48. Echo

48. Echo. Adam Rex. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, picture book, friendship]

First sentence: Junior Junior was born in a big house on the side of a mountain...and the echo was born soon after.

Premise/plot: Junior Junior's 'best friend' is the echo on the other side of the mountain who always, always echoes exactly what he says....and nothing else. Is it a perfect friendship? No. It depends on what Junior Junior says to start the conversation! For example, when he says MINE! it can lead to misunderstanding. When a girl moves in across the street, Junior Junior struggles with this 'new' company. She does not repeat after him or echo his words and sentiments. She has a mind of her own. Can Junior Junior make peace with this new potential-friend? 

My thoughts: One of the 'rules' (more like guidelines really) is that you review the book in hand and not the book you wish it was. Such is the case with Echo. I thought the concept had potential. I did. I didn't "love" the illustrations. (Illustrations are subjective, of course, you may absolutely love them). The narrative was interesting, for the most part. It also uses the word 'idiot' as an insult. This may or may not bother parents.

Personally, I was wanting the echo to be a literal echo. There is still a chance that it is an imaginary friend only. But it's depicted as a literal kid on the other side of the mountain. (Again, maybe imaginary maybe not). The Echo-friend is just as lifeless as you imagine, but dressed differently then Junior Junior so not a reflection.

The message is the same anyway: new neighbor girl is a better friend because she has a voice and opinion and echo-kid is not. 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

47. Cats in Construction Hats

 

47. Cats in Construction Hats. Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen. Illustrated by Leeza Hernandez. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, construction, cats, picture book, rhyming books]

First sentence: Yellow cat. Greet hat. Dig this. Clear that. Green cat. Orange hat. Mix this. Pour that. Orange cat. Blue hat. Load this. Move that. Blue cat. Red hat. Lift this. Lower that. Red cat. Purple hat. Place this. Weld that.

Premise/plot: There are MANY cats--hat-wearing-cats--starring in this construction-themed picture book for young readers. But will the construction project go as planned? Or will things go terribly wrong? Can these cats work together as a team to fix the problem? 

My thoughts: I liked this one. There were things I noticed the second time through reading it that I had missed the first time. I'm not sure exactly why there are rats on the scene and how they come into the story. I'm trying not to overthink this one. But you might try looking for rats on each spread to see if there are secondary stories going on that aren't part of the text narrative.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

46. Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend

 

46. Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend. Bob Shea. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, picture book]

First sentence: Hey, gimme a push.

Premise/plot: Two turtles play make believe. Mostly. One turtle--the turtle in a bearsuit--is pretending he's a for-real bear. The other turtle is pretending he's a for-real bear expert. As these two question each other, a friendship begins.

My thoughts: This one is purely silly. I've read it twice and honestly I'm not sure if I actually 'for-real' like it or if it's more in meh territory. It is silly, strange, quirky, odd. Yet none of those things are particularly bad for a picture book to be. I would almost have to try it out with a 'for-real' kid to see the reaction/response.
 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

45. Anything

 

45. Anything. Rebecca Stead. Illustrated by Gracey Zhang. 2025. 56 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, picture book]

First sentence: The cake was chocolate. Chocolate is my favorite cake. But something was wrong. "Apartments don't have birthdays," I told Daddy. "And we just moved in today. So apartment 3B is zero years old." "That's why I put zero candles on the cake," Daddy said. "Plus one, for good luck." Then he told me to make a wish.

Premise/plot: A little girl is troubled by a recent move....and her dad spends the entire book reassuring her. That's the most simple plot summary. The book celebrates the love of a father and daughter through a [rough] transitional period. She uses her three wishes for 'anything' to cope with the many changes going on in her life. Her dad is super-calm and understanding, truly going out of his way to show how much he loves and treasures his daughter.

My thoughts: I liked this one. It is Rebecca Stead's first picture book; she usually writes books for middle grade. This is exactly the kind of book that adults love.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

44. Orris and Timble: Lost and Found

44. Orris and Timble: Lost and Found (Orris and Timble #2) Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Carmen Mok. 2025. 80 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, early chapter book, animal fantasy, j fiction]

First sentence: The rat had made himself a nest out of the pages of discarded books, and in the nest were his treasures: a yellow marble, a red velvet slipper, and a piece of Top-Notch Butterscotch wrapped in foil. Also, there was a silver sardine can. Imperial Sardine, said the label on the can. Make the good and noble choice!! Next to the words was a picture of a fish with a crown on his head and a scepter in his tail. Sometimes, Orris talked to the sardine king. The sardine king never talked back. 

Premise/plot: Orris (the rat) and Timble (the owl) are unlikely friends perhaps, but quite close friends. Timble visits Orris in the barn every night--most nights at least. Orris looks forward to the visits. Perhaps more than Timble realizes. Their friendship is put into question--by Orris--when Timble is a little too inspired by one of Orris' stories. Can this friendship be mended?

My thoughts: I love Kate DiCamillo. I do. Most of her books are WONDERFUL and FANTASTIC. This one is no exception. It is the second in the series. Orris and Timble are just as lovely in their second adventure together. It can be read apart from the first book. But reading both books is, of course, preferred because both are delightful.

 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers