Fall Into Reading: Books to Share with Your Kids This Season
As the leaves turn and the air grows crisp, fall is the perfect time to slow down and connect as a family. Cozy up with picture books for little ones or chapter books for middle graders—reading together sparks imagination and creates lasting memories. Penguin Random House Canada has a delightful roundup of new reads perfect for your next cabin getaway or quiet evening at home.
The Newest Gnome
by Lauren Soloy
A gorgeous homage to nature, beauty, mindfulness and community, The Newest Gnome is a stroll through a special and strange yet ultimately familiar place first introduced in Soloy’s picture book The Hidden World of Gnomes. Grolly Maru is The Pocket’s newest inhabitant. They are learning all about their new home and all the things the gnomes do to care for it. But what will their job be? As each gnome shares their role in The Pocket, Grolly is less and less sure about what they should do. But by the light of the full moon, inspiration strikes and Grolly finds their place.
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The One About The Blackbird
by Melanie Florence and Matt James
A gorgeous picture book about the connections created through music, and how music can reach loved ones with dementia. A young boy learns to play guitar from his grandfather, and the one about the blackbird is their favorite song. Years later, the boy visits his grandfather, and while his grandfather doesn’t recognize him, now grown-up, he does still remember how to hold a guitar. A beautiful full circle moment ensues when the boy plays his grandfather their favorite song.
Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur!)
by Linda Bailey and K-Fai Steele
Lena lives in a chicken coop, and she looks a lot like a chicken. But deep down, she’s convinced that she’s a . . . DINOSAUR! The people on the farm are also baffled . . . except for little Madeline, who thinks Lena has personality. And then, when a dastardly weasel turns up and threatens the coop, Lena’s fearful family chickens out. It’s up to Lena to unleash her inner dinosaur like never before — to save the coop and show this silly bunch of chickens how to stand up for themselves. And when Madeline’s science fair project shows that chickens are the closest living relatives in the world to dinosaurs, Lena’s family finally begins to see Lena’s point. The book includes a die-cut cover and back matter about how chickens (and all other birds) are the living descendants of dinosaurs.
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Robot Island
by Cary Fagan
Forced into stealing valuable books (Little Women, Great Expectations) from a rich widow, Willis takes refuge on an abandoned island with a town populated by robots in this new middle-grade novel by acclaimed writer Cary Fagan. What is the connection between Mrs. Shorthouse and Robot Island? And when Willis turns on the electricity and the robots of Robot Island come to life, will they turn out to be friends or enemies?
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Invisible: The (Sort of) True Story of Me and My Hidden Disease
by David Soren
From the Canadian director of the Captain Underpants movie and Turbo comes a heavily illustrated middle-grade novel that captures the rollercoaster ride of growing up with an invisible disability. JJ Sugar was only eight years old when he discovered that he could really draw. After winning a citywide poster design contest, his dream of becoming an animator was born. Unfortunately for JJ, that same year, he also discovered his curse—he had Crohn’s disease. JJ was suddenly no longer alone on the exam table. Sitting next to him was a giant, sarcastic, leather-wearing CREATURE: Norm, the not-so-invisible embodiment of JJ’s chronic disease. And Norm seems bent on ruining his life.
The Amazing Generation
by Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price
Jonathan Haidt’s blockbuster book, The Anxious Generation, has sparked a global conversation about the effects of smartphones and social media on young people’s development, and has inspired millions of parents, teachers, and leaders to take action. Now, Haidt and Catherine Price, author of the bestselling How to Break Up with Your Phone, have teamed up to create a new book that speaks directly to kids and early teens. Their goal? To empower young people to stand up for themselves by choosing a life not dominated by screens. Written for nine- to twelve-year-olds—and relevant whether or not they already have smartphones or social media accounts—this engaging guide is packed with surprising facts, a graphic novel, interactive challenges, secrets that tech leaders don’t want kids to know, and real-life anecdotes from young adults who regret getting smartphones at a young age and want to help the next generation avoid making the same mistakes. But this isn’t just a book about what not to do. It’s a bold, optimistic, and practical guide to growing into your most authentic, confident, and adventurous self. Readers won’t just discover how to avoid becoming the next Anxious Generation. They’ll learn how to become amazing.
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Dragonborn
by Struan Murray
There is a secret world of dragons that lurks at the edges of our own. But dragons also live among us. These Slumberers have been human for so long they have forgotten their true selves—until something awakens the dragon within. Twelve-year-old Alex Evans is about to wake up. Ever since her father’s death, Alex’s overprotective mother has smothered her with unbreakable rules and unspoken fears. Feeling trapped, Alex’s frustration has become too big to hide away. Burning inside, she erupts into a fierce, fiery roar. A new school and a new life await Alex on the legendary island of Skralla, one of the last surviving dragon havens. There, she will train alongside other young dragons who are wild, untamed, and—unlike Alex—skilled at transforming and embracing their dragons within. As dark factions begin to rise, Alex finds herself in a race to unlock her long-dormant power before Drak Midna, the greatest dragon of all, rises again to wage war against the human world.
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Discover your next cozy family read this fall with these new releases from Penguin Random House Canada—perfect for making autumn moments together even more memorable.
Books provided by Penguin Random House Canada