If You Steal My Sunshine | May 2022
Art © by Regina Giménez
Dear reader,
For our small and mighty team, May has been memorable. We’ve celebrated, we’ve presented, we’ve launched our season, one of us even got married—and there was a lunar eclipse. Now that our garden is planted, and the days are longer, a new season will soon descend. Still, for others, May signals the end of things: the close of the school year, final exams, and graduations.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU
The month kicked off with a celebration of 3 years of publishing at LQ with a proper party at Rizzoli Bookstore in Manhattan with special guest, Jean-Claude van Rijckeghem and the Delegation of Flanders to the USA. Thank all those friends and family and supporters who came out to celebrate with us. Peep the slideshow on Instagram ›
JEWISH HERITAGE MONTH
May is Jewish Heritage Month, and we’re proud to feature seven books that celebrate the Jewish Experience: from picture books like Paula Cohen’s loveable Big Dreams, Small Fish to Mari Lowe’s haunting debut, Aviva vs. the Dybbuk. There’s also a sneak peak at a book coming out this fall. See the complete list ›
AAPI HERITAGE MONTH
May is also a time to celebrate stories by AAPI authors and creators like Cat Min, Mike Jung, Young Vo and many others. Here’s a list of 13 books (many of them award-winning) that should be on your radar, all year long. See the complete list ›
Like the old tune says, “May, she will stay…”
—Team LQ
Screenshot of Darcie winning Nebula Award from YouTube.com
AND A Nebula Award TOO…
This weekend, Darcie Little Badger won a Nebula Award for her Newbery Honor book, A Snake Falls to Earth. The Andre Norton Nebula Award honors the Best middle grade or young adult science fiction or fantasy novel of the previous year and is presented by the Science Fiction Fantasy Writers of America.
A Snake Falls To Earth is also a finalist for the Locus Award (announced June 25) and the Ignyte Award (announced Sept 17). Watch this space.
In other awards-news…
Sheep Count Flowers by Mexican artist Amanda Mijangos won second place at Sharjah Children's Reading Festival.
And that’s not all folks….
SCBWI members voted and Donna Barba Higuera’s The Last Cuentista won a Crystal Kite Award. Doesn’t she have enough awards already?
LQ + Chronicle @ ALA
Come meet Team LQ and Team Chronicle at Booth #1413 for the first IRL ALA in two years in DC. We will be giving out Fall 22 ARCs and other LQ swag. Special guests include LQ’s Mike Jung, Newbery honoree Darcie Little Badger, Batchelder honoree David Bowles, and Pura Belpre medal and Newbery medal winner, Donna Barba Higuera.
Are you joining us?
MEDIA HITS
Cole Rush wants Hollywood to adapt Darcie Little Badger’s Elatsoe at Tor
Mahnaz Dar recommends Aviva vs. the Dybbuk by Mari Lowe for Kirkus Reviews
Mari Lowe’s Aviva vs the Dybbuk featured for Jewish Heritage Month on Horn Book
AUTHORS ON TOUR
May 27 — Jim Grimsley @ Charis Circle Books (virtual)
June 4 — Camille Gomera Tavarez @ Passaic County Book Festival (Clifton, NJ)
June 7 — Emi Watanabe Cohen @ Book Launch @ 57th St Books (Virtual)
June 12 — Anton Treuer @ Bronx Book Festival (virtual)
June 13 — Paul Zelinsky + Cat Min + Young Vo: Sketch Off @ Rizzoli Bookstore (New York, NY)
June 14 — Emi Watanabe Cohen @ Politics and Prose (Virtual)
June 24 — Camille Gomera Tavarez @ LITina Book Club (Virtual)
June 25 — Donna Barba Higuera + Darcie Little Badger + Mike Jung + David Bowles @ ALA Annual (Washington, DC)
New Releases
GEO-GRAPHICS
“Filled to the brim with scientific material and educational graphics.” —School Library Connection
This special and unusual atlas is a marriage of science and art like no other.
The One Who Loves You The Most
“With stellar adult characters, accessible prose, a diverse cast, and an uplifting narrative, the book tells a quick-moving story that can serve as a guide for adults to explore the LGBTQ+ lexicon with young people and help middle-grade readers discover, like Gabriela does, the power of understanding and identifying themselves. A sweet book that’s sure to spread love and hopefulness.” — Kirkus
“The plot touches on various sensitive topics not often seen in middle-grade texts, such as transphobia, homophobia, an depression. An informative introduction to intersectional identities in an approachable first-person narrative, this title will connect with all types of readers who are on their own personal journey.”—Booklist
The Dove in the Belly
★ “As complex as the human heart. Grimsley has an almost magical gift for evoking empathy in his readers, creating characters that they’ll fall in love with and care desperately for.” —Booklist (starred)
“Achingly heartfelt. Grimsley excels at creating mood and strong emotions.”—Publishers Weekly