Two very different and special books to enjoy.
Ghost Town in the Mountains by Lynn
Becker (Author), Roland Garrigue (Illustrator)
From the publisher, Sleeping Bear Press,
Published June 15, 2026.
A hauntingly hilarious riff
on the tune "She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain.”
It's a dark and gloomy night
when two children decide to visit a ghost town. It's lonely. It's deserted. And
it's certainly eerie. The main street is filled with tumbledown storefronts and
there's not a soul in sight. But then the kids spot a boarded-up creaky, creepy
cabin. Do they dare enter? What will they find? And what is with all those
bones their dog is collecting?
Deliciously spooky,
fun-filled artwork brings the story to ghostly life. Back matter includes
information on ghost towns and the history of the song.
FUN! FUN!
FUN!
I grew up
singing songs around a campfire, so when an entertaining new version comes out,
you’re darn right I’ll be singing along.
With so many
starred reviews, you know this story will be a hit with everyone, young and old. Whether you sing it or
speak it, the rhyme and rhythm take you on a twisty-turny road, through a ghost
town to a spooky cabin. With bats and bones, two kids and a dog, join in the
journey to find out what the heck the dog is collecting!
The
illustrations are exciting with moody colors and lots of ghosts.
The back
matter has ghost town info and sheet music for the song.
Goodbye, Koi by Jack Wong
From the publisher, Orchard Books,
Published Sept 15, 2026.
The award-winning creator of
the hugely popular When You Can Swim delivers another tender and visually
stunning picture book about change, family, and saying goodbye.
As a young boy prepares with
his family to leave their home ― and the koi fish he’s always cared for ― his
world fills with questions. What will happen to his fish? Will they be safe and
happy in their new home? Through his wonder and worry, readers glimpse the
universal feelings that come with any life transition: curiosity, uncertainty,
and the hope that we will be okay.
Lushly illustrated in the
tradition of Chinese brush painting, Goodbye, Koi will resonate with any reader
who has ever had to say goodbye to a pet, a place, or a way of life.
Another book
with starred reviews.
Beautifully
written and illustrated. It touches on loss, moving, and hope, with a gorgeous
palette for the koi and everyday life. The koi have a parallel story with the
boy who has to let them go to a new home since he’s moving to a new country.
Saying goodbye
is never easy. Everything the boy wonders about for his fish is also for his
own new life. Will he make friends, or like the food, or even the weather?
With his dad
by his side, they are ready to make it together.
The back matter has an author note about his own experience moving and Chinese brush painting. There is additional information on koi fish.
