Tildy's Staff Picks

A little more about Manager Tildy:

Tildy once (okay, it was more than once) got in trouble for reading under her desk at school. Since that time she has worked in bookstores for over twelve years, at both Eight Cousins Bookstore in Falmouth, MA and Porter Square Books in Cambridge, MA. Prior to excitedly joining the Belmont Books team as Store Manager (and kid's book buyer and gift buer), Tildy was the Sales Manager and Children’s Editor at David R. Godine, Publisher. She is a graduate of Wellesley College, speaks way too quickly, and when not reading or helping to match others to the right books, Tildy can be found taking pictures and petting dogs.

These are the books she loves!

The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh By Supriya Kelkar, Alea Marley (Illustrator), Simran Jeet Singh (Afterword by) Cover Image
By Supriya Kelkar, Alea Marley (Illustrator), Simran Jeet Singh (Afterword by)
$18.99
ISBN: 9781454931843
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Union Square Kids - September 3rd, 2019

Harpreet Singh has a different color for every mood and occasion, from happy sunny yellow to courageous red. He especially takes care with his patka--his turban--making sure it always matches his outfit. But when Harpreet's mom finds a new job in a snowy city and they have to move, everything just feels gray. Can he find a way to make life bright again?


Life in the Sloth Lane: Slow Down and Smell the Hibiscus By Lucy Cooke Cover Image
$12.95
ISBN: 9780761193227
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Workman Publishing Company - April 17th, 2018

WHY ARE SLOTHS ALWAYS SMILING?

Perhaps it’s because they’ve mastered the art of taking it slow in a world whose frenzied pace is driving the rest of us crazy.


From the Desk of Zoe Washington By Janae Marks Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780062875853
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Katherine Tegen Books - January 14th, 2020

#1 Kids Indie Next List * Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year * Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of the Year * SLJ Best Book of the Year * Kirkus Best Book of the Year * Junior Library Guild Selection * Edgar Award Nominee * Four Starred Reviews * Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year A


Tiny Feet Between the Mountains By Hanna Cha, Hanna Cha (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Hanna Cha, Hanna Cha (Illustrator)
$17.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9781534429925
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - November 5th, 2019

A young Korean girl comes up with a clever plan to help her village and a spirit tiger in this “gorgeous and moving debut” (Booklist, starred review) from Caldecott Honor– and Asian Pacific American Award for Literature–winning author-illustrator Hanna Cha.

Soe-In is a tiny child in a village full of large people.


Snapdragon By Kat Leyh Cover Image
$12.99
ISBN: 9781250171115
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: First Second - February 4th, 2020

Kat Leyh's Snapdragon is a magical realist graphic novel about a young girl who befriends her town’s witch and discovers the strange magic within herself.

Snap's town had a witch.


Why? By Adam Rex, Claire Keane (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Adam Rex, Claire Keane (Illustrator)
$17.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9781452168630
Published: Chronicle Books - October 1st, 2019

"[Adam] Rex delivers a storytime home run—hilarious, heartfelt, instructive, and interactive." Booklist, starred review


Tiger vs. Nightmare By Emily Tetri, Emily Tetri (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Emily Tetri, Emily Tetri (Illustrator)
$18.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9781626725355
Published: First Second - November 6th, 2018

A 2019 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book
A 2018 Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Graphic Novel of 2018

Tiger is a very lucky kid: she has a monster living under her bed. Every night, Tiger and Monster play games until it’s time for lights out. Of course, Monster would never try to scare Tiger—that’s not what best friends do.


Mascot By Antony John Cover Image
$16.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9780062835628
Published: HarperCollins - September 11th, 2018

This witty, heartfelt story about perseverance in the face of adversity is perfect for fans of R. J. Palacio, Cammie McGovern, and John David Anderson. 


Harold Loves His Woolly Hat (A Harold the Bear Story) By Vern Kousky Cover Image
$17.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9781524764678
Published: Random House Studio - December 11th, 2018

An Indie Next List Pick!

"All libraries should make space on their shelves for Harold."--School Library Journal (starred review)

In this sweet picture book that celebrates selflessness and the joy of helping others, a little bear named Harold loses his beloved woolly hat--only to discover that others need it more.


On the Come Up By Angie Thomas Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780062498564
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Balzer + Bray - February 5th, 2019

The YA love letter to hip-hop—streaming on Paramount+ September 23, 2022! Starring Sanaa Lathan (in her directorial debut), Jamila C. Gray, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Lil Yachty, Method Man, Mike Epps, GaTa (Davionte Ganter), Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Titus Makin Jr., and Michael Anthony Cooper Jr.


Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs By Beth Ann Fennelly Cover Image
$13.95
ISBN: 9780393356489
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: W. W. Norton & Company - September 25th, 2018

“A surprisingly maximalist portrait of a life.” —New York Times Book Review


New Kid: A Newbery Award Winner By Jerry Craft, Jerry Craft (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Jerry Craft, Jerry Craft (Illustrator)
$12.99
ISBN: 9780062691194
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Quill Tree Books - February 5th, 2019

Winner of the Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Author Award, and Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature! 


Nobody Hugs a Cactus By Carter Goodrich, Carter Goodrich (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Carter Goodrich, Carter Goodrich (Illustrator)
$18.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9781534400900
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - April 16th, 2019

Celebrated artist and lead character designer of Brave, Ratatouille, and Despicable Me, Carter Goodrich, shows that sometimes, even the prickliest people—or the crankiest cacti—need a little love.

Hank is the prickliest cactus in the entire world. He sits in a pot in a window that faces the empty desert, which is just how he likes it.


How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life By Catherine Price Cover Image
$13.99
ISBN: 9780399581120
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Ten Speed Press - February 13th, 2018

Packed with tested strategies and practical tips, this 30-day plan is the essential, life-changing guide to setting boundaries with your smartphone.

“The Marie Kondo of brains . . . for the first time in a long time, I’m starting to feel like a human again.”—Kevin Roose, The New York Times


Magic for Liars: A Novel By Sarah Gailey Cover Image
$25.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9781250174611
Published: Tor Books - June 4th, 2019

A 2020 LOCUS AWARD FINALIST FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL

Sharp, mainstream fantasy meets compelling thrills of investigative noir in Magic for Liars, a fantasy debut by rising star Sarah Gailey.


Ivy Gamble was born without magic and never wanted it.


Ivy Gamble is perfectly happy with her life – or at least, she’s perfectly fine.


If I Was the Sunshine By Julie Fogliano, Loren Long (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Julie Fogliano, Loren Long (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9781481472432
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Atheneum Books for Young Readers - May 7th, 2019

A breathtaking picture book about the relationships we share from New York Times bestselling storytellers Julie Fogliano and Loren Long in the tradition of The Runaway Bunny and Guess How Much I Love You.

if i was the sunshine
and you were the day
i’d call you hello!
and you’d call me stay


if you were the winter
and i


The King of Birds By Helen Ward Cover Image
$17.95
ISBN: 9781567926255
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: David R. Godine Publisher - June 28th, 2018

Adapted from a traditional tale, this beautifully illustrated picture book tells of hundreds of birds gathering to choose a king. They cannot decide if the king should be the bird with the biggest beak or the one with the most colorful feathers. Finally, after considerable debate, they decide their king will be the bird who can fly the highest.


The Sun Is Also a Star By Nicola Yoon Cover Image
$12.99
ISBN: 9780553496710
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Ember - March 5th, 2019

The #1 New York Times bestseller and National Book Award finalist from the bestselling author of Everything, Everything will have you falling in love with Natasha and Daniel as they fall in love with each other!


Big Boys Cry By Jonty Howley Cover Image
$18.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9781524773205
Published: Random House Studio - June 11th, 2019

Let boys cry! This picture book imagines a world in which boys are encouraged to express their full range of emotions.


Out East: Memoir of a Montauk Summer By John Glynn Cover Image
$27.00
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9781538746653
Published: Grand Central Publishing - May 14th, 2019

An "extraordinary" debut memoir of first love, identity, and self-discovery among a group of friends who became family in a Montauk summer house (Andrew Solomon, National Book Award winner).


Spencer's New Pet By Jessie Sima, Jessie Sima (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Jessie Sima, Jessie Sima (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9781534418776
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - August 27th, 2019

From the creator of Not Quite Narwhal comes a classic tale of a boy and his dog—except in this unique story, one of them is a balloon!

When Spencer gets a new pet, he’s excited to do all the things that pets do—taking walks in the park, going to the vet, and attending parties together.

There’s just one hitch: Spencer’s new pet is a balloon


The Boy from Tomorrow By Camille DeAngelis, P Cover Image
$7.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9781948705202
Published: Amberjack Publishing - May 21st, 2019

Discover the middle-grade debut Kirkus Reviews calls “spellbinding” by an award-winning author Booklist says “has crafted a definite winner.”

Josie and Alec both live at 444 Sparrow Street. They sleep in the same room, but they’ve never laid eyes on each other.


The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories By Marina Keegan, Anne Fadiman (Introduction by) Cover Image
By Marina Keegan, Anne Fadiman (Introduction by)
$18.99
ISBN: 9781476753911
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Scribner - April 14th, 2015

The instant New York Times bestseller and publishing phenomenon: Marina Keegan’s posthumous collection of award-winning essays and stories “sparkles with talent, humanity, and youth” (O, The Oprah Magazine).

Marina Keegan’s star was on the rise when she graduated magna cum laude from Yale in May 2012.


Penguin and Pinecone: a friendship story By Salina Yoon Cover Image
$8.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9780802737311
Published: Bloomsbury USA Childrens - July 22nd, 2014

Geisel Honor-winning author/illustrator Salina Yoon introduces readers to a beloved character in Penguin and Pinecone--a board book about friendship that will warm your heart!


Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border (The
By Mitali Perkins, Sara Palacios (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780374303730
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) - September 10th, 2019

A unique holiday story about love overcoming the border fences between Mexico and the United States from a National Book Award nominee. A new must-read classic for Christmas!

It's almost time for Christmas, and Maria is traveling with her mother and younger brother, Juan, to visit their grandmother on the border of California and Mexico to celebrate Las Posadas.


Circe By Madeline Miller Cover Image
$30.00
ISBN: 9780316556347
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Little, Brown and Company - April 10th, 2018

This #1 New York Times bestseller is a "bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story" that brilliantly reimagines the life of Circe, formidable sorceress of The Odyssey (Alexandra Alter, TheNew York Times).

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born.


Shatter the Sky (The Shatter the Sky Duology) By Rebecca Kim Wells Cover Image
$18.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9781534437906
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - July 30th, 2019

New England Book Award Finalist

“A top-notch dragon story…Both nuanced and real.” —Shelf Awareness (starred review)
“I absolutely devoured it.” —Mackenzi Lee, bestselling author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
“Perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce, Renée Ahdieh, and Cindy Pon.”


Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border (The
By Mitali Perkins, Sara Palacios (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780374303730
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) - September 10th, 2019

A unique holiday story about love overcoming the border fences between Mexico and the United States from a National Book Award nominee. A new must-read classic for Christmas!

It's almost time for Christmas, and Maria is traveling with her mother and younger brother, Juan, to visit their grandmother on the border of California and Mexico to celebrate Las Posadas.


The Poet X By Elizabeth Acevedo Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780062662804
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Quill Tree Books - March 6th, 2018

Winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Pura Belpré Award!


Uprooted: A Novel By Naomi Novik Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780804179058
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Del Rey - March 1st, 2016

NEBULA AWARD WINNER • HUGO AWARD FINALIST • “If you want a fantasy with strong characters and brilliantly original variations on ancient stories, try Uprooted!”—Rick Riordan
 


Blue Ethel By Jennifer Black Reinhardt, Jennifer Black Reinhardt (Illustrator) Cover Image
$17.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9780374303822
Published: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) - May 30th, 2017

Ethel is old, she is fat, she is black, and she is white. She is also a cat who is very set in her ways...until the day she turns blue! BLUE ETHEL is an adorable story written and illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt, showing readers that being different can be a good thing.
A Margaret Ferguson Book


The Westing Game: The Deluxe Anniversary Edition By Ellen Raskin Cover Image
$10.99
ISBN: 9780451480989
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Puffin Books - May 15th, 2018

A Newbery Medal Winner

For over thirty-five years, Ellen Raskin's Newbery Medal-winning The Westing Game has been an enduring favorite.


The Westing Game Deluxe Anniversary Edition 


Grumpy Monkey By Suzanne Lang, Max Lang (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Suzanne Lang, Max Lang (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9780553537864
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Random House Studio - May 15th, 2018

The hilarious #1 New York Times bestselling picture book about a chimpanzee in a very bad mood--perfect for young children learning how to deal with confusing feelings.


Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life By Wendy Mass Cover Image
$8.99
ISBN: 9780316058490
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - February 1st, 2008

In one month Jeremy Fink will turn thirteen. But does he have what it takes to be a teenager? He collects mutant candy, he won't venture more than four blocks from his apartment if he can help it, and he definitely doesn't like surprises. On the other hand, his best friend, Lizzy, isn't afraid of anything, even if that might get her into trouble now and then.


Alma and How She Got Her Name By Juana Martinez-Neal, Juana Martinez-Neal (Illustrator) Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780763693558
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Candlewick - April 10th, 2018

A 2019 Caldecott Honor Book

“A beautifully illustrated, tender story to be shared with all children, sure to evoke conversations about their names.” —School Library Journal (starred review)


How to Catch a Mouse By Philippa Leathers, Philippa Leathers (Illustrator) Cover Image
$15.99
ISBN: 9780763669126
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Candlewick - April 28th, 2015

A confident but inexperienced cat is certain she has scared all the mice out of her house, but things are not always as they seem.


Mariam Sharma Hits the Road By Sheba Karim Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780062445735
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Quill Tree Books - June 5th, 2018

Three Pakistani-American teenagers, on a trip through the land of pork ribs, mechanical bulls, and Confederate flags. It’s going to be quite an adventure.

The summer after her freshman year of college, Mariam is looking forward to working and hanging out with her best friends: irrepressible and beautiful Ghazala and religious but closeted Umar.


Penguin and Pinecone: a friendship story By Salina Yoon Cover Image
$8.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9780802737311
Published: Bloomsbury USA Childrens - July 22nd, 2014

Geisel Honor-winning author/illustrator Salina Yoon introduces readers to a beloved character in Penguin and Pinecone--a board book about friendship that will warm your heart!


Sea Witch By Sarah Henning Cover Image
$17.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9780062438775
Published: Katherine Tegen Books - July 31st, 2018

Wicked meets "The Little Mermaid" in the captivating origin story of the sea's most iconic villainess, perfect for fans of Heartless and Dorothy Must Die.

Ever since her best friend Anna died, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. Hiding her talents, mourning her loss, drowning in her guilt.


The Dreamer: (Inspirational Story, Picture Book for Children, Books About Perseverance) By Il Sung Na Cover Image
$16.99
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9781452156088
Published: Chronicle Books - September 11th, 2018

Even pigs can learn to fly: Once, there was a pig who admired birds. But he could never join them. Or could he? Thus begins the journey of a pig with big dreams, and the perseverance to make them come true.


Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster By Jonathan Auxier Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781419731402
Availability: Temporarily Out of Stock
Published: Amulet Books - September 25th, 2018

New York Times bestselling authorJonathan Auxier’s award-winning novel Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster is a “dazzling, warmhearted novel [that] contemplates selflessness and saving, deep love and what makes a monster.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)
 
It’s been five years since the Sweep disap


Potato Pants! By Laurie Keller, Laurie Keller (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Laurie Keller, Laurie Keller (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9781250107237
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) - October 2nd, 2018

A potato and his eggplant nemesis struggle to find the perfect pants in this hilarious, heartwarming tale of forgiveness by bestselling Geisel-Award winning creator Laurie Keller.

Potato is excited because today—for one day only— Lance Vance’s Fancy Pants Store is selling . . .POTATO PANTS!


Sadie: A Novel By Courtney Summers Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781250105714
Availability: Temporarily Out of Stock
Published: Wednesday Books - September 4th, 2018

Available now: I'M THE GIRL, the new "brutally captivating" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) queer thriller from Courtney Summers, based loosely on The Epstein case and "not for the faint of heart" (The New York Times)


Potato Pants! By Laurie Keller, Laurie Keller (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Laurie Keller, Laurie Keller (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9781250107237
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) - October 2nd, 2018

A potato and his eggplant nemesis struggle to find the perfect pants in this hilarious, heartwarming tale of forgiveness by bestselling Geisel-Award winning creator Laurie Keller.

Potato is excited because today—for one day only— Lance Vance’s Fancy Pants Store is selling . . .POTATO PANTS!


The Poet X By Elizabeth Acevedo Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780062662804
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Quill Tree Books - March 6th, 2018

Winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Pura Belpré Award!