Marion Brunet, a French author, has won the largest international children’s and young adult literature prize. In honor of the author of Pippi Longstocking, the Swedish award has one of the biggest monetary pots at 5m SEK or around $500,000.
Only two of Brunet’s books are available in the United States. Translated by Katherine Gregor, Summer of Reckoning was released here in 2020 and Vanda in 2022. Both are YA psychological thrillers set in France.
Hat tip to The Bookseller for the news.
The finalists for the 2025 Hugo Awards have been announced. The following are some of the finalists. Click here to see the entire list from Seattle Worldcon 2025.
LODESTAR AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK
The Feast Makers by H.A. Clarke
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao
The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko
Moonstorm by Yoon Ha Lee
Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger
So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole
BEST NOVEL
Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
BEST NOVELLA
The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo – great series of novellas for teens!
The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed
Navigational Entanglements by Aliette de Bodard
The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain by Sofia Samatar
The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler
What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
BEST GRAPHIC STORY OR COMIC
The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag – a YA graphic novel
The Hunger and the Dusk: Vol. 1 by G. Willow Wilson, art by Chris Wildgoose
Monstress, Vol. 9: The Possessed by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda
My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Book 2 by Emil Ferris
Star Trek: Lower Decks: Warp Your Own Way by Ryan North, art by Chris Fenoglio
We Called Them Giants by Kieron Gillen, art by Stephanie Hans – a YA graphic novel
ALA has released their list of the 10 most challenged books of 2024 as part of their annual observance of National Library Week. Most books on the list were challenged due to “false claims of illegal obscenity for minors; inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters or themes; and dealing with topics of race, racism, inclusivity, equity and social justice.” These are just the top titles out of the almost 2500 unique titles facing challenges last year.
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Sold by Patricia McCormick
Flamer by Mike Curato
Take a look at ALA’s The State of America’s Libraries report for more information on ways to support libraries and the freedom to read.
The Gift of the Great Buffalo by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Aly McKnight (9781547606887)
A young Métis-Ojibwe girl, Rose, travels with her family to the biannual buffalo hunt where they are joined by hundreds of other families. The hunt has become more difficult as white people and trains take over the prairies. Rose longs to join her father, who is one of the hunt’s captains. After days of no buffalo being spotted, Rose decides to help scout. She tracks the buffalo, thinking of herself as a wolf and sensing them nearby. While Rose found the buffalo, she has to also face her father, who told her not to leave camp.
A story that speaks to the real life on the prairie, the impact of white settlers and railroads, and the beliefs of the Métis people, this picture book is filled with an impactful mix of small details and a grand adventure. Written by Lindstrom who is Métis-Ojibwe and illustrated by McKnight who is a member of the Shoshone-Bannock tribes, the authenticity of the story is particularly noteworthy. The watercolor illustrations have a luminous quality that captures the light on the prairie and the beauty of the landscapes, creatures and people.
Appropriate for ages 4-8.
Reviewed from e-galley.
Some interesting articles to enjoy:
9 Exemplary Novels in Verse for Middle Grade and Teen Readers – SLJ
The American Picture Book’s Unsung Parent: Japan – The New York Times
Author John Green talks about living with OCD – NPR (This one really moved me. Definitely worth the listen!)
Classification as Colonization: The Hidden Politics of Library Catalogs – The Scholarly Kitchen
Happy Trans Day of Visibility 2025 – a booklist for all ages – LGBTQ Reads
Magic Cat Announces Deal for Board Book Series with Jamie Oliver – Publishers Weekly
Michael Morpurgo: The five books that changed my life – iNews
Ten New Children’s Books That Reveal the Wondrous Act of Storytelling – Literary Hub
And a cool video on publishing picture books in translation:
Here are the books I’m looking forward to in April:
PICTURE BOOKS
Book of Maps for You by Lourdes Heuer, illustrated by Maxwell Eaton III (3 stars: Booklist, Kirkus, & Publishers Weekly)
Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson, illustrated by Dan Santat (3 stars: Booklist, Kirkus, & Publishers Weekly)
His Fairytale Life: A Book about Hans Christian Andersen by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Brooke Boynton-Hughes (2 stars: Booklist & Kirkus)
Mistaco by Eliza Kinkz (3 stars: Booklist, Kirkus, & Publishers Weekly)
Peddler of Puzzles by Beth Ferry & Tom Lichtenheld (2 stars: Booklist & Kirkus)
Night Light by Michael Emberley (2 stars: Horn Book & Kirkus)
CHILDREN’S FICTION
Benny on the Case by Wesley King (2 stars: Booklist & Publishers Weekly)
Candle Island by Lauren Wolk (2 stars: Booklist & Publishers Weekly)
The Pecan Sheller by Lupe Ruiz-Flores (2 stars: Booklist & Kirkus)
The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner (3 stars: Booklist, Kirkus, & Publishers Weekly)
YA
The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Ancrum (3 stars: Booklist, Kirkus, & Publishers Weekly)
Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick (3 stars: Booklist, Kirkus, & School Library Journal)
Home Is a Wish by Julia Kuo (9781250881328)
A young girl moves to a different place with her mother and grandmother, taking a plane and a car. Throughout there is a connection to nature, birds pass windows and fish surge in the water. But the sounds are different at her new home and so are the customs and rules. Slowly, new friends are made and a new home is formed.
With illustrations that are an enticing blend of vintage lines and modern color, this book speaks to tradition and family but also new possibilities in both its story and art style.
Appropriate for ages 3-7.
Reviewed from e-galley.
Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka Con La Paka by Sara Andrea Fajardo, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal (9781250838612)
Two Peruvian-Americans come together to create a warm and delightful picture book biography of Alberto Salas, a Peruvian scientist who dedicated his life to potatoes. Searching for wild potatoes through the Peruvian landscape is a treat with that landscape depicted by a Caldecott-honoree illustrator. From the hilly land to Salas’ notes to finding the spark of a potato in the mud to the potatoes themselves, readers will be amazed by the colors on the page.
This book tackles climate change, the need for scientists and the manual labor that it sometimes takes for science to happen and to discover something that can feed a changing world. Enjoy this game of hide-and-seek!
Appropriate for ages 4-8.
Reviewed from e-galley.
Everything Is Poison by Joy McCullough
A truly great YA read that is engrossing, filled with fascinating details about apothecary work, and a call for women to fight, survive, and thrive on their own terms. The text is an engaging mix of prose and poetry, offering small glimpses of other people of that time who are living very different yet hauntingly similar lives. Highly recommended.
Waking Brain Cells 