On the Shelf: New stories for babies to teens

Start them off with good books and they will have a lifetime of reading delight ahead! This month, from board books to teen adventures, there’s something for every age and stage.

“Birthday Monsters!” and “Fifteen Animals!” by Sandra Boynton (Boynton Bookworks Simon & Schuster, ages birth – 3)

Board books from Sandra Boynton are always a hit. This new batch includes a birthday gigglefest for littles who are looking forward to their big day.

“The Rainbow Snail” by Karin Åkesson (Union Square & Co., ages 3 and younger)

This truly beautiful, bright, happy book will do more than teach colors. The simple, engaging images will help little eyes learn to love gazing at the printed page. This one is bound to make parents and their story time buddies smile.

“Butt or Face?” by Kari Lavelle (Sourcebooks Explore, ages 4 – 8, available July 11)

Oh my goodness, this is the book to engage little STEM learners in science. Which end of the animal are you looking at? It’s not as easy to figure out as you think. The silly googly eyes are just the start here. Any animal book that asks – repeatedly – “Is it a butt or a face?” is destined to be one that is read again and again.

“Going Down Home with Daddy,” by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Daniel Minter(Peachtree, ages 4–8)

This Caldecott Honor Book by North Carolina author Kelly Starling Lyons was inspired by her husband’s heritage and her own. It isn’t a new release, but it does richly convey the thread of connection through the generations, from ancestors to today. This moving story is a wonderful way to teach children about family connections and the power they hold.

“Do You Believe in Magic?: Dark Circles, Book One” by Jim Melvin (Green Bird Publishing, ages 13 and older)

Upstate South Carolina novelist Jim Melvin is no stranger to readers of fantasy books. "The Death Wizard Chronicles," his six-book epic fantasy series for adult audiences, engaged readers who can now introduce their teens to a new world. “Dark Circles,” Melvin’s new series for middle grade readers ages 13 and older, plants its feet firmly in South Carolina and the struggles faced by so many who are coming of age. (If you’re reading together, this one can skew younger.) But that’s just the start – “Do You Believe in Magic?” opens the new series and the new world created by Melvin that transcends fiction and fantasy. Reading this along with tweens can open the door to important conversations, though the awkwardness warning applies. This first book in the series is available in a Kindle edition and paperback from Amazon. Follow along for updates at jim-melvin.com and facebook.com/dark.circles.series as the series continues this fall.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: On the Shelf: New stories for babies to teens