Kinkz, Eliza. ¡Mistaco!: A Tale of Tragedy y Tortillas. Eliza Kinkz, Illus. Kokila, 04/2025. 40pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-5937-0023-5. GRADES Preschool–3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

Kinkz’s authorial debut picture book follows Izzy, a young Latine girl who is the self-proclaimed “President of Mistakes!” Izzy visits her grandparents Lito and Lita after school to help with their weekly tortilla-making tradition. However, Izzy is in a terrible mood because of the enormous mistake she made at school. But, with encouragement from her Lito, Izzy learns that everyone makes mistakes. And it helps to speak them out loud, because the best way to vanish the blunders is to eat them in a delicious tortilla—a mistaco. Peppered with Spanglish and word bubbles, Kinkz’s text is sure to elicit giggles. Her signature cartoonish artwork enhances the humor in this laugh-out-loud story. Word bubbles and silly, exaggerated facial expressions make this a delectable book. Illustrations were done with pencil, ink, watercolor, gouache, crayons, and “muchas concha crumbs.” The back matter includes instructions on how to make your own Mistaco and information on Spanglish.

Yesica Hurd—Berkeley Public Library

Montgomery, Ross. Ant Party. Sarah Warburton, Illus. Walker, 04/2025. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-5362-3953-9. GRADES Preschool–1. HIGH ADDITIONAL.      

Andy the Ant decides to celebrate his birthday by inviting a few friends, which grows and grows as the friends invite friends, who invite others, until not just the whole colony, but neighboring colonies all show up. When the party is crashed by an anteater, Andy gets mad and convinces all the ants to help carry the anteater away, after which the party gets even bigger, splashier, and just plain more of everything. Bright, colorful digital illustrations show off many types of cartoonish ants, their colony, and the fun that they all have. Fun for all readers.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Browne, Mahogany L. Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe, A. Crown, 03/2025. 147pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-0-5934-8647-4. GRADES 6–12. OUTSTANDING.  

Weaving together a chorus of voices speaking in a range of accents, styles, and lengths Mahogany Browne evokes the scared silence of the Covid pandemic in a powerful manner. Anchored by two main narrators with Jamaican accents whose narration/conversation frames the other chapters, the book follows teens in New York City as they lose parents, care for siblings, and worry about their grandparents staying alive long enough to be vaccinated. On top of all this they’re trying to navigate teen romance in this new landscape of infection and isolation. Browne’s power is in the simplicity with which she sketches unimaginable challenges and triumphs for the vulnerable yet strong children of the city. There is never an excess word, but the reader can sense the depths of despair and resilience beneath the text.

Lesley Mandros Bell—Independent

Shah, Ruchi. Carbon’s Magic Is Everywhere : Meet Nature’s Most Essential Element. Joanna Stopyra, Illus. Carbon Tales, 06/2025. [28]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 979-8218661441.  GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.         

Using a text in rhyming couplets, the positive aspects of carbon are celebrated, such as “Carbon feeds the growing tree, hiding in the leaves and bark you see.” Subtitled “Meet Nature’s Most Essential Element,” this can be used to introduce the subject but the text really doesn’t define what carbon is, so adult readers will need to explain what an element is. The soft pastel illustrations show a small child with dark hair and tan skin interacting with aspects of nature including the ocean and several animals. Minimal back matter includes a list of preschool activities to show how carbon is found throughout the environment. Ruth Spiro’s Baby Loves Science board books are a first choice for clearer definitions of science concepts, but this will serve as a suitable supplementary resource for introducing the subject of carbon to young children. Review based on an ARC.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Telgemeier, Raina. Cartoonists Club, The. Raina Telgemeier, Illus. Addl. Creator Scott McCloud. Scholastic/Graphix, 04/2025. 261pp. Graphic. Trade $24.25. 978-1-33877-722-2. Paper $14.99. 978-1-3387-7721-5. GRADES 3–7. OUTSTANDING.   

Four middle schoolers meet at their school library and form a club to make comics and graphic novels in this clever story featuring racially diverse characters. Makayla (Black), Howard (biracial), Art (white), and Lynda (Latinx) are assisted by the librarian Ms. Fatima who wears a hijab. Each of the quirky students comes to the club with different issues, such as being overly ambitious, a shy perfectionist, or having an unapproving parent, making this very relatable. The authors are adept at weaving in information about making comics or how to draw, without it coming across overtly as a lesson; these instructional passages seem to organically result from the plot. The full-color paneled cartoon artwork looks like Telgemeier’s other middle school graphic novels including Drama (2012) and Smile (2010). This will inspire readers (and librarians) to start their own cartoonists clubs, using the book’s easy to replicate instructive passages. Back matter includes more information on drawing comics, a glossary, and a fun interview with the two authors.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Tabor, Corey. Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World). Corey Tabor, Illus. Harper Collins, 05/2025. [34]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-0-06-337358-7. GRADES Kindergarten–1. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

Crow is an undercover agent, guarding Earth from incoming asteroids. While Squirrel, Bat, Hummingbird, and Cat believe Crow is simply cranky, the truth is that Crow is quietly awaiting the moment to leap into action to save the planet. The colorful digital illustrations bring Crow’s secret agent world vividly to life, featuring a rocket, a car, an astronaut suit, and four computer screens—plus a hidden underground living room accessed by an elevator inside a utility pole. The artwork is rich in detail, depicting everything from missiles, bubbles, and lasers to cupcake buttons inside the rocket. Dynamic scenes of the rocket zooming through outer space and dramatic views of Earth add excitement as the story unfolds. These imaginative details make the story appealing and the repeated “Kaw” adds a playful rhythm that makes it ideal for reading aloud. To top it off, the conclusion rewards readers with a secret code, adding an extra layer of excitement.

Eboni Weston—San José State University iSchool Student

Lambelet, Anne. I’m a Dumbo Octopus: A Graphic Guide to Cephalopods. Anne Lambelet, Illus. Graphic Universe, 03/2025. 72pp. Graphic. Trade $29.32. 979-8765603055. Paper $12.99. 979-8765661376. GRADES 2–5. OUTSTANDING.

A personality-packed dumbo octopus named Grimpy introduces itself, and its whole class of cephalopods, in an engaging nonfiction graphic novel. Adorable and humorous illustrations in shades of blue and pink manage to be lively, dramatic, and clear. Grimpy speaks directly to readers, asking questions, exclaiming, and narrating interactions among dozens of dazzling cephalopods, whether explaining the tool-using intelligence of the coconut octopus, or the ever-changing colorful communications of cuttlefish. The seventy-two pages fly by as each turn reveals more jaw-dropping facts, more fun, and more reasons to love Grimpy. Equally educational and entertaining, hand this to lovers of Dog Man and watch the ocean information soak in. Back matter includes an illustrated glossary, photograph, and facts about the real-life Grimpy, bibliography, and further reading.

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Floca, Brian. Island Storm. Sydney Smith, Illus. Candlewick/Neal Porter, 07/2025. [48]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-8234-5647-5. GRADES Preschool–3. OUTSTANDING.

Powerful, painterly watercolor and gouache illustrations capture the energy, atmosphere, and shifting light of a monumental island storm. Rhythmic poetic text speaks in an older sibling’s voice, “Now take my hand and we’ll go see the sea before the storm.” Sensory descriptions and innovative design put the reader into the weather. The booms and cracks and the explosions of spray seem to leap off the page. The division of some spreads into several panoramic sweeps, anchored with text, all help the reader feel part of the siblings’ adventure as the pair pull each other on. The language and illustration brilliantly contrast the sublime power of nature and the fragile, but enduring connection the children share. The children and parent read as white. 

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Smith, Jeff. Little Mouse Saves the Day! Jeff Smith, Illus. Toon, 06/2025. [34]pp. Reader. Trade $13.99. 978-1-6626-6545-5. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.      

Little Mouse wakes up, seeing a shadow in his closet. Is it a cat or a person? He summons his courage to turn on the light to see what it is in this follow-up to Little Mouse Gets Ready (2009). Labeled a “Level 1 First Comics for Brand-New Readers,” the text appears in dialogue balloons, with the deeply colored cartoon artwork set on to one or two panels per page. Emergent readers will be attracted to the comic book format, the brevity of the text, and the way the illustrations tell much of the relatable story.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Osman, Dr. Majidi. Meena and the Microbiome. Teresa Martinez, Illus. MIT Kids, 02/2025. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-5362-2759-8. GRADES Kindergarten–3. OUTSTANDING.        

Simple but detailed illustrations of a dark-skinned mother and child gardening, harvesting, and eating together lead the reader through the basic exploration of the idea of microbiomes. As the child asks questions, the mother explains the microscopic world that makes life possible, and inset illustrations make the life forms she describes both non-threatening and understandable. An analogy about the microbiome forming a community is wonderfully supported by pictures of the mother and child walking through their neighborhood and town. A really down-to-earth (literally!) and accessible way to introduce a major biological concept, this book is also fun to read with some small, humorous details hidden in the illustrations. An author’s note and additional resources are also included.

Lesley Mandros Bell—Independent

Muhlebach, Sarah. Mission Moon: An Illustrated Guide to Space Exploration. Sarah Muhlebach, Illus. Translated from the German by Marshall Yarbrough. Helvetiq, 05/2025. 73pp. Nonfiction. Trade $22.95. 978-3-03964-082-9. GRADES 3–6. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

Space has always fascinated humans, and thus has inspired many scientists and exploration programs. This title covers many aspects of these scientific and exploration programs of space by stepping through centuries of observing and theories, before focusing on the more recent space travel. Relatively simple text explains many of the topics, people, and craft related to space exploration via short sentences or paragraphs aligned with drawings of the craft, person, or place. Black paper, with white text and sketches, plus various color drawings, depict the events, spacecraft, and people who have had parts in various space programs around the world. A useful title which will easily provide fresh, updated coverage of space exploration. Great for readers interested in the history of space exploration.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Gehl, Laura. Orson and the World’s Loudest Library. Stephanie Roth Sisson, Illus. Astra, 04/2025. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-6626-0208-5. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.           

After undergoing renovation the local public library reopens, but to Orson’s dismay, it is filled with noisy people reading out loud, laughing at a book, or having a lively book discussion. After Orson shushes everyone, the librarian Ms. Lana explains why certain noises are welcome in the library. Although most libraries have allowed a certain level of noise for some time, especially while reading aloud or doing homework, this could be useful during a class tour to remind children that some noise is fine when visiting the library. The full-color pencil and digitally colored illustrations depict an inviting library space filled with ethnically diverse families, a Black librarian, and Orson’s Black father and white mother.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Smith, Linda Joan. Peach Thief, The. Candlewick, 03/2025. 374pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-5362-3778-8. GRADES 5–8. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

In this impeccably researched, sensory-rich, and well-paced historical novel, it’s 1850s England, where almost-teen workhouse-orphan-turned-street-urchin Scilla has landed in a position as an apprentice at the expansive kitchen garden of a wealthy Earl. Taken in when discovered stealing in the garden and mistaken for a boy by the head gardener, she assumes the identity of Seth Brown, first scrubbing pots to pay her debt, and then training in earnest in the skills of cutting-edge, 19th-century produce gardening. Surrounded by fellow apprentices and workers, including oh-so-charming head apprentice Phin for whom she’s quickly developing feelings, she grapples with emotional turmoil. Themes such as class inequity, sexism, and colonialism run throughout. The cover skews younger and more innocent than its contents, which include roguish teen philandering and romantic turmoil. A rare historical title not set in war or conflict, readers may wish to yell in frustration at Scilla at times, but her actions ring true, and Smith ultimately delivers what feels like a wholly original, satisfying read. 

Riva Pollard—Sausalito Public Library

Bin, Xu. Picking Tea with Baba. Yu Yin, Illus. Translated from the Chinese by Shan Chen. Charlesbridge, 05/2025. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-62354-623-6. GRADES Preschool–2. ADDITIONAL.       

Baba brings the two kids, plus mom, up the mountain to their tea farm in China, where the kids are excited to finally be allowed to help pick tea leaves, which the family then sells. They experience the whole long, exhausting process which includes walking into the mountains to the tea farm, and the physical labor of picking the leaves, from sun-up to sun-down. The overall process is shown to be both fun and tiring, including many agricultural processes that are done (and may still be done) without machinery. Digital illustrations provide an older feel for the tea picking experience, with the lightly detailed Asian people and a few modern aspects like an electric house light and vehicles on the streets when the tea was sold.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Hevron, Amy. Poo Pile on the Prairie. Amy Hevron, Illus. Tiny Habitats. Beach Lane, 02/2025. [44]pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-6659-3502-9. GRADES Kindergarten–3. OUTSTANDING.

The year in the life of a pile of bison poop is the topic of this engaging informational picture book, describing how the poo attracts insects that help to pollinate the prairies and how the plants that grow after the seeds are spread feed much of the wildlife. The text includes both a sentence or two on each spread, and humorous dialogue balloons indicating what the animals might be saying. The deeply colored marker and acrylic illustrations have a cartoonish quality while clearly depicting the inhabitants, making this a great resource to use to introduce younger children to the concept of an ecosystem. The book ends with an author’s note with more information on how poop is useful to the environment, and a list of further reading.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Evans, Tegen. Roman Soldiers: Discover the World of the Ancient Roman Army. Tom Froese, Illus. Nosy Crow, 05/2025. 28pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 979-8887771540. GRADES 5–8. ADDITIONAL.   

Using a brief, simple text, this describes the life of soldiers in ancient Rome, including their clothing and equipment, training, life in the fort, and warfare and battle practices. Each spread focuses on a topic, such as the cavalry, with a few paragraphs of information and large illustrations with snippets of text describing what is being shown. The stylized, colorful illustrations have a folk art feel, adding a lot of information, making this useful for struggling readers. Back matter includes a glossary and index, which will be helpful to middle schoolers writing reports. This will be useful to sixth and seventh grade students who study ancient history and civilizations, especially when paired with more extensive texts on the subject. Originally published in the UK in 2024 in collaboration with the British Museum.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Bakes, Jules. Sea Legs. Niki Smith, Illus. Scholastic/ Graphix, 02/2025. 247 [+7]pp Graphic. Trade $24.99. 978-1-338-83588-5. Paper $14.99. 978-1-338-83586-1. GRADES 3–7. OUTSTANDING.     

Living at sea on a sailboat built by her parents, Janey finds adventure and confronts her fears. She and her family sail from Florida around the Bahamas, sampling the local weather, culture, and cuisine along the way. Janey provides readers with mini-lessons in boat anatomy, snorkeling, and onboard cooking. Janey struggles to maintain a relationship with her best friend on the mainland and befriends another girl living on a boat nearby, who is older and more worldly. The book features richly colored illustrations that mimic the tropical landscape of the Bahamas, immersing readers in this dynamic story narrative. Character emotions are exaggerated, mirroring the turbulent feelings of anxious preteens. Maps and diagrams throughout the book, combined with heartfelt author and illustrator photographs and endnotes, make for an engaging book that teaches children about resilience and inner resolve while navigating life’s challenges. Janey’s parents have an interracial marriage, and the supporting characters are of diverse racial backgrounds. 

Stacey Miller—South San Francisco Public Library

Baron, Chris. Spark. Feiwel & Friends, 07/2025. 320pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-250-86474-1.  GRADES 5–7. HIGH ADDITIONAL.            

At the start of eighth grade Finn knows where he’s from and what’s important. Redwood Hollows, at the entrance to a national forest, is a tight-knit community and with his best friend Rabbit, and her dog Thorn, Finn explores the woods, hoping to glimpse the area’s first wolf in over a century. When a wildfire devastates the town and upends lives, Finn and Rabbit struggle to put the pieces of their community and their friendship back together. Set in northern California, this quick-moving verse novel is told from Finn’s perspective. Issues of fire ecology, wildlife-urban interface, and climate change are centered, but are leavened by realistic friendship strains and the drama of a natural disaster. A great book for a class discussion or to hand to an ecology-minded child. Finn reads as white and Jewish, Rabbit’s family is Filipino. Includes California-specific content. Review based on an ARC.

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Tran, Trang Thanh. They Bloom at Night. Bloomsbury, 04/2025. 262pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-5476-1111-9. GRADES 9–12. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

When a hurricane in Mercy, Louisiana brings a mysterious red algae that causes mutations in living creatures, sixteen-year-old Noon begins to suspect that her Vietnamese family’s tales of a sea witch are in fact more historical than they are mythological. Tran’s incorporation of Vietnamese mythology with environmental science to create a dystopian world is technically brilliant, incredibly interesting, and highly original. Readers may be more divided, however, on the more realistic aspects of the novel. Noon frequently pauses to reflect upon her personal issues including gender identity, sexuality, racism, immigration, poverty, class discrimination, sexual abuse, death and loss, anxiety, depression, bullying, and family dysfunction. Although the character’s emotional development is a very meaningful aspect of the story, some may feel that the sheer volume of Noon’s varied inner dialogues slows the pace and impedes the sense of action and suspense one expects from young adult horror.

Jennifer Taylor—Palo Alto City Library

Brunetti, Ivan. This Makes That with Annemarie. Ivan Brunetti, Illus. Toon, 05/2025. [36]pp. Reader. Trade $13.99. 978-1-6626-6556-1. GRADES Kindergarten–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

Annemarie (previously featured in Brunetti’s Shapes and Shapes with Annemarie, 2023) and her classmates participate in STEAM activities at the school’s science lab in this comic book-style beginning reader. Part of the Toon Into Reading series of beginning reader graphic novels, this is labeled as “Level 1: First Comics for Brand-new Readers.” The unique illustration style shows the ethnically diverse students with large round heads and skinny arms and legs. The book design uses dialogue balloons and paneled artwork like regular comics, and a pastel color palette. This is sure to inspire similar STEAM activities, such as using a lemon to light up a lightbulb or making a color wheel using candies, that explore simple science concepts.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Hoare, Ben. We Are All Animals: Discover What You Have in Common with a Cat, a Bat, a Jellyfish, and 150 Other Animals. Mark Ruffle, Illus. Addl. Creator Christopher Lