Geo Librarian

MONSTER AND APPRENTICE written by Jessica Khoury McElderry Books, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-9148-3 Source : ARC from publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 10-14 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK After a life on the streets Rolan is chosen to apprentice under a feared monster hunter to slay Cryptics—deadly magical creatures born of secrets in this middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of Witcher and Demon Slayer. Rolan Strider has never belonged—not at school, not in the city of Crisanth, and definitely not in the life of his crime-lord father. So when he’s caught vandalizing one of the city’s lanterns—a serious offense in a world where darkness breeds monsters—he expects prison. Instead, he’s claimed by the Arcanist, a legendary warrior who hunts terrifying creatures born from the secrets people hide. Dragged beyond the safety of the city, Rolan is forced to train under Luc’s harsh guidance—learn...

TINY T-REX TRIES SOCCER written by Jonathan Stutzman, illustrated by Jay Fleck Chronicle Books, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-7972-3385-7 Source : purchased Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Tiny T. Rex is ready to try lots of new things. First up is his favorite sport—soccer! He has his shin protectors, socks, cleats, special headband, and jersey (even though it's a little too big). He is ready! But it turns out that soccer is very tricky. With the help of his teammates and lots of practice, Tiny learns to juggle, dribble, pass, shoot, and . . . score! REVIEW This new book in the Tiny T. Rex series finds Tiny playing soccer. He has all his gear and is ready to play. But he discovers that watching and playing are not the same thing. He struggles with dribbling, juggling, and shooting. Tiny's sad that his brother and sister play better than him. His siblings remind him that if he practic...

THE LONG HIKE The True Story of the First Appalachian Thru-Hike written & illustrated by Meghan McCarthy Beach Lane Books, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-4994-1 Source : purchased Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Award-winning nonfiction creator Meghan McCarthy tells the story of Earl Shaffer, the first person to thru-hike all 2,000-plus miles of the Appalachian Trail in one hiking season in this empowering picture book. While serving in World War II, Earl Shaffer lost his best friend in combat. After the war ended, he returned home and set off on a hiking adventure to walk off his troubles and find solace in the beauty and “power of nature,” as he put it in his diary. Earl didn’t use a tent, preferring to sleep under the stars. He survived the cold, harsh rain, mud, blisters, steep mountaintops, and a plethora of bugs. But among the challenges, Earl also discovered wildlife, beautifu...

  LIONEL MESSI'S WORLD CUP TRIUMPH History's Greatest Games #1 written by Chris Barish, illustrated by Nate Sweitzer Abrams Fanfare, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-4197-7939-8 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK It’s the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, and Lionel Messi—one of the greatest players to ever take the field—is one match away from victory. Despite his many awards and accolades, Messi has never been able to add a World Cup trophy to his collection.If Argentina wins, this would be a historic moment not just for the country, but for the entire legacy of soccer on the international stage.Travel back in time to learn how the World Cup began and see the incredible players—from Maradona to Mbappé—who built it into the global phenomenon we know today.This exciting new graphic novel series offers a portal to the past, putting young readers in the middle...

102 written & illustrated by Matthew Cordell Little, Brown and Company, 2026 ISBN: 978-0-316-58095-3 Source; eARC from publisher & purchased final copy Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK From Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell comes a cozy, magical nighttime adventure, in which a child discovers the mysterious, miniature world beyond his bedroom walls. Sent home from school earlier in the day with a fever, George awakens in the middle of the night to discover a cricket beckoning him on an adventure and soon finds himself shrunken down in size. He follows the insect guide through a crack in his bedroom wall, through the moonlit yard, and into the home of a family of mice at the base of an oak tree. There, in a tiny, cozy kitchen, George discovers the meaning of his quest: he must help the Mama mouse complete her special 102-bean soup for her sick young son. Delightfully sweet...