Archives de catégorie : Children’s Books

LION’S LEGACY de L.C. Rosen

Against the backdrop of a sunlit Greek landscape, author L. C. Rosen masterfully weaves together adventure, romance, and magic in a celebration of the power of claiming your queer legacy.

LION’S LEGACY
(Tennessee Russo Book 1)
by L.C. Rosen
Union Square & Co., May 2023
(via David Black Literary)

Seventeen-year-old Tennessee Russo’s life is imploding. His boyfriend has been cheating on him, and all his friends know about it. Worse, they expect him to just accept his ex’s new relationship and make nice. So when his father, a famous archaeologist and reality show celebrity whom he hasn’t seen in two years, shows up unexpectedly and offers to take him on an adventure, Tennessee only has a few choices:

1. Stay, mope, regret it forever.
2. Go, try to reconcile with Dad, become his sidekick again.
3. Go, but make it his adventure, and Dad will be the sidekick.

The object of his father’s latest quest, the Rings of the Sacred Band of Thebes, is too enticing to say no to. Finding artifacts related to the troop of ancient Greek soldiers, composed of one-hundred-and-fifty gay couples, means navigating ruins, deciphering ancient mysteries, and maybe meeting a cute boy.

But will his dad let Tennessee do the right thing with the rings if they find them? And what is the right thing? Who does queer history belong to?

KING’S LEGACY, Book 2 in the Tennessee Russo series, will be published April 1, 2025.

A New York Public Library Best Book of 2023
Booklist Editors’ Choice 2023: Books for Youth

“Flirtatious friendships and a fun summer romance, Indiana Jones-esque booby traps, and the logistics of filming reality TV mesh seamlessly with heavier discussions of rightful ownership of historical artifacts, erasure of queer history, and the power of an actual apology. Rosen emphasizes the importance between connecting the historical existence and contributions of queer people to the queer community in the present and includes many small tidbits of queer history throughout . . . . [A]ction-packed and illuminative.” —Booklist, starred review

“Rosen has balanced a thrilling adventure with a flirtatious queer romance, while highlighting moments from history most won’t learn about in school and discussing what responsible archeology entails. While the magic rings are not real, the Sacred Band of Thebes was, and readers who enjoy Greek mythology and history will be riveted by this adventure . . . . A page-turning action-adventure that highlights the importance of reclaiming queer history and culture.—School Library Journal

“This action-packed adventure inspired by history and legend engages in a conflict-driven exploration of the ethics of archaeology. Tennessee grapples with tangled emotions about his relationship with his father, his longing for community, and what it means to be in love . . . . An entertaining, emotional rush tackling critical subjects.” —Kirkus Reviews

“[G]ripping series kickoff from Rosen (Lavender House) that’s both thrilling escapade and simmering romance . . . . Through Ten and Leo’s visits to a museum of queer history and culture, and the meticulous detail with which the author recounts underreported events in Grecian history, Rosen makes an insistent case for recognizing and teaching LGBTQ history and understanding legacy.” —Publishers Weekly

Lev AC Rosen writes books for people of all ages, including the Evander Mills series, which began with the Macavity Award winning Lavender House, and continues with The Bell in the Fog. His most recent young adult novels are Emmett, Lion’s Legacy, and Camp. Rosen’s books have been nominated for Anthony and Lambda Awards and have been selected for Best of lists from The Today Show, Amazon, Library Journal, Buzzfeed, Autostraddle, Forbes, and many others. He lives in NYC with his husband and a very small cat. 

ALL THE TRUTH I CAN STAND de Mason Stokes

A gay teenager in 1990s Wyoming must contend with the violent loss of a loved one in this historical YA novel that draws from the tragic murder of Matthew Shepard in 1998.

ALL THE TRUTH I CAN STAND
by Mason Stokes
Publisher, November 2024
(via KT Literary)

Juniper, Wyoming, high school student Ash is still reeling from his mother’s death and ostracization by his friends when his father signs him up to join the crew for a college production of Oklahoma! Ash is slowly drawn out of his shell by student reporter Jenna and the star of the show, Shane, with whom a romance slowly blooms. Shane is talented, sensitive, and magnetic, but also deeply troubled. When Shane is found brutally beaten and unconscious, Jenna and Ash are shattered. And after Shane dies, they watch his death become a rallying point for gay rights advocates, and they wonder what the full story is and if they truly knew Shane at all.

ALL THE TRUTH I CAN STAND is a heartbreaking exploration of grief and legacy, and details the good and the bad that can come to pass when an imperfect person is made into a symbol.

YA debut author Mason Stokes is a professor of English at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, where he teaches African American literature and queer fiction. In addition to his scholarly writing, Stokes is the author of the adult novel Saving Julian and the personal essay “Namesake,” which was selected by Jonathan Franzen for inclusion in the 2016 edition of Best American Essays.

KITTEN’S FIRST FULL MOON de Kevin Henkes

Kevin Henkes’s acclaimed national bestseller about a kitten, the moon, and a bowl of milk was awarded the Caldecott Medal and was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book.

KITTEN’S FIRST FULL MOON
by Kevin Henkes
Greenwillow, September 2015

KITTEN’S FIRST FULL MOON is an acclaimed modern classic, from one of the most celebrated and beloved picture book creators working in the field today. This memorable character and her suspenseful adventure are just right for the very youngest child. It is Kitten’s first full moon, and when she sees it she thinks it is a bowl of milk in the sky. And she wants it. Does she get it? Well, no . . . and yes. What a night!

A concise story, large type, and luminescent pictures play second fiddle to the true star of this book: a brave young kitten who sets out into the world on a quest that leaves her bruised, bewildered, and hungry, but that ultimately leads her back home, where something special is waiting just for her. This perfectly sized board book edition introduces Kitten to a new generation of the youngest readers. 

Indefatigable Kitten is a role model for all ages—taking chances, picking herself up when she fails, trying out new strategies to get what she wants, and figuring out when enough is enough.

Winner of the Caldecott Medal, an ALA Notable Book, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, and winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award.

Kevin Henkes has been praised both as a writer and as an illustrator and is the recipient of the Children’s Literature Legacy Award for his lasting contribution to literature for children. He received the Caldecott Medal for KITTEN’S FIRST FULL MOON; Caldecott Honors for Waiting and Owen; two Newbery Honors, one for Olive’s Ocean and one for The Year of Billy Miller;and Geisel Honors for Waiting and Penny and Her Marble. His other books include The World and Everything in It; A House; A Parade of Elephants; Chrysanthemum; and the beloved Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin.

WANDER LOST de Laura Martin

From the critically acclaimed author of Float and Glitch comes a new stand-alone adventure full of humor and heart, perfect for fans of Gordon Korman and Dan Gutman!

WANDER LOST
by Laura Martin
HarperCollins, June 2024
(via Writers House)

Rhett and his brother, Nash, have never been allowed to play board games. It’s their mom’s most important rule; the twins don’t know why, but they know not to push her on it. When their mom suddenly disappears, they’re reunited with Ace, their long-lost grandfather, who reveals that their family is descended from a board game character who escaped his game and lived in the real world. Their family now has the ability to enter the world of any game they want—but this gift also comes with a price. A game character who’s wanted revenge against their mom for decades has finally caught her and is holding her hostage in the world of a game. Which game? That’s up to Rhett and Nash to figure out, even if it means breaking Mom’s most important rule.

But as they learn to use their newly discovered ability, exploring new worlds and facing new challenges and risks, the brothers quickly realize that saving Mom won’t be all fun and games. It’s game on. . . or game over.

Laura Martin is a mom by day and a middle grade author by night, although in her heart she will always be a seventh-grade language arts teacher. She lives in the Indianapolis area with her family.

THE INCORRUPTIBLES de Lauren Magaziner

A dash of The School for Good and Evil, a pinch of Lockwood & Co., and a whole heap of queer joy make up this brand-new grounded middle-grade science fantasy series from internationally bestselling author, Lauren Magaziner!

THE INCORRUPTIBLES
by Lauren Magaziner
Simon & Schuster, 2025 – 2026
(via Writers House)

Fiora Barrowling has lived with her uncle ever since her parents disappeared on what was supposed to be a quick trip, presumably struck down by sorcerers. Fiora hates sorcerers. Only the worst kind of person would take a Dark Deal and sell their soul for a hint of power. But when an important client comes to collect a special cloak, Fiora learns exactly why her tailor uncle has gotten so secretive about his business over the past few years. Rather than crafting garments for the resistance, he’s been serving their sorcerer overlords instead. And when the sorcerer-client offers a Dark Deal and apprenticeship to Fiora, she refuses. But these are not people who take no for an answer.

A scuffle ensues and the stranger who comes to their aid informs Fiora and her uncle they’ve tangled with the Radiance, the worst of the worst sorcerers, and they’ll need to evacuate. But now that Fiora knows the resistance is real, she can’t go back to being just a girl, she wants to be an Inc.—one of the highly-trained human resistance fighters that have created tech to beat sorcerers at their own game.

But Inc. Academy is already in session and Fiora’s presence at their top-secret location is not welcome. Fiora must prove she deserves her place at the academy on a trial-basis, but when suspicious accidents start to occur on Inc. training missions, all eyes turn to Fiora. Now she must prove that she not only deserves to stay, but that she isn’t the spy selling the Incs out!

A story of the corrupting influence of power and the scrappy human ingenuity it takes to fight for good—however messy and hard that may be.

Lauren Magaziner is the author of the internationally bestselling Case Closed series and The Mythics series, illustrated by Mirelle Ortega. She has also authored three stand-alone books: The Only Thing Worse Than Witches, Pilfer Academy, and Wizardmatch.