Rock Paper Incisors, written by Amy Timberlake and illustrated by Jon Klassen. Harper, 2025. $19.99 ages 9 and up

 

"Emotions raked through him – startling and sharp,
mixed up, bristling, overwhelming. There was a rush
of caring, only more enfolding, more protective. He
found he couldn’t stand the thought of the rats
 experiencing one more moment of hardship . . . 
 Badger longed for the rats’ joy and laughter,
and for each of them to have good, productive work
every day of their rat lives."

In this third episode from the fairly quirky lives of Skunk and Badger, their world is turned upside down with the arrival of two baby rats. How will they deal with Zephyr and Zeno with no prior knowledge of their needs and wants? There is much to learn about rats if they are to do a commendable job of housing and parenting them through the coming winter. 

It's remarkably easy in the early days, as the tiny rats are malleable to the needs of Skunk and Badger's lifestyle. Badger needs time to work on his first piece for the Rock Hound Weekly, while Skunk needs time to manage all household business. As the rats grow and revert to their true natures, they fill days with constant chaos: ziplines, scavenger hunts that take effort and time to clear up, and even barrel racing. Badger is succumbing to the stress of not getting his work completed when Skunk asks for help from their chicken friends. Badger accidentally goes into hibernation and completely misses his deadline. What will happen next? 

Fans of the first two books will enjoy the new adventures. It would be advisable for new readers to start with the previous titles. The friendship between the two main characters remains at the heart of the stories and makes for memorable storytelling, accompanied by Jon Klassens' witty illustrations. 

When I Redraw the World, words by Audrey Vernick and pictures by Heather Fox. Random House Studio, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"Some clouds will be close to the 
ground so you can feel what it's 
like to walk through them.

Fruit will grow at the bottom 
of trees so everyone can reach it."

This is just the kind of book I would love to share in classrooms, and then let listeners help to develop a list of all the things they would like to do to make their world a better place. It also seems a perfect pursuit for each of us right now. 

The child, with crayon in hand, imagines a world where there is no hunger, or homelessness, only safety and love. That's definitely most important to her. Once that is accomplished, she is full of ideas for what else would happen in her redrawn world. Favorite smells and sounds would be available to all by pressing a button; none needed for sights as her redrawing will assure amazement. The memories evoked with be many. 

She moves on to animals, the ocean, and nature, including the seasons. A sudden thought concerns dogs, a particular favorite of hers. All things considered, her world will be a much better place. I agree, and so will young listeners. In the end, her final change will speak to the hearts of readers everywhere.

"(Just one more thing, though: 
When you turn the last page 
of a book you love, a new book
- just as good or better - will 
appear.)

The colorful artwork is busy with fun and inventive details. Kids will want to go back and check them out once the reading is done. The more they look, they more imaginative they will become concerning building their own new worlds. What would your new world look like? 

The Midnight Panther, written and illustrated by Poonam Mistry. Candlewick Studio, Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages 3 and up

 

"Across the earth
under the trees
lay feathers of all
shapes and sizes. 
Panther placed them
one by one around his head.

"Now I can blaze as bright as the sun, 
just like Lion," he said."

The story itself is not new; Panther is the smallest cat, and quite sure there is nothing special about him at all. He prowls through the rainforest, enjoying the beauty found in its environs. At the end of each day, Panther retreats to the tall trees and reveals that he won't climb too high. He feels alone up there.

He simply needs to look around him at those cats who share his space to see just how unworthy he is of any attention. Tiger brags about the stripes that make him feel bold; Lion admits his mane makes him blaze like the sun; Leopard boasts about his dazzling spots. Panther lacks confidence concerning any of the attributes that make the big cats so exceptional. 

Thinking these thoughts leads him on a mission to be more like them. With each attempt at similarity, Panther falls short. As night falls and Panther prepares to retreat to the trees, he is fascinated by the large and glowing moon in the night sky. As he climbs closer, he forgets his fear and continues reaching even higher. Encouraged by Moon's voice, he gets ever closer.

" ... Moon said, "I see beauty in you, little one. What a 
special gift you have to be the color of the night."

Only at night does the moon shine so brightly and the stars fill the sky with their brilliant light. It is then that Panther realizes his beauty also shines brightest at night. Listeners are sure to find satisfaction in this tale. It is told with drama, while also feeling soothing in the telling. I cannot begin to describe the inspiration readers and potential artists will feel when they allow themselves to pore over the incredibly intricate and colorful illustrations. They are filled with natural surroundings and ensure panther's darkness is evident throughout the day.                                                                                      

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.