Monster Truck

 Monster Truck

Little Critter learns some life lessons about hard work to earn a toy he’d like to get and then learns that some experiences are even better! Readers will love experiencing a monster truck rally and relate to some of the pitfalls of sitting behind someone blocking their view, spilling a snack, and getting an exciting surprise in the end. Illustrations will help early readers decode the text and parents will appreciate the lesson of hard work related to real life purchases. 

Title: Monster Truck

Author: Mercer Mayer

ISBN: 978-0-06-243148-6

Published 2023 by Harper

This copy was borrowed from the public library for review purposes.

Makeda Makes a Birthday Treat

 Makeda Makes a Birthday Treat

Young readers will want to get to making too after reading about all of Makeda’s creative projects - from a cardboard city to felt flower crowns, Makeda has many opportunities to explore and when it comes time to create a birthday treat, she decides to make a treat that has significance to her family. Coconut drops are new to many of her classmates - will they try something new? Even when faced by concerned faces and concerned classmates, Makeda stands confident that her birthday treat is important to share along with her family’s stories. As her classmates try coconut drops one at a time, they relate treats that are important to their families and their family stories that help connect them all. Even Makeda’s teacher shares about a treat that she enjoys. The only thing that would make me love this book more would be a section for recipes of the treats referenced both by Makeda, her classmates, and her teacher as well as the connected country associated with each treat. I think this type of backwater could help give readers and their families some additional background to be better culturally informed.

Title: Makeda Makes a Birthday Treat

Author: Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

ISBN: 978-0-06-321726-3

Published 2023 by Balzer + Bray 

This copy was borrowed from the public library for review purposes.

Doggo and Pupper Search for Cozy

 Doggo and Pupper Search for Cozy

Cat has received a gift - a brand, new bed - but Cat laments that even though it’s in the same place as her old bed, and it’s the same size, and it’s the same color, it’s not the SAME and it’s not cozy. Doggo and Pupper make it their mission to help their friend, especially when Cat’s difficult time sleeping also makes it difficult for Doggo and Pupper to get a good night’s rest. They trick the humans by “helping” with the trash and find a now soggy, and smelly, previously cozy cat bed. Will Doggo and Pupper save the day? And will cat find her cozy again? Doggo and Pupper Search for Cozy has a great storyline but some readers might not follow the side conversations between Cat and Pupper about Doggo or references to other books in the series (Pupper’s concern about giant squirrels). 

Title: Doogo and Pupper Search for Cozy

Author: Charlie Alder

ISBN: 978-1-250-62102-3

Published 2023 by Feiwel and Friends

This copy was borrowed from the public library for review purposes.

Elena Rides

 Elena Rides

Young readers will relate to Elena’s journey to learn to ride her bike. The different sounds for falling and crashing will keep readers guessing what comes next and the rhyming helps move the text along as well. Elena is a character I can’t wait to see more of from Juana Medina. 

Title: Elena Rides

Author: Juana Medina

ISBN: 978-1-5362-1635-6

Published 2023 by Candlewick Press

This copy was borrowed from the public library for review purposes.

Dirt and Bugsy: Bug Catchers

 Dirt and Bugsy: Bug Catchers

The illustration style by Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn is really cool with the mix of cartoonish like characters mixed with the more realistic looking insects. The contrast between the imagined bug barn and what Dirt and Bugsy constructed also leant to the lived experience of kids constructing their world and exploring in nature. 

The inclusion of a step-by-step bug catching guide will help kids get started who might be inspired by the adventures of Dirt and Bugsy.

Title: Dirt and Bugsy: Bug Catchers

Author: Megan Litwin

ISBN: 978-0-593-51992-9

Published 2023 by Penguin Young Readers

This copy was borrowed from the public library for review purposes.

Let's Go

 Let’s Go

Let’s Go by Michael Emberley is simply put…so cool. The concept from start to finish is incredibly creative with characters creating from the very pages of the book to keep the narrative moving forward for the characters to…GO. Some of the illustrations take on a M.C. Escher-esque quality with inception-like features, a picture within a picture. The long O sound is reinforced throughout the story without the reader consciously thinking about it as they turn the page to see if and how the characters will make it to the party.

Title: Let’s Go

Author: Michael Emberley

ISBN: 978-0-8234-4652-0

Published 2023 by Holiday House

This copy was borrowed from the public library for review purposes.

Bookstore Bunnies

 Bookstore Bunnies

I really enjoyed Bookstore Bunnies, but I often find that librarians have a tendency to really enjoy books about books. At the end of Bookstore Bunnies, the inside of the cover featured other books by Eric Seltzer and Tom Disbury and THAT has me even more intrigued:

Space Cows

Party Pigs

Knight Owls

Sea Sheep

Roller Bears

Diner Dogs

Title: Bookstore Bunnies

Author: Eric Seltzer

ISBN: 978-1-6659-2792-5

Published 2022 by Simon Spotlight

This copy was borrowed from the public library for review purposes.

Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories

 Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories

Dare I say it. This is a perfect book. It is beautifully illustrated and visually captivating, the stories have humor and keep the reader turning the page to see what comes next. The characters are kind, empathetic, and really *know* each other in ways the omniscient reader can see from both perspectives as well. Without giving too much away, I really *really* enjoyed reading Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories and look forward to exploring more books by Jarvis. 

Title: Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories

Author: Jarvis

ISBN:978-1-5362-2832-8

Published 2023 by Candlewick Press

This copy was borrowed from the public library for review purposes.

Love Stinks

 Love Stinks

As one lone skunk observes love all around, he seeks out his own stinky partner. This book is adorable, readers will love the rhyme structure and the details within illustrations will keep them engaged from start to finish - check out the bat illustration where they’re playing Mario upside down complete with gamer headphones. 

Title: Love Stinks

Author: Diana Murray

ISBN: 978-0-593-48845-4

Published 2022 by Random House

This copy was received from the publisher for review purposes.

All Are Welcome: Give What You Can

 All Are Welcome: Give What You Can

All Are Welcome: Give What You Can

Give What You Can delineates a number of ways that our youngest philanthropists can do good deeds for their community in a variety of ways. I think young readers will find this book inspiring to think about what can be done to make the world an even better place. My favorite illustration is of a classmate in a wheelchair in front of a pair of chalk drawn butterfly wings on the wall behind her. We can all do good and make a difference. 

Title: All Are Welcome: Give What You Can

Author: Alexandra Penfold

ISBN: 978-0-593-43007-1

Published 2023 by Random House

This copy was received from the publisher for review purposes.

Once Upon a Zombie: Tales for Brave Readers

 Once Upon a Zombie: Tales for Brave Readers

Readers will die for these tales of Zombies as characters in well known folk tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and The Three Little Pigs. The portrayals are enough to be creepy for the young readers who crave a little creepy in their reading but not too scary that they’ll be up all night either. This will make a great addition to a home, school, or public library to add some scary stories for our youngest independent readers.

Title: Once Upon a Zombie: Tales for Brave Readers

Author: Deborah Underwood

ISBN: 978-0-593-57140-8

Published 2023 by Random House

This copy was received from the publisher for review purposes.