Who Knows the Way to Mr. Grimly's Classroom? Written by Chris Priestley and illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2026. $26.99 ages 6 and up

 

"But Grace did not see anyone along the way.
It just got darker and darker and more and 
more cobwebby. 

"This school is so big," said Grace, 
and her voice echoed down the corridor:
"So ... so ... so ... big ... big ... big ... "

Just then, a wooden door creaked open and
a pale figure stepped slowly forward. 

Grace gasped."

This is another truly exceptional book to read to your kids at home, or for a classroom read. Grace loves to volunteer for any task suggested by her teacher, Miss Flytrap. Asked to return a book to Mr. Grimly, Miss Flytrap wants reassurance that Grace does know the way. Grace is sure! Or is she? 

It's Grace's first week at her new school; a school that is decidedly stranger than her last. Grace does not know the way, and she has no idea who Mr. Grimly is. Having this information sets up listeners for an eerie walk through the school, always on the lookout for surprises along the way. Prepared to ask for help, Grace begins her journey. 

There is no one in the hallways. Finally, a door opens revealing Miss Endpaper, the librarian. She is happy to give instructions which Grace is not sure are all that helpful. Miss Endpaper is back to her work before Grace moves on. Now concerned that she will fail her assignment, Grace worries aloud, only to be heard by a woman in the shadows. Mrs. Nightshade, the head teacher, offers a more complicated answer to her query. 

Outside Grace goes and across the playground to an extremely high tower. The steps are steep and Grace, once again, worries aloud about finding Mr. Grimly's classroom. A bat offers help, and a zip line is marked by a finger pointing the way. Grace lands in a kitchen filled with delectable sights and smells. Mrs. Macaroon, the school cook, gives her final instructions. 

"You're almost there.
You just have to go through that door, 
down three flights of stairs, 
up two more flights of stairs, 
turn left, 
turn right, 
then left again, 
and there you are."

Finally meeting Mr. Grimly, Grace is faced with another dilemma. Her response to it is absolutely perfect!

Though lengthy, this is a book of wonder that I would first read without benefit of illustrations. It is told with a suspenseful tone, and hints of both mystery and humor. I would love to hear what listeners think once done, after asking what they have imagined throughout the reading. And then ... read it again with the breathtaking watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil artwork of Mariachiara Di Giorgio. Her meticulous images use light and shadow with perfection as Grace makes her increasingly complicated and daring journey in search of Mr. Grimly and his classroom. 
                                                                                 

Muriel and the Mystery, by Charlotte Parent. tundra, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"Muriel suddenly feels like she is being watched. 

She walks more briskly than usual on the way home. 

Back at her burrow, she finds a mystery in her 
flower box!"  

Muriel lives a life governed by habits. She knows her forest home 'by heart', and her days are mostly spent foraging for snails. One morning, while on the lookout for her next snail, she lifts a leaf to notice a tiny mystery under it. Not to worry, Muriel is ready to press on. In the afternoon, on her way home, she is not thinking about the mystery at all; rather, she is thinking about the soup she will make for supper. 

After a pleasant evening, she retires to her bed for a good night's sleep and wakens to another normal morning. Off she goes in search of snails; again, she spies a mystery - bigger than the other. It gives her an eerie feeling of being watched. She hurries home where she spots yet another mystery.  And another ... and another. She sweeps each one out the door. In her anger, she steps outside only to discover mysteries everywhere she looks. Another surprise is the entrance to a tunnel she has not seen previously. She suspects it might house the mystery. 

Back home she goes. Her sleep disturbed by what has happened, she heads into the dark (not her habit) to return to the tunnel. Upon entrance she realizes she is right. In the darkness she shares a cup of tea, and once again returns home. After a deep sleep, she begins her day in the usual way. For the first time, she acknowledges the mystery with a warm 'hello'. Life goes on, as usual ... or does it? 

Eureka, written by Victoria Chang. Farrar Straus Giroux, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2006. $25.99 ages 10 and up

 

"I used to stand on top 
of Telegraph Hill and look 
down on the wharf
at the great ships
that went back and forth, 
but I never thought 
I would be on one, 
sailing in the wrong direction
away from home,
away from San Francisco, 
away from Ma Ma and Ba Ba."

Mei Mei lives with her parents and loves her life in San Francisco. The year is 1884. As an immigrant, Mei Mei cannot attend a public school; rather, she goes to Chinese school in a church basement. As well as school, Mei Mei helps her father run the family store. She loves playing with her best friend Hua Hua, while also spending a great deal of time with Ma Ma who is housebound because of her "little lotus feet", which have been tightly bound since Ma Ma was a child. 

As San Francisco becomes more dangerous for the Chinese; brokers who provided passage for Mei Mei's family from China threaten to take Mei Mei as further payment. Her parents are frightened and decide to send Mei Mei to her aunt in Eureka, which is far away from the danger. They want her to be safe and to go to a public school there, as has been promised. What happens cannot be further from the truth. Upon arrival, her aunt puts her to work in the Bobbit family home, and takes most of her pay. 

Mei works with Mrs. Yu in the kitchen; the two become friends. Sara Bobbit is the kind daughter, in an unkind and wealthy family, who offers to teach Mei Mei and another servant named Tom how to speak and read English. When racial unrest rears its ugly head in Eureka, Mrs. Yu, Mei Mei and Tom are forced to leave and find their way back to San Francisco. Their journey is not without complications; but it is a success.  

This verse novel is narrated by Mei Mei, and wrought with many emotions: joy, fear, disappointment, sadness, love, longing, and hope. It is authentic and brave, and readers will find people to champion as they read. 

Back matter offers an author's note that illustrates the plight of many Chinese immigrants as they tried to build a new and better life for themselves, and a list of interesting facts about Chinese life in America. 

The Sweetest of Lemons, written by Daniel Nayeri and illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell. Levine Querido, Raincoast. 2026. $27.99 ages 4 and up

 

"But for the past few years, the sweetest lemon
had been stolen before they could pluck it to 
sell to the unhappy rich. Without the lemon, the 
family had fallen into poverty, and the mother 
was fearful for her sons' futures."

It's a long wait for a young boy living in Isfahan before he can visit his grandfather's farm again. The week finally ends and the family packs the car and heads off. Even that trip in a hot car across an empty landscape takes far too long. A brief stop along the way leads to a welcome visit with Abbas, a gifted storyteller. The child longs to hear just one story. After much cajoling, Abbas agrees and begins with the usual words ... 'Once there was, and once there wasn't ...' 

Abbas regales the family with a tale of a mother and her three sons. The family's sole treasure is a lemon tree that gives only one lemon each year. That lemon is so sweet it cures sadness. Before they can sell it to the rich and sad people, the lemon is stolen. It happens again and again; the family is now poor. Each of the sons do their best to discover who is stealing the lemon. In the third year, the youngest son devises a plan that cannot fail. 

As he watches, the son sees a dark cloud hiding a giant hand reach down to take the lemon. A perfectly-aimed arrow hits the hand and elicits a terrible roar. The two older brothers come at a run and do their best to retrieve the lemon from a nearby well. After two failed attempts, the youngest takes his turn. Enduring great difficulty, he falls deep into the well and lands in an underworld where a wise shepherd offers advice. The boy follows his sage advice. 

He soon hears singing and follows its sound to a princess trapped by a sleeping giant. Knowing the pain they have endured, the princess offers the lemon, and a chance to escape. The young man will not leave the princess. They race away from the giant. With great good luck, and once again taking the shepherd's advice in reverse, the two return to the family's lemon grove. 

"They lived together happily ever after 
and died together on the same day." 

In this story within another story, Daniel Nayeri pens a tale steeped in Persian folklore. It is adventurous and winding, offering readers a tale of perseverance, bravery, and finding love. It would be perfect for a family read on a seemingly endless road trip. 

Mixed media and gorgeous artwork embellish every step of the narrative and provide beautiful jewel-toned Persian patterns and calligraphy. To set the story in the present, Ms. Bell uses gouache; to help readers transition to the story told, she creates amazing collage images. 

Notes from both author and artist are included and allow readers to understand their connection to their culture and to storytelling. Wonderful!                                                                           

The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue, written by Elizabeth Brown and illustrated by Melissa Castrillon. Chronicle Bo;oks, Raincoast. 2025. $29.99 ages 8 and up

 

"Aristides hugged them more 
tightly than ever before and 
sent his sons and nephew 
home to Portugal. 

The radio announced the news -
German troops were only miles 
from Bordeaux."

This is a story I had not heard in any of the many books I have read about WWII. Aristides de Sousa Mendes worked for the Portuguese government, living as consul general in Bordeaux, France when the Nazis started pushing through that country. Always kind to his neighbors in need, Aristides turned his attention to helping refugees fleeing to safety in Portugal where they thought they would be safe and protected. The Portuguese government was not in favor of helping them. 

When faced with hundreds of travelers wanting visas, Aristides disobeyed government orders to hold them back. Over a period of 23 hectic and terrifying days in the summer of 1940, he worked endlessly to provide visas for as many people as he could. With help, he granted visas to everyone who asked, even setting up a table in the street to accommodate their requests. His disobedience led to conviction and a guilty charge. He was stripped of his job, and his home, his prestige and other repercussions for his family. At a soup kitchen where his family was being fed, he met some of those he had helped and others who had escaped. What a legacy he left.

