Young readers are at the center of our Small Press Spotlight again this week. Holiday House and Pixel+Ink have an exciting list of titles for readers of all ages. Check out the options below!
The Night Tent by Landis Blair (Margaret Ferguson Books/Holiday House, for ages 4–8, available 4/18/23)
Landis Blair is the illustrator of the New York Times bestseller From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty. With his debut picture book, The Night Tent, he celebrates the exploration of imagination and possibility that becomes so potent in the late hours of the night. A boy struggling to fall asleep peeks beneath his covers to find a world filled with nighttime adventures under a starry, tented sky. Blair’s quirky and wonderful work is perfect for fans of Edward Gorey.
Constellations by Kate Glasheen (Holiday House, for ages 14 and up, available 5/23/23)
Kate Glasheen has participated in several critically acclaimed books, including A Radical Shift of Gravity and The Sakai Project. Set in 1980s Troy, New York, Constellations—Glasheen’s first offering for teen readers and author/artist debut—is a portrait of a queer teen living in the margins but determined to find their way through addiction. Done in watercolor and ink, Glasheen has created a world where strong lines meet soft color, and raw emotions meet deep thought in this story of hope, humor, and survival.
The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess by Tom Gauld (Neal Porter Books/Holiday House, for ages 4–8, available now)
Acclaimed graphic novelist Tom Gauld has created his first book for children: a memorable contemporary bedtime story that’s part picture book, part graphic novel For years, the king and queen tried desperately to have a baby. Their wish was twice granted when an engineer and a witch gave them a little wooden robot and an enchanted log princess. When the princess is accidentally discarded with the other pieces of wood, her brother sets off to find her and return her safely to the kingdom.
Salt Magic by Hope Larson, illustrated by Rebecca Mock (Margaret Ferguson Books/Holiday House, for ages 10–14, available now)
Batgirl writer Hope Larson is a New York Times best-selling graphic novelist, including two Eisner Award-winning titles. One of which is Salt Magic, an utterly unique historical graphic novel fairy tale about a about a jealous witch, a withering curse, and one girl’s journey to save her family. The journey will change 12-year-old Vonceil, but along the way she’ll learn a lot about love and what it means to grow up.
Owl and Penguin: Best Day Ever by Vikram Madan (Holiday House, for ages 4–8, available 6/6/23)
Vikram Madan’s Geisel Honor characters are back! Sometimes best friends disagree. Though Owl and Penguin are opposites, they like to solve their conflicts with creative play. In five nearly wordless stories, expressive art leads the storytelling, supplemented by simple text captions and emoticon-style images in speech bubbles. With warm humor and a joyful palette, it’s perfect for kids to giggle over on their own.
Mossy and Tweed: Crazy for Coconuts by Mirka Hokkanen (Holiday House, for ages 4–8, available now)
Mossy and Tweed enjoy a perfect day in the Gnome Woods. The air is crisp, their gardens are growing, and the next-door neighbors have a good-natured argument brewing. But then a runaway coconut lands between their homes. Two clueless gnomes on a quest to crack a coconut make one blooper after another in this over-the-top funny early graphic novel series. Cozy Scandinavian illustrations, oodles of “oopsies,” and easy-to-read banter are sure to delight.
Let’s Go! by Michael Emberley (Holiday House, for ages 4–8, available now)
In this companion book to the Geisel award-winning I Did It!, a cute creature and five friends want to go to a party— but it’s too far away! Even the youngest readers will be able to follow the simple text and lively illustrations as the friends find creative solutions—building cars, skis, and boats out of the very paper they’re drawn on!
