Emily Saw A Door, written by Mel Rosenberg and illustrated by Orit Magia. Random House Studio, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 4 and up

"Knock, 
        knock, knock

"Welcome. Come in! 

A door that really wants me, thought Emily. 

"This door is for tigers, crocodiles, and
snakes. Which species are you?"
"Oh, I'm a girl named Emily."
"Wonderful. The animals haven't eaten
their lunch.""                   

When Emily sees a door, she knocks. The voice behind the door asks to know who is there. Emily explains and asks to come in. Unfortunately, the door is only for those who are blue. Though Emily's eyes are blue, that is not good enough to allow entry. 

Emily doesn't give up. She knocks on another door. She does her best to get in, is told there is a key under the non-existent mat. Obviously, this a door for liars. Emily moves on again. Next time, she must climb a tiring set of stairs to get to the next door. This door is only open to those willing to climb endless stairs; Emily needs there to be a top. 

The following door offers a warm and hearty welcome. Emily is delighted until she is told it's for tigers, crocodiles, and snakes. Is she one of those? She is not. However, it is lunch time for the animals. Emily quickly departs. In that rush to get to the next door, Emily meets yet another obstacle. The final door is not any more welcoming, causing Emily to just carry on. With no door in sight, Emily stops to draw her own door, and walks right in. When someone stops to knock on her door, Emily is quick to invite him inside! 

What might your own 'just right' door look like? 

crouton: One Cat's Adoption Tale, written and illustrated by Kristine A. Lombardi. Random House, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 4 and up

"When we get there, I do everything I can 
to make her feel welcome.
I make sure she is well fed and
drinks plenty of water. 
After supper I see to it that she has 
a nice, warm bath. 
Then we read a captivating bedtime 
story."

Readers are introduced to Crouton, a calico shelter cat with a pink ribbon tied around her neck, on the opening page. She lives at the shelter with numerous other dogs and cats; all waiting for someone to come along and offer a forever home. Many people walk past her crate. She is always open to the perfect person for her. It is not an easy task until ... 

An 'adorable' child with a love for all shelter animals steps inside. Every other resident of the shelter is keen to adopt her. When she finally notices Crouton, the others fade in comparison. Crouton has finally found the someone to adopt. Crouton does every single thing she can to make her person happy to have been adopted. Luckily, they make very agreeable companions. Crouton does her best to make things as good as they can be for the child. 

Is it true that pets adopt us, just as we adopt them? That is certainly the premise of this lively book. Told from Crouton's point of view, readers watch as the cat takes her new position as 'adopter' very seriously. Readers will chuckle as the cat shares the many duties she takes on to care for the child. It's a book told from a different perspective, and it works. 

                                                                                

We All Cast Shadows, written by James Gladstone and illustrated by Salini Perera. Owlkids, 2026. $22.95 ages 4 and up

"But when a big cloud covers each one 
of our shadows, 

I whistle for the wind to whisk 
that cloud away ...

and our shadow feet appear
under our legs again."

Do you know any child not intrigued by shadows once they discover their existence? As a little girl waits for her mother, a boy with a basketball watches them from beyond the sunshine. She is delighted to see her shadow; he does not have one. A courier leaves an invitation to attend a lunar eclipse party. Mother and daughter head out to enjoy the day, and run some errands. 

As they go, the child continues to notice the many shadows around her: people walking on the street, other children, a dog, the fire hydrant. There is also a shy boy, always in the shadows by himself. He bounces his basketball from his shady spot to her standing in the sunlight. As they continue their walk, she sees more and more shadows in the street, and on the sidewalk. She also loves to play in the shadows cast by trees she is passing. The boy joins them for lunch in the growing shade. Their next stop is at the lunar eclipse party, where many others have gathered to watch the earth cast its shadow over the moon. The walk home in the 'late-night' shadows offers a chance for a happy good night wish. Tomorrow, the adventures can begin once more. 

Salini Perera's eye-catching spreads provide a visual feast for readers on every page. There is so much to see, besides the way that light and shadow entice and entertain. The many details draw the eye on every spread, offering a chance for readers to add their thoughts to the city scenes. She keeps the boy always evident, despite his not stepping into the light. The sights along the way are worthy of discussion, and the progression of the coming darkness is just lovely. Readers are left with a sense of a new friendship taking root in the final scene. 

A visual rendering of a lunar eclipse brings the book to an end. 

SWING! Written and illustrated by James Yang. Viking, Penguin Random House. 2025. $24.99 ages

 

"When the match is over, we decide to play too. 
But I don't play so well. 

Missed!

Aaaaaaaaargh!

Sometimes my brain feels like it's 
bouncing, just like the tennis ball. 

I'm never going to learn the backhand."

At present, it seems that sports television is hosting yet another tennis tournament from a variety of venues on an every-day basis. I thought this would be a great time to tell you about a girl and her father who love to play tennis together. She lets the audience know that Arthur Ashe is her hero, and that her father hits a one-handed backhand just like Arthur did. She needs both hands when she is playing. 

At school while eating kimbap for lunch, Timmy asks to try it. She refuses his request. Her father reminds that Arthur Ashe would be kinder. (Readers will by now recognize Timmy, as he is seen on every spread up until now). 

The two also like to watch television when Arthur is playing; his play is a good example to follow when they practice together. Her father lets her know that she does have things in common with Arthur. He likes to help people; when Timmy asks her to help him learn how to play, she lets him know she is far too busy. She has a match to watch with her father. Watching that match helps her see that she could be a better friend to someone who shares her interest in tennis.  

Retro digital illustrations are worthy of attention, providing a look at life in the late 60s and early 70s when Arthur Ashe was at the height of his career. He was an incredible athlete; he also was a terrific role model for many other reasons. Thanks to her father's patience and her strong will to learn, the two spend many happy days together learning lessons beyond the game of tennis. 

Faraway Family, written by Padma Venkatraman and illustrated by Nicole Wong. Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Random House, 2026. $c26.99 ages 4 and up

 

"Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa 
chatter away in words I don't understand. 
They laugh at jokes I don't get either. 
"Please?" I interrupt. "Can I go to sleep now?"
"I'll take you to your room," Mom says, but 
Grandma shakes her head. She clamps her hand
around mine to bring me upstairs instead."

A plane ride to visit faraway family is initially very exciting for our young narrator. The trip is an endlessly long one. As they arrive, Mom and Dad are excited to be visiting their 'home' after too much time spent away from those they have been missing. Her own home is now faraway!

It isn't easy for the young traveller to recognize her grandparents; she hasn't seen them since she was a baby. Their trip though the busy city is rife with traffic noise, and yelling voices. After the discomfort of the drive and a chance to have something to eat, Grandma will help her granddaughter find a comfortable bed and a quiet room. A power outage causes the fan and night light to fail almost immediately. Grandma is quickly back with a flashlight, and uses hand shadows to keep the little one entertained with a varied collection of animals. It is exactly what the two need when language is an obstacle. 

After the warmth of last night's entertainment and a restful night, she awakens to the sounds of new birds, and the smells of a delicious breakfast shared between new friends. Nicole Wong invites readers into the tale with spreads that are filled with many details and plenty of texture. Perspective changes allow readers to view the congested airport and streets that must be dealt with, the evening animal adventures, and the morning breakfast table. What a lovely family reunion!                                                                                         

Bug on the Bus, written and illustrated by David Catrow. Holiday House, Penguin Random House. 2026. $22.99 ages 3 and up

 

"Fox ran to the bus. 
Hen ran to the bus.

Cat and slug ran to the bus.

Hop on." 

If we want kids to love reading, we need to give them books that encourage their love. You can't go wrong with David Catrow's Bug on the Bus. Besides the fact that it is about public transportation, it is also about an unusual group of passengers. Right from the beginning, early readers will know this bus is about to be boarded by creatures of a different ilk than those that often catch rides together. 

First up is a rather strange looking bug, nattily decked out with a fancy purse that matches her lower legs, curly-cue wings, and a multitude of bright colors. The bug hops on, followed by a scarf-wearing pig, a chunky pup, and a bat that does not run or hop. The passengers become a touch more frantic as an angry chicken chases a fox aboard, followed by a harried striped cat and a very slow-moving snail. 

The fairly astonished, always patient, driver waits for the snail to climb the ramp. Glory be, if it isn't a skunk that arrives just as the bus is about to pull away. All riders but the bug disembark, including the driver with his lunch kit, leaving rhe bug and the skunk to their own bus-i-ness! After meeting as new friends, the pair spend the day having 'fun in the sun'. 

With the perfect number of words for beginning readers, plenty of humor, movement, and endless details to be found in the entirely engrossing illustrations, this book makes kids want to read it on their own with its tribute to short vowels. It's a wild ride, and one of the best books I have seen in the I Like to Read series. 

Axolotl-Ella: A Sort-of Cinderella Story, written by Kate Messner and illustrated by Lian Cho. Ten Speed Young Readers, Penguin Random House. 2026. $26.99 ages 5 and up

"Axolotl-Ella sighed. She loved her gray-green skin
and her feathery gills. She could breathe through
them both, and if that wasn't useful, what was?

But if she needed to fancy herself up for the festival, 
that's what she'd do. Axolotl-Ella was nothing but 
practical. That's the second thing you should know
about her."

Axolotl-Ella is not one for planning small; she is determined to find a way to go the King's Festival and meet the Prince. There are obstacles: green skin, dull gills, and looking a little like a toad. Her stepsisters are not encouraging. Luckily, she is pretty happy with who she is, and knows just what to do to be fancy enough for the upcoming festival. 

Returning to the water where she was born, she stirs up the magic that her mother had told her was there. She sings a song of transformation, and is fully ready to make her way to the festivities ... minus uncomfortable-looking shoes. She impresses every one that first night, including the Prince. While dancing, the Prince talks only about himself and learns nothing about Axolotl-Ella. Back to the water, and back to the celebration, still without shoes, the Prince meets her at the door. Again, they dance and the Prince talks and talks about himself. There is still no time to ask her question. 

On the final night, she leaves another pair of difficult shoes behind and hurries to meet the Prince. This time she presses to ask her question; the Prince talks non-stop. At midnight, she must flee. Trying to restrain her, the Prince pops her arm off. (It is what happens with all axolotls, the narrator explains.) The Prince is distraught, and vows to find her. 

After many enquiries, he finally finds Ella while floating in the reeds. She doesn't need the arm he holds; she has already grown a new one. She does have a question. That question is a huge surprise to the Prince; as is her promise to help him grow a new heart. With the Prince's help, Axolotl-Ella is able to live a fulfilled life ... finally! 

Inventive and accompanied by detailed, colorful watercolor and ink illustrations, Ms. Messner pens a story based on her love of fairy tales and her scientific fascination with the axolotls of Mexico. In her author's note she includes further information about them, as well a list of books to read more.