This month, I’ve been thinking about the joys of interactive books, books that welcome readers and treat them as active participants in the world of the story. Some types of books are obviously interactive, such as freestyle books and bulletin board books. Some books can be subtly adopted in their design or content, allowing characters to speak directly to the reader, or giving readers a mystery or puzzle to solve. And readers themselves have the power to interact more deeply any one their favorite book. When I speak at elementary schools, students love to tell me how they write fictional stories, turn comic book stories into holiday games, or pursue other projects inspired by their favorite stories. It’s this kind of content that makes us children’s writers stubborn.
Fortunately, there are plenty of new and upcoming children’s books that encourage collaboration, from fourth-wall-breaking picture books to YA mysteries filled with code and cipher that invite readers to play together. Here are ten new interactive titles I’m looking forward to reading this month.
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Caspar Salmon, Now you know your ABCs (Or do you?)
illustrated by Matt Hunt
Nosy Crow, April 7th
recommended for ages 4-8
I will confess that when I was a new parent, I did not like reading alphabet books to my children. The ABCs are important, sure, but there aren’t many of them zing to them. There are no surprises. There is no twist. There are no European chase scenes or magic carpet rides.
Fortunately, several new picture books have appeared recently to entertain new alphabet learners and jaded adults alike, and Now you know your ABCs (Or do you?) it’s one of my favorites. It starts innocently enough—A means “apple,” B means “ball”—but when D turns out not to be for “dog” but for a dangerous wolf, embarrassment begins. The wolf chases you through the alphabet as you scream (E is for “Eek!”) and tries to escape the country (F is for “France”). My kids now know their ABCs, but I still enjoy reading this book aloud to them and watching them laugh.
Maya Myers, Good Morning, Good Morning!
illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann
Neal Porter Books, April 7
recommended for ages 4-8
One morning, when “the sky is thinking about the day,” a child slips out of bed and goes to the fields and woods outside his home. There, all kinds of wonders await discovery: spider webs and dewdrops in the grass, pillows of spongy moss, chirping birds and squirrels, and the legendary mushroom ring. A child and their pet cat explore each and every wonder almost meditatively until the sun comes up and the fun of the day begins. This is a picture book that feels real: Maya Myers’ writing captures the special magic of waking up on a summer morning, and Jennifer K. Mann’s illustrations allow readers of all ages to see the natural world through a child’s eyes.
Audrey Perrott, Once Upon A Tail (Once Upon A Tail #1)
illustrated by Charlene Chua
Abrams Fanfare, April 21
recommended for ages 6-9
A series of classic picture books can be a game-changer for kids who read independently but find traditional chapter books a little intimidating. For my little favorite reader Narwhal and jelly and Elephant & PiggyI will be picking up medieval goodies Once In The Tail series, which starts this month. Poppy, the pink dragon, and Wallace, the mighty horse, are best friends, but like many lovable children before them, they have their differences. (Is peeling a banana in 3.2 milliseconds really a superpower? Is it possible for a dragon to shave hair?) I especially like the clever, wall-breaking humor and strong full-color images that welcome children into the story.
Meg Wolitzer and Charlie Panek, Get Sound
Dutton, April 21
recommended for ages 7-11
I enjoyed Meg Wolitzer’s fiction for adult readers and look forward to reviewing the new middle grade book that Wolitzer co-wrote with her son, audio editor and music producer Charlie Panek. Get Sound is a story about two children, Felix and Marigold, and a seemingly bleak summer vacation that is lifted when the children find an old wooden box that says OPEN ME. Inside they find a sound recorder and a mysterious message that leads them around the city on a treasure hunt with sound. As Felix and Marigold follow clues and puzzles, they can’t help but wonder what might happen at the end of the hunt, and who the unknown puzzle maker is.
Linda Sue Park, Just Another Gift
illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng
Clarion, April 7
recommended for ages 8-12
Told in linked poems inspired by the short form of Korean verse sijo, Just Another Gift he visits Mrs.’s group. Chang Sa Puo Art first time that day they were challenged to answer the question: If you could give someone in your life just one gift, what would it be? Each child thinks about what would be most important to their chosen one, from the simple (a signed baseball) to the complex (airline tickets for teachers who can’t visit their grandchild in Nepal) to the impossible (the return of a beloved family member who died in infancy). Without further ado, this book parallels Park and Sae-Heng’s One Thing You Can Save encourages young readers to think generously and compassionately about their community.
Katharine Orton, The Traitor’s Body
Simon & Schuster, April 7
recommended for ages 8-12
If your little reader is a fan of Warriors those looking for something new to read, give it a go The Traitor’s BodyA new amazing game in the world of insects. Our little hero, Catclaw, is a young moth and a member of the Dreamkins, a beautiful moth clan that went into exile after its former owner betrayed the queen of the clans. Now the few remaining Dreamkins are struggling to survive. When Catclaw has a prophetic vision that warns him of a danger that threatens all five generations, he embarks on a journey to save his clan, even those who do not believe that his visions can be real. This book really appeals to kids, and I can’t wait to pass it on to my middle grade reader.
Emily B. Martin, Nell O’Dell Hates Quests
Candlewick, April 7
recommended for ages 8-12
What’s more fun than a tongue-in-cheek fantasy game with a hero who would rather not play a fantasy game at all? Nell O’Dell’s family owns an inn that stands at the Golden Crossroads, the place from which all legitimate witchcraft claims must begin. Many would-be heroes pass through the inn on their way to save the world, and Nell is responsible for keeping the place running, serving food, and making sure those pesky quests don’t cause too much trouble. When it looks like a management merger threatens the future of the inn, Nell is tasked with issuing paperwork to clear up the mess – but it is. not to want, and Nell is not the questioner himself, no matter how many incidents happen to him along the way! Fantasy fans who like to watch cities flip like tavern barstools will really enjoy this one.
Marieke Nijkamp, The Hands of the Clock
illustrated by Sylvia Bi
Greenwillow, April 21
recommended for ages 8-12
When I choose children’s books to feature in this column, I sometimes talk to real children about what theirs The most anticipated upcoming ones are, and The Hands of the Clock it’s an inspired choice for a fourth grader in the house. It is a companion volume to a popular picture book Girls of Inklocated in a district of the city fueled by the Italian Renaissance where the business community has great influence and outsiders struggle on the margins of society. To The Hands of the ClockYoung Vale will not be able to join any guilds as a student or learn their trade. When a watchmaker arrives in the village and sees Vale’s talent, he agrees to take Vale on his job. Vale and Stella, the watchmaker’s daughter, become friends and must work together with other innocents to protect their community from discrimination and violence.
Diana Peterfreund, Ellen Poe: The Forgotten Lore
Running Press Kids, April 7
recommended for ages 13 and up
If you want to win my heart as a reader, all you have to do is include the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe as a character in your book. When 16-year-old Ellen Reynolds walks into a Poe-themed bed and breakfast, she doesn’t expect the ghost of the long-dead writer to appear and ask her to decipher the hidden messages in his book. But there are rumors that Ellen is a descendant of the Poe family, and, like her famous father, she seems to have some connection with the spirit world. I’m excited to see how author Diana Peterfreund weaves elements of Poe’s literary legacy into a fun modern mystery for readers who may be new to “Eddy”.
Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss, Escape game
GP Putnam’s sons, April 7
recommended for ages 14 and up
Those of us who would rather skip the escapade in order to stay home and read can still find our puzzle pleasures in books like Escape gameMarissa Meyer and Tamara Moss’ highly anticipated book about a murder on a reality television show. In the last episode of the show last season, Sierra Angelos found her sister Angela dead in a coffin. Now, perhaps, the next season is being filmed, and Sierra is on the verge of finding her sister’s killer – although everyone thinks that Sierra herself must have done the killing. Along with fellow contestants Adi, Carter and Beck, Sierra must solve an increasingly tricky series of escape room puzzles and try to stay alive while bringing the killer to justice.
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