Revolutionary Mary by Karen Blumenthal, Jen McCartney and Elizabeth Baddeley- ADVISABLE

Revolutionary Mary by Karen Blumenthal, Jen McCartney and Elizabeth Baddeley. NON-FICTION, PICTURE BOOK Macmillan, 2025. $19. 9781626723115 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Mary Goddard ran a newspaper in the 1770s in Baltimore Maryland. She wasn't afraid to print news about the American Revolution even though it was dangerous to do so. She printed handbills letting the citizens of Baltimore know what had happened at Lexington and Concord. She printed the Declaration of Independence on the front page of her newspaper. Any of these acts could have been seen as treason by the King, but Mary was brave. So, when the Continental Congress wanted to send a copy of the Declaration of Independence to each colony, guess who they asked to print them? 

I loved this piece of little known American and women's history. The illustrations are great and present the story perfectly. I love that she has ink on her apron. I love the onomatopoeia floating around the illustrations as she gets the paper ready to print - Crank, Whoosh, Pow, Boom! 

Mary is white and American. 

Lisa Librarian

How Do You Eat Color? by Mabi David and Yas Doctor, translated by Karen Llagas - OPTIONAL

How Do You Eat Color? by Mabi David, illustrated by Yas Doctor, translated by Karen Llagas. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Eerdmans, 2025. 9780802856388

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Celebrate the colorful variety of fruits and vegetables. David starts out promisingly, but half way through he stops naming all of the foods on the page.  Plus the back matter also doesn’t explain all of the foods. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Far, Far Away by Molly Beth Griffin and Bao Luu - OPTIONAL

Far, Far Away by Molly Beth Griffin, illustrated by Bao Luu. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2025. $18. 9781623543631

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Rowan is on his first camping trip with his Mom and Mama.  While the adventure starts out great, by nightfall he is sore, tired, and ready to go home.  Mom and Mama show him the beautiful night sky - something so spectacular that he can’t see so well at home with the city lights. 

I would like reading this to a class as a prepare-for-summer-adventures book. In the back matter the author talks about the Dark Sky Sanctuary at the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, which the book is based on.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Short Dog, Long Dog: A Book of Opposites by Anna Hrachovec - ADVISABLE

Short Dog, Long Dog: A Book of Opposites by Anna Hrachovec. PICTURE BOOK Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan), 2025 $19. 9781250907202 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Dogs demonstrating opposites, told in cute rhymes with even cuter knitted dogs. 

I'm a knitter and I loved Short Dog, Long dog so much. How clever was this knitter, to make all these different dogs doing so many different things? The little blanket, the jump roping dog, all fun knitting choices. Mostly actual things dogs do, but to keep the theme, they also played guitars, rode on scooters, read books and dressed up. All in all, dropping by the title to my local yarn shop - mildly disappointed it didn't come with patterns. Knitting community aside, I also think this is so cute and a child will enjoy all these opposite dogs as well. Recommending. 

Lisa Librarian

Up and Down by Jane Burnard and Tracey Turner and Dawn Cooper - ADVISABLE

Up and Down by Jane Burnard and Tracey Turner, illustrated by Dawn Cooper, 64 pages. NON-FICTION, PICTURE BOOK Pan Macmillan, 2023. $19. 9780753478363 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

From flying insects, bats and birds, to clouds satellites and the moon and eventually the galaxy, readers take a trip up, learning new science on each page. But then, flip the book over and read about what's below. Starting with the earth's core , through the plates and crust, into the ocean, and through the underground, human and animal homes and soil and the insects who live there. 

There's a lot to read about - a little bit about a lot of things, enough to springboard for more information if the reader is inclined. The realistic full color illustrations were eye-catching and complemented the text. A good "open anywhere and read" book. 

Lisa Librarian 

A Pocket Full of Rocks by Kristin Mahoney and E.B. Goodale - NO

A Pocket Full of Rocks by Kristin Mahoney and E.B. Goodale. PICTURE BOOK. Random House, 2025. $19. 9780593428542

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - NOT RECOMMENDED

APPEALS TO: SOME

A child gathers rocks in his pocket during the winter, petals in the spring, shells in the summer, and acorns in the fall.  His family tells him why he shouldn’t, but he continues for his own reasons, including using each item for the fairies his imagination finds in the forest.

The pudgy androgynous fairies were an odd choice for me, especially since they were naked in the winter, but used blankets in the spring and hats in the fall. I didn’t find the fairy illustrations delightful, as I usually do, instead they were off-putting. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

When the Rain Came Down by Leslie Helakoski, illustrated by Keisha Morris - ADVISABLE

When the Rain Came Down by Leslie Helakoski, illustrated by Keisha Morris. PICTURE BOOK. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Macmillan), 2024. $18. 9780374390204

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

What happens when a hurricane hits a community?  Do people work together and help save each other?  What happens after the hurricane is over?  These questions and more are answered in this picture book for younger children.

When the Rain Came Down has lyrical text and eye catching illustrations.  It teaches students about the effects of natural disasters in an interesting way.  The text on each page is minimal and would be a good read aloud for younger grades.  This book is a great example of resilience and helping others. Many races are represented in this book.

Tracie, Elementary School Librarian

Wheetle: A Little Wagon with a Big Heart by Cindy Derby - OPTIONAL

Wheetle: A Little Wagon with a Big Heart by Cindy Derby. PICTURE BOOK Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2025. $19. 9781250325501 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Wheetle is a little wagon who carried things around all day for his friends, but when his wheel has a problem, he might miss his favorite day. 

The story was OK. There's a helpful wagon and his friends didn't seem to be taking advantage. But I liked the illustrations so much more. I expect that the farm is abandoned, as there are no people, just mostly bugs, and Wheetle is the only inanimate "living" thing. I thought the bugs would call a tow for him, but as they didn't, Wheetle must be unique. Anyway, the story had some big holes for this adult, perhaps a child can look past them. 

Lisa Librarian 

Little People Big Dream: Roald Dahl by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Francis Martin - ADVISABLE

Little People Big Dream: Roald Dahl by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, illustrated by Francis Martin. BIOGRAPHY, PICTURE BOOK Frances Lincoln (Quarto), 2025 $16. 9781836005117 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Roald Dahl is famous author who based many of his characters and stories on experiences from his own life. 

This is a cute series, the biographies are short, the illustrations are fun. We don't get a comprehensive biography and I was (pleased) surprised to see this briefly addresses that some of his writings were unkind to others, especially Jewish people. All in all, an elementary student would learn who he his and where he got his ideas. Includes a timeline and a bit longer bio. Dahl is Welsh 

Lisa Librarian 

The Five Sides of Marjorie Rice by Amy Alznauer, illustrated by Anna Bron - ADVISABLE

The Five Sides of Marjorie Rice by Amy Alznauer, illustrated by Anna Bron. BIOGRAPHY PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2025. $19. 9781536229479

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

The Five Sides of Marjorie Rice reveals one woman's interest and journey in discovering several five sided tessellating shapes that can cover a surface and fit together indefinitely. 

Amy Alznauer tells the fascinating story of how a woman with no formal mathematical training discovers astonishing shapes.  It reveals a fun idea to approach geometry through art.  Bron's illustrations enjoyably lift the story and show us many of the wonderful shapes and surfaces. 

PGPowers

Ford NUMBERS by Gabriella DeGennaro and Emilie Lapeyre - OPTIONAL

Ford NUMBERS by Gabriella DeGennaro and Emilie Lapeyre. BOARD BOOK. Penguin Young Reader, 2024. $8. 9780593753088

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

The book is all about Ford cars. It is a counting book and shows how many windows, mirrors, tires, etc. on a car.

It was OK, and small children might like to look at the book, point out the different things on a car and learn to count to 10 at the same time.

Ellen-Anita, Librarian

A Mouse Just Ate My House! by Kes Gray and Sebastien Braun - ADVISABLE

A Mouse Just Ate My House! by Kes Gray and Sebastien Braun. PICTURE BOOK. Happy Yak (Quarto), 2025. $19. 9780711288058

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

The boy is severely stressed because is not just eating his cheese, but his entire home. Nothing seems to be able to stop it.

Kids will probably giggle at the idea that the voracious mouse ate his aunt, uncle, and the exterminator amongst so many other things.  The rhymes are a bit forced at times, but you won’t end up singing along as you read. Fun cut-outs scattered throughout add to the fun. You might wish for a happy ending - but you aren’t going to get it. Try to approach this as the piece of silliness that it is.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS