George, Kaylin Melia. Aloha Everything. Mae Waite, Illus. Red Comet, 04/2024. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-6365-5112-8. GRADES Kindergarten–3. OUTSTANDING.        

Through the lifelong study of the sacred Hawaiian dance of hula, a young girl develops an intimate relationship to the land, the traditions, and the spirit of her ancestors. The metered, rhyming text and sweeping spreads of vibrant, jewel-toned, hand-painted illustrations draw readers in, enticing deeper study of the detailed native flora and fauna held within captivating rhythms of waves, winds, and leaves. The recurring thread of “What did hula teach her?” helps young readers access the substantive concepts of ecology, history, and culture. Hawaiian words are woven throughout, with back matter providing a glossary and pronunciation guide. An outstanding introduction to Hawaiian culture with stunning, lush illustrations sweeping us into the true meaning of aloha.

Alexandre Petrakis—San Francisco Public Library

Stead, Rebecca. Anything. Gracey Zhang, Illus. Chronicle, 04/2025. [56]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-7972-1515-0. GRADES Preschool–2. OUTSTANDING.   

Stead’s first picture book evokes quiet emotion through a deceptively simple story about a young girl and her father adjusting to their new apartment, 3B. We never learn why they moved, but it’s clear that 3B doesn’t feel like home. To mark the new beginning, the father gets the apartment a birthday cake and tells his daughter she can wish for three “anythings.” The narrative is gentle and familiar to anyone who’s faced the uncertainty of a new beginning, but it’s Zhang’s illustrations that truly elevate the book. Her loosely sketched black-and-gray drawings are brought to life with soft washes of color that reflect the girl’s shifting emotions: blue when she hides in a too-small closet, green when she proudly carries a plant home alone. The dynamic layout—prose and illustrations arranged differently on each page—mirrors the disorientation and wonder of her unfamiliar surroundings. Although the child’s final “anything,” to go home, doesn’t come true in the way she expects, the book suggests that home is less a fixed place than a feeling that takes shape over time.

Alexandra Pantazes—Mountain View Public Library

Maly, Radek. Atlas of Prehistoric Animals. Petr Modlitha, Illus. Translated from the Czech by Andrew Oakland. Albatros, 03/2025. 85pp. Nonfiction. Trade $24.99. 978-80-00-07292-0. GRADES 4–8. LOW ADDITIONAL.

Prehistoric animals always fascinate young readers, so there are plenty of potential readers for this title. A wealth of information is tightly packed in, with forty-four types of animals explored via a double-page spread consisting of a half page of text supplemented by a full page, digital and watercolor illustration, and a few smaller illustrations of some of the various subtypes of the animal being discussed. The text is fairly dense, with lots of difficult scientific names (and no pronunciation guides) and details of what scientists have extrapolated about the animal from the described, limited fossil remains. A few descriptions end abruptly, with incomplete thoughts on a few pages. The title is misleading as there are no maps in the book, plus the only timeline is at the beginning, without the animals placed on the timeline. Useful for readers wanting to explore a wide range of prehistoric animals, but lacks many other typical features such as glossary, index, sources, or further readings.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Deibert, Emily. Bea Mullins Takes a Shot. Random House, 02/2025. 323pp. Fiction. Trade $17.99. 978-0-593-80889-4. GRADES 5–8. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

Begrudgingly, Bea joins the new girls’ hockey team at her Toronto area middle school. While navigating how to skate and play, she’s also figuring out new friendships (hopefully without losing her best friend) and maybe even a romantic interest in one of the co-captains. While the story contains a lot of hockey terms and action, there are also funny and exhilarating interactions between the girls, their coach, and even their principal. The quick-paced storyline engages readers and provides hope that Bea, portrayed as white in the cover art, has learned to trust herself and those around her.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Willis, Jeanne. Bear Who Had Nothing to Wear, The. Brian Fitzgerald, Illus. Scallywag, 03/2025. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-915252-95-1. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.     

Unlike other teddy bears, Albie doesn’t like to wear the clothes chosen by his owner, and although the text uses “he/him” pronouns, it also states “Was Albie a daddy bear, mummy, or baby? When asked, he would growl a grumbly “Maybe.” Originally published in the UK in 2023, this is a humorous look at gender identity for young children. The rhyming text goes through the days of the week from Monday to Sunday, showing Albie wearing various costumes, including a cowboy, pirate, and butterfly queen, until his final choice is a rainbow hat. The brightly colored artwork helps to convey the story, with Albie’s stubborn facial expression, and rainbow backgrounds in several scenes. This timely book is sure to be popular but is subtle enough to avoid being didactic or message-driven.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Heuer, Lourdes. Book of Maps for You, A. Maxwell Eaton III, Illus. Holiday House/Neal Porter, 04/2025. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0823455706. GRADES Preschool–3. OUTSTANDING.     

Moving to a new home is nerve-wracking, but what if you found a handmade book of maps left just for you? While the identity of the narrator and mapmaker remains a mystery, they have drawn out detailed maps of their neighborhood including a haunted house, the little farm, school, library, main street, and home. The maps vary in perspective with some being an overhead view, and others a side view. Each map is drawn in a bright, colorful, cartoon-like style, inviting the reader to examine each detail and read the interesting facts. One is even a maze. This is an engaging and welcoming book to help ease a child’s nervousness about moving to a new home and also inspire readers to make maps of their own neighborhood, whether it’s new or old. Review based on an ARC.

Alva Fong— San José State University, iSchool Student

Youngdahl, Shana. A Catalog of Burnt Objects. Dial, 03/2025. 350 [11]pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-0-5934-0551-2. GRADES 8–12. OUTSTANDING. 

High school senior Caprice is using her love and knowledge of her mountain town to build a tourist app she hopes will launch her into the wider world when a massive fire disrupts everything she and her family love. The town of Sierra is very much based on Paradise, California, and the author’s descriptions of the atmosphere and beauty of the place are the heart of a coming-of-age/romance/disaster story that manages to combine the everydays of high school life with the huge disruption brought about by one specific fire. Author Youngdahl skillfully uses a book structure that combines a catalog of items lost in the fire and their stories with a countdown to the fire itself to center the reader in the chaotic rhythm of a natural disaster. Family history, a sibling in recovery, and the intensity of first love are woven into a well-paced story that also educates the reader about issues of urban/wildlife interface and global climate change. Includes California-specific content.

Lesley Mandros Bell— Independent

Ancrum, K. Corruption of Hollis Brown, The. Harper, 04/2025. 377 [3]pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-0-0632-8583-5. GRADES 9–12. HIGH ADDITIONAL.         

Hollis Brown lives in a town that is slowly dying, looks forward to a very limited future, and makes himself small and predictable because life is that way too. But a strange encounter one night forces Hollis to grow into someone even his best friends, neighbor and childhood buddy Annie, and exotic newcomer Yulia, no longer recognize. Exploring the mystery at the heart of the damaged town keeps the reader engaged, but the interactions between the characters are the true achievement of the novel. The uncanny remaking of Hollis Brown as a boy literally possessed and participating in his own possession is deeply engaging. Discovering his own sexuality and embracing it, Hollis also has to examine his past passivity and attitudes and his relationships with his friends and family. Some of the elements of Hollis’ possession are a little contrived, which is the one thing that kept the title from being truly outstanding.

Lesley Mandros Bell—Independent

Sekaninova, Stepanka. Diary of a Bee. Linh Dao, Illus. Albatros, 04/2025. [32]pp. Nonfiction. Trade $16395.00. 978-80-00-07446-7. GRADES 1–3. ADDITIONAL.  

Originally published in Czech in 2022, this mixes plenty of factual information on bees into a simple story. Matilda begins as a larva and develops into a worker bee, showing the life cycle of a bee. There is a bee wedding and a funeral, and several entries on the daily work of the different types of bees including drones and the queen. The digital illustrations resemble watercolor cartoons of bees with human faces and hair, but bee bodies, with the text set down in paragraphs and with dialogue balloons. Candace Fleming’s Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera (2020) is a better choice, but this works as a supplemental resource for primary graders.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Burgess, Matthew. Fireworks. Cátia Chien, Illus. Clarion, 05/2025. [44]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-0-0632-1672-3. GRADES Preschool–3. OUTSTANDING.       

A dazzling presentation of an idyllic summer day, from the joy of morning’s first light to a night of impressive fireworks. Beautifully paced poetic language comes vividly alive through extraordinary expressive mixed media illustrations of pastels, pencil, paint, and scratchboard. Powerful full-bleed spreads highlight hot pinks and yellows contrasted with blacks and smoky blues, successfully capturing the magic of fireworks as experienced by two exuberant brown-skinned siblings. Perfectly timed city sounds and perfectly placed fold-outs lead finally to the stillness of being tucked in with “the gentlest kaboom kaboom kaboom … within.”

Alexandre Petrakis—San Francisco Public Library

Agee, Jon. George & Lenny Are Always Together. Jon Agee, Illus. Rocky Pond, 05/2025. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-593-85773-1. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.       

Best friends George (a bear) and Lenny (a rabbit) are playing at the park when Lenny decides he needs a little alone time. He and George are always together so this is a bit of a shock to George. The simple story plays out, showing both friends that even though they need each other, it is good to have a little solitude once in a while. The dynamic of the friends and the simple illustrations showing the pair on an unadorned background are reminiscent of the Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems, with a friendship similar to Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad series. The gouache illustrations, showing the characters using thick black outlines in a human setting, will assist emergent readers in guessing many of the words in the relatable story. From a San Francisco author, this would make a fun series.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Miller, Sarah. Hick: The Trailblazing Journalist Who Captured Eleanor Roosevelt’s Heart. Random House, 05/2025. 384pp. Biography. Trade $20.99. 978-0-593-64909-1. PLB $23.99. 978-0-593-64910-7. GRADES 9–Adult. OUTSTANDING.      

Lorena Hickok was notable in her own right. Born in 1893, when few women forged their destiny, she overcame intense poverty, neglect, and abuse, earning a reputation as a top reporter who could handle any story. But it is the revelation of her long, romantic relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt that makes her biography uniquely compelling. Miller’s scrupulous research gives readers a remarkable look at a passionate, lifelong affair, intimate glimpses of our most consequential first lady, and a nuanced portrayal of how a romantic relationship with a world historical figure can complicate a life, especially a reporter’s. Four sections divide Hick’s life into childhood, adulthood, with Eleanor, and after Eleanor. Sixteen pages of photographs divide the book. The exhaustive level of detail occasionally drags, but ultimately adds up to an astonishing account of a life, career, and love that followed no template. Back matter includes language note, author’s note, sources, and endnotes. Main characters are white. Review based on an ARC.

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Pinkwater, Daniel. Jules, Penny, & the Rooster. Tachyon, 03/2025. 160pp. Fiction. Paper $9.95. 978-1-61696-432-0. GRADES 3–6. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

Jules and her family move to the suburbs just before she starts middle school, where she wins a collie puppy in a contest. She and the puppy explore the nearby forest, which turns out to be enchanted with a witch, fairies, and other mythical creatures. To protect the forest, Jules must find a magical turtle that can create an invisible barrier. This quickly paced, humorous novel has short chapters, quirky characters, and a delightful first-person voice for the resourceful Jules. A welcome addition to light fantasy novels for children, this is Pinkwater’s first children’s book in ten years. Review based on an ARC.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Clendenan, Megan. Just In Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Brittany Cicchese, Illus. Charlesbridge, 10/2025. [32]pp. Nonfiction. Trade $17.99. 978-1-62354-480-5. GRADES 1–3. ADDITIONAL.  

What is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, in Norway, and why is it important? This informational picture book provides a glimpse into the importance of seed vaults in general, along with the reason for, and building of, this one specifically. Soft, watercolor-like digital illustrations combine with a paragraph per page to provide easy-to-understand examples of the what, where, why, and how of seed banks and vaults. Includes two pages of additional details, plus resources and a bibliography.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Harris, Shawn. Let’s Be Bees. Shawn Harris, Illus. Holiday House /Neal Porter/, 02/2025. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-8234-5709-0. GRADES Preschool–2. OUTSTANDING.   

A tan-skinned father and child play a lively game of make-believe while reading a book together in this story by Caldecott honoree Shawn Harris. The story invites audience participation, as the characters pretend to be different animals and parts of nature. The colorful crayon illustrations exude playfulness reflected in Harris’s simple and rhythmic text, like “fuzzy, buzzy bees” and “chitty, chatty birds.” At each page turn, the illustrations shift into bright birds, rustling trees, crashing waves, and roaring lions. The clever twist at the end when the father pretends to be the child pleading “again!” will be all too relatable to caregivers. This book is perfect for toddler and preschool storytimes and promotes bonding and giggles while reading one-on-one.

Kelly Pollard—Alameda County Library

McQuinn, Anna. Lola’s Moving Day. Rosalind Beardshaw, Illus. Charlesbridge, 08/2025. [26]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-62354-337-2. GRADES Preschool–Kindergarten. ADDITIONAL.

Lola’s family is getting bigger, so readers follow her as the family prepares to say goodbye to their small apartment and say hello to their new house. This gentle story provides a soothing, worry-free way to talk about the moving process, and what a new home may be like. As with the many other Lola titles, her family and people around her are of various colors and backgrounds. Lola’s family is drawn with black skin and curled hair, the old neighbor Mrs. Rehman is brown-skinned, and the new neighbors are light-skinned with brown hair. McQuinn’s gentle writing focuses on positive, cooperative solutions, and Beardshaw’s digital illustrations aptly portray the family working together. A useful title for families getting ready to move.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Brown, Lisa. Moving Book, The. Lisa Brown, Illus. Holiday House / Neal Porter, 07/2025. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-8234-5718-2. GRADES Preschool–3. OUTSTANDING. 

A brother walks his concerned little sister through a history of family moves she is too young to remember. Each colorful spread is filled with myriad charming details. Spare text in the boy’s voice describes the pluses and minuses of each home—the nearby park with the friendly ducks and scary swan versus the many stairs and the cranky neighbors balanced by warm bagels. Readers will delight in tracking the growth of the kids and their pets, the rearrangement of treasured objects, and the amusing moments where the brother’s self-flattering recollections differ from the pictured reality. When the upcoming move is outlined, details that matter most to kids are centered. Thoughtful, mixed-media illustrations picture diverse neighborhoods and are sensitive to the fact that not every move is to a larger home. The biracial family, which appeared in both The Airport Book (2016) and The Hospital Book (2023) has a brown-skinned dad and children, and a pale-skinned mom. Review based on an ARC.

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Kelly, Erin Entrada. On Again, Awkward Again. Addl. Creator Kwame Mbalia. Amulet, 04/2025. 261pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-4197-7563-5. GRADES 7–10. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

Personal interactions of any type can be awkward at any age, but when you mix two shy, unpopular high school freshmen and feelings of attraction, things get awkward. Pacy (Filipina) and Cecil (Black), first see each other in the nurse’s office, then fate puts them on the freshman dance planning committee, where emotions begin to simmer. Co-writers Kelly and Mbalia have created alternating first-person chapters which chart the whole messy, funny, budding romance. Pacy receives some useful advice from her best friend and her four-times married aunt, while Cecil’s confusing romance advice comes from his slightly older brother, barely dating best friend, his dad (possibly separated from his mom), and his wise grandfather. An accurate look at how many tween and teens learn to interact and connect with others, with humorous situations and a positive ending.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Kirkfield, Vivian. One Girl’s Voice: How Lucy Stone Helped Change the Law of the Land. Rebecca Gibbon, Illus. Calkins Creek, 02/2025. [40]pp. Biography. Trade $18.99. 978-1-6626-8045-8. GRADES 1–5. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

In this picture book biography about abolitionist and suffragist Lucy Stone, young readers will be introduced to this activist who started as a child advocating for girls’ education and worked the rest of her life on civil rights for all. She is not as well known as Susan B. Anthony or Elizabeth Cady Stanton, but this book will help children learn about her significant contributions to rights for women. The distinctive acrylic and colored pencil illustrations have a lively style similar to political cartoons, clearly depicting the 19th century clothing and setting. The extensive back matter includes more details on her life, with b&w photos of Stone and her family, and bibliography. Unfortunately, nowhere is the date of Stone’s death listed, not even in the timeline that is in the back matter.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Remenar, Kristen. Owl’s Fall Feast Fiasco. Matt Faulkner, Illus. Charlesbridge, 09/2025. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-62354-371-6. GRADES Preschool–2. ADDITIONAL.

Owl is so excited that Platypus, an Australian didgeridoo player, has agreed to attend the animals’ Fall Feast that a bout of frantic planning ensues. Owl asks each animal what they like about Owl’s usual Fall Feast dishes, only to discover that what Owl thought each animal liked was not true. In the end, each animal brings something to share, which turns out to be the best feast ever. Digital illustrations show these anthropomorphic animals explaining what they like (or don’t like) about the food, and how they end up working together to have a great feast. Encourages readers to listen to what others say and not just assume something, and that working together is better than just one person doing everything.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Schimmel, Nancy. Princess and the Witch, The: A Novel. Diana Browning, Illus. SparkPress, 03/2025. 121pp. Fiction. Paper $13.99. 978-1-68463-294-7. GRADES 3–6. OUTSTANDING.  

After Princess Margaret is turned into a dragon by her stepmother, she must figure out how to be restored to her human self. Once back to normal, she goes on a quest to find the cure for her brother’s sickness in this engaging short novel that uses folklore motifs. Margaret is an inspiring, strong female character who wants to save herself and others by learning how to solve problems. She befriends many working class people, such as a young Baba Yaga witch named Annika,  making for a refreshing take on many of these fairy tale tropes. The narrative reflects a strong storytelling style by Bay Area author Schimmel, a professional storyteller, children’s librarian, and folk singer. There are a few ink drawings sprinkled throughout the book to add interest, making this appropriate for a wide age range. The book ends with a helpful section on the novel’s inspiration, including source notes on the folktales used. Review based on an ARC.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Selznick, Brian. Run Away with Me. Brian Selznick, Illus. Scholastic, 04/2025. 320pp. Fiction. Trade $24.99. 978-1-3390-3552-9. GRADES 8–12. HIGH ADDITIONAL.      

Rome is an expansive and central character in this layered romance between two adolescent boys whose relationship begins and grows in an exploration of the city. Danny is a visitor to Rome because his mother’s work in book restoration keeps them moving all over the world, making it impossible to send down roots. Angelo is grounded in Rome by both interest and heritage, and when the two boys meet their story is both a love story to learning about the ancient city and their own discovery of each other. Selznick’s amazing pencil drawings open and close a book that turns into a treasure hunt through centuries of Roman history, gay history, and the history of art and creativity. Luminous images abound, but a certain awkwardness in plotting and inconsistency in character development impede this Roman fantasy. Review based on an ARC.

Lesley Mandros Bell—Independent

Alonso, Nathalie. Take Me Out to the Ball Game! Naida Mazzenga, Illus. Barefoot Singalongs. Barefoot, 03/2025. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $16.99. 979-8-88859-370-7. GRADES Preschool–3. ADDITIONAL.        

This rhyming salute to baseball includes information on how some groups, such as Black and female players, were prevented from participating for too long. The song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is woven into the text three times, allowing a great opportunity for listeners to sing along as the book is read aloud at a storytime or during a classroom presentation. The folk-art style digitally created illustrations feature bright, deeply saturated colors, showing some ballparks, players, and audiences enjoying the game. The helpful back matter includes a short timeline, information on baseball’s history and basics of how to play, and brief entries on the players featured in the story. Unfortunately, nowhere in the book are the original composers of the song mentioned, although there is a link to a recording of the song.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Danneburg, Julie. Teacher Jitters. Judy Love, Illus. Charlesbridge, 08/2025. [28]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-62354-434-8. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.     

Mrs. Hartwell tells her class that she is very nervous about going to a class for teachers tomorrow, so her students give her ways to calm her jitters. Verbal encouragement, notes, and markers to draw with are all discussed, provided, and ultimately used during the teacher’s jittery day. While the story may be helpful for those feeling anxious, the watercolor and ink illustrations are a mixed bag. The class of nervous teachers seems to be drawn just right, but the students seem a bit off, as they appear older than they should be and have overly expressive, angled faces. The story is useful to help young readers learn coping mechanisms and to show that even teachers get nervous in unfamiliar settings.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Stewart-Sharpe, Leisa. Treasure Hunt, The: True Stories of Treasures Lost, Stolen and Found. Gordy Wright, Illus. Charlesbridge, 06/2025. 64pp. Nonfiction. Trade $18.99. 978-1-62354-629-8. GRADES 3–5. HIGH ADDITIONAL.    

Stolen and lost treasures wait to be discovered in an interactive, illustrated adventure based on facts. A cryptic message in a bottle signed Captain Kidd propels a brown-skinned boy and girl, and a white girl—referred to as you—to travel the world pursuing a pirate-costumed plunderer. At fourteen locations, on every continent except Australia, the friends, and reader, must interpret maps, crack codes, and unravel riddles. Colorful gouache, acrylic and ink illustrations highlight the action. Sidebars and cartoon panels provide historic context and spotlight dozens of other lost or recovered treasures. The lively illustrations, the excitement of deciphering, and the exposure to intriguing history offer plenty of pleasure. A thin plot and the awkwardness of the second-person address applying to a pictured character, detract. Back matter includes descriptions of four types of child-friendly treasure hunts but no sources or additional reading. Review based on an ARC.

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Smalls, Alexander. When Alexander Graced the Table. Frank Morrison, Illus. Addl. Creator Denene Millner. Simon and Schuster, 01/2025. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-5344-8872-4. PLB $19.99. 978-1-5344-8872-4. GRADES Kindergarten–1. HIGH ADDITIONAL.          

Alexander looks back on his childhood with warmth, remembering the happiness he found in helping his family prepare Sunday dinner. He vividly recalls the thrill of making franks and beans for the first time, the precise work of peeling eggs, shredding cheese, and shelling pecans, and the immense pride he felt when his father praised his homemade lemon icebox pie. As a celebrated African American chef and James Beard Award winner, Alexander Smalls brings his story to life. Frank Morrison’s vibrant oil painted illustrations beautifully capture the spirit of love and togetherness, ensuring that Alexander’s treasured memories resonate with young readers. This book not only celebrates the rich tradition of culinary heritage, but also gently encourages children to join in the meaningful customs of making food with family. It serves as a heartfelt reminder that every shared meal can create lasting memories and traditions, one Sunday at a time. Inspired by true events, this story pays tribute to the tradition of Sunday dinners in African American families and even includes the recipe for Alexander’s lemon icebox pie with meringue.

Eboni Weston—San José State University, iSchool Student

Lloyd, Susannah. Who Ate Steve? Kate Hindley, Illus. Nosy Crow, 03/2025. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 979-8887771311. GRADES Preschool–Kindergarten. OUTSTANDING.

An unknown narrator tells a story about the difference in size between Marcel the bird and Steve the worm, but has to keep interrupting the story because Marcel keeps trying to eat Steve instead.  Readers will enjoy telling Marcel to stop, trying to save Steve, and gasping at the surprise ending. Cartoonish digital illustrations combine with often changing font sizes to encourage the readers to join the narrator in helping Steve and admonishing Marcel, adding to the reader’s enjoyment of the story. Includes access to the Stories Aloud audiobook version via a QR code for use with a phone or tablet.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Albee, Sarah. Zero! The Number That Almost Wasn’t. Chris Hsu, Illus. Charlesbridge, 03/2025. [38]pp. Nonfiction. Trade $17.99. 978-1-62354-432-4. GRADES 2–4. ADDITIONAL.         

Discover how the number zero (“0”) came to be used, after many centuries of not being needed. Albee traces the history of numbering systems and mathematics around the world, focusing on the concept and use of the numeral zero. Short paragraphs trace this history, broken up by Hsu’s colorful digital illustrations, which turn this otherwise drab subject into something readers can find interesting. Includes several pages of back matter with more explanations and details on the topic. A great combination of informative text with picture book illustrations, which would be easy for any teacher to use in number system or history lessons.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library