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VERDICT This is an excellent book to include in units on teaching poetry or mindfulness.—Pamela McLeod Thompson BAILEY, Linda. VERDICT This book offers a unique and engaging blend of fictional storytelling and scientific education, making it an excellent addition to school library collections.—Richard Winters BALDWIN, Lynn. VERDICT Young children who are fans of more challenging search-and-find books will enjoy the intricate artwork and the visual jolt this title delivers; upper elementary students may enjoy the hunt as well.—Kirsten Caldwell DATCHER, Michael. Illustrations match the big feelings in the book with blood platelets (stylized bright red globs) dancing across a spread, a karate kick jumping off the page, and a literal family tree with relative's portraits decorating branches.
Elementary
K-Gr 3—Tamaki captures the serenity of a Japanese garden and a quiet poet while also taking on others' need for fame. A famous Japanese poet named Basho sits by a pond, meditating. A beautiful carp dazzles and twirls in the water, wanting to get Basho's attention. "Look at me!" the fish begs. "Write about me," but Basho ignores the fish. Next, a gorgeous lily that blooms only for a day sees a way to make its existence immortal—if only the great poet Basho would write about them. So it goes, with a mosquito seeing his chance at fame, but the poet ignores it. A happy frog decides to get in its evening swim, and the poet writes his famous haiku about that very moment. Additional pages follow with careful information on Basho and haiku. VERDICT This is an excellent book to include in units on teaching poetry or mindfulness.—Pamela McLeod Thompson
PreS-Gr 3—Lena, a chicken who firmly believes she is a dinosaur, is distinguished by her bold character, which sets her apart from her easily scared chicken family. Her conviction leads her to guard the coop, attempting to deter egg collectors with "dinosaur" sounds. A human character, Madeline, appreciates Lena's unique self-perception. The plot escalates when a weasel endangers the flock, prompting Lena to unleash a "dreadful GROWL" that swells to the sound of "A THOUSAND DINOSAURS," a powerful move that drives the weasel away. This dramatic moment is enhanced by the narrative's effective use of bolding and capitalization for emphasis, conveying Lena's strong internal belief and the impact of her actions. Following this, the chickens accept Lena's dinosaur identity, and she teaches them self-defense tactics. The book culminates with a scientific revelation, well-supported by excellent back matter: Madeline's science fair project provides evidence that chickens are indeed modern-day dinosaurs, a fact consistent with recent paleontological discoveries. The illustrations, created with pencil and watercolor, effectively portray Lena's world and emotions, contributing to the story's charm and vibrancy and making this great for showing during read-alouds. By celebrating themes of self-identity, bravery, and scientific concepts in a fun, accessible way, this is valuable for young readers and for social-emotional learning. VERDICT This book offers a unique and engaging blend of fictional storytelling and scientific education, making it an excellent addition to school library collections.—Richard Winters
K-Gr 3—A thoughtful tale that invites the youngest readers to consider a world beyond the moment they are in. The story reveals all of the things that the narrator's backyard used to be: a playground, a family's first home in a new country, a farm. Long before any of that, it was part of the beginning of the world itself. The storytelling is straightforward and accessible, while warm, full-page illustrations capture a sense of wonder and the slow passage of time. In the gentlest way, Baldwin and Baratta show readers that they are neither the first nor the last to occupy a space, and that their lives are part of a much larger story. VERDICT A meaningful addition to school and public libraries, as well as a lovely choice for readers to take home, where they can consider their own neighborhood's history.—Jessica Clark
K-Gr 5—In this visually packed, wordless puzzle book, readers are challenged to locate two elusive characters: Mr. Search, who doesn't want to be found, and Mrs. Find, who doesn't want to be sought. Introduced on the opening page with a single line of text, the pair appear in 18 grids of dense, themed spreads filled with hundreds of tiny illustrations. Sometimes they're featured prominently in their own grid squares; other times, they're cleverly disguised within the images, increasing the difficulty. The final pages offer visual solutions for each puzzle. With no narrative and no clues beyond the initial character introductions, the book offers a pure test of observation and focus. The uniform illustration style and whimsical details throughout make it engaging from start to finish. VERDICT Young children who are fans of more challenging search-and-find books will enjoy the intricate artwork and the visual jolt this title delivers; upper elementary students may enjoy the hunt as well.—Kirsten Caldwell
PreS-Gr 4—An unnamed Black girl must deal with myriad challenges; most difficult is her parents' recent divorce, although she also struggles with being bullied, her father's depression, and that she masks her own feelings about all of it. To cope, she draws on and finds truth in music, such as Bob Marley's lyrics of "everything little thing is gonna be alright." She also finds solace in school, where she excels with a passion for science, drawing strength from historic and noteworthy Black scientists. She is clearly loved and comforted by her parents and does her best, choosing joy through the challenges. Illustrations match the big feelings in the book with blood platelets (stylized bright red globs) dancing across a spread, a karate kick jumping off the page, and a literal family tree with relative's portraits decorating branches. A strong use of color and movement within the paintings reveals the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist, most poignantly, the image of her broken heart and body because of the divorce. Text, though prose, is spare, lyrical, and powerful, such as when she writes of her comfort creature knowing "what is it's like to the stitched back together when their tender insides are sticking out." VERDICT Heartfelt and moving, this is an exceptional must-have for the shelves for helping children deal with divorce and other challenges.—Melisa Bailey
PreS-Gr 3—Hiking through woods with her mother, Emma is surprised to meet Margaret, a gray-haired woman who lives in a tent in the snow. Back home, Mom tells Emma, "Some people have lost their jobs. Some people have health problems. No one chooses to be homeless." Noticing that Margaret seems cold, the pair make repeated visits to the tent with gifts of food and warm clothes. Mom, a social worker, "calls several shelters" on Margaret's behalf, ultimately arranging stable housing for her. The illustrations, rendered in watercolor and colored pencil, show the changing seasons and contrast Emma's warm home and Margaret's chilly tent. Mom and Margaret have fair skin, while Emma's appears a shade darker. Readers will relate to Emma's compassion and Mom's concern, but Margaret's own perspective is conspicuously absent, and the book ignores the fact that no one asks for Margaret's consent before intervening in her life. This well-meaning interference, and the happy ending it precipitates, undermine the book's attempt to show young readers that people experiencing homelessness are still, most importantly, people. VERDICT A compassionate and workmanlike story, though lacking important nuance.—Amy Reimann
K-Gr 3—Stella and her stuffed hippo Roger do not want to move away from Chicago, where everything feels like home. Armed with a list of her top five reasons why she can't move, Stella tries very hard to convince her parents that she and Roger can stay in their house and not move. What if she forgets her house and her friends? What if the new home doesn't smell like banana bread? With digital illustrations in bright, friendly colors, this title provides a gentle, even bland, introduction to the concept of moving and leaving behind everything familiar. The Chicago elements feel unnecessary and disjointed from the rest of the story, as they set the scene for a move away from a detailed place to a nondescript location. VERDICT Fine where there is a need for a book on the subject, but unnecessary for a robust collection.—Elizabeth Speer
PreS-Gr 2—This flawless picture book teaches young readers that with honesty, love, and a little glue, there is no mistake too big to fix. Fang (Dim Sum Palace, We Are Definitely Human) is back with a heartwarming tale of a universal childhood (and adulthood) experience: breaking something important. Playful young protagonist Mei Mei accidentally knocks over Ama's favorite mug, and this is the story of the hilarious path she takes to make things right. The first-person narration will help listeners build empathy and connection for Mei Mei. The illustrations vividly and comically tell the story on their own, conveying the wide range of emotions Mei Mei experiences throughout her ordeal. Simple sentences and ample white space will also help beginning readers access this text. VERDICT This is a perfect fit for SEL lessons about owning up to one's mistakes and asking for forgiveness. A must-buy and ideal read-aloud for all libraries.—Maria Bohan
PreS-Gr 1—A colorful and simple tale of a Cree family's garden. With bright and colorful illustrations, the story follows Benjamin and his mother as they plant a garden of delicious vegetables, featuring the three sisters of Indigenous culture: squash, beans, and corn. Every page includes Cree vocabulary with a full pronunciation guide at the end of the book. The sprawling garden illustrations are filled with stunning landscapes and vibrant produce. While some pages are full-bleed, others are more spare. Pichette brings a nice balance to the story that is a thoughtful homage to Cree culture, gardening, and community. VERDICT This touching story of a mother and son planting vegetables for the season would be a great addition to any library's nature or gardening collection.—Sarah Nashak
K-Gr 3—Gianferrari's new picture book explores the way a bond with a horse named Snow helps alleviate a child's anxiety. The main character, Rain, gradually overcomes her fear about reading aloud through the care and companionship with a gentle horse in an after-school reading program. Salyer's exceptionally beautiful illustrations enhance the narrative, helping to show Rain's emotional life in visual form; soft pencil and chalk in vibrant colors capture her experience. Spare words, repetition, and measured pacing reveal a child's journey from anxiety to calm and confidence. VERDICT Children will enjoy this sensitive and nuanced story focused on social and emotional themes.—Mari Pongkhamsing
PreS-Gr 2—"Being a good friend takes a lot of patience…but it's worth it." This central idea runs throughout the story, which aims to help children see how the intent behind their actions matters less than the impact. The main character, who has light skin and somewhat stiff expressions, is known as "the girl." She is excited to spend the day in the forest with her animal friends, doing good deeds for them, all the while unaware the animals may not share this sentiment. The girl happily plays hide-and-seek with the squirrels' food, builds a house for a snail, and shares lunch with the crows. In reality, the girl is creating more work for these animals because she doesn't understand their needs. After a run-in with the crows, the girl realizes how the consequences of her actions may have been different from her intent and quickly tries to right her wrongs. Climo's illustrations, so charming in You're Loved, are flat and cheerless and don't advance the notion that our own experiences are not the only ones that matter. The story falters as well, especially in the arbitrary way the child realizes the impact of her misguided actions. The conclusion of the story and greeting-card messages about how friends should behave may require discussion for children to fully understand. VERDICT A secondary purchase for libraries serving young children.—Kasey Swords
PreS-Gr 2—A showcase for the importance of a young Black girl's first trip to the hair salon. The unnamed narrator opens the book by announcing "Today is the BIG day" with a giant smile and one golden star in her hair as her grandma, momma, and sissy, all with various colorful hairstyles, walk with her through city streets and on to a bus to reach the Bubblegum Hair Salon. While on the bus, she notices the wide variety of hairstyles on passersby, including bobs, buns, coils, 'fros, locs, puffs, twists, and spirals, and muses that each person is uniquely beautiful while wondering "What is my kind of beautiful?" Bright illustrations show even more hairstyles in the salon, where the young girl gets her hair washed and sits under the dryer. One spread displays five close-ups of her head and the steps from "part" to "spritz" until the final reveal, where she looks in the mirror to see her new hairstyle with multiple gold stars. While serving as a helpful primer for children to learn about this first experience, the book also celebrates community, family, and self-love. VERDICT A joyful celebration of both individuality and community, and a great purchase for public libraries, preschools, and lower elementary schools.—Carrie Voliva
Gr 1–4—Where are all the women? That is the big question Maya ponders after a class trip to Washington, D.C., where her teacher parades the class past monuments, portraits, and statues all depicting important men of American history. Confused by not seeing any of the women she admires honored, Maya returns home discouraged. After a visit to her local national park and learning of a female park ranger there who championed the acknowledgment of women in history, Maya realizes that women are "right here!/ They've always been here, just like they've always been a part of history!" As a result, Maya creates her own community monument celebrating the women of history as well as the women who are creating it by working, serving, and helping. Beautifully illustrated, this book is a testament to anyone who has fought to see representation where it's lacking. VERDICT A must-read during Women's History Month, this is a solid purchase for every library.—Kasey Swords
Gr 1–4—This picture book folktale from France tells the story of a brave girl on a mission to save her mom. Readers meet Mae (who could be East Asian) traveling with her family to find a magical flower to heal her mother's illness. In a fantastical turn of events reminiscent of Grace Lin's Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Mae goes on a heroic journey to find the flower, encountering dragons and danger on the way. While the illustrations are unique and lovely, the story's tone, style, and mood is timeless; the present-tense translation is jarring and takes readers out of the action. VERDICT A secondary purchase where folktales are popular or in need of modern reinvigoration.—Maria Bohan
PreS-Gr 3—Four glittery kittens set out for the day, certain they will outshine their less-than-sparkly friends. When the kittens finally find their hiding buddies, now wearing sunglasses, a game of hide-and-seek is suggested. While the kittens hide, their friends promise to "count to a million and three" and then come searching. As the friends relish in the kittens' absence, they forget to count and accidentally set a glitter-eating monster on the kittens' path. Faced with the choice of ignoring their sometimes-overwhelming pals or stepping in, the friends ultimately choose this as their moment to shine and rush off to help. The colored pencil and glitter illustrations feature fixed-expression cats that hover between sweet and unsettling, a style that may not appeal to every reader. Illustrations and even wordless panels are essential to the story's flow, requiring readers to interpret visual cues to grasp the action and underlying humor. While the narrative plays with themes of identity, personality differences, and the bonds of friendship, the subtlety of these ideas may slip past younger children expecting a straightforward, cute kitty adventure. Still, the balance of text and illustration, along with the unexpected monster twists, adds interest for all those who appreciate offbeat picture books. VERDICT A solid addition to picture book collections, best for libraries looking for quirky stories to add to their rotation.—Louie Lauer
K-Gr 2—Willadeene's vegetable farm is just where she likes it, "in the wide-open middle of nowhere." Even when a man offers her a whole truckload of money for it, she tells him that the farm is not for sale. The man, who already owns all the land surrounding the farm, builds a town that turns into a city, and Willadeene goes right on farming. The city folk love having a farm in the middle of their town, and Willadeene adapts to being a part of her new community. Then she grows old, the farm grows wild, and it seems that maybe it's finally time to sell it. But word gets around, city dwellers pitch in to keep the place running, and the farm is still not for sale. This punchy text that highlights one woman's perseverance, as well as the goodwill of her neighbors, is charmingly complemented by illustrations with a modernized primitive feel. Peopled with an array of pleasingly stylized, multicultural characters, the book's backgrounds and images of vegetable plots are rich with patterns that bring to mind textile prints. Koon lets the pictures quietly convey the appeal of the colorful farm amidst the gray buildings of the city. VERDICT A satisfying story that also could be useful for discussions about our need for natural spaces or about what community means.—Jan Solow
PreS-Gr 3—In a second story about Ember the dragon, he's still a natural baker and is very generous with sharing his creations. Then he is called on to make a new sort of cake, and Ember is flummoxed. It seems that Princess Turnip needs a birthday cake but Ember has never made one. Princess Turnip gives vague instructions; round and yellow, sweet and flat, layered with candles and flowers on top. Still, Ember can't get it right. Finally, Princess Turnip helps Ember find a recipe and the party is a great success. This, like the first book about Ember, wants to be more than a book about baking. There's a minor lesson on friendship and another about accepting help from others, as well as learning from the mistakes one's made. The illustrations are highly detailed and most have a golden hue enhancing the fairy-tale feeling. VERDICT Readers will enjoy this easygoing but slight story about perseverance and friendship.—Melisa Bailey
PreS-Gr 1—This addition to the "Always in My Heart" series is sure to put a smile on all aunts' faces. Told in a poetic rhyming style, each page offers up a beautiful reason to love aunts, whether they are related by birth or are honorary. As readers turn the page, they'll be met with an adorably touching duo of animals, set in a colorful environment. Pairs of axolotls, bears, butterflies, and more sweet creatures match perfectly with the short, touching poems all about the beauty of aunts. The simple vocabulary and rhyming scheme allows emerging readers to follow along with ease. While the book is a bit longer in length, the captivating illustrations will keep their attention. VERDICT A charming tale that will be enjoyed by aunts and their loved ones.—Sarah Nashak
Gr 1–4—Based on the song by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and the Academy Award-winning short animated film, this is a story of war and finding hope in common ground through messages delivered by a carrier pigeon and a game of chess. Two fictional armies, designated by color rather than nationality, are fighting for unknown reasons during the holidays. Two men who have never met from opposing sides are waging their own friendly war over a chessboard with the help of Julia the carrier pigeon, who bravely takes their chess moves back and forth over the lines. The selected palette of the illustrations helps to soften the content and make it more digestible for young readers. In a time of division, even children will be reminded or made aware that we share more similarities than we think. Trigger warning: Julia the pigeon dies delivering her final message. VERDICT A lovely, if difficult, title that belongs in many collections.—Elizabeth Speer
Toddler-Gr 3—It's difficult to imagine any child of any age who will not be charmed by the protagonist in this story from an ancient Chinese text, Memories of Xiang Zhou, by Guo Zhong Chan. "If an ancient mountain forest is left alone and not damaged or disturbed for a period of at least several hundred years, it will spontaneously produce a kind of miniature being known as the Mu Ke, or the Treelings." As the story opens, the ungendered, light-skinned Treeling is asleep, then swept up by the antics of the ferocious wind. As it roars through the landscape, disrupting inhabitants large and small, the grouchy then worried Treeling's mantra becomes an apologetic "It wasn't me." The wind, like the main character in Drew Beckmeyer's I Am a Tornado, weakens, and the Treeling is delivered back to bed. Resembling pencil drawings that have been puddled with a muted palette of watercolors, the illustrations are child-pleasers; readers, like Treelings, often feel pulled by events or beings into moments beyond their control. The story is underwhelming, more of a shaggy dog tale than the wonderful premise set up by the note that opens it. It's critical to include such picture books in collections, though, despite the wobble in the execution. VERDICT This may be the story that sends readers off to research other ancient stories from China. And Treelings certainly feel like a merch moment waiting to happen.—Kimberly Olson Fakih
K-Gr 3—In the predawn hours before anyone else is awake, young Ember fox and Flint the owl occupy themselves by making snow sculptures of each other. As the rosy glow of sunrise falls on their creations, Ember is sad to think that they will melt, but Flint reminds her that they will always have the memory of how much fun they had. Mostly full-bleed illustrations in which a deep blue-gray and tawny orange predominate, a cozy woodland world of soft edges suits the baby animals. The story is slight and sweet, but listeners may engage with the pages of facts about foxes and owls, craft instructions for making owls out of toilet paper tubes and snowflakes out of twigs, or a spot the differences between two pictures. This is the first in a projected series of seasonal titles that combine a story with facts, crafts, and games. VERDICT An attractive but not essential purchase.—Jan Solow
Toddler-Gr 2—Neveah, under the protective and loving gaze of her mother, enjoys the four seasons without the use of sight. Nothing is said about her sightlessness; the other four senses are emphasized throughout the year. She tastes snowflakes during the winter, smells spring flowers in the air, hears the buzzing of bees in the summer, and feels scratchy leaves during fall. The charming watercolor and crayon illustrations cradle Neveah, much like her mother does as the year passes, creating a comforting and soothing feeling. The child dances through the illustrations with movement felt in every picture: she waves at the ocean, delicately touches flowers, and makes a snowman that seems to bow back. Onomatopoeia is sprinkled throughout, with happy "cheerily-cheerily-cheer-up" from the robins welcoming the spring and a "scruunnch!" of boots in the snow illustrating how the girl enjoys the natural world with her hearing. VERDICT A lovely look at the seasons, and an excellent choice for story time, showing the sensory experience of a child who wholly embraces every moment.—Melisa Bailey
Gr 1–3—In a dreamy yet powerful tale, Morales uses text, speech bubbles, doodles, and colorful illustrations to tell a heartwarming story of little rebels, revolutionizing the world and caring for one creature at a time. The turn of each page features inspiring text as the unnamed protagonists venture across an adventurous outdoor terrain filled with flora and fauna. As the rebels move further into the wilderness, they are met with adversaries both big and small, leading to a touching resolution of found family, heritage, and ancestry. At the end of this story, Morales shares insight into her inspiration—a wildfire that tore through the Mexican landscape of Farrallón Lagoon, leaving behind a dry, cracked earth in its place. Overall, the book focuses readers on the importance of caring for the space around them—a lesson that sparks creativity and inspiration on every page. VERDICT A great choice for an Earth Day story time, this book is applicable all year round. Readers will enjoy the colorful illustrations and strong message Morales delivers.—Sarah Nashak
PreS-Gr 2—In a welcome addition to the growing collection of stories about Indigenous peoples, Charlotte has outgrown her moccasins, but her grandmother knows exactly how to remedy the problem. Like many people of the First Nations, Grandma knows how to construct a new pair, this time with Charlotte's assistance. Step-by-step, she traces and cuts as Charlotte tells her stories. Charlotte selects leather, beads for the flower designs, and fur for the cuffs. This time Grandma does the sewing, but next time Charlotte will be ready to practice the craft that is her cultural tradition. Although the artwork is fairly generic, the story is warm-hearted. VERDICT A valuable resource, especially for libraries looking to expand their collections of books about Native American peoples.—Gloria Koster
K-Gr 2—In this British import, Biguana, a teal colored iguana with sunglasses, and Pinto, a purple penguin with a scooter, have been friends since the day they hatched side by side. When Biguana grows into his oversized name and starts performing tricks in the bay, he becomes drunk on the cheering attention of the vacationers who gather to watch him. Lonely, Pinto works on tricks of his own with his scooter and inadvertently draws all the attention away. Biguana is chastened by the loneliness that he now feels, apologizes to his best friend, and the two find true happiness in playing together. Cartoon-style illustrations in bold, flat colors are most entertaining in the busy crowd scenes of happy tourists on their boats, kayaks, and inner tubes. VERDICT The predictable, didactic nature of the story will likely keep young ones from returning for additional readings.—Jan Solow
K-Gr 5—There is no better way to flip the perspective of taking from the earth to caring for it than by introducing students to traditional Native American stories and to the stewardship practiced by Indigenous people. Unfortunately, there are still few current Native American stories for children. Peacock, an elder and an educator, and Horner step into this gap by retelling the traditional Ojibwe creation story where First Human and Ma'iingan, the wolf, are called upon by the Creator to name everything on Nimaamaa Aki, or Mother Earth. Ma'iingan and First Human journey together through the splendor of our planet, picking beautiful names for everything, including the wind, the sounds, the emotions, and the animals. Horner's vibrant illustrations vividly show readers the wonder experienced by the two traveling companions. But the telling lacks dramatic tension and neglects the specific events that created the deep relationship between Ma'iingan and First Human. Although this provides a broad, lovely overview of the naming experience, there is a good chance that children today will remain unmoved. VERDICT Regardless of flaws, this book is a welcome addition. It's a warm depiction and gentle retelling that will remind young people of the duty to care for the planet.—Sally James
K-Gr 2—A heartwarming intergenerational story about connecting across languages and cultures. When Yazmin meets her grandmother Nani for the first time, she is eager to play superheroes and connect with her. Unfortunately, she realizes that Nani doesn't understand her because Yazmin speaks English and Nani speaks Punjabi. When things start to get quiet, Nani pivots to a new, unique approach to reach Yazmin: she makes her a rag doll that looks just like Yazmin. Then, through the universal language of play, Yazmin and Nani learn to communicate in their own special way. The book closes with instructions for making a rag doll along with a helpful Punjabi/English glossary. While the character expressions in the illustrations are somewhat limited, the bright, engaging artwork complements the warmth of the story. VERDICT A meaningful choice for enthusiastic five-years-olds, this will also work for students in the lower elementary grades.—Jessica Clark
Gr 1–3—An unusual offering from Snow, this is a mythic tale that celebrates Chinese North American heritage and culture. It offers solidarity with all who live away from their ancestral homes, whether through forced or elective migration, and proffers a wish for the possibility of return and connection. Through digital illustrations that use a palette of violet-orange sunsets contrasted with aqua blue and yellow highlights, this lyrical picture book illuminates a journey from North America to China via an airplane. The book seeks to communicate the importance of cultural reclamation for the descendants of immigrants. In an end note, the artist explains that to counter feelings of "never belonging anywhere," the book is an invitation to anyone displaced from their homeland and culture to believe that the sky and ocean will always be their home. Symphonic alliteration and assonance may compel older readers to read this text out loud, and adults will notice that the susurrations contrast with the painful history of separation intertwined with Chinese immigration to North America; the spreads are used to majestic effect. VERDICT Snow's cinematic vision is mesmerizing; this is recommended for school libraries and older picture book readers.—Jessica Fenster-Sparber
PreS-Gr 3—In this imaginative picture book, a child making a call on a banana phone finds themself conversing with a gorilla deep in the jungle. As the conversation unfolds, the gorilla asks questions, prompting the child to share personal details like their favorite color, sandwich, or joke. This exchange builds trust and closeness, leading to shared secrets and plans for future adventures. Sterer's writing is whimsical and engaging, fostering a sense of curiosity and openness in its exploration of communication and friendship. The narrative encourages readers to embrace individuality and not worry about outside opinions, as highlighted by the gorilla and caller knowing "the truth" despite others' disbelief. The progression of the story, from initial questions to a deep connection, is heartwarming and thoughtfully developed, making it ideal for discussions on empathy and unexpected bonds. The conversational style and the imaginative premise make it a captivating read-aloud. Illustrations bring the world to life, vividly portraying the gorilla's inquisitive nature and the child's responses, culminating in the delightful scene of jungle animals arriving at the child's house. Hand-lettering further enhances the book's unique charms. The visuals consistently support the story's themes of connection and the joy found in unexpected places. VERDICT This is a delightful and highly recommended picture book that celebrates imagination, communication, and the power of forming new friendships. It supports social-emotional learning by encouraging openness, curiosity, and embracing serendipitous connections—ideal for school libraries.—Richard Winters
PreS-Gr 3—A self-affirming celebration of the human body in all its forms. Joyful children of varying skin tones are shown both moving and resting their diverse bodies, some of which include accessories like glasses, a cochlear implant, braces, and a wheelchair. Littlebird's bright illustrations effortlessly show the individuality of human bodies and how they mimic the uniqueness of the natural world, like a baby in its mother's womb mirroring a seed in the ground and galactic bodies emanating from other celestial objects in space. Verde's tender verse is sparse, allowing readers to take in the colorful spreads as well as the importance of bolded words: unique, miraculous, deserving. The text could work well for dynamic story hours with participants acting out some of what bodies do and express. VERDICT Important lessons on bodily autonomy, consent, diversity, and self-love are wrapped up in an age-appropriate hug of a book.—Carrie Voliva
Key: * Excellent in relation to other titles on the same subject or in the same genre | Tr Hardcover trade binding | Board Board book | pap. Paperback | BL Bilingual | SP Spanish
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