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