a pirate ship only to escape FROM the pirate ship into the clutches of a giant sea creature who...yeah.  It could happen, right?  Follow our young narrator's journey from shore to sea to school as he narrowly escapes one potential catastrophe for another and another until...well, summer vacation comes to an end, but the memories made are here to stay, as is the person behind it all.  (So clever!)

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Special thanks to Gina (First Second Books), Brittany (Penguin Young Readers), and Lara (Chronicle Books) for the copies for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on any titles we featured today, the authors, illustrators, or publishers, feel free to click through the links provided above.  All books listed are available now or about to be (the ...Unbelievable Summer...title hits shelves this July!), so be on the lookout for them on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!