The House With Nobody In It, written and illustrated by Jon Klassen. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2026. $19.99 ages 3 and up

 

"This room has a table. 
And there is a clock 
on the wall. 

Let's go into the next room."

I don't often post board books to my blog; that is, unless they are written by Jon Klassen. He continues to amaze with his thoughtful and inspired writing. In this new book, he invites readers inside to explore a house with no residents. The door is open and there is no sign of anyone as the tour begins. The first room has a chair, the second has a table and a clock. Do you notice the interior is getting darker as the exploration continues? 

In the room with a stool and a lamp, a ghostly shape also appears. The walls have changed from warm yellow, to cool blue, to forest green. Moving on, with the ghostly figure appearing at the door of the next room, there is only a bed in an even darker green room. One more door leads to a room with boots only, and the last door offers a chance to move outside into a moonlit evening. 

Repeating the first few lines again at the end adds to the eerie feelings explored. 

"There is nobody 
in this house. 
There used to be somebody. 
But there is nobody 
now." 

Die-cuts, an unmentioned, though evident, resident, and diminishing color in the visited rooms deepens the mystery, and proves that Jon Klassen knows how to tell a ghost story for even our youngest readers. 

Don't miss it! 

Phoenix, written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Dial Books for Young Readers, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 9 and up

 

"After a bit more discussion, but not much, 
Miss Chelsea and Harper's mom agreed to 
table the conversation. It meant they'd wait
to decide about Harper keeping Phoenix - 
though how long they would wait, Harper
didn't know. At least it gave her time to 
show how hard she could work, and how 
excellent Phoenix could be once he'd
gotten healthy again. As long as he got 
healthy quickly enough."

What an admirable start to a new series this is! Harper has just been hit by a BOMB. She learns through middle school gossip about her father's affair with her best friend's mother. Now, her parents are divorcing and her mother has decided that the two of them will move to a new place for a new start. Their move from urban Knoxville to the small rural town of Sommer Springs is a shocker. Their new home is a tiny house, cramped for the two of them and very unappealing to Harper. It is located close to a riding barn, owned by Miss Chelsea who is renting them their new accommodation. Harper cares about none of it. 

When a starved and terribly neglected horse is dropped at the stable from a kill truck, life changes for both horse and girl. Harper names him Phoenix, and determines to do all it takes to bring the horse back to good health. She does not know that she needs rescuing as much as Phoenix does. Her mother and Miss Chelsea don't want her to get her hopes up as Phoenix is very sick. It's too late for that advice. Harper works around the barn, takes lessons, learns what she needs to know to care for Phoenix as best she can. As Harper deals with the pain of betrayal and divorce, she helps her horse deal with mistreatment and his own pain. 

There's an admirable cast of characters: Miss Chelsea, the barn owner; Dante and Night, both riders at the stable and classmates of Harper; Emma, a young rider with great confidence, Harper's mother and eventually her father, and her former best friend, Cat. So much is broken; only time can help mend the hurts.  Real and relatable, the story is compelling and a powerful introduction to a brand-new series. It will find many fans beyond those who love stories about horses. 

Who's Making That Big STINK?, written by Darrin Lunde and illustrated by Eric J. Chen. Charlesbridge, Penguin Random House. 2026. $21.99 ages 6 and up

 

"MMMM ... 

Who's making that big STINK?!

It smells like buttered popcorn?

A binturong.

Binturongs give off a strong 
popcorn smell. They produce
the same chemicals that give 
popcorn its pleasant smell. 

Not every animal with a 
strong odor smells bad."

This is just the kind of book that kids love to read. It provides well-researched facts that can be quite unexpected, and even elicit some giggles. After reading it, interested kids have surprising (and somewhat gross) conversation starters to share with anyone who will listen. 

The text describes 13 different plant and animal species whose aromas cause a stir. The format is easy to follow: a reaction to the smell, a question about who is responsible for it, an apt description of the smell itself, and a short and revealing answer to the original repeated question. The skunk and stinkbird may be familiar to readers; the sea hare and bombardier beetle may not be. The variety makes for new learning for the many who will read this with a few ewws of their own.  

In follow-up quick facts, Mr. Lunde addresses the scents of beavers, spadefoot toads, ring-tailed lemurs, hippos, grey kangaroos, hyenas, and even humans whose 'pungent odor' tends to attract mosquitoes. Erica Chen's digital illustrations are colorful, placed in accurate settings, close-up and very expressive. Kids will love the swirling funky smells that each creature emits.
                                                                                     

https://youtube.com/shorts/1tccKR_BL4A?si=BpNYHJ5clrj2GAhn

Eon: my pet tardigrade. Written by Cybele Young, with illustrations by Cybele Young and Nell Jocelyn. tundra, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"I kept a keen eye on my pet tardigrade. 

But one day I lost sight of him! 
I thought Eon was gone forever. 

I searched 

and searched ... "

Do you know the word tardigrade? I did not; it turns out that it is an invertebrate that is barely visible to a child's eye. A young girl with her eye to her microscope makes the discovery while looking for something else. Imagine her surprise when he showed up there! Tiny and pink, with two visible eyes, he plodded slowly under her careful observation. He was barely a tickle when she held him on her palm. Oh, she wanted to hug him. 

She would do her best to take care of him. Could she? How? She had so many ideas. As she watched and imagined she gave him the name Eon. Through research she learned about tardigrades, also known as water bears. There was so much more to learn than that; 'he is a master of extremes', having the ability to live in the coldest ice, the hottest volcanoes. And even more: 

"The tallest mountains
and the deepest oceans. 
The tangliest woods 
and the ooziest muds." 

Tardigrades are even found in outer space. Could she create that kind of space in her bedroom for her tiny pet? It was very easy to lose sight of him. After a very long search, the tardigrade she found was completely changed. His big secret lay in his ability to tuck in, curl up and become like a speck of dust to blow away and find a new place that was just right. She did that for him, and hoped for the best.His new world would be perfect for him, and the new friends he found. Might she see him again one day? 

An author's note connects Cybele Young to her encounter with a tardigrade, and all that she learned from it. She also introduces Nell Jocelyn and her exceptional artwork as a collaborator in creating the imaginary world of a young girl and her desire to keep the bearlike creature safe. You will need plenty of time to carefully observe and appreciate the delicate and engaging work done to create a world, specially meant for a tiny tardigrade.

Fourteen Ways of Looking at Jellyfish, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2026. $26.99 ages 8 and up

 

"XII.
By the numbers.
Nearly four thousand jellyfish species;
only fifty with venom deadly to humans. 

Bodies 95 percent water. 
Lifespans from a few weeks
to eighteen months. 
One mouth serves two purposes:
eating food and expelling poop. 
Before you kiss a jellyfish, think twice."

Here are 14 Roman numeral numbered poems that explore the wonder of these ancient ocean dwellers in every possible way: history, biology and even mythology. The poetry is remarkable from first to last entry, sharing facts through rhythmic language that mirrors the ways jellyfish move and live in their ocean home. About the only things I thought I knew about the jellyfish were what they look like and how dangerous they are. I had no idea about their names, their astonishing and beautiful forms, or that they date back to before the dinosaurs. All that by number III!

Moving from one exceptional spread to the next, I quickly discovered there is much I didn't know. Now, I do. Bioluminescence glows through them in numerous colors; in the dark they appear blue, violet, yellow, and red. Scientific classifications are as varied as their shapes. Ms. Weatherford suggests that instead of trying to remember all that, it's okay to 'just call them jellies'. I will take her advice. The fact that they are made of nerve bundles helps to explain the lack of other organs and bones. 

The life cycle is made clear for young readers, although it differs at times and the results of a boom in the births can end up with there being too many in one place with no room for all; causing them to wash ashore to their certain demise. While I have great admiration for every Bagram Ibatoulline 'watercolor, acrylic gouache, pen, pencil, colored paper and digital tools' work of art, I found myself poring over the accompanying image for this poem. A large jelly invites rapt attention from numerous ocean creatures with a detailed drawing of the jellyfish life cycle. It's quite wonderful! 

Even more impressive is how the artist shifts from one style to another to offer perspective for the variety in the poems presented. IX describes the hugeness of two jellyfish in terms of length and size; the image created allows readers to compare both to a nearby diver. Graphic panels are sharply diagonal to show the danger for a child stung by a jellyfish and the pain felt before transfer in an ambulance. 

Each spread shows a different way to consider the jellyfish, both narrative and illustrative. The poems speak to the wonders of learning about something elusive and little known to most people. Each spread is a surprise to its readers as shown through the careful observation of the artist. It is sure to inspire awe in readers and listeners. This tribute to jellyfish is exactly the book I would love to share in classrooms for years to come. 

A bibliography and further resources close this sensational collaboration.
                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                               

Summer Book Club with Sicily (July and August 2026).

The calendar has turned to September, and I thought I would share with you what happened here in July and August. One of the great joys of my life is spending a month each year with my daughter Erin and her two daughters ... Sicily and Chelsea. They arrived on June 27 from Vancouver Island and were meant to leave August 1. Due to strike action at WestJet, they were unable to catch their return flight, which has afforded Sicily and I the opportunity to add another book to our list of books read while we were together. We fashioned our reading time on something Erin does with both girls throughout the year. They each choose a book a month to read ... together or apart. The purpose is to encourage reading outside of school, keeping up a reading habit, and discussing that reading with each other. It might be more than one book; the aim is to read at least one book each month of the school year. Chelsea was not so keen when she was here; so, she kept reading with her mom. 

I will begin by telling you that over the years I have saved some of my favorite books to read again (never happens), or to share with grandchildren should I have them at some point in my life. I've been waiting for the time to be right. I should also tell you that Erin helped us choose the books that might appeal by reading them herself again before Sicily and I got started. 

Our first book was Stargirl (Knopf, 2000) by Jerry Spinelli, a book I read more than 20 years ago. Every scene remains a part of my reading history. I was astonished by the power of Stargirl's persona. She is bright, friendly, a loyal friend, and different. Too different to be quickly accepted in a conformist high school setting; many students and teachers feel she is just too happy, and too weird for words. Her taste in clothes is bizarre, she plays her ukulele in the cafeteria, and she has a pet rat named Cinnamon. Leo falls in love with her as they spend time together. Can he hold onto those feelings against the tide of criticism and unpopularity that she faces every day? Will conformity force him to give her up and choose a different path? Thoughtful and heartbreaking, we agreed that we give it a 10 out of 10 for our book club. Deservedly, we were off to our favorite coffee shop for a treat and a short talk about its effect on us. 

Moving on, we next chose Rain Reign (Feiwel and Friends, 2014) by Ann M. Martin. This is another of those books that I have never forgotten. Ms. Martin created such a cast of memorable characters to tell her story. Rose Howard is a 12-year-old with high functioning autism. Her main focus lies in prime numbers, rules, and homonyms. Life with her father is not easy, but her Uncle Weldon is a kind and supportive person in her life. Finding a rescue dog she calls Rain (reign, rein) makes her life happier; they are always together. When her father lets Rain out during a terrible storm, the dog disappears. Trying to find him, with the help of her uncle, Rose must live outside her comfort zone concerning rules. It takes time and a great deal of patience, but their search finally comes to a happy conclusion, or does it?  Once found, Rose discovers that Rain has a microchip that names his owners. What will she do? It was a book that was more difficult to read unless we were both focused on the printed text together, as the constant mention of homonyms made reading it aloud without seeing the text more difficult. The story itself was powerful, and provided much food for thought and discussion at out next outing. 

Our third book was Orbiting Jupiter (Clarion. 2015) by Gary D. Schmidt. It is the agonizing story of a young boy named Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never been allowed to see his daughter, Jupiter. His story leading up to his coming to live with Jack and his family is heartbreaking: almost killed a teacher, incarcerated at a place called Stone Mountain, and desperate to find his baby girl. As the foster family gets to know Joseph, and finally hear the story he is reluctant to tell, they come to love and respect him, realizing that the circumstances of his life are almost unimaginable. His past cannot be forgotten. As the family works together to help Joseph, old wounds are reopened and place huge demands on everyone. Most especially for Joseph.  Beautifully written and heartbreaking! It opened our hearts and made us cry. We gave it a 10 and had a pretty subdued conversation about misunderstandings and their effects on many lives. 

Our fourth book was Katherine Applegate's Home of the Brave (Square Fish, Macmillan, 2007). I have loved it since I first read it, and this was my fourth time. It is a novel in verse about Kek, a Sudanese refugee who comes to Minnesota for a better life with his aunt and cousin after his father and brother died in the war and his mother was lost to him during a raid at their refugee camp. Everything is new to Kek and easily misunderstood as he tries to learn a new language in a new land where nothing is familiar to him. His cousin Ganwar is angry with all there is to learn in this country. Ever an optimist, Kek makes the best of this new life as he longs for his mother to find him again. He forms new friendships, helps an old woman named Lou with her farm work, and begins to appreciate the life he is leading. There is much to love about this book; we enjoyed the characters, the funny misunderstandings that Kek faces and his grit and determination to live a better life away from the war that ravaged his country. We gave it a 9 out of 10. 

Our last book to read together was meant to be Tig (Tundra, 2024) by Heather Smith. Oh, I love this book! Tig has lived her short life with insecurity and abuse. Her mother has abandoned Tig (and her brother Peter), leaving them in a house with no electricity and with no means of caring for themselves. Her new home with her Uncle Scott and his partner Manny is everything her life has not been up until now. Peter is there to help her adapt; the two men do all they can to provide comfort and safety for her future. Tig rages constantly and does her best to make everything difficult. When they adopt a dog, named Guten Morgen, she finds comfort and unconditional love. New friends and a goal help her find community and acceptance. Tig's first-person voice is authentic and heartbreaking. She is reluctant to trust, causing issues with her caregivers who show patience, understanding, and love to help her through the trauma she has faced. It hurts to learn that Peter is imaginary, and has been the rock Tig needed from the time she was six. It is not an easy read, but worth the wonder and the tears. It led to a long discussion as we drank our chai lattes at Forbidden Flavors. 10, for sure! 

When the strike led to a longer stay, we decided we would read another and chose The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise (Henry Holt, Macmillan, 2019). Unfortunately, we could not finish it this year. It is top of the pile for next summer. In the meantime, we will continue to add to our TBR Book Club books throughout the year. I have already started a pile for Chelsea, in hopes that she will be happier to read with me next time. 

There is a constant concern these days that both children and adults are losing their love for reading. Tablets, phones and television provide distractions for many, and that is understandable. I cannot imagine a world where we don't turn to books for all they bring to our learning, our compassion, our ability to see and understand what is happening around us. There are many types of book clubs being formed for those who have a shared love for the written word. Ours is but one way to share some really special and memorable time together during a summer vacation. 

Ritu in the Sun, written by Moniza Hossain and illustrated by Merce Lopez. Crown Books for Young Readers, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

*

"Ritu loves the sun in the evening, when it 
splashes up streaks of orange and pink. 
Abbu and Ammu are busy finishing their 
chores for the day, so Ritu gets to spend
time with just her nani. 
Ritu helps Nani shell peas for dinner. When
she presses on the pods, the peas shoot into 
a bowl in Nani's lap."

You can see by the smile on her beautiful face that Ritu loves the sun. She loves how it shines through the window in the morning. Ritu is going to help her grandmother make aloo bhaji and roti for breakfast. Before she gets up to help, Ritu takes on the persona of a cat who loves the sun as much as she does. Ritu loves to swim in the afternoon sun with her parents. Nani worries about the sun's effect on Ritu's skin, and the tanning that happens when she is in sunlight for too long. Nani sit alone in the shade of a nearby tree; Ritu gets out of the pool and joins her. In the evening sun, Ritu sits alone with Nani and helps her shell the peas they will have for dinner. Nani is sitting in the shade. 

Ritu asks why. Nani explains that when she was a child, her mother warned her that her skin would grow very dark if she spent too much time in the sun. Nani remembers it as a lonely time in her life; all of her friends were outside playing. Ritu shares that she likes her Nani's skin. 

"Nani looks at their hands intertwined.
They are the rich brown of henna and of
tea steeped just right." 

After a change of heart, Nani plans a surprise for her granddaughter the following morning. They are going to take a breakfast picnic outside to share ... and they are going to sit in the morning sun to enjoy it. 

Illustrations created using acrylic paint and graphite inspire readers to carefully observe both light and shadow on each of the lovely pages. They allow those sharing the story to move from present to past and back again, as Nani explains why she stays out of the sun. An author's note discusses Ms. Hossain's inspiration for writing her story. She wants children to know that being in the warmth of the sun, and the beauty found in skin of all colors are just part of life's many wonderful experiences. Finally, recipes for Nani's aloo bhaji and roti are appended.