"Over a period of 23 days, Aristides de Sousa Mendes rescued many thousands of people, including the painter Salvador Dali; the writers Margaret Rey and H. A. Rey; the entire Belgian cabinet; professors of medicine, biology, and physics who would go on to teach in America; and thousands of others whose lives are less known but no less precious." 

His story is told with honor and simplicity to hold attention and inform young readers interested in heroic people from history, and WWII specifically. What a rescue mission he commanded. It is estimated he helped upwards of 30,000 people, Digital pencil crayon illustrations offer a realistic setting and inspiration for the fine work he did. An extensive author's note provides further context, along with a timeline for the 23 days, a list of quotes and sources, and a bibliography. 

Go, stories by Deborah Ellis. Groundwood, 2026. $15.99 ages 10 and up

"After he sees Ms. Penheligan, he'll go home. 
He'll give his parents the footstool he made. 
Maybe they'll like it. He'll be okay if they don't. 
They'll probably be mad at him for leaving Sam
stranded. He'll be okay with that, too. 
     In less than four and a half years, Brodie will 
have his own life. 
     He has plans. He has things to do. He has places 
to go." 

I am in awe of the short story genre, and of the writers who do a remarkable job of writing with such care and precision to give readers a momentous experience in storytelling. Deborah Ellis is one of the finest. Following Sit (Groundwood, 2017) and Step (Groundwood, 2022) comes Go. As she did in those earlier books, Ms. Ellis explores the world of children from different points of view. In Sit, she introduces nine children who find themselves in situations that require making a needed decision and taking action to change their circumstance. In Step, ten eleven-year-old children around the globe find themselves learning the true meaning of empathy toward others. 

In Go, readers are introduced to nine children who learn those in the adult world can be a disappointment. Through their experiences, they realize there comes a time when they must pick up and Go. Three sections, entitled Ready Set, and Go, share Brodie's continuing story about his how family expects him to step up and admit wrongdoing when he has done nothing wrong. They have no intention of doing anything for him once he admits guilt. The consequences are heartbreaking; Brodie is able to find a way through the pain and make a plan for his future. 

Joan learns that nothing she does for her cantankerous grandmother will make a difference, and knows that her parents have no confidence for her future. So, she decides to makes decisions that will improve her circumstances and not worry about what the adults think. While looking to take some money from her father's stash of bills in his dresser drawer, Janine makes an alarming discovery and keeps the secret until she can no longer ignore it. Liberi learns that stealing results in feelings of guilt, despite his impossible situation: alone, far from home, without money or papers to help him navigate his way. Bastien, whose life as an unwanted foster kid, has that life change when a wildfire threatens the town he is living in and he makes the decision to offer help where he can. 

Each child's story is heartbreaking in that the grownups in their lives have turned their backs, leaving the children to find ways to move forward from where they are. Each child learns there is somewhere to go if you take action that helps to lighten the darkness. Middle grade readers are sure to root for each of them as they negotiate circumstances created by the adults in their lives. Perseverance in really tough times result in survival, independence, and an understanding of themselves at a too early age. 

Hogbert, written and illustrated by Briony May Smith. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2025. $24.99 ages 3 and up

"Hogbert lifted his nose in the air
and took a big sniff. No wolf? 
He smelled leaves, sunny puddles, 
and in the distance ... 

a herd of deer?"

On their first foray into the forest with their mother, six boar piglets are offered important advice; they are told to steer clear of the Big Bad Wolf and to stick together as they forage for truffles and other treats on the forest floor. With his snout to the ground, Hogbert does just that. To his surprise, when he lifts his head from the prolonged search, he is all alone. 

Hearing a 'rustling' nearby, he remembers his mother's warning about the BBW. Before he has time to panic, Red, a small squirrel, pops down from the branches of a fir tree, on the lookout for nutritious food. Hogbert shares his worry about the wolf and explains that he is lost. At this point, young readers have another reminder of a familiar fairy tale, when the squirrel explains that her granny is not well and would love some of the food from the tasty treat trail Hogbert is following. 

The two wander on, good company for one another. A 'rumbling and grumbling' noise has both worrying once again about the presence of the BBW. Instead, they find a snoring fawn under a tree's branches. The tiny doe realizes she is also lost; she can use their help to find her family. They move on together, following the trail and enjoying each other's company until they discover a cave housing two tiny bunnies. One is the maker of the trail. A lonesome and too-close howl has all shaking with fear and moving deeper into the safety of the cave. With Hogbert's sense of smell, they find their way out at the spot right next to the tall tree Red remembered ... the assigned meeting place for finding family when all seems lost. 

And they lived happily ever after ... we can only hope. 

The warm and charming art will keep young listeners busy with observations during the reading. I especially loved the spread of a mama wolf howling for her little one above them, while Hogbert and his followers make their way through the cave below ground. This tale works and will be much appreciated at story time. Discussions concerning the many references to fairy tale lore will require that readers are familiar with the fairy tales themselves. 

An aside: did you happen to notice the 'frog prince' on a lily pad as the new friends pass a pond in the rain?           

North for the Winter, written and illustrated by Bobby Podesta. First Second, Roaring Brook Press, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2025. $31.99 ages 8 and up

"Come on. We can ask the person who lives 
there if they've seen anything strange in the 
woods. 

Like a flying reindeer? 

I was thinking we could start with something
a bit more vague.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK"

You may want to wait until the fall to purchase this Christmas adventure. Certainly, fans of middle grade graphic novels with be interested in reading about a young girl who is traveling with her father to a new home in Colorado. When her father is distracted by a flat tire and needs to change it, Virginia wanders into the nearby woods where she sees a reindeer and then watches it fly away, leaving behind a luminous compass. 

Their move is precipitated by the death of her mother. The two going to live with Aunt Frances in hopes that it will the change they need. Virginia soon meets Benny who lives in the same apartment building and they spend time together. While they are together, Virginia shares what she saw in the woods with him, knowing he will keep her secret. As she might have hoped, Benny is quick to agree that they 'are in this together'. They will search for the reindeer. 

Theirs is an adventure with magical moments that have many twists and turns, as the two find the reindeer, learn that is lost, and meet up with some helpful mall elves, members of the Continental Air Defense Center that tracks suspicious flying objects, and a hunter who is intent on capturing Donner. The two hope that they will find a way to get the reindeer back to Santa in time to help with his deliveries on Christmas Eve, when it's all hands on deck to get the night's work done. 

The story pacing is fast, the artwork is appealing and full of action and expression, and the storyline easy to follow. There is danger and great excitement as the two deal with the difficulties inherent in a search for a magical being. There is comfort found in new friendships, and ultimate triumph in assuring a successful Christmas Eve run for Santa and all of his reindeer.  

Victor and the Giant, written and illustrated by Rafael Yockteng. Translated by Elisa Amado. Aldana Libros, Greystone Kids. 2025. $24.95 ages 4 and up

 

"He jumped on him, but he didn't wake up.

He punched him, but he didn't wake up. 

He begged the creature desperately, 
but the giant still didn't wake up. 

Victor didn't know what else to do. He 
was so tired he sat on the monster's 
enormous nose. 

He could see its huge eyes, an infinite 
forehead, massive eyebrows, wild hair ... 

Nose hairs!"

A close look at the quiet arrival of another day in the peaceful city offers no warning for what is about to happen. As Victor's mother rushes out the door on her way to work, he enjoys breakfast with a cup of hot chocolate. The peace is disrupted when the earth begins to shake. A terrible noise arises before everything becomes eerily quiet. 

It takes one look out the window for Victor to see the total destruction of his city. Buildings, streets, tress, birds, animals ... all have disappeared. His building is the only one still standing. Now, the only thing visible to him is a colossal giant, sound asleep across the mountainside. Victor determines to check it out. The destruction is even more evident as he wanders outside. 

Encountering the giant up close, he tries to wake him. Nothing works, until Victor notices the giant's nose hairs. Using all of his strength, he pulls one out which awakens and terrifies the monster. Victor matches that scream with one of his own. Now that he has the giant's attention, Victor can ask the questions he wants to ask. Turns out the giant was hungry and has no realization that eating everyone and everything in sight is hardly the proper way to handle that hunger. Victor explains. 

After making a plea for understanding, Victor bursts into tears. He misses his mother; the giant wants to help. The solution to the entire problem is a lovely surprise for readers who watch closely as things are returned to what they had been, and reunites mother and son. Will the city be able to help when the giant's hunger rears its ugly head the next time? One can only hope. 

Pencil drawings assembled digitally bring full life to every spread and command attention at every turn. Observant readers will be highly entertained by the tale itself and especially the accompanying scenes created to enhance its power. Perspective holds sway on every spread and will delight young readers with Victor's ability to manage the giant despite the huge difference in their presence on the page.                                                                              

Lena The Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur), written by Linda Bailey and illustrated by K-Fai Steele. tundra, Penguin Random House. 2025. $24.99 ages 3 and up

 

"'Lena also had problems with the 
people on the farm.

When they came to collect eggs for 
their breakfast, there she was. 
Standing guard!  The people had 
to wait till Lena left before they 
could go into the chicken coop. 

And if she caught them - she 
chased them! She also tried to 
scare them off with dinosaur 
sounds."

It's evident right from the opening pages that Lena knowledgeable about dinosaurs; a book about them is her reading material. While she certainly looks like other chickens on the farm, she does not think of herself as one. She is quite sure that she is a DINOSAUR! The fact that she lives with chickens in a chicken coop does not deter from the bravery and chutzpah she shows as very dinosaur-like. She encourages her coop mates to think big and make a difference in their own lives. 

Her thoughts about the farm family are filled with making them miserable and afraid of her. Daughter Madeline likes her spunk! The arrival of a weasel sends the chickens into a tizzy. Fearful that they will be his next meal, they live in terror as the weasel gets closer and closer. Locked in the coop while the family goes out for the evening, they feel even more terrified. 

Then and there, Lena springs into action. No weasel is going to find its way into their home. Everything inside gives her the power to become what she has always known she is ... a chicken with a dinosaur's roar! The noise almost causes the coop to collapse. The best thing about that iswhat happened to the weasel's nose. His struggle to break free is real and finally successful. The chickens, now convinced that Lena is a dinosaur, shout their accolades to all who will listen. As for that weasel, he is so embarrassed by his whiskerless face that he doesn't want to be seen. 

Only one week later, Madeline returns from school with some extremely exciting news. It turns out that Lena was right all along. There's science to prove it; the author's note helps with that.

One Day: A True Story of Survival in the Holocaust. Written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Benjamin Phillips. Candlewick Studio. Penguin Random House, 2025. $24.99 ages 8 and up

"We were in this camp for two months, breaking stones.
I was just skin and bone. 

Get through one day and then on to the next.
One day at a time. One day after another.

Then we were transferred to a camp at Drancy.
This was a new housing complex that been turned into
a prison camp for Jews." 

When Michael Rosen discovered that his father's uncle and aunt were on the same convoy as Eugene and Oscar Handschuh, he was inspired to tell their true story of survival. In first person narrative, he introduces the father and son who, as Hungarian Jews, were living in Paris and working in the Resistance against the Nazis. 

They had done all they could to protect themselves with false papers. While trying to get new ones, they were discovered and their lives changed. It was December 28, 1942. They were interrogated, treated poorly, and forced into a work camp. They lived their lives from then on one day at a time, never knowing what might happen next. Next, they were sent to a prison camp and worried so much about being deported that they hatched a plan to dig themselves out. When the entrance to the tunnel was discovered, the Nazis gathered needed information from one of the men who worked on it. 

Names were named, and deportation became the punishment. Eugene and Oscar were placed on Convoy 62 with twelve hundred other Jews. They knew nothing about the Holocaust, only that something bad was happening. They had prepared to find a way out, carrying hidden tools with them. Nineteen prisoners escaped, including the father and son. Two made it to Paris, while the father found a place to hide at a farm close by. When safe, he was taken to Paris where he was reunited with his son. Never had hugs been so tight. Still, they didn't know that the train was headed to Auschwitz, or what would happen there. Eugene and his father Oscar survived, Michael Rosen's relatives did not. 

The book ends with hope for father and son. Never does it fail to remember the horror of what happened to so many others. 

"What happened to the twelve hundred people on that train? 
 There were nineteen of us who jumped
on that one day. 

The rest went to Auschwitz. 
Only twenty-nine came back. 

And that's a true story."

Somber colors, created using ink, charcoal and pencil, echo the real sadness for those who endured the horrors of the Holocaust. The repeated "one day" is a reminder to all of the uncertainty of life and the need to be brave and resilient. It introduces the topic to a younger audience in a way that is both solemn and safe, yet informative about a terrible time in the world's history.  It should be shared, then read again to understand the truth of what happened to so many. Much is left unsaid, as it should be for this audience; yet, it balances truth, hope and despair in the most sensitive way. 

                                                                                       

https://youtu.be/gYWMiov0BHM?si=qv1Zb86zGP0u2mH3

Big Enough, written and illustrated by Regina Linke. Little, Brown and Company, Hachette. 2025. $24.99 ages 4 and up

"The boy set off as the sun slipped 
behind the hills. "I'm not going to 
ride him. I'm not big enough," he
repeated along his way."

Ah-Fu has a big imagination. Still, he cannot imagine that he is big enough to bring their ox from the field when father is not there to do it. Grandfather is sure he is old enough, while also offering advice that Ah-Fu not try to ride the ox as he is not yet big enough to do that. With the reminder being repeating in his head, Ah-Fu begins his journey. 

A flock of swallows have advice for him when he tells them what he is doing. They suggest that he not try to lead the ox by the horns as he is not big enough to do that. Now, he has two things he must not do. When a frog asks about his task, she advises that he not try to herd the ox for fear of it running away. 

""Just don't ride him. Don't lead
him by the horns. And don't herd 
him from behind," the boy whispered."

His meeting with the ox startles him. So much so, that he rolls down a hill, hurting himself and definitely ready to admit he is not big enough. The remainder of the story is a conversation between the ox and the boy that offer some lovely surprises for readers and a most welcome end to this tale. 

The attractive and engaging illustrations, which are painted digitally using traditional Chinese techniques, hold attention throughout and offer welcome changes in perspective to enhance the telling. A quiet, idyllic setting and impressive characters make it a wonderful readaloud for listeners. 
                                                                                         

Black Star, written by Kwame Alexander. Little, Brown and Company, Hachette. 2024. $24.99 ages 10 and up

"But I don’t really enjoy
the flute
as much as she does,
so after I finish
dusting and mopping
and Willie Green shows up
hollering all loud
through our screen door,

holding
the old broomstick
we use for a bat,|
even though he sometimes
gets on my nerves,
I ask her if I can go outside
because the only thing
I love doing
more than listening
to Nana Kofi’s stories
is playing ball." 
 

This is the second book in The Door of No Return trilogy. In the first book we met Nana Kofi from the Asante Kingdom. The year was 1860, and Kwame Alexader tells the poignant story of Nana and his cousin being taken by slave traders from Africa to America, and their survival after the slave ship crashes and hurls them into the ocean. 

In this book, readers meet Charlene (Charley) Cuffey, Nana's granddaughter. She is 12 years old, and wants to know everything about her Nana's life before leaving his homeland. It is not a story Nana shares easily. The family is now living in Virginia in the early years of the 1920s. Charley is an aspiring pitcher. Although she is talented and wants to eventually play in the Negro League, the prevailing times offer little hope for her future as a ball player. She is, after all, a Black girl facing segregation in her own small hometown. 

Listening to her Nana Kofi's stories, and learning his native language engages her attention and her longing to return with Nana to his homeland when the time comes that he can go home again. The Black Star Line has promised a return for anyone wanting to make the voyage. In the meantime, she hones her skills playing ball with her two best friends, Cool Willie Green and Socks. It is evident through her first-person narration that Charley has some difficulty understanding her place in history. Nana does his best to help her come to grips with what she can and cannot do. 

Kwame Alexander fills the book's page with family, church picnics, and baseball. His skill at poetic storytelling is always compelling, while also exploring the injustice faced by his ancestors. As happened in the first book, this one also ends dramatically, with an impulsive decision that leads to discrimination, fear, great pain, and flight. 

 

 "Too much badness wrapped up in all the goodness that could be."

Readers will hope to hear more of Charley's story in the promised third book. An author's note is compelling and worthy of attention. 

The Dragon Slayer, written and illustrated by Tatyana Feeney. Kids Can Press, 2024. $21.99 ages 4 and up

 

"Not far away, there happened to be a 
fierce dragon who was dreaming of a 
girl ... 

TO EAT!"

Freya is a very lucky girl. She has great parents, many books and marshmallows. She even has a crown to wear; it's just not enough. What Freya wants most in the world is a dragon. She means to slay it. All her fairy tales talk about knights and dragons. Unfortunately, the princesses must remain at home. Freya plans on changing that circumstance. 

She longs for adventure, and is sure that meeting a dragon will be all it takes to make her most fervent wish come true. Lucky for the little princess, a dragon lives not far away. That dragon is also on the lookout. He wants to find a girl to eat. Having eaten a lot of knights, the dragon is looking for a meal less tough. He's quite sure a girl will be more tender to the taste. 

Simultaneously, the two set out to make their wishes come true. They know nothing of the other's plan. It seems their searches will come to naught. Both can see knights everywhere they look; neither can see what the other is seeking. Until, by chance, they both end up at the top of the same hill. The dragon is  unimpressed at seeing another knight ... until he ultimately discovers that beneath the knight's helmet stands a girl! 

Preparing to make a meal of her, the dragon quickly realizes the girl is not only courageous, she is also incredibly clever, for her weapon is a skewer displaying a full array of marshmallows. The dragon provides the fire for roasting. Much tastier than a knight! Freya suggests that the next time they might make s'mores together. Wouldn't friendship be a better solution?

The Elephant and the Sea, written and illustrated by Ed Vere. Doubleday Books for Young Readers, Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"Gabriel made a plan. 

Day after day, 
          along the beach, 
                  he collected driftwood. 

Night after night, he worked. 
              He hammered, he sawed, 
                       he painted, and he sang."

Gabriel and the cat Milou like to spend their days beside the sea. Gabriel is getting older; he loves to think about the days when he was young and spent every morning by the sea. The thing he loved most then was the lifeboat. He watched as its crew prepared every day for the work they might be asked to do when sailors were in trouble.

He so badly wanted to be with them. The crew explained that he was not old enough to be of assistance. They suggested he come back when he was older and stronger. Gabriel promised that he would. As he waited, he did his homework. He read, he rowed, he sang their shanties. He did get older and stronger, and he was bigger. Now, he was too big for the boat. 

Poor Gabriel. What was he to do? It was time for a plan. Over summer and autumn, he put his plan in action. On a winter day when the fishing fleet set out to make a big catch, a storm whipped up causing a mess of trouble for the fishermen. The lifeboat headed out; they could not help. Was nothing to be done? 

"But wait! Here's Gabriel! 

He had built a boat. 
        Built for strength. Built for him! 

Brave Gabriel rowed out
        through thundering waves. 
                Strong as oak, he pulled the oars." 

Gabriel's commitment to learning all he needed to know, and his mighty perseverance made him fully capable of rescuing those helpless fishermen. What bravery! What a leader! Everyone wanted to join with him now. Could they build a boat big enough for all?   

Wonderful images of the Cornwall coast provide a winning backdrop for this tribute to those who risk their own lives to be of assistance to others. 

The Outside, written and illustrated by Gianna Marino. Viking, Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"Earl! You built a flood room!

What would we do without you? 

A FEW HOURS LATER ...

I think the rain stopped. 

Earl! Your teeth are chattering!"

A coterie of prairie dogs loves to play together ... outside their burrow. When they hear noises from below ground, they know it is Earl. He's calling to them, asking them to come back inside where they will be safe. Earl is scared to be outside; he fears its many dangers. 

His friends try to dismiss his worries, encouraging him to come outside with them. Earl presses on with his digging. He worries about coyotes while the others are appreciating the sunrise. When they return to the outside world, Earl cautions that he smells a coming storm. The others ignore him, not even noticing a bird of prey hovering about them, or the coyote watching them from nearby bushes. 

Just as the coyote prepares to pounce, a huge clap of thunder scatters them all. The prairie dogs panic in their search for the burrow opening. Earl calls out to show them the way. The burrow is flooded! Earl encourages them to follow his voice to safety. Earl's rescue dig has left him cold and in need of sunshine. The others convince him that they will take care of him, just as he has done for them. 

Ms. Marino's use of speech bubbles to tell her story is effective and keeps the story moving right along. The cross-sections of the tunnel show how the prairie dogs maintain their life underground. Final pages provide further information about prairie dogs and the tunnels they maintain. 

Don't miss the final scene! 

Plain Jane and the Mermaid, by Vera Brosgol. First Second, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2024. $19.99 ages 10 and up

 

"Hey, stop it!
You were just a kid. 
A selfish person wouldn't 
have helped me.
A coward wouldn't have 
gone as far as you have ...
Just to save someone who I'm 
pretty sure doesn't deserve it. 

But that's selfish too. No one 
else would marry me. 

I mean, look at me."

Poor Jane! After being treated poorly by her parents throughout her life, the sudden death of the two only adds to her many difficulties. She is being threatened with eviction from the family home. The law says marriage is her only option if she wants to stay. To that end, she suggests a plan to an unhappy young fisherman that they should be married; she would get the family fortune, he would get the money needs to live the life of his dreams. 

It seems to be working until Peter is captured by a mermaid and put in an underwater prison. With magical help, Jane makes her way to the mermaid village far below the surface. It is a dangerous mission, requiring the assistance of cantankerous (while also engaging) seal who helps her learn about the dangers inherent in life under the sea. 

The mermaid (and her sisters) who has taken Peter is vainer that Jane can imagine and uses her beauty to further victimize Jane. Luckily, Jane is learning that she has much to offer. She is persistent in her quest to save Peter and proves she has great worth while doing so. 

Ms. Brosgol creates an expressive and charming character in Jane. She manages to hold her own in a story that looks closely at beauty, daring to do the right thing, and friendship. Middle graders who have a penchant for graphic novels will find much to appreciate in Jane's story. The story moves along quickly, with many twists and turns ... just what many readers are wanting to read. The ending is very satisfying for all. 

Orris and Timble: The Beginning, written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Carmen Mok. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2024. $22.99 ages 5 and up

"The marble was no longer glowing.
The light was disappearing. 
Orris could hear the owl struggling o 
free himself. 
It was a terrible sound. 
"Help," said the owl quietly. 
And then there was only silence. 
The rat looked at the sardine can. 

Make the good and noble choice!!" 

I can barely contain my excitement when I hear about a new Kate DiCamillo book! I was thrilled to receive a copy of Orris and Timble from Sam at Penguin Random House. Thanks always, Sam! Even more exciting is that this is the first book in a trilogy for early readers. And, I love it. 

It introduces two worthy and lovable characters. Orris is a treasure-loving rat who lives in a hole in the wall of an old barn. Old books, a red velvet slipper, a yellow marble and a sardine can decorate his home and give him comfort. The walls are hung with pages from his book collection. Timble is a snowy owl, caught in a mousetrap and looking for the help needed to free him. Orris knows about the dangers in his world, having lived there for a long time. Orris also knows that rats and owls are not a good match. 

The writing on his sardine can offers an opinion: "Make the good and noble choice!!" Orris knows what he must do.  As they talk, Orris demands that Timble remain absolutely still, and he will help. As he does so, he tells Timble a bit of the mouse and lion story. Once freed, the owl swoops around the barn, giddy with freedom. Orris is now even more terrified and returns to the safety of his home, thinking Timble has flown away. Not so. Timble peeks through the mousehole and wants to know what a lion is. 

The explanation leads to some storytelling. Then, as promised, Timble is gone. It is suddenly lonely in the barn ... until Timble returns with a treasure for Orris as thanks for the help. At the end of the day, Orris finds himself 'listening, waiting, hoping'. Sure enough, Timble returns with a wish for a further story. What a brilliant beginning!   

Perfect prose and lovely illustrations created in soft, round shapes within the warmth of the barn make this another sweet story from a master storyteller. I will eagerly anticipate their next adventure.  

They Hold the Line: Wildfires, Wildlands, and the Firefighters Who Brave Them. Written by Dan Paley and illustrated by Molly Mendoza. Chronicle Books, Raincoast. $26.99 ages 8 and up

 

"... It is an elite hotshot handcrew. It
plans and prepares for fire. Crew
members are called hotshots because
they work on the hottest part of a fire. 

They do not slide down poles or ride 
in shiny red trucks. They are hikers
and campers - part lumberjack, part 
mountain goat. They are stewards of 
the land." 

They are in the news already this spring. Wildfires are happening because of the lack of winter snow cover and the drought-like conditions in fall 2023. Firefighters are at work to do their best to protect people, their homes and the vast acres of land that are in the path of the raging fires. 

It seems a very appropriate time to remind readers about the training given and incredible bravery that those who 'hold the line' display as they work for the safety of all threatened by these wildfires. Dan Paley does an impressive job of talking about the many facets of watching for, and fighting fires. A lookout stands in a tall tower, spending the day keeping watch for threatening storms and the wisps of smoke that might signal a fire. 

With each turn of the page, readers learn more about the important work done to discover, fight and control all fires. The teams support each other as they do their best to ensure rapid response and stop the advance of the destruction. It is dangerous and exhausting work. He describes the firefighters themselves, their equipment, their methods, and the support they receive as they get the rest they need to begin their next shift. 

"Wildland firefighters work 16-hour days, 14 days in a row, with 1-hour rest periods for every two hours of work. This is called a roll. In peak season, they might work 18 to 24 hours a day, often straight through the night." 

Molly Mendoza does an incredible job of creating intense scenes that show the action and emotion of firefighting, as well as the special equipment used for the work these brave women and men do. Digitally created details hold attention and pinpoint many distinct features for the breadth of the work undertaken. Most are double-page spreads that are overlaid with text boxes referring to specific additional information, or labeled points of interest. 

Back matter is extensive, describing fire ecology, the history of fire management, and a new approach that teaches how to live with the threat of fire and help develop fire-resilient communities. Further to that, there is a description of the people who choose firefighting as a career, a clear and labeled look at the protective equipment used, lists of 10 standard firefighting orders and 18 watch out situations, and finally, personal fire-related notes from both author and illustrator. 

Extensive and informative, this excellent book is worthy of attention and sharing as another fire season has begun.                                                                            

                                                                                 

Unicorn Boy, by Dave Roman with color by Heather Mann. First Second, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2024. $19.99 ages 8 and up

 

"My friend Avery has been taken by the 
shadows. And it's probably my fault. 

I need to find them. 
I'll give whatever you want.
Just please help us. 

Ugh. Friendship. More 
trouble than it's worth.
How do you know this friend
is worth risking your own neck over?"

Brian Reyes is just an ordinary kid ... until he sprouts a unicorn horn and is able to do things he has never done! As he tries to ignore the taunts of his classmates, he learns a little about his ability to fly through the air. It is of great use when his best friend Avery is pulled into a whirlpool in the back yard. The tables turn when this happens; Avery has always defended Brian. Now, it is Brian's turn to help Avery.  With help from Maggie Mandrake, a talking muffin, and a black cat he is encouraged to accept his abilities and do something. 

Following Avery, Brian shows the bravery and self-confidence that comes when your friend is more important than anything else. The underworld is populated by shadow creatures controlled by the Skull-King, and other oddball characters, including a gondolier and the Gran Reaper. Will bravery and friendship be all Unicorn Boy needs to prevail? 

This is the first in a new series from Dave Roman, whose previous books include the Astronaut Academy series. He is a great cartoonist and storyteller. The art is bold, immersive and is sure to appeal to many graphic novel fans. There are moments of uncertainty, fear, humor and engaging triumph as Unicorn Boy becomes more confident while doing all he can to help his best friend. This imagined journey is one many middle graders would love to take.