Format: Picture Book Fiction

Dear Bookstore

Dear BookstoreDear Bookstore by Emily Arrow, Geneviève Godbout
Published by Candlewick Press on March 11, 2025
ISBN: 1536210692
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

This is a love letter to local independent bookstores. The correspondent, a young girl (never named),  begins by recalling her earliest memories of her encounter with a place that feels as if it is filled with friends. She discovers an independent, local bookstore and its owner, who creates a welcoming neighborhood space with puppies and cozy chairs.

The little girl brings her friend to this special place and her friend describes the bookstore as “full of magic”. Part of the magic is in the illustrations created with colored pencils and gouache; the characters and ideas emerging from the books  pop off the page in neon yellow, where the rest of the picture is rendered in soft pastels.

The reader sees the girl, who is light skinned with light brown hair, connecting with different genres and characters,  and  with the other book lovers who frequent the store, as she grows older.

The girl becomes a young woman and finds that the world outside the bookstore doesn’t always feel as welcoming. In an image that depicts other people staring at their phone and game screens, she hears the “scary news” that lots of bookstores are closing, and people aren’t reading (print) books anymore.  She returns to find her bookstore still there,  making impactful connections and the magic still potent.

This sweet paean to the independent bookstore captures what people love about these special places. Recommended for public and school library collections.

Deanna Contrino, SLMS
K-2 Resource Librarian, Scarborough Schools

four-stars

To the End of the World, Far, Far Away

To the End of the World, Far, Far AwayTo the End of the World, Far, Far Away by Ronda Armitage, Victoria Turnbull
Published by Candlewick Press on May 2, 2024
ISBN: 1536235881
Genres: Animals, Emotions & Feelings, Family, Fantasy
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Louis, a little bear, spills his milk and his mom is upset. So the little bear decides to run to the end of the world, far, far away. But as Louis is prepared to leave, he can’t help but ask Mom, “Will you be sad when I’m gone?” “Yes,” she tells him. Her tears will form a deep sea. Her sobs will fill the sky. She’ll share her grief with his toys who will also be upset. Louis eagerly listens and decides not to run away after all.

A tad mundane with a sense that this story line has been done before in books such as Mama, Do You Love Me” by Joose (1998) and Guess How Much I love You by McBratney (2014).  The cozy colored pencil drawings are lovely, Illustrating the back-and-forth between conversation with mother and son. Can be paired with the book Broken by Fang (2025) for a Story Time theme about accidents for preschoolers.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

three-stars

Ant Party

Ant PartyAnt Party by Ross Montgomery, Sarah Warburton
Published by Walker Books US on April 29, 2025
ISBN: 1536239534
Pages: 40
Genres: Animals, Humor, Nature
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Andy the ant decides to throw himself a birthday party with “dancing and dips.”. His anthill does not have much space so he plans an intimate gathering with just his neighbors. However word gets out and soon the farmer ants, worker ants, soldier ants, the queen, and even residents from nearby anthills plan to attend. Thousands of ants arrive! The festivities grow rowdy with eating and dancing until an anteater invades. Furious, Andy organizes everyone in a conga line, carrying the anteater into the river. The celebration continues and Andy is delighted with his birthday party.

The wide-eyed ants are depicted in vibrant primary colors. The illustrations include detailed layouts of the ant hill. Kids will enjoy the playful tone while learning more about the different kinds of ants.  The colorful illustrations and humor make this a good choice for Story Time. Preschool – age 7.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

five-stars

To See An Owl

To See An OwlTo See an Owl by Matthew Cordell
Published by Random House Studio on January 7, 2025
ISBN: 0593649893
Pages: 38
Genres: Animals, Emotions & Feelings, Nature, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Janie’s long hoped of seeing an owl. Accompanied by her devoted mother, Janie searches the woods and surrounding area. Not a single owl has presented itself after months of searching. Janie gets a tip from her teacher and experienced birder Mr. Koji. When Janie goes to the location he suggested, she spots two horned owls.

Beautiful pen-and-ink illustrations treated with watercolors convey the young birder’s drawings, notes, and map.  There are also subtler moments, such as  Mama’s unease while exploring or the time when the two miss a hidden owl in the illustration. Janie (aka Cordell) includes a page in her journal of the sounds different owls make. This book is informative and a pleasurable exploration of the magic of nature. Nicely paired with Jane Yolen’s Owl Moon (1987). For ages 6-9.

Nominated for Cream of the Crop

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

 

five-stars

Molly, Olive, and Dexter: You Can’t Catch Me

Molly, Olive, and Dexter: You Can’t Catch MeMolly, Olive, and Dexter: You Can't Catch Me! by Catherine Rayner
Series: Mollie, Olive, and Dexter
Published by Candlewick Press on January 28, 2025
ISBN: 153623558X
Genres: Animals, Emotions & Feelings
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Book three in the Molly, Olive and Dexter series. In this book Molly the hare, Olive the owl and Dexter the fox, play a simple game of tag. Dexter the fox is frustrated when his owl and hare friends keep winning their chasing game until he remembers that he is clever. The feeling of being left behind or slower than others will resonate with young readers.

The best part of these books are Rayner’s  lovely watercolorlike illustrations . The pleasing pastoral scenes of fields and old stone walls, and especially the adorable animals, are charming with just a touch of sparkle added to the book jacket. The simple comfort of this gentle world is ideal for toddlers and preschoolers.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

five-stars

Bored Panda

Bored PandaBored Panda by Chuck Dillon, Mike Bender
Published by Random House on April 29, 2025
ISBN: 0593433602
Genres: Emotions & Feelings
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Panda is bored because the Wi-fi is out. Mother suggests he go for a walk in the woods. Panda thinks this will be boring and he encounters some lame characters who have boring ideas, but he discovers that they have created some pretty cool things. Maybe being bored isn’t so awful after all.

This is a worthy message albeit a somewhat predictable storyline.  The illustrations are bright and energetic, and the humor will appeal to young children. Panda’s right eye is surrounded by dark fur, similar to the logo for the content-aggregating website Bored Panda. It suggests to 4-8 year olds to put down their devices for a time.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

The Tour at School!

The Tour at School!The Tour at School by Katie Clapham, Nadia Shireen
ISBN: 1536242985
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

SPOILER ALERT!!!! A truly funny picture book that does not skimp on all caps or exclamation points. This is a “how-to-give-an elementary-school-tour” from the perspective of a super-enthusiastic Tour Guide, as she leads an overwhelmed New Person around, from the bathrooms (with its amazing echos) to the playground (where students play “Tag-You’re It” and “Worldwide” Hairdressers”) and many other important locations in the school.

The guide is a young girl with dark brown skin and hair in two neat braids; her bright red glasses emphasize her expressions, and she has a lot of them. The tour recipient has a hoodie up, signifying his own feelings of anxiety. The mixed media collages are exuberant; vibrating with energy, humor, and cheekiness (readers will point out the poop emoji drawing in the bathroom).  The school looks like there is space for everyone in this diverse, friendly environment but the new person is clearly apprehensive.

As the tour is coming to a close, and the guide comes down from her excitement to realize the new person has gone missing, she puts herself in his shoes and realizes he is having an EMERGENCY, and she recounts her own story of being the new student, just a year ago. The new person removes his hood, two students connect, and thus begins a beautiful friendship. We never learn the names of the guide and the new person but we learn a lot about how to be a good friend to someone who needs one.

This would make an amazing beginning of year read aloud that will have students laughing and learning at the same time, and leading to good discussions about empathy and inclusion. Highly recommended for public and school library collections.

Deanna Contrino, SLMS
K-2 Resource Librarian, Scarborough Schools

five-stars

Family: A Peek-Through Picture Book

Family: A Peek-Through Picture BookGenres: Animals, Family
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
three-stars

This “peek-through” picture book is one in a series by Britta Teckentrup; the cover of the book has an image of a sun setting on a herd of elephants on the savanna. The setting sun is  a series of cut-outs that continue throughout most of the book, following animal families from dusk to dawn.

Each family grouping is depicted in a different landscape or waterscape and rhyming couplets describe how the adult animals care for the smaller ones. The rhymes are soothing and gentle, if unremarkable (” .. . . near the ocean bed, (p)eaceful creatures are nurtured and fed”).

The oil pastel and collage mixed media illustrations of the animals in their habitats are the strength of this story. The animals blend into their surroundings, as they would in real life. The textures and palettes change from page to page as the sun sets, the moon rises, and we end the story where it began, with the elephants on the savanna, now with the sun rising behind them.

It would be a good bedtime story with its calming illustrations and text. Recommended as an additional purchase.

Deanna Contrino, SLMS
K-2 Resource Librarian, Scarborough Schools

 

three-stars

Molly, Olive, and Dexter: Who’s Afraid of the Dark?

Molly, Olive, and Dexter: Who’s Afraid of the Dark?Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
five-stars

This is the fourth title in Catherine Rayner’s picture book  series around Molly (a rabbit), Olive (an owl), and Dexter (a fox). Young children (and adult readers) will appreciate the change in atmosphere that Rayner creates with words and expressive mixed media (watercolor and marker) illustrations as the friends navigate their way from the warm light of the setting sun through the feelings of worry and anxiety that the dark can bring.

There is a quiet, gentle tone to the text and pictures as the sun sets, and the everyday noises and sights of the daylit world. The tone and images shift into something less familiar and more sinister as the shadows lengthen and it gets darker and darker.

The three friends take turns getting worried, and then relieved at the realization that the mysterious sounds, shadows, and sensations are simply the ordinary things they see during the day. This would be a sweet story to read at bedtime, if it ended there. It becomes a better story as the friends are caught in a rainstorm. At first, the three are scared as they try to run from the feeling of something falling on  on their heads, and then the relief and delight that it’s actually just rain – nothing to be fear and an experience to enjoy.

They start seeing the night differently then, and Rayner transforms the shadowy, frightening landscape into something magical. The luminous illustrations and language bring the story depth, humor and real emotion, taking it beyond “don’t be afraid of the ordinary things in the dark” to “the quiet dark can feel magical”.  Highly recommended for picture book collections.

Deanna Contrino, SLMS
K-2 Resource Librarian, Scarborough Schools

five-stars

Hello, Tobi!

Hello, Tobi!Hello, Tobi! by Andrea Cáceres
ISBN: 1536222801
Genres: Animals, Family
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

There is no doubt from the brightly colored cover with a small and scruffy brown and black dog greeting the reader front and center, who Tobi is (his name tag is on his collar), and  how he makes friends (enthusiastically). Tobi and his human family ( a dad, mom and little girl; dad is light skinned and slightly scruffy, mom and little girl have light brown skin) are all are smiling and seem to invite the reader along for their daily walk in the park.

Along the way, they meet dogs and their families enjoying time together. With simple illustrations  and prose, Cáceres demonstrates that just as there are all kinds of dogs, there are all kinds of families that are loving, and worthy of love.  Digitally created, mixed media  (marker, crayon, collage) illustrations with scribblings that evoke the energy and joy that these families are experiencing together.  Families of different colors, different configurations (including “friend families”, which this reviewer found delightful), differing shapes, differently abled  — are all seen enjoying various activities together.

Tobi is friendly and welcoming to all these families, and the families return his affection. It’s an uncomplicated story that is open in its message of inclusion and toward our fellow humans (and their dogs). Highly recommended to read aloud  with Todd Parr’s The Family Book, at the beginning of the school year, when young children are learning that loving families are not all alike, and that is a beautiful thing.

Deanna Contrino, SLMS
K-2 Resource Librarian, Scarborough Schools

five-stars