Looking for some book recommendations this month? Check out what’s new and exciting on our bookshelves right now! This month’s theme is celebrating Stepmoms and Bonus moms for Stepmother’s Day happening on May 21st this year!
FOR {STEP}MOM:
The Last Thing He Told Me
Written by Laura Dave
FOR KIDS: Chapter Book
The Thing About Leftovers
Written by C.C. Payne
When the main character, Fizzy, feels pressure to be the perfect kid after her parents divorce while navigating the emotional roller coaster that is Middle School, she begins feeling like leftovers from a previous marriage when it comes to her stepmother and stepfather. Feeling like she doesn’t fit in anywhere on either side of her newly forming blended family, she focuses her attention and energy on winning the Southern Living cook-off. Doing so allows her to make new friends who come with interesting family dynamics of their own. This book gracefully handles all the angst of life as a tween, especially while navigating the murky waters of stepfamily life, and most poignantly reminds Fizzy (and the reader) that you are allowed to feel everything you feel and you have every right to speak your truth.
FOR THE FAMILY:
Seriously, Cinderella is So Annoying!
Written by Trisha Speed Shaskan
There are two sides to every story, right? As one of the twenty books included in The Other Side of the Story series, this version of Cinderella is one you’ve certainly never heard before. As told by the “Wicked Stepmother” – the reader discovers that Cinderella isn’t just a young girl enslaved by her new family, but actually a super chatty teen being kept busy in order to save their ears from bleeding. This clever version of a classic tale is pretty comical, as parents everywhere can relate to the mental fatigue that comes with the talkative phase of a child’s life. While the story comes with a set of comic relief, the concept behind this series subtly helps young readers (and let’s face it, adults too) recognize that every story does, in fact, have more than one side. Rather than sitting back and accepting one person’s version as fact, it’s a great conversation starter to help kids recognize that everyone walks away from a situation with their own perspective on what occurred. What is a well-known story that you’d like to see written from the antagonist’s perspective?
Let’s Get Reading This May
We hope you find at least one good book from the above list to enjoy this month. If you have a great book recommendation for Summer (it’s coming!!!), let us know in the comments. Happy Reading!
