In Hillyard’s feel-good tale, a roly-poly hamster named Ned learns to pay kindness forward during an adventuresome race. On the day of the big event, it’s not long before “ready to win” Ned takes the lead. Prioritizing his drive to come in first, he “zooms” past a slug in need of direction, some hungry pigeons, and a figure stuck in a deep hole—“but Ned does not have time to stop and help.” When the potato-shaped protagonist gets into a tight spot mid-race, the unexpected generosity of a passerby causes him to rethink what winning can look like, resulting in a mid-race backtrack and a memorable takeaway that sees all the funny, furry runners come together. Thick, smudgy smears of color and crayon-like markings give scenes a naif quality, while googly eyes and buckteeth lend the racers a likable goofiness that helps successfully deliver a message of kindliness. Ages 4–8. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

“Today, I will dare to be daring./ It is something I’ve wanted to try.// No sidelines for me—I’m jumping in, whee!/ I’ll dodge it, I’ll duck it, I’ll fly!” Lin Wallace’s upbeat rhymes riff on the titular phrase to encourage bravery in the face of various experiences via this upbeat picture book. As arrayed children conquer common childhood challenges such as performing onstage, trying a new food, going to the dentist, and more, a trip to the basement lurks, on repeat, as a seemingly impossible act of courage (“No, nope, not happening”) until, at last, even that feels achievable. Paint smudges and squiggles form a colorful backdrop for Cho’s round-faced figures, portrayed with various abilities and skin tones, as they smoothly map to the text. Relatable, motivating messaging seems sure to strengthen readers’ resolve. Ages 4–8. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

Chaos ensues when an overzealous bear self-appoints as forest helper in Tracy and Kraan’s comic story. Clarifying that “I am friendly. I’ve been thoughtful my whole life,” the oblivious ursine protagonist works to help a fawn find its mother, to supply a yellow-bellied marmot some snacks, and to save what it perceives as a “stuck baby mountain goat,” among other gestures. Predictably, the figure’s self-judged friendliness proves terrifying to its recipients, resulting in varied degrees of helpfulness and humor. Spotting the marmot, Bear chases the frightened critter to a meadow with “much better grass,” and an attempt to assist a badger leaves the animal dripping in honey and swarmed by bees. When Bear beds down at day’s end, a final inviting act of kindness at last achieves only its sweet intentions. Fine lines provide a scratchy texture to the spreads and especially to Bear, whose cheerful disposition is echoed with sunny undertones. Ages 3–6. (May)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

A simple counting narrative notes how emotions can change over the course of a day in this sweetly rendered work. As the pages open, “One koala feels grumpy./ His nap time was too short” attends an illustration of a blanket-toting toddler kicking a Lego tower while a worried adult looks on. A page later, “Two bunnies feel nervous./ What if they get caught?” accompanies an image of two hungry culprits filching cookies. Feelings of restlessness, frustration, sadness, shame, shyness, worry, and fear follow before Williams reverses direction “to count back down/ and check in on our friends.” The bunnies now “feel relieved. They only got a warning,” and the koala is now “safe and warm,/ snuggled up and yawning.” Scott’s huggable animals are rendered in a soft watercolor style with bold background splatters. One group of animals—10 excited quokkas—curiously doesn’t appear in the countdown section, but the twining of intellectual and emotional layers successfully models more than one kind of learning. Ages 3–5. (May)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

Despite detailed, documentary-style illustrations by Tavares (Hoops) and eloquent prose by Robbins (The Fastest Drummer), this work offers a spotty account of how landscape-related knowledge came to be represented visually and at scale. Beginning in prehistory, the creators imagine a family recording the valley landscape they see from an enclosed rock ledge: “Mother drew dots on a cave wall. Father etched grooves into a mammoth tusk.” The survey next jumps to ancient Greeks’ speculations about Earth’s shape (positing it as rectangular, disklike, cylindrical, or spherical), then notes how “Native Americans created maps with rocks,” Egyptians painted on papyrus, Chinese mapmakers utilized wood, and Polynesians used shells and sticks. When covering how, “much later, European explorers traveled by land and sea to chart our planet... and proved that it was round,” the text elides matters of colonialism, instead focusing on refinements of accuracy and detail. Spreads return several times to the original valley landscape, which slowly becomes covered with buildings while surveyors stand in the foreground. Though several instruments are named (a compass, a Gunter’s chain, a theodolite), their workings are not explained; back matter instead examines instruments used by contemporary surveyors and cartographers. Human figures are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

Quiet gouache spreads with an appropriately folk-art feel give a sense of meditative calm to this picture book biography of two-time Caldecott Medalist Barbara Cooney (1917–2000). Burke Kunkel (Make Way) describes how Cooney’s love of art bloomed early, fostered by a mother who was herself an artist, and that her childhood summers consisted of leaving “the city for the sea.... Summer is Maine.” After she attends art school, publishers demand that Cooney work only in black-and-white scratchboard art—until the beauty of a rooster in her family’s farmyard inspires her to produce a story, “in five simple colors,” that turns out to be a success. Travel fills the next years, captured by Stadtlander (What Music!) in dramatic landscapes that include France, Greece, and Mexico. As Cooney ages, her focus turns to a final project: a new library for the Maine town where she lives. “Books close, then open again.// We do not always know the next story,” concludes musing text as an adult and a child share a book at bedtime, which Cooney fans will recognize as Miss Rumphius. The contemplative portrait captures an artist who reveled in Earth’s brilliance and who kept her promise, per an afterword, “to make the world more beautiful.” Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author’s note and selected bibliography conclude. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Anne Moore Armstrong, Bright Agency. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

Beneath the surface of Rockhurst’s suburban facade lies a hidden gem—the Society of Creatures Real and Magical, or SCRAM. Driven by their curiosity about the town’s cryptid legends, best friends Jenny, who has brown skin and a curly ponytail; Emiko, who has tan skin and large glasses; and Brian, a green-hued humanoid creature with pointy ears and a cowboy hat; set off in search of a troll. With enthusiasm that could charm any monster, the trio plunge into the realms of mythological lore to uncover the secrets of mystical beings. While perusing the local library for not-so-esoteric knowledge, they learn that trolls are nocturnal creatures with a taste for frog juice. Armed with this newfound expertise, the team embarks on their quest, determined to succeed where others have failed. Each panel of this whimsical graphic novel by Lucey (Jonesy) is packed with playful shenanigans and cartoony facial expressions, making each page turn an unexpected delight. Warm and accessible, this paranormal caper is a winner for readers eager for an escapade that showcases the joys of learning and discovery and the magic of earnest friendship. Ages 8–12. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

Scroggs (We Found a Monster) calls on animal lovers and musical theater aficionados in this inviting graphic novel series launch about a tween who can control animals. Finch Eaglehawk is more than just an exuberant thespian with a penchant for Bowie-esque escapades. He is also secretly a PetWizard, one with the ability to control, as he says, the “etcetera” creatures of the animal kingdom (think creepy-crawlies, not adorable puppies). Yearning to hone his powers, Finch, along with his best friend Aberdeen and mysterious new student Erica, set out on a rip-roaring quest to translate an ancient PetMaster manual, which is written in hamsterglyphics. Along the way, Finch embarks on his most nerve-wracking endeavor of all: impressing his crush, the leading man of the school musical. The illustration’s Day-Glo aesthetics and exaggerated character designs combine to deliver an atypical superhero yarn. Bizarre yet relatable characters, off-putting yet cute critters, and familiar messages about identity, fitting in, and being oneself ferried via uplifting storytelling make for a goofy adventure. Erica has brown skin and black hair; Finch and Aberdeen read as white. Ages 8–12. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

Wei has always dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a champion lion dancer. With his dance partner and best friend Hung, the pair were primed to be the future of lion dance. But when Wei’s dad dies in a car accident, Wei quits lion dancing and distances himself from Hung. Two years later, Wei is unhappy—he’s stuck warming the bench for the Bird’s Beak Middle School basketball team, keeps to himself, and feels uninspired. But when, on a whim, he joins a junior lion dance team for practice, his passion for the sport reignites, and he immediately impresses the group with his talent and dedication. The only problem is that Hung is also on the team, and he wants nothing to do with Wei. Across vibrantly saturated, digitally rendered panels, emotions run high in the rivals’ battle to be the top lion dancer in this heartfelt graphic novel debut, which highlights the rise and fall of former friends as they learn the meaning of teamwork and forgiveness. Facts about lion dancing appear at the beginning of each chapter. An author’s note concludes. Wei and Hung are of Chinese descent. Ages 8–12. Agent: Britt Siess, Britt Siess Creative Management. (Aug.)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

Young actors expose a deadly scandal in this twisty, tantalizing thriller from Dean (The King Is Dead) that pits “a billion-dollar company against four teenagers.” Abel Miller, who is “mixed race,” seizes the chance to costar in the reboot of the hit teen dramedy Sunset High; mysterious disappearances and death blight the original production’s “cursed” history. But he doesn’t accept the role simply to launch his career—a celebrity reporter approaches Abel to go undercover to investigate the off-set drama, to which Abel agrees for personal reasons: his older brother died in a “tragic accident” while working as a production assistant for the studio three years ago, and Abel suspects foul play. While befriending costars to untangle the truth (and his own romantic feelings for the leading man), Abel learns that Sunset High’s makers and players all harbor dangerous secrets that will prove deadly for one teen star. Multiple narrators deglamorize Hollywood’s every angle with searing social commentary on stalkers, abusive guardians, alcohol dependency, racism, sexism, and homophobia, while soapy drama and plentiful pop culture references keep this mystery compulsively readable. Characters are intersectionally diverse. Ages 14–up. Agent: Chloe Seager, Madeleine Milburn Literary. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink