I am a Potato by Ziggy Hanaor and Elliot Kruszynski - ADVISABLE

I am a Potato by Ziggy Hanaor and Elliot Kruszynski. PICTURE BOOK. Cicada Books, 2024. $17. 9781800660519

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

The small animal boldly states that they are a potato, but the other animals say that is definitely not the case. It will take a series of questions. but they are determined to figure out what kind of creature they are.

What a fun retake on how to figure out what makes up the different branches of the animal kingdom.  A great introduction for smaller students. The illustrations are cute, but do lack depth and texture. Luckily their plainness doesn’t distract from the content. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

You Are Not Sleepy! by Mark Teague - ADVISABLE

You Are Not Sleepy! by Mark Teague. PICTURE BOOK. Beach Lane (Simon), 2024. $19. 9781665940740

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

The piggie has finished its bedtime story and knows they are supposed to nap - but sleepiness is not coming.  Each thing they try to help them sleep causes a chain reaction to another thing.  I wonder if this piggy will ever take their nap!

Similar in flavor to If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - piggie goes through a long chain reaction of activities until the right one helps send them off to sleep. Young ones avoiding nap time will relate easily to piggie - and may want to try out each action as the book goes along. Hopefully this will be followed up by the actual nap!

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

A Chest Full Of Words by Rebecca Guggler & Simon Rothlisberger - ADVISABLE

A Chest Full Of Words by Rebecca Guggler & Simon Rothlisberger. PICTURE BOOK. North South, 2025. $20. 9780735845602

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) -  ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL:  MANY

A young boy named Oscar was digging for treasure and found an old chest.  When he opened the chest it was just full of jumbled up words. He pulled the word fluorescent out and threw it in the bushes.  A fluorescent hedge hog came running out. He soon realized what he had and started putting words from the chest on everything.  It was so much fun.  Soon it was empty.  How could he ever refill it?"

A Chest Full Of Words is not just another book about words.  The characters, animals, and illustrations are amazing, adventuresome, and imaginative!  I really enjoyed reading this book.

PGPowers, Library Assistant

Caterpillar Chryzzle by Andrew Bond, illustrated by Julie Volk - OPTIONAL

Caterpillar Chryzzle by Andrew Bond, illustrated by Julie Volk. PICTURE BOOK. North South, 2025. $20. 9780735845596

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

Worm and caterpillar are best neighbor's and go for long crawls and talks together.  One day caterpillar climbs up a stalk and talks about a "chryzzaling" feeling.  Worm decides he is muddled in the head and leaves.  After a few weeks, caterpillar has changed.  Where will he go?

Caterpillar Chryzzle is a bit boring for children, and they will definitely miss the intended theme of trusting in one's feelings and not being afraid to fly to new heights leaving old friends behind. The beautiful watercolor illustrations are worth perusing.

PGPowers, Library Assistant

G.O.A.T. by Kate and Jol Temple, illustrated by Rebel Challenger - ADVISABLE

G.O.A.T. by Kate and Jol Temple, illustrated by Rebel Challenger. PICTURE BOOK. Scholastic Press, 2023. $15. 9781546127260

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Goat thinks he is pretty great and that his name stands for the Greatest Of All Time!  Duck thought G.O.A.T.  stood for Gobbles Oats And Tires.  Goat makes up silly acronyms for duck and all the other farmyard friends.  Is there only room for one G.O.A.T or can they all be the greatest?

G.O.A.T.  humorously debates that everyone can be the greatest at something.  I liked the comical animals and their silly antics.  I feel it is hard for very young children to grasp.

PGPowers, Library Assistant

Stopping by Jungle on a Snowy Evening by Richard T. Morris and Julie Rowan-Zoch - OPTIONAL

Stopping by Jungle on a Snowy Evening by Richard T. Morris and Julie Rowan-Zoch. PICTURE BOOK. Atheneum (Simon), 2024. $19. 9781481478021

BUYING ADVISORY: GIFT - ADVISABLE; EL, MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

The boy is out … on his hippo?  …in the snow? Wait - there’s Robert Frost, trying to tweak the boy and the hippo back into fitting his poem.  But the boy, and the hippo, and the jungle have other ideas about what they see as a very boring poem. 

High alert gift idea for those Language Arts teachers in your life! Hopefully they have a sense of humor about poetry and Robert Frost in particular and will enjoy the byplay here.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Book from Far Away by Bruce Handy, Illustrated by Julie Benbassat - OPTIONAL

The Book from Far Away by Bruce Handy, Illustrated by Julie Benbassat. 44 pages. PICTURE BOOK Astra, 2023. $19. 9781662651335 

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

In this wordless picture book, a child spots a family from outer space who seem to have landed on earth for a picnic. The child exchanges his book with a young alien for a strange object that could be a book from another species. 

The art is reminiscent of an older style, and is colorful and beautifully done. A nice book about sharing and making different kinds of friends. If you like wordless picture books, this one will spark the imagination. The child is white. 

Michelle in the Middle

Grown with Love by Valeria Wicker - ADVISABLE

Grown with Love by Valeria Wicker. PICTURE BOOK. McElderry (Simon), 2024. $19. 9781665947084

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Young Oliver can create a plant for every gardening situation - except! Mrs. Kroftombottom has a severe case of blackthumbitis, which he can not seem to cure.  It is only with careful inspection, a lot of thinking, and making some calls that Oliver comes to the heart of the situation - of what Mrs. K really needs. 

Very sweet - I think a teacher would like this as a read aloud. I was pleasantly surprised by how gently the message shone through - especially because I wasn’t expecting a message at all. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Animal Albums from A to Z by Cece Bell - OPTIONAL

Animal Albums from A to Z by Cece Bell, 68 pages. PICTURE BOOK Walker (Candlewick), 2024. $20 9781536226249 

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

APPEALS TO: SOME 

If animals recorded record albums, this is what they would come up with. This is an alphabet book with an album cover, animal group, and song for each letter of the alphabet. The songs have plenty of alliteration, depending on their letter of the alphabet. 

The art is fun. The songs were longish, so kids may lose interest. This may be a good book for teaching style and having kids create their own versions, but may not be a book kids would sit and read cover to cover. 

Michelle in the Middle

When Nature Calls: the unusual bathroom habits of the world’s creatures by Maria Birmingham and Dave Whamond - ESSENTIAL

When Nature Calls: the unusual bathroom habits of the world’s creatures by Maria Birmingham and Dave Whamond. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Red Deer Press, 2024. $24. 9780889957244

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Birmingham regales us with in-depth information about the pooping habits of several of natires creatures. Pair this with Sara Levine’s Poop For Breakfast (https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/2023/09/poop-for-breakfast-by-sara-levine-and.html) for a very educational look at feces. Whether a teacher reads it aloud or not, it will get read! The information is more detailed than a casual reader - K-3 may pick it up for the pictures, but 4-up will really enjoy the material.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Tate's Wild Rescue by Jenny Turnbull, illustrated by Izzy Burton - OPTIONAL

Tate's Wild Rescue Jenny Turnbull, illustrated by Izzy Burton. 32 pages. PICTURE BOOK Random House, 2024 $19 9780593569078 

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

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Tate loves animals so much she wants to rescue the ones who live in the wild. She sends them letters and offers them a safe place with her. Tate is surprised that none of them will take her up on her offer. 

 The art is charming and the letter writing format is fun. It's a cute way to learn brief snippets about wild animals. The main character's race is not specified, but she is not white. 

Michelle in the Middle

Safe Crossing by Kari Percival - ADVISABLE

Safe Crossing by Kari Percival. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Chronicle, 2024. $19. 9781797214566

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

It is a wet spring night and the Amphibian Migration crew is on the job to help small critters safely cross the road to their egg-laying territories. The children in the group wonder if there would be a way to create a safe crossing for these tiny creatures, whose habitat has been bisected by the road.

Supplement this with Crossings by Katy S Dunfield, a more non-fiction picture book, which shows a variety of human-created animal crossing structures.  I do consider this non-fiction because of the great information included during the story-telling and the excellent back matter.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS