War Horse by Michael Morpurgo andTom Clohosy Cole - ADVISABLE

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Tom Clohosy Cole. PICTURE BOOK. Farshore (Harper), JUNE 2022. $18. 9781405292443 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Before war broke out, Joey and his beloved horse Albert worked and played together on their English farm. After war started, however, the two were separated when Joey’s father sold Albert to the military. Running away from home, Joey was determined to find Albert somewhere in the chaos of Europe. Albert, meanwhile, worked in the English cavalry, was captured by Germans and used as an ambulance horse and many other things. Joey will never give up looking for Albert, and Albert keeps waiting for his master’s call. 

Though text dense, Morpurgo’s novel adapts well to a picture book – Cole’s illustrations bring each scene to life. A tender way to look at ways animals were used during war. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Time Flies: down to the last minute by Tara Lazar and Ross MacDonald - ADVISABLE

Time Flies: down to the last minute by Tara Lazar, illustrated by Ross MacDonald. PICTURE BOOK. Little Brown, 2022. $18. 9780759554924 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Private I is on the case again! Clocks and watches are disappearing all over town. Who is the culprit and what is their motivation? 

Chockfull of time related puns and alphabet inanity! You might have to explain a few of the references, but kids will still enjoy the silliness. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Courage Hats by Kate Hoefler and Jessixa Bagley - NO

Courage Hats by Kate Hoefler, illustrated by Jessixa Bagley. PICTURE BOOK. Chronicle, 2022. $18. 9781797202761 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - NO 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

 A girl is afraid of bears, so she is afraid of traveling alone into the forest, so she makes a bear mask. A bear is afraid of people, so they make a people mask to wear on the train. Unknowingly, they sit next to each other and they support each other on their journey. 

I understand Hoefler’s point, but I don’t think that kids, who are more literal, will understand. And strangely, the train starts out with just people on it (and not other beings wearing masks), but at the end has a mix of people and animals. I found it to be weird, without being charming. 

 Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Itty-Bitty Kittycorn by Shannon Hale and Leuyen Pham - ESSENTIAL

Itty-Bitty Kittycorn by Shannon Hale, illustrated by Leuyen Pham. PICTURE BOOK. Abrams, 2021. $19. 9781419750915 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Kitty has made herself a horn and a bow and wants to be a unicorn, but Gecko and Parakeet are determined to remind her that Kitty is NOT a unicorn. It isn’t until a Unicorn comes by and confesses something to Kitty, that Kitty realizes that they both have many things in common – maybe they are both kitty-corns. 

 Pham starts the story from the opening endpapers and continues it onto the back endpapers. Just when you think unicorns have been overdone, Hale and Pham put their heads together and create a new tale you will not be able to resist. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Mars! Earthlings Welcome by Stacy McAnulty and Stevie Lewis - ESSENTIAL

Mars! Earthlings Welcome by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by Stevie Lewis. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Henry Holt, 2021. $19. 9781250256881 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

McAnulty applies her characteristic wit and info skills to Mars! 

Lewis’s illustrations back up the facts and emphasize the humor in all the right places. I don’t know if they can pull it off for every planet, but I sure hope they do. The back matter is a great support for the material. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

We Are Better Together by Bill McKibben and Stevie Lewis - OPTIONAL

We Are Better Together by Bill McKibben, illustrated by Stevie Lewis. PICTURE BOOK. Godwin Books (Macmillan), 2022. $19. 9781250755155 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW 

Lewis’s illustrations are the star here. McKibben tries to make a point about the value of humans as individuals and the power of humans to make all kinds of things about the planet and about life on it better. Unfortunately, the tone is distracted and didactic and the illustrations can’t make up for that. 

 Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Bobcat Prowling by Maria Gianferrari and Bagram Ibatouilline - OPTIONAL

Bobcat Prowling by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Bagram Ibatouilline. PICTURE BOOK. Roaring Brook (Macmillan), 2022. $19. 9781626727861 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Gianferrari and Ibatouilline treat us to a look at the life of a yearling bobcat as he tries to find a territory of his own after his mother boots him from the den. We see the other animals that already claim certain territories and the humans who have claimed theirs, also. The back matter gives more interesting facts about the bobcats. 

 Schools set in rural areas that see wildlife will definitely like this one. City schools may enjoy the idea that other kids live so close to such animals. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Nana Loves You More by Jimmy Fallon, illustrated by Miguel Ordonez - ADVISABLE

Nana Loves You More by Jimmy Fallon and Miguel Ordonez. PICTURE BOOK. Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), $18. 9781250823946 

BUYING ADVISORY: GIFT - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

If you are a grandmother looking a new baby present, Fallon has the book for you. Written as a dialogue between child and grandparent – it would be fun to read aloud with an older child, too. 

 Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Our Planet! There’s No Place Like Earth by Stacy McAnulty and David Litchfield - ESSENTIAL

Our Planet! There’s No Place Like Earth by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by David Litchfield. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2022. $19. 9781250782496 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

McAnulty revisits the planet Earth, this time with a look at the effects of pollution. The narrative ends on a positive note, extolling several beautiful things that will survive if we can reverse the problem that people created. 

Litchfield’s illustrations continue to have a plethora of delightful details. Paired with McAnulty’s text, the duo lay out the stress that Earth is under. You should follow this up with more books about concrete ways students can make a difference. Try On Our Nature Walk, King Leonard’s Teddy, or One Plastic Bag. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

A Home Named Walter by Chelsea Lin Wallace and Ginnie Hsu - OPTIONAL

A Home Named Walter by Chelsea Lin Wallace, illustrated by Ginnie Hsu. PICTURE BOOK. Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2022. $19. 9781250316417 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

When his family moved away, Walter the House, was sad and lonely and grumpy. So grumpy, that when a new family moved in, Walter didn’t want them around at all. Hiss efforts didn’t work – in fact it helped the little girl realize that Walter was missing someone just like she was. 

The anthropomorphized house that misses its people may be a salve to small people who are missing others from their lives. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

The Wishing Balloons by Jonathan D. Voss - ADVISABLE

The Wishing Balloons by Jonathan D. Voss. PICTURE BOOK. Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2022. $19. 9781250317377 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Albert has just moved next door to Dot, but Albert is always looking sad. Dot comes up with different ways to make Albert happy, but after a few tries, Dot realizes that cheering up may not be what Albert needs. 

Voss’s impressionist illustrations add a lush note to his wistful look at a dimension of friendship that is very under-rated – empathy. Voss has set it up so that many children, like me, will get frustrated with how unresponsive Albert is to Dot’s overtures. But when they get it (like I finally got it), and can internalize the lesson, they will be better friends because of it. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

How To Hug a Pufferfish by Ellie Peterson - ESSENTIAL

How To Hug a Pufferfish by Ellie Peterson. PICTURE BOOK. Roaring Brook (Macmillan), 2022. $19. 9781250796998 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

While Pufferfish so is adorably cute that you want to hug it, you might want to take some precautions, because Pufferfish has a problem if it is startled. 

 Another adorable book about consent! Peterson presents to issues AND the answers without being preachy. Pair this with Rissy No Kissies for a mini conversation about boundaries and consent. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS