Tag: Kallie George

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115 Years of Anne of Green Gables

On June 13th, 1908, Lucy Maud Montgomery brought the beloved character Anne Shirley into the homes of readers of all ages. Since then, Anne has gone on to become an icon in children’s literature and on the screen. To celebrate 115 years of Anne, check out our list of not-tragical Tundra titles that we think you’ll love as much as Anne loves Octobers.

Board Books

Anne’s Alphabet
By Kelly Hill
28 Pages | Ages 0-3 | Board Book
ISBN 9780735262867 | Tundra Books
Iconic moments from the beloved L.M. Montgomery classic are celebrated in this adorable concept book. Artist Kelly Hill creates vignettes of the most recognizable moments from Anne of Green Gables, including nosy neighbors, freckles, kindred spirits and imagination. Each letter of the alphabet is brought to life through a memorable Anne scene, with simple text and tactile, gorgeous works of art created from cut fabric and embroidery.

Anne’s Colors
By Kelly Hill
20 Pages | Ages 0-3 | Board Book
ISBN 9780735262843 | Tundra Books
Iconic moments from the beloved L.M. Montgomery classic are celebrated in this adorable concept book. Artist Kelly Hill creates vignettes of the most recognizable scenes from Anne of Green Gables, including Anne and Diana’s first meeting, Gilbert pulling Anne’s hair, Anne’s puffed-sleeve dress and even Anne and Diana sharing raspberry cordial! Each scene has its own color, with simple text and tactile, gorgeous works of art created from cut fabric and embroidery.

Anne’s Feelings
By Kelly Hill
24 Pages | Ages 0-3 | Board Book
ISBN 9780735262874 | Tundra Books
Iconic moments from the beloved L.M. Montgomery classic are celebrated in this adorable concept book. Artist Kelly Hill creates vignettes that showcase Anne’s wide array of feelings, including happy, brave and, of course, the depths of despair. Each feeling is brought to life through a memorable Anne scene, with simple text and tactile, gorgeous works of art created from cut fabric and embroidery.

Anne’s Numbers
By Kelly Hill
22 Pages | Ages 0-3 | Board Book
ISBN 9780735262850 | Tundra Books
Iconic moments from the beloved L.M. Montgomery classic are celebrated in this adorable concept book. Walk along with Anne as she goes on a nature walk, counting trees, flowers, clouds and friends! The path Anne takes is based on the description of Anne’s walk to school in Anne of Green Gables. Each scene has multiple counting opportunities, with simple text and tactile, gorgeous works of art created from cut fabric and embroidery.

Picture Books

Goodnight, Anne
By Kallie George
Illustrated by Geneviève Godbout
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Paperback
ISBN 9780735271739 | Tundra Books
Under the watchful eye of her adoptive mother Marilla, Anne has come to cherish life at Green Gables – the dearest, loveliest spot in the world, and her true home. Every night before she goes to bed, she thinks of all the people and places she loves: her family, her bosom friend Diana, her splendid teacher Miss Stacy, beloved tree Snow Queen, the Lake of Shining Waters and the brilliant sky above. Anne even wishes goodnight – or good riddance! – to pesky classmate Gilbert and nosy neighbor Mrs. Lynde. And through it all, Anne’s imagination takes flight on a whimsical journey through Avonlea.

If I Couldn’t Be Anne
By Kallie George
Illustrated by Genevieve Godbout
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781770499287 | Tundra Books
In this whimsical and magical picture book, Anne’s boundless imagination takes flight! She imagines being all the things she loves so dearly. If I Couldn’t Be Anne, Anne with an e, what would I be . . . Anne wonders what it would be like to be the wind dancing round the treetops. A tightrope walker, breathless and brave. A princess in a palace made of apple blossoms. A magical frost fairy or a plain little wood elf. . . . But even as Anne’s imagination soars far and wide, she comes back down to earth, recognizing that some things – like friendship! – are even better than the imagination.

Merry Christmas, Anne
By Kallie George
Illustrated by Geneviève Godbout
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735267183 | Tundra Books
It’s Christmas in Avonlea, and Anne is thankful for so many things: feathery frosts and silvery seas, and wreaths as round as the moon. But most of all, she’s thankful for her kindred spirits, including Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, who adopted her, and her bosom friend Diana. But Anne is distracted this holiday by having to recite at the upcoming Christmas concert. And she feels bad that her kindred spirits give her so much during the year when she has very little to give in return. Can Anne overcome her jitters and make her kindred spirits proud – and also think of a way to show her appreciation for the people she loves? With magical illustrations and a heartfelt message, this festive picture book is the perfect holiday read for Anne fans old and new and a joyous way to celebrate the season.

Chapter Books

Anne Arrives
By Kallie George
Illustrated by Abigail Halpin
72 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Paperback
ISBN 9781770499300 | Tundra Books
Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert need help on their farm, so they’ve adopted what they hope will be a sturdy, helpful boy. Instead, Matthew finds Anne awaiting him at the train station – imaginative, brash, redheaded Anne-with-an-e. With her place at the Cuthberts’ at risk – particularly if nosy neighbor Mrs. Lynde has anything to say about it – Anne will have to learn patience, understanding and what it takes to make Green Gables her true home.

Anne’s Kindred Spirits
By Kallie George
Illustrated by Abigail Halpin
64 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Paperback
ISBN 9780735266940 | Tundra Books
The sweet and funny second book in a new early-reader series, starring the spirited and outspoken Anne Shirley as she makes friends and settles into life at Green Gables – with a few hijinks along the way, of course! Anne is nervous and excited to meet Diana, a neighbor girl who she just knows will be a kindred spirit. She’s even more excited when she learns that she’s invited to her very first picnic! Until Marilla’s precious brooch goes missing and it looks like it’s Anne’s fault. That is, Marilla is upset and Anne’s picnic adventure is now in jeopardy. Ultimately, the misunderstanding with the brooch is resolved and Anne is able to go to the picnic. Anne and Diana’s friendship blossoms and Anne’s bond with Matthew and Marilla grows stronger.

Anne’s School Days
By Kallie George
Illustrated by Abigail Halpin
72 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Paperback
ISBN 9780735267343 | Tundra Books
Anne loves autumn in Avonlea, and she’s been enjoying her first three weeks of school. It helps that she walks to school with and sits next to her kindred spirit, Diana Barry. However, one day, Gilbert Blythe joins the class. According to Diana, he’s very handsome, and smart too. However, Gilbert immediately gets on Anne’s nerves. When he pulls on Anne’s braid and calls her “Carrots” because of her red hair, enough is enough. How can Anne enjoy school when Gilbert is ruining everything? Anne vows never to talk to Gilbert again, and even stops going to school for a time when her teacher forces Anne to sit next to her rival. But later, when Anne has an accident on the pond and her wooden plank sinks, who should come to her rescue but her nemesis, Gilbert Blythe?

Anne’s Tragical Tea Party
By Kallie George
Illustrated by Abigail Halpin
72 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Paperback
ISBN 9780735267350 | Tundra Books
Anne loves having pretend tea parties by herself. She even decorates her room with branches and colorful leaves for the occasion. Marilla Cuthbert, who adopted Anne in the last year, wishes Anne would act a little more sensibly. One day, Marilla comes up with a plan to keep Anne out of mischief – Anne can host her very own tea party and invite her kindred spirit, Diana Barry! Anne is thrilled, and sets out to host the most lovely and grown-uppish tea party she can muster. But when she makes Diana sick by accidentally giving her the wrong drink, Diana’s mother is furious. Can Anne be forgiven? Will she ever be allowed to play with Diana again?

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Anne Dares
By Kallie George
Illustrated by Abigail Halpin
72 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735272101 | Tundra Books
Available October 17, 2023
Anne is excited to be a guest at a party at Orchard Slope, the home of her kindred spirit, Diana Barry. But when the dares start and mean Josie Pye makes the others feel bad, Anne can’t stop herself from challenging Josie to a dare . . . which leads to Anne being dared to climb the house and walk along the ridgepole! Anne’s dangerous dare ends in injury . . . and teaches her an important lesson. But Anne must pluck up her courage again when she is chosen to recite at a Christmas concert! How can Anne perform in front of so many people? And what is shy Matthew Cuthbert hiding from the family?

Original Novels

Anne of Green Gables
By L.M. Montgomery
384 Pages | Ages 8+ | Paperback | Hardcover | Tundra Books
When Marilla Cuthbert and her brother, Matthew, decide to adopt a child from a distant orphanage, they don’t get quite what they bargained for. The child who awaits them at the tiny Bright River train station is not the strapping young boy they’d imagined – someone to help Matthew work the fields of their small farm – but rather a freckle-faced, redheaded girl named Anne (with an e, if you please). Matthew and Marilla may not be sure about Anne, but Anne takes one look at Prince Edward Island’s red clay roads and the Cuthberts’ snug white farmhouse with its distinctive green gables and decides that she’s home at last. But will she be able to convince Marilla and Matthew to let her stay? Armed with only a battered carpetbag and a boundless imagination, Anne charms her way into the Cuthberts’ hearts – and into the hearts of readers as well. She truly is, in the words of Mark Twain, “the dearest and most lovable child in fiction since the immortal Alice.”

Anne of Avonlea
By L.M. Montgomery
352 Pages | Ages 8+ | Paperback | Hardcover | Tundra Books
In the years since she arrived at Green Gables, Anne has earned the love and respect of the people of Avonlea – as well as a reputation for getting herself into predicaments. Now sixteen years old – and bound and determined to look after Marilla in the wake of Matthew’s death – she’s about to begin her job as the town’s new schoolteacher. Soon enough she is the one learning lessons, however, as she starts to realize how complicated life can be. In her usual well-intentioned but meddlesome way, Anne is quickly interfering in a new friend’s thwarted romance, coping with two new orphans at Green Gables, and getting drawn into the lives of her mostly charming and occasionally exasperating students at Avonlea school. The once awkward, freckle-faced little girl is now a mature and responsible young woman, but Anne’s imaginative spirit is as strong as ever in this sequel to the much-loved Anne of Green Gables.

Anne of the Island
By L.M. Montgomery
320 Pages | Ages 8+ | Paperback | Hardcover | Tundra Books
Eighteen-year-old Anne has left Green Gables for university in nearby Nova Scotia, where she will finally fulfill her dream of earning a degree. She sets up home in a cozy cottage in bustling Kingsport with Avonlea’s Priscilla Grant and a new friend, the beautiful Philippa Gordon. But it’s not all fun and games. Anne’s childhood friend, Ruby Gillis, dies of tuberculosis back in Avonlea, shattering Anne’s carefree attitude to life, and Gilbert finally declares his feelings and proposes. But Anne still has a naïve, overly romantic view of love and rejects him, driving a wedge between them. A two-year relationship with a fellow Redmond College student, Roy Gardner, follows, but when he also proposes, Anne realizes that he’s not the one for her after all. When she returns to Avonlea and learns that Gilbert is deathly ill with typhoid, she is distraught. Will she recognize the depth of her feelings at last? Or is it already too late for Anne and her one true love?

Anne of Windy Poplars
By L.M. Montgomery
368 Pages | Ages 8+ | Paperback | Hardcover | Tundra Books
Anne Shirley has left Redmond College and Green Gables behind to begin a new chapter of her life in the “dreaming town” of Summerside. She’s soon facing an unexpected challenge, however, in the form of the Pringles – also known as the royal family of Summerside. They quickly let Anne know that she’s not the person they had wanted as principal of Summerside High School. But as she settles into her cozy tower room at Windy Poplars, Anne finds she also has great allies in two elderly widows, Aunt Kate and Aunt Chatty, and their irrepressible housekeeper, Rebecca Dew. Slowly, she begins to unravel Summerside’s strangest secrets – revealing everything in letters to Gilbert, who’s away at medical school. And in the end, Anne’s able to win the support of even the prickly Pringles, in what is only the first of many delicious triumphs.

Anne’s House of Dreams
By L.M. Montgomery
320 Pages | Ages 8+ | Paperback | Hardcover | Tundra Books
Gilbert Blythe is finally a doctor, and at long last he and Anne are ready to say their vows. Soon husband and wife will be bound for a new life together in their own house of dreams, on the shores of Four Winds Harbor, near Gilbert’s new medical practice in the village of Glen St. Mary. Of course, a new life brings fresh surprises and fresh problems to solve. Anne and Gilbert soon find themselves entangled in the lives of their neighbors, including the lighthouse attendant, Captain Jim, with his sad stories of the sea; Miss Cornelia Bryant, a formidable woman who always speaks her mind; Owen Ford, who longs to write the Great Canadian Novel; and the tragically beautiful Leslie Moore, to whom Anne grows closer when her own perfect life is touched by heartbreak.

Anne of Ingleside
By L.M. Montgomery
400 Pages | Ages 8+ | Paperback | Hardcover | Tundra Books
There’s never a dull moment for busy, bustling Anne, who’s now the mother of five children and has a sixth one on the way. With her visiting aunt, the insufferable Mary Maria, also in the mix – and soon wearing out her welcome – Anne’s life is a constant whirl. But despite the endless demands on her time, Anne can’t think of any place she’d rather be than her beloved Ingleside. At least not until the day she begins to imagine that her cherished Gilbert doesn’t love her anymore. Could it possibly be true? She’s a little older, maybe, but in her heart she knows she’s still the same fiery redhead who came to Green Gables all those years ago. She hasn’t changed, but has he? Never one to go down without a fight, the irrepressible, indomitable Anne sets out to make her husband fall in love with her all over again.

Rainbow Valley
By L.M. Montgomery
320 Pages | Ages 8+ | Paperback | Hardcover | Tundra Books
Anne and Gilbert have now been married for fifteen years and are busily raising their six rambunctious children in the village of Glen St. Mary. But when a new minister, John Meredith, comes to town with his own four youngsters in tow, things get very boisterous indeed. Together, the Blythe and Meredith children hatch schemes in their own private hideout – a hollow they call Rainbow Valley. There, they plot to rescue a young runaway named Mary Vance, and even form the Good-Conduct Club so the Meredith children can redeem themselves in the eyes of the disapproving townspeople. But their grandest and most important scheme centers around poor widowed John Meredith himself, who has surprised everyone by falling in love once more. Will the Meredith children – with the help of their new friends, the Blythes – be able to bring happiness back into the life of their lonely father at last? There’s always an adventure brewing in the world of Rainbow Valley.

Rilla of Ingleside
By L.M. Montgomery
384 Pages | Ages 8+ | Paperback | Hardcover | Tundra Books
It’s 1914 and the world is on the brink of war. But at almost fifteen, Anne and Gilbert’s youngest daughter, Rilla, dreams only of her first dance and getting her first kiss from the dashing Kenneth Ford. Soon, however, even far-off Ingleside is engulfed by Europe’s raging conflict, as Rilla’s brothers Jem and Walter both enlist, and Rilla finds herself caring for an orphaned newborn. As the conflict spreads, the Blythes wait anxiously for word of their absent sons, and a bad omen leads them to conclude that something terrible has happened overseas. Have Jem and Walter been lost, like so many valiant young men before them? And what of Kenneth Ford? Will he ever return to Ingleside to keep the promise he made to Rilla before he left? In this final book in the Anne of Green Gables series, young Rilla Blythe is swept into a drama that tests her courage and changes her life forever.

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Back-to-School Readiness

Little ones can feel a mix of excitement and apprehension before the school season starts. Help prepare them and get them ready for back-to-school with these titles!

Anne’s School Days
By Kallie George
Illustrated by Abigail Halpin
68 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Paperback
ISBN 9780735267343 | Tundra Books
Anne loves autumn in Avonlea, and she’s been enjoying her first three weeks of school. It helps that she walks to school with and sits next to her kindred spirit, Diana Barry. However, one day, Gilbert Blythe joins the class. According to Diana, he’s very handsome, and smart too. However, Gilbert immediately gets on Anne’s nerves. When he pulls on Anne’s braid and calls her “Carrots” because of her red hair, enough is enough. How can Anne enjoy school when Gilbert is ruining everything? Anne vows never to talk to Gilbert again, and even stops going to school for a time when her teacher forces Anne to sit next to her rival. But later, when Anne has an accident on the pond and her wooden plank sinks, who should come to her rescue but her nemesis, Gilbert Blythe?

Check out the Anne’s School Days activity sheet!

Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness
By Ben Clanton
88 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Paperback
ISBN 9780735262553 | Tundra Books
Dive into four new stories about Narwhal and Jelly becoming substitute teachers! The two best friends come across an enthusiastic school of fish one morning. Unfortunately, Mr. Blowfish, their teacher, has come down with a cold, and class will have to be cancelled . . . until Professor Knowell (Narwhal) and Super Teacher (Jelly) volunteer to help out! The first subject is Wafflematics, in which Narwhal and Jelly calculate the number of waffles needed to feed the class. That’s what we’re chalking about! Next up is a super-fun science scavenger hunt, followed by a game of “Tag! You’re Awesome!” at recess. Narwhal’s teaching methods may be unconventional, but with Jelly’s help, the two teach (and learn) with their trademark positivity and humor. Before they know it, the day is over . . . but what grade will Narwhal receive from Jelly?

Check out the Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness activity kit!

What Does Little Crocodile Say?
By Eva Montanari
40 Pages | Ages 2-5 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735268135 | Tundra Books
What sounds does the Little Crocodile hear on the first day of preschool?
The alarm clock goes ring, ring
The car goes vroom, vroom
The elephant says peekaboo
The drum goes rat-a-tat
The food goes nom nom nom
And the crocodile says . . . WAHHHH!
In this charming book of sounds, a little crocodile experiences the highs and lows of preschool, ultimately enjoying their day . . . after a small meltdown, of course! Little ones will delight in the adorable illustrations and fun read-aloud, and parents will delight in the sly humor and familiar emotional rollercoaster of a toddler’s day.

Check out the  What Does Little Crocodile Say? activity kit!

Your First Day of Circus School
By Tara Lazar
Illustrated by Melissa Crowton
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Paperback
ISBN 9781774880388 | Tundra Books
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages! It’s the most amazing day on earth: the first day of school! It can be a daunting prospect, but don’t worry – your big brother can show you the ropes. Join a nervous boy and his enthusiastic older brother as they navigate the highs and lows of a first day at school . . . except this school is a big top, and the teacher is named Miss Stupendous, and the cafeteria can be a zoo, literally! It turns out, school isn’t so scary when you can let off steam during recess (on a steam train) and walk on stilts to all of your classes. With a bit of help from family and some new friends, you’ll make it to the top of the class in no time! This charming take on school readiness will delight new school-goers and take a bit of the fear out of those first-day jitters.

Your School Is the Best!
By Maggie Hutchings
Illustrated by Felicita Sala
40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735271647 | Tundra Books
This picture book follows the story of an eager cockroach and his family who hitch a ride to school — with hilarious results. For fans of I Don’t Want to Be a Frog. Everyone’s favorite cockroach from Your Birthday Was the Best! is back, and this time he’s going to school . . . and bringing his whole family along for the ride! From show-and-tell to arts and crafts, this little stowaway can’t wait to try it all . . . and maybe become the new teachers’ pet! Charming, hilarious and just a tiny bit disgusting, this is a school tale with a twist.

Check out the Your School Is the Best! certificates!

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Tundra Telegram: Hand-Taylor’ed Book Recommendations To Speak About (Now)

On 7/7/2023, megastar singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released the latest of her re-recorded albums (in reaction to a dispute with her former record label over the ownership of the original album masters), Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). The album features re-recorded versions of 16 songs from the original, as well as six previously unreleased songs “from the vault.” Speak Now, Swift’s third studio album, originally released in 2010,  was something of a concept album about heartbreak and features singles like “Back to December” and “Mean.” The vault-freed songs like “When Emma Falls in Love” and “Electric Touch” already have fans singing their praises and scouring their lyrics for clues to their real-life referents, and some songs – notably “Better than Revenge” have been partially rewritten to reflect the singer’s changed perspective. We’ve listened to the full tracklist many, many times and have come up with recommendations from our children’s and YA titles for each song. In some cases, the connection may be a similar plot or theme. In others, a single lyric or idea may have led to the suggestion. Either way, we know you’ll enjoy reading these books, so don’t wait! (We’ll meet you when you’re out of the church at the back door.) 

Mine (Taylor’s Version)

Mine for Keeps
By Jean Little
232 Pages | Ages 8-12 | Paperback
ISBN 9781774882948 | Puffin Canada 
Away at school, Sally Copeland has always dreamed of going home, but now that she’s there, she feels frightened and unsure of herself. Will her brother and sister accept her? Will she be able to do things for herself? And what will it be like to go to a regular school and be the only one with cerebral palsy?

Sparks Fly (Taylor’s Version)

The Pink Umbrella
By Amélie Callot
Illustrated by Geneviève Godbout
80 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781101919231 | Tundra Books
When it’s bright outside, Adele is the heart of her community, greeting everyone who comes into her café with arms wide open. But when it rains, she can’t help but stay at home inside, under the covers. Because Adele takes such good care of her friends and customers, one of them decides to take care of her too, and piece by piece leaves her little gifts that help her find the joy in a gray, rainy day. Along with cute-as-a-button illustrations, The Pink Umbrella celebrates thoughtful acts of friendship.

Back to December (Taylor’s Version)

So, This Is Christmas
By Tracy Andreen
368 Pages | Ages 14+ | Paperback
ISBN 9780593353134 | Viking BFYR
When Finley Brown returned to her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma, from boarding school, she expected to find it just as she left it. Christmas hasn’t changed much in her sixteen years. But instead she returns to find that her best friend is dating her ex-boyfriend, her parents have separated, and her archnemesis got a job working at her grandmother’s inn. And she certainly didn’t expect to find the boy she may or may not have tricked into believing that Christmas was an idyllic holiday paradise on her grandmother’s doorstep. It’s up to Finley to make sure he gets the Christmas he was promised. This is Finley’s Christmas. It’s about home and family and friends and finding her place, and along the way she also finds the best Christmas present of all: love.

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)

A Garden in My Hands
By Meera Sriram
Illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593427101 | Knopf BFYR
The sweet smell of henna, and stories we carry, fill us with pride of a faraway home. There’s a wedding tomorrow! And one little girl sits patiently while her mother tenderly applies intricate, delicate henna designs on her hands. As she does, she shares family stories–about weddings, monsoons, and ancestors long gone. The little girl must be careful to protect her hands as the henna dries–one smudge could ruin a story! After a whole night of anticipation, when the flakes are washed away, what will they reveal? Lyrical text pairs with vibrant illustrations for this poignant picture book that blooms with heart, connects us to our roots, and sweetly reminds us of the the garden of love we curate with those closest to us.

Dear John (Taylor’s Version)

Year On Fire
By Julie Buxbaum
336 Pages | Ages 14+ | Paperback
ISBN 9781984893697 | Ember
It was a year on fire. They fell in love. Someone was bound to get burned. The Spark: Just days before the start of junior year, a spontaneous kiss and then a lie shakes the very foundation of the friendship between best friends Immie and Paige. Immie’s twin brother, Arch, knows something, only he’s not saying it. Some loyalties run too deep to be broken by accidental betrayal. The Fuel: Enter Rohan, new to Wood Valley High by way of London, who walks into school on the first day completely overwhelmed by his sudden move halfway around the world. When Paige calls dibs on him—he’s too cute to ignore—Immie is in no position to argue, certainly not after taking the fall for the disloyal kiss. Too bad for Immie that Ro feels like the best kind of familiar. The Kindling: Former lab partners Arch and Jackson, Paige’s ex-boyfriend, have never considered themselves more than friends. But sometimes feelings can grow like flames fanned by the wind. The Flames: When the girls’ bathroom at Wood Valley is set ablaze, no one doubts it’s arson. But in this bastion of privilege, who’d be angry enough to want to burn down the school? Answer: pretty much everyone.

Mean (Taylor’s Version)

I Walk with Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness
By Kerascoët
40 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover
ISBN 9781524769550 | Schwartz & Wade
Inspired by real events, I Walk with Vanessa explores the feelings of helplessness and anger that arise in the wake of seeing a classmate treated badly, and shows how a single act of kindness can lead to an entire community joining in to help. By choosing only pictures to tell their story, the creators underscore the idea that someone can be an ally without having to say a word. With themes of acceptance, kindness, and strength in numbers, this timeless and profound feel-good story will resonate with readers young and old.

The Story of Us (Taylor’s Version)

Threads That Bind
By Kika Hatzopoulou
352 Pages | Ages 14+ | Paperback
ISBN 9780593528716 | Razorbill
Descendants of the Fates are always born in threes: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads that connect people to the things they love and to life itself. The Ora sisters are no exception. Io, the youngest, uses her Fate-born abilities as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante. But her latest job leads her to a horrific discovery: somebody is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and setting the resulting wraiths loose in the city to kill. To find the culprit, she must work alongside Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen—and the boy with whom she shares a rare fate-thread linking them as soul mates before they’ve even met. The investigation turns personal when Io’s estranged oldest sister shows up on the arm of her best suspect. Amid unveiled secrets from her past and her growing feelings for Edei, Io must follow clues through the city’s darkest corners and unearth a conspiracy that involves some of the city’s most powerful players before destruction comes to her own doorstep.

Never Grow Up (Taylor’s Version)

The Wonderful Things You Will Be
By Emily Winfield Martin
36 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780375973277 | Random House BFYR
From brave and bold to creative and clever, Emily Winfield Martin’s rhythmic rhyme expresses all the loving things that parents think of when they look at their children. With beautiful, and sometimes humorous, illustrations, and a clever gate-fold with kids in costumes, this is a book grown-ups will love reading over and over to kids-both young and old. The Wonderful Things You Will Be has a loving and truthful message that will endure for lifetimes and makes a great gift for any occasion, but a special stand-out for baby showers, birthdays, Easter, and graduation.

Enchanted (Taylor’s Version)

The Hidden World of Gnomes
By Lauren Soloy
96 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735271043 | Tundra Books
This book is an introduction to the hidden folk called gnomes, who live in a happy place they call The Pocket. Where is The Pocket, you ask? Well, it’s all around you, all the time. Gnomes are curious little creatures, and they’re very shy. But after reading this book, you will learn to spot the telltale signs that gnomes are around . . . and maybe even meet one! Lauren Soloy has been studying gnomes her whole life, and she has created this book to share her knowledge with you. For example, what jobs do gnomes do? Babysitting robin’s eggs, squirrel-tail fluffing, storytelling. Where do they live? In gardens, forests and any place with plants, birds and bugs. What are their names? Hotchi-Mossy, Able Potter, Cob Tiggy and Puckle Swift, to name a few. With charming details and surprising facts, this celebration of all things gnome will enchant readers of all ages.

Better Than Revenge (Taylor’s Version)

Our Playground Rules!
By Kallie George
Illustrated by Jay Fleck
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593378748 | Rodale Kids
This young picture book plays with the double meaning of “rules” to explore how following a few simple rules of kindness can make playtime more fun for everyone! Featuring simple text and engaging illustrations that embrace the varying needs and capabilities of the adorable cast of animal characters, Our Playground Rules! is the perfect tool to help small children feel seen and better empathize with others.

Innocent (Taylor’s Version)

Skyward
By Brandon Sanderson
544 Pages | Ages 12+ | Paperback
ISBN 9780399555800 | Ember
Spensa’s world has been under attack for decades. Now pilots are the heroes of what’s left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa’s dream. Since she was a little girl, she has imagined soaring skyward and proving her bravery. But her fate is intertwined with her father’s–a pilot himself who was killed years ago when he abruptly deserted his team, leaving Spensa’s chances of attending flight school at slim to none. No one will let Spensa forget what her father did, yet fate works in mysterious ways. Flight school might be a long shot, but she is determined to fly. And an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars.

Haunted (Taylor’s Version)

Funeral Songs for Dying Girls
By Cherie Dimaline
280 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735265639 | Tundra Books
Winifred has lived in the apartment above the cemetery office with her father, who works in the crematorium all her life, close to her mother’s grave. With her sixteenth birthday only days away, Winifred has settled into a lazy summer schedule, lugging her obese Chihuahua around the grounds in a squeaky red wagon to visit the neglected gravesides and nursing a serious crush on her best friend, Jack. Her habit of wandering the graveyard at all hours has started a rumor that Winterson Cemetery might be haunted. It’s welcome news since the crematorium is on the verge of closure and her father’s job being outsourced. Now that the ghost tours have started, Winifred just might be able to save her father’s job and the only home she’s ever known, not to mention being able to stay close to where her mother is buried. All she has to do is get help from her con-artist cousin to keep up the rouse and somehow manage to stop her father from believing his wife has returned from the grave. But when Phil, an actual ghost of a teen girl who lived and died in the ravine next to the cemetery, starts showing up, Winifred begins to question everything she believes about life, love and death. Especially love.

Last Kiss (Taylor’s Version)

Always Isn’t Forever
By J. C. Cervantes
384 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593404485 | Razorbill
Best friends and soul mates since they were kids, Hart Augusto and Ruby Armenta were poised to take on senior year together when Hart tragically drowns in a boating accident. Absolutely shattered, Ruby struggles to move on from the person she knows was her forever love. Hart can’t let go of Ruby either…. Due to some divine intervention, he’s offered a second chance. Only it won’t be as simple as bringing him back to life – instead, Hart’s soul is transferred to the body of local bad boy. When Hart returns to town as Jameson, he realizes that winning Ruby back will be more challenging than he’d imagined. For one, he’s forbidden from telling Ruby the truth. And with each day he spends as Jameson, memories of his life as Hart begin to fade away. Though Ruby still mourns Hart, she can’t deny that something is drawing her to Jameson. As much as she doesn’t understand the sudden pull, it can’t be ignored. And why does he remind her so much of Hart? Desperate to see if the connection she feels is real, Ruby begins to open her heart to Jameson – but will their love be enough to bridge the distance between them?

Long Live (Taylor’s Version)

Take Back the Block
By Chrystal D. Giles
240 Pages | Ages 8-12 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593175170 | Random House BFYR
Wes Henderson has the best style in sixth grade. That – and hanging out with his crew (his best friends since little-kid days) and playing video games – is what he wants to be thinking about at the start of the school year, not the protests his parents are always dragging him to. But when a real estate developer makes an offer to buy Kensington Oaks, the neighborhood Wes has lived his whole life, everything changes. The grownups are supposed to have all the answers, but all they’re doing is arguing. Even Wes’s best friends are fighting. And some of them may be moving. Wes isn’t about to give up the only home he’s ever known. Wes has always been good at puzzles, and he knows there has to be a missing piece that will solve this puzzle and save the Oaks. But can he find it . . . before it’s too late? Exploring community, gentrification, justice, and friendship, Take Back the Block introduces an irresistible 6th grader and asks what it means to belong – to a place and a movement – and to fight for what you believe in.

