New Books on Epic for October

Take a trip to the farmers’ market with your little one in this playful early reader. The perfect first book for toddlers, this story follows little Olivia as she searches the produce bins for an item that’s just the right size for her basket. But the zucchinis stick out and the apples are too small! Will she find some thing that fits just right?

Developed in collaboration with math experts at Technical Education Research Centers (TERC), this book makes for a great read-aloud introduction to math and spatial sense through everyday adventures exploring the world around them.

In this fall-themed addition to the popular Luke and Lottie series, the adorable siblings are back, helping a hedgehog get ready for winter. With simple text and colorful illustrations, this cheerful picture book is perfect for reading out loud to toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners. And it’s a great way to celebrate the beauty of autumn while teaching your little reader about concepts like hibernation.  

“Bats have wings, but do cats?” What about moose antlers (yes!)? Or goose antlers (no!)? This zany book delights young readers with its silly illustrations depicting real animal traits side-by-side with nonexistent ones. This is a fun way to introduce early and pre-readers to the unique traits of Earth’s wildlife creatures. If you’re looking for some learning fun, log into Epic Unlimited and start reading!

When their train makes a short stop in the northwestern Indian capital city of Jaipur, a young girl and her mother disembark and hurry to the Chaiwala (a person who prepares and sells tea) for a cup of chai. As she waits, she experiences the sights, sounds and delicious fragrances of ginger, cardamom, cloves and cinammon swirling around the Chaiwala’s cart. In this celebration of family, food and culture, readers become immerse in the rustling of tea leaves, hot drinks being poured and other sensory delights.

Squirrel loves counting the leaves on his colorful tree—red, gold and more. But wait! He discovers one of his beloved leaves has gone missing and must team up with Bird to find it. Who among their friends could be the one who’s taken the leaf? 

This hilarious, vibrantly illustrated book explores the magic of autumn, and teaches kids about the changing seasons, adapting to change and coping with the anxiety that sometimes comes with it.

This quirky picture book shows kids all the ways that animals show they care. An elephant may say “I love you with all of my ears” as it uses them to cradle their calf. A spider say “I love you with all of my eyes,” as it uses its many peepers to watch over their spiderlings. A lion may say “I love you with all of my hair” while its cub naps in its flowing mane. They may express emotions differently, but all the creatures in this book have one thing in common: love.

There’s a neighborhood dumpling party and everyone is welcome! This lively rhyming book follows ten diverse families as they prepare for the potluck in their own unique ways. One family brings samosas and chutney, another brings a sweet doughy, sticky treat. Numbers included with each turn of the page make this a great counting book, too. And at the end your kid can learn about where each version of dumplings comes from, with informative text, a helpful map and tasty recipes that you can make together. Recipes from the book include ravioli from Italy, tamales from Mexico, Gyoza from Japan and more.

Many kids are familiar with the tragic story of the Titanic, but less is known about the Carpathia and its heroic journey to rescue passengers from the doomed ship in the dark, frigid waters of the North Atlantic. This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of the crew and the little ship, and how after receiving a distress call in the middle of the night, it navigated treacherous ice fields and ultimately rescued 705 passengers. Written and illustrated by Flora Delargy, whose grandfather and great grandfather worked in the Belfast Shipyards where the Titanic was built, this book shows kids in vivid detail what took place on this eerie, fateful night, while teaching them about fascinating maritime concepts like morse code, navigation tools and crew roles.

Since the strange disappearance of their parents several years ago, 12-year-old twins Mei and Yun have been raised by their grandfather, who’s known for his incredible mooncakes. On the day of the Mid-Autumn Harvest Festival, the emperor sends his son to sample the delicious cakes. But shockingly, the usually sweet and wonderful mooncakes taste bitter and disgusting. Accused of insulting and harming the emperor’s son, Grandpa is arrested, and it’s up to Mei and Yun to save him. What follows in this fantastical, folklore-inspired tale, is an adventure filled with mysterious cities, a powerful poet and other mystical figures and events on their quest to clear their grandfather’s name.

The royal sisters of Bear House, rivals Aster and Ursula, both hope to one day become the Bear Queen. The only thing is Aster’s overly moody, Ursula is terribly spoiled and neither are particularly good at anything. But when their Uncle Bram murders in a bid for the crown, the sisters flee amid a bitter struggle for the throne. 

As the kingdom descends into civil war, the girls must rely on each other, and in the process discover courage, cunning and skills they never knew they had. If your older kid loves fantasy books, they’ll love this gritty story of betrayal, intrigue and most of all, adventure.