Rex Rocket, Cosmic Weiner Dog

November 9, 2026

Rex Rocket: Cosmic Wiener Dog: (A Graphic Novel) by John Gallagher
ISBN: 0593712307
Genres: Adventure, Humor
Format: Graphic Novel
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Rex Rocket, Cosmic Weiner Dog by John Gallagher

This new graphic novel from John Gallagher, creator of the Max Meow series, does not disappoint. Rex Rocket is an overconfident dachshund whose earnest mistakes keep getting him promoted to the head of S.T.A.R.R. Command. His former commanding officer, General Dill (as in pickle) holds a long standing grudge against Rex and sends Dr. B. on a mission with Rex and his crew of loyal rag tag misfits.

This book is full of silly comedy bits, nuggets of true science facts, and laugh-out-loud jokes. There are also small teasers to keep the reader guessing. At one point a character asks, “Why is Rex so stretchy?” and General Dill replies, “That’s a story for a different time!” Leaving us hanging and wanting more.

Woven within the goofiness are some serious themes of social justice–King Krog has taken over a planet and is using mind control to force its inhabitants to mine Element X for fuel. With the help of Dr. B., will Rex Rocket figure out how to defeat King Krog and save the true queen of Gratuvius 4? Rex Rocket, Cosmic Weiner Dog will capture the hearts, minds and funny bones of kids who love Dogman, Max Meow, and Investigators graphic novels.

Reviewed by Antona Briley, Librarian, Dora Small School, South Portland

Our Spectacular Sukkah

November 9, 2026

Our Spectacular Sukkah by Sidura Ludwig, Sophia Vincent Guy
ISBN: 1536235105
Genres: Holiday
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Our Spectacular Sukkah is about a family who is celebrating the Jewish harvest holiday of Sukkot by making a temporary dwelling to represent the exodus from Egypt. Throughout the story, we see the family work hard to build it and make it a beautiful place. Then, a windstorm blows in and destroys the Sukkah. The community comes together to help rebuild it and celebrate the holiday, showing readers the power of community care. Readers will also be charmed by the beautiful illustrations that help readers understand the story and the emotional impact of the storm and the community’s help. The illustrations are colorful, expressive, lively, and engaging.

Readers will appreciate the emotional rollercoaster and suspense of what happens with the Sukkah. Educators, librarians, and caregivers will appreciate the accessible introduction to a Jewish holiday, the vocabulary words like spectacular and distinctive, as well as the holiday-specific vocabulary, like sukkah. They will also appreciate the diverse character representations in the community and the author’s note at the end that helps us understand more about the holiday for those who are older or looking to learn more about the holiday.

This would be a strong addition to any library serving readers in first through fifth grade, those who want to expand their holiday titles, or those looking for titles about community or community helpers. This was a four-star read for me.Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

Pippas’ Hanukkah Hunt

November 9, 2026

Pippa's Hanukkah Hunt: (A Jewish Holiday Picture Book About Latkes, Traditions, and Community for Kids Ages 4-8) by Jill Weber, Vivian Kirkfield
ISBN: 0823455718
Genres: Holiday
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Pippa’s Hanukkah Hunt is about a mouse named Pippa who is trying to make latkes to celebrate Hanukkah. However, Pippa is out of potatoes, so she decides to ask her neighbors, but every neighbor is also out of potatoes! Each neighbor still gives Pippa something — beets, carrots, leeks, etc. When Pippa finally arrives home, she discovers that the hare children stole all of the potatoes to play games with but have now brought them back. In the spirit of the holiday and community, Pippa invites everyone to stay and enjoy Hanukkah together, and all of her neighbors show up with other items to help her celebrate — dreidel, doughnuts, gelt, etc. Together, the forest friends enjoy a Hanukkah feast, and the book ends with a non-fiction telling of the story of Hanukkah to help readers learn more.

This would be a great introduction to Hanukkah for young readers, ideal for those in Kindergarten through second grade. The language is accessible, the text follows a predictable pattern, and the storyline of a community conflict and resolution feels age-appropriate for young readers and will help them solve their own conflicts.

Educators, librarians, and guardians will appreciate the positive example of reparations; the hares do not just bring back the potatoes and apologize but also offer to help Pippa prepare her garden and plant more in the spring, showing young readers how to navigate conflict positively. The text on each page is limited, and the illustrations are charming and sweet, making it a good holiday read-aloud or story for little ones to share with a reader in their lives. The Hanukkah story at the end helps readers better understand the holiday without going into too much depth or overwhelming anyone. This would be a strong addition to any library that serves young readers, is looking to expand its holiday representations, or whose patrons love animal characters and winter stories. This was a four-star read for me. Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

My Neighborhood

November 9, 2026

My Neighborhood by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu, Delano Brown
Genres: Cultural / African American, Poetry
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

My Neighborhood by Delano Brown is about two Black brothers who describe their neighborhood as they walk through it. Brown’s storytelling is lyrical and reads like a poem or music, adding life and rhythm to the story. Readers will appreciate the positive and engaging view of the neighborhood and the “slice of life” story.

Educators will appreciate the positive representation, the personalities of all of the members of the neighborhood and how the neighborhood becomes a personality itself, and how the text introduces readers to poetry. With a fair amount of text on each page, this would be a best fit for grades 3-5 and as an introduction to a poetry unit or as a poetry exemplar. The representation and illustrations make it a standout title, but the amount of text and lyrical structure may limit its readership. This would be a good fit for school libraries and libraries serving readers who love poetry, need broader representation, or those who like “slice of life” stories. This was a 3-star read for me. Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

Willa and Wade Are Definitely not Spies

November 9, 2026

Willa and Wade Are Definitely Not Spies by Judith Henderson, Sara Sarhangpour
ISBN: 1525308440
Genres: Adventure, Animals
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
four-stars

Willa and Wade are Definitely Not Spies by Judith Henderson and illustrated by Sara Sarhangpour is about two bird friends, Willa and Wade, who read about spies and how they can be anywhere and decide to investigate. As part of their investigation, they decide to go undercover and end up becoming spies themselves!

Readers will love the illustrations and the visual humor they create. The facial expressions of the characters, the spy outfits, and the reactions they all have to each other will surely make readers smile and giggle. Younger readers will appreciate the large illustrations and the limited text on the pages, making it a great fit for readers in first through fourth grade. Since it is a fast read, it could also make a great read-aloud, especially to help students understand the implications of Willa and Wade being suspects in a spy case in the end, only shown through an illustration and therefore giving readers practice at visual literacy. This would make a strong addition to any library–public or school–serving young readers, especially those who like humor, graphic novels, animal characters, or spy stories. This was a four-star read for me. Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

Amphibians: Everywhere

November 9, 2026

Amphibians Everywhere: (A Kids' Nonfiction Science and Nature Book About Frogs, Toads, Newts, Salamanders, and Habitats for Ages 6-9) (Animals Everywhere) by Britta Teckentrup, Camilla de la Bedoyere
ISBN: 1536244120
Goodreads

Amphibians: Everywhere is a picture book on amphibians with engaging and stunning illustrations that will grab anyone who is browsing books and comes across this cover and these pages. The illustrations also help readers more deeply understand the scientific concepts in the book, from evolution to habitats. The illustrations also widen the possible age range of its audience; some readers will only look at (but greatly enjoy!) the illustrations, while older readers will appreciate the science concepts and detailed information, in combination with the images.

Educators and librarians will appreciate that this balance of illustrations and complex text will help readers self-differentiate and read as much or as little as they feel ready to consume. Educators will also appreciate how this text could be a strong introduction to multiple science units, from life cycles to what makes an amphibian to habitats. Readers and educators alike will appreciate that the text breaks down many aspects of what makes an amphibian from body parts to adaptations to evolution and more. This title would be a good fit primarily for readers in second through fifth grade, but it could also be used in a secondary classroom to introduce or reinforce some of these concepts. It would also be a great fit for environmental units as there is a section on how humans impact amphibians and what we can do to help. This was a five star read for me as it is visually appealing, has many quality non-fiction elements, and will be enjoyed by a wide variety of readers and educators. Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

Squirrel Lock Holmes #2: Mystery at the Corn-y Maze

November 9, 2026

Squirrel Lock Holmes #2: Mystery at the Corn-y Maze: (A Graphic Novel) by Ashley Belote
ISBN: 0593897854
Genres: Adventure, Animals
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
four-stars

Squirrel Lock Holmes #2: Mystery at the Corn-y Maze is a quirky and fun animal-themed take on Sherlock Holmes for early readers. The first book was fun, but it was so silly that it took away from the plot a bit. This next book in the series had the perfect balance of plot and humor and was even better than the first. Readers will enjoy trying to guess the answer to the mystery.

Educators will appreciate the vocabulary words that are defined in the book; these help readers authentically learn vocabulary. At the end, there were activities and even facts about science, which made it not only fun but also educational. This would be a strong addition to any classroom, school, or public library serving readers first grade through 4th grade, especially those who love graphic novels, series, mysteries, animal characters, or a fun read. This was a four-star read for me. Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

Pumpkin and Beetle: Super Secret Garden by Jannie Ho

November 9, 2026

Pumpkin and Beetle: Super Secret Garden: (A Funny and Spooky Graphic Novel About Vampire Cats, Friendship, and Halloween Fun for Young Readers and Kids Ages 7-10) by Jannie Ho
ISBN: 0823459632
Genres: Animals, Holiday
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
four-stars

Though this is the second in a series, Pumpkin and Beetle: Super Secret Garden can be read as a standalone. The main characters, Pumpkin and Beetle, are vampire cats who are friends and love an adventure. They stumble across something mysterious in a treasure chest and decide to plant it; it soon turns into overgrown vines that are haunting the town. Readers in grades first through third will love this story of friendship, adventure, mystery, and a touch of suspense as the cats try to figure out what the vines are and how to stop them.

Teachers will appreciate that the engaging illustrations dominate the page and the text is limited, making it a good fit for early readers, especially those who like spooky or Halloween without any truly scary topics or events. Caregivers and science teachers will appreciate the non-fiction addition of how to plant a garden in the end material.

Readers will be charmed by Pumpkin and Beetle’s antics and dialogue and will look forward to more books in the series. This title would be a good fit for public or school libraries looking to expand their early reader graphic novel selection, especially those looking for spooky but not scary reads, those with a fun friendship theme, or books with action and adventure. This was a four-star read for me. Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

The Sweetest Rosh Hashanah

November 9, 2026

The Sweetest Rosh Hashanah: Festivals of the World by Aura Lewis, Mara Bergman
ISBN: 1536244716
Genres: Holiday
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
two-stars

The Sweetest Rosh Hashanah is about a girl named Ellie who is celebrating Rosh Hashanah with her family. The illustrations are beautiful and engaging and do a wonderful job of welcoming readers into the holiday and the main character’s home. Readers and librarians looking for more diverse holiday titles or who want to learn about Rosh Hashanah will appreciate the representation of the Jewish holiday.

Other than the holiday, the main storyline is the tension between Ellie and her cousin, Laura. The previous holiday, Laura took Ellie’s paints without asking, which made Ellie understandably upset. Elle wasn’t looking forward to seeing Laura and wouldn’t greet or look at her when she arrived. Her parents and family were confused because Ellie never told them about the incident. Laura does apologize, and Ellie is able to forgive her in the spirit of the holiday.

Some readers may be concerned that Laura is the only character of color and representing her as Black and a thief may unintentionally reinforce negative stereotypes and biases against Black people. For this reason, this was unfortunately a two-star read for me. Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

Lucy in Between

November 9, 2026

Lucy in Between by Sarah Callender
Published by Holiday House on 8/18/26
ISBN: 0823455513
Genres: Mental Health, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Lucy is a seventh grader who loves to mime, has only one friend (Charles) and has an older brother, Henry, who is a violin prodigy. Henry also struggles with his mental health. Their dad is out of the picture, and their mom focuses all her attention on Henry. Lucy often feels unseen and unimportant, existing only as Henry’s sidekick. When Henry dies by suicide, Lucy and her mother go to live with Lucy’s father in Peru, needing to be somewhere Henry’s absence isn’t as obvious. Lucy and her mom work through their grief with the help of a Peruvian bookshop owner. They learn how to remember the good times with Henry while acknowledging their sadness will never go away.

Lucy is an honest and quirky protagonist who grows a lot through this story. She learns how to communicate her needs, sets boundaries with her father, and becomes a better friend to Charles and their new classmate, Tia. Readers who like character driven plots will enjoy getting to know Lucy.

This book would be ideal for a YA collection. Although the reading level is appropriate for upper middle school students, Henry’s suicide, though not graphic or unexpected, causes this book to fit better in YA. The blurb on the inside flap and the note to readers prepares the readers for Henry’s death, so readers can determine whether or not this subject matter is appropriate for them.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library