Format: Picture Book Fiction

Dream For the Land

Dream For the LandDream for the Land by Laekan Zea Kemp, Leo Espinosa
ISBN: 0593710304
Genres: Animals, Family, Farm Life, Folklore, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Dream For the Land is a powerful”slice-of-life” moment on a farm in West Texas based on the author’s experience watching climate change create a mega-drought in the land she grew up in. Our main character is an unnamed girl who is chasing the bunnies from the crops and watching them droop from lack of rain. She sees the lines of worry on her Má and Pá’s faces, but they ease up with smiles when they find a little horned toad in the vegetables. She kisses the toad and makes a wish for the land to be as it once was when her grand-grandfather tilled the soil and made it their home.

This is a simple, but poignant book about a family who desperately need rain for their ancestral lands to be rich and fertile again. Almost too-sad for early children’s literature, but it makes up for it with storytelling and sweet illustrations and the fantastical magic wish of the horned toad. There’s a nice Author’s Note in the end pages that explains her connection to the story, and how we can take action for indigenous lands to be protected. For ages 4-8.

Reviewed by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

Bud Finds Her Gift

Bud Finds Her GiftBud Finds Her Gift by Naoko Stoop, Robin Wall Kimmerer
on September 2, 2025
ISBN: 0063324423
Genres: Cultural / First Nations, Nature, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Bud Finds Her Gift is a beautiful meditation on what it means to be connected to the Earth. Written by Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass, this book is a message to our youngest readers that we need to take the time to notice the special little moments in nature around us. When Bud feels left out, because the older members in her family each have “important things” to do during the day. She goes to her grandmother, Nokomis, who teaches her to find her “important thing” by noticing nature in the woods.

There is a mantra throughout the pages, “Everyone, from the day of their birth, was given a gift to share with the Earth. Being soft and green is what I do best. So I share with the birds to make a warm nest.” Bud notices a Robin pooping in the grass, this adds a bit of humor to the story (and will keep kids engaged) and even remarks on how this is a gift to the Earth to add seeds to the ground. Bud realizes that there’s nothing more important than using our time and energy as a gift to take care of the Earth.

While this is a special and important message, it certainly feels like an author of adult non-fiction is creating a didactic text for younger readers, and children will sense this immediately. The name “Bud” also seems to be an odd name choice for our young girl protagonist. For ages 4-8.

Review by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath

 

 

four-stars

There’s a Dinosaur in Your Book

There’s a Dinosaur in Your BookThere's a Dinosaur in Your Book (Who's In Your Book?) by Dynamo, Tom Fletcher
Published by Random House Children's Books Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

In this interactive picture book from the Who’s in Your Book series, readers are invited to turn the page, say, “Hello, Triceratops!” and other actions to assist Little Dinosaur in learning to do things quietly, so as not to wake up the big dinosaur sleeping somewhere in the book. It is a lighthearted attempt to show preschoolers how to use their inside voices as they play.

Little Dinosaur learns to be a good firend as she helps Tricearatops pick up berries, counts butterflies with Diplodocus, and greets Stegosaurus. Unfortunately, she doesn’t learn much about using her inside voice, and deep-thinking preschoolers may wonder why she’s being asked to use her inside voice when she’s outside.

Inevitably, Big Dinosaur wakes up. Little Dinosaur cajoles Big Dinosaur (who appears to be one of her parents) into a jolly mood with silly faces, dances, and singing along with her little dinosaur friends and the reader.

Readers will enjoy the interactivity on every page and the illustrations are bright and cheerful; the dinosaurs are very cute with wide eyes and friendly smiles.

It’s possible to use this book as a starting point for a discussion about when it’s appropriate to  to use one’s inside or outside voice  and interactive read-alouds actively engaging the reader are always in demand, but there are better options for both. Recommended as an additional purchase where the Who’s in Your Book series is popular.

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

three-stars

Alfred Blooms

Alfred BloomsAlfred Blooms by Carmen Mok, Carrie Kruck
Published by Random House Children's Books ISBN: 0593647602
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Alfred is a young boy who believes that growing a garden is something of value he can share with people,  like Lulu, who lives at the other end of the street and has “so much to share”. Lulu’s whimsical garden is lavish with outsized blooms and outlandish colors and  filled with children playing together. In comparison,  no matter how hard Alfred tries to grow things in his yard, it remains brown, lifeless and barren. Alfred is despondent but determined to try one more time, picking up a package of wildflower seeds and hoping this will be the ticket.

Through a remarkable series of events, the seeds take root on Alfred, and purple wildflowers begin blooming all over him — in his hair, his nose, the pockets of his clothes. He feels embarrassed and conspicuous, especially as the birds and butterflies begin fluttering around the garden growing on him, but doesn’t let that stop him from his customary Friday meet up with Lulu.

The reader learns that Lulu considers Alfred a good friend who always shares blueberry muffins with her. Lulu is delighted to see Alfred in bloom, and transplants one of his wildflowers to her own garden. In sharing his wildflower with Lulu, Alfred becomes aware of all that he does have to share (with Lulu as well as with pollinators) and the friends enjoy their day together.

It’s a sweet story about learning to value what we have to share, and realizing that it doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s gift. The story may leave the reader with questions about why Alfred is so despondent when he has a good friend in Lulu, or why he doesn’t ask her for help with his garden but the illustrations, done in colored and graphite pencil and gouache include charming details, that may distract from the unanswered questions.

Recommended as an additional purchase for public and school libraries.

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

three-stars

Squash, the Cat: Stuck in the Middle

Squash, the Cat: Stuck in the MiddleSquash, the Cat: Stuck in the Middle by Sasha Mayer
Published by Random House Children's Books on February 4, 2025
ISBN: 0593566564
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Squash is a very orange, very round cat living the good life with his best friend, Maggie — a wildly imaginative,  energetic girl with curly red hair, fair skin and freckles. Squash’s days involve a lot of napping and sitting happily on the sidelines while Maggie partakes in a wide variety of adventures. The best part of the day for Squash, is bedtime when he and Maggie fall asleep in “a cozy Squash-Maggosh circle”.

Mayer depict the coziness of Squash’s existence and the excitement of Maggie’s with dynamic, colorful illustrations that convey what’s happening in the text. As in any story of contentment, an antagonist must enter the picture, to keep things interesting. In this case, Pirate Lou, a swashbuckling “pillow pirate” stuffie, is a willing participant in all of Maggie’s most active adventures.

Squash is still on the periphery but it feels much less comfortable with Pirate Lou horning in. And now bedtime is ruined. While Maggie is willing for all three friends to share the bed, Squash with his generous contours, falls gracelessly to the floor and decides to “lose” Lou while Maggie sleeps. Unfortunately, Maggie discovers Squash in the middle of his nefarious act and banishes him from the bed.

Squash, determined to regain his spot in the bed, attempts, for a second time, to remove Pirate Lou from the scene. As he tries to get the plump pillow pirate out to the trash truck in the morning, they gets stuck half-in, half-out of the cat door. Readers will find Squash’s expressions as he tries to maneuver his way out of the predicament comical.

Poor Squash  is clearly worn out by all his failed machinations and capitulates to a nap, realizing that Pirate Lou is truly a comfy nap buddy. In the happiest of endings, the three individuals now become inseparable. Squash is still cheers on from the sidelines while Maggie and Pirate Lou play, but now his naps include Pirate Lou.

Stuck in the Middle is not an inventive story but it is enjoyable.  Recommended for public and school library collections.

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

four-stars

A Summer Without Anna

A Summer Without AnnaA Summer without Anna by Kate Jenks Landry, Risa Hugo
ISBN: 1525310259
Genres: Family
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Junie is spending the summer without her older sister, Anna. Junie will be  with the grandparents in the country, while Anna and their parents remain in the city, promising to return when Anna is “well enough”. The nature of Anna’s illness isn’t mentioned, but we get the sense that it is something chronic and serious.

As her parents and Anna leave, Anna hands Junie a box containing her beloved, and previously off-limits camera, along with a note, “In case you find Edmund.” The camera is a source of connection, comfort, and distraction for Junie. The estrangement from her family and the worry about Anna are always present, but the camera It acts as her companion, forcing her to  focus on the natural world around her, as she looks for Edmund.

Junie is a pale young girl, often in green overalls, as she explores the meadow and the lake around her grandparents’ place. The illustrations done in gouache, colored pencils and soft pastels, are reflective of the feelings of anxiety and worry that Junie carries throughout the summer.

There are many small moments within the story, as Junie and her grandparents try to keep busy with pleasant tasks (minnowing, baking, swimming) but Anna’s absence, and the seriousness of her illness are keenly felt. Landry doesn’t shy away from difficult  subjects or emotions.

This is a story of a summer without  the companionship of a sibling, without knowing all is well. And yet, there is hope. Junie finds ways to quiet the worry she feels  in routine and enjoyable activities; she locates Edmund ( a giant snapping turtle), even as she is acutely aware that Anna isn’t there to see it.

And eventually, Anna gets well and Junie is reunited with her sister.  Recommended for picture book collections lacking titles discussing siblings’ feelings around chronic illness.

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

four-stars

New

NewISBN: 9780063318250
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
five-stars

Told from the point of view of a young Filipina girl transitioning from a life in a small village  to life in the US, in this picture book about the highs and lows on her first day of school in a new country. “New” is imbued with many different emotions: the hopefulness of possibility (sharpened pencils, blank notebooks, the idea of new friends); the discomfort of feeling out of place (misunderstanding of school rules, loneliness in the middle of a crowd); and the exuberance of adventure (a new friend who speaks a new language).

Her experiences on the first day of school are told through spare, lyrical text and expressive illustrations that grab you with their emotional honesty — from excitement to embarrassment to loneliness to joy. She becomes uncomfortably aware that her eyes, accent, and lunch are different, through her own awareness and comments from thoughtless school mates but is brave enough to venture forth and reach out to someone else who is feeling new.

The front end pages show a map of her old (familiar) village where all the important things (school, bakery, and many cousins) are small and close by; while the back end pages maps out her new world, a city with everything at a much larger scale, and new possibilities (a library, a friend in a nearby apartment building).

During a read-aloud at the beginning of the school year, this story will create an awareness within the reader that “new” can mean different things and feel different ways, that “new” can be scary, exciting or both. Highly recommended for school and public library collections.

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

five-stars

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