Big new titles perfect for the littles.
Masala Chai, Fast and Slow by Rajani LaRocca (author) and Neha Rawat (illustrator) (Candlewick). “Aarav loved his thatha very much, although they were as different as water and molasses. Thatha shuffled. He sauntered. He strolled. Aarav ran. He rushed. He raced.” When Thatha falls and sprains his ankle, Aarav decides he’ll take over his grandfather’s tea-making duties! He races and rips through the recipe, but the supposed-to-be-warm-and-delicious drink turns out all wrong. Maybe Aarav needs to remember what Thatha always tells him: “Masala chai cannot be rushed…It must be made carefully.”
It’s Fall! by Renée Kurilla (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers). “Colors bursting, shadows tall. There’s lots to celebrate — it’s fall!” So long, summertime! From “a scarf around my chilly nose” to a huge FLOP in a pile of crunchy leaves, what’s not to adore about all the cozy things that come with autumn’s arrival? Even the world’s palette — rich reds, russet, and goldenrod — feels a bit more snuggly and serene. No wonder the schoolkids can’t wait to run around and take it all in!
The Wilderness by Steve McCarthy (Candlewick). The Vasylenko family is filled with 11 rambunctious siblings and a single no-so-boisterous one. “Much like his brothers and sisters, Oktober dreamed of being an adventurer. But unlike them, Oktober went on his adventures inside books, safe from the climby, slimy, grimy, wet, cold, and wild outside.” He has zero intention of getting stung, knocked down, or — worst of all — eaten by something creepy in the forest! What happens when he gets lost one day and finds himself face to face with the Wilderness itself? Hopefully, the little boy will keep his wits about him…
