Mark Your Calendar!

Over the next couple months, Book Notes NH will be featuring the MANY authors who will be part of the 3rd annual NH Book Festival. which will be held at the Capitol Center for the Arts & NHBF Festival Village on South Main Street in Concord, NH on October 2-3, 2026. 

Most of the festival programs are scheduled for Saturday, October 3 and will be free for everyone to attend. 

The following events require paid tickets to attend. These events help to fund the free Saturday programming at the festival.

On Friday morning, the festival kicks off with Jeff Kinney (New York Times bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series) giving the Children's Keynote (which is sold out!).

Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of twenty-nine novels (and a New Hampshire resident!), will give the Festival Keynote at 7pm, Friday, October 2, 2026. Tickets for this event are on sale now. 

On Saturday night, at 6:30 pm, Jeff Kinney will be giving the Family Keynote. Tickets for this event are on sale now.

All keynote speaker events will be held at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, NH.

Book of the Week (8/10/2026)

Don't Go There: A Tour of the World's Most Sinister Spots by J. W. Ocker (Quirk Books, 2026)

Embark on a guided tour of 30 of the most dangerous and mysterious locations that we simply cannot stay away from.

Have you ever visited a forest or an abandoned building and gotten a bad vibe? There are places that are rife with rumors of hauntings, monsters, and sinister phenomena that can’t be explained. And there are just as many sites that are the confirmed home of disasters, murders, and man-made mistakes. Everyone’s heard about the Bermuda Triangle, but do you know these chilling sites?

Roopkund: There's a lake tucked high in the frozen Himalayan Mountains . . . and it's full of skeletons.

Mount Shasta: This mysterious mountain in California inspired the I AM cult and is said to host UFOs, bigfoots, and lizard people.

Nahanni National Park: Called the "Valley of the Headless Men", this national park in northern Canada is famous for legends of a hidden gold mine . . . and a series of decapitated miners.

Pine Barrens: Best known as the home of the Jersey Devil, this desolate pine forest has also hosted pirates, the mafia, and moonshiners.

Ciudad Blanca: This fabled pre-Columbian "Lost City of the Monkey God" in Honduras doesn't want to be found, and explorers seeking it have met violent ends. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

J.W. Ocker is a nationally bestselling, Edgar-winning author of macabre travelogues, spooky kids books, and horror novels. His books include A Season with the Witch, Twelve Nights at Rotter House, The Black Slide, and The United States of Cryptids. He is originally from Maryland but has lived in New Hampshire for almost two decades.

Join J.W. at Toadstool Bookshop in Keene, NH on Sat., August 22, 2026 at 2:00 pm where he will be presenting and signing his newest book!

Ladybug Nominee Profile

Don't Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson and Dan Santat (Dial Books, 2025)

Why, dear reader, must you NEVER EVER trust fish?

1) They spend all their time in the water where we can’t see them.
2) Some are as big as a bus—that is not okay.
3) We don't know what they're teaching in their "schools."
4) They are likely plotting our doom.

This nature-guide-gone-wrong is a hilarious, off-the-rails exploration of the seemingly innocent animals that live in the water.

About Neil Sharpson

Neil Sharpson lives in Dublin with his wife and their two children. Having written for theater since his teens, Neil transitioned to writing novels in 2017, adapting his play The Caspian Sea into When The Sparrow Falls. A huge fan of animation, Neil writes Unshaved Mouse, a comedic review blog mostly focusing on animated film and comic book movies. His website is: https://unshavedmouse.com/

About Dan Santat

Dan Santat is the National Book Award-winning, Caldecott Medal–winning, and New York Times–bestselling author and illustrator of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend and the road trip/time travel adventure Are We There Yet? His artwork is also featured in numerous picture books, chapter books, and middle-grade novels, including Dav Pilkey's Ricky Ricotta series. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and many, many pets. His website is: https://sites.google.com/g.risd.org/dansantat/home

Activities & Links

• Check out this Read Aloud with the author: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq5p9R1FVWI
• Here's an interview with Dan Santat, illustrator of "Don't Trust Fish": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZS6SmqNRsg
• Check out these activity sheets with facts about fish: https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Fish-Facts-Coloring-Pages.pdf 
• Writing exercise: Have students write a funny paragraph convincing others why fish cannot be trusted based on the book's silly premise.
• Here's a link to free fish coloring pages: https://mondaymandala.com/fish-coloring-pages/

Suggestions for Further Reading

• Check out the other 2026 Ladybug Longlist titles featuring Swimming Creatures at: https://nhbookcenter.blogspot.com/2026/02/ladybug-longlist-swimming-creatures.html 
• Parrotfish Has a Superpower by Jill Esbaum, a 2025 Ladybug Longlist title and Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian and Tim Bowers, a 2011 Ladybug winning title are both fun books about fish that you can count on. 
• For more books written or illustrated by Dan Santat, consider Built to Last by Minh Lê and Dan Santat, a 2025 Ladybug Longlist title, A New Day by Brad Meltzer and Dan Santat, a 2024 Ladybug Longlist title and After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) by Dan Santat, a 2018 Ladybug Nominee Finalist. 

This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all the titles by Labor Day.

2026 National Book Festival & Great Reads Selections!

 The 2026 National Book Festival is Saturday, August 22, 2026!

Discover Great Reads from Great Places with the Roadmap to Reading at the 2026 Library of Congress National Book Festival! The 56 Affiliate Centers for the Book each selected one book for Young Readers and one for Adult Readers to celebrate the people and places around our nation. Visit each stop on the Roadmap to Reading in Hall D of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. from 9 a.m-8 p.m.

For a link to the author lineup of more than 80 authors at the festival, click here.

The Center for the Book at the New Hampshire State Library has selected the book, Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor by Emily Arnold McCully as our 2026 selection for Young Readers. 

Mattie could make almost anything – toys, sleds, kites, and a foot warmer. When she was just twelve years old, Mattie designed a metal guard to prevent shuttles from shooting off textile looms and injuring workers at the mills in Manchester, New Hampshire. Later, as an adult at the Columbia Paper Bag Company in Springfield, Massachusetts, Mattie invented the machine that makes the square-bottom paper bags we still use today. Over the course of her life, Marvelous Mattie earned the title of "the Lady Edison." This is the incredible story of the first woman to receive a U.S. patent.

The Center for the Book at the New Hampshire State Library has selected the book, Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving as our 2026 selection for Adult Readers.

In 1954, in the cookhouse of a logging and sawmill settlement in northern New Hampshire, an anxious twelve-year-old boy mistakes the local constable’s girlfriend for a bear. Both the twelve-year-old and his father become fugitives, forced to run from Coos County—to Boston, to southern Vermont, to Toronto—pursued by the implacable constable. Their lone protector is a fiercely libertarian logger, once a river driver, who befriends them. In a story spanning five decades, Last Night in Twisted River depicts the recent half-century in the United States as “a living replica of Coos County, where lethal hatreds were generally permitted to run their course.” --Publisher’s blurb

Book of the Week (8/3/2026)

The Old Scarecrow by Tabatha Jean D'Agata (Hb Publishing House, 2025)

Farmer Fred faces a tough choice. His old scarecrow, Tom, has stood guard over the cornfield for years. But now, a relentless flock of crows threatens to devour his crops.

As the crows invade, Fred's bond with Tom is tested. It's not just about the corn; it's about tradition, loyalty, and what it means to protect.

Farmer Fred scratched his head as the crows swarmed the cornfield. Tom the scarecrow had been a loyal guardian for years. But with the corn disappearing faster than ever, Fred began to think it might be time for a change.

Will Goose, Cow, and a particularly shaggy Sheep (who desperately needs a shave) rally together to save their cherished scarecrow, Tom, from possible replacement?

However, help can often come in mysterious shapes and sizes.

Join Fred on this heartfelt journey. Will he choose practicality or sentiment? Dive into The Old Scarecrow and find out. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Tabatha Jean D’Agata is a writer who has authored several books for children. As a dedicated literacy columnist for the Parent Express Newspaper, she advocates for the importance of reading and writing in children's lives. D’Agata shares her love for writing by conducting workshops for children in schools and libraries, inspiring the next generation of storytellers. D’Agata resides in Hooksett, NH where she enjoys making memories with her family, tucking a penny in her shoe for good luck, sending wishes with dandelion fluff, and indulging in chocolate—because she believes chocolate fixes everything! 

3 on a Theme: Monadnock Stories

Monadnock Originals: Colorful Characters from New Hampshire’s Quiet Corner by Alan F. Rumrill

Written in Granite: Monadnock Poems & Stories by Sebastian Lockwood

Murder on Mount Monadnock by J. S. Winter

Ladybug Nominee Profile

The Wild Robot on the Island by Peter Brown (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2025)

Roz is not where she’s supposed to be.
 
You see, the robot wasn’t designed to live in the wilderness. But when she washes up on an island, she must learn from the animal inhabitants and adapt to her new, natural surroundings, and before long, the island begins to feel like home.
 
Filled with bestselling creator and award-winning artist Peter Brown’s stunning artwork, this moving picture book is the perfect gift for readers new to The Wild Robot or for longtime fans of the series that sparked a global phenomenon.

Note: This is NOT a continuation of the series. It is a picture book adaptation of the first book in the series, The Wild Robot.

About Peter Brown

Peter Brown is a writer and illustrator, known for his children's picture books. Brown was awarded the Caldecott Medal for his illustration of Creepy Carrots! Six books that he authored & illustrated have been New York Times bestsellers, including Children Make Terrible Pets, The Curious Garden, The Wild Robot, Mr. Tiger Goes Wild, You Will Be My Friend!, and The Wild Robot Escapes. Peter lives in Maine with his wife, Susan (X. Fang), and their dog, Pam. His website is: https://www.peterbrownstudio.com/

Activities & Links

• Check out this animated Read aloud at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkjMO0ppSOY
• Here's an interview with Peter Brown about "The Wild Robot on the Island": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCpdGf4i-80
• Check out this activity kit for the animated film, "The Wild Robot" based off of the book series: https://www.dreamworks.com/downloads/WRB_Activity_Kit_HomeEnt_Complete.pdf 
• Design activity: Have students create a model of the island using text clues for the meadows, forests, and beaver pond.
• Here's a fun cut & color robot worksheet: https://rosiereader.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/robot-diy-rosie-reader.pdf

Suggestions for Further Reading

• Check out the other 2026 Ladybug Longlist titles featuring Nature at: https://nhbookcenter.blogspot.com/2026/02/ladybug-longlist-nature.html 
• Facts vs. Opinions vs. Robots by Michael Rex, a 2022 Ladybug Longlist title is another book about robots that you can count on. 
• For another book illustrated by Peter Brown, consider Creepy Carrots!, a 2013 Ladybug Nominee Finalist title. 

This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all the titles by Labor Day.

Book of the Week (7/27/2026)

Photosynthesis & Respiration: Poems by Christopher Clauss (Silver Bow Publishing, 2022)

The thread running through this collection of poems is relationship, but many take a scientific perspective. In most ecological systems the process of photosynthesis is responsible for the creation of food from inorganic carbon dioxide and water, absorbing energy from the sun to fuel life on our planet. Respiration in living things does just the opposite, breaking down that food into its original components and releasing energy to power every life process in which we engage. The two processes function in tandem, intertwining in an elegant dance, depending on one another to keep us all alive, much like partners in a relationship. One could describe this collection as love poems about science or science poems about love. Either way, they bridge the gap between two marvelous phenomena, neither of which we will ever fully appreciate, and about which we still have so much to learn. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Christopher Clauss is a father, poet, and middle school science teacher from Chesterfield, New Hampshire. He has represented his home state six times at the National Poetry Slam as a member of the Slam Free or Die poetry slam team. Christopher's work explores the bliss and turmoil of faith, teaching, parenting, marriage, and community in rural New England, with a scientific flair. His poems have been published in New York Quarterly, Plants and Poetry Journal, Sylvia, FreezeRay, and Bureau of Complaint. You will find him in the middle of the Pacific Ocean exploring the seafloor or wading into tidepools in the North Atlantic.

Join Christopher and the Slam Free or Die Competition Team at Gibson's Bookstore on Wed., August 19, 2026 from 4:30-6:00pm for an afternoon of poetry!

Ladybug Nominee Profile

Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World) by Corey R. Tabor (Greenwillow Books, 2025)

Cranky, crabby Crow does not want to play with Squirrel or do loop-de-loops with Hummingbird. He doesn’t have time for Rat or Bat. From high atop a telephone pole, Cat warns Crow that he will soon be all alone if he turns his friends away with his very cranky “kaw!” one more time. But, unbeknownst to all, Crow has bigger, world-saving fish to fry—he must protect planet Earth from an asteroid headed our way!

About Corey R. Tabor

Corey R. Tabor loves books. He especially loves picture books.
He is the author and illustrator of several award-winning books for children, including the Caldecott Honor-winning Mel Fell, the Geisel Award-winning Fox Has a Problem, Fox at Night, and Fox the Tiger, and the Sir Ladybug graphic novel series. Corey lives in Tacoma, Washington with his family and spends his time making pictures and stories. His website is: https://www.coreyrtabor.com/

Activities & Links

• Check out this Read aloud at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vkd2V2IV2c
• Here's a Q&A with Corey R. Tabor by Publisher's Weekly: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/97672-q-a-with-corey-r-tabor.html
• Check out National Geographic Kids' facts about the American Crow at: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/american-crow 
• Creative Writing exercise: Have children write a story imagining what their own favorite animal would do if they had a secret, world-saving job.
• Create a fun activity to decode the secret messages hidden in the book's end-papers.

Suggestions for Further Reading

• Check out the other 2026 Ladybug Longlist titles featuring Flying Creatures at: https://nhbookcenter.blogspot.com/2026/01/ladybug-longlist-flying-creatures.html 
• For more fun books about animals, consider Seals Are Jerks! by Jared Chapman, a 2025 Ladybug Longlist title, and I Am Not a Penguin by Liz Wong, a 2024 Ladybug Longlist title. 
• For more books by the author, check out Mel Fell, a 2022 Ladybug Nominee Finalist and Snail Crossing, a 2021 Ladybug Nominee Finalist. 

This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all the titles by Labor Day.

Book of the Week (7/20/2026)

The Cure at Walden Pond: A Guide to Recovering Our Humanity by Thomas Moore (Pegasus Books, 2026)

Among the pages of Henry David Thoreau’s journals and his legendary Walden, Thomas Moore, beloved bestselling author, psychotherapist, and public thinker, has found transformative ideas and approaches that promise to help us live better. As Moore writes, “We need to make the journey to our own ‘Walden Pond’ and find a cure for our cultural lostness.”

Like Moore’s own million-copy-bestselling Care of the Soul, The Cure at Walden Pond will be widely heralded among readers for its beautiful prose, accessible voice, and profound insights into the human condition. 

Thoreau was disillusioned in his day by the same kind of frantic consumerism, round-the-clock work, and narrow imagination that trouble us today. Moore will help readers slow down, be more present and mindful in their relationships with their loved ones, and appreciate the beautiful world we share. For Moore, as for Thoreau, there is immense spiritual power all around us.

New Hampshire’s Mount Monadnock is a “natural temple” for all New Englanders, a place of reverence and renewal, and Moore encourages us to find our own places of rejuvenation. There is neglected spirituality—and humanity—in the everyday objects that sustain us too. Moore explores his own memories of an old farmhouse, a grinding stone, and an out-of-tune piano that bring him back to his childhood and his family history. 

The journey to Walden Pond is an essential American pilgrimage, and The Cure at Walden Pond embodies Thoreau’s essence, guiding us through Thoreau’s precepts so we can find more harmony in our communities and in ourselves. Immersing ourselves in the music of the natural world The Cure at Walden Pond is a resonate read that will move and inspire any one in search of a new way of being. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Thomas Moore is the author of the bestselling Care of the Soul and twenty other books on spirituality and depth psychology that have been translated into thirty languages. He has been practicing depth psychotherapy for thirty-five years. He lectures and gives workshops in several countries on depth spirituality, soulful medicine, and psychotherapy. He has been a monk and a university professor, and is a consultant for organizations and spiritual leaders. He has often been on television and radio, including Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday. Thomas also writes fiction, arranges music and plays golf in New Hampshire, where he has lived for thirty years.

Ladybug Nominee Profile

Broken by X. Fang (Tundra Books, 2025)

When Mei Mei accidentally breaks her ama's favorite cup, she's convinced it's the end of the world. What if Ama is angry? What if she yells? What if she kicks Mei Mei out of her house? Mei Mei can't face it. But when Mimi, the innocent cat who witnesses her crime, ends up being blamed, the guilt is too much! Mimi's accusing eyes follow Mei Mei until she just can't take it anymore, and the truth comes spilling out.

With vibrant and moody cinematic illustrations and pitch-perfect pacing, X. Fang's newest picture book is filled to the brim with comedic drama and the comforting sweetness of a grandparent's forgiving hug.

About X. Fang

X. Fang is an award-winning illustrator and maker of books for young readers. She was born in Taiwan, raised in Atlanta, Georgia, bounced around Brooklyn and Philly before settling down in Midcoast Maine with her husband and son. Her website is: https://www.xfang.studio/

Activities & Links

• Check out this Read Aloud at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdMqyegxiaw
• Here's an interview with X. Fang about "Broken": https://afuse8production.slj.com/2025/03/13/broken-a-cover-reveal-and-conversation-with-x-fang/
• Reflection exercise: Ask children how Mei Mei might feel at different points in the story. Invite kids to share times when they made mistakes and how they handled them.
• Here's a fun Kintsugi activity for kids: https://rockyourhomeschool.net/resilience-activity/

Suggestions for Further Reading

• Check out the other 2026 Ladybug Longlist titles featuring Emotions & Feelings at: https://nhbookcenter.blogspot.com/2026/01/ladybug-longlist-emotions-feelings.html 
• For another book about honesty & apologies, consider I'm Sorry You Got Mad by Kyle Lukoff and Julie Kwon, a 2025 Ladybug Nominee Finalist. 
• For another book by X. Fang, check out We Are Definitely Human, a 2025 Ladybug Nominee Finalist.
• For more books about family, consider My Dad is a Tree by Jon Agee, a 2024 Ladybug Longlist title, or We Could Fly by Rhiannon Giddens, a 2026 Ladybug Longlist title.

This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all the titles by Labor Day.

Book of the Week (7/13/2026)

You'll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner (Grand Central Publishing, 2026)

For Raquel and Theo Collins, it appeared to be love at first sight. Raquel, a renowned interior designer, and Theo, a brash financial wizard met and married in a matter of months, only to confront a terrible tragedy. Now, unbearably aware of the distance between them, they’ve come to a remote town in New Hampshire to begin anew.

Perched on a ledge with stunning views, the Dixon’s family lodge was once a crown jewel of the mountains. Until late one August night, when both parents and their four children vanished, leaving behind a trail of bloody footprints, and a mystery that has endured for thirty years. Now, its latest occupants, the Collinses, are arriving, and the former grand lodge is once more stirring to life.

For Amanda Grady, following in her father’s footsteps as the recently appointed Shereford police chief, it’s good to see a fresh start for the derelict Dixon place. However, not everyone is happy about a new family in the old home and its hidden past may have returned with a vengeance.

When a stray dog leads to the discovery of a skeleton on the property, Raquel and Theo face a daunting choice of what to believe, who to trust, and how to survive. Because in the tiny village of Shereford the time has come. The local residents, the new neighbors, and the fledgling police chief must work together to unravel the terrifying events that happened one night thirty years ago, or…you’ll be sorry. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Lisa Gardner ia a #1 New York Times bestselling thriller novelist. A self-described research junkie, she has transformed her interest in police procedure and criminal minds into a streak of internationally acclaimed novels, published across 30 countries. She’s also had four books become TV movies (At the Midnight Hour; The Perfect Husband; The Survivors Club; Hide). Lisa lives in New Hampshire where she spends her time with an assortment of canine companions. When not writing, she loves to hike, garden, snowshoe and play cribbage.

Join Gibson's Bookstore, in conjunction with New Hampshire Public Radio and the Capitol Center for the Arts on Monday, August 10, 2026 at 7 pm as they welcome Lisa Gardner to the Bank of NH Stage for "You'll Be Sorry", as part of their author series, Authors on Main!

Ladybug Nominee Profile

If I Built a Town by Chris Van Dusen (Rocky Pond Books, 2025)

"My town will be swanky! My town will be swell!
My town will be prized as the best place to dwell!"

Jack has some great ideas for improving the community he lives in. And who better to describe them to than Mayor McKay! As they walk through the park together, Jack eagerly tells the mayor his plans for improving their town.

And what a town he has dreamed up! The zoo is packed with fantastic, Jurassic, and mythical creatures, the mail is delivered by super-fast hover vans, the health clinic travels right to your door, and a parade passes through each and every week. And don't forget the robots! All of Jack's plans include the most exciting and useful serving machines. But best of all, everything is free!

Jack's over-the-top creativity and infectious enthusiasm will inspire budding young inventors. It's a story time romp that you'll want to return to again and again.

About Chris Van Dusen

Chris Van Dusen was born in 1960 in Portland, Maine. He has been writing and illustrating books since 2000 when Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee was published. He lives on the coast of Maine with his wife Lori and a yellow lab named Opal. His website is: https://www.chrisvandusen.com

Activities & Links

• Check out this Read Aloud with the author: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll4z-AXOJPw
• Here's an interview with Chris Van Dusen & tour of his art studio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW9u0SbZrao
• Check out these activity sheets for the book: https://assetbucketpublic.7169.prh.com/9780/593/324/981/sales-assets/9780593324981_If%20I%20Built%20a%20Town%20Activity%20Sheets.pdf
• Map drawing exercise: Encourage students to draw a map of their own imagined town/city. Here's a link to some map ideas: https://www.treevalleyacademy.com/pirate-treasure-map/

Suggestions for Further Reading

• Check out the other 2026 Ladybug Longlist titles featuring Imagination & Creativity at: https://nhbookcenter.blogspot.com/2026/02/ladybug-longlist-imagination-creativity.html 
• For other books by Chris Van Dusen, check out Big Truck Little Island, a 2023 Ladybug Finalist, The Circus Ship, a 2010 Ladybug Finalist, and If I Built a House, the 2014 Ladybug winner.
• For other books about imagination, consider The Fantastic Bureau of Imagination by Brad Montague, Once Upon a Book by Grace Lin and Kate Messner or Treehouse Town by Gideon Sterer. 

This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all the titles by Labor Day.

Book of the Week (7/6/2026)

Ghost Chickens: Omelet from the Other Side by Adi Rule (Tundra Books, 2026)

After eating a glowing green egg, aspiring journalist Florence Fortescue can suddenly see that her house is overrun with ghost chickens in this delightfully bizarre and hilarious first book of a new early middle-grade series for readers aged 8 to 12!

Ten-year-old aspiring journalist Florence Fortescue did NOT want to move to the country, leaving her best friend and city life behind.

To make matters worse, Florence is shocked to discover a Minions-esque flock of ghost chickens running amok all over her new house — and her parents are oblivious! Clearly, Mom and Dad need to take their precious daughter back to the city RIGHT NOW. If only she could convince them . . .

Using her journalistic skills, Florence cooks up a sizzling exposé in her homemade newspaper: TERROR IN THE HAUNTED COOP! But when that plan fails, Florence has to enlist the help of her weird new neighbor, two bizarre dogs and maybe even the ghost chickens themselves! --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Adi Rule is the author of Nell and the Netherbeast, Why Would I Lie?, Hearts of Ice, as well as The Hidden Twin and Strange Sweet Song, which won the 2016 New Hampshire Writers' Project Literary Award for Outstanding Young Adult Book and the Vermont College of Fine Arts Houghton Mifflin/Clarion Prize. Adi is a member of the faculty of the Solstice MFA in Creative Writing program at Lasell University. She lives in New Hampshire with two and a half warring cats, a macaw, a magician, and a small but mighty flock of chickens.

Ladybug Nominee Profile

Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe (A Paula Wiseman Book/Beach Lane Books, 2025)

Aggie is very excited to live on her own—until she finds out her new house is haunted. But no fear, the situation is nothing that can’t be fixed with a carefully considered list of rules: No haunting after dark. No stealing socks. No eating all the food.

But the ghost doesn’t like playing by the rules and challenges Aggie to an epic game of tic-tac-toe—winner gets the house.

About Matthew Forsythe

Matthew Forsythe is the award-winning author and illustrator of the books, Pokko and the Drum and MINA. 

He was also the lead designer on the animated show, Adventure Time at Cartoon Network, and the Oscar-nominated film, Robin Robin. He lives in Los Angeles. His website is: https://www.comingupforair.net/

Activities & Links

• Check out this Read Aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkwr9sC90z0
• Here's an interview with Matthew Forsythe about his artistic technique in illustrating his picture books: https://www.brushupmag.com/articles/interview-matthew-forsythe
• Check out these activity sheets for the book at: https://tinyurl.com/ycyzyt3a
• Here's a link to a printable ghost coloring sheet: https://www.firstpalette.com/pdf/ghost-large.pdf 
• Narrative writing exercise: While coloring their ghost sheets, encourage children to develop a ghost character by exploring its personality, appearance, and quirks. 

Suggestions for Further Reading

• Check out the other 2026 Ladybug Longlist titles featuring Friendship & Cooperation at: https://nhbookcenter.blogspot.com/2026/01/ladybug-longlist-friendship-cooperation.html 
• Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima, a 2023 Ladybug Finalist title, and There's a Ghost In This House by Oliver Jeffers are some other titles about ghosts. 
• For more books about friendship, consider The Rock from the Sky by Jon Klassen, a 2022 Ladybug Longlist title, or Norman Didn't Do It! (Yes, He Did.) by Ryan T. Higgins, a 2022 Ladybug Finalist title.

This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all the titles by Labor Day.

3 on a Theme: Numbers

 The Five Year Lie: A Domestic Thriller by Sarina Bowen

 Six Thousand Doughnuts by Thomas Tosi

 Twenty-Five to Life by R.W.W Greene 

Book of the Week (6/29/2026)

Lady Justice and the Sisterhood of the Crones by Jennifer Speidel (Olympia Publishers, 2026)

The world is broken - corrupt men rule, greed runs rampant, and the voices of women have been silenced for too long. Enter Mavon, a demon, who's lost her taste for wicked souls, and Buluku, the ancient goddess of matriarchy, who's had enough. Together, they call upon the crones - women of wisdom, resilience, and untapped power - to rise up and take back what's theirs.

On Peaks Island, an unlikely sisterhood forms: Maxine, a no-nonsense New Yorker with a rebellious streak; Toby, a teacher whose empathy is her superpower; and Sumita, a gentle soul with quiet strength. As their magic spreads, curses unravel the powerful, and a revolution begins. But changing the world won't be easy - especially when the forces of greed fight back.

Witty, fierce, and full of heart, Lady Justice and the Sisterhood of the Crones is a spellbinding tale of justice, sisterhood, and the power of women who refuse to be ignored. For anyone who's ever wished the patriarchy would just... crumble. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Jennifer Speidel has been a special education teacher for twenty years. She's passionate about building strong connections with students and community, and founded a school thrift shop that has provided over 11,000 free items to students. She lives in New Hampshire with her partner, Dave, and their two cats. Now empty nesters, they enjoy camping with their daughters. Jennifer loves coastal walks in Maine and reading with a cat curled up on her lap.

Join Jennifer at Gibson's Bookstore on Thu., August 6, 2026 at 6:30 pm where she will be discussing her first novel!

Ladybug Nominee Profile

Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave by Drew Beckmeyer (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2025)

A hilarious and thought-provoking picture book about two little cave rock formations who witness the entire history of the world.

DRIP. DRIP. DRIP.

Time flies for two charming little cave nubs, Stalactite and Stalagmite. Over millions of years, creatures and things pass in and out of their cave, everything from a trilobite, an ichthyostega, and a triceratops, to a ground sloth and a bat.

When you are an ageless rock formation, it’s nice to have a friend who’s always there. But what will happen when the two nubs grow enough to finally touch?

About Drew Beckmeyer 

Drew Beckmeyer received a Caldecott Honor for his picture book Stalactite & Stalagmite. He is an author-illustrator and schoolteacher based in Los Angeles. He is the author-illustrator of I Am a Tornado, The First Week of School, and The Long Island. He is the illustrator of Dear Wild Child. His website is: https://www.drewbeckmeyer.com/

Activities & Links

• Check out this Read Aloud & craft with the author/illustrator: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZAO-fFRrsg
• Here's a video with Drew Beckmeyer about his research process in creating this book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E9LybaPooA
• Check out these activity sheets for the book: https://tinyurl.com/y3n4t26p
• Here's a guide to teaching environmental fiction & nonfiction: https://tinyurl.com/fpr7yr43
• Watch SciShow Kids' video about caves, stalactites & stalagmites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp-AGTtmjjA
• Check out Britannica Kids' webpage about geologic time: https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/geologic-time/390244
• Here's an interview with the author/illustrator about Stalactite & Stalagmite: https://jenabenton.com/2025/03/21/simply-7-with-drew-beckmeyer-stalactite-stalagmite/

Suggestions for Further Reading

• Check out the other 2026 Ladybug Longlist titles featuring Nature at: https://nhbookcenter.blogspot.com/2026/02/ladybug-longlist-nature.html
• I Am a Tornado, a 2024 Ladybug Nominee title is another book authored & illustrated by Drew Beckmeyer. 
• For more books about rocks, consider A Pocket Full of Rocks by Kristin Mahoney, a 2026 Ladybug Longlist title, Rick the Rock of Room 214 by Julie Falatko, a 2025 Ladybug Longlist title or When You Find the Right Rock by Mary Lyn Ray, a 2025 Ladybug Longlist title by a NH author/illustrator. 

This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all the titles by Labor Day.

Ann Patchett to Receive 2026 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction

The Library of Congress has announced that the 2026 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction will be awarded to Ann Patchett at the National Book Festival on Aug. 22, 2026!

The annual Prize for American Fiction, one of the Library’s most prestigious awards, honors an American literary writer whose body of work is distinguished by its mastery of the art, as well as its originality of thought and imagination.

The award seeks to recognize strong, unique, enduring voices that, throughout long and consistently accomplished careers, have told us something about the American experience.

Patchett is the author of 10 novels, including “The Dutch House” (Pulitzer Prize finalist), “The Patron Saint of Liars,” “Bel Canto,” “Commonwealth” and “Taft,” as well as nonfiction and children’s books. She was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and received the National Humanities Medal in recognition of her contributions to American culture. Her books have been translated into more than 30 languages.

For more information about the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, including past winners click here.

Book of the Week (6/22/2026)

In Wonderland: A Novel by Joyce Maynard (Little A, 2026)

In one golden summer, Frances trades her working-class world for an elite Maine lakeside estate―where privilege and betrayal turn into a deadly game.

Frances believes she’s found a ticket to paradise when a wealthy couple hires her for the summer as their mother’s helper at their lakefront summer home in Maine. The vintage wooden boats, the days at the country club, a shiny new bicycle, and a tennis racquet―suddenly Frances has everything her modest childhood lacked. Best of all, she gets to spend the summer with Forrest Emerson, her father's charismatic childhood friend who escaped their neighborhood when he married into money.

But below the glittering surface of Lake Catherine, nothing is what it seems. When Forrest’s wife, Regina, pulls Frances into her private obsession, the girl finds herself witness to the intimate secrets of adult lives. As the summer heat builds, so do the tensions within Wonderland’s walls. By Labor Day, a death will shatter the seemingly perfect family, leaving Frances to question everything she thought she knew about privilege, power, and the price of belonging. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Joyce Maynard is the New York Times bestselling author of thirteen previous novels and five books of nonfiction, as well as the syndicated column Domestic Affairs. Her memoir, At Home in the World, has been translated into eighteen languages. Her novels To Die For and Labor Day were both adapted for film. She is a fellow of MacDowell and Yaddo artists' residencies.

When not running her hotel/retreat center, Casa Paloma, in Guatemala―where she mentors women in the telling of their stories―she makes her home in Northern California and in the state of New Hampshire.

Join Joyce at Gibson's Bookstore on Thu., July 23, 2026 at 6:30 pm and at Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough on Sat., July 25, 2026 at 11 am where she will be discussing her newest book!