I have been finding samples in my online readers. And while that allows me access to so many titles, it also means I have to get the final copy but they are not due until November and October 2024! Yet, I am excited to share what I can, as you will need to be in line with me at the local independent bookstore getting copies.
Tracy Gulovsen and Renate Vermeulen-Potter have Dinosaurs for Dylan (due mid November 2024). It is a sweet story that I think the majority of the book was in my sample. Regardless, all I know is that I really enjoyed what was there. It is terribly realistic and relatable. Ellie is a young girl that wants to make friends with her classmate, Dylan, but she thinks he hates her. She draws him pictures of his favorite dinosaur, but he just ignores it and his assistant puts it in his bag. But what Ellie does not realize is that Dylan has special needs that make it hard for him to express himself. It is not until she meets his mother that she realizes how special her gift is. And the mother does not just mean the drawing. There is also the realism of how Ellie’s fathers relate to the situation. The artwork is cute, colorful and simple (not simplistic) and allows for the reader to focus on the theme and not be distracted by too much “extra” without skimping on the illustrations.
Early October 2024 will see Counting Up the Olive Tree : A Palestine Number Book by Golbarg Bashi and illustrated by Nabi H. Ali. I also am assuming the majority of the book was in my sample. Now, while Counting is not my favorite book, I really enjoy the clever idea it presents. While the counting aspect is familiar (counting from one up and then back down), the setting is new. Not only are we set in Palestine, but in a literal olive tree. The mixture of the two is fresh and fun. There is no real politics, though two opposite soccer teams do come together to save the tree and there is a bit of environmentalism as well. This format is non presumptuous and not preachy. It does not matter where things are set, it is the idea of friendship that matters. The artwork is a bit less realistic that I would have preferred, but it works well. The colors and details are there to support and not detract from anything. It allows multiple ages to read/be read too.