Book of the Week (4/27/2026)

My Sister, the Freak: A Graphic Novel by Dani Jones (HarperAlley, 2026)

From New York Times bestselling illustrator Dani Jones comes a heartfelt exploration of sisterhood, forgiveness, and outer space invasions.

Mary Seaver lives in her own world. It’s not her fault if sometimes her enthusiasm creates chaos. To Mary, that’s what being 10 years old and a huge science fiction fan is all about. Allison “Al” Seaver is Mary’s older sister—and she’s everything that Mary is not: cool, calm, collected, and super popular.

So it makes sense that when aliens invade their hometown of Pleasant Valley, Mary’s trying to warn everyone about the end of the world while Al’s just hoping it will all go away before the spring dance. But when a secret emerges from their family’s past, Mary and Al find themselves turning to their most unlikely ally: each other.

Dive into Dani Jones's debut original graphic novel, a hilariously tender investigation of sibling dynamics, aliens, and what it is that makes us human. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Dani Jones is an illustrator, artist, and writer based in New Hampshire. She is the creator of the children's book MONSTERS VS. KITTENS (Stan Lee's Kids Universe) and the comic MY SISTER THE FREAK. She loves to draw silly creatures, cute animals, and pictures for kids. Her hyper cat is named Charles and he loves to sit with her at her desk while she draws.

Book of the Week (2/23/2026)

Beatrix and the Unicorn by Lita Judge (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2026)

Inspired by the famous Unicorn Tapestries, acclaimed author-illustrator Lita Judge weaves together a beautiful picture book about a servant girl searching for a real unicorn—and with it, the promise of friendship.

Long ago and far away, a girl named Beatrix wakes each day to her chores in the castle. She serves the meals and scrubs the floors. And when no one is looking, she gazes at the tapestry of the unicorn in a garden. The unicorn is the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen, but it’s only made from thread. Beatrix knows if she could find the real unicorn, she would never feel lonely again, so late one evening, she gathers what she needs for a long journey and slips out into the night… --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Lita Judge is the award winning author and illustrator of 30 fiction and nonfiction books including The Wisdom of Trees. Her other picture books include Born in the Wild, Red Sled, Hoot and Peep, and One Thousand Tracings, winner of the International Reading Association Award and an ALA Notable Book. Her book, Flight School, was adapted into an off-Broadway musical and is currently running in New York and China. She lives in Peterborough, NH.

Book of the Week (12/1/2025)

Scary Stories from New Hampshire: Terrifying Tales & Folklore by Rex Eldritch (Wildfire Fiction, 2025)

What lurks in the dark woods of New Hampshire? Whose footsteps echo on the covered bridge at night when no one’s there?

Scary Stories from New Hampshire is a collection of supernatural horror drawn from the Granite State’s ghost stories, legends, and chilling local lore. Inside you’ll encounter cursed towns abandoned to the wilderness, haunted orchards where old rules are broken at your peril, and cold, dead hands that clutch at swimmers from below. Each tale pulls from real places and unsettling folklore, blending the strange with the terrifying in ways you won’t forget.

Grim, nightmarish illustrations bring these stories to life, making every page an eerie journey into New England’s haunted heart. Perfect for sharing aloud at night or reading alone with the lights low, this book offers an unforgettable descent into shadows.

Dare to read it—if you’re brave enough. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Rex Eldritch is an author and visual artist inspired by the eerie folklore and haunted landscapes of New England. His work combines supernatural storytelling with a folkloric sense of place, drawing on ghost stories, legends, and the darker side of local history. A resident of New Hampshire, he creates fiction that is both unsettling and accessible, written for readers who enjoy tales of mystery, horror, and the uncanny. Beyond writing, he is also an illustrator and game designer, with a lifelong passion for storytelling in many forms.

Book of the Week (8/25/2025)

Float by Larry Daley (Bookling Media, 2026)

Dive into the fun as first grader Rosie leaps into action to retrieve her soggy snacks from a stealing seagull! Enjoy the many colorful creatures swimming in this wild aquarium adventure. Spot Bubbles the octopus sneaking through the pages as she plans her escape, find the twenty sea turtles hidden in the artwork, and explore the back pages to learn what these animals love to eat! You might even uncover a few new facts before your next trip to your favorite aquarium.

Larry Daley creates an immersive story about anticipation, frustration, and the power of pausing when things get tough. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Larry Daley spent fifteen years as both an Art Director and Editor at DC Comics Entertainment and Warner Bros. Studios, helping to develop DC's library of characters for media development and licensed products. His work with characters like BATMAN and SUPERMAN has appeared in several feature films & television series, as well as toys, video games, licensed publishing, custom comics, theme parks, corporate branding and global promotions. Today, Larry dedicates his efforts illustrating full-time at his studio on the New Hampshire seacoast.

Book of the Week (6/2/2025)

The King of Books by Gina Perry (Feiwel & Friends, 2025)

A laugh-out-loud story about an enthusiastic king who learns the power of books!

It’s Book Day, everyone!

And the King of Books cannot wait to show off all the things that he can do with his magnificent collection.

He can make dizzying book towers, fearsome book-quakes, and even handy book trays for his meals. Much to the horror of his trusty advisors, though, it seems that the King of Books is oblivious to their original purpose.

But when a fearsome Moat Monster takes exception to the King’s antics, the King of Books has to unlock the full potential of reading in order to save the realm.

Gina Perry has crafted a comical story with friendly and bright art that treats all of her subjects with grace and compassion, and showcases the power of the written word (and also that books are much easier to read when you hold them the right side up). --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

New England author and illustrator Gina Perry has been working in children’s books since 2005. She has 17 books to her credit from early readers, to picture and chapter books, and illustrated middle grade. Gina lives on the seacoast of New Hampshire with her family and Hank the pug. She's always on the lookout for moose, but has yet to spot one.

Book of the Week (9/2/2024)

The Curse of the Crummy Mummy by Thomas Tosi, illustrated by Meaghan Tosi (Dooney Press, 2024)

NH author Thomas Tosi has released Book #2 in the Green Hill Academy Chronicles, a follow-up to Six Thousand Doughnuts!

Miss Sorenson’s fifth-grade class at Green Hill Academy is going to make a movie… a mummy movie! Brilliant but awkward Bernard Gawain is thrilled his crush, Bridget Matsumoto, has been cast as the leading lady, and he will be playing her hero. But this dream come true unravels when his domineering mother becomes the class substitute teacher and the film's tyrannical director. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

THOMAS TOSI is a bestselling author and filmmaker whose writing includes six feature screenplays, three novels, and a children's chapter book. He has written and directed numerous short dramatic films and the feature film "Dribbles." His novel "Six Thousand Doughnuts" was narrated for audiobook by AudioFile Magazine Golden Voice, Michael Crouch. In August of 2022, it became the Number One Bestselling Children's Audiobook in independent bookstores across North America. He is the recipient of the 2023 New Hampshire Literary Awards in both the Middle-Grade and Children's categories. He graduated from Boston University winning both the Blue Chip Award for undergraduate achievement and Redstone Award for filmmaking. Living in his native New Hampshire, he frequently collaborates on creative projects with his family.

About the illustrator:

MEAGHAN TOSI, after being born on April Fools' Day in New Hampshire, has collected a BFA from Laguna College of Art and Design. She illustrated this book and the graphic novel "Squashed" alongside author Thomas Tosi. She has also self-published "DWEEDY: The Imagined Adventures of My Deceased Cat." She now lives in Portland, Oregon, for the art, coffee shops, vegan food, and the constantly lingering smell of rain.

Book of the Week (1/22/2024)

Noodle Conquers Comfy Mountain by Jonathan Graziano and illustrated by Dan Tavis (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2023)

Since Noodle and the No Bones Day recently won the 2023 Ladybug Picture Book Award, I thought it perfect to feature the sequel, also featuring NH illustrator Dan Tavis' illustrations!

Noodle the pug embarks on a quest to climb comfy mountain in this sweet and entertaining sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling picture book Noodle and the No Bones Day by the creator of the viral “Bones or No Bones” TikTok videos!

Noodle the pug loves his cozy donut bed, tucked away in his human, Jonathan’s, bedroom. But as he’s settling in for a lazy day (a no bones day), he decides he needs someplace extra special. A place where he can rest but with a good view of everything in his apartment. On a quest to find this comfiest place, Noodle spots the holy grail: the soft, squishy top of the couch. It’s Comfy Mountain.

But Comfy Mountain is high up out of Noodle’s reach. When he realizes that he won’t be able to conquer it on his own, Noodle must decide whether to forgo his independence for the comfiest, coziest spot he’s ever seen. Readers will delight in this new adventure from Noodle the pug and learn that, while it’s great to try things on your own, it’s also okay to ask for help when you need it.-- Publisher's blurb

2023 Ladybug Winner

New Hampshire children have chosen Noodle and the No Bones Day by Jonathan Graziano and New Hampshire's own Dan Tavis as the winner of the 2023 Ladybug Picture Book Award.

There were 21,373 votes cast this year at 169 sites throughout the state. The winning book received 6,446 votes.  A flyer with the complete list of voting results is available on the Ladybug Picture Book Award website.

Book of the Week (12/25/2023)

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Tomie dePaola (Holiday House, 1980)

What better book to feature this week than this classic that turned 200 years on December 23, perfectly illustrated by New Hampshire author/illustrator Tomie dePaola!

With warm colors and cozy art, award-winning artist Tomie dePaola brings the beloved holiday poem to life. Detailed decorations and family portraits hang on the walls of a turn of the 19th century New England home as the family sleeps, snuggled into cozy geometric quilts—until the clatter of little hooves on the roof wakes them.

Rosy-cheeked St. Nicholas appears, filling the stockings with dolls and blocks, toy animals and candy canes, before taking off over the snow-capped hills in his sleigh. Framed by borders inspired by traditional New England quilts, the warm illustrations are full of cheerful details kids will love to pore over. --Publisher's blurb

A Visit from St. Nicholas, more commonly known as The Night Before Christmas and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas is a poem that was first published anonymously under the title Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas in the Troy, New York Sentinel on December 23, 1823 and later attributed to Clement Clarke Moore.

Book of the Week (8/14/2023)

Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell by Sy Montgomery (Mariner Books, 2023)

National Book Award finalist for The Soul of an Octopus and New York Times bestseller Sy Montgomery turns her journalistic curiosity to the wonder and wisdom of our long-lived cohabitants—turtles—and through their stories of hope and rescue, reveals to us astonishing new perspectives on time and healing.

When acclaimed naturalist Sy Montgomery and wildlife artist Matt Patterson arrive at Turtle Rescue League, they are greeted by hundreds of turtles recovering from injury and illness. Endangered by cars and highways, pollution and poachers, these turtles—with wounds so severe that even veterinarians would have dismissed them as fatal—are given a second chance at life. The League’s founders, Natasha and Alexxia, live by one motto: Never give up on a turtle.

But why turtles? What is it about them that inspires such devotion? Ancient and unhurried, long-lived and majestic, their lineage stretches back to the time of the dinosaurs. Some live to two hundred years, or longer. Others spend months buried under cold winter water. Montgomery turns to these little understood yet endlessly surprising creatures to probe the eternal question: How can we make peace with our time?

In pursuit of the answer, Sy and Matt immerse themselves in the delicate work of protecting turtle nests, incubating eggs, rescuing sea turtles, and releasing hatchlings to their homes in the wild. We follow the snapping turtle Fire Chief on his astonishing journey as he battles against injuries incurred by a truck.

Hopeful and optimistic, Of Time and Turtles is an antidote to the instability of our frenzied world. Elegantly blending science, memoir, philosophy, and drawing on cultures from across the globe, this compassionate portrait of injured turtles and their determined rescuers invites us all to slow down and slip into turtle time.-- Publisher's blurb

NH author Sy Montgomery returns to Gibson's Bookstore, with the illustrator of her new book, Matt Patterson, on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 6:30 pm to share Of Time and Turtles!

Book of the Week (7/3/2023)

We Are Branches by Joyce Sidman and Beth Krommes (ill.) (Clarion Books, 2023)

Caldecott winner Beth Krommes and Newbery Honor-winning poet Joyce Sidman team up in this singular celebration of a beautiful, fascinating shape in nature. A nonfiction picture book companion to their acclaimed Swirl by Swirl.

Branches are all around us: in butterfly wings, on gecko toes, in flowers, frost, and mud. Whether as electricity moving across the sky or rivers flowing to the sea, branches are nature’s most efficient way to spread and to connect. They are even found inside our own bodies, helping us reach and grow with each breath and heartbeat.

Branches—strong, hopeful, beautiful—are the shape of life. How many can you find? --Publisher's blurb

Join NH illustrator Beth Krommes on Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 11 am at Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough, NH where she will be autographing, discussing and reading from her new book.

3 on a Theme: Illustrating Authors

 

The Journey that Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey by Louise Borden

Dr. Seuss: American Icon by Philip Nel

The Worlds of Tomie dePaola: The Art and Stories of the Legendary Artist and Author by Barbara Elleman

Book of the Week (4/17/2023)

Dogs: A History of Our Best Friends by Lita Judge (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2023)

This illustrated history of dogs, from award-winning author-illustrator Lita Judge, explores how humans’ partnership with dogs changed our lives and theirs.

Of all the animals on the planet, dogs have the widest range of roles in our daily lives. They’re protectors, helpers, lifesavers—but most of all, they’re family.

And they’ve taken a fascinating journey to get to this point. Long ago, early wolves evolved from fierce predators into trusted partners. They became dogs! While we know dogs to be lovable and full of personality, they have also historically improved our lives in many practical ways, like guarding livestock to help humans form the first settlements, cleaning out infectious wounds, and finding food. Covering over 50,000 years of history, from cave-dwelling to the present day, Dogs chronicles fascinating scientific details and the history of how dogs learned to live cooperatively alongside humans.

In this beautifully illustrated and thoroughly researched book, award-winning author and illustrator Lita Judge explores how our lives are intertwined with dogs’—and that’s what makes them our best friends.-- Publisher's blurb

Join NH author/illustrator Lita Judge at Toadstool Bookshops in Peterborough, NH on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 11 am.

Book of the Week (1/16/2023)

The Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby, Volume 3 (1864) by Marek Bennett (Comics Workshop, 2023)

The continuing adventures of a Yankee schoolteacher in the Union Army. 

As the Civil War heats up in early 1864, Colby & co. make the discoveries & connections that could mean life or death in the battles ahead! 

JANUARY- MAY, 1864: While Freeman Colby recovers his health in a D.C. hospital, the war works unforeseen changes all around him.... 

The Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby, Volume 3 (1864) features the stories of schoolteachers & bricklayers, radicals & refugees, nurses & politicians - Drawn from their actual diaries, letters, sketchbooks, & more!-- Publisher's blurb

NH author/illustrator Marek Bennett will be making his way back to Gibson's Bookstore on Wednesday,  January 25th, 2023 at 6:30 pm. Marek will be sharing the newest installment of his ongoing Freeman Colby graphic novels, based off of the real Civil War diaries of a New Hampshire man! 

Book of the Week (10/31/2022)

Squashed by Meaghan Tosi and Thomas Tosi (Dooney Press, 2022)

NH author/illustrator team Thomas and Meaghan Tosi bring to life a warm and entertaining Halloween story set in the Granite State!

Aah! Dude! It moved! I told you not to touch it!

Can the mysterious shuddering pumpkin the three kids found in the forest be alive? They’re going to find out when they lift it from its resting place and carry it home. But what happens if someone—or something—comes looking for it?

This evocative graphic novel is spooky yet ultimately gentle and charming. It presents a tale of unfounded fear of those who are different and the similarities we all share. Told in richly stylized full-color artwork from illustrator Meaghan Tosi whose previous work Kirkus Reviews praised as "delightful."-- Publisher's blurb

Ladybug Nominee

Watercress by Andrea Wang and Jason Chin (Neal Porter Books, 2021)

Driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl's parents stop suddenly when they spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road. Grabbing an old paper bag and some rusty scissors, the whole family wades into the muck to collect as much of the muddy, snail covered watercress as they can.

At first, she's embarrassed. Why can't her family get food from the grocery store? But when her mother shares a story of her family's time in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged. Together, they make a new memory of watercress in this tender story inspired by the author's childhood memories.

About Andrea Wang

Andrea Wang is an acclaimed author of children’s books. Her book Watercress was awarded the Caldecott Medal, a Newbery Honor, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, a New England Book Award, and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor. Her other books, The Many Meanings of Meilan, Magic Ramen, and The Nian Monster, have also received awards and starred reviews. Her work explores culture, creative thinking, and identity. She is also the author of seven nonfiction titles for the library and school market. Andrea holds an M.S. in Environmental Science and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing for Young People. She lives in Colorado with her family. Her website is  https://andreaywang.com

About Jason Chin

Jason Chin is the author and illustrator of many acclaimed books, including Grand Canyon and Your Place in the Universe.   While researching his books, he’s gone swimming with sharks, explored lava fields and camped with scorpions at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  Jason loves making art, learning about science and getting outside to hike, bike, ski and explore.  He grew up in a small town in New Hampshire that happened to be home to Caldecott medalist, Trina Schart Hyman.  Hyman presented regularly at his elementary school and they met when he was a teenager. She became his mentor and guided him as he pursued a career in the arts.  Jason studied art at Syracuse University and began his illustration career while living in New York City.  In 2009 he published Redwoods, his first book as both author and illustrator. Since then, he has written and illustrated numerous award-winning books that combine his passion for nature, science and art.  Jason now lives with his family in Vermont. His website is https://jasonchin.net/

Activities & Links

•  Learn more about watercress at https://kids.kiddle.co/Watercress
•  A video from Dani Spies on buying and eating watercress: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEUY3VSP_Ag
•  An interview with Andrea Wang on growing up Chinese-American in the midwest: https://lesley.edu/article/author-andrea-wang-on-growing-up-chinese-american-in-the-midwest
•  An educator's guide on this book from Holiday House: https://andreaywang.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WATERCRESS-Ed-Guide-Website-DESIGN-2.pdf
• Activities based on this book for use with Common Core standards: https://wordtravelliteracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FINAL-PDF-WATERCRESS-Guide-and-CCSS.pdf 
• Learn more about China's great famine in a story from NPR: https://www.npr.org/2012/11/10/164732497/a-grim-chronicle-of-chinas-great-famine
  

Suggestions for Further Reading

• A read-aloud of this story from the Cincinnati Museum Center: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=855579485039379
  
• Check out the other 2022 Ladybug Longlist titles about immigrant experiences at https://nhbookcenter.blogspot.com/2022/02/ladybug-longlist-immigrant-experiences.html
  
• If you want more books about food from Andrea Wang consider Luli and the Language of Tea or Magic Ramen 
• For more books that reflect the Asian American experience check out this book list from Today:  https://www.today.com/shop/asian-american-kids-books-aapi-month-t215525
•  If you want to read a book written and illustrated by Jason Chin consider Island: A Story of the Galapogos or Grand Canyon.
  

 

This is one of ten titles nominated for the 2022 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 ten titles at Labor Day.

Book of the Week (11/15/2021)

The Hero Behind the Sand Dune by Susan Blanchard (Portsmouth, N.H.: MindStir Media, 2021).

Written by NH author, Susan Houck Blanchard and illustrated by NH student, MacKenzie Craig, 'The Hero Behind the Sand Dune" is their first collaboration.

"David loves his super hero costumes, however he was unable to wear one this day. The lesson he learned was, that you don't need to have a super hero costume, in order to be a hero." --Publisher's blurb

Book of the Week (9/6/2021)

Six Thousand Doughnuts by Thomas Tosi (N.H. : Dooney Press, 2021).

Granite State author, Thomas Tosi has released his latest title, 'Six Thousand Doughnuts'; a middle-grade reader packed with comedic shenanigans and humorous illustrations to compliment the story.

"Why would anyone need six thousand doughnuts?

Big family...little house... Fifth-grader Abe Mitchell is fed up with sharing. All he wants is something to call his own. And he just might get it when he finds a loophole in the fine print of a doughnut shop coupon. Abe thinks it entitles him to a fresh-baked mountain of crullers, dunkers, and chocolate-frosteds. But cashing in means war with Marlene Paczki, the daughter of the doughnut shop owner and Abe's new crush." --Publisher's blurb

Book of the Week (12/28/2020)

The Worlds of Tomie dePaola: The Art and Stories of the Legendary Artist and Author by Barbara Elleman (New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2021).

Beloved NH children's author and illustrator Tomie dePaola is celebrated in this upcoming biography about his life and work.

"Tomie dePaola is one of the best-known and most beloved creators of books for children. His art and his stories, which are filled with imagination, humor, grace, and curiosity, represent a love of life that is reflected in everything he does.

Barbara Elleman’s exploration of Tomie dePaola’s career takes a fascinating look at the many worlds dePaola has brought to life through his work: from autobiographical memories to folktales, religious stories, nursery rhymes, and more—including, of course, the inventive world of his most famous character, Strega Nona. Originally published in 1999 and filled with evocative artwork, captivating photographs, and heartwarming anecdotes, this comprehensive book has been updated to cover two new decades of dePaola’s creativity. Elleman’s thoughtful narrative brings a fresh appreciation to the work of a unique author-illustrator, one who is a true legend of children’s literature and a source of lasting joy for generations of readers, young and old." --Publisher's blurb

Book of the Week (7/27/2020)

Sharjah Sketchbook by Marek Bennett (N.H.: Comics Workshop, 2020).

Henniker, NH author, illustrator and musician Marek Bennett has recently released his newest graphic novel chronicling his trip to Sharjah, United Arab Emirates where he attended and taught workshops at the Sharjah International Book Fair 2019!

"Rabbit’s on the road again, drawing stories & inspiration from diverse crowds thronging the largest book fair in the Arab world! In these loose, lively diary comics from a teaching trip to Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, cartoonist Marek Bennett explores themes of migration & travel, language, education, and the role of images & storytelling in society." --Author's website