Welcome to the Publisher Spotlight Booth at ILA Next!
If you’d like to schedule a time to meet in our ILANext booth, send an email to ellen@publisherspotlight.com.
Register here to win our Book & Audio Basket O’Fun!
Click to request a copy. Supplies are limited so we will do random drawings at the close of the conference and request addresses for the lucky ones!
Jordan Scott
Author
I Talk Like a River
Holiday House
When a child has a “bad speech day” at school, his father gives him a new perspective on his stuttering.
Request a signed copy
Jim Benton
Author/Illustrator
Comet the Unstoppable Reindeer
Two Lions
Dear Dumb Diary best-selling author and illustrator Jim Benton explores the story of how a compromised Comet saves the day when Santa mistakenly leaves some gifts behind.
Request a copy
Mary Richards
Author/Illustrator
Take Me to Museums, Take Me Home, Take Me on Vacation
Agnes & Aubrey
These guided activity books are perfect for independent learners and armchair travelers in these challenging times. Author/illustrator Mary Richards packs in the facts while leaving room for adventure and discovery.
Request a copy
Linda Ragsdale
Author
This Raindrop Has a Billion Stories to Tell
Flowerpot Press
Both lyrical and informative, Peace Dragon author Linda Ragsdale takes the reader on a journey through time and around the world, all with a single raindrop.
Request a signed copy
Tricia Springstubb
Author
Khalil and Mr. Hagerty and the Backyard Treasures
Candlewick Press
Two neighbors find common ground in the joys of a shared backyard in this intergenerational story of an unlikely friendship.
Request a copy
James Otis Smith
Author
Black Heroes of the Wild West
TOON Books
“This lively collection introduces readers to three figures frequently overlooked in the history books.”—Booklist, starred review
Request a copy
Jason Adam Katzenstein
Author
Camp Midnight
Reluctant Skye is accidentally sent to the wrong summer camp. Not wanting to please her “step monster,” Skye is dead-set on not fitting in. That won’t be a problem, as everyone at Camp Midnight-with the exception of fellow camper and fast-friend Mia-is a full-fledged monster!
Missing the booth walkabout experience? Join Ellen Myrick as she shows off some of the gems in our virtual booth, as captured in our Nashville, Tennessee office.
Nonfiction for Younger Readers
Nonfiction for Older Readers
Books About Kindness
Fun Books!
Grades K-2
Noodlehead’s Lucky Day
By Ted Arnold, Martha Hamilton & Mitch Weiss
Holiday House
Based on traditional world folktales and stories of fools, the Noodleheads also encourage critical thinking, inviting kids to use their noodles- spotting the holes in the brothers’ grand plans, and anticipating how things will go awry.
Grades K-2
Field Trip to the Ocean Deep
By John Hare
Holiday House
Download a digital advanced reading copy of this seaworthy sequel to Field Trip to the Moon. John Hare’s rich, atmospheric art in this wordless picture book invites all children to imagine themselves in the story- a tale full of mysteries, surprises, and adorable aquatic friends.
Grades K-2
COVID-19 Helpers
By Beth Bacon
John F. Blair
Here’s a book that provides children honest yet positive information about Coronavirus (Covid-19). COVID-19 Helpers gives kids the facts of the pandemic, but also offers hope. Mr. Rogers said that when things get scary, “Look for the helpers.” Likewise, this story reassures children and parents that many people from all walks of life–including kids themselves–are helping to fight the virus.
Grades K-5
The ABCs of Black History
By Rio Cortez and illustrated by Lauren Semmer
Workman Publishing
A beautiful alphabet picture book that presents key names, moments, and places in Black history with text lyrically written by poet Rio Cortez. This is an opportunity for children to learn their ABCs to the sound of words beyond apple, boy, and cat, and an opportunity for young thinkers to prepare for big ideas.
Grades 2-3
Piper Green and the Fairy Tree
By Ellen Potter, illustrated by Qin Leng
Narrated by the award-winning Tavia Gilbert
Live Oak Media
“With its intriguing setting, sympathetic characters, and hint of magic, this new chapter-book series should charm fledgling readers.”—Kirkus Reviews
Grades 2-5
Premeditated Myrtle
By Elizabeth C. Bunce
Algonquin Young Readers
Introducing Myrtle Hardcastle, your favorite new amateur detective: a wickedly smart 12-year-old with a keen interest in the new tools of criminology and a nose for murder in the Victorian English village where her father is the local prosecutor.
Grades 3-6
Mister Invincible
By Pascal Jousselin
Magnetic Press
“Need ice? Cat up a tree? Giant robot on the attack? There’s no job too large or too small for “the one and only true comic book superhero!” Masked, caped, chubby, and imperturbable, Mister Invincible earns his moniker here in dozens of mind- and narrative-bending graphic mini-adventures thanks to his unique power to reach or chuck things into neighboring panels above or below… Chock-full of inventive narrative tweaks.”—Kirkus, starred review
Grades 3-7
The Mouse Watch
By J.J. Gilbert
Disney Publishing Group
Mission Impossible meets “Mice in Black” in this action-packed middle grade adventure that will take readers on an epic thrill ride and leave them ready to join the Watch.
Grades 3-7
Anne of Green Gables
Manga Classics
Experience Anne’s story with most of the original dialog preserved in the new Manga Classics edition of this beloved story. The only manga adaptation approved by the L.M. Montgomery estate, readers will fall for the irrepressible Anne and her exploits as if they are her kindred spirits. And they probably are.
Grades 3-7
Black Heroes of the Wild West
By James Otis Smith, Introduction by Kadir Nelson
TOON Books
“This lively collection introduces readers to three figures frequently overlooked in the history books.”—Booklist, starred review
Grades 3-7
The Candy Mafia
By Lavie Tidhar, illustrated by Daniel Duncan
Peachtree Publishing
Growing up in a city where candy is illegal and sugar is scandalous, 12-year-old detective Nelle Faulker takes the case of a candy gangster’s missing teddy bear before her client’s own disappearance leads Nelle to a shady underworld of sweets smuggling, back-alley deals and storefront firebombs.
Grades 5 & Up
Charlie Thorne and the Lost City
By Stuart Gibbs
Simon & Schuster
In this sequel to the New York Times bestselling Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation–which #1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Grabenstein called “a real page-burner”–Charlie searches for Charles Darwin’s hidden treasure in South America.
Young Adult
When We Were Infinite
By Kelly Loi Gilbert
Simon & Schuster
All Beth wants is for her tight-knit circle of friends–Grace Nakamura, Brandon Lin, Sunny Chen, and Jason Tsou–to stay together. With her family splintered and her future a question mark, these friends are all she has–even if she sometimes wonders if she truly fits in with them. Then Beth witnesses a private act of violence in Jason’s home, and the whole group is shaken. Beth and her friends make a pact to do whatever it takes to protect Jason, no matter the sacrifice.
K-5
The Thing About Bees
By Shabazz Larkin
Readers to Eaters/Audiobook published by Live Oak Media
Part guide to bees, part love letter to the author’s sons, all joy! Teacher guides, trailer, audio, author interview, and lesson plans on teachingbooks.net.
K-5
William Still and His Freedom Stories
By Don Tate
Peachtree Publishing Company
The first-ever picture book biography of the Father of the Underground Railroad. Teacher guide, lesson plans, author interview, author guest post on teachingbooks.net.
Middle School
How To Build a Story…Or, the Big What If
By Frances O’Rourke Dowell
Atheneum Books
Fun nonfiction breaks down writing process, based on author’s experiences doing writing workshops with kids. Share instant professional development with the five- part youtube video series where the author talks kids through exercises and activities. Find out more.
For more resources for the books in our booth, please visit the Publisher Spotlight ILA Pinterest board!
Listen Now!
By Christopher Lloyd. Narrated by the author.
What on Earth Books
From the Neanderthals to the Wright Brothers, from the Silk Trade to the Industrial Revolution, from dinosaurs to plastic, embark on an entertaining journey across millennia and continents.
By Ellen Potter. Narrated by Tavia Gilbert
Live Oak Media
Seven-year-old Piper Green lives on an island off the coast of Maine and is a delight. Clever and witty, she takes listeners on a jaunty journey through the first few days of second grade.
A Conversation with Grammy-and Odyssey-winning
Audiobook Producer Arnie Cardillo
Listen in as Arnie Cardillo and Francisca Goldsmith of the Audio Publishers Association’s Sound Learning initiative discuss how audiobooks build confidence and fluency in young readers. They’re fun, too.
Sound Learning
Soundlearningapa.org has research and resources for audio literacy. Find the latest research along with selection lists for each grade at https://www.audiopub.org/sound-learning.
Find audiobook reviews, resources, and much more at Audiofile Magazine.
Read the October/November issue for free.
◆ Agnes & Aubrey ◆ Algonquin Young Readers ◆ John F. Blair ◆ Brilliance Publishing ◆ Britannica Books ◆ Candlewick ◆ Cicada Books ◆ Diamond Book Distributors ◆ Disney Publishing ◆ Flowerpot Press ◆ Holiday House ◆ Live Oak Media ◆ Manga Classics ◆ Pajama Press ◆ Peachtree Publishing Company ◆ Readers to Eaters ◆ Storey Publishing ◆ Tiger Tales ◆ Tilbury House ◆ Tiny Owl Books ◆ Toon Books ◆ Two Lions ◆ What on Earth Publishing ◆ Workman Publishing
Visit us on Pinterest to see all of the books and resources included in our booth.
Ellen Myrick
I Talk Like a River
by Jordan Scott; illustrated by Sydney Smith
Neal Porter Books
Poet Jordan Scott captures the struggle and determination of a child who stutters and the father who helps him navigate his way. Luminous paintings from Sydney Smith make this another masterpiece for this celebrated illustrator whose gift for capturing the essence of moving water is matched by Scott’s spare and revelatory text. (Grades K-2)
The Voting Booth
By Brandy Colbert
Disney Publishing
Brandy Colbert (The Only Black Girls in Town) seizes the moment in this YA novel about a rite of passage that should be easy—voting for the first time. A passionate young activist throws herself into the fray when a young man is turned away at the polls. Told from alternating perspectives, the momentum of the story and the urgency of the day make this a page turner that truly feels like it’s happening right in front of you. And maybe it is. (Grades 9-12)
Francisca Goldsmith
Yo quiero mi sombrero
By Jon Klassen
NubeOcho
As a longtime fan of author, illustrator, and animator Jon Klassen, who has won both the Caldecott Medal AND the Kate Greenaway Medal, I’m delighted to see him now publishing with Spain’s NubeOcho. And This Is Not My Hat is here in both English AND Spanish editions (Yo Quiero Mi Sombrero). Hats off to that! (Grades PreK-3)
Stacey Ashby
Music for Tigers
By Michelle Kadarusman
Pajama Press
I love stories that can transform me into another culture, have an interesting and engaging story while teaching me something at the same time. Music for Tigers is a story of a young girl who spends a summer on the island of Tasmania and discovers her mother’s family has secretly been running a sanctuary for the believed extinct Tasmanian Tiger. She befriends an autistic boy who helps her. The book covers topics such as conservation, neurodiversity, bullying, friendship, and being your best self. I highly recommend for middle grade. (Grades 3-6)
Becca Hampton
Last: The Story of a White Rhino
By Nicola Davies
Tiny Owl
This is the kind of book that deeply touches everyone who reads it. Based on the true story of a rhino who is taken from Africa to the Czech Republic–making him the only rhino in his new home–this tale would be a great launching pad for discussing topics like endangered animals, environmental conservation, and poaching, especially considering the included informational backmatter. Knowing Davies’s watercolor illustrations use translated environmental speeches and advertising slogans throughout the spreads makes this title even more special. (Grades 1-6)
Jamie Schmitt
Each of Us A Desert
By Mark Oshiro
Tor Teen
The wonderful Mark Oshiro is back with a brand-new young adult novel sure to thrill YA fantasy fans and LGBTQ+ readers. Oshiro’s award-winning debut, Anger is a Gift, was one of my favorite novels of 2019, and I’m beyond thrilled that he has written a fantasy novel. In Each of Us a Desert, Xochital is destined to wander the desert alone and all she wants is kindred spirit. This story is one that will break you while also making you believe in love. (Grades 9-12)
The Legend of the First Unicorn
By Lari Don and illustrated by Natasa Ilincic
Floris Books
Scotland is full of magic and mystery…and unicorns? In this delightful new story from Floris Books, The Legend of the First Unicorn by writer Lari Don and illustrator Natasa Illinic create a unique origin story for one of the world’s favorite mythical creatures and Scotland’s national animal. This is one of my favorite books this season because it truly captures the magic of Scotland with an adventure story that is all about kindness and friendship. (Grades 3-7)
Emma Schneider
Kindness Grows
by Britta Teckentrup
Tiger Tales
This story is a beautiful reminder that being a kind, good person can truly make the world a better place for mankind. Heartwarming illustrations and die-cuts depict the growth of kindness, but also the unseen cracks that form in our relationships when we utter mean words or act selfishly. It sends a message that by reaching out to people and spreading the seed of friendship, everyone is capable of chasing their dreams. A saying that my grandmother instilled in me throughout childhood is powerfully captured in this book: “Always kill ‘em with kindness.” (Grades K-2)
Tracy Gallagher
Immigrant Architect: Rafael Guastavino and the American Dream
By Berta de Miguel, Kent Diebolt, and Virginia Lorente
Illustrated by Virginia Lorente
Tilbury House
I’m intrigued by the stories about unknown people brave enough to leave behind everything they know to come to the United States. This book about a father and son leaving their family behind to live their dream of building beautiful and functional buildings that would be fire resistant was fascinating to read. The list of places they are responsible for building has me ready for a field trip. (Grades 3-6)
Humanimal: Incredible Ways Animals Are Just Like Us!
By Christopher Lloyd and illustrated by Mark Ruffle
What on Earth Books
Once upon a time scientists separated humans from animals with the simple definition of ‘Humans are Tool Makers.’ In this illustrated showcase of the commonalities between humans and animals we find that this definition is no longer true. Instead we find that animals make and use tools as well. Plus, community, feelings, and intelligence in the animal world abound. The simple biographies of the animal scientists at the end will prompt further research. (Grades 3-7)
Thank you for visiting our ILA Virtual Booth! We invite you to visit our virtual booth in the ILANext Exhibitor’s Hall for even more digital ARCs and resources. We would love to hear your feedback! Be sure to follow us on social media for themed book selections, giveaways, author interviews, story times, and more!
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