10 to Note: Fall Preview 2015

*Sniff*

*Sniff*

You smell that? It’s the aroma of pumpkin spice. Whenever that scent hits my nostrils, I know that it’s time.

Time to look at fall books.

Here are the titles coming out in September, October, and November that I have my eye – nay, nose – on.

Picture Books

Robo-Sauce by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

October 20, 2015 | Dial Books (Penguin) | Grades PreK-2

The combo of Rubin and Salmieri do one thing: make books that are fun to read (see: Dragons Love Tacos, Big Bad Bubble, etc.). Their latest appears to be more of the same. It features a first: a foldout jacket that changes the book partway through the story.

Green Lizards vs. Red Rectangles by Steve Antony

October 27, 2015 | Scholastic Press | Grades PreK-1

I love Betty Goes Bananas as much as Betty loves bananas. The creator of that book, Steve Antony, returns with two groups you might not expect to have a “vs.” between them. It seeks to answer the age old question: CAN ANIMALS AND SHAPES COEXIST???

Chapter Books

Lola Levine is Not Mean by Monica Brown, illustrated by Angela Dominguez

November 3, 2015 | Little, Brown Books | Grades 1-5

This is the first book in a new series following a soccer-loving second grader. Fans of Judy Moody and the like should be on alert.

West Meadows Detectives (#1): The Case of the Snack Snatcher by Liam O’Donnell, illustrated by Aurélie Grand

October 13, 2015 | Owlkids Books | Grades 1-5

This is the first book in a new mystery series about a third-grade detective. Myron is starting at a new school, and change is difficult for any kid, but even more so for our protagonist, who happens to be on the autism spectrum.

Middle Grade

The Astounding Broccoli Boy by Frank Cottrell Boyce

September 8, 2015 | Walden Pond Press | Grades 3-7

If you’ve read Cosmic or Millions, I probably don’t have to give you the hard sell here. If you haven’t read those books, you should, and also check out this book, which has already received starred reviews from SLJ and Booklist.

The Nora Notebooks #1: The Trouble with Ants by Claudia Mills, illustrated by Katie Kath

September 22, 2015 | Knopf (Random House) | Grades 2-5

Does the cover look a bit familiar? That’s because Katie Kath also illustrated Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer. This book is the first in a series following a fact-obsessed fourth grader.

Nonfiction

This Bridge Will Not Be Gray by Dave Eggers, illustrated by Tucker Nichols

November 10, 2015 | McSweeny’s | Grades PreK and Up

Sometimes doing something unexpected is the best way to go. Painting a bridge bright orange, for example. That’s unexpected. This history of the Golden Gate Bridge is for the youngest of readers, featuring simple construction paper-y illustrations.

Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by Robbie Robertson, illustrated by David Shannon

September 8, 2015 | ABRAMS | Grades 2-4

This story follows Hiawatha in his efforts to form the Great Iroquois Nation.  Already garnering starred reviews (Booklist and SLJ) this looks to be a book that is setting the record straight about a well-known historical figure.

Graphic Novels

Little Robot by Ben Hatke

September 1, 2015 | First Second Books (Macmillan) | Grades 1-3

Zita the Spacegirl: good series, right? Ben Hatke’s latest book brings slightly younger readers into the fold, but is still full of the sci-fi that Zita readers will enjoy.

Pablo & Jane and the Hot Air Contraption by José Domingo

October 20, 2015 | Flying Eye Books | Grades K-3

A creepy old house, a trip to another dimension, a hot air time machine – this book is crazy. Part graphic novel, part seek-and-find, I can see Adventure Time fans anxious to pick this one up.

Filed under: Previews