Stubby: A Pencil’s Journey by Sydra Mallery and John Hare - OPTIONAL

Stubby: A Pencil’s Journey by Sydra Mallery and John Hare. PICTURE BOOK. Greenwillow (Harper), 2026. $20. 9780062364319

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Stubby, the pencil, takes us from the beginning of his life as a tree, through becoming a pencil, and on to all of his adventures in the classroom.

Stubby’s story is actually quite long. In places it is very entertaining, but the length is its drawback.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

The Skeleton and the Cat by Brandon James Scott - OPTIONAL

The Skeleton and the Cat by Brandon James Scott. PICTURE BOOK. Harper, 2026. $20. 9780063455887

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

The Skeleton is happy with its solitary life, so when the cat wants to be friends, Skeleton is reluctant.

The tale unfolds in five mini stories, so it doesn’t flow. The illustrations are so beautiful; I’m disappointed that the story is so disjointed.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

The Ghost Who Saved Halloween by Jen Anyong and Kaly Quarles - OPTIONAL

The Ghost Who Saved Halloween by Jen Anyong and Kaly Quarles. PICTURE BOOK. Harper, 2026. $13. 9780063478008

Content: G (one kid scared down to his underwear)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

The ghost is surprised to see that Halloween has co
me around again. As he pulls out his best scary tricks, he is unpleasantly surprised that none of them seem to be working.

The text is written in the form of Poe’s The Raven poem - making it sing-songy and, by the end, wearying. I love the illustrations, but need a rewrite of the text, please.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

Lost and Found (Little Blue Truck) by Alice Schertle and John Joseph - OPTIONAL

Lost and Found (Little Blue Truck) by Alice Schertle and John Joseph. PICTURE BOOK.

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

APPEALS TO: SOME

Blue and Toad are loading hay into the truck bed, but now Blue can’t find Toad. He asks the animals around the farm to help him look.

Fans of The Little Blue Truck will like this little mystery with its rhyming text and illustrations still in McMurry’s style.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

I Think We’re Upside Down! by Marcus Cutler - ESSENTIAL

I Think We’re Upside Down! by Marcus Cutler. PICTURE BOOK. Putnam’s (Penguin), 2026. $19. 9798217113552

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

APPEALS TO: MANY

The cat and bunny are opening a package, but there seems to be something wrong - they are upside down. They enlist the help of the reader to make things right.

Interactive books are so much fun! Kids will have a great time helping the friends set everything right.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

I Guess I’ll Go Eat Worms by Linda Liu - ADVISABLE

I Guess I’ll Go Eat Worms by Linda Liu. PICTURE BOOKS. Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2026. $19. 9781250359506

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Separately a sheep and a duck are bemoaning that no one likes them so they are going to eat worms - because, why not? What will happen when the two lonely animals meet?

Any adult is going to try to sing this book to the classic Worm song. Sorry to say - It won’t work. Despite that flaw, the illustrations and the story are fun for kids.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

Don’t Leave by Kristen Tracy and Fecerico Fabiani - ADVISABLE

Don’t Leave by Kristen Tracy and Fecerico Fabiani. PICTURE BOOK. Farrar Straus Giroux (Mamillan), OCTOBER 2026. $19. 9780374393403

BUYING ADVISORY:Pre- K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Wild Princess knows that something is up. When she smuggles herself into a suitcase, she finds herself at a donation center, instead of with her people on vacation like she thought.

If only cats could read and understand the cat lesson here. Regardless, it is super cute.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

Cat Shapes by Aidan Cassie - OPTIONAL

Cat Shapes by Aidan Cassie. PICTURE BOOK. Kids Can Press, 2026. $10 (board book). 9781525313271

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - OPTIONAL 

PPEALS TO: SOME

Cassie gives us a cute board book about the many different shapes that a cat can take to fit inside the many different objects they find curious.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

Beware the Sock Monkeys!! by Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox - ADVISABLE

Beware the Sock Monkeys!! by Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox. PICTURE BOOK. Balzer + Bray (Harper), SEPTEMBER 2006. $19. 9781250414380

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

The kids can’t finish getting ready because the sock monkeys have stolen most of their socks. Dad is not fooled - he knows that the kids are just making excuses - or are they???

I believe in sock monkeys too. How else can you explain disappearing socks? Fox provides colorful, fun illustrations for Stutzman’s silly story.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

Be the Acorn by Jason Douglas Griffin - NO

Be the Acorn by Jason Douglas Griffin. PICTURE BOOK. Roaring Brook (Macmillan), SEPTEMBER 2026. $20. 9781250417220

BUYING ADVISORY: NOT RECOMMENDED

When his family tells Choko Choko that he is too small to help them look for a new home, he is unhappy and then angry and then frustrated. Great HaHa helps him work through his feelings.

I feel like the author doesn't know anything about the relative sizes of squirrels or acorns, nor anything about the time it takes to grow an oak tree. The color palette is monochromatic and dull.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

I’m Very Busy by Oliver Jeffers - OPTIONAL

I’m Very Busy by Oliver Jeffers. PICTURE BOOK. Penguin, 2025. $18. 9780593622308

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Bridget is looking forward to celebrating her birthday, but it seems that all of her friends have forgotten. One of them remembers, though, and the chain begins to celebrate Bridget’s special day with her.

As much as I love Jeffers illustrations, the pattern and flow of the story did not work for me.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

Singing Justice Singing Peaceby Monica Brown and Molly Mendoza - ADVISABLE

Singing Justice Singing Peace: The Story of Joan Baez by Monica Brown and Molly Mendoza. BIOGRAPHY, PICTURE BOOK Beach Lane (Simon), 2026. $20. 978665926607 

 BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

 APPEALS TO: SOME 

 Joan Baez knew she wanted to make the world a better place, even when she was young. When her father joined a peace organization, they moved to Iraq, and Joan saw children who were starving and learned that even in California, where she lived, there were starving children. She carried the world on her shoulders and wanted to change things. When she was given a ukulele, she began to sing, discovered folk music, and became an icon, not just for her music, but for her support of justice and peace. 

 Many more illustrations than text, and I love how illustrator Mendoza has represented the music Baez creates. Includes an author's note, which doesn't just repeat the text; it's got more, juicier info about her bravery, some of the times she went to jail, and things that happened while supporting the Civil Rights Movement. A great read, even for a high school class. Joan is Mexican/Scottish/American 

 Lisa Librarian