Laissez les bons temps rouler! Mardi Gras is right around the corner. Attend a parade, eat some king cake, then stop by the library to check out a book about our great state! From Louisiana food, music, and even a Rougarou, these stories capture our unique culture.
YOUTH
From gumbo and cush cush to a trip through the bayou, enjoy these unique Louisiana-inspired picture books!
Yumbo Gumbo by Keila V. Dawson
Every Louisiana family has a strong opinion on what MUST go in the gumbo pot, and the family in Yumbo Gumbo is no different! But one morning, a debate divides the family—okra, chicken, something else? With tummies grumbling and tempers growling, will they be able to work it out in time for lunch?
Soggy Like Cush Cush by Karly Pierre
A soggy day becomes an adventure as Gran-Moman leads Petite Marie through their Louisiana neighborhood, collecting ingredients for classic Cajun treats at each stop. This sweet book reads like a snapshot of the best day in a Louisiana small town and also includes a recipe for the classic Louisiana treat from the title, cush cush.
Down On The Bayou by Glenda Armand
T-boy is excited to finally be big enough to visit the bayou with his grandfather! As they paddle through the bayou together, T-boy learns about the wildlife and history of this unique Louisiana area. Told in narrative with side poems and fact boxes, this beautifully illustrated picture book is a wonderful introduction to Louisiana’s bayous.
Ranger and Rougarou to the rescue in these exciting chapter books!
Ranger In Time: Hurricane Katrina Rescue by Kate Messner
Ranger, the time traveling golden retriever, to the rescue! Ranger’s new mission finds him back in 2005 New Orleans where hurricane winds are blowing and flood waters are rising. A little girl named Clare and her grandmother have been waiting for her father to get home, but as the levee breaks, grandmother goes missing, and conditions become dire, Ranger knows he must get little Clare to the Superdome and safety! Will Ranger be able to navigate the drowned city and find Clare’s family?
Rougarou Magic by Rachel M. Marsh
Feliciana is struggling with her new life in Boston when she finds a Rougarou, a dog-like monstrous creature from Cajun folklore, in her backyard. As they find common ground in missing Louisiana, Feliciana finds the Rougarou less terrifying, and it starts showing up in more and more inconvenient locations; is it lonely? What will happen when her new friends encounter the Rougarou? Or, worse yet, her parents?!
Learn about Louisiana through creative endeavors like cooking or drawing with these non-fiction books.
Cool Kids Cook: Louisiana by Kid Chef Eliana and Dianne De Las Casas
Kid Chef Eliana does Louisiana cooking in this fun and exciting kids’ cookbook featuring over 30 delicious Louisiana recipes that kids will love! From red beans to king cake, these kid-friendly recipes are sure to delight any small cook wanting to try cooking Cajun…and delight their whole family!
How To Draw Louisiana’s Sights and Symbols by Jenny Deinard
Learn about Louisiana’s official flag, flower, seal, tree, famous architecture, and more in this drawing book featuring step-by-step instructions that kids will love! It also includes fun facts about the things you are drawing!
TWEENS AND TEENS
Follow these teens through the ups and downs of adolescence in these books, all set in Louisiana.
The Lying Woods by Ashley Elston
Owen Foster is pulled from his elite New Orleans boarding school when his father’s assets are seized. Back in his small town, he begins to piece together his father’s past despite mounting danger.
My Louisiana Sky by Kimberly Willis Holt
Growing up in Saitter, Louisiana, in the 1950s, 12-year-old Tiger Ann struggles with her feelings about her stern but loving grandmother, her parents, and her friend, Jesse.
The Cottonmouth Club by Lance Marcum
Forced to spend his summer vacation with relatives in Louisiana, 12-year-old Mitch Valentine finds himself a candidate for the Cottonmouth Club when he and a group of local boys become involved in secretive outdoor activities.
