52. Zathura

52. Zathura. Chris Van Allsburg. 2002. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, picture book, fantasy]

First sentence: "Mom!" Danny Budwing yelled. "Mom!" Walter and Danny's mother stopped at her sons' bedroom door.

Premise/plot: Walter and Danny are brothers who fight and bicker and fuss all the time, ALL the time. But will a board game bring them together????

My thoughts: I watched the movie adaptation, Zathura. I loved it. I had never read the picture book. I've never seen Jumanji. I had low expectations for the movie, but, I found it GREAT fun. Perhaps if I'd had extremely high expectations and a preconceived notion of what it should be and should not be, I would have felt differently.

This picture book is much more "basic" and "contained" than the movie. The game is still adventurous but it doesn't seem SO intensely dangerously dramatic and a fight for survival. And the ending is quite different.

I personally love the movie more. But I can see how the book is creative and could work for young readers.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10


© 2026 Becky Laney of Young Readers

9. Fireworks

9. Fireworks. Matthew Burgess. Illustrated by Catia Chien. 2025. 44 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, picture books, Caldecott Medal]

First sentence: In the summer, the sun rises
between buildings on our block
to greet us at breakfast,
and it beats warmer and brighter
when we venture out across
steamy city sidewalks.

Premise/plot: A poetic look at a summer day. It is implied that it is the fourth of July, though, that is not stated specifically. But there is a HUGE fireworks display in the evening that they (siblings?) watch from the rooftop.

My thoughts: What makes this one pop? POETIC language, great imagery, and phenomenal illustrations. I love, love, love, love, LOVE the illustrations. I do. The illustrations are incredible. The text is so descriptive and packed with imagery.


© 2026 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

60. A Thousand Years

60. A Thousand Years. Christina Perri. Illustrated by Joy Hwang Ruiz. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [picture books, 3 stars]

First sentence: The day we met,
frozen, I held my breath,
Right from the start,
I knew that I'd found a home for my heart.
Time stands still.
How to be brave
when I'm so afraid that you might fall?
But watching you stand alone,
all of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow.

Premise/plot: Christina Perri's lyrics to A Thousand Years have been adapted--shifted--to fit a parent's love for a child. It isn't just the lyrics or modified lyrics. The narrative fits for a family situation. Throughout the picture book, a mother's love for her daughter is evident.

My thoughts: I like the idea of this one more than I actually like it. However, I do think it is lovely enough for what it is. There will always be publishing space for sentimental, sweet, precious books celebrating a parent's unconditional love for a child. Always and forever there will be books published about this special type of familial bond.

 

© 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

28. The Baby Who Stayed Awake Forever

 

28. The Baby Who Stayed Away Forever. Sandra Salsbury. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, bedtime book, humor, family, 5 stars]

First sentence: In the light of the moon, a little baby lay fast asleep. HA! Yeah, right! Not this baby! Sleeping is for koalas and teenagers. This baby intended to stay awake forever. At 8 o'clock, Mama said, "Good night, sweetie." Papa said, "Sweet dreams, little one." Sister said, "See you in the morning." BAby said: GA! 

Premise/plot: A family struggles with a baby--though NOT a newborn or young infant--who refuses [strong headed, strong willed] to sleep through the night. Trying to get the baby asleep is a family affair--mother, father, sister. [The neighbor, well, can't escape the consequences of everyone's choices.] 

My thoughts: Who is this book for? I think it is 100% for parents and older siblings. I think it is a humorous, relatable story--if not slightly exaggerated to most people's reality. It is on the text-heavy side. But there are plenty of silly illustrations as well. (Such as when the baby decides to throw a DANCE PARTY). (Another favorite scene is when readers get a 'meanwhile' glimpse of the neighbor who just decided to get up in the middle of the night. He's eating a bowl of cereal and is resigned to his fate.) (Yet another favorite image is when Mama is trying to cuddle baby. If you know you know. Seriously though that could be for most of these illustrations.)

Is this book for babies and toddlers? Perhaps not as much as for those slightly older. I do think it would be a silly read aloud for the whole family. I think with a little practice, this one could be acted superbly.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

9. Chooch Helped

 

 

9. Chooch Helped. Andrea L. Rogers. Illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz. 2024. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, siblings, family, picture book]

First sentence: This is the baby. We call him Chooch. The word for boy or son in Cherokee is atsutsa.  

Premise/plot: A sister is terribly, horribly annoyed with her younger brother--or bother as the case may be. The book is set within a Cherokee family/community; while the book is not wholly bilingual, the book certainly has an emphasis on introducing new words to readers. 

My thoughts: This one won/earned the Caldecott Medal in 2025. (The awards were announced earlier this morning). It is totally normal for me to be unimpressed with the winner. My artistic taste--or artistic eye--for better or worse never has aligned at all--not even a little bit--with the majority of winners. What I absolutely love, love, love and am drawn to is never what the judges are looking for--apparently. Which is fine. To each their own. Picture books have always had the most potential for being polarizing because you've got TEXT and ART. 

The story is simple, relatable, enjoyable enough. The art just wasn't for me--personally. You may love it. I think anyone with a sibling can appreciate this one.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

142-143. Two Books About Books

142. My Book and Me. Linda Sue Park. Illustrated by Chris Raschka. 2024. 36 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [picture book]

First sentence: This is my book. My favorite book. I carry it with me wherever I go. There's jam on the cover from yesterday's toast and crayon inside from when I was little. I read it alone. We read it together. Again and again, and, please, just once more?

Premise/plot: This book celebrates BOOKS and reading and family reading time. It is written in verse (though it doesn't rhyme) and stars several different children with their favorite books.

My thoughts: I liked it. I really liked it. I wanted to love, love, love it...because READING. However the thought of jam on a cover of a book was a little too much for me! (I jest???)

143.  The Book That Almost Rhymed. Omar Abed. Illustrated by Hatem Aly. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book] [5 stars]

First sentence: The other day, I wrote this book.
You won't believe how long it took.
It rhymed, and I was super proud.
It sounded great when read aloud.
But then my sister came along,
and now the story sounds all wro--

Premise/plot: A young boy has written the perfect rhyming book....until his sister comes along and changes everything. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. It could definitely be read by TWO readers for some extra read aloud fun. It could also be dramatized perhaps. It celebrates creativity, imagination, adventure, and spontaneity. I'm not sure the brother would agree it celebrates family. But it is super silly to have squabbling siblings on an imaginative adventure. 

 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

119-121. Early Readers Parade

119. Pizza for Pia (Ready to read level 1) Betsy Groban. Illustrated by Allison Steinfeld. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars] [early reader]

First sentence:  Pia loves to eat. "Mealtime is the best time," says Pia. 

Premise/plot: Pia loves to eat. Pia's family loves to eat. The problem? Pia's family all prefer pizza and they just know that Pia loves pizza too. In this early reader, Pia says she LOVES tacos--not pizza. The solution? Baking taco shells and using pizza ingredients???

My thoughts: It is an early reader. This one is full of p's. I liked it well enough. There is an actual story.

120. Nothing Fits a Dinosaur.  (ready to read level 1) Jonathan Fenske. 2021. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [early reader, bath time]

First sentence: "No more playtime," says my momma. "Take a bath. Put on pajamas. And please, tonight, no dino drama." 

Premise/plot: Will there be dino drama? YES. Of course. In this one a little boy and his dino alter ego get into a little trouble. Don't you know that NOTHING fits a dinosaur, so he'll just have to be FREE (without clothes). "These clothes shall feel my dino-might! Roar! I shed them with a mega roar!"

 My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. Not a big surprise since I am a fan of Jonathan Fenske. Perhaps a slight surprise since I don't really love dinosaurs. However, this one is ALL about imagination. This little boy is a hoot. However, as all hoots are, he is difficult to parent perhaps.

121. Nothing Scares a Dinosaur. (Ready to read level 1). Jonathan Fenske. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [early reader, bedtime, imagination] [4 stars]

First sentence: My bath is done. My books are read. I brush my teeth. I climb in bed. My momma comes to tuck me in. She pulls the covers to my chin. 

Premise/plot: Nothing Scares a Dinosaur is a sequel to Nothing Fits a Dinosaur. Though these were published years apart--2021 and 2024--I imagine them taking place the same night. (Though, of course, it could be the next night.) The book series stars a little boy who loves to pretend to be a dinosaur. In the first book, this DINOSAUR had trouble getting ready for bed because he still wanted to play, play, play. In this next book, he is finally in bed, but will he fall asleep easily? NOTHING SCARES A DINOSAUR except perhaps his momma when she's stern.

My thoughts: I really LOVE both books. I'm so on the fence if they should be a four star or a five star. Fenske's early readers are, in my opinion, so much better than all the rest. These are entertaining, relatable, fun stories. I love the rhythm and rhyme. (Not a big surprise since Fenske is a great writer). I love how both books end!

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

78. Meatballs for Grandpa

Meatballs for Grandpa. Jeanette Fazzari Jones. Illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: On the days we make meatballs for Grandpa, my feet fly up my grandparents' driveway. 

Premise/plot: Felicia enjoys cooking with her Grandma; together they cook spaghetti and meatballs the favorite meal of Felicia's Grandpa. His memory--he has Alzheimer's disease--isn't the best but he definitely remembers LOVING spaghetti and meatballs. These small, scattered moments of recollection bring joy with a tinge of sadness. Felicia loves spending time with both her grandparents. Cooking and eating are definitely something the family loves doing together. Changes may come through the years, but family is forever.

My thoughts: This picture book is a celebration of family, of family memories, of cooking. It also highlights special relationships and bonds between grandparents and grandchildren. This one hits as bittersweet, but I'm not sure younger readers will immediately feel that. Older readers who have experienced more of life may relate to the story more. This is a picture book that may effect readers differently based on age and life experiences. Grandparents are to be cherished even if there are changes along the way.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

65. This Baby. That Baby.

This Baby. That Baby. Cari Best. Illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh. 2024. [February] 40 pages. [Source: Library] [Picture book]

First sentence: Somewhere in the big, big city 
across a beep-beep street
along two bumpy sidewalks
up two tall buildings
to the
third
fourth
fifth
floors,
two happy babies look out their morning windows
at the very same time.
This baby.
And that baby.
This baby has a lot of curly black hair.
It bounces when he giggles.
That baby has a floppy red hat.
It falls off
when she wiggles.

I love, love, love, love, love this one!!!! It stars two babies: THIS baby and THAT baby. It chronicles their parallel lives--will these two get a proper meeting??? 

I love the celebration of family life, the ordinary moments, the oh-so-relatable moments, the blink and they're gone moments. The story is adorable. The illustrations are adorable. Highly recommended....and so rhythmic too. Loved everything about this one.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

64. Tangle-Knot

Tangle-Knot. Loretta Ellsworth. Illustrated by Annabel Tempest. 2023. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [Picture book]

First sentence: Fia refuses to brush her hair before she goes out to play. "It's a tangled mess," complains Mom. "I like it this way." Her hair always blows around like a tornado and becomes a maze of snarls and knots. The blustery air twists the curls until they're a swirl of tangle-knot, which is not a word, but which is her hair. It's perfect.

Tangle-knot is my hair as well. (Though not perhaps by choice.) I really enjoyed this playful story starring a young girl and her VERY tangled hair. How tangled is it? A bird makes a nest and hatches her three eggs in it. So VERY, VERY tangled. Will she ever brush her hair?

This was a playful and silly story which I appreciated. I love the illustrations. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

26. My Thoughts Have Wings

My Thoughts Have Wings. Maggie Smith. Illustrated by Leanne Hatch. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
 

First sentence: Sometimes when I go to bed, my body is calm and still, but my mind feels busy and loud! When my mom turns off the lights, my thoughts stay on...especially the not-so-good ones. Those thoughts flutter and flap in my head.

Premise/plot: The little girl in this picture book struggles with anxiety. Her mom teaches her how to allow happy thoughts to build a nest in her mind. 

My thoughts: This one deals specifically with anxiety when it comes to falling asleep and staying asleep. The book shows her worrisome thoughts and her happy thoughts. The book is sweet and gentle. The imagery is lovely.

There's more than one way to approach this topic/theme. I do not expect secular picture books to approach it the same way a Christian book published by a Christian publisher would. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

5. 100 Chapatis

100 Chapatis. Derek Mascarenhas. Illustrated by Shantala Robinson. 2023. [October 17] 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: "When will the baby come?" Simon asked his pappa. "Your dad will call from the hospital as soon as your mom has the baby," said Pappa. 

Premise/plot: A grandfather and grandson make one hundred chapatis [Indian flat bread] as they await news of the birth of the baby. It is a great way to pass time and super practical since it will be nice to have food on hand after the baby is born. 

My thoughts: I liked this one. It is always nice when picture books celebrate family AND cooking AND culture. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

3. Homegrown

Homegrown. Deann Wiley. 2024. [January] 40 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book]

First sentence: Mama says I'm homegrown.

Premise/plot: This picture book explores the many layered meanings of the concept--the word--home. The book celebrates family life, family, love, life, kindness, etc. 

My thoughts: This book closely examines family life, home life, and gives behind-the-scenes glimpses into all things family, all things tradition; it is a celebration of community and culture. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

312. The Brand-New, Never-Used, Perfect Crayons

The Brand-New, Never-Used, Perfect Crayons. Leanne Hatch. 2023. [August] 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Violet was in the art supply aisle when she first spotted them. There were small boxes, medium boxes, big boxes, and...super big boxes. The super big box of crayons had all the colors she would ever need. Eighty-four to be exact.

Premise/plot: Violet, our protagonist, is so thrilled and excited to get a super big box of crayons from the art store. However, she's so happy and proud own them and that they are in such pristine, perfect condition--unlike her old crayons which are junk--that she finds it impossible to enjoy them as intended--coloring. But crayons are made for coloring. They are made to bring joy, and that joy is best expressed through their actual, actual use. Can Violet learn something from her LITTLE sister about how to best use her new crayons? (AND perhaps just perhaps a little about how to best live life.)

My thoughts: I really LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. I could relate to it completely. Perhaps not with crayons exactly. But with other things--many other things. (Like fabric). I enjoyed this one. I loved Violet and Marigold--the sisters. I loved the problem and solution.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

284. All We Need Is Love and a Really Soft Pillow

All We Need Is Love and a Really Soft Pillow! Peter H. Reynolds and Henry Rocket Reynolds. 2023. [October 3] 48 pages. [Source: Library] [Picture book]

First sentence:  Poppy, need anything? Little One, I've got you! We've got LOVE! Love is all we need! Yes, Love and a really soft pillow.

Premise/plot: Poppy and Little One star in the newest book by Reynolds and his son. Is it timeless? Perhaps. Probably. In this one, the two elaborate on all they really need in life....and life does throw some curve balls their direction.

My thoughts: I liked this one. It is hard to separate the text from the illustrations. I didn't personally love, love, love the illustrations. I didn't. They were meh to me--again this is all subjective. The text worked for me. I thought it was a good story. I enjoyed the characters. 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

272-278. Picture Book Parade

272. The Words We Share. Jack Wong. 2023. [October 10] 40 pages. [Source: Library] 

First sentence: Angie! 

Premise/plot: Angie helps out her immigrant parents by translating. The family has [relatively recently] moved to Canada and Angie speaks the best English. She turns entrepreneur--in a way--and makes a 'business' of writing signs in English for others to use in their businesses. But sometimes things get lost in translation....

My thoughts: This is semi-bi-lingual. It is a family-focused picture book that celebrates community. I enjoyed this one.

273. The Yellow Handkerchief. Donna Barba Higuera. Illustrated by Cynthia Alonso. 2023. [March] 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: My abuela wears an old yellow handkerchief that her grandmother gave to her.

Premise/plot: A young girl is VERY conflicted about her grandmother's yellow handkerchief. She both loves her grandmother--abuela--and is ashamed of that old yellow handkerchief. She seems to wrestle with embarrassment that her family--particularly her grandmother--is different from her friends' families. 

My thoughts: This one has a mini coming-of-age lesson within. This one celebrates family and community. I liked it.

274.  The Umbrella. Beth Ferry. Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. 2023. [March] 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Dreary.
Weary.
Dim.
Grim.
Drip.
Drop.
Nonstop
Gotta go--rain or snow
Come on, pup.

ETA: I read this one in April 2023. When a physical book-book copy came into the library I had to check it out and reread it a couple of times. 

Premise/plot: There have been plenty of books about rainy days--featuring umbrellas or other rain gear--published through the years. I've never seen a rain-themed book with this big a twist. So the premise, a girl and her dog live in a community where it is seemingly ALWAYS raining, ALWAYS gray. But maybe just maybe change is coming!

My thoughts: I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. I loved the text. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the rhythm and rhyme of it. I am very particular when it comes to rhyming books. I can be harsh if the rhythm is off or weird. The lyrical flow--the rhythm--of this one is perfectly perfect in every way. I love the language--the onomatopoeia. I love how relatable it is. Rainy days CAN feel endless and always gray. Literally and figuratively--I think this one works. I also love the repetition. Every time we came back to Come on, pup...I just smiled.

I love the illustrations. I absolutely love the use of limited colors. Thematically, this one just works really well. I love that the illustrations are capable of carrying the story on their own. So little ones who can't quite read yet, can "read" the pictures.

 Text and illustrations--both perfectly perfect. This is a picture book. But it needs to be a BOARD BOOK and a PICTURE BOOK. I want this book to say in print forever and ever.

 

275. I Am Cat! Peter Bently. Illustrated by Chris Chatterton. 2023. [May] 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I am Cat. Cat is me. A most superior thing to be. I like stretchy-stretchy paw. I like scratchy-scratchy claws. Cat is hungry. Pad, pad, pad. Human sleeping. That's too bad. 

Premise/plot: Cat narrates a lovely rhyming picture book.

My thoughts: I ENJOYED this one oh-so-much. It was a delight. I loved the rhythm and rhyme. I loved the subject! The cat is ADORABLE. The story was amusing. Definitely recommend to cat lovers of all ages.

276. Jack the Library Cat. Marietta Apollonio. 2023. [May] 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Jack snuck through the doors of the library each morning.

Premise/plot: Jack, the starring cat of our picture book, LOVES the library. The allergic-to-cats librarian does not appreciate Jack and his desire to be IN the library. She frowns upon those who let the adorable Jack inside the building. But Jack has fans and supporters who understand his need for STORIES. Will the librarian realize that Jack deserves to be in the library?

My thoughts: What a cute story. I enjoyed this one. I liked the library setting. I loved Jack. I loved that it celebrated BOOKS, stories, and CATS.

277. The Digger and the Butterfly. Joseph Kuefler. 2023. [May] 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It was spring, and the big trucks were busy. Working. Building. Transforming.

Premise/plot: Digger makes friends, in a way, with a caterpillar/butterfly. 

My thoughts: I'm not quite sure what to think of this one! Digger gets a chance to SLOW down and relax when the caterpillar makes its cocoon literally ON him. His construction buddies continue to do the work, Digger not so much. 

This one is cute enough, I suppose. It stars construction vehicles (talking ones of course) but also celebrates nature and the natural world. This is definitely an interesting combination. It is part of a series, apparently. I have not read the other books.

278. Champion Chompers, Super Stinkers and Other Poems by Extraordinary Animals. Linda Ashman. Illustrated by Aparna Varma. 2023. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [Poetry book]

First sentence: Calling all contestants! Think you're tops? The most? The best? Are you bigger....taller....faster....smaller....stronger than the rest? 

Premise/plot: A collection of animal poems. The two-page spreads do NOT go together. This has to be intentional. The poem acts like a RIDDLE asking children to guess the animal. There is nonfiction facts about each animal as well.

My thoughts: I didn't love this one as much as I wanted to. I like the premise well enough and the fact that it includes poetry and nonfiction facts.

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

205. Hope In the Valley

Hope In the Valley. Mitali Perkins. 2023. 304 pages. [Source: Library] [J Fiction; MG Fiction; everybody-fiction, "historical" fiction, realistic fiction]

First sentence:  Our front porch is a mess. Stepping around a discarded skateboard and a rusty tricycle, I avoid a couple of splintery wooden chairs and make my way down the steps. As I cross the street to the old Johnson place, I move slowly, casually, in case eyes are tracking me. The riskiest part of this escape is ducking behind the overgrown oleander bushes. But I'm careful as always. There. Now I'm hidden.

