17. Goodnight, Bruce. (Mother Bruce #10). Ryan Higgins. 2026. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, animal fantasy, bedtime book, 4 stars]
First sentence: It's alive! Oh, the horror! The humanity! Why didn't I just eat my vegetables?!
Premise/plot: It is time for bed. Bruce is struggling--well, that's an understatement--to get his children (mice and geese) to actually actually go to bed. It is Friday night. It is monster-movie night. They must, must, must finish the movie. Will Bruce get his family tucked in for the night???? Or will, perhaps, he be outsmarted???
My thoughts: I have loved, loved, loved some of the Bruce books. They are almost always enjoyable. Some have more of a story than others. A few are more 'meh' because they don't seem particularly necessary. HOWEVER, the characters are great fun. If you've read one in the series and enjoyed it, it is definitely worth seeking out others in the series to continue the fun.
18. Lolly on the Ice. Sarah S. Brannen. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, picture book, confidence, ice skating]
First sentence: Ice is slippery. "Careful!" said Dad. "It's fine," said Lolly. "No one saw."
Premise/plot: Lolly LOVES to ice skate. She does. It is one of her favorite, favorite, favorite things to do. However, skating in front of others isn't. When there's an ice show opportunity, Lolly at first chooses a background role instead of one performing in the spotlight. However, when another skate is unable to perform and the act is in danger of being cancelled, Lolly might just risk her nerves to help out her friends.
My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. There aren't really that many books for children about ice skating. This book about self-confidence and conquering one's fears--or nerves--is good.
19. Rumpelstiltskin. Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Carson Ellis. 2026. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, picture book, fantasy, fairy tale/folk tale]
First sentence: Once upon a time, a girl grew up in the woods, climbing trees and whittling sticks and catching tadpoles with her bare hands. Her father, a poor miller, was a nice enough guy, but he had a big mouth. He told wild stories and bragged all the time. Here, I'll give you an example.
Premise/plot: Mac Barnett has retold the story of Rumpelstiltskin. It has been a while since I read the original, but, it seems traditional and not that much of a variation.
My thoughts: This one is definitely text-heavy. That isn't bad. It just means it's probably best suited for older readers or younger readers with long attention spans. I know some elementary grades do a folk tale and/or fairy tale unit, this one would fit nicely with that. The illustrations are probably what makes this one stand out from other variations. I'm not sure if I love the illustrations? But they are certainly interesting.
20. Tiny Garden. Deborah Underwood. Illustrated by Jax Chow. 2026. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, picture book, gardening, nature]
First sentence: Andrew loved plants. But the fancy gardens on his block overwhelmed him. Too big. Too tall. Too much. So he dug a small rectangle in the grass. "Is that a garden?" asked a neighbor. "It needs to be much bigger." "This will be my tiny garden," said Andrew.
Premise/plot: Andrew creates a tiny garden that is appreciated greatly by tiny animals that love this garden that feels perfectly perfect for them.
My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. Deborah Underwood is a great writer with a way with words. This one is all about appreciating nature and finding your own happy place in the world.
21. The Future Book. Mac Barnett. Shawn Harris. 2026. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, humor, picture book]
First sentence: This book is from the future. Lots of things are different here in the future. In the future, the sun is called the moon and the moon is called the sun. Morning is called night and night is called morning. Bananas are called apples and apples? There's no words for apples. We don't have apples in the future.
Premise/plot: The Future Book is many things: whimsical, silly, nonsensical. The pace is perhaps uneven, but, I found the ending worth it.
My thoughts: I don't love every Mac Barnett book I read. HOWEVER, whenever I see a new Mac Barnett at the library I check it out. His books can be odd, whimsical, silly, FUN. I definitely enjoyed this one! Maybe it depends on how you read it aloud, maybe it depends on the audience. BUT I thought it was quite fun.
22. Pizzasaurus. Tammi Sauer. Illustrated by Kyle Beckett. 2026. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, animal fantasy, dinosaurs, picture book]
First sentence: You look like someone who knows a lot about dinosaurs. Of course you've heard of Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus, and Triceratops. Who hasn't?
Premise/plot: Readers meet a dinosaur that LOVES pizza.
My thoughts: This is a silly picture book. If you have little ones that LOVE pizza and/or LOVE dinosaurs, this one may be a good match. The illustrations are bright and colorful. The plot, well, there isn't much of a plot, BUT pizza + dinosaurs.
© 2026 Becky Laney of Young Readers
