| This month’s featured books tackle much beloved subjects: maps, sea creatures, urban legends, and of course, spaghetti. Read on to learn about these titles and find new reviews for books from Consortium publishers below!
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Why do we fear the number 13, knock on wood, and carry lucky charms? Superstitions dives into the strange, spooky, and sometimes silly beliefs that have shaped cultures for centuries. From rabbits’ feet to avoiding cracks in the sidewalk, this book uncovers the surprising stories behind the rituals we follow.
School Library Journal says, “The active yet antique style of the artwork suits the text perfectly. A colorful, creative addition for children’s collections.” In a starred review, Booklist adds, “This gorgeously illustrated international survey of common superstitions is sure to attract lots of attention.”
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Borders are more than just geography—these lines affect the culture, economy, politics, and environment around them. In this illustrated guide, children learn that there is more to consider than the outline on a map, and that throughout history, boundary lines have had the power to bring us together or keep us apart.
Borders is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and has garnered plenty of advance praise. Kirkus Reviews calls the book “timely, hopeful, and informative.” School Library Journal adds, “A remarkable and highly engaging collection of historical facts and anecdotes,” while Booklist deems it “instructive and enlightening.”
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Spaghetti Science is a tasty introduction to food science and cooking. From harvesting wheat to packaging pasta, young readers will discover the fascinating journey behind a perfect plate of spaghetti. Bursting with colorful illustrations, fun facts, and hands-on activities, this book invites kids to ask questions, make observations, and try kid-friendly recipes themselves.
Kirkus Reviews highlights the book’s “bouncy, enthusiastic prose,” calling it “required background reading for spaghetti lovers everywhere” and “a deliciously informative pasta primer.”
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Sea
by John Canty
Berbay Publishing • September 2026 • 9781764118903 • Ages 3-7 • iPage
Join award-winning author and illustrator John Canty on a captivating journey through the ever-changing ocean in this stunning children’s picture book. This exploration of the sea takes readers on a tour alongside jellyfish, polar bears, turtles, swimmers, and other creatures that can be found above and below the waves. Perfect for young explorers and lovers of nature, this book will inspire curiosity and wonder.
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| | Luna and the Night
by Maylis Daufresne, illus. Ian de Haes, trans. Katy Lockwood-Holmes
Floris Books • October 2026 • 9781782509783
★ “Stunning . . . a luminous look at the importance of confronting fears—and imaginative guidance for doing so.” — Kirkus Reviews
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★ “An endearing adventure, brilliantly enhanced with subtle reminders to consider environmental preservation and protection. . . . A whimsical wonder.” — Kirkus Reviews
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★ “Visits to dozens of national borders and border crossings explore ways in which they both divide and connect us. A powerful message, paired to art that rewards closer looks.” — Kirkus Reviews
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| | All About the Gut
by Dr. Liz Bannister, illus. Beck Feiner
Berbay Publishing • September 2026 • 9781922610973
“The book successfully engages readers while delivering a great deal of information. . . . Highly recommended for its accessible style and illustrations. A fine addition to science programs focused on the human body.” — School Library Journal
“Unlike most similar introductions to digestion’s basics, this one goes well beyond simple anatomy. . . . Expansive and effervescent.” — Kirkus Reviews
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| | Destination Antarctica
by Guillaume de Rémacle, illus. Adrienne Barma
Helvetiq • September 2026 • 9783039641468
“Helpful science facts mixed with humor will appeal to readers who enjoy the ‘Science Comics’ series and similar graphic novels.”
— School Library Journal
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Catalog illustration by Yoshiko Hada from How to Be a Cat by Sam Voulters (Do Re Mi Books)
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| Consortium’s Fall/Winter 2026 Children’s Catalog
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This newsletter was compiled and written by Kristina Hall, without the use of AI.
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