Ours (Taylor’s Version)

The Davenports
By Krystal Marquis
384 Pages | Ages 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593463338 | Dial Books
The Davenports are one of the few Black families of immense wealth and status in a changing United States, their fortune made through the entrepreneurship of William Davenport, a formerly enslaved man who founded the Davenport Carriage Company years ago. Now it’s 1910, and the Davenports live surrounded by servants, crystal chandeliers, and endless parties, finding their way and finding love – even where they’re not supposed to. There is Olivia, the beautiful elder Davenport daughter, ready to do her duty by getting married . . . until she meets the charismatic civil rights leader Washington DeWight and sparks fly. The younger daughter, Helen, is more interested in fixing cars than falling in love – unless it’s with her sister’s suitor. Amy-Rose, the childhood friend turned maid to the Davenport sisters, dreams of opening her own business – and marrying the one man she could never be with, Olivia and Helen’s brother, John. But Olivia’s best friend, Ruby, also has her sights set on John Davenport, though she can’t seem to keep his interest . . . until family pressure has her scheming to win his heart, just as someone else wins hers.

Superman (Taylor’s Version)

Dads Can Do It All!
By Ted Maass
Illustrated by Ekaterina Trukhan
20 Pages | Ages 14+ | Board Books
ISBN 9780593522998 | Grosset & Dunlap
This year, celebrate Dad with this adorable board book young readers can personally inscribe and dedicate to their dad: the superhero! Beautiful illustrations and inspiring, rhyming verses make this the perfect gift for dads and for birthdays year-round. Young ones will love sharing this book with Dad and learning all the exciting things fathers can do—and everything they can do, too!

Electric Touch (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) [feat. Fall Out Boy]

A Life Electric: The Story of Nikola Tesla
By Azadeh Westergaard
Illustrated by Júlia Sardà
40 Pages | Ages 5-9 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593114605 | Viking BFYR
Norn at the stroke of midnight during a lightning storm, Nikola Tesla grew up to become one of the most important electrical inventors in the world. But before working with electricity, he was a child who loved playing with the animals on his family’s farm in Serbia. An inventor since childhood, Tesla’s patents encompassed everything from radar and remote-control technology to wireless communications. But his greatest invention was the AC induction motor, which used alternating currents ( AC) to distribute electricity and which remains the standard for electric distribution today. Tesla’s love of animals also remained constant throughout his life and led to his anointment as the Pigeon Charmer of New York for his devotion to nature’s original wireless messengers. Exploring his groundbreaking inventions against the backdrop of his private life, A Life Electric introduces Nikola Tesla to young readers unlike ever before. Azadeh Westergaard’s lyrical debut brings compassion and humanity to the legacy of the brilliant inventor, while the esteemed illustrator Júlia Sardà deftly brings him to life.

When Emma Falls in Love (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
By Ransom Riggs
384 Pages | Ages 14+ | Paperback
ISBN 9781594746031 | Quirk Books
A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)

Check & Mate
By Ali Hazelwood
368 Pages | Ages 14+ | Paperback
ISBN 9780593619919 | G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Release Date: November 7, 2023
Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory’s focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious “Kingkiller” Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess. Nolan’s loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone. What’s even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory’s victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can’t help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist…. As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren’t only on the board, the spotlight is brighter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce (-ly attractive. And intelligent…and infuriating…)

Castles Crumbling (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) [feat. Hayley Williams]

Queen of the Sea
By Dylan Meconis
400 Pages | Ages 10-14 | Paperback
ISBN 9781536215175 | Walker Books US
When her sister seizes the throne, Queen Eleanor of Albion is banished to a tiny island off the coast of her kingdom, where the nuns of the convent spend their days peacefully praying, sewing, and gardening. But the island is also home to Margaret, a mysterious young orphan girl whose life is upturned when the cold, regal stranger arrives. As Margaret grows closer to Eleanor, she grapples with the revelation of the island’s sinister true purpose as well as the truth of her own past. When Eleanor’s life is threatened, Margaret is faced with a perilous choice between helping Eleanor and protecting herself and her Island family. In a graphic novel of fictionalized history, Dylan Meconis paints Margaret’s world in soft greens, grays, and reds, transporting readers to a quiet, windswept island at the heart of a treasonous royal plot.

Foolish One (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)

Tremendous Things
By Susin Nielsen
272 Pages | Ages 12+ | Paperback
ISBN 9780735271227 | Tundra Books
We all have moments that define us. For the comically clueless Wilbur, his moment happened on the first day of middle school, when someone shared his private letter with the entire student body. It revealed some of Wilbur’s innermost embarrassing thoughts that no one else should ever know. Now it’s the start of ninth grade and Wilbur hasn’t been able to escape that major humiliation. His good friend Alex stuck by him, but Alex doesn’t have as much time since he started dating Fabrizio. Luckily, Wil can confide in his best friend: his elderly neighbor Sal. Also, Wil’s in the school band, where he plays the triangle. They’re doing an exchange program with students from Paris, and Wilbur’s billet, Charlie, a tall, chic young woman who plays the ukulele and burps with abandon, captures his heart. Charlie likes him, but only as a friend. So Alex, Fabrizio, and Sal host a Queer Eye-style intervention to get Wil in shape and to build his confidence so he can impress Charlie when their band visits Paris, and just maybe replace humiliation with true romance in the City of Love.

Timeless (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)

Midnight Strikes
By Zeba Shahnaz
448 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780593567555 | Delacorte Press
Seventeen-year-old Anaïs just wants tonight to end. As an outsider at the kingdom’s glittering anniversary ball, she has no desire to rub shoulders with the nation’s most eligible (and pompous) bachelors—especially not the notoriously roguish Prince Leo. But at the stroke of midnight, an explosion rips through the palace, killing everyone in its path. Including her. The last thing Anaïs sees is fire, smoke, chaos . . . and then she wakes up in her bedroom, hours before the ball. No one else remembers the deadly attack or believes her warnings of disaster. Not even when it happens again. And again. And again. If she’s going to escape this nightmarish time loop, Anaïs must take control of her own fate and stop the attack before it happens. But the court’s gilded surface belies a rotten core, full of restless nobles grabbing at power, discontented commoners itching for revolution, and even royals who secretly dream of taking the throne. It’s up to Anaïs to untangle these knots of deadly deceptions . . . if she can survive past midnight.

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Tuesdays with Tundra

Tuesdays with Tundra is an ongoing series featuring our new releases. These titles are now available in stores and online!

I Am a Meadow Mermaid
By Kallie George
Illustrated by Elly MacKay
32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735271371 | Tundra Books
A little girl dreams of adventures in the water and feels the spirit of the ocean all around her . . . even though she lives on the prairie, with flat land as far as the eye can see. But she won’t let a little detail like that stand in the way of being a meadow mermaid! Frolicking in the “waves” of wheat and “oceans” of grass, spying sea horses and . . . a shipwrecked sailor? Even if that shipwreck is actually an overturned bike and the sailor a new kid from a neighboring field, it’s still a chance to make a new friend, one with an imagination as expansive and a love of the ocean as deep as the little girl’s own. This fanciful, whimsical picture book will charm young mermaids and little pirates everywhere, and inspire them to embrace the spirit of the ocean in the things around them, no matter where they live!

Something More
By Jackie Khalilieh
336 Pages | Age 12+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9781774882139 | Tundra Books
Fifteen-year-old Jessie, a quirky loner obsessed with the nineties, is diagnosed as autistic just weeks before starting high school. Determined to make a fresh start and keep her diagnosis a secret, Jessie creates a list of goals that range from acquiring two distinct eyebrows to getting a magical first kiss and landing a spot in the school play. Within the halls of Holy Trinity High, she finds a world where things are no longer black and white and quickly learns that living in color is much more fun. But Jessie gets more than she bargained for when two very different boys steal her heart, forcing her to go off-script.

Something More is also available today in Audiobook!

New in Paperback:

Followers
By Raziel Reid
336 Pages | Ages 14+ | Paperback
ISBN 9780735263826 | Tundra Books
After a disastrous date results in her arrest, sixteen-year-old Lily Rhode is horrified to discover her mugshot is leaked on a gossip website. Lily is the niece of Whitney Paley, a Hollywood housewife and star of reality show Platinum Triangle, a soap-opera-style docu-series in the vein of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and The Hills, revolving around several glamorous families living in the Beverly Hills, Bel Air and Holmby Hills neighborhoods of Los Angeles. When Lily’s mom kicks her out of their trailer home in the Valley, Whitney (Lily’s mom’s estranged sister) invites her to live with her, her movie-star husband, Patrick, and their daughter, Hailey. Lily is set up in the pool house and thrust into the company of reality-star offspring – kids who are born with silver spoon emojis on their feed. Lily’s cousin Hailey and the other teens have lived their entire lives on camera and are masters of deception, with Hailey leading the pack. As Lily learns from the Paleys how to navigate her newfound fame, she finds herself ensnared in the unfolding storylines. What Lily doesn’t know is that she’s just a pawn being used on the show to make the Paleys look sympathetic to viewers while distracting from on-set sexual misconduct rumors surrounding super hero dad Patrick Paley . . . Is Lily safe under Patrick’s roof? Or will Lily be Patrick’s downfall? If she isn’t destroyed by Hailey first. When Lily catches the eye of Hailey’s designated leading man Joel Strom – it’s war!

Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness
By Ben Clanton
80 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Paperback
ISBN 9780735262553 | Tundra Books
Dive into four new stories about Narwhal and Jelly becoming substitute teachers! The two best friends come across an enthusiastic school of fish one morning. Unfortunately, Mr. Blowfish, their teacher, has come down with a cold, and class will have to be cancelled . . . until Professor Knowell (Narwhal) and Super Teacher (Jelly) volunteer to help out! The first subject is Wafflematics, in which Narwhal and Jelly calculate the number of waffles needed to feed the class. That’s what we’re chalking about! Next up is a super-fun science scavenger hunt, followed by a game of “Tag! You’re Awesome!” at recess. Narwhal’s teaching methods may be unconventional, but with Jelly’s help, the two teach (and learn) with their trademark positivity and humor. Before they know it, the day is over . . . but what grade will Narwhal receive from Jelly?

We can’t wait to see you reading and listening to these titles! If you share these books online, remember to use #ReadTundra in your hashtags so that we can re-post.

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Tundra Telegram: Books That Wish They Could Be Part of Your World

Hello, and thanks for joining us at Tundra Telegram, the column where we plunge into the topics swimming through readers’ heads and recommend some books you could splash out on (if so inclined), just for the halibut.

Fans and the worldwide box office went wild this past weekend for the live-action version of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago) and starring Halle Bailey as Ariel. The movie had a (sea) monster of an opening weekend, and has everyone humming “Under the Sea,” and hunting for a wacky seagull friend.

Since there seems to be a market for mermaid fare, we’re recommending mer-aculous books for all ages, from picture books to young adult. Dive in for some fin-tastic reads!

PICTURE BOOKS

Like Prince Eric and Ariel, but platonic, The Mermaid Moon by Briony May Smith celebrates a friendship between two best friends – one living on land, and the other on the water. Mermaid Merrin and human Molly are best friends with limited interaction until the Mermaid Moon Festival: the sole night of the year mermaids can leave the sea. (And you don’t even have to offer a sea-witch your voice!)

In things we already knew, Mermaids Are Real! says the title of a board book by Holly Hatam, who also brought us Unicorns Are Real! and Dragons Are Real! But not only does the book speak to mermaids’ veracity, it also notes they are vegetarian (which explains how Flounder and Sebastian got along with Ariel), along with many other mermaid fun facts.

Speaking of learning: schools aren’t just for fish; they’re also for mermaids, as seen in the picture book Mermaid School by Joanne Stewart Wetzel and Julianna Swaney. The book follows mermaid Molly’s first day at mermaid school, during which they count clamshells, recite the A B Seas, and even read outlandish stories about children who walk on land, in a fantastical underwater first day of school.

A celebration of every girl who dreamt of being a mermaid, Kate Pugsley’s Mermaid Dreams tells the story of Maya, a shy little girl who falls asleep on the beach and finds herself transported underwater, where she lives as a mermaid with her other mermaid and sea creature friends. Even better – her aquatic adventure inspires her to reach out friends on the beach when she awakens.

A little girl turns into a mermaid eco-hero in Mermaid Kenzie: Protector of the Deeps by Charlotte Watson Sherman and Geneva Bowers. When Kenzie slips on her mermaid tail, she imagines herself as Mermaid Kenzie, protector of the deeps. One day as Kenzie snorkels around a shipwreck, she discovers more plastic bags than fish. Grabbing her spear and mermaid net, she begins to clean up the water and the shore – inspiring other kids to keep the oceans clean.

And mermaids give a little of the old razzle-dazzle in Brigitte Barrager’s Harmony & Echo: The Mermaid Ballet. Super-chill mermaid Harmony is determined for her anxiety-plagued friend Echo to enjoy their debut performance in the big Mermaid Ballet. And the best way to overcome oceanic stage fright is coincidentally the same way to get to Carnegie Hall: practice!

You’ll have to wait until June 6, but landlocked mermaid lovers will be thrilled by Kallie George and Elly MacKay’s picture book, I Am a Meadow Mermaid. A farm girl on the prairies dreams of adventures in the ocean even though she is far from “under the sea.” It’s a picture book that celebrates imagination and recognizes you don’t have to live seaside to love the idea of mermaids.

Technically, Heba, the main character of A Mermaid Girl by Sana Rafi and Olivia Aserr, isn’t a mermaid. But she feels like one the first summer she gets a new, yellow burkini, and can enjoy the community pool with her friends for the first time. Heba is reminded of all the “mermaid girls” in her family, sparkling in their burkinis in a book that celebrates Muslim traditions and summertime swims.

Rounding out our picture books of mermaids that maybe aren’t mermaids in the breathe-underwater sense is classic picture book Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love. A buoyant celebration of self-love and genderfluidity, the story follows young Julián after he notices three women dressed spectacularly on the subway, all on their way to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he’s seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume. Methinks Julián needs to meet up with Heba and the kid from I Am a Meadow Mermaid!

CHAPTER BOOKS & MIDDLE GRADE

A nonfiction survey at everything from the Hans Christian Andersen tale, the Disney animated feature, sirens, the mami wata of Africa and the ningyo of Japan, The Very Short, Entirely True History of Mermaids by Sarah Laskow and illustrated by Reimena Yee will answer all your boiling mermaid questions.

Mermaids meet surf culture in the tubular graphic novel Sea Sirens by Amy Chu and Janet K. Lee, as Trot, a spunky Vietnamese American surfer girl and her cantankerous talking cat, Cap’n Bill, wipe out and get sucked down into a magical underwater kingdom. Only one problem: a totally gnarly battle is being waged between the beautiful Sea Siren mermaids and the Serpent King (not this guy) and his slithery minions. I’m already stoked!

Like The Little Mermaid but with more palace politics, Once Upon a Tide: A Mermaid’s Tale by Stephanie Kate Strohm features aquatic diplomacy at its finest. The book features Princess Lana, the youngest ambassador for the underwater kingdom. She’s sent to the Royal Festival, trading her mermaid tail for a clumsy pair of legs―and having to spend a week with her mother, who chose life on land over the sea – where intrigue ensues.

In nine books, the Emily Windsnap series, written by Liz Kessler, feature the adventures of everyone’s favorite half-mermaid. (Does that mean she’s only a quarter-fish?) Twelve-year-old boat dweller Emily feels an uncanny connection to the sea. A connection that is explained once she takes swimming lessons and learns of her mermaid side. Soon, she’s making mermaid BFFs, battling sea monsters, and uncovering the many secrets of King Neptune.

For younger chapter book readers, there’s the Purrmaids series by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and Vivien Wu. You wouldn’t think cats and fish would mix – cats generally hate water and like eating fish – but mermaid kittens Angel, Coral, and Shelly are best friends who don’t fit your preconceived notions of fish hybrids. They love swimming around their home of Kittentail Cove and getting creative at sea school, and there are 14 books in their adventures to read, chronicling everything from sleepovers to holiday fun at Fish-mas.

While there are whole series with mermaid content, there are also a few mermaid episodes in other popular series. For example, The Princess in Black and the Mermaid Princess by Shannon and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, in which the Princess in Black and her friends are cruising in the royal boat when a real, live mermaid princess (Princess Posy) crashes the party. Princess Posy is seeking help protecting her sea goats from being eaten by a kraken, but the princesses aren’t great at fighting underwater, so it may be up to Princess Posy to save the day … and the goats.

The fourth book in Fairy Mom and Me: Fairy Mermaid Magic by Sophie Kinsella sees Ella, who has always dreamed of becoming a fairy like her mom someday, wish for a spell to turn into a mermaid, too! Mom and daughter swim with the mermaids soon enough in this light adventure.

The mermaids in Pacey Packer, Unicorn Tracker: Mermaids vs Unicorns by J. C. Phillipps are not so magical. In fact, they’re kind of mean! But unfortunately Pacey and her grumpy unicorn pal Slasher will have to enter the underwater world of the malicious mermaids in this graphic novel to retrieve a lost Alpha Unicorn horn and try their best not to get into any scrapes!

And in the third installment of Natasha Deen and Lissy Marlin’s Spooky Sleuths: Don’t Go Near the Water, Asim and Rokshar go on a nautical field trip to the Salish Sea. There they discover the fairmaids, mermaids from Guyanese folklore, may be alive and well under the water.

YOUNG ADULT

We just recommended Natasha Bowen’s Skin of the Sea in an earlier Tundra Telegram, but if you’re talking about mermaids, you can’t ignore this incredible YA adventure featuring Simi, a Mami Wata who collects the souls of those who die at sea and blesses their journeys back home. When Simi defies her calling and saves a human boy thrown overboard, things get hairy. (If there’s one thing I’ve learned about mermaids from books and movies, it’s that they don’t like being told what to do.) And in the sequel Soul of the Deep, Simi realizes the true cost of her actions, as demons begin to reappear in the water and threaten the world’s end.

Not to be confused with the Briony May Smith picture book, the YA novel Mermaid Moon by Susann Cokal follows Sanna, a half-mermaid who leaves the sea in search of her surface-breathing mother who has been cursed to forget all about her.

And Maggie Tokuda-Hall, who has been fighting book bans across North America of late, wrote a rollicking YA adventure entitled The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea full of pirates, colonialism, and – yes – those mythical mermaids … or at least their blood. (It’s a long story.) This fall, look for the follow-up, The Siren, the Song, and the Spy, in which the Pirate Supreme and their resistance fighters continue their battle against the empire – an empire that expands through profits made from the hunting of mermaids for their blood. (Well, maybe it wasn’t that long a story.)