Sometimes it’s fun to see if I inadvertently went with a theme in my book choices. I think this month’s theme is love, the kind of familial love that holds us together. However, the first book is probably a stretch on that! Love from a doggo that holds us together? Anyway, enjoy these new releases!
Picture Books
“Chester Barkingham Saves the Country” written by Julie Falatko and illustrated by Eva Byrne
I normally don’t pay much attention to political books, but this looks adorable! The president and first daughter adopt a dog from a shelter, and Chester Barkingham is eager to get to work at the White House. He quickly analyzes the deadlocked Congress and decides that what everyone needs is more fun. The book is told entirely in the form of memos from the president, with Chester’s sticky note addendums. The shift in tone between the memos is hilarious, as the president rationally and articulately pleads with Congress to be reasonable, while Chester writes, “WHO IS THE BEST HOOMANS? UR” Wholesome fun from a very good boy could be just what we all need leading up to this November.
“Cookie Time” by Jessie Sima
Kat and Ari have always loved baking cookies with Grandpa, but waiting for them to come out of the oven is very hard! In a stroke of brilliance, they build a time machine out of a cardboard box, so they can jump ahead in time to when the cookies are ready, and they’ll never have to wait. Of course, time travel is never quite as straightforward as one would expect. The girls meet robots and dinosaurs as they jump forward and backward in time, trying to make their way back to Grandpa. They begin to realize that waiting isn’t so bad after all, if you’re doing it with someone you love. Excuse me while I go bake cookies with my preschooler now.
Chapter Books
“The Long Way Around” by Anne Nesbet
If you like survival stories but want something cheerful and uplifting, this next one is for you. Vivian, Amy and Owen are three cousins who are going on a camping trip with their parents. The exciting thing is that they have permission to spend a whole 24 hours by themselves at their own campsite, with their parents camping a mile away. They’re luxuriating in their independence when suddenly an earthquake hits. Piles of rock block the way back to their parents, so the cousins decide they have no choice but to go the long way around. Over the next several days, they’ll have to contend with dangerous terrain, fierce animals and dwindling food supplies. In addition to all that, each of them is dealing with private fears and reservations in their lives. While this could have easily become a grim survival story, Vivian’s overwhelming optimism shines through and pulls everyone along to safety.
“Quagmire Tiarello Couldn’t Be Better” by Mylisa Larsen
Last up is a different kind of survival story. Quentin “Quagmire” Tiarello is used to caring and covering for his mom. When she goes on one of her spins, he’s always able to pick up the pieces, even if that means he’s eating from the pizza parlor’s dumpster for a couple of days while she’s gone. This summer Quag is looking forward to attending an art camp at the YMCA with his crush, and is starting to make new friends. Then Mom shows up after a spin and insists he join her on a road trip. Quag ends up stranded in the middle of nowhere and has to call an uncle that he barely knows for help. Uncle Jay takes him in and Quagmire has to decide how much to tell him, and how much he should continue protecting his mom. While this has some heavy themes of mental illness and parentification, it’s all handled with a light touch that strikes the perfect balance between heartbreak and humor.
My family went out to the trails one fall morning to collect colorful leaves and we were not disappointed. We were greeted with a falling rainbow of reds, oranges and yellows. After hiking for about an hour, we collected about a bag full of leaves and brought them home. A day later we gathered our supplies, listed below, and got to work on making an autumn leaf suncatcher.
