Story Time Special events with two very special author/illustrators…

Award-winning and bestselling author/illustrator Loren Long brings his delightful stories and magical illustrations to us with this brand new Otis tale — Otis and the Tornado (Philomel, $17.99) . Loren is the illustrator behind some of your most beloved books — including President Obama’s Of Thee I Sing and Watty Piper’s The Little Engine that Could — and now he’s sharing the stories of everyone’s favorite tractor with us.

Otis and his farm friends are enjoying a summer’s day playing their favorite game, follow-the-leader. Suddenly the day turns frightening: The birds stop chirping, the wind picks up, and the sky turns dark and stormy. It’s a tornado! Otis rouses a game of follow-the-leader to get all of the farm animals safe and sound in the dried-up riverbanks of Mud Creek. But Otis hears a cry in the distance – it’s the bull, still locked in his pen! Quick as his tires will take him, Otis putt puff puttedy chuffs back to the farm to save the day.

It’s a story any South Florida child — and parent — will appreciate during this hurricane season. Don’t miss this special day!

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Ah-choo! Uh-oh, Llama Llama’s nose is feeling tickly, his throat is feeling scratchy, and his head is feeling stuffy. Back to bed, no school today for Llama Llama! Instead, he’s home with Mama. By lunchtime, though, he’s beginning to feel a tiny bit better.

But now someone else has the sneezes… Mama!

And who will help her feel better? Why, Llama Llama, of course!

Bestselling children’s author/illustrator Anna Dewdney‘s fun-to-read rhymes in Llama Llama Home With Mama (Viking, $17.99) are sure to help children and their parents get through those under-the-weather days.

Plus don’t miss these Story Time events for kids, seven years old and younger…

STORY TIME CONCERT FOR KIDS: Join us for this very special morning performance for kids and their families from musician, musical teacher and Miami native Alina Celeste.

After years of teaching kids, hanging with kids, playing with kids, Alina decided to make some music just for them! With a fun and eclectic mix of genres and styles, Alina emphasizes traditional songs with a modern twist and original songs aimed at bringing families together and providing joy and self-expression to kids everywhere.

Born in Miami “a’hootin’ and a’hollerin,” and she’s been singing ever since. She studied Music Theater at Barry University, and spent two years working as an actress in Musical Theater, especially children’s theater.

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Saturday Story Time at Coral Gables, 10am:
9/17 — Look for bears in books. 9/24 — It’s Miami Children’s Museum Day. Hooray.

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Sunday Story Time at Bal Harbour Shops, 12:30pm:
9/18 — Achoo! A Sick Day of Amos McGee. 9/25 — Join us for stories and crafts with the Miami Children’s Museum.

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Middle-grade author doubleheader: Two outstanding authors — Margaret Peterson Haddix and Lisa McMann — come together to bring us their new books and an awesome afternoon.

Torn (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, $16.99) , the fourth book in Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Missing series is finally here! Still reeling from their experiences in Roanoke in 1600, Jonah and Katherine arrive in 1611 only moments before a mutiny on Henry Hudson’s ship in the icy waters of James Bay. But things are messed up: they’ve lost the real John Hudson, and they find what seems to be the fabled Northwest Passage, even though they are pretty sure that that route doesn’t actually exist. Will this new version of history replace the real past? Is this the end of time as we know it? With more at stake than ever before, Jonah and Katherine struggle to unravel the mysteries of 1611 and the Hudson Passage — before everything they know is lost…

In Lisa McMann’s newest book, The Unwanteds (Aladdin, $16.99) , thirteen-year-olds in Quill are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths. Alex’s fate is announced as Unwanted, and his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination, Alex discovers a stunning secret — behind the mirage of the “death farm” there is instead a place called Artime. In Artime, each child is taught to cultivate their creative abilities and learn how to use them magically, weaving spells through paintbrushes and musical instruments. But as Alex and Aaron’s bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artime that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate, magical battle.

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Jason Walker has often wished his life could be a bit less predictable — until a routine day at the zoo ends with Jason suddenly transporting from the hippo tank to a place unlike anything he’s ever seen. In the past, the people of Lyrian welcomed visitors from the Beyond, but attitudes have changed since the wizard emperor Maldor rose to power. The brave resistors who opposed the emperor have been bought off or broken, leaving a realm where fear and suspicion prevail. In his search for a way home, Jason meets Rachel, who was also mysteriously drawn to Lyrian from our world. With the help of a few scattered rebels, Jason and Rachel become entangled in a quest to piece together the word of power that can destroy the emperor, and learn that their best hope to find a way home will be to save this world without heroes. A World Without Heroes (Aladdin, $19.99) is the first book in the newest series by bestselling middle-grade author Brandon Mull.

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Will Tyler can fly on a football field. He may not be the biggest running back around, but no one can touch him when it comes to hitting the hole and finding the end zone. And no one can match his love of the game. When Will has a football in hand, he may as well be flying for real because life can’t touch him – his dad isn’t so defeated, his town isn’t so poor, and everyone has something to cheer for.

All of which does him no good if the football season is canceled. With no funding for things like uniforms and a cared-for playing field, with seemingly every other family moving to find jobs, there simply isn’t enough money or players for a season. Unless one kid can rally an entire town and give everyone a reason to believe.

For fans of his bestselling novels Travel Team and Million-Dollar Throw, Mike Lupica delivers a feel-good sports story in The Underdogs (Philomel, $17.99) that will have readers cheering where they sit.

Snow Days at Books & Books — Saturday, Oct. 1-Monday, Oct. 3, Gables
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid Snow Globe stops at Books & Books Coral Gables on its national tour. It’s a giant snow globe and Greg is inside! Plus this is your chance to order your copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6: Cabin Fever (Amulet, $13.95) now — before it’s out. Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he’s innocent. Or at least sort of. Guarantee that your copy will be waiting for you on its release date in November. And you get to see a giant version of Greg inside a giant snow globe. Hello?

Son of Neptune Release Party — Saturday, Oct. 4, Gables, 6pm
Join us for a party celebrating the newest book from No. 1 bestselling author Rick Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus series, Son of Neptune (Hyperion, $19.99) . Games, contests, cool prizes and autographed books. Don’t miss out on the fun!

Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson — Saturday, Oct. 29, Gables, 2pm
The Bridge to Never Land — It’s another amazing book of Peter Pan related adventure from Dave & Ridley. And it’s another amazing Books & Books party for Dave & Ridley. You know how much fun you always have at their events. This time, we’ll have costume contests, scavenger hunts, and more laughs than you can count. In The Bridge to Never Land (Hyperion, $18.99) , Aidan and Sarah cooper have no idea what they’re getting into one afternoon when they discover a mysterious coded document in a secret compartment of an antique English desk .

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