More or Less, words by Alison Hughes and pictures by Oge Mora. Little, Brown and Company, Hachette. 2025. $24,99 ages 3 and up

 

"Plenty. 

More. 

And more."

Looking in on this young boy's family and home, readers are shown they have plenty. Heading up to his bedroom, images show there is even more up there. Opening the closet produces more and then more. It's hard for him to contend with so much. Looking at it all seriously, he begins to think in terms of less. What can he give away? 

He fills his wagon with what he considers unnecessary. His sister puts up a fight; he is determined to give stuff away. He does so as he travels the road past the seniors' center, which is looking for donations. His friends follow in his footsteps, bringing items they no longer need. Through these and other connections he makes with community members, he is soon organizing a collection drive to help others do what he is doing. That kindness expands along the way with recycling efforts as well. 

More and more is collected, sorted, and used for new purposes. A full spread shows community members working together to create bird houses and feeders, and then placing them in their park. His family have supported him at every turn. They gather to celebrate the work done to make their community a welcome and meaningful place. 

Only 9 words are used to create a wonderful narrative, accompanied by Ms. Mora's signature collages. Detail-filled spreads highlight the boy's crusade to turn more into less, and then into something truly wonderful for a new friend. The book opens and closes with plenty. This accentuates that having far more than is needed is not the full meaning of the word. Plenty at the end means family and their abundant love for one another. Bravo!

Black Diamond Kings, written by Charles R. Smith Jr. and illustrated by Adrian Brandon. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2025. $24.99 ages

"THUNDER AND LIGHTNING 
Josh Gibson 

Here comes Big Josh
big Josh 
up to bat, 
here comes big Josh 
with the thunder in his bat. 

Here comes the heat
speeding fast 
fast 
fast, 
here it comes
there it goes
with a thunderous 
CRASH. 

There it goes
there it goes
OUT 
of the stadium, 
a bolt of lightning from the bat of big Josh Gibson!"

It's mid-season for MLB and the 2025 season. It seems an appropriate time to tell you about this new book by the prolific Charles R. Smith Jr. If you love sports, or have kids and students who do, you will know his name. His many books are favorites of those who want to know more about the world of sports. He has written over 30, and many of them reflect his keen interest in people, sports stars, and Black History. 

Mr. Smith begins with Satchel Paige in a poem that showcases his brilliance as a pitcher, and the skill that lured countless fans to the ball park to watch his wizardry. Each turn of the page presents another stellar competitor and offers a clear look at the ability they carried onto the field game after game. I could go on to share their stories and their accomplishments. The pages are filled with very clear descriptions of each player selected, and each is worthy of full attention. The poetic styles vary and explore the sights and sounds of baseball. 

The author pays tribute to 12 baseball stars who spent all or most of their careers in the Negro Leagues (1920s to 1962); readers will learn their stories, first in poetry and then in a series of 'player notes'. Those notes are filled with further information about each one, and includes years played, handedness, and positions played. A few also held management spots. A question-and-answer section following provides honest answers concerning the evolution of the league and some of the hurdles Negro players faced. 

Illustrations, sketched by hand and digitally painted, offer readers a chance to see each player on the field as they must have appeared to those in attendance at their games. Long limbs, constant movement, chiseled features make them come alive. They were great players and their careers merit being added to Major League statistics. There are currently 37 Negro Leagues players in the Baseball Hall of Fame ... a well-deserved honor.                                                                                        

Freya and the Snake, written by Fredrik Sonck and illustrated by Jenny Lucander. Translated by B.J. Woodstein. Kids Can Press, 2025. $23.99 ages 5 and up

 

"He lifts the oar. And he kills Snakey. 
I see the whole thing from the porch. 
Snakey slithers around on the ground
for a moment. And then goes completely 
still."

The family is at the lake when Freya's brother spots a 'worm'. Freya is quick to correct him, letting him know the worm is really a snake. Mom and Dad come over in a hurry. They do not want a snake anywhere near their little one. The snake disappears. Freya suggests calling it Snakey. 

Dad has a plan to capture the snake, per instructions provided in a book he has read. He will put it in a bucket and carry it away, never to return. The children watch as Dad carves a snake hook. Snakey is too smart for Dad and avoids his many attempts at capture. Dad doesn't give up. Oar in hand and Snakey in sight, Dad climbs over the rocks in yet another attempt to trap the elusive snake. Instead, he uses the oar to put an end to Snakey. 

Freya is frantic as she has watched the whole thing. There's blood everywhere; Snakey is no more. Furious with her dad, she will not listen to any excuses. A funeral is arranged without the snake murderer being there. Dad comes back with ice cream. Freya is not buying that. She will NOT talk to her dad. Her sister Julia tries to convince her that Snakey might have hurt them. She even has a story to tell. 

No one can understand why Freya is so upset. She and her dad go for a row on the lake, allowing him to apologize and suggest that next time he will try harder to capture the dreaded snake, not kill it. Freya is allowed to have her say as well. 

"We row farther out. All we can hear is the 
creak of the oars. And the mosquitoes. 
My dad loves me. 
I love him. 
I love a snake-murderer."

Artwork that expresses all the 'feels' on spreads that consist of line drawings, watercolor, and digital collage ensures that everyone's point of view is aired. Death can be jarring and hard to accept, while forgiveness can take time and understanding. The right decision is not always an easy one. Honest and empathetic, it is a book that invites discussion. 

Drawn Onward, written by Daniel Nayeri and illustrated by Matt Rockefeller. Harper, 2024. $24.99 ages 4 and up

"All alone ... 

he was not so brave. 

He didn't need to be 
that deep in the woods. 

   TATARRATAT"

Living together in their mountain home, a father and son grieve the death of their wife and mother. Their sadness is palpable. As they struggle to find their way forward, anger builds and the son runs away one early morning. It is easy at the beginning to be on his own; the further away he gets, the more his fear grows. 

Intermittent words and sounds allow Matt Rockefeller to fill the pages with an astounding fantasy world. Taking a sword and shield with him, the child makes his way on a journey where danger lurks in every corner. He wants an answer to his big question. He is determined to move forward despite the many obstacles he faces: giant spiders, a water serpent, gnomes mining mushrooms, slippery surfaces, a hot desert, and finally a tower where he discovers the statue of a woman covered in an evil-looking vine.

His magic sword puts quick work to the vine. His tear-filled eyes plead for the answer to his question: Mom, were you glad you were mom? Each corner of that spread reflects times when the two were together, enjoying life and shared experiences. Now he has his answer, he can begin the journey home. The words repeat in a story that reads in reverse as he makes his way. His heart is full. His path is clear as he provides care and help for those creatures earlier met. The need to be brave is no longer paramount. He is not alone; he and his father will find their way.

Impossible to read only once, this is a book to be shared again and again. There are many discoveries to be made! 

                                                                                                 

His Fairytale Life: A Book About Hans Christian Andersen. Written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Brooke Boynton-Hughes. Neal Porter Books, Holiday House. Penguin Random House. 2025. $25.99 ages 6 and up

 

"... who finally, in his teens, 
sat with the three - and four -
and five - year - olds in class, 
learning all he could; 

a boy, thin and awkward, 
towering over the little ones,
knees up to his nose
as he crouched over his small desk; "

It should never be a surprise that Jane Yolen finds a new and inspirational way to tell a story. In this picture book biography about Hans Christian Andersen, she honors his storytelling in one long sentence that begins with readers learning his mother could not read. Her memory for the fairy tales she had heard throughout her life provided her son with constant entertainment, and a chance to imagine.

While his mother regaled him with exciting tales, his shoemaker father built solid wooden objects to further his interest in storytelling, and his grandfather danced naked in Denmark's forests. Hans dreamed of being a writer before he knew the alphabet; he had never attended school. In his teens, he joined a nursery class to help him learn all that he could learn. What an education it was! 

He shared his poetry with people on the streets; and wrote stories that he gave away because no one wanted to buy them. As a man, he longed to be a digter (a Dutch word for poet) and to find someone to love. Friends loved his writing, as did many others. 

"a man whose stories 
were on every tongue
in every tongue,  
in places he had never traveled, 
read by people he never met ... "

He was never loved by someone special. He lived in loneliness until his death. Today, he is honored in statues around the world for his body of work. What a legacy he left - certainly an influence for fine writers today, including Ms. Yolen whose own work is much-loved and honored. Such beauty in the words chosen to tell this story. 

Watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink images are the perfect finishing touch. Ms. Boynton-Hughes infuses her work with detailed images from many of the fairy tales so beloved by readers. Hans Christian Andersen's authentic life is placed alongside what his imagination conjured for his storytelling. Beautiful! 
                                                                                     

The Blue Canoe, written by Sheryl McFarlane and illustrated by Laura Aylesworth. 2024. Familius, Raincoast. $24.99 ages 4 and up

"Mama mallard hurries 
her ducklings into the 
water and away. 

I think you will like 
fuzzy ducklings, 
coming-soon baby. 

It's quiet except for our 
paddles. A bald eagle 
floats on an updraft and
the tall trees reach for 
the sky."

Dad waves from a small cabin on the lake, as mother, child and a teddy bear make their way onto the dock. They are ready to head out for their daily paddle. The child speaks to her teddy as if it is the coming-soon baby her mom is expecting. As they paddle, they take pleasure in the wonders of the natural world that surrounds them. 

As they go, the child wonders if the new baby will canoe with them. Mom explains that Dad will care for the baby while the two continue their paddling. In the quiet of the morning, the child is able to share her 'what ifs' ... the concerns she has for how the baby will change life as they now know it. Mom hears her questions and offers positive responses. Yes, she will be tired; it will not change that she loves their canoe trips together. 

Reassured, the child takes up her paddle and enjoys the sights and sounds of the lake as they go. There is so much to see. A worry is expressed; what if the baby is like Dad and doesn't like to canoe. So many thoughts as a child awaits new life. Mom lets her know that no matter the differences they face, there will always be the blue canoe, their paddles on the lake, and a chance to be together. 

Tranquility is felt at every turn of the page in Ms. Aylesworth's calm natural surroundings. That peacefulness encourages the child to express her thoughts and questions as they paddle.                                                                                          

When the Air Sang, written by Laura Bontje and illustrated by Sarah Whang. Annick Press, 2025. $23.99 ages 4 and up

 

"But Grandma shook her head. 
"Their bodies aren't ready yet. 
First, they must climb to safety."

Annie groaned. More waiting. 

Maybe she should just forget 
about the cicadas' songs.
There were plenty of other
creatures to observe." 

The front endpapers show that we are about to meet a naturalist. Journal pages, sketches, art materials and a mini-magnifier are spread out on a patch of grass. A turn of the page lets readers know that it all belongs to Annie. The title page shows a close-up look at a cicada. 

Annie is an explorer, always on the lookout for something in nature of interest to her. Her backyard is alive with critters to capture her attention. While outside with her great-grandmother, Annie notices a lot of holes in the ground. Her grandparent explains they are made by cicadas; those cicadas have been waiting for seventeen years to come out and sing together. 

Annie wants to follow her ants, but she wants more to wait to hear the cicada's song. It will take a lot of waiting. On walks with family, Annie notices changes in the ground. One night her grandmother gets her up to take her ourside to watch that ground 'come to life' with the emergence of hundreds of cicadas. 

"Would cicadas whine like mosquitoes? 
                           Buzz like bees? 
                                      Or maybe call out their names like katydids?"

The family continues to follow the lives of these remarkable insects as they burst forth from their husk and sprout wings, and finally begin singing. Not everyone loves their song; Annie is captivated by its magic. When the singing stops, Annie sees the empty shells and lifeless insects scattered around her. Her family reminds her that they will be back, just as they have come back for her great-grandmother, her grandmother, and her mother. It will take another seventeen years. 

Basic facts about the life cycle of the periodical cicada are presented in easy-going text. Ms. Whang's winning illustrations show the generations in flashback images as each shares their cicada memories from  childhood. The wonders of nature are evident on every spread, and the warmth of the family experiences remind readers that some things are worth the wait. Helpful back matter invites readers to learn more about cicadas, and offers a timeline of the insect's life. 

https://youtu.be/cprkGk_KW0o?si=r7gvavDTggbdK4vH