Little Juniper Makes It Big

So much of growing up is yearning for something that seems permanently out of reach. This batch of picture books attempts to show kids how to cope with the seemingly unsolvable predicament of wanting what ... Read More »

June 24, 2019 | Filed under: Kids’ Books, Picture Books

What Are You Doing, Benny?

By Cary Fagan and Kady MacDonald Denton (ill.)

June 24, 2019 | Filed under: Kids’ Books, Picture Books

Dog vs. Ultra Dog

By Troy Wilson and Clayton Hanmer (ill.)

June 24, 2019 | Filed under: Kids’ Books, Picture Books

★ Beastly Puzzles: A Brain-Boggling Animal Guessing Game

By Rachel Poliquin and Byron Eggenschwiler (ill.)

Part of the fun of reviewing children’s books is encountering an author-illustrator team determined to craft a fresh take on one of the more traditional kidlit categories. When it works, as it does with Beastly ... Read More »

June 19, 2019 | Filed under: Kids’ Books, Picture Books

★ Over the Rooftops, Under the Moon

By JonArno Lawson; Nahid Kazemi (ill.)

“You can be far away inside, and far away outside. With others but still on your own.” So begins this haunting meditation on loneliness and the importance of community. Everything changes for a despondent bird ... Read More »

June 17, 2019 | Filed under: Kids’ Books, Picture Books

Boonoonoonous Hair!

By Olive Senior and Laura James (ill.)

The bestselling duo of writer Olive Senior and artist Laura James (Anna Carries Water) team up again for Boonoonoonous Hair!, which follows a young girl as she learns to love her “snappy, nappy, wavy, crazy” ... Read More »

May 6, 2019 | Filed under: Kids’ Books, Picture Books

★ The Worst Book Ever

By Elise Gravel

Elise Gravel’s wildly creative new picture book purports to have no imagination at all. Called The Worst Book Ever, it’s a fairy-tale story of a prince and princess who lead exceptionally boring lives until one ... Read More »

May 2, 2019 | Filed under: Kids’ Books, Picture Books

The Not-So Great Outdoors

By Madeline Kloepper

Kids seem to have it made in the summer, but they are rarely in charge of their vacation plans. Three new picture books show the disappointment of being stuck somewhere seemingly unpleasant when school is ... Read More »

April 22, 2019 | Filed under: Kids’ Books, Picture Books