Premise/plot: Hope in the Valley is set in the early 1980s, I believe, in California. Pandita Paul, the protagonist, is going to be an eighth grader in the fall. And she doesn't like change--not this change nor any other, not really. Perhaps because she's already experienced one of the biggest changes she could face--the death of her mother. (And it happened on vacation, when they were visiting her grandparents in India). She is holding onto every single memory, every single moment. She has a BIG secret that her and her mother held. The abandoned mansion across the street is their favorite "quiet" place. In particular the porch swing on the porch. There's a cushion where they hid letters, notes, pictures. This is her "safe place" mentally and emotionally. But soon after her birthday (or perhaps on her birthday), she learns that it is soon to be demolished and sold. She's crushed, angered, scared. Can she find a way to save the past? 

Of course, that's only ONE of a handful of story threads in the novel...

My thoughts: I absolutely ADORE this one so much. I loved the main character. I loved getting to know her older sisters. I loved meeting her friends--not all of them her own age. I loved the characters, the relationships, the stories. I loved the inclusion of drama camp and SOUND OF MUSIC. It is just a fantastic coming of age story.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

202-204. Picture Book Parade (Mini)

202. This Is The First Book I Will Read To You. Francesco Sedita. Illustrated by Magenta Fox. 2023. [May] 32 pages. [Source: Library] [Picture book]

First sentence: This is the first book I will read to you, my sweet child. After we take our bath, I'll put you in your softest pajamas. And wrap you in your blanket. You'll wiggle your feet and squirm as I hold you. And I'll be nervous--to share this moment that only you and I will be a part of. You might not want to listen at first. Maybe you'll want to be doing something else. But then we'll find our way together. 

Premise/plot: A father reads a book to his baby. It is written in second person, directly to the baby--child. 

My thoughts: It is a sweet, sensitive. It isn't trying to be funny--just sincere. It stars a father--not a mother. The only two we meet in the book are father and child (baby). There are folks in picture frames, but no details given. (Nor should there have to be.) 

I'm torn. Part of me is trying to restrain from overthinking a single page. The other part is finding it difficult not to overthink. For example, all the MANY positions the dad is in that would make me actual reading from a book difficult. When you've got a tiny one still needing swaddling, it's probably not best to walk around reading a book. How will you turn pages with just one hand free? And while I'm sure that plenty of the spreads are more metaphorical than literal--a father goes from walking into a nursery with a wooden floor to being outside in the woods--the scene where he's walking up hill reading the book while cradling the baby in his other arm--it just seems hazardous with all the trees about. Again, I know it's imaginative and creative--not literal. 

But I think the sweetness, the tenderness, the emotional journey of this one outweighs even my overthinking.

203. Something's Wrong: A Bear, A Hare, and Some Underwear. Jory John. Illustrated by Erin Kraan. 2021. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [Picture book]

First sentence: "Let's see...I ate my breakfast. I wrote in my journal. I watered my plant. I took my bath. I tried on the gift from my grandma. And I combed my fur. Hmm. So why do I still feel like I'm forgetting something? Something's wrong!"

Premise/plot: Jeff (the bear) feels something is WRONG. As he walks through the woods/forest, he's even more certain. All the animals are looking at him strangely. He needs a friend, his good friend, his best friend, Anders (the hare), to tell him the truth! Will Anders come through and prove he's the best friend a bear could have?

My thoughts: This one is text-heavy but definitely humorous. Also a great example of getting exactly what is promised. The cover lets you know exactly what to expect. 

204. Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep! Bill Martin Jr. Michael Sampson. Illustrated by Nathalie Beauvois. 2023. [April] 32 pages. [Source: Library] [Picture book]

First sentence: This old car,
it is blue,
yellow, red, and purple too.
With a bing, bang,
Chugga, beep,
Bouncing here and there,
This old car goes everywhere.

Premise/plot: I couldn't find anywhere on the jacket copy that it's meant to be song to "This Old Man," but I think it is meant to be. The jacket copy just says "singsong" story. What you see is exactly what you get. A car (and toy-car) themed rhyming song to share with little ones at home and at school. 

My thoughts: Bill Martin Jr. died in 2004. I don't know exactly how/where these new books are coming from--cowritten with Michael Sampson, but I'm not exactly complaining. I think this one--like so many other classics--fits right in in a pre-K, kindergarten, first grade environment. Or at home, of course. Or the library. I do think you'll probably want to practice singing this one before you have an audience. But I think it is possible to get the rhythm right with a practice-run first.

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers