I Got Next

By: Daria Peoples-Riley

A young basketball player practices on the playground, preparing for an upcoming pickup game while his shadow urges him to play hard and leave his heart on the court. As the boy dribbles and weaves, shoots and scores, his shadow gives him the encouragement he needs to overcome pregame jitters and join the competition.

In the companion to her debut picture book This is It, author-illustrator Daria Peoples-Riley praises hard work, dedication, and the love of the game. With vibrant artwork and a lively, rhythmic text, I Got Next is an exceptional read-aloud. The perfect choice for fans of Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes; Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall; and Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña.

Full-color illustrations painted with black sumi ink, gouache, and watercolor, then digitally composited in Photoshop.

Full-color illustrations painted with black sumi ink, gouache, and watercolor, then digitally composited in Photoshop.

ISBN: 9780062657770

JLG Release: Jan 2020

I Hope You Get This Message

By: Farah Naz Rishi

When news hits that Earth has been receiving messages from a planet claiming to be its creator, no one knows what to think. If you ask the folks at NASA, this mysterious planet—Alma—is taking eight days to decide whether or not to hit the kill switch on their “colony,” Earth. True or not, for teenagers Jesse Hewitt, Cate Collins, and Adeem Khan, the prospect of this ticking time bomb will change their lives forever. There are pasts to reconcile, estranged family members to track down, and, ultimately, love and forgiveness to give and accept.

With only seven days to face their truths and right their wrongs, Jesse, Cate, and Adeem’s paths collide as their worlds are pulled apart.

ISBN: 9780062741455

JLG Release: Jan 2020

All the Things We Do in the Dark

By: Saundra Mitchell

There’s no such thing as a secret.

SOMETHING happened to Ava. The curving scar on her face is proof. But Ava would rather keep that something hidden—buried deep in her heart and her soul. She has her best friend, Syd, and she has her tattoos—a colorful quilt, like a security blanket, over her whole body—and now, suddenly, she has Hailey. Beautiful, sweet Hailey, who seems to like Ava as much as she likes her.

But in the woods on the outskirts of town, the traces of someone else’s secrets lie frozen, awaiting Ava’s discovery—and what Ava finds threatens to topple the carefully constructed wall of normalcy that she’s spent years building. Secrets leave scars. But when the secret in question is not your own, do you ignore the truth and walk away? Or do you uncover it from its shallow grave, and let it reopen old wounds—wounds that have finally begun to heal?

Author’s note. Resources.

ISBN: 9780062852595

JLG Release: Jan 2020

No Map, Great Trip: A Young Writer's Road to Page One

By: Paul Fleischman

Newbery Medalist Paul Fleischman considers how growing up with a father who was an award-winning author helped to shape and inspire his own career. Paul and Sid Fleischman are the only father-son Newbery pair in history, and life in the Fleischman home was extraordinary. Readers will feel like part of the family in this humorous and aspirational chronicle.

Part memoir, part travelogue (young Paul travels from California to New Hampshire by himself), part writing book, and part reflection on art and creativity, this inspirational book includes black-and-white photographs, as well as writing tips and prompts just right for budding authors. No Map, Great Trip is a great gift for young writers, language arts teachers, and for fans of Jack Prelutsky’s Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry, and Ralph Fletcher’s A Writer’s Notebook.

Black-and-white photographs.

ISBN: 9780062857453

JLG Release: Jan 2020

Bad Bella

By: Ali Standish

Meet Bella, the very best dog a family could ask for.

Only her family, the McBrides, don’t see it that way. Ever since Mrs. McBride’s belly started growing, they don’t seem to appreciate the way Bella cleans the crumbs from the kitchen floor, or how she’s always willing to play fetch after a long day. And when Bella’s valiant attempt to save the Christmas tree ends in disaster, she finds herself being swiftly abandoned at the pound.

As the reality sinks in that she is unwanted, Bella is heartbroken. Where did she go wrong? Things look bleak until a kind couple, the Roses, take Bella in. Her new life is filled with wonderful things like parks and snowballs, vanilla ice cream, and the National Geographic channel. But as the weather turns cold again, the Roses start acting strangely, and Bella wonders if she can really trust them. Do they actually love her, or is history about to repeat itself? And will Bella be able to find a true home in time for Christmas this year?

Author’s note, with photographs. Suggestions for helping shelter animals.

ISBN: 9780062893253

JLG Release: Jan 2020

Every Stolen Breath

By: Kimberly Gabriel

The Swarm is unrecognizable, untraceable, and unpredictable-random attacks on the streets of Chicago by a mob of crazed teens that leaves death in its wake. It's been two years since the last attack, but Lia Finch has found clues that reveal the Swarm is ready to claim a new victim.

Lia is the only one still pursuing her father's killers, two years after attorney Richard Finch's murder by the Swarm. Devastated and desperate for answers, Lia will do anything to uncover the reasons behind his death and to stop someone else from being struck down. But due to debilitating asthma and PTSD that leaves her with a tenuous hold on reality, Lia is the last person to mount a crusade on her own.

After a close encounter with the Swarm puts Lia on their radar, she teams up with a teen hacker, a reporter, and a mysterious stranger who knows firsthand how the mob works. Together, they work to uncover the master puppeteer behind the group. Though if Lia and her network don't stop the person pulling the strings-and fast-Lia may end up the next target.

ISBN: 9780310766667

JLG Release: Jan 2020