Secrets From the Fairy World: Discover the Magic of Fairies by Evander Acorncup, Saskia Gwinn and Rachel Corcoran - ADVISABLE

Secrets From the Fairy World:  Discover the Magic of Fairies by Evander Acorncup, Saskia Gwinn and Rachel Corcoran. 63 pages. PICTURE BOOK. Frances Lincoln Children's Books (Quarto), 2026. $30. 9781805703884

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Take an extraordinary tour of the fairy realm and it's secrets including how pixie dust is made, the many different jobs of the fairies, how fairies get their wings, how they travel between our world and theirs, and much more.

Secrets From the Fairy World reads more like a non fiction book about fairies with 27 different chapters.  Acorncup is definitely in the know and will delightfully fill the reader in on all things fairy.  Corcoran's illustrations are cute and fanciful.

PGPowers

Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses by Tegen Evans and Tom Troese - ADVISABLE

Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses by Tegen Evans and Tom Troese. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Nosy Crow, 2026. $20. 9798887772622

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses tells the history of ancient Greece's gods and goddesses. Topics include how Zeus became king of the gods, who gave Athens its name, why Hera turned a princess into a cow, and which deity pulled the Moon across the night sky.  Other gods featured are Hera, Athena, Poseidon, Artemis Apollo, Aphrodite, Hephaistos, Ares, Dionysos, Hermes, Demeter,  and Hades.

Evans has created an interesting deep dive into the important information relating to many of the ancient Greek gods and goddesses suitable for children.  Froese's illustrations are beautiful and expressive.

PGPowers

The Water Princess Builds a Well by Susan Verde, Georgie Badiel and Peter H. Reynolds - ADVISABLE

The Water Princess Builds a Well by Susan Verde, Georgie Badiel and Peter H. Reynolds. PICTURE BOOK. Putnam (Penguin), 2026. $19. 

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

APPEALS TO: SOME

“Princess” Gie Gie has grown up and had experiences that have taken her all over the world.  But, she still dreams about finding a way to help the women in her home African village to have better access to water. 

It has been 10 years since the first Water Princess picture book. Verde brings Georgie Badiel’s story full circle and gives us back matter about Georgie’s foundation which works to bring clean water to villages just like hers. It has been a long time since I read the first picture book; I am glad for the continuation of Georgie’s story. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Magic Bedtime Train Ride illustrated by Lauren Degraaf - OPTIONAL

The Magic Bedtime Train Ride illustrated by Lauren Degraaf. PICTURE BOOK. Frances Lincoln (Quarto), 2026. $25. 9781805703273

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

The music is dreamy as the train rides through the night to take its passengers to Dreamland.

I don’t understand the order of the pages. It starts with the passengers snuggling into bed, but as they get closer to Dreamland they start eating and dancing - the opposite of what you should do to get ready to go to sleep. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Hello, Ocean! by Corinna Luyken - ADVISABLE

Hello, Ocean! by Corinna Luyken. PICTURE BOOK. Rocky Pond Books  (Penguin), 2026. $19. 9780593625248

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

A young exuberant girl takes a joyful trip to the beach with her parents.  She greets the ocean.  She greets everything she encounters.  What should she do when she discovers a pile of marine debris and garbage?

Hello Ocean! is a cute story celebrating the wonders of the beach and ocean from a young girl's eyes.  Luyken's illustrations are unique and capture the breezy, colorful coastal atmosphere.

PGPowers

This is How to Spot Animals by Aline Portman - ADVISABLE

This is How to Spot Animals by Aline Portman. PICTURE BOOK. Eerdmans Books For Young Readers, 2025. $19. 9780802856616

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Bear wants us not to move because he is out in nature trying to spot animals.  One day he hopes to find a rare red-breasted goose.  But today he has no luck. As Bear is telling us how to spot animals, and that sadly there is nothing to see, readers might be able to spy things themselves.

Portman uses humor and irony to delight readers.  I was entertained by Portman's charming illustrations.

PGPowers

Virginia Wolff by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Audrey Day - ADVISABLE

Virginia Wolff by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Audrey Day. PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHY. Frances Lincoln (Quarto), 2026. $16. 9781836007210

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Virginia WOlff was born in London to a family which loved art and literature. When three important family members died within a few years, Virginia and her siblings moved. There she met her future husband, who was there to support Virginia through her mental challenges and cheered her on as she wrote her famous novels.

I like Vegara’s honesty about Wolff’s mental challenges and about the topic of her book Orlando, which is about an LGBT character. Excellent work in a small package.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Small Monster, Big Monster by Allan Sanders - ADVISABLE

Small Monster, Big Monster by Allan Sanders. BOARD BOOK. Phaidon, 2026. $10. 9781837292110

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

Subtitle: A Seriously Silly Book of Opposites. Bright and colorful illustrations of a variety of colorful monsters include lots of background details. Little friends will have a great time looking over each spread and checking out the opposites. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Can Mud Be That?! by Sandra Markle and Alexandra Colombo - ADVISABLE

Can Mud Be That?! by Sandra Markle and Alexandra Colombo. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2026. $18. 9781623546380

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

APPEALS TO: MANY

Can Mud Be That?! explores how eleven different animals use mud in surprising ways using fun questions and answers.  Swallowtail butterflies drink it as a mineral-rich "slushie", elephants use it as sunscreen, hippos use it as a cooling pool and many more.

Can Mud Be That?! reads like a fun engaging story with cool facts on every page.  The back matter covers human uses for mud.  Colombo's illustrations are humorous and creative.

PGPowers

Party Time! With Avocadosaurus and Friends by Hey Bear Sensory - OPTIONAL

Party Time! With Avocadosaurus and Friends by Hey Bear Sensory. BOARD BOOK. OddDot (Macmillan), 2026. $12. 9781250390738

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Join Avocado, Pineapple and others of the Party Time crew.

Since I have a pdf copy of the book to review, I can’t speak to the promised textures and sliders.  I do know that my grandson loved having this Youtube channel on in the background when he was under 1, but now that he is two, he doesn’t watch it any more. So the appropriate time for this book is very short. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Amal Clooney by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Yas Imamura - ADVISABLE

Amal Clooney by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Yas Imamura. PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHY. Frances Lincoln (Quarto), 2026. $16. 9781805701910

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

From her childhood in Lebanon through her growth into an international lawyer and to the foundations that she has built with her actor husband, meet Amal Clooney, champion for women’s rights and human rights in general.. 

While simple, the Little People, Big Dreams series does an excellent job of teasing out important times and themes in people’s lives.  I especially love when they tackle someone, like Amal Clooney, who probably wouldn’t have a full length biography written for children. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Incredibly Fast and Not at All Fun by Tadgh Bentley - ESSENTIAL

Incredibly Fast and Not at All Fun by Tadgh Bentley. PICTURE BOOK. Atheneum (Simon), 2026. $20. 9781665971409

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

When Bear invents a quick way to get from his home to his beehives, he doesn’t realize that all of the other forest creatures would want to ride it again and again and again. Bear needs to come up with a plan to make his creation less appealing. 

I love Bear’s cluelessness when it comes to the popularity of his invention. Especially as he adds more to it to discourage riders, which just encourages more animals to ride. Beware - young ones will want to ride a roller coaster afterwards!

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS