The Great Outdoors by Yuli Yav and Bee - ADVISABLE

The Great Outdoors by Yuli Yav, illustrated by Laura Bee. BOARD BOOK. Little Simon, 2024. $8. 9781665956697

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

A young family and their dog take a hike in the forest.

I loved the action and sound words such as crunchy, whistling, stretch, flow, and climb. I envision the reader encouraging the listening toddler to mimic the actions and noises described in the book as they read together. The mom is white, the dad, little girl and baby are brown.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

Bundle Up, Little Pup by Doris Elys and Elena Comte - ADVISABLE

Bundle Up, Little Pup by Doris Elys, illustrated by Elena Comte. BOARD BOOK. Little Simon, 2023. $8. 9781665940788

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Children and their dogs bundle up in their winter clothes and go out to play in the snow.

A simple book about dogs, children, and playing in the snow. The illustrations are sweet, simple, and colorful. One of the dogs is disabled and uses a wheeled device to assist with movement. The children are white, brown and black.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

A Note, a Goat, and a Casserole by Mark David Smith and Kari Rust

The Weird Sisters : A Note, a Goat, and a Casserole by Mark David Smith, illustrated by Kari Rust, 67 pages. CHAPTER BOOK. Owlkids Books, 2022. $19. 9781771474566

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

9yo Jessica's pet goat is missing. When sisters Hildegurp, Glubbifer and Yuckmina arrive in town and open a pet store, Jessica decieds they are the perfect people to help her out. But as they are heading out in search of the goat they find an empty casserole dish and a mysterious note on the porch. So Jessica and sisters set out to follow the clues and look for the goat. Jessica does her best to show them around town and help them fit in. Humorous misunderstandings and magic follow the sisters wherever they go.

Smith’s comedic story with fun wordplay is about acceptance and kindness. The illustrations are great and add interest. This quick read would be great for a reluctant reader. There is even a recipe at the back for Hurlyburly Soup.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

Squirrel Needs a Break by Kristen Remenar and Matt Faulkner - OPTIONAL

Squirrel Needs a Break by Kristen Remenar, illustrated by Matt Faulkner. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2024. $18. 9781623543709

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

With 3 kits to look after, Squirrel is really tired and needs a break, so all of his friends help him by taking turns of taking care of his kits for the day. All of us need other people and with friends and family, everything will be okay, because you can lean on them no matter what.

I LOVED Faulkner’s illustrations!! At first I wasn’t following Remenar’s storyline, but the simple story soon made sense.

Aislyn, 10th grade student 

Even Better Than Sprinkles by Linda Skeers and Heather Fox - ADVISABLE

Even Better Than Sprinkles: A story about best friends by Linda Skeers, illustrated by Heather Fox. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Random House Studio, 2024. $19. 9780593705513

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

Two inseparable best friends who do everything together. Despite their close bond, they still have fights. To move forward, they must learn to forgive each other. This heartwarming book highlights the importance of friendship, showing how having a best friend makes life’s experiences more enjoyable and provides someone for you to turn to in times of need.

I loved the illustrations in the book it was so cute! The story itself is very cute, I loved this book. It is very entertaining as well. One of the main character’s skin color is brown. There is one other character in the books with brown skin too, but they are only in 1-2 pages. 

Aislyn, 10th grade student 

Big Bub, Small Car by Alastair Heim and Aaron Blecha - ADVISABLE

Big Bub, Small Car: Ready-to-Read Read Ready-to-Go! by Alastair Heim, illustrated by Aaron Blecha. 32 pages. EARLY READER. Simon Spotlight, 2023. 18. 9781665929912

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

Bub, a big purple monster, is invited to a birthday party! He has so much to do before he leaves though! It's hard being so big. He doesn't even fit into a car! Bub doesn't let these challenges get in his way though. He looks on the bright side and solves his problem so that he can get to the party. This easy reader has very simple sentences with rhyming words. It is a fun and quick read.

My daughter liked this book because it was funny and the pictures went well with the story. She liked the rhyming words and how creative Bub was in solving his problems. I liked that it identified sight words, bonus words, and word families.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

Juneteenth Is by Natasha Iripplett and Daniel J O'Brien - ESSENTIAL

Juneteenth Is by Natasha Iripplett, illustrated by Daniel J O'Brien. PICTURE BOOK. Chronicle Books, 2024. $18. 9781797216805

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

A young girl describes the events of her Juneteenth holiday. There is a parade, a family gathering, good food, time spent honoring ancestors, and fun.

I have a limited understanding of Juneteenth. Tripplett’s book helped me better understand why we have the holiday and how it is celebrated. It would be a great book to read to children around the holiday. At the end of the book, there is a short description of the importance of red in Juneteenth celebrations and a short bibliography. O’Brien’s illustrations are bright, bold, and detailed. The majority of the people in the illustrations are black.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

Dear You, Dream Big by Baptiste Paul and Toni D. Chambers - OPTIONAL

Dear You, Dream Big by Baptiste Paul, illustrated by Toni D. Chambers. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2024. $18. 9781623542955

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

Black people used to not get chances to show who they are, were not given many awards, or did not win stuff. But with times changing, you can “Dream Big”. If you believe enough, you will achieve it. Even though you are a different skin color, you are worthy and can do this.

I liked the intent of the book, but I didn’t find it very entertaining, I enjoyed the illustrations. The characters are mainly people with darker and black skin color.

Aislyn, 10th grade student 

Baby Loves Paleontology by Ruth Spiro and Irene Chan - OPTIONAL

Baby Loves Paleontology by Ruth Spiro, illustrated by Irene Chan. NON-FICTION BOARD BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2024. $9. 9781623543976

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

An informational board book about paleontology.

Spiro includes really good information and Chan’s illustrations are very bright, fun, and playful. I did not feel that the information was age-appropriate for a board book geared to babies. It had too much information for a baby to understand. The baby is brown. 

Claire, 10th grade student 

Let Her Be by Mackenzie Porter and Katie Cottle - ADVISABLE

Let Her Be by Mackenzie Porter, illustrated by Katie Cottle. BOARD BOOK. Little Simon, 2023. $9. 9781665927000

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

Little girls can be anything they want, such as curious, playful, persistent, smart, brave, silly, and kind. If let be, she will grow into anyone she wants to be.

A cute board book with a great message for little girls. There is just the right amount of words per page for a board book. The illustrations are bright, bold, and engaging. The little girl is white. There are other ethnicities represented in the illustrations.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

A Mind of Her Own by Robyn McGrath and Liz Wong - ADVISABLE

A Mind of Her Own: The Story of Mystery Writer Agatha Christie by Robyn McGrath, illustrated by Liz Wong. BIOGRAPHY PICTURE BOOK. Simon and Schuster, 2024. $19. 9781665917933

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

A good picture book biography of Agatha Christie's life and how she used her creative imagination to inspire her writing. Also includes a look at what she went through to get her book published.

I thought McGrath was so good at explaining her life in a simple and easy to understand way for kids.Wong’s illustrations were so cute and funny hiding little mysteries on each page. I also liked that at the end the publisher included more in depth info about Christie’s life and mystery vocab words.

Claire 10th grade student 

The Hospital: The Inside Story by Christle Nwora, illustrated by Ginnie Hsu

The Hospital: The Inside Story by Christle Nwora, illustrated by Ginnie Hsu. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Neon Squid, 2022. $12. 9781684492046

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

It is another busy day at the hospital. Follow different patients on their trip to the hospital, a woman having a baby, a boy with a broken arm and a woman getting ready to have surgery. Learn what happens to each of these patients while in the hospital.

Nwors has written a book good for children who are nervous to visit a hospital. She gives a lot of information in a simple way that is easy to understand. Hsu’s illustrations are bright and eye catching. Many ethnicities are represented.

Tracie, Elementary School Librarian 

Mushrooms know by Kallie George and Sara Gillingham - ADVISABLE

Mushrooms know: Wisdom from our friends the fungi by Kallie George, illustrated by Sara Gillingham. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Greystone Kids, 2024. $19. 97817784000773

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Mushrooms have a lot to teach us – not just about mushrooms, but also about life.

I liked all of Gillingham’s drawings. All of her illustrations were very accurate and George included a lot of information. I learned a lot about mushrooms.

Aislyn, 10th grade student 

This Is A Window by Lauren Paige Conrad - ESSENTIAL

This Is A Window by Lauren Paige Conrad. PICTURE BOOK. Minerva, (Astra), 2024. $19. 9781662651595 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

A super cute story about pretend play and letting your imagination run wild.

I loved Conrad’s book; I think her illustrations are so cute. Conrad made you look around at the pictures to see what was going on and how the children were using their imagination. I also liked that several ethnicities are represented throughout the book. There are white, black and brown kids all playing together in the illustrations.

Claire, 10th grade student 

Bubble Gum Bison Needs a Bath by Scott Rothman and Pete Oswald. - ADVISABLE

Bubble Gum Bison Needs a Bath by Scott Rothman,  illustrated by Pete Oswald. PICTURE BOOK. Random House Studio, 2024. $19. 9780593702956 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

A pink bison named Bubble Gum Bison has had a great day but after landing in a mud pile and getting covered in feathers, she needs a bath. But there is no water. No one in town has water and no one knows why. Bubble Gum Bison goes outside and soon learns that her brother Blue Bison might have something to do with it.

Fun, bright engaging illustrations. It is a simple story that is easy to follow and understand. I love that the bison are named for their individual colors Bubble Gum, Blue, and Burgundy. Children will relate to Bubble Gum not wanting to take a bath.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

Beach Hair by Ashley Woodfolk and Nina Mata - ADVISABLE

Beach Hair by Ashley Woodfolk, illustrated by Nina Mata. PICTURE BOOK. Simon & Schuster, 2024. $19. 9781665920988

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

A little girl wakes up with wild bedhead hair and finds her parents do too. Her mom says they all have beach hair. And her dad says they might as well go to the beach. At the beach, they find all kinds of people with all kinds of hair. The family has a wonderful time at the beach. No feels like they have to hide their hair under a hat.

A sweet story about embracing who you are just the way you are. The illustrations are bright happy and energetic with a lot of movement. The mother and daughter are black, the father is white.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian

Ride Beside Me by Lucy Knisley - ADVISABLE

Ride Beside Me by Lucy Knisley. PICTURE BOOK. Alfred A. Knopf (Random), 2024. $19. 9781984897190

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

A mother and child go together on a group bicycle ride. At first, they ride alone along streets busy with cars. As they get further outside the city they meet up with all types of people on bikes. There are adults and kids young and old riding all together on different kinds of bikes.

A celebration of bike riding. There are subtle points about bike riding being better for the environment. There are also subtle messages about being kind and helpful to one another. The illustrations are fun with bold colors and a lot of visual interest. The mother and child are white. The other people in the illustrations are a variety of ethnicities.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

Ruby's Tools for Making Friends by Apryl Stott - ESSENTIAL

Ruby's Tools for Making Friends by Apryl Stott. PICTURE BOOK. Simon & Schuster, 2024. $19. 9781665921640

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY 

Ruby, a young elementary school-aged fox, is nervous to start at a new school. She worries that she will not be able to make new friends. To help her through her nervousness, she brings her bag of tools. There is a measuring tape to help her count her breaths, pliers to remind her to bend a little, and safety goggles to help her see things in a new way. When she finds out about a class egg drop competition she struggles to speak up and share her ideas. Then she remembers her tools and how they can help her. 

This is a great story about using different tools to help us through the difficulties we encounter in our day. This would be a great book to read to children at the beginning of the school year. The illustrations are bright and engaging.         

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian               

Valentines For All by Nancy Churnin and Monika Roza Wisniewska - ESSENTIAL

Valentines For All: Esther Howland Captures America's Heart by Nancy Churnin,    illustrated by Monika Roza Wisniewska. BIOGRAPHY   PICTURE BOOK. Albert Whitman & Company, 2023. $19. 9780807567111                       

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY 

This is the story of Esther Howland- the woman who began creating Valentine's Day cards in America. In 1847, when she was only 19 years old, her dad gave her a beautiful card. She loved it so much that she decided she wanted to make fancy cards in America to help people express their feelings for each other. Despite the doubt that was voiced from her family, her business took off. This is an amazing biography that shows determination, creativity, and to not give up on your dreams.   

My daughter and I enjoyed this book a lot. We liked learning how paper Valentines came to be in history. We didn't realize that this tradition started in England, and was later introduced to America. There were cute rhyming Valentines on each page that were funny and kept us engaged.           

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher                  

Sejal Sinha Battles Superstorms by Maya Prasad, illustrated by Abira Das - OPTIONAL

Sejal Sinha Battles Superstorms by Maya Prasad, illustrated by Abira Das. 108 pages. CHAPTER BOOK. Aladdin (Simon), 2023. $18. 9781665911788

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME 

Sejal, an 8yo Indian American girl is so excited to celebrate Diwali, her favorite Indian holiday. During Diwali her family dresses in fancy clothes, decorates their porch with colored sand and eats a huge feast. A hurricane warning threatens to ruin their plans to celebrate. Sejal and her cousin Mira turn a card box into an airplane and fly into the hurricane to try and stop it.

I enjoyed learning about Diwali and Indian culture. However, the plot seems to be for a younger audience, but it goes into detail about hurricanes which may be hard for the intended audience to understand. Black and white illustrations are plentiful throughout the book.

Tracie, Elementary School Librarian 

Not Yet: The Story of an Unstoppable Skater by Zahra Lari, Hadley Davis and Sara Alfageeh - ESSENTIAL

Not Yet: The Story of an Unstoppable Skater by Zahra Lari and Hadley Davis, illustrated by Sara Alfageeh. BIOGRAPHY PICTURE BOOK. Orchard Books (Scholastic), 2024.  $19. 9781338865202                      

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY 

Zahra, a young Muslim girl, loves ice skating! It is all she can think about and visualizes herself skating through her cereal. She slides down the halls in her house. She wants to be a figure skater. Her brother says that it is ridiculous because she doesn't know how to skate. Her response- not yet! She doesn't give up on her dream, despite many people in her life who told her it was impossible. Her dad also whispers her mantra- not yet- when someone told her that figure skaters don't look like her. Zahra went on to become the first skater to compete in a hijab.     

I loved this book because of the message it presented. It was girl power all the way! I liked how Zahra used the saying "not yet," for anything that discouraged her in her life. She didn't accept status quo and with the help of her dad, changed it. It was very inspirational and will inspire young kids to follow their dreams.        

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher                                                                     

Feel Calm by Andy Pizza and Sophie Miller - ADVISABLE

Feel Calm by Andy Pizza and Sophie Miller. BOARD BOOK. Chronicle, 2024. $10. 9781797215235

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Pizza and Miller’s mindfulness board book has a calming ribbon trail to follow on each page. 

A quick, cute way to focus a fidgeting child (or adult) to give them a chance to breathe amongst life’s chaos. If the art director had decided to make the lines tactile, with even a small groove, I would have rated this ESSENTIAL.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Flora and Friends: Colors by Molly Idle - ADVISABLE

Flora and Friends: Colors by Molly Idle. BOARD BOOK. Chronicle, 2024. $13. 9781797200576

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

With 7 fold-out spreads, Molly uses her highly-recognizable art style to give us a glimpse at color concepts. Flora fans will be charmed. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Little Fir Tree illustrated by Yu-Hsuan Huang and Little Witch Cat illustrated by Emily Dove - ADVISABLE

Little Fir Tree illustrated by Yu-Hsuan Huang. BOARD BOOK. Chronicle, 2024. $8. 9781797228099

Little Witch Cat illustrated by Emily Dove. BOARD BOOK. CHronicle, 2024. $8. 9781797228105

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

The fir tree loves his life in the forest. And, Little Witch Cat is looking forward to celebrating Halloween with her friends.

Chronicle has cornered the market on cute little board books with finger puppets at the center. They have more than 20 titles to choose from - these would make great choices for a Halloween treat or a Christmas stocking.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Legend of the Last Library by Frank L. Cole - ADVISABLE

The Legend of Last Library by Frank L. Cole, 288 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2024. $19.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

When scavenging for paper can pay for her grandfather’s medical bills, Juni (13yo) is willing to go anywhere to find a scrap of it. After Juni convinces her two friends to check the off limits buildings in Harker’s Village, Quaze (14yo) hits the jackpot: ten entire pages. But Quaze keeps the pages for herself and abandons the group, not knowing that the plastic Juni takes will lead to more paper than they could ever dream of.

Cole plays with the effects of having little to no paper in a post-apocalyptic world. Juni’s story offers one possibility while the roles of technology and paper in the book invite readers to think about their importance in our own lives. The adventure is wrought with emotional pitfalls, physical danger, and the temptation to help oneself instead of mankind as a whole. The only negative is that the story felt too short.

The majority of characters, including Juni, are implied White. Kobyn is implied Latino, and Lutz is described as having “dark” skin. The mature content rating is for illegal activity, and the violence rating is for assault.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Song after Song: The Musical Life of Julie Andrews by Julie Hedlund and laria Urbinati - ADVISABLE

Song after Song: The Musical Life of Julie Andrews by Julie Hedlund, illustrated by Ilaria Urbinati. BIOGRAPHY, PICTURE BOOK Little Bee, 2023 $19.00 97811499813791 

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Young Julia Wells grew up in a small English country town where her mother played the piano and her father was devoted to her and her brother. But during the Blitz of WWII, her mother moved with Julia to London, where she hid in shelters during the bombings - singing to help keep people's spirits up. She took voice lessons and eventually joined her mother's stage show. She grew up to become the beloved Julie Andrews. 

A well-told story, approved by both Andrews and her daughter, the author's friend Emma. I liked the illustrations a lot, Urbinati didn't try to make them look exactly like Andrews, which is refreshing. This is one of those nostalgia titles, and may be more recommended to Julie Andrew fans than something a child will pick off a shelf organically. I'm adding it to our picture book biographies for sure. Julie Andrews is British 

Lisa Librarian 

The Yellow Bus by Loren Long - ESSENTIAL

The Yellow Bus by Loren Long PICTURE BOOK Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2024. $20. 9781250903136 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

A yellow school bus happily took students from one place to another. Then it was refitted to take elderly people, and happily took them to the library and all over, and they painted her. She was even happy eventually scrapped under a bridge where homeless people sheltered. And when she's moved to a farmer's field, she finds joy there too. 

Loren Long's beautiful story of the life of a bus is not to be missed. AJ loved seeing all the different communities who found joy in the bus. Long's illustrations, mostly in greys and browns are gorgeous - with the yellow bus a delightful focal point on the maps. Oh, I adored the Yellow Bus! 

Lisa Librarian and AJ age 8

Awe-Samosas! by Marzieh Abbas and Bhagya Madanasinghe - ESSENTIAL

Awe-Samosas! by Marzieh Abbas, illustrated by Bhagya Madanasinghe. PICTURE BOOK. Clarion Books (Harper), 2024. $20. 9780063257276

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Noor has invited her friends to come visit and plans to make them a special snack, samosas. Her dad is going to help her, but they are out of peas. Noor decides to experiment with special fillings and hopes her friends will like them. Noor struggles to fold the samosas properly until she remembers the technique by remembering how her Dadijaan folds her headscarf.

"Awe-Samosas!" lives up to its title with the energy created by bright and active illustrations. I like the relatability of a daughter who wants to make a fancy ethnic treat to share with her friends compared to a dad who would rather order in pizza. I like the glossary and the recipe for samosas provided at the end. Noor and her father speak of Dadijaan who still lives in Pakistan. Urdu terms are used throughout the story and are defined in a glossary at the end of the book.

Janae Smith, Teacher Librarian

Save the Blue Whales by Christine Taylor-Butler - OPTIONAL

Save the Blue Whales by Christine Taylor-Butler. 81 pages. NON-FICTION CHAPTER BOOK. Philomel Books (Penguin), 2023. $7. 9780593404157

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

Did you know that the tongue of a blue whale is as big as an elephant? Or that blue whales don't sleep? Learn these facts and more in Save the Blue Whales. This book starts with many interesting facts about blue whales. It then moves into why they are endangered and what kids can do to help them.

Save the Blue Whales is a short chapter book with fairly large font. Black and white pictures are scattered throughout. It is part of a series. I thought the facts were interesting but this book was not as engaging as other Save the.... books I have read.

Tracie, Elementary School Librarian 

The House Before Falling Into the Sea by Ann Suk Wang and Hanna Cha - OPTIONAL

The House Before Falling Into the Sea by Ann Suk Wang, illustrated by Hanna Cha. PICTURE BOOK. Dial Books for Young Readers (Penguin), 2024. $19. 9780593530153

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

Kyung Tak is overwhelmed by the number of people who keep showing up at her house. Her parents explain to her that they have no where else to go and it their responsibility to show the the people love and kindness. Kyung makes a friend and does her best to help out.

The watercolor illustrations are nice. The message of showing kindness to those in need during war is an important one. The story, however, provides no context or background. Information at the back of the book explains that the story takes place during the Korean War in 1950 but that is not readily evident in the story. Many of the pages are wordy.

The story is set in Korea and all of the characters are Korean.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian

Sami's Special Gift: An Eid al-Adha Story by M.O. Yuksel and Huseyin Sonmezay - ADVISABLE

Sami's Special Gift: An Eid al-Adha Story by M.O. Yuksel, illustrated by Huseyin Sonmezay. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2024. $18. 9781623542962

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Sami's favorite holiday to celebrate is Eid-al Adha. Each year, he would celebrate with Dede, his grandfather. Now that he is gone, Sami isn't as excited until a package from his family in Turkey arrives. Eid gifts! Sami receives a tie with little lambs on it. He can't wait to wear it to the celebration. Eid is all about charity, gratitude and sharing. Sami's parents show him and his sister how to help people in need. They go as a family to a shelter where his parents volunteer. Sami sees kids in need and knows what to do.

My daughter and I liked this book because it taught us a lot about this holiday. She was able to relate to the character Sami and understood the message from the story. It taught a great lesson in giving to others as well as introducing a different culture.

Sami and his family celebrate Eid al-Adha and their family is from Istanbul, Turkey.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

As the Seas Rise: Nicole Hernandez Hammer and the Fight for Climate Justice by Angela Queada Padron. - ESSENTIAL

As the Seas Rise: Nicole Hernandez Hammer and the Fight for Climate Justice by Angela Queada Padron. PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHY. Atheneum Books (Simon), 2024. $19. 9781665913942

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Nicole was born and lived in Guatemala City. She would have stayed there with her family, if it hadn't been for a terrible earthquake. Her family needed to move to the United States for work. Although it was hard for her to fit in in the beginning, Nicole filled her time with understanding and appreciating nature. She wondered at the power of nature and how it could easily transform the environment. She also saw first hand how destructive nature can be. As she grew up, she decided to study climate change so that she could help her neighborhood. Everyone listened to her, even the President and his wife. This biography will inspire kids to go out and change the world, as well as be curious about nature.

My daughter and I enjoyed this book because it showed Nicole's whole life journey. It was interesting to see what inspired her to study climate change. This was a well written biography for kids because it was informational and very engaging.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher

I Am a Rock by Ashley Qilavaq-Savard and Pelin Turgut - ADVISABLE

I Am a Rock by Ashley Qilavaq-Savard, illustrated by Pelin Turgut. PICTURE BOOK. Inhabit Media, 2024. $18. 9781772274752

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Pauloosie, a young boy, wonders what rocks would say if they were alive. His anaana, an Inuktitut word for mom, helps him imagine what would they would say. Rocks get to see different animals, experience different seasons, and can hear sounds that humans might not even notice. Pauloosie discovers how much fun he can have with his rock friend.

This is a story about a boy and his mom using their imaginations. I liked this book because of the illustrations of what the rock sees and hears. It was also interesting to learn a few Inuktitut words. This book is a good example of personification and friendship.

Pauloosie comes from an Iqaluit culture.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

The Boy Who Said Wow by Todd Boss and Rashin Kheiriyeh - ESSENTIAL

The Boy Who Said Wow by Todd Boss, illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh. PICTURE BOOK. Beach Lane Books (Simon), 2024. $19. 9781534499713

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Ronan, a nine year old boy, was a very quiet boy. Despite his parents best efforts, he wouldn't say much. His grandfather came over and said, "Let's go to a concert!" It would be an adventure! On the drive over, Ronan was quiet, even when the lights went down, Ronan was quiet. However, once the symphony was over, Ronan said one word "WOW!" This picture book is based on a boy named Ronan Mattin who was born nonverbal. It is a sweet story showing how powerful music can be.

I liked this book because it is based off a true story. It is important to have protagonists that have disabilities. It can be read as a simple picture book or you can dive deeper into the powerful message it provides.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

Field Day! (Step Into Reading) by Candice Ransom and Ashley Evans - ESSENTIAL

Field Day! (Step Into Reading) by Candice Ransom, illustrated by Ashley Evans, 32 pages. EARLY READER. Random House Books for Young Readers, 2024. $6. 9780593643679

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

In this early reader, you can follow a young girl and boy as they enjoy their Field Day at school. First, they must remember to wear their school shirt and catch the bus on time. Once they get to school, the fun begins! Some of the activities include: wheelbarrow races, kickball, toss the blanket and much more. There are even activities like face painting and popping bubbles. Field days are the best!

This is a fun leveled reader that will help young students understand what Field Day is. The text is predictable and has a rhyme scheme as well. The illustrations will also hep the reader understand how to play these activities.

The boy and girl protagonists are not caucasian. There are many ethnicities represented in this text. There is also a diversity showing kids with disabilities.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

Step by Step by Kathryn Boger and Hiroe Nakata - ADVISABLE

Step by Step by Kathryn Boger, illustrated by Hiroe Nakata. PICTURE BOOK. Magination Press, 2023. $19. 9781433842412

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

Sam, a little boy, is a little scared of trying new things. Things that should be fun, sound slightly intimidating. He gets invited to a friend's house- scary! Visiting a farm with lots of animals- scary! Sam's first day of school- very scary! What can Sam do to overcome these feelings? His mom asks him, "What first step can you take?" Bit by bit, step by step, Sam is able to be brave and overcome these challenges.

Roger’s book had a great message about breaking scary experiences down into more manageable steps. It showed real experiences that might not seem scary to an adult, but could be stressful for a young child. The mantra, "step by step, bit by bit, Sam learns he can handle it" is repeated throughout the book. I liked the message but wasn't drawn into the plot.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

A Place for Rain by Michelle Schaub and Blanca Gomez - ADVISABLE

A Place for Rain by Michelle Schaub, illustrated by Blanca Gomez. PICTURE BOOK. Norton Young Readers. 2024. $19. 9781324052357

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

Do you ever wonder where the water goes after it rains really hard? The excess water can overflow rivers, ponds and lakes. A classroom of kids decide to tackle this problem. They wonder, would happen if they put a barrel under a rainspout to collect the water? The kids work together. But what if the barrel is too small and the water runs out? The kids will have to come up with a solution. This is a fun problem/solution story on how to use rain water to help a garden grow.

I liked this book because it tackled a real environmental problem and showed young kids an easy solution. The kids worked together for a great end result. The book included excellent vocabulary words, but made it easily understandable for kids of all ages.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

Eye Guess: A Forest Animal Guessing Game by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes - ESSENTIAL

Eye Guess: A Forest Animal Guessing Game by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes. BOARD BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2024. $9. 9781623544478

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

Do you know what kind of animal is looking at you? As you read through each page, the text gives the reader hints on what type of eye is in the illustration. This board book includes many common animals that can be found in forests. Toddlers should be able to guess pretty easily what animal will be on the next page. The illustrations are beautifully done and go well with the text.

My daughter and I liked this book because the pictures were detailed and colorful. The hints were easy enough for her to guess the animal on the next page.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

Archie Celebrates an Indian Wedding by Mitali Banerjee Ruths and Parwinder Singh. - ESSENTIAL

Archie Celebrates an Indian Wedding by Mitali Banerjee Ruths, illustrated by Parwinder Singh. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2024. $18. 9781623544188

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Archie's Uncle, Poppy, is going to get married to Miss Julie in a traditional Indian wedding. Archie is in charge of making sure that Emma, Miss Julie's niece, has a fun time during all of the wedding activities. Emma soon learns a lot about Indian culture and wedding traditions like getting henna tattoos and wearing fancy sherwanis. Emma gets nervous when she learns that she has to steal her new Uncle Poppy's shoes for good luck. By the end of the wedding, two families have joined together and Archie and Emma are not only family, but they are friends.

My daughter and I liked this book because it was about making new friends and learning about new cultures. It taught us a lot about traditions for Indian weddings. We also enjoyed reading the additional information about Indian weddings at the back of the book.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

My Saree by Gita Varadarajan and Archana Sreenivasan - ESSENTIAL

My Saree by Gita Varadarajan, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan. PICTURE BOOK. Orchard Books (Scholastic), 2024. $18. 9781338834147

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

Divya, a young Indian girl, wants to wear one of her amma's sarees so badly. She can't stop looking at the beautifully colored fabric with the intricate designs in her amma's closet. Her amma told her that she is too young to wear one yet. Mrs. Gonzalez, Divya's teacher, announced that there would be a Heritage Night at school. All of Divya's friends are excited and talking about what clothing they will wear to share their culture. Will Divya be able to convince her amma to break tradition and let her wear a saree at a younger age?

My daughter and I liked this book because it was very relatable. It shows how young girls often want to dress like their mothers, especially if it involves dressing up. I liked that this taught about Indian culture. The pictures were beautiful and went well with the story.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

Hands-On Science: Motion by Lola M. Schaefer and Druscilla Santiago - ESSENTIAL

Hands-On Science: Motion by Lola M. Schaefer, illustrated by Druscilla Santiago. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2024. $17. 9781623542450

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

Hands-On Science Motion is a mix between the book, Press Here, and a science book for younger readers. As the reader, you begin by entering the Physics Lab. Once there, you get to actively participate in experiments that involve whip cream, marbles on tracks, and bean bags. The book asks you to shake, tilt, and turn the book upside down to help with the science experiments. This is a highly engaging book that teaches about gravity, force, friction and more.

My daughter and I loved this book because it was highly engaging. The experiments were fun and informative. We really enjoyed that it was like the book Press Here.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

Author vs. Illustrator by Donald Lemke - ADVISABLE

Author vs. Illustrator by Donald Lemke, 40 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Capstone Editions, 2024. $19.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

The author and illustrator start out on the same page, but they soon turn their book into a battleground of opposing ideas. If they’re going to finish their book, they’ll have to see where words and pictures can help each other—and the story!

While the focus is on complementing words and pictures for a story, Lemke also provides an example of working together with different ideas and strengths. The humor of the characters’ argument balances out the real life skills being illustrated.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen