Today, we are celebrating two incredible book releases: Snitchers by Stephane Dunn, and Copycat: Nature-Inspired Design Around the World by Christy Hale!
Snitchers by Stephane Dunn
When the grownups can’t do it, three friends join together to figure out who killed a little boy in their neighborhood in this stunning debut YA by award-winning playwright Stephane Dunn.
More about the book:
Nia Barnes is preparing to enter high school and trying to stay on her mama’s good side. Life in their small Midwestern city hasn’t been the same since her father was shot down in the middle of the night with no witnesses. The unsolved murder has haunted Nia ever since, driving her love of detective novels and true crime stories. And the violence isn’t just where she lives—it’s everywhere. Nia can’t stand that nothing can stop it.
When the little boy she babysits is caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting, it devastates Nia, her friends, and the community. She and her best friends Dontay and Miracle Ruth want to do more than be sad and afraid. The trio secretly sets out to find who murdered Little Petey and get him justice. They look up police reports and listen to the conversations of their elders; they try to follow suspects the way Nia’s favorite teen detectives might. But the search for truth isn’t straightforward, especially when you’re somewhere between being kids and adults, and people want peace but are afraid to talk. If Nia and her friends solve the crime, more people might end up dead. Is that justice? Should they still try?
Writer and filmmaker Stephane Dunn makes her YA debut with this endearing, heart-wrenching novel about loss, truth, and the reality of violence in communities everywhere.
Praise for Snitchers:
“Authentic, complex, and compelling friendships lie at the heart of this timely novel . . . A thrilling story grounded in a thoughtful exploration of social themes.” —Kirkus Reviews
Order a copy:
Lee & Low Books
Indiebound
Bookshop
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
. . . or from your favorite Black-owned bookshop!
Stephane Dunn is a writer, filmmaker and professor. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, Vogue, Ms. magazine, Chronicle of Higher Education, CNN.com, The Root, and Best African American Essays 2009, among others. She is the author of Baad Bitches & Sassy Supermamas: Black Power Action Films, and the Tirota/Finish Line Social Impact Script Competition award-winning screenplay, Chicago ’66. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her family. Find her on Twitter at @DrStephaneDunn.
Copycat: Nature-Inspired Design Around the World by Christy Hale
Award-winning author-illustrator Christy Hale brings the fascinating concept of biomimicry to life in a uniquely designed book that shows how nature inspires solutions to real-world problems.
More about the book:
Illustrations of plants and animals and tanka poetry are paired with photographs of innovative inventions and designs found around the world to present captivating examples of nature-inspired design. A lotus leaf inspires the invention of the umbrella. A cat’s eyes inspire the development of safety road reflectors. Discover how mimicking behaviors and strategies in nature lead inventors and designers to develop amazing new products, processes, and technologies that improve our lives and environment.
In this companion to her award-winning book Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building, Christy Hale has crafted an extraordinary collection that introduces readers to the surprising ways in which nature has sparked human creativity and innovation.
Come be inspired to explore—discover—create!
Praise for Copycat: Nature-Inspired Design Around the World:
★”A fascinating and creative look at a little-known STEM topic that is accessible to a wide audience. Highly recommended.” —School Library Journal
“A true STEAM book.” —Booklist
“Inspiring, lovely to look at, and well presented.” —Kirkus Reviews
Order a copy:
Lee & Low Books
Indiebound
Bookshop
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Christy Hale has illustrated numerous award-winning books for children, including Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building and several other titles for Lee & Low Books. As an educator, Hale currently teaches picture book writing at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She has also taught art and graphic design to high school students. Hale and her husband live in Palo Alto, California. You can visit her online at christyhale.com. Photo credit: Jenna Cole.
