Books Added to My Shelves in October 2024

This is my monthly roundup of books that I added to my shelves in October 2024. Some of the books came directly from authors or publishers, others were a purchase or a gift. You’ll find books from all kinds of genres including adult and children’s books. I’ll even share a few updates from our family’s life in the last month as well.

Family and Life Update

Both Pat and I celebrate our birthdays in October. This year we took advantage of the gorgeous weather and hiked at Maquoketa Caves State Park. I am not a fan of caves or enclosed/dark spaces, but I did step into a few of the more open caves. It was a fun day!

On a trip to Red Wing, Minnesota this month, I stopped by Fair Trade Books. Did you know that they handpick a FREE book for every first-time visitor to their store? How cool is that? Rick, the owner, asked me what I like to read and chose a book just for me. He was a delight to visit with and I loved meeting their dog Alobar. Another unique feature of this bookstore is that they sell new and used puzzles. But, to make sure the used puzzles have all the pieces, they have volunteer puzzle certifiers. The certifiers stop in, grab a puzzle from the To Be Certified shelf, take it home, and do the puzzle. If it has all the pieces, it’s marked certified for sale. How cool is that? I want to be a Puzzle Certifier! Find out below which book Rick chose for me and the puzzle I purchased!

Alobar from Fair Trade Books.

The Barn Bluff Trail in Red Wing leads to an amazing view of the city. It was a beautiful fall day for a hike!

Since Pat and I both have birthdays in October, we decided to have a family day in between to celebrate with our kids. We had so much fun starting the day at Top Golf, then lunch at Cracker Barrel (our favorite), and more games at Smash Park. I love it when all six of us can be together.

Now on to the books! 

I finished seven books in October. I read two memoirs, a nonfiction book, a mystery, two fiction novels, and a middle-grade mystery. Only two of them were audiobooks. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, HERE to see snippets of what I’m reading or what’s going on in my daily life.

If you have missed any of my recent book reviews, you can see all of them by clicking, HERE.  Or you can stay up to date with my monthly Quick Lit Roundup.

Clicking the photos of each book will take you to a link to purchase. If you choose to purchase through any of the links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.

Puzzles

FLUFFY CAT ON PILLOWS
EuroGraphics Puzzle
1000 Piece

I chose this used puzzle at Fair Trade Books because I can’t resist a cute cat puzzle. This was a certified puzzle and it’s so nice to know that this used puzzle has all the pieces. With all the different pillow patterns, it shouldn’t be too difficult.

BEAUTIFUL SUCCULENTS
Dayspring
1000 Piece Puzzle

This was a gift from my sister-in-law and brother-in-law for my birthday! It’s such a pretty puzzle and I know it will be a joy to work on.

MINNESOTA (NOT ALWAYS SO) NICE
1000 Piece Puzzle

This is the third in a series of three Minnesota puzzles created by my two cousins. My cousin, Melanie, and I, regularly swap our puzzles and at any family gathering or time spent together, you’ll find us puzzling. See all three of the Minnesota puzzles, HERE. There were a few boxes damaged in the shipment, so my puzzle is a bit damaged, but be assured that all purchased puzzles are in great shape. I can’t wait to complete this one with all the cute doodles of Minnesota’s not-so-nice things.

Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction

MY LAST GIFT
An Essential End-of-Life Planner
By: Kim Boyer, JD
Published: October 1, 2024
Publisher: Zeitgeist
Non-Fiction
Book/Binder for Review

It’s so important to have all your “ducks in a row” when planning for your family’s future. Even though it may be hard to have these important discussions, it really is critical to have a plan for your family after your death.

Written by a certified elder law attorney with more than two decades of experience in estate planning, My Last Gift helps you record your vital personal, medical, financial, and other critical information for the future. It provides practical advice as you get your affairs in order and offers handy tips for heirs who will manage your affairs after you’re gone. Whether you’re dealing with aging or illness or simply want to be prepared, this essential end-of-life planner is the perfect organizer for you and your loved ones.

THE WALL OF LIFE
Pictures and Stories from this Marvelous Lifetime
By: Shirley Maclaine
Published: October 22, 2024
Publisher: Crown
Non-Fiction/Memoir
Format: Hardcover for Review

I’ve already shared about this one, HERE.

THE SPAMALOT DIARIES
By: Eric Idle
Published: October 8, 2024
Publisher: Crown Publishing
Non-Fiction
Format: Hardcover for Review

I’ve heard of Spamalot but really know absolutely nothing about this Broadway show. But, I enjoy reading behind-the-scenes stories and learning the process towards making things happen, so I expect to enjoy this one.

On March 17, 2005, Spamalot debuted on Broadway to rapturous reviews for its star-studded creative team, including creators Eric Idle and John du Prez, director Mike Nichols, and stars Hank Azaria, David Hyde Pierce, Sara Ramirez, Tim Curry, and more. But long before the show was the toast of Broadway and the winner of three Tony Awards, it was an idea threatening to fizzle out before it could find its way into existence.
 
Now, in The Spamalot Diaries, Eric Idle shares original journal entries and raw email exchanges—all featuring his whip-smart wit—that reveal the sometimes bumpy, always entertaining path to the show’s unforgettable run. In the months leading up to that opening night, financial anxieties were high with a low-ceiling budget and expectations that it would take two years to break even. Collaborative disputes put decades-long friendships to the test. And the endless process of rewriting was a task as passionate as it was painstaking. Still, there’s nothing Idle would change about that year. Except for the broken ankle. He could do without the broken ankle.
 
Chronicling every minor mishap and triumph along the way, as well as the creative tension that drove the show to new heights, The Spamalot Diaries is an unforgettable look behind the curtain of a beloved musical and inside the wickedly entertaining mind of one of our most treasured comic performers.

THE PLAN
Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius
By: Kendra Adachi
Published: October 8, 2024
Publisher: Convergent Books
Non-Fiction
Format: Hardcover for Purchase

Kendra Adachi is known as “The Lazy Genius” and her two previous books THE LAZY GENIUS WAY and THE LAZY GENIUS KITCHEN were full of helpful tips and guidance. As a planner, I interested in reading her thoughts about planning and time management. I’ve struggled with adjusting to our new empty-nest routine and need to manage my time better.

If productivity systems tend to let you down, reading The PLAN will be such a relief.

Most time-management books leave you feeling inadequate, focusing on greatness and optimization. But what if you want to simply live your life without chasing productivity at every turn? Is there a way to manage your time without being at its mercy?

Absolutely, and The PLAN will show you how.

In her signature “Kind Big Sister” style, Kendra Adachi offers a fresh take on managing your time. Using the memorable acronym PLAN, you will learn to prepare, live, adjust, and notice like a Lazy Genius, all through the lens of what matters to you in your current season. 

WOMEN WITH WINGS
Female Flyers in Fact and Fiction
By: Mary Cadogan
Published: March 1, 1993
Publisher: Academy Chicago Publishers
Non-Fiction/Biography
Format: Paperback Gift

This is the FREE book Rick chose for me at Fair Trade Books. He asked what kind of books I liked to read and I told him historical fiction or nonfiction, especially books about real women. This is definitely right up my alley.

Women with Wings is a perceptive and highly entertaining celebration of the achievements of female flyers from eighteenth-century balloonists to today’s astronauts. For decades female aviators had to defy social prejudices despite having achieved remarkable feats of skill and endurance. From 1910, women pilots in America performed death-defying stunts, and in England during the 1920s, a clutch of aristocratic flyers were flipping from continent to continent in their private planes. By the 1930s, women had produced an abundance of record-makers—Amy Johnson, Amelia Earhart, Jean Batten, and Beryl Markham among them. The Second World War recruited British and American women to ferry fighters and bombers from factories and airfields and produced some outstanding pilots from Germany and Russia. Post-war developments included long-distance record flights and the growth of opportunity in commercial and military flight and in space exploration. As well as charting women’s progress in aviation, Women with Wings considers fictional images of female flyers in comic strips, magazines, and books—from girls’ adventure tales to romances.

THE ONE YEAR BIBLE
The Entire New Living Translation in 365 Readings
Published: September 1, 2004
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Christian Non-Fiction
Format: Paperback Gift

My sister-in-law has been reading through The One Year Bible this year and I mentioned that I had been looking for a Bible like that to read. Then, she gave it to me as a gift for my birthday! I can’t wait to start it in 2025!

The One Year Bible NLT delivers on the promise that as you read its daily Scripture selections you can read through the entire Bible in one year. This beautifully redesigned Bible edition features the clear and trusted New Living Translation. To provide variety, each daily reading includes selections from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs.

Features:

• 15-minute daily readings
• A simple, attractive layout for personal devotions as well as group reading
• The clear and trusted New Living Translation (NLT)

THE BOOKSHOP
A History of the American Bookstore
By: Evan Friss
Published: August 6, 2024
Publisher: Viking
Non-Fiction
Format: Hardcover Gift

This was a birthday gift from my best friend. She knows me so well. I didn’t even know about this book!

Bookstores have always been unlike any other kind of store, shaping readers and writers, and influencing our tastes, thoughts, and politics. They nurture local communities while creating new ones of their own. Bookshops are powerful spaces, but they are also endangered ones. In The Bookshop,we see the stakes: what has been, and what might be lost.

Evan Friss’s history of the bookshop draws on oral histories, archival collections, municipal records, diaries, letters, and interviews with leading booksellers to offer a fascinating look at this institution beloved by so many. The story begins with Benjamin Franklin’s first bookstore in Philadelphia and takes us to a range of booksellers including the Strand, Chicago’s Marshall Field & Company, the Gotham Book Mart, specialty stores like Oscar Wilde and Drum and Spear, sidewalk sellers of used books, Barnes & Noble, Amazon Books, and Parnassus. The Bookshop is also a history of the leading figures in American bookselling, often impassioned eccentrics, and a history of how books have been marketed and sold over the course of more than two centuries—including, for example, a 3,000-pound elephant who signed books at Marshall Field’s in 1944.

The Bookshop is a love letter to bookstores, a charming chronicle for anyone who cherishes these sanctuaries of literature, and essential reading to understand how these vital institutions have shaped American life—and why we still need them.

YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE IT
50 Morning and Evening Devotions to Unrush Your Mind, Uncomplicate Your Heart, and Experience Healing Today
By: Lysa Terkeurst
Published: March 28, 2023
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Christian Non-Fiction
Format: Hardcover Purchase

I’ve shared that I’m a fan of Lysa Terkeurst many times. I purchased two of her books with a Buy 3 for 2 deal at Target. I don’t have a planned time to start this one, but I like the 50 days length of a devotional and the morning/evening readings.

In her newest devotional, New York Times bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst helps you stay connected to God and continue loving others even in the middle of discouraging, disappointing, or even devastating circumstances. Experience 50 days of morning and evening devotions complimented with beautiful color photography of significant locations where Lysa has worked through her own healing. Each devotion contains:

• a Bible verse to start your day
• a statement of truth to remember throughout your day
• space to write and release something back to God at the end of your day
• a prayer to receive before you go to sleep to better prepare for tomorrow

Without these crucial components woven into the routine of our harder seasons, connecting with the Lord can very quickly begin to feel overwhelming and like just another item on our to-do lists. Lysa understands this struggle and wants to create a sacred space where women can bookend their days with God by simply showing up, soaking in truth, and being reminded they’re not alone on their healing journey.

CLEAR MIND, PEACEFUL HEART
50 Devotions for Sleeping Well in a World Full of Worry
By: Lysa Terkeurst
Published: March 26, 2024
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Christian Non-Fiction
Format: Hardcover Purchase

This was another devotional purchase at Target as part of the Buy 3 for 2 deal. I’ve been struggling with sleep a lot lately and I’m hoping this will help calm my worry. I have started this one and hope to finish by the end of the year if I read it every night. So far, I’m loving it.

What lies heaviest on your heart as you lay your head on your pillow? Are paralyzing fear and anxiety stealing tomorrow’s peace? Listen to this invitation from Jesus: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NIV). Experiencing this kind of rest won’t come from escapism, more vacation days, or stuffing our feelings. Jesus Himself provides rest to our weary souls. While He may not always fix everything right away, we can fix our thoughts on His Word. In doing this, we can sleep at night with ease knowing that God has it all under control.

KETO SIMPLE
Over 100 Delicious Low-Carb Meals That Are Easy on Time, Budget, and Effort
By: Martina Slajerova
Published: January 7, 2020
Publisher: Fair Winds Press
Non-Fiction/Cookbook
Format: eBook Purchase

I grabbed this on a Kindle Deal. I’ve read through most of it and like a lot of the recipes. They seem pretty simple and use ingredients I can easily find in the store. I may purchase the paperback copy just because it is easier to use rather than my Kindle. I don’t think you should necessarily follow Keto 100% of the time, but when you want something low carb, this has great recipes to try.

Keto has become the hottest health-supportive diet around. However, even the most committed keto follower doesn’t always have the time and inclination to cook for 90 minutes or the budget-bandwidth for 14-ingredient dinners. With Keto Simple, you can live your keto lifestyle without it becoming expensive, complicated, or all-consuming. Along with simply amazing recipes, find meal-prepping, planning, and shopping strategies that save you time and money.Whether you are looking for a quick recipe to throw in your office lunchbox or how to build out leftovers and simple base recipes into tomorrow’s menu, Keto Simple has you covered.

SMALL BATCH BAKING
60 Sweet and Savory Recipes to Satisfy Your Craving
By: Saura Kline
Published: March 16, 2021
Publisher: Callisto
Non-Fiction/Cookbook
Format: Paperback Purchase

I’d had this in my Amazon cart for a while and noticed the price dropped to under $5 so I grabbed it. Now that we are empty-nesters, it seems wasteful to make a big batch of bars or cookies. So, I like the idea of smaller batches of sweets.

Sometimes we just want to make one (or two) brownies. Enter Small Batch Baking. This indispensable cookbook was created with quick cravings and small dinner parties in mind. Savor fresh, flavorful desserts that make two to three servings per batch.

This easy-to-follow cookbook features:

• 60 sweet and savory recipes―From the buttery comfort of rosemary goat-cheese biscuits to melt-in-your-mouth chai-spiced snickerdoodles, delight in a wide range of recipes that won’t require any complex conversions to produce modest portions.
• Handy hacks and simple staples―Be prepared for when a hankering hits. Learn what you should have on hand in your pantry, and take advantage of trade secrets like using a muffin tin to make mini pies.
• No need for new equipment―You won’t have to purchase any new tools or specialty bakeware. These scaled-down sweets can all be prepared using standard pots and pans.

Easily whip up a modest amount of treats, thanks to Small Batch Baking.

THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD BEACH AND BOOK CLUB
By: Martha Hall Kelly
Published: May 27, 2025
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Historical Fiction
Format: eBook for Review

I’m embarrassed to admit that I still haven’t read LILAC GIRLS. I know I would love it. It’s sitting on my shelf and yet, I haven’t read it. Receiving this book may just be the nudge I need to read her best-seller before I read her newest book, publishing in May 2025. Sisters, WWII, a beach, and a book club? Of course I’m all in on this one!

2016: Thirty-four-year-old Mari Starwood is still grieving as she travels to the storied island of Martha’s Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts. She’s come all the way from California with nothing but a name on a piece of paper: Elizabeth Deveraux, the famous but reclusive Vineyard painter. When Mari makes it to Mrs. Devereaux’s stunning waterfront farm under the guise of taking a painting class with her, Mrs. Deveraux begins to tell her the story of the Smith sisters, who once lived there. As the tale unfolds, Mari is shocked to learn that her relationship to this island runs deeper than she ever thought possible.

1942: The Smith girls—nineteen-year-old, wannabe writer Cadence and sixteen-year-old, war-obsessed Briar—are faced with the impossible task of holding their failing family farm together during World War II as the U.S. Army arrives on Martha’s Vineyard. When Briar spots German U-boats lurking off the island’s shores, and Cadence falls into an unlikely romance with a sworn enemy, their quiet lives are officially upended. In an attempt at normalcy, Cadence and her best friend Bess start a book club, which grows in both number and influence as they connect with a fabulous New York publisher who could make all of Cadence’s dreams come true. But all that is put at risk by a mysterious man who washes ashore—and whispers of a spy in their midst. Who in their tight-knit island community can they trust? Could this little book club change the course of the war… before it’s too late?

LAST TWILIGHT IN PARIS
By: Pam Jenoff
Published: February 4, 2025
Publisher: Park Row
Historical Fiction
Format: eBook for Review

I was thrilled to hear Pam Jenoff had a new book publishing soon. Her books are always winners for me!

London, 1953. Louise is still adjusting to her postwar role as a housewife when she discovers a necklace in a box at a secondhand shop. The box is marked with the name of a department store in Paris, and she is certain she has seen the necklace before, when she worked with the Red Cross in Nazi-occupied Europe —and that it holds the key to the mysterious death of her friend Franny during the war.

Following the trail of clues to Paris, Louise seeks help from her former boss Ian, with whom she shares a romantic history. The necklace leads them to discover the dark history of Lévitan—a once-glamorous department store that served as a Nazi prison, and Helaine, a woman who was imprisoned there, torn apart from her husband when the Germans invaded France.

Louise races to find the connection between the necklace, the department store and Franny’s death. But nothing is as it seems, and there are forces determined to keep the truth buried forever. Inspired by the true story of Lévitan, Last Twilight in Paris is both a gripping mystery and an unforgettable story about sacrifice, resistance and the power of love to transcend in even the darkest hours.

THE LOST PASSENGER
By: Frances Quinn
Published: February 25, 2025
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Historical Fiction
Format: eBook for Review

Faking your death on the Titanic? I’m all in for this story.

Marrying above your social class can come with unexpected consequences, as Elinor Coombes discovers when she is swept into a fairy-tale marriage with the son of English aristocrats. But she realizes too late that it was the appeal of her father’s hard-earned wealth rather than her own pretty face that attracted her new husband and his family. Ground down by rigid social rules that include her being allowed to see her nanny-raised infant son for only moments each day, Elinor faces a lonely future. But a present from her father—tickets for the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic, a luxurious new ocean liner—offers a welcome escape from the cold, controlling atmosphere of her husband’s ancestral home, and some precious time with her little son, Teddy.

After the ship goes down, Elinor grasps at the chance to take Teddy and start a new life in America: They can disappear completely if they are listed among the dead. After stealing another woman’s identity, a now penniless Elinor must put that terrible night behind her and learn to survive in a brash new world that couldn’t be more different from her own. And when a face from the past appears, she must risk everything to keep her secret—and her son.

An absorbing historical drama set between the hidebound traditions of the English aristocracy and the opportunities of a bustling young city, The Lost Passenger is a gripping and dramatic story about grabbing your chances with both hands, and being brave enough to find out who you really are.

THE MEMORY OF AN ELEPHANT
By: Alex Lasker
Published: April 18, 2024
Publisher: Indpendently Published
Historical Fiction
Format: eBook Purchase

This one has been on my radar. When it showed up as a Kindle Deal, I snagged it.

The Memory of an Elephant is an epic saga told by an aging African elephant as he makes a last, perilous journey to find the humans who rescued him as an orphan some fifty years ago. Interwoven with his narrative are the tumultuous lives of the family who raised and then lost him. This timeless story is alternately heartwarming and heartbreaking, spanning east Africa, Great Britain and New York from 1962 to 2015.

DROP DEAD SISTERS
The Finch Sisters Book 1
By:Amelia Diane Coombs
Published: November 1, 2024
Publisher: Mindy’s Book Studio
Mystery
Format: eBook Purchase

This was part of the free eBook from Amazon First Reads for October with Prime. I love a good sister story and this one is published by Mindy Kaling so that sold me. My cousin already read it and said it was great!

Remi Finch has spent the better part of her adult life avoiding family―especially her sisters. They just don’t click. Besides, her unconventional upbringing and major anxiety have convinced Remi that she can’t build a relationship with anyone. Period.

When her parents plan a family reunion camping trip to celebrate their anniversary, Remi’s willing to reconnect, if only because she doesn’t have a choice. But then a dead body turns up at their campsite, and their sisterly bonding kicks into high gear.

No one knows the whole story, but the Finch women are prepared to cover up the pieces before anyone tries to put them together. It’s a precautionary measure, probably unnecessary. Nobody else was there, so how could they have seen anything?

Between old grudges and new dynamics, a handsome park ranger, and a body that won’t stay hidden, Remi is about to learn that nothing strengthens family ties quite like crime.

BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD
Before the Coffee Gets Cold Book 1
By: Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Translated by: Geoffrey Trousselot
Published: November 17, 2020
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
Fiction
Format: Hardcover Purchase

I’ve been loving Japanese books in translation lately and this one has been getting all kinds of rave reviews. It’s the first of five books in the series and as with many Japanese novels, it’s also short. Even though I don’t typically read time-travel stories, this one intrigues me.

In a small back alley of Tokyo, there is a café that has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. Local legend says that this shop offers something else besides coffee—the chance to travel back in time.

Over the course of one summer, four customers visit the café in the hopes of making that journey. But time travel isn’t so simple, and there are rules that must be followed. Most important, the trip can last only as long as it takes for the coffee to get cold.

Heartwarming, wistful, mysterious and delightfully quirky, Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s internationally bestselling novel explores the age-old question: What would you change if you could travel back in time?

THE FELLOWSHIP OF PUZZLE MAKERS
By: Samuel Burr
Published: April 9, 2024
Publisher: Doubleday
Fiction
Format: Hardcover Purchase

I started this one on audio through Libby and realized nearly every chapter has a puzzle in it. Listening to it made it hard to decifer the puzzle because I couldn’t see it. So, when shopping in Ames last month, we stopped at Dog-Eared Books and I purchased a copy. This book also has a lot of characters that I was struggling to keep track of on audio. So, I’m hoping reading the physical copy will be a better experience.

Clayton Stumper might be in his twenties, but he dresses like your grandpa and fusses like your aunt. Abandoned at birth on the steps of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, he was raised by a group of eccentric enigmatologists and now finds himself among the last survivors of a fading institution.

When the esteemed crossword compiler and main maternal presence in Clayton’s life, Pippa Allsbrook, passes away, she bestows her final puzzle on him: a promise to reveal the mystery of his parentage and prepare him for life beyond the walls of the commune. So begins Clay’s quest to uncover the secrets surrounding his birth, secrets that will change Clay—and the Fellowship—forever.

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is pure joy, a story about love and family and what it means to find your people—no matter what age you are.

TOGETHER TEA
By: Marjan Kamali
Published: May 21, 2013
Publisher: Ecco
Fiction
Format: Paperback Gift

Marjan Kamali is the author of THE STATIONARY SHOP, which I loved, and THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN, which I haven’t read it. My best friend gave this to me for my birthday. I thought Marjan’s debut novel was THE STATIONARY SHOP. So, I’m thrilled to dive into her debut novel.

In Together Tea, Marjan Kamali’s delightful and heartwarming debut novel, Darya has discovered the perfect gift for her daughter’s twenty-fifth birthday: an ideal husband. Mina, however, is fed up with her mother’s years of endless matchmaking and the spreadsheets grading available Iranian-American bachelors. Having spent her childhood in Tehran and the rest of her life in New York City, Mina has experienced cultural clashes firsthand, but she’s learning that the greatest clashes sometimes happen at home.

After a last ill-fated attempt at matchmaking, mother and daughter embark on a return journey to Iran. Immersed once again in Persian culture, the two women gradually begin to understand each other. But when Mina falls for a young man who never appeared on her mother’s matchmaking radar, will Mina and Darya’s new-found appreciation for each other survive?

Together Tea is a moving and joyous debut novel about family, love, and finding the place you truly belong.

Children’s Fiction and Non-Fiction

SADIE SOARS INTO SPACE
A Storybook with Fun Solar System Facts
By: Arezu Sarvestani
Illustrated by: Floss Pottage
Published: October 22, 2024
Publisher: Z Kids, Zeitgeist/Penguin Random House
Non-Fiction
Board Book

Introduce your toddlers to the excitement of space travel with this new board book.

What are comets made of? Which planet is the hottest? Which one is the coldest? Join Sadie and her cat, Buckles, on a daring journey through the solar system to answer these questions and more. In this delightful tale, Sadie visits each planet, marveling at comets, asteroids, and more along the way. And with each stop, young readers are introduced to fascinating facts about outer space, sparking curiosity about the wide expanse of our universe. Sadie Soars into Space is an engaging and educational addition to any toddler’s library. 

MAKE A PRETTY SOUND
A Story of Ella Jenkins-The First Lady of Children’s Music
By: Traci N. Todd
Illustrated by: Eleanor Davis
Published: January 7, 2025
Publisher: Chronicle Kids
Non-Fiction
Format: Hardcover Picture Book

Another great biography written for young children.

Once upon a time, children’s music was just Mother Goose, nursery songs, and lullabies. And then came Ella Jenkins.

Ella Jenkins is an American folk singer and living legend dubbed “The First Lady of Children’s Music.” For nearly 70 years, she has been writing and performing music that has entertained and engaged generations of young listeners. In Make a Pretty Song, Ella’s life and legacy are captured in vibrant sights, sounds, and stories that leap right off the page.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, and raised in Chicago, Ella grew up loving music of all kinds—the call-and-response of Cab Calloway, the exciting rhythms of Moroccan and Indian records spun in a local record shop, the bluesy notes her uncle teased from his harmonica. She listened to music from around the world, and no matter what language it was in, she could feel what it meant—the bridge in understanding and feeling that music offers from one heart to another.

When she began working with children, she knew just what to do. She knew music would offer children a kinetic learning experience that engaged them physically, verbally, and empathetically, creating community out of song. Soon, she was recording her own albums and became an international star.

JELLA LEPMAN AND HER LIBRARY OF DREAMS
The Woman Who Rescued a Generation of Children and Founded the World’s Largest Children’s Library
By: Katherine Paterson
Illustrated by: Sally Deng
Published: February 4, 2025
Publisher: Chronicle Kids
Non-Fiction
Format: Hardcover Picture Book

As you can imagine, I am passionate about libraries and children’s access to them. This is a hefty children’s book at over 100 pages. So, even though it is a picture book, it is geared toward older elementary-aged children. Katherine Paterson is the author of the classic, THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS.

Jella Lepman was a woman who stood her ground, challenged convention, and worked fiercely to transform her biggest dreams into reality.

In 1945, when Jella was tasked with what seemed like an insurmountable challenge―to create a haven of imagination and joy for the children of a Germany scarred by war—she turned to a steadfast companion: books. As a Jewish woman who had fled from the Nazis, Jella was determined to restore a sense of childhood to the young people who had only known conflict and violence. Despite constant obstacles, Jella persevered, and with the help of publishers and children from around the world, she amassed an extraordinary collection of 4,000 children’s books in pursuit of her mission to promote peace. The roving literary collection would eventually find a home as the International Youth Library in Munich, now with over 600,000 items, the largest collection of children’s books and materials in the world.

BOUNCE!
A Scientific History of Rubber
By: Sarah Albee
Illustrated by: Eileen Ryan Ewen
Published: October 22, 2024
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Non-Fiction
Format: Hardcover Picture Book

I’ve shared about this one already, HERE.

STILL THERE WAS BREAD
By: Lisl H. Detlefsen
Illustrated by: David Soman
Published: October 15, 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins
Fiction
Format: Hardcover Picture Book

From the author of FARM BOOTS, one of my favorite children’s books in 2023, comes a story perfect for reading before celebrating the upcoming holidays.

Nana is coming to visit! She’s going to teach Little Pickle to make her famous “Nana rolls”—a special bread recipe that Nana’s nana taught her. Together, they gather ingredients: eggs and milk, flour and oil, sugar and salt, yeast and water.

As they mix them together to form the dough, Nana shares stories about how making this treasured family recipe has changed over the years—and how it’s sustained their family through good times and hard ones. And through the times when they could be together—and the times when they couldn’t. Because sometimes a simple loaf of bread can mean so much more.

SNOW IS…
By: Laura Gehl
Illustrated by: Sonia Sánchez
Published: October 29, 2024
Publisher: Paula Wiseman Books
Fiction
Format: Hardcover Picture Books for review

You know I’m a fan of Laura Gehl. I’ve shared many of her books, HERE.

It’s dawn and there is snow all around. The wonder of winter’s first snowfall brings the magic of changing seasons and sees a family sharing the perfect snow day with coziness and togetherness from dawn to dusk.

KID MUSICIANS
True Tales of Childhood from Entertainers, Songwriters, and Stars
Kid Legends Series
By: Robin Stevenson
Illustrations by: Allison Steinfeld
Published: November 12, 2024
Publisher: Quirk Books
Middle-Grade Non-Fiction
Format: Hardcover Chapter Book for review

This is such a great collection of biographies of all kinds of entertainers that kids want to learn about.

Every superstar musician started out as a kid—and many discovered their love of music early on. Before leaving their mark on the world, these groundbreaking performers, songwriters, and musicians were regular kids. Tune in to the childhood stories of musical legends such as:

• Beyoncé, who used to play truth or dare in the middle of the night with the rest of her music group. 
• Dolly Parton, who sometimes made up her own stories for class book reports. 
• Louis Armstrong, who played instruments in parades all over New Orleans.
• Taylor Swift, who grew up on a Christmas tree farm! 

Featuring kid-friendly text and full-color illustrations, Kid Musicians will inspire readers to express themselves and march to the beat of their own drum.

A BRUSH WITH MAGIC
By: Flora Ahn
Published: October 22, 2024
Publisher: Quirk Books
Middle-Grade Fiction
Format: Hardcover Chapter Book for review

A magical middle-grade adventure inspired by Korean folklore.

It’s finally summer break, and twelve-year-old Yumi is headed to Korea with her older sister, Minji, for the very first time. She can’t wait to explore the city of Seoul together—but Minji has other plans. The moment they land, Minji ditches Yumi to hang out with their cousins, who are more fashionable, better at soccer, and all-around cooler than Yumi. Lost and alone, Yumi is stuck at home painting with her grandfather. 

Everything changes when she finds an intriguing ink brush in a neighborhood art shop—and accidentally summons a creature straight out of her grandfather’s retellings of Korean fairy tales. With a new friend by her side and an ink brush that has the power to bring anything she paints to life, Yumi feels unstoppable. From bustling street markets and ancient palaces to riding the subway, Yumi and her friend explore everything Seoul has to offer. 

But when the magic takes a dark turn, Yumi must dig deep to hear her own voice and protect the family she loves—even if they don’t always understand each other.

Which books are you adding to your reading list?

Click HERE to see all the posts featuring new books on my shelves.

So many books, so little time!