91. Frog and Toad Are Friends

91. Frog and Toad Are Friends. An I Can Read Book. Arnold Lobel. 1970. HarperCollins. 64 pages. [Source: Bought] [3 stars, early chapter book, children's classic, animal fantasy]

Frog ran up the path to Toad's house. He knocked on the front door. There was no answer, "Toad, Toad," shouted Frog, "wake up. It is spring!" "Blah," said a voice from inside the house. "Toad! Toad!" cried Frog. "The sun is shining! The snow is melting. Wake up!" "I am not here," said the voice.

Premise/plot: Frog and Toad Are Friends is an early chapter book. It contains five stories: "Spring," "The Story," "A Lost Button," "A Swim" and "The Letter."

In "Spring" Frog tricks Toad into thinking it is MAY (instead of April) so that he will wake up from his winter hibernation.

In "The Story," Frog asks his friend, Toad, to tell him a story. He finds this an impossible request. After a huge fit, Frog ends up telling Toad a story instead. It is a story of Toad NOT being able to tell a story.

In "A Lost Button," Toad throws an absolute fit over a lost button. He is the exact opposite of Pete the Cat. He is MELTING DOWN. Will the button be found?!

In "A Swim" Toad is embarrassed to be seen in his bathing suit. He is obstinate about it--obviously.

In "The Letter," Frog cheers up Toad by writing him a letter and sending it via snail mail. Literally--a snail delivering a letter.

My thoughts: I love Frog and Toad. I do. I just love them. While this isn't my favorite-or-best Frog and Toad book, it is still worth reading. It contains five stories: Spring, The Story, A Lost Button, A Swim, and The Letter.

My favorites from the collection include "Spring" in which Frog tricks his friend into getting out of bed by changing his calendar and "The Letter" in which Frog cheers up his friend by sending him a letter in the mail.

All the stories highlight this special friendship--highlights each character's strengths and weaknesses. I would definitely recommend any Frog and Toad book!

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

90. Norman and the Smell of Adventure

90. Norman and the Smell of Adventure. Ryan T. Higgins. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars]

First sentence: Norman was a porcupine. His best friend was Mildred. Mildred was a tree. They had favorite things they did day after day. But one morning Norman wanted to try different things. "What do you say, Mildred? Let's go do something new! What do you mean you have other plans?"

Premise/plot: Norman and Mildred have a fight. If you've read the first sentence (above), you know Mildred is a tree. Still, Norman has a "fight" with Mildred his best friend. He gets so angry he sets off on his own adventure. He expects Mildred to come after him. She doesn't. She's a tree. Still, he's determined to have an adventure even if it's on his own. He soon makes other "friends." At the end of his adventure he returns home to Mildred to tell her all about it.

My thoughts: This one was definitely silly. Norman is quite a silly character. Meeting "Sally" (the cactus) was fun. (Norman misreads a "sale" sign on the cactus and thinks it's a name tag). The lesson was simple enough: friends don't have to do everything together. I liked it. However, my expectations were a bit higher for this one. I wanted to love it more than I did. I have LOVED, LOVED, LOVED some of his books in the past, and I was expecting to be charmed or delighted. It was a good enough read. But his other books are better.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

89. Do You See the Tiger?

89. Do You See the Tiger? Philip Ardagh. Illustrated by David Melling. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars]

First sentence: One rainy night in London town, Penny and Daddy went down, down, down...to an underground station deep below, with its inviting lighting all aglow. They were still drying from the rain when in pulled a clattering silver train. WHOOSH! A voice from a speaker, in one loud burst, said: "Please let the passengers off first!"

Premise/plot: Penny sees a tiger on the train; her dad never sees the tiger and does not believe her fanciful story.

My thoughts: This picture book is written in rhyme. The story is simple enough, yet the narrative is lyrical. The lyrical, rhyming narrative elevates it a bit. The story does seem to drag in places, perhaps a little too much text for the story itself, yet this one has its moments. I enjoyed the celebration of imagination. The illustrator is clearly on Penny's side! I definitely liked the illustrations.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

88. Kitty vs. Kindergarten

88. Kitty vs. Kindergarten. Martha Freeman. Illustrated by Eda Kaban. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, pets, school]

First sentence: Kitty was a good, nice kitty who lived with a good, nice family.

Premise/plot: Kitty does not particularly want to go to school with her human child to kindergarten. Kitty is quite content to stay at home and 'be regular' doing all the regular kitty things. However, Kitty is catnapped and taken for show and tell. Will Kitty survive her day at kindergarten? Will Kitty learn anything at school?

My thoughts: It was okay. I wanted to like it more than I did...because KITTY. The story is fine enough. Kitty gets out of his comfort zone. Kitty ends up teaching the kindergarten class a few things. It is enjoyable enough to share with little ones starting school who also happen to love KITTIES.



© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

86-87 Two Board Books

86. [Board book] I Will Love You Till the Cows Come Home. Anne Matheson. Illustrated by Kim Crumrine. 2025. 24 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, board book, parental love]

First sentence: I will love you till the cows come home! No matter how long it takes or how far they roam. They can wander forever to places unknown. I will love you until they find their way home. 

Premise/plot: A parent's love is unconditional in this predictably super-sweet board books for little ones.

My thoughts: I liked this one well enough. The text is simple, predictable, super-sweet. The illustrations are of farm animals. Both are pleasant enough.

87. [Board book] Grumpkin. Nicola Edwards. Illustrated by Sian Roberts. 2025. 24 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, board book, Halloween]

First sentence: Hey, I'm Grumpkin. I'm a pumpkin (obviously), and no one ever lets me forget it. This is my least favorite time of year. I really can't stand Halloween. That's right, I said it. Why could I have been a summer squash instead? Or an orange soaking up the California sun? Or a coconut swaying on a palm tree on a desert island....that's the dream.

Premise/plot: Grumpkin does NOT want to be a pumpkin and he does NOT want to celebrate Halloween. Can Grumpkin ever learn to be content?

My thoughts: I liked this one well enough. Grumpkin is VERY grumpy, cranky, out of sorts. There is a lesson to be learned--obviously. And it's done in a story. This one has more story to it than many other 'Halloween' board books.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

85. George & Lenny Are Always Together

85. George & Lenny Are Always Together. Jon Agee. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, animal fantasy, friendship, picture book]

First sentence: George was always with Lenny. And Lenny was always with George. Say, George! Have you ever noticed that we are always together. Yes, Lenny! It's terrific. We are never alone! I wonder, George. What is it like to be alone? Lonely, I bet. And sad! But George, what if being alone is just as much fun as being together?

Premise/plot: George (the bear) and Lenny (the bunny) are best, best, best friends who are always together. But what if they weren't always together. What if--gasp--they took a few hours away from each other! What if Lenny had alone time? What if George had alone time? What if they had alone-time together?! 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. The story was cute and adorable. I liked both Lenny and George. I loved, loved, loved the illustrations. Overall, this one is a delightful read about friendship.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

84. The Elephant's Birthday (Mouse and Spoon)

84. The Elephant's Birthday (Mouse and Spoon). Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Janna Mattia. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [early reader, ready to read level 2, animal fantasy, series book; 5 stars]

First sentence: On Littleton Street in a little town, three little mice had a bakery. They were Ginger and Piper and Tom. Tom was the youngest in the family. Ginger was the oldest. And Piper was right in the middle. They had whiskers and long tails. And like all mice, they were very clean and tidy.

Premise/plot: Cynthia Rylant's newest early reader series, Mouse and Spoon, stars three lovely mice who run a bakery shop. In this book, ELEPHANT is having a birthday party. The order at the bakery is a LARGE one since Elephant is large AND he has many, many monkey friends who will need banana bread! 

My thoughts: This one is adorable. It just is. I enjoyed spending time with Ginger, Piper, and Tom. The book is predictably delightful in that cutesy-sweet way. I will definitely be looking for all forthcoming books in the series. This is the second one I've read this year.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

83. A Scrub in the Tub

83. A Scrub in the Tub. Jan Thomas. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, humor, 5 stars]

First sentence: Pee-ew! SOMEONE needs a scrub in the tub! 
Absolutely!
WHO needs a scrub in the tub?
YOU, Pig! YOU need a scrub in the tub!
Absolutely!
ME? I don't think I  need a scrub in the tub!

Premise/plot: PIG does not want a scrub in the tub. His friends disagree. If Pig wants to hang around with them, a scrub in the tub is not optional. Will Pig take a bath? Will he enjoy his bath?

My thoughts: It has been a while since I've read Jan Thomas' humorous picture books. These are the same beloved characters from earlier picture books. She is great at writing silly, humorous picture books and early readers for young readers. Her books often have again-again appeal. Definitely recommended for fans of Jan Thomas. And if this is your first Jan Thomas picture book, be sure to check out her earlier picture books!

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

82. Who Meows?

82. Who Meows? A Book of Animal Sounds. Robin Page. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, picture book, concept book]

First sentence: Who meows? A cat meows. Who gobbles? A turkey gobbles. Who croaks?

Premise/plot: Who Meows is a question-answer concept book for little ones teaching animal sounds. It starts with a question, always. Turn the page to find the answer and get the next question. This format gives little ones ample opportunities to guess what animal will be revealed next. The format and structure is simple. The illustrations are colorful.

My thoughts: I liked this one. Or I liked it well enough. For the target audience--toddlers through preschoolers, I think this one is a solid choice. I could see this being a good choice for reading aloud with little ones at home. It might also work for story time at the library, though I'm less clear if this would be ideal. For larger families, older siblings could read aloud with younger ones. The appeal of this text might be limited to younger audiences but that doesn't make it less important to have in the library.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers