text: Mary Underwater is a story of one girl’s resilience to save herself. While her budding romance with Kip, collaboration with former Navy scientist to build her submersible, and a renewed relationship with her aunt provide her support, Mary ultimately has to choose to not only change her course but also chart a new course for her life. Mary ultimately discovers that she is worthy and is brave and strong like Joan of Arc. Thanks to the author Shannon Doleski and Amulet/Abrams for sharing an ARC with #bookexcursion. Mary Underwater released on April 7, 2020.
  The second grade class I adopted for #classroombookaday this year absolutely loves McAnulty’s Earth, Sun and Moon so I was so grateful to get an e-copy of Ocean to read aloud virtually during a daily class meeting. McAnulty’s Our Universe series is a blend of fiction and non-fiction which is highly engaging for read aloud. Energetically narrated by Ocean who uses surfer language, readers learn tubular facts about the ocean. McAnulty’s spunky text and Litchfield’s lively illustrations taught me so many new facts about the ocean. I never knew more humans have visited outer space than the ocean’s deepest spots. And while they are 5 separate bodies of water, there is truly only 1 global ocean. I love how even as an adult, I can learn from reading picture books!
  Thanks to Macmillan/Henry Holt for sharing an e-copy with Beagles and Books. Ocean recently published on May 5, 2020. And I was fortunate to purchase an autographed copy from Stacy McAnulty through Bookmarks independent bookstore. And stay tuned because Mars! Earthlings Welcome is the next book in the Our Universe series publishing in February 2021.
  My #classroombookaday second class absolutely loved Llama Destroys the World. So when I found out a sequel was being written, I was so excited to share it with them even though it had to be virtually. Llamas fans know he likes cake and pies. What they might not know is he doesn’t like to clean. But guess who loves to clean….Alpaca! And with the Replicator 3000, sneaky Llama was able to make a clone Alpaca to clean for him. If one cleans well, what about more? Imagine the cleaning they could do. Unfortunately, Llama’s plan backfires because an army of Alpacas actually make more of a mess. So he sends them into town but that only creates more commotion. With the smell of pizza, the Alpacas return to Llama’s house and by pressing the other button on the Replicator 3000, the Alpacas disappear except for one. Problem solved. Not quite because it was time for dessert and Llama only had one piece of cake for him and Alpaca to share. How can Llama solve his problem?
  Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse is another laugh out loud adventure with a llama whose biggest weakness is cake. Thanks to Macmillan/Henry Holt for sharing an e-copy with Beagles and Books. Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse recently published on May 5, 2020.
  A dog goes on an adventure but is caught by a robe wearing, coffee drinking cat. As the dog jumps on a trike with a poodle, the cat sheds its morning wear for exercise clothes following the dog. As the dog switches modes of transportation adding more canine passengers, the cat follows suit changing its vehicle to keep pace. But once 10 dogs…wait, make that 9 dogs and 1 sly cat are traveling through space together, the countdown begins with dogs frantically wanting to return home. Once the dog is safe back in its yard, a mouse peers out of a small door to follow 2 cats on a trike. Hmm…I think another story is about to begin.
  Two Dogs on a Trike is so much more than a counting book. With Snyder’s concise rhyming text and Rosenthal’s expressive illustrations of a feline, canines (and a mouse), it is a hilarious romp! Thanks to author Gabi Snyder and Abrams/Appleseed Publishing for sharing an e- copy with Beagles and Books. Two Dogs on a Trike releases next week on May 19, 2020.
  For the past few weeks, I have been leaning on picture books partly due to their length but I am happy to report that I finished reading 3 novels this week. Getting into a reading rut is tough so I am glad that there are so many types of books to help during the ebbs and flows of life. And all these novels are #mustreadsin2020. Two celebrate their book birthday this week and one will publish in less than a month!
  Stephen is an eleven year old biracial boy who lives in Brooklyn with his librarian mom and teacher dad. Believing in a saying coined by his favorite basketball player, Stephen wears a bracelet with the words WHAT LANE? This phrase reminds him that he is not confined to one path or as his father says “the world is yours.” Stephen shows his many lanes in his friendships, for his best friend, Dan is white, but he also has friends who are African American, Latino or mixed like him. But Stephen’s thinking is challenged when he experiences microaggressions solely because of his color. And while two years ago, Stephen made a New Year’s resolution to say what’s on his mind, it is not always easy to follow through especially when Dan’s cousin Chad is involved. Stephen learns that he must open his eyes and speak his mind and not worry about so much about the lanes but rather stick with his friends who are true allies and have his back.