Two Turtles by Kiah Thomas and Jake A. Minton - ADVISABLE

Two Turtles by Kiah Thomas and Jake A. Minton. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2026. $18. 9781623548407

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Two turtles, Frank and Terrence, are falling off a cliff.  It is a long way down.  Frank and Terrence are best friends and turn everything into a competition, such as who has the shiniest shell, who can walk the slowest, and more.  Today while they were having a competition about who could stuff the most stuff into their shell, Frank fell off the cliff.  Why did Terrence fall after him, and can they work together to save themselves?

Two Turtles is a humorous and clever story about cooperating and using teamwork.  Minto 's illustrations are expressive, funny, and entertaining.

PGPowers

C is for Christmas by Aimee Knight and Summer Macon - ADVISABLE

C is for Christmas by Aimee Knight and Summer Macon. BOARD BOOK. TIger Tales, 2026. $9. 9781664352216

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Walk your way through the alphabet and the Christmas season.

Each word of the alphabet represents not just one, but two words - the second hiding under a flap to be discovered on every page.  The capital version of each letter in a finger-traceable but-out, too.  

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Something in the Darkness by John Dougherty and Matt Schu. - OPTIONAL

Something in the Darkness by John Dougherty and Matt Schu. PICTURE BOOK. Post Wave, 2026. $19. 9798895090947

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

A young girl is out at night (presumably Halloween) and around each corner she feels as if something is stalking her. 

The author is trying to tell us that sometimes we’re scared by things that aren’t scary at all when viewed in the light.  However, there are no clues (footprints, realistic shadows) to clue the reader into what is coming.  Instead the whole book feels like a commercial for a horror movie - until the final couple of pages.  Try A Not-So-Scary Story by Barney Saltzberg (https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/2026/10/a-not-so-scary-story-by-barney.html) instead.

The little girl is white.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Cliff: The Man with a Seagull on his Head by Gareth Hopkins and Alex Latimer - OPTIONAL

Cliff: The Man with a Seagull on his Head by Gareth Hopkins and Alex Latimer. PICTURE BOOK. Happy Yak (The Quarto Publishing Group), 2026. $19. 9781836001812.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Cliff is a lonely lighthouse keeper when a seagull takes up residence on top of his head. He kind of likes the company! However, the townspeople are not as welcoming, so the seagull decides to leave and let Cliff live his life. Cliff misses his seagull friend and goes out to sea to find him again. When an unexpected storm comes up and sinks Cliff’s boat, will there be someone or something that can help save him in time?

Such an odd book. I thought the illustrations were fun and the story a little silly, but the overall message of acceptance of people’s (and animal) differences was a good message.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes

 

The Littlest Christmas Tree by Jane Chapman - NO

The Littlest Christmas Tree by Jane Chapman. BOARD BOOK. Tiger Tales, 2026 (2024 pb). $10. 9781664352308

BUYING ADVISORY: NOT RECOMMENDED

A little bear and his bear dad are getting ready for Christmas.  Along with other forest animals they find cute little trees and celebrate the holiday season.

As adorable as the illustrations are, I can not recommend this book. First of all it is a reprint of a picture book, so it is very wordy on every page. Second, it comes a whole year of time, so it is trying to do too much. Third, the bears dig up a tree from the forest (good), replant it after they are done (good), but then they dig it up again the next Christmas! BAD! SO BAD! Leave that poor tree in the ground after you use it once. I just can’t. And I haven't even mentioned how put out the bear dad seems in every illustration - he only smiles four times in the whole book. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Grizzly by Herve Le Goff - ADVISABLE

Grizzly by Herve Le Goff. PICTURE BOOK. Post Wave, 2026. $19. 9798895091555

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Racoon is ready for all sorts of things today, while big old Grizzly puts on his grumpy face and always says no -- and then goes along with Racoon. 

I enjoyed watching Grizzly say No to everything and then smiling so wide when he goes along anyway. The sweet sentiment at the end is perfect for all sorts of odd couples - the ode to being together.

Translated by Charis Ainslie.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

I Love Every Pizza You! by Kitty Blain and Liv Wan - OPTIONAL

 

I Love Every Pizza You! by Kitty Blain and Liv Wan. BOARD BOOK. Tiger Tales, 2026. $10. 9781664352339

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Six slices of pizza, six pages - each a heartfelt expression of love for the reader. 

The kids that read board books are not old enough to understand the pizza-related wordplay on each page (I love you from my head to-ma-toes). They will enjoy the fun illustrations and the pizza-sliced pages. Oh - a classic pizza recipe is included!

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Unfathomable: 20 Wild (But True) Stories about the Ocean by Mary Boone and Max Temescu - ADVISABLE

Unfathomable: 20 Wild (But True) Stories about the Ocean by Mary Boone and Max Temescu, 192 pages. NON-FICTION. Random House Children's Books (Penguin Random House), 2026. $20.

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: ELEM (4-6), MS

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Unfathomable details twenty wild-but-true stories about the ocean and the many things that exist inside. Stories range from encounters with animals that live in the ocean, to pollution, to survival at sea, as well as a host of other things. There is truly so much to learn about our oceans!

The book, quite literally, started off with a bang about the Florence, Oregon whale bombing in the 70s, which had me in tears. I was laughing so hard. The rest of the book is interesting, gross, or weird in equal measure. Considering that most kids want to be a marine biologist at some point in their lives, you can bet this one will do brisk circulation in your classroom library.

Kiera Beddes, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes. 

ABC Learn With Me! - ADVISABLE

ABC Learn With Me! BOARD BOOK. Tiger Tales, 2026. $9. 9781664352223

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Tiger Tales gives us a bright, simple ABC book.  One letter per page, with a sweet illustration for the word. I’m glad they didn’t try to squeeze more than one letter on a page.  The book doesn’t feel too chunky, with the thinner flaps to open.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The First Christmas by Jeffrey Burton and Antonio Javier Caparo - ADVISABLE

The First Christmas by Jeffrey Burton and Antonio Javier Caparo. PICTURE BOOK. Little Simon, 2026. $20. 9798347112913

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Burton Intersperses verses from traditional Christmas hymns with a well-paraphrased version of the story drawn from the Bible. Caparo’s illustrations glow and together they create a beautiful Nativity story.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

1, 2, 3 Counting Tree! Illustrated by Laura Silveira - ADVISABLE

1, 2, 3 Counting Tree! Illustrated by Laura Silveira. BOARD BOOK. Tiger Tales, 2026. $9. 9781664352230

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Count from one to ten. Each page has a tactile number, the correct number of dots for the number, and the touchable letters. 

The pictures have some tactile elements, but you can’t really discern the picture from touch alone. If only the words and numbers were also reproduced in braille, I would give this a chef’s kiss. But nonetheless, children will enjoy the sensations provided by the textures as they enjoy the bright illustrations.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

We’re Going on a Parranda! by Mayra Cuevas and Monica Paola Rodriguez - NO

We’re Going on a Parranda! by Mayra Cuevas and Monica Paola Rodriguez. PICTURE BOOK. Beach Lane (Simon), 2026. $20. 9781665966368

BUYING ADVISORY: NOT RECOMMENDED

A little girl is going to the all night parranda with her family.  As she listens to the different instruments played by the participants, she tries to find an instrument and rhythm of her own. 

The illustrations are full of life and joy. I was disappointed, however, that the parranda is only explained in the back matter - I was hoping for a new book about a community celebration. Also, the text seems to want to rhyme - some of the sentence constructions are a little convoluted in that way.  UT - while a few might be considered slant rhymes, most of them aren’t even close to rhyming. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS