The New Girl: First Crush, written and illustrated by Cassandra Calin. Scholastic. 2026. $20.99 ages

"SLAM!

Are you hurt?

Quick! Help me up
before Julien sees. 

Nice to see you, 
everyone! Ca Va, Lia?

Julien! 
A-Allo ...  

I saw you fall. 
Are you okay?"

In this second The New Girl graphic novel, Lia is more comfortable in her new Montreal home. She has a loyal group of friends and her first year of learning French is helping her become fluent in a new language. She knows she must pass the class before she can move forward. Her life changes as she faces new challenges. 

She has a crush on Julien, who seems to return the feelings. Self-doubt has her worrying about the prettiest girl in her class who also seeks Julien's attention. When her friend Wan Yin comes out to her, Lia promises to keep her secret before accidently telling their friends. Wan Yin is angry and hurt, and breaks ties with her. Lia's mother is concerned about Lia's unusually severe period pain; the doctor declares it normal and suggests pain relievers. It is no solution to a real problem. Her workload at school is heavy, leaving Lia to worry about her grades and her future. 

Fans and new readers will appreciate Ms. Calin's digital artwork with its bold lines and emotional expressions. Lia and her friends are all learning through their experiences, despite making mistakes along the way. The story told is realistic and compelling, offering readers characters who support each other at school and at home. Lia is a great lead character who retains ties with her best friend in Romania, and turns to her to share what is happening in her life while also seeking advice when needed. There is drama, as would be expected; there is also an honest and ongoing attempt to find true and lasting friendships. Lia learns, with help from her family and friends, to believe in who she is and what she can accomplish with determination and understanding. 

Go, Crow, by Tjitske Kamphus. Random House Studio, Penguin Random House. 2026. $26.99 ages 3 and up

 

"Dawn breaks. 

A crow waits. 

The wind blows. 

Away she goes!"

Crow's day begins as the glow of sunrise colors the dark sky. Glow is the first presented word, and from there each turn of the page adds a new rhyming word that describes a day's adventure in this crow's life. The sun rises; the crow also rises up through the clouds when daylight suggests she 'go'. 

Through blowing winds, she makes her way over treetops to a farm where a variety of crops are grown. Her bird's-eye view encourages her to take it slow and take a careful look at all she can see alongside a tilled field. The lower she gets, the more aware she is of the farmer sowing seeds in furrowed rows. Keen eyesight offers a chance to land and pluck seeds from one of those rows, while the farmer gives chase. The crow has 'no' business stealing from that farmer's field. 

Into the sky she again goes and flies back the way she came ... straight to the tree that she left earlier in the day. What an eye-opening surprise readers experience as three tiny heads pop up with gaping beaks, eagerly awaiting their mother's return. Darkness finds the family tucked in, fed, and ready for a good night's sleep. Their day is done. 

Word choice and a willingness to bring a brilliant idea to her audience makes this a book to be savored each time it is read. Accompanied by splendid digital art which offers fluid lines and a bold setting, listeners will delight in scenes that capture attention through careful observation. 

What a treasure!                                                                                       

young cat, old cat, by Jillian Tamaki. Groundwood, 2026. $23.99 ages 3 and up

"playful cat

growing cat

nice cat 

naughty cat"

What an ingenious book Jillian Tamaki has created to tell the story of a cat's life, and its owner's love through the years. Using perfectly chosen adjectives to accompany her tale that begins with a tiny kitten, alone at a shelter, finding the small child there with her mother to find a new pet. Nose to nose, the child asks, 'be my cat?' The choice is made, the family travels home with a mewling cat in the car and all supplies needed to provide for it. Once home, the two begin a lifetime of being together through the years. 

Every spread chronicles the growth and love the two share; the child matures as the kitten does. Short phrases trace their life from adoption to the heartbreak of old age and the death of a beloved pet. The art is compelling and remarkable, using color choice to indicate playfulness, growth, old age, and  grief. Young readers are sure to respond to the cat while dreaming of all the things she thinks she can do, and of the aging process that takes the kitten from early exuberance to wobbly oldtimer. Final spreads show the girl waving goodbye as the car moves through a celestial world before a new shelter kitten is welcomed with great happiness. What a gorgeous and heartfelt story this is! 

I here share with you a note about the art journey Ms. Tamaki took to bring her story to full life. 

"The art for this book was created entirely by hand over the course of eighteen months. The fabric is both new and thrifted materials (in some cases, bedsheets) stretched on wooden frames. The paint is acrylic ink, embellished with crewel wool embroidery. Crewelwork was developed in England and is typically used for decorative furnishings; the Bayeux Tapestry is the oldest known example of the craft. The art was lit and photographed in the artist's studio in September 2025.".  

What a gift to all cat lovers who will read and share this book!                                                                                     

Blanket Saves the Day, written by Sara Cassidy and illustrated by Brady Sato. Orca, 2026. $21.95 ages 3 and up

"Josie's blanket is magical. 

It can transform into anything 
she wants: a dinosaur, a pond 
of fish and even a witch's hat!"

Josie's blanket is her constant companion. The two go everywhere together. It's a boat when she and her dad play on the slide; a fox when she needs a friend; a pond when she and her mom go fishing at the park; a kite on a windy day; a witch's hat when she is playing. They share popcorn while watching a movie, brush their teeth together, and snuggle up at bedtime. 

When Josie's parents leave her in Grandma's care while they are away from home, she hugs it tight. One night at bedtime, Grandma notices some spilled jelly on the blanket. While Josie sleeps, her helpful grandmother sprays it, mends it, and gives it a wash. To Josie's horror in the morning, the blanket is completely transformed. It looks nothing like the blanket she so loves. It puts her in a very bad mood. While out for a walk together, Josie flings the blanket away from her stroller to land on a nearby fence. 

Following illustrations show Josie at the park without her blanket. What a dreary day! Nothing feels right without it. Wanting to distract her granddaughter, Grandma sends her on an errand to the mailbox. Mission accomplished, Josie finds herself confused about where she is. To her great delight, she spots her blanket, ties it on and make her way back home. Mom and Dad return to find her fast asleep, and hugging a new blanket bunny created by her resourceful grandmother! All's well that ends well. 

Boogy & Tee and Twinkle & Hew, written by Kathy Stinson and illustrated by Mark Hoffman. Groundwood, 2026. $23.99 ages 3 and upp

 

"Hew's boat fell apart, breaking more than one heart.

     The two wept like never before.

They held each other, said, "Love you, my brother."

     Would they every get back to shore,

          To shore?

Would they every get back to shore?" 

Acknowledging that this book was inspired by Edward Lear’s The Owl and the Pussy-Cat, and dedicating it to 'young people working to calm the seas and build strong boats', Kathy Stinson's new book tells the story of two pairs of characters aboard two very different types of boat. 

Boogy and Tea are out to sea on a luxurious yacht for a day of enjoyment, leaving a note behind suggesting their neighbors cut their grass while they are gone. Twinkle and Hew are on an old, small fishing boat, leaving a note to tell visitors they have gone to sea because their icebox is empty. Two very different reasons to be there when a storm blows up, and causes great worry for all. Will the fishermen survive? Those on board the yacht are barely aware of the bad weather and totally unconcerned for their safety. 

The fishing boat breaks apart; the yacht runs aground when Boogy is more concerned about looking at the stars as his next property than steering the boat. Noticing Twinkle and Hew clinging to the only board left of their boat, Tee brings them on board, and learns that Twinkle's boat mending skills are just what they need. The four can now sail the seas together. 

Mark Hoffman's collaged painted papers and colored pencil illustrations are filled with colors that are stormy and bold, in keeping with the adventure described in telling rhymes that echo Edward Lear's nonsense tale of an owl and a pussycat who also went to sea. Fun to read, and spotlighting both greed and kindness, it's a picture book that touches on important issues.                                                    

Stop saying that we are all in the same boat.
We’re all in the same storm.
But we’re not all in the same boat.   
                    - Greta Thunberg                                                                      

Bad Badger: A Family Story, written by Maryrose Wood and illustrated by Giulia Ghigini. Union Square Kids, Hachette. $12.99 ages 8 and up

 

"The skies were clear, the seas were calm. 
Some bait for the fish - leftover sausage 
would do - perhaps a sketchbook for 
doodling in case the fishing was slow, 

and he would be off. 

O, happy badger! Alone and paddling
and at peace while Gully minded the 
chicks. 

"Seagull things and badger things," he
sang to himself, fastening his sun hat 
beneath his muzzle."

I first met Septimus, a badger, and his seagull friend Gully last year, when I was anticipating reading it to Chelsea during her summer visit. Recently, Chelsea, her mom and I were all reading this sequel at the same time; they at home in British Columbia and me here in Manitoba. It turns out that we each enjoyed it as much as the first one, and are very happy to have had the opportunity to read this one as well. 

When we left them in the first book, the two were preparing for the arrival of three chicks. Now, the four birds are living with Septimus in his cottage by the sea. Gully and Septimus are doing their best to parent the three hatchlings, who prove to be loud, messy and not at all in tune with the opera music loved by Septimus, their adoptive father. Despite some misgivings, Badger is doing his best to provide care and understanding. Exhausted but loving, the two are capable of sharing their duties; the little ones are thriving. 

When an unexpected group of forest badgers show up for a surprise visit, things change. These badgers are smelly and loud, with a need to learn about Badger's family and his love of village life. Once they become accustomed to being together, the forest badgers prove to be adept helpers and life settles down. Gully's growing worry over her offspring's lack of interest in flying leads to the realization that badgers and seagulls have different goals in life. The chicks want to be independent, but fear it as well. They are happy burrowing underground and eating worms with their new friends, while ignoring their mother's fear that they will not learn to fly. Can Septimus find a way to inspire in them a willingness to try it? 

Their story allows for a look at family dynamics not unlike most. With humor and heart, Maryrose Wood brings readers back into their lives with a follow-up book that clearly presents a chaotic, loving family who can count on each other and their friends for all they need. It is a wonderful family readaloud. 

Your Horse, written and illustrated by Jon Klassen. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2026. $12.99 ages 2 and up

 

"But do you know

what else horses do? 

They keep secrets. 

They are really 

good at it."

Earlier this year, Jon Klassen added Your Truck to his series called Your Things. In recent reading about upcoming books, he will add Your Rock in January 2027. We are highly anticipating the arrival of a new baby in our family come April 2027. I have begun to put together a book basket filled with board books for that little one. Many will be copies of some of Mr. Klassen's most recent publications. 

In this book, an unseen narrator gifts a young reader with 'your horse'. It is brown, but could be other colors as well. As all horses can, this horse walks, runs, and jumps. Perhaps its most endearing trait is that it will keep a secret. Horses are good at doing that. Apparently, any secret can be shared with the horse, and it can be fully trusted keep it. 

The narrator even offers the reader a chance to check it out. 

"If you have a secret 

to tell your horse, 

turn the page 

and do it then."

A turn of the page offers a closer look at a serious and silent horse making absolutely no sound at all. Again assured that the horse will never tell, the book closes with said horse feeling the pull of a good night's sleep and sinking into slumber in the advancing darkness. No secret shared! 

I love the peaceful feel of the world created in this truly wonderful series. Other books include Your Farm, Your Forest, and Your Island. Each book's minimalist feel and familiar objects are wonderful to share with our youngest readers. There is a comfort that comes from reading each book one time, and then again. Bedtime ends every book, after showing the wonder to be found in 'your things'. Life is safe, full of comfort, and discussion is encouraged. 

Two Jon Klassen board books in the past week; how lucky are we? 
                                                                                    

The GREAT Frog, written and illustrated by Katie Palazzola. Neal Porter Books, Holiday House. Penguin Random House, 3036. $24.99 ages 4 and up

""Is there a Great Oak Tree to look after 
the acorns?" Peedie asked.

"Sure. Maybe," said Kit. 

"There should be a looker-after for 
everything little," Peedie declared. 

Kit nodded, and they made an
acorn pile."

In her debut picture book for young readers, Ms. Palazzola introduces Kit and Peedie, siblings who spend plenty of time in nature. In his first encounter with frog eggs, Peedie wonders why they gather in blobs. Kit has the right advice; to keep little kids with sticks like Peedie's from poking them. Peedie would like to be a protector. Kit explains the Great Frog does that job. 

The Great Frog? Kit continues providing needed information for her brother who wonders how long it will take for the eggs to become frogs. Patience is the first order of business, Kit explains. One will become the next Great Frog, riding a horse named Tarnation and wielding a lasso to catch shooting stars. Every question from her brother is answered with a heavy dose of imagination and entertainment. A moon castle, a big telescope, a fountain are needed to protect so many little ones. 

Do they know who the next Great Frog will be? Only the Great Frog knows, he is told. Even after Kit admits that she was not telling the truth about the Great Frog and that she just wanted to tell Peedie a story he would like, Peedie proves he has learned an important lesson from his sister. 

Everyone can be a looker-after, just like the Great Frog: those who care about each other, the earth and its many blessings, and even themselves ... and that's a good thing!