80-81. Two Animal Board books

 80. Board book: Cute Cats: A Lift the Flap Book. Christie Williams. 2025. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, board book, cats, pets]

First sentence: Rupert likes a long nap. His favourite spot? A nice warm lap! Leo leaps to catch a fish. Will it make it to his dish? 

Premise/plot: What you see is what you get! Cute cats, cute cats, and more cute cats. Little ones will meet Rupert, Leo, Snowflake, Milo, Coco and Luna. Parents can read the last page of the book to get question ideas to ask while little ones while they read. Questions like, "What's the funniest thing you've seen a cat do?"

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. It was cute. It was sweet. It was simple. Rhyming text. Flaps to lift. It was a solidly good read IF you are looking for a cat-themed board book to share with toddlers. Don't expect a story, a plot. But what you do have are cute cats being cute.

81. Board book: Cute Dogs: A Lift the Flap Book. Christie Williams. 2025. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, board book, dogs, pets]

First sentence:  Pug likes chewing on a shoe. Let's see what her friend Tom can do. 

Premise/plot: What you see is what you get! This one is similar to Cute Cats, except obviously DOGS. Simple rhyming text. Flaps to lift. Cute dogs being cute. This one is slightly different in that it highlights the dog TOM in most of the text. The dogs your little one will be meeting: Tom, Max, Tilly, Charlie, Pug, and Milo.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. Again, IF you have a little one that loves pets--cats, dogs, then this one is a delightfully cute read. Short. Simple. Cute. I do like the question section at the end. I'm not sure it's absolutely necessary, however, it is nice. It might prove a useful reminder to parents that yes they can ask questions while reading to keep the experience interactive and engaging.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

79. The Wild Robot On the Island

79. The Wild Robot on the Island. Peter Brown. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, audio book, picture book]

First sentence: In the middle of the ocean an island stood above the waves. It had meadows and forests and rivers and a great variety of animals. Everything was just right on the island. And then a strange new creature arrived. 

Premise/plot: The Wild Robot has been adapted into a picture book. This picture book introduces younger reader to the basic, central story of The Wild Robot. It is stripped of much of the plot and many of the details.

My thoughts: I am conflicted on the rating. IF you only look at it on its own without taking into consideration either the full-length BOOK or the movie adaptation, then this is a cozy, sweet read for little ones. IF, however, you read it comparing and contrasting it with either the novel or the movie, then it's easy to see how much is truly missing. The book in hand is certainly pleasant enough, a good read. It just does not compare in any way with the novel or even the movie. It isn't quite so bad as comparing a full meal with baby food from a jar, mind you. It's just lacking 'the flavor' and substance of the book.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

78. Zebra and Yak

78. Zebra and Yak The Backwards Alphabet Book. Paul Friedrich. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, humor, picture book]

First sentence: Are you ready to start the alphabet? Let's go! Z is for Zebra.
What? What's going on? Did I miss my cue from Xylophone? I didn't hear X is for Xylophone. I'm not ready.
Z is for Zebra
I get that. I'm Zebra. But you're way early. It's A is for Apple, B is for something, the other letters, and then it's my turn!
Apple wasn't around. We're starting with Z instead.
This is ridiculous! We need to find Apple!

Premise/plot: Zebra and Yak star in a backwards alphabet book. This catches Zebra and the others by surprise! They are all used to being THE END of the alphabet and not the beginning. The book is full of bantering back and forth between the characters and the narrator (as well as between themselves) as the search for Apple continues.

My thoughts: I loved this one. It was fun, silly, exuberant. I loved the humor. I think it would make a great read aloud. The humor I think would make it appealing to those who have even grown a bit beyond the whole 'concept' of alphabet books.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

77. Cool Buds To The Rescue

77. Cool Buds To the Rescue (I Can Read Comics Level 3). Barbara Lehman. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, early graphic novel]

First sentence: Hello, new day!

Premise/plot: This I Can Read Level 3 early graphic novel stars a handful of arctic friends: Blue (Arctic fox) Puff (Atlantic Puffin), Tip (Arctic Hare), and Sealy (Harbor Seal). The story is quite simple: Tip is a stranded sailor in need of rescue. The other animals come to his rescue and welcome him to their community. Now that there's four it begins to feel like a 'real' town.

My thoughts:  Do I think this one would be good for kids to read? Sure. Yes. Of course. It is a graphic novel for younger readers who are just beginning to read on their own and picking up graphic novels. It includes a guide on how to read graphic novels--the panels, the bubbles, etc. The story is super simple. Not sure if this is the start of a series or perhaps several into a series. Have no idea if there's plan for more books starring these friends.

As an adult reader, it's not my favorite or best. But I do think for the intended audience it works.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

76. Lone Wolf Goes to the Library

76. Lone Wolf Goes to the Library. Kiah Thomas. Illustrated by K-fai Steele. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, early chapter book, series book, animal fantasy]

First sentence: Wolf was reading his library book. He thought about the words. He enjoyed the sound of pages turning. It was very nice. "Mail!" called the careless postman. "Grrrr," said Wolf. But no mail arrived. The next day, Wolf was reading again. "Mail!" called the careless postman. "Grrrr!" said Wolf. He was up to a very good part in his book. But no mail arrived. The next day, Wolf finished his book. He stretched his arms. He picked up his watering can. "Mail!" called the careless postman. A letter smacked Wolf in the bottom. Wolf looked around his garden. There was a letter in the rose bush. There was a letter in the fountain. There was a letter in his fur. "Grrrr!" said Wolf.

Premise/plot: Wolf is on the verge of having AN OVERDUE LIBRARY BOOK. He has a very short amount of time to turn in his book before terrible, horrible penalties occur. BUT returning the book in time may just call for some plotting, planning, and scheming because PEOPLE peopling. He will have to dare go into the library during storybook time. 

My thoughts: I love, love, love, love, love, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Lone Wolf. I do. I crazy love this character. He's wonderfully fabulously a loner. This is the fourth Lone Wolf book released this year. I hope the series goes on forever and ever. In this one, the library setting makes it extra fabulous.

My favorite scene is when Lone Wolf is trying to return his library book via return chute. The unthinkable happens--I imagine it happens frequently in real life--a snotty boy with snotty hands handles the chute and SNOT, snot, and more snot. A "stern librarian" closes the return chute with this message: CLOSED BECAUSE OF SNOT.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

75. Lone Wolf On Vacation

Lone Wolf On Vacation. Kiah Thomas. Illustrated by K-Fai Steele. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, early chapter book, early reader] 

First sentence: It was summer vacation. Wolf packed his bags. He watered his plants. He said goodbye to....NO ONE! Wolf didn't have any friends to say goodbye to. Which was just the way he liked it. Wolf couldn't wait to go on vacation. To smell the fresh air. To see the sights. To be alone in new places. And best of all, he wouldn't have to worry about running into anyone he knew.

Premise/plot: Wolf is a lone wolf...a lone wolf by choice. Will his vacation go as planned? Or will he be surrounded by people, people, people, and more people!!! Will he ever get to relax on his vacation? Or will life keep throwing bothersome people and noisy situations in his path?

My thoughts: I love, love, love, love, love, love to infinity and beyond this character. LONE WOLF is awesome. That is all. This is the third Lone Wolf book I've read--I believe there are four published this year. It was WONDERFUL.

Quotes:

"How about a sing-along?" called the bus driver. OH NO. This was not a quiet bus driver. This was a singing bus driver. "The wheels on the bus go round and round," sang the singing bus driver. "Grrrr!" said Wolf.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

74. Let's Giggle

74. Board book: Let's Giggle. Caroline Jayne Church. 2013/2025. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [2 stars, board book]

First sentence: Laugh out loud or just giggle!
Feel a tickle in your middle!
Roll around and touch your toes!
Give a grin! Wiggle your nose!

Premise/plot: Let's Giggle was originally published as a board book in 2013. It was originally a board book with sound; it had a literal giggle button. It was a novelty, for sure. The giggle button is gone in this reprint. So readers are left with a sweet rhyming text and adorable illustrations. Goodreads does not have the version I have in my hands. They are instead promoting a bilingual edition. If Let's Giggle was indeed a bilingual board book, I think it would have more to offer. (For the record, I tried searching by isbn number, and this book just "does not exist" in their system.)

My thoughts: The illustrations are adorable and cutesy-sweet. If that's what you love, then this one might just work for you. The rhymes are of that darling variety. Which again complements the illustrations. IF that is what you are looking for in a board book to share with little ones, this one may be just right for you. I think I'd have preferred either the original giggle button OR bilingual text. Something to give this one a little extra.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

73. This Book is Dangerous!

 

73. This Book is Dangerous! Ben Clanton. 2025. 44 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, picture book]

First sentence: How do I exit this place?

Premise/plot: Narwhal and Jelly have starred in an early chapter book series (or is it an early graphic novel chapter book series???) for years now. This is their first picture book, I believe. In this one, Jelly is having a TERRIBLE time of it. And Jelly is blaming YOU the reader for his current troubles. YOU know the book is dangerous. YOU keep turning the pages. YOU keep aggravating the situation by doing the exact opposite of what Jelly wants YOU the reader to do. Will Jelly make it to the end of the book?

My thoughts: I have not read the Narwhal and Jelly series though I have heard great things. This is an 'interactive' picture book. I'll clarify, if YOU the reader use YOUR imagination and play along with Jelly's game, then the book is interactive.

The book is silly and fun. I can see it having appeal with young readers.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

72. Owlets and Tarts (Mouse and Spoon #2)

72. Mouse and Spoon: Owlets and Tarts. (Ready to Read Level 2) Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Janna Mattia. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, animal fantasy, early readers, children's books]

First sentence: On Littleton Street in a little town, three little mice had a bakery. Ginger was the oldest, Tom was the youngest, and Piper was right in the middle. Their shop was called the Mouse and Spoon bakery.

Premise/plot: Owl parents are desperate for some sleep--they have three owlets at home. The mice at Mouse and Spoon know just what to do to solve the problem....

My thoughts: Could this book be any more precious? any more adorable? I absolutely love, love, love the illustrations. ADORABLE and delightful. The story is good, pleasant, enjoyable. But it's the illustrations that make this one so joyful. This is the second book, I believe, in a new series by Cynthia Rylant. I've LOVED some of her books in the past. Though this is the second book in the series, it was the first my library had available.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers