The Book Faire: Children's Literature for Grownups
Sep 23, 2026 · 18 min · 10 segments
https://www.anovelmind.com/ This week's episode of the Book Fair Podcast features new middle-grade book releases, the National Book Award for Young People's Literature…
But first, we'll start by looking at new releases, starting with Young Cat, Old Cat by Jillian Tamaki.
A cat's many lives, from kitten to adult and beyond, propel Caldecott honoree Tamaki's mesmerizing romp.
As descriptive text unfolds in spare fragments, calligraphic brushwork and tidy embroidery stitch the story together.
To begin, a small gray kitten announces itself with a mew and a tug on a child's pant leg.
After the feline captures the child's attention, the kitty is taken home by a family portrayed with brown skin and the finally free cat can explore.
As the pages turn, lively scenes spotlight the animal's many sides, with verbs occasionally labeling actions.
The vibe turns surreal when the furry protagonist begins dreaming, its head appearing on the body of a bird in flight and a ballet dancer and a mermaid.
Eventually, it becomes time to say goodbye to the old cat, ancient cat, oh-so-tired cat, who takes on a starry manifestation, appearing constellation-like in the heavens above before re-emerging again as a kitten.
Textile-driven artwork brings an appropriately furry dimensionality to the pages.
Riffing on myths about cats' nine lives, tactile illustrations and spare writing yield a crispy rendered kitty ode.
This book is recommended for ages three to seven.
Next is Deerheart by Ian Colfer and illustrated by P.J. Lynch.
Colfer and Lynch follow three tasks for a dragon with a stirring fable set in long-ago Ireland, where a magical forest is threatened by outside forces.
As revealed in an extended prologue, three witch sisters, born from the trees and empowered by the Irish earth goddess Danu, have always protected Creedon Wood and the ancient stone from which the world drew its magic that dwells within it.
Witch Deerheart, the youngest of the trio, depicted on the book's cover with pale skin, is newly 18 when she encounters young human Halvard, part of a small Norse army intent on invading the forest.
While each has been instructed to kill the other, they hesitate, and this moment of mercy forms an unprecedented connection between witch and humankind.
Unbeknownst to the duo, Halvard's commander, Lord Volug, has his own intimate knowledge of the woods.
He doesn't need Halvard's aid to get what he wants, making his wrath potentially more than Deerheart and her centuries-old sisters can handle.
Though the narration feels somewhat detached, eerie charcoal illustrations of woodland fauna and battle-worn characters enrich the magic, action, and dash of romance that permeate this dreamy fairy tale adventure.
Readers will be enchanted.
This book is recommended for ages nine to twelve.
Next is Mischief and Monsters by Adriana Cuevas.
Cuevas blends cryptid folklore and concerns about book banning and environmental degradation into an inventive tale.
Cuban-American twelve-year-old Jordi Acosta feels out of step in his small Texas town of Yapon Creek.
Towering over his peers at six feet tall, he is expected to excel at sports, but he prefers the quiet refuge of the library.
But first, we'll start by looking at new releases, starting with Young Cat, Old Cat by Jillian Tamaki.
A cat's many lives, from kitten to adult and beyond, propel Caldecott honoree Tamaki's mesmerizing romp.
As descriptive text unfolds in spare fragments, calligraphic brushwork and tidy embroidery stitch the story together.
To begin, a small gray kitten announces itself with a mew and a tug on a child's pant leg.
After the feline captures the child's attention, the kitty is taken home by a family portrayed with brown skin and the finally free cat can explore.
As the pages turn, lively scenes spotlight the animal's many sides, with verbs occasionally labeling actions.
The vibe turns surreal when the furry protagonist begins dreaming, its head appearing on the body of a bird in flight and a ballet dancer and a mermaid.
Eventually, it becomes time to say goodbye to the old cat, ancient cat, oh-so-tired cat, who takes on a starry manifestation, appearing constellation-like in the heavens above before re-emerging again as a kitten.
Textile-driven artwork brings an appropriately furry dimensionality to the pages.
Riffing on myths about cats' nine lives, tactile illustrations and spare writing yield a crispy rendered kitty ode.
This book is recommended for ages three to seven.
Next is Deerheart by Ian Colfer and illustrated by P.J. Lynch.
Colfer and Lynch follow three tasks for a dragon with a stirring fable set in long-ago Ireland, where a magical forest is threatened by outside forces.
As revealed in an extended prologue, three witch sisters, born from the trees and empowered by the Irish earth goddess Danu, have always protected Creedon Wood and the ancient stone from which the world drew its magic that dwells within it.
Witch Deerheart, the youngest of the trio, depicted on the book's cover with pale skin, is newly 18 when she encounters young human Halvard, part of a small Norse army intent on invading the forest.
While each has been instructed to kill the other, they hesitate, and this moment of mercy forms an unprecedented connection between witch and humankind.
Unbeknownst to the duo, Halvard's commander, Lord Volug, has his own intimate knowledge of the woods.
He doesn't need Halvard's aid to get what he wants, making his wrath potentially more than Deerheart and her centuries-old sisters can handle.
Though the narration feels somewhat detached, eerie charcoal illustrations of woodland fauna and battle-worn characters enrich the magic, action, and dash of romance that permeate this dreamy fairy tale adventure.
Readers will be enchanted.
This book is recommended for ages nine to twelve.
Next is Mischief and Monsters by Adriana Cuevas.
Cuevas blends cryptid folklore and concerns about book banning and environmental degradation into an inventive tale.
Cuban-American twelve-year-old Jordi Acosta feels out of step in his small Texas town of Yapon Creek.
Towering over his peers at six feet tall, he is expected to excel at sports, but he prefers the quiet refuge of the library.
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