Lula and the Sea Monster
Written and illustrated by Alex Latimer

The popular children’s book author-illustrator who brought you Am I Yours? and Penguin’s Hidden Talent is back with a delightfully odd yet moving story of nurturing friendship and bravery. Fans of Alex Latimer’s endearing tales and equally heartwarming illustrations won’t want to miss Lula and the Sea Monster.

Lula loves living by the beach, searching for washed-up treasures on the sand, and watching animals in the rock pools. But soon, her family must leave their home to make way for a new highway. Counting down the days to her move, Lula walks along the beach to find keepsakes while she still can and discovers something much more valuable than a souvenir. Lula makes friends with a small sea monster that she names Bean. Each day Lula returns to the beach to feed him. And each day Bean grows bigger and bigger, quickly outgrowing the different homes Lula finds for him. But what will happen to Lula’s new friend once she moves away?

Readers will enjoy following Lula and her friend Bean in the newest picture book from Alex Latimer and learning about the importance of friendship and standing up for others. Look for Lula and Bean in a rock pool near you this August!

“The pink, squidlike Bean is perfectly adorable…. A colorful and uplifting story that is more than just a beach read.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Latimer’s bright, digitized pencil drawings give life to the coastal setting and will make readers appreciate the seaside as much as Lula does. An absorbing and heartening tale about the boundless friendship between people and nature and the importance of preservation.” —Booklist Online

“Big on imagination, environmental conservation, and sandwiches.” —Foreword Reviews

Can’t wait to pick up a copy at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble? Read an excerpt. Or, follow Peachtree on Instagram and catch the giveaway of a set of Alex Latimer books, including Lula and the Sea Monster!

Make sure to check out the rest of our new Fall 2019 titles and those coming to Peachtree in paperback.

For: The Fairy Tale Fanatic

Hansel & Gretel
Written and illustrated by Bethan Woollvin

In this subversive and deliciously wicked retelling, Willow is a good witch, who only uses good magic―until she meets Hansel and Gretel.

Featuring Bethan Woollvin’s signature striking and humorous visuals, this fractured fairy tale has twist ending that is sure to surprise and delight all readers! For more fairy tale twists from Bethan Woollvin, check out Little Red and Rapunzel.

The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas
Written by Tony Wilson
Illustrated by Sue deGennaro

Prince Henrik wants to marry an outdoorsy kind of girl, so instead of a single pea tucked into a pile of bedding, Henrik tests prospective brides with an entire packet of frozen peas shoved under a flimsy camping mattress. As princess after princess complains, will Henrik ever find the right girl?

This modern rom-com remix of the beloved fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea” delivers a freshly humorous take on one prince’s search for the just-right girl of his dreams.

The Boy Who Cried Ninja
Written and illustrated by Alex Latimer

In this quirky twist on “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” Tim’s outrageous excuses turn out to have an unexpected element of truth.

Bubbling with wit and humor from start to finish, author-illustrator Alex Latimer’s debut picture book with wacky characters like ninjas, pirates, crocodiles, and time-traveling monkeys, will have readers of all ages laughing out loud. Read an excerpt here.

Prairie Chicken Little
Written by Jackie Mims Hopkins
Illustrated by Henry Cole

When Mary McBlicken the prairie chicken hears a rumblin’ and a grumblin’, she sets off to warn her friends in this prairie-style twist on “Chicken Little.”

Jackie Mims Hopkins brings readers a hilarious, prairie-style rendition of a well-loved tale. Henry Cole’s energetic illustrations perfectly complement the hilarity and will have readers laughing out loud. Also available in Spanish.

Find these titles and more at your local indie bookstore or Barnes & Noble. Still looking for more great ideas? Our 2018 Holiday Gift Guide has even more gift recommendations for your little readers this holiday season!

When a little egg is blown from its nest, it doesn’t know what to do! It can’t find its parents and needs some help. Luckily, a group of friendly dinosaurs agree to help the egg find its way home. But if the little egg is to find its true family, first they all must figure out what kind of dinosaur is inside. What does that egg look like inside its shell? Surely, there must be a way to tell!

This fun tale from the creative mind of Alex Latimer is perfect for fans of Are You My Mother and little paleontologists alike. With Latimer’s signature bold art style and rhyming cadence ideal for storytime and reading aloud, readers will have no problem enthusiastically following along and guessing which type of dinosaur is inside the shell. This heartwarming story also has an entertaining portrayal of community and parental love that both adult and child can appreciate.

★ “This is a must-have addition to any children’s collection and a surefire crowd-pleaser at a dinosaur storytime. One might call it a roaring success.”
—Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“Latimer’s rhyme scheme is wonderfully timed and plotted, giving a singsong cadence that is ideal for storytime. His illustrations are equally spot-on with bright colors and basic character design that give a gentle and caring feel… Sure to be a crowd-pleaser—highly recommended.”
—School Library Journal

“As cozy and safe as it is mannerly, with a patterned text well suited to storytime sharing with younger audiences.”
—Kirkus Reviews

Follow along on our Twitter and Instagram to meet some of the dinosaurs featured in the book! Am I Yours? will be out September 1. Check out the rest of author-illustrator Alex Latimer’s books here.

Starting today, enter our Goodreads giveaway for a chance to win one of twenty unbound copies of Never Follow a Dinosaur. Alex Latimer‘s quirkly and bold style combined with strong visual storytelling in this cumulative mystery will not only test readers’ deductive reasoning, it will make kids want to read it again and again. They might even start looking for dinosaurs of their own to follow!

Sally and Joe are convinced that the mysterious footprints they have discovered must belong to a dinosaur! Could it be? Join them as they follow the clues to find out… But wait—what if Sally and Joe are right? What if it really is a dinosaur?

Read more about this title on our last New Book Wednesday post!

In Alex Latimer’s new picture book, Sally and Joe find strange footprints. Could they belong to a dinosaur? Mom always said to never follow a dinosaur, but Sally and Joe know the mysterious creature is out there somewhere, and they’re going to find it… But what if they really do find a dinosaur?!

From the author of Stay! A Top Dog Story and Lion vs. Rabbit, Never Follow a Dinosaur is a fun and imaginative mystery sure to entertain all ages. Great for helping children draw conclusions or introducing deductive reasoning, readers will want to find out what new idea the siblings have about this mysterious dinosaur as the story progresses. With Latimer’s quirky illustrations and a surprise ending, little ones will be laughing out loud and wanting to read this picture book again!

“A goofy romp with a very lovable dinosaur at its center that never loses its (very small) footing.” ―Kirkus Reviews

Track down a copy of Never Follow a Dinosaur on September 1st! Looking for fun and creative ways to use this book with children? Check out some dinosaur-related pins on our “Storytime Snack & Crafts” Pinterest board.

Look for it at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble. Interested in what other books we are publishing this season? Check out our list of new books here!

It’s always an honor to be among the fun and beautiful titles that make up the reading lists each year. Enjoy these titles, and make sure to check out the rest of the amazing books on the lists!

Churchill’s Tale of Tails by Anca Sandu

Friends try to help Churchill replace his missing tail. But Churchill’s fun makes him forget his friends. Will Churchill put friends first and find his lost tail along the way? Children will enjoy the delightful friendship tale.

Claude at the Beach by Alex T. Smith

 A small dog named Claude and his animated sock companion, Sir Bobblysock, head to the beach for their latest adventure that includes rescuing a swimmer, winning a sand castle contest, and searching for treasure. Claude’s silly antics keep readers laughing.

Lion vs. Rabbit by Alex Latimer

Lion is mean to everyone! Various animals try to stand up to Lion, but fail. And then a rabbit arrives. Can such a small, gentle animal defeat Lion?

Three Hens and  a Peacock by Lester Laminack

A peacock shows up at the farm and lures visitors to the farm stand. The hens get jealous so hound dog suggests they swap duties. The peacock and the hens find the tasks more difficult than they thought.

Quarterback Season by Fred Bowen

A clever boy-focused story about middle-grade Matt playing for a football team. The story is clever because it integrates the trials of playing a sport through a boy’s journal and e-mail messages. Football is the hook, and the journal provides authenticity.

Mr. President Goes to School by Rick Walton

When Mr. President needs a break from solving world problems, he disguises himself and joins Mrs. Applegate’s classroom. Kids will hang on every word and picture as the President enters their world, learning to solve world problems kid-style!

Stay! perfectly captures what it’s like to have a new pet in the house. Ben and Buster are a dynamic pair, but Ben lets Buster, his dog, do what he wants when he wants. Ben’s parents are not as on board with this idea, and they decide to take a family vacation…without Buster. Buster will stay with Grampa while they are away, and when they return, they’ll find that Grampa has worked some magic of his own on the rambunctious dog.

This book stands out among others in that Ben writes an enormous amount of letters, notes, and postcards to Grampa about how to take care of Buster. He worries that Grampa will not know how Buster likes to be treated, what his biggest fears are, and how he likes to be scratched. Many of the pages in this book display the letters that Ben has written, complete with illustrations for maximum understanding. Grampa finishes the story by writing Ben a letter of his own; only this time, he describes how to continue training Buster, rather than pampering him.

This book is a perfect read aloud for any child that loves pets, has a dog, or wants one in the future. For the full summary of Stay! click here.