A Day in the Life of the Desert by Roxie Munro - ADVISABLE

A Day in the Life of the Desert by Roxie Munro  NON-FICTION EARLY READER. Holiday House 2023 $19 9780823450923 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

There are six North American deserts. They include, the Mojave, Sonoran, Great Basin, Chihuahuan, Painted, and Death Valley. Deserts are fragile ecosystems. The animals and plants that live there have adapted to withstand the heat and low moisture. These animals and plants are interconnected and need each other. If one species dies, it affects the ecosystem forever. We can make a difference by conserving water, decreasing our light pollution, limiting use of recreational vehicles, and reducing energy use. 

The author divided the book into three main topics for each desert which she illustrated. They are: daytime desert animals, nighttime desert animals, and fun facts about animals in each desert. The illustrations are highly detailed with a "find the animal" list at the bottom of each page. Munro has keys to the lists at the back of the book. She also lists organizations that help to protect these wild desert areas.

MOMMAC

Weirdosaurus: Prehistory's Most Peculiar Dinosaurs written and illustrated by Philip Bunting - ADVISABLE

Weirdosaurus: Prehistory's Most Peculiar Dinosaurs written and illustrated by Philip Bunting. PICTURE BOOK. Happy Yak (Quarto Publishing Group), 2025. $20. 9780711295827

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL (4-6) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Check out over 80 different weird dinosaurs from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods with this detailed and hilarious guide, complete with all the facts and stats that your little dinosaur loving heart could desire.

My eye was caught by the colorful book cover, but I was pleased to learn lots of different things about dinosaurs that I never knew before. Your younger readers might struggle with the Latin names, but the accompanying translation and pronunciation guide will help them out. It’s mostly a reference book with witty commentary from the author, so it will be really appealing to those students who are already interested in dinosaurs, but the illustrations will also draw in those who check it out in passing.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes 

Listen to the Music at Christmas by Mary Richards and Skylar White - OPTIONAL

Listen to the Music at Christmas by Mary Richards and Skylar White. INTERACTIVE PICTURE BOOK. Wide Eyed (Quarto), 2025. $25. 9781836005834

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - GIFT - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Sammy and Pip have brought out a special Christmas box with magical objects and a sheet of music that takes them on a magical musical journey around the world to see different ways Christmas is celebrated.

The question you, as an adult, need to ask yourself is - how many times do you want to hear the snippet of music? THe back matter includes the name of each piece. Pip and Sammy’s story is incidental to listening to the tunes.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Fox and Owl’s Winter Adventure by Jackie Lui and Maanlie - ADVISABLE

Fox and Owl’s Winter Adventure by Jackie Lui and Maanlie. PICTURE BOOK. Words and Pictures (Quarto), 2025. $15. 9781836009580

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

Fox is awake while his family sleeps snuggly in their den. He goes outside and heads off on an adventure with Owl. 

If you can believe a fox and owl making snow sculptures, then you’ll find Lui’s premise cute. THe illustrations have the perfect wintery feel to them. The back matter includes fix and owl facts, two craft ideas with instructions, and a little game, which help the quality of the book. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Joy to the Whole World by Lucy Brownridge and Sang Miao - OPTIONAL

Joy to the Whole World by Lucy Brownridge and Sang Miao. INTERACTIVE BOARD BOOK. Wide Eyed (Quarto), 2025. $23. 9780711297920

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Travel to eleven homes around the world and learn a little bit about how each of them celebrates Christmas.

While a board book, the pages are large. Each page not only has a lot to discover in the illustrations, but each page has several flaps to lift; the flaps blend into the illustrations, so I had to run my fingers all over the pages to find each of them. The illustrations are very full - almost too much. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Star by Fiona Munro and Laura Hambleton - OPTIONAL

Star by Fiona Munro and Laura Hambleton. BOARD BOOK. Design Eye (Quarto), 2025. $13. 9781805702511

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

If you have worries and troubles, let your star take them away.

Munro has tried to create a little meditation book with cut-outs and a fluffy star. The text  is quite a lot for a board book and the rhyming lines and pattern are quite short, making me feel rushed, rather than calming me like a mindfulness book should. I know my grandson son will try to yank the star out of the book first thing,

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

How Many Sleeps Until Christmas?! by Rebecca Patterson and Luciano Lozano. - OPTIONAL

How Many Sleeps Until Christmas?! by Rebecca Patterson and Luciano Lozano. PICTURE BOOK. Happy Yak (Quarto), 2025. $19. 9781836003021

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

The little girl is so excited about Christmas - she is counting the days.  

While the girl’s enthusiasm is a bit fun to watch, I don’t know how much charm this holds for a child - who wants their own Christmas excitement, not to watch someone else’s. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

As the World Goes By by Jonny Lambert - ADVISABLE

As the World Goes By by Jonny Lambert. PICTURE BOOK. Tiger Tales, 2025. $19. 9781664300552

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Buttons is a cute dog watching the world from his window.  He sees a beautiful blue butterfly go by.  He thinks everyone will want to see this! Buttons rushes outside to share his small wonder with the world, but all the people in the street, and at the cafe don't notice anything.  Two new animal friends pick up the chase.  How will Buttons get people to notice the beautiful butterfly?

As the World Goes By inspires children to find the beauty and stillness in a busy world, and to appreciate the little things in life.  The illustrations are beautiful, interesting and action packed.

PGPowers

Secrets From the North Pole by Sakia Gwinn and Daria Danilova - ADVISABLE

Secrets From the North Pole by Sakia Gwinn and Daria Danilova. PICTURE BOOK. Fences Lincoln (Quarto), 2025 $30. 9781836005742

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Everjongle, Santa’s head elf, has compiled a book of all of the Santa and Christmas facts that can safely be shared with humans. 

For families that dive deep into Christmas lore and Santa fever, adults and children will enjoy reading about Santa and all the things building up to Christmas. The illustrations have an old-fashioned charm to them.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Who's Making All That Noise by Darrin Lunde and Erica J. Chen - ADVISABLE

Who's Making All That Noise by Darrin Lunde, illustrated by Erica J. Chen. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2025. $18. 9781623546267

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Who's Making All That Noise?! plays a noisy guessing game with the reader about which animal is rap-tap-tapping, or Too-OOt! trumpeting, Yak-Yak-Yammering and many more sounds of different animals.

Lunde creates a fun and rowdy read-aloud to learn more about different animals.  I'm not sure a human can make all the different sounds, but it's fun to try.

PGPowers

Dawn by Marc Martin - OPTIONAL

Dawn by Marc Martin. Candlewick Studio, 2025. $19. 9781536232400

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Martin takes us on an adventure through the forest, using a single word with each illustration as a sort of contemplation and guide. I can see an adult using this with a child as a calming tool, like guided meditation, as the illustrations are mostly soothing. I’d even be interested in using it at bedtime.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Returning the Sword by Caren Stelson and Amanda Yoshida - OPTIONAL

Returning the Sword by Caren Stelson , illustrated by Amanda Yoshida. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Carolrhoda (Lerner), 2025. $19. 9798765611531

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

At the end of World War II, after a stint in Japan keeping the peace, Orval was gifted a sword from the thousands of swords surrendered by the Japanese people.  For almost 70 years Orval cared for the sword, but never talked about it. Then he finally had an idea of what he could do with the sword and still work on spreading peace.

I’m not sure how post WWII fits into the elementary curriculum. If you have a teacher who touches on it, or talks about war, peace, reparations, etc.  This is a book worth looking into.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS