Bored, written and illustrated by Felicita Sala. Neal Porter Books, Holiday House. Penguin Random House, 2026.$24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"After a while, she started to wonder 
how many other bored people there were, 
out there in the world. 

She imagined that she and all the other 
bored people were invited onto a bus
that would take them to a special place, 
a non-boring place just for bored people."

Reading this book took me back to a memory of a kindergarten mother complaining to her son's principal that he wasn't much enjoying school because he was bored. With tongue in cheek, and quiet decorum, the principal suggested that many children who complained of boredom were often found to be quite boring. How true! 

The little girl who is the object of the reader's attention here shows just how she is feeling on the title page. With arms wrapped around a pillow, lying on the floor, and exhibiiting a totally disinterested face, one can almost imagine the complaining that is going on inside. Nothing interests Rita. Even her hunger has dissipated in the face of her boredom. That rarely happens. 

There are many ways to try to alleviate the ennui she is feeling. Erratic movements, complaining out loud, doing her best to surprise herself - nothing works. Her brother is unimpressed. There are many different options she tries, all encouraging readers to think of some of their own solutions. She soon tires herself out, leaving her to contemplate others who share those same feelings. Using her imagination, she thinks about how they might handle being bored. What an adventure they embark upon. In fact, it leads them to landing on Bored Island, where they remain disinterested in their new location. Or do they?

Very soon, that disinterest leads to trying new things: building with driftwood, starting a band, yodeling with a startling result, digging a deep hole, and even discovering new galaxies. Who knew? A surprise ending is just what the doctor might order for anyone experiencing boredom in the same way Rita does. 

Ms. Sala's artwork, created with watercolor, gouache, colored pencils and oil pastels, is filled with expressive characters (particularly Rita), plenty of action that holds attention while examining the many personalities, and many fine details. 

Perfect for sharing with the child full of apathetic drama. 

The Night of the Hedgehog, written by Tanya Rosie and illustrated by Chuck Groenink. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House, 2025. $24.99 ages 3 and up

THE HEDGEHOG was gone when we hurried back.
No snuffling, no shuffling, just tiny grass tracks.
"Don't worry," said Papa. "Come and wait on my knee."
And we heard an owl hoot in a faraway tree."

It was Papa who saw it first. Quietly, he woke his daughter to share the news - it was not their first such experience. They tiptoed together in their bare feet into the back garden while everyone else was sleeping. As they carefully searched for telltale signs, they noticed slimy trails left by snails and quiet bunnies cuddled in their straw beds. Papa reminded that they were looking for a spine. 

A shiny being cautiously crept from beneath nearby plants, snuffling and shuffling as hedgehogs are wont to do. Together they whispered so as not to cause worry for the hedgehog before going inside to fill a pan with water. Once back in the garden, they could no longer see it. Papa urged patience. Back out it came; this time it was not alone. The mama was followed by three thirsty babies. Once they had their fill of water, they followed their mother to a 'hog hole', carefully constructed by father and daughter to provide safe passage for the hedgehogs to roam the neighborhood. Back in bed the two are left to imagine the hedgehogs making their way along a path of their own choosing. 

What a heartwarming memory for child and parent to share in days to come! Careful rhyming text is beautifully accompanied by the soft blues of the nigthttime garden, with moon and stars in full view. Close observation reveals Mr. Groenink's attention to details that are sure to delight young readers.  

"Papa lifted me high,
 and we were simply content
to be in that place
where the hogs came and went."                                                                                     

Green Cities: How Green Infrastructure Helps Urban Centers Thrive, written by Sheila Boudreau and illustrated by Katy Dockrill. Owlbooks, 2026. $22.95 ages 9 and up

 

"STORMWATER PONDS

These urban ponds help to clean stormwater
by giving it a place to sit for long enough that 
the heavier dirt and pollutants can settle to 
the bottom. Many years later, workers remove
the polluted soil to keep it from reentering the 
urban water system. When stormwater ponds
are also designed to be similar to natural 
wetlands, with shallow slopes and biodiverse
plants, they also enhance biodiversity and 
become a source of drinking water and a 
habitat for wildlife." 

Where cities were built, nature once was. This book is sure to find favor with families and in classrooms where there is a hunger for information that helps fight climate change by offering a look at how cities around the world are making the changes needed to create greener spaces and invite nature back. 

An introduction shares the need for changing gray infrastructure (paved roads, bridges and underground sewers) to include green infrastructure (living things, green roofs, permeable pavement) if we want cities to be more livable and to assure a better future in terms of combatting climate change. Four follow-up chapters talk about cities as they are, looking at nature first, using green infrastructure to improve where we live. and inspiration for a cleaner future. 

At a time when more than half of the world's population lives in cities, it's important to think clearly about the way new spaces are designed to accommodate and improve life for all who live there. The author offers many viable ideas, while presenting examples of work being done around the world to assure nature is considered at all times. She provides an historical perspective for the rise of urban environments and what has happened as more and more people affect the production of greenhouse gases and what is being done to counteract that.

Information boxes, thoughtful quotes, and detailed, easy to digest text are accessible for middle grade students and beyond. Solutions are presented on fully illustrated bits pages which are sure to garner discussion. Ms. Dockrill's artwork ups the understanding for the solutions presented. In her conclusion, Ms. Boudreau introduces the 'green team' - those experts who work together to look at a way toward a better future for all. She presents ideas to help her audience take a part in helping to make changes, and ends with a quote from Dr, Jane Goodall:

"Each one of us matters, has a role to play, and makes 
a difference. Each one of us must take responsibility 
for our own lives, and above all, show respect and love 
for living things around us, especially each other."

Inspiring and informative, this is a worthwhile purchase for school and classroom libraries. 
                                                                                      

Mouse and His Dog, written by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko. Illustrated by Wallace West. Feiwel and Friends, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2024. $12.99 ages 8 and up

 

"I'm an expert at hiding. All mice are, so there 
was no way she'd spotted me. But the fact that 
she'd ask about me was terrifying. 
And thrilling. 
I didn't want to be seen, and yet I was surprised 
how good it felt to be recognized."

Chelsea was right! The Dogtown books are great. It took me no time at all to get back to reading after I had finished the first one. Because things can change so rapidly in dog shelters - and Mouse lost his first best friend Chance to his forever family - he finds a new, and unlikely, pal to champion for adoption. Buster is a force to be reckoned with, beloved when first met and unable to control his actions wherever he is. He is often returned to Dogtown for the mischief he attracts. 

Mouse knows Buster has a good heart. He feels the same about Stewie, a huge dog whose owner drops him off with the warning that he is mean. It is untrue and Mouse knows it. Last, but not least, there is Smokey, another robot dog. Smokey's problem is having a smoke alarm he cannot control. Imagine the distress that can cause. How on earth will a tiny Mouse find the perfect home for his three 'unadoptable' friends?

Short chapters, plenty of action, appealing characters, terrific descriptions, and a familiarity that comes with reading the first book and loving it, augers well for any interested reader to move forward to the next as Chelsea did. She already has her eye on Book 3, due for release in September. 

Fly Away Home, written by Betty Quan and illustrated by Akin Duzakin. Groundwood, 2026. $21.99 ages 3 and up

 

"Little bird, little bird
Time to fly home
A troubling of hummingbirds
Brings news of beyond

Little bird, little bird
Time to fly home
A mischief of magpies
Clouds over the sun"

This book reads like a nursery rhyme while also introducing young readers to the idea of migrations that include people. For a small white bird, the text repeats lines that provide a collective noun (some real, some invented) for goldfinches, flamingos, hummingbirds, and magpies as they prepare for the journeys they will make. When the little one is joined by two larger birds, a young girl and her mother are shown to join a line of people making their way along a single path. 

Through day and night, the birds and migrants move forward. All travelers are wearing packs on their backs, holding hands, and looking weary and defeated. As the skies fill with dragonflies, sunshine and butterflies, the walk continues. When they reach water, boats fill with people while the three birds float upon the back of turtles, all headed toward a land where caribou roam and offer further rest and transport for the birds.

Attacked by crows, the birds seek shelter. Still, the line of people moves ever onward. While the birds find protection and sanctuary with nightingales, bobolinks, cuckoos, doves, larks and robins, the human travelers find their place with people who welcome them along the way and provide a new home where they can rest and find safety. In a final spread, the little girl and tiny bird make each other's acquaintance on the balcony of the girl's new home. Lovely, with a touch of hope at a time of unprecedented migration. 

Time to Leave, Laverne! Written by Lana Button and illustrated by Yong Ling Kang. Owlkids, 2026. $22.95 ages 4 and up

 

"Mom and Dad showed Laverne lots of things
that helped them with their own sad, and mad, 
and disappointed feelings. 

At home, she could master them all. 
         But when she was out ... 

nothing seemed to 
calm Laverne's thunderstorms."

The red endpapers offer a clue to some of the emotions shared in this book about a very young girl who has not yet learned to control her temper tantrums. Readers will quickly learn that Laverne can be a ray of sunshine when she arrives at the library for storytime. She greets all with a smile, and joins right in. She is attentive, happy to be there, and responsive to the experience. The scene changes dramatically when she is told that the time has come to leave. 

Mom and Dad do their best to help stem the outburst, reminding Laverne that throwing things is unacceptable, while deep breathing might give her a chance to calm down. Laverne hears nothing because of the noise she is making. At home, where life is comfortable and she has her stuffies to soothe her, she settles. A trip to the park has the same outcome when time's up; also, in a restaurant or at a birthday party. Laverne rages uncontrollably. 

Her parents offer outlets, those things they try when they are upset. To no avail. It is exhausting for all. When a rainstorm keeps them home, Laverne uses her time to imagine various scenarios where she and her stuffies brave a number of storms. It gives her an idea to share with her interested and attentive parents - it's a solution that works most of the time. 

Ms. Kang fills her appealing spreads with many details and frequent changes in perspective. Readers will feel the emotions felt by Laverne as she deals with the joys and sorrows of everyday visits to common destinations. Moving from full-page spreads to panels and close-up facial expressions holds attention at every turn of the page and offers a chance for discussion between reader and listener. Bravo, Laverne!
                                                                               

Leo and Ralph, by Peter Carnavas.Groundwood, 2026. $16.99 ages 8 and up

 

"As they drove home, he made sure not to 
imagine anything. No UFOs, no aliens
bouncing on rooftops, no clouds above the
town. And when he went to bed that night, 
he spied nothing strange or exciting in the 
sky. Just a crowd of ordinary stars."

There is so much to love about Leo's story. He is a young boy whose lack of understanding for the world around him causes worry for his parents. Leo finds it very difficult to make a friend. His interest in outer space, aliens, and bugs (among other things) alienate him from his  kindergarten classmates. So when Ralph, a yellow horned alien from Ralphora (one of Jupiter's moons), shows up at his window one might, life changes for the little boy. This imaginary friend provides warmth, understanding, and comfort that allows Leo freedom from the worry of meeting and making other friends. 

The two are inseparable; they talk for hours, design new alien games, talk backwards, and hide under the stairs at recess time. Leo's parents and sister are patient, allowing a wide berth for their son as he adjusts to this new friendship and relies on Ralph for social understanding and companionship. As Leo is about to enter Year 4 at school, his mother accepts a position at a small country school that means a move, and an agreement that it is time for Leo to say goodbye to his imaginary friend in hopes that he is now old enough to make connections at this new school. 

It is a terrifying time for Leo. Ralph promises he will find Leo again if he is unable to make a new friend in his first week. Leo counts on that. Ralph secretly returns. Slowly but surely (and with Ralph's advice and guidance), Leo begins to make friends with Gus, another loner like himself. Building that friendship with warmth and caution fills the heart with wonder and admiration, and leads to changes in life that shine with hope for the days to come. 

Please read it, and then share it with someone you love. Better yet, read it together. It's so worth it!