Category: Book Reviews

Fancy Nancy: Besties for Eternity

Fancy Nancy: Besties for EternityFancy Nancy: Besties for Eternity by Jane O'Connor, Robin Preiss Glasser
Series: Fancy Nancy
Published by Harper on September 16, 2025
ISBN: 0063411229
Genres: Emotions & Feelings, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Book 12(?) of Fancy Nancy series. Fashionista Nancy with her expanding vocabulary are back with a story about friendship. She is disappointed when her best friend Bree cannot play with her during the long weekend but makes a new friend who is older and more sophisticated. Nancy wonders if there is room in her life for two friends? This book will be popular with fans of other Fancy Nancy books and fans of Fancy Nancy  TV show on Disney Junior.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

three-stars

Follow That Map!: A First Book of Mapping Skills

Follow That Map!: A First Book of Mapping SkillsFollow That Map!: A First Book of Mapping Skills (Exploring Our Community, 1) by Scot Ritchie
Series: Exploring Our Community
Published by Kids Can Press ISBN: 1554532744
Genres: Animals, Informational, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction, Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Book 9 in series “Exploring Our Community.” This first paperback edition was published in 2025, but the hardcover was published in 2009. Sally and her four friends are looking for her missing cat and dog. The simple text is accompanied by a colorful map that uses symbols to identify places such as the library,  park, airport, country, and eventually across the world and the solar system. On the way, a different type of map is featured and explained. The information is solid and works better as an informational book than story. Although, readers will enjoy looking for the animals who are hiding somewhere in each map. Instructions for creating a map of a bedroom are included in the back of the book. Ages 4-8.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

three-stars

Just be YOU!

Just Be You! by Karl Newson
Published by Templar Books on February 4, 2025
ISBN: 1536241199
Genres: Mental Health
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

The repetitive line, “Whoever you are, whatever you do, however you feel…be YOU!” is intermixed with diverse children dressed as their favorite animal. Intended as an inspirational book, the real strength lies in naming the animal illustrations. The rhythmic, uplifting text encourages readers to believe in themselves. The costumed characters may  inspire some fun dress-up play or Halloween costumes. Ages 3-5.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

 

three-stars

Bob and Dob: A Tale of Tattling

Bob and Dob: A Tale of TattlingBob and Dob: A Tale of Tattling by Sean E. Avery
Published by Candlewick Press on May 20, 2025
ISBN: 1536236047
Genres: Animals, Emotions & Feelings, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

A retelling of the fable of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Dob is a “dobber” (Australian slang for a tattletale) who watches his brother’s every move and delights in tattling to their mother until both brother and mother have had enough.  When Bob is attacked by a crocodile, Dob must use his storytelling skills to rescue his brother. Avery employs a narrator’s description as well as word bubbles within the illustrations.  Bold illustrations with Bob as blue, Dob as red, and Mother as an purple. Every library needs some books about tattling and its repercussions. This one wil resonate with 4-7 year olds.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

three-stars

The Silver Shadow

The Silver ShadowThe Silver Shadow by Mariesa Dulak
Published by Walker Books on May 13, 2025
ISBN: 1536239402
Genres: Animals, Family, Oceans, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

A brown-skinned girl discovers a baby shark stranded in the tidepools. She worries for the shark’s safety because her brother Sam and his friends want to sell the creature to fishermen.  She watches over the shark until dusk, when her parents and, eventually, Sam come help look after the animal until high tide comes and washes her back out. Marley’s luminescent illustrations bathe the pages in colors typical of the Caribbean setting. Dulak takes a skillfully light touch about what you should do if you capture something in a tidal pool or find a stranded animal. In the back of the book, she explains that she drew inspiration from her dad’s memories of growing up in Barbados. Ages 4-8.

four-stars

Interrupting Chicken Saves the Nutcracker

Interrupting Chicken Saves the NutcrackerInterrupting Chicken Saves the Nutcracker by David Ezra Stein
Series: Interrupting Chicken
Published by Candlewick Press on September 9, 2025
ISBN: 1536207799
Genres: Animals, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Book 4 in the “Interrupting Chicken” series. During winter vacation, Papa takes Interrupting Chicken to see the Nutcracker ballet. Donned out in tutu and ballet shoes, Papa premeditatedly warns her to be on her best behavior, while the reader assuredly knows that high jinks will occur. Stein gives readers a bit of the ballet’s story in the ensuing 3 chapters intermingled with Chicken’s interruptions. Children who love other stories in the series, as well as those who are familiar with the Nutcracker story, will enjoy this book.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

The Bestest Big Brother Ever

The Bestest Big Brother EverThe Bestest Big Brother, Ever by Ben Mantle
Published by Candlewick Press on October 7, 2025
ISBN: 1536245070
Genres: Emotions & Feelings, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Nano and his older brother, Felix, are best friends who do everything together. When Felix bans Nano from his treehouse, Nano is crushed.  This is the classic story of squabbling siblings—the younger one adoring, the older in need of space. The comical illustrations brings visual humor to the storyline. A  relatable tale to big brothers and sisters everywhere. Ages 4-8.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy Cake

The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy CakePublished by Alfred A. Knopf on October 7, 2025
Genres: Fantasy, Holiday
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
four-stars

What an intriguing title! This is the sequel to The Bakery Dragon. Ember the  dragon has mastered the art of baking bread but is stymied when Princess Turnip of the Vegetable fairies orders a birthday cake for the fairy queen’s birthday. After a few humorous attempts, Ember figures out how to make a lovely cake by going to the library and seeking out a recipe. He is so fired-up (pun intended) that the bakery now specializes in beautifully decorated cakes.  This a magical book about trying new things, and I am looking forward to what pastry Ember will tackle next. For 4-8 year olds.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

Seven Babies

Seven BabiesSeven Babies by Forest Xiao
Published by Candlewick Press on Aug 26, 2025
ISBN: 1536245097
Genres: Babies/Infants, Counting Books, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

One Thursday morning, a box of seven babies is delivered to a  man and woman. They take the babies in, feed them, take them to a playground, bathe them, read to them, and put them to bed. The babies have another idea. They sneak out for further adventures when the exhausted couple have fallen asleep. You cannot find a sweeter book! Much of the story is told by the Xiao’s expressive illustrations. The text is very simple and preschool children will be delighted by this book. Diverse-appearing characters throughout.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

five-stars

When Sally O’Malley Discovered the Sea

When Sally O’Malley Discovered the SeaWhen Sally O'Malley Discovered the Sea by Karen Cushman
Published by Alfred A. Knopf on March 25, 2025
ISBN: 0593650573
Genres: Adventure, Historical Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

This is the sort of historical fiction I love to read but find it a tough sell to children. Orphan Sally O’Malley makes her way across 1894 Oregon in the company of a spoiled kid, a persnickety donkey, and a wise woman. 13-year-old Sally is determined to see the sea. Her colorful vocabulary and the well-developed secondary characters make for a rollicking adventure with a happy ending. Warning: there is a death towards the end of the book that may affect sensitive children.  Recommend this book to  7-12 year olds who are fans of  Little House on the Prairie. It also would make a good family readaloud.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

 

five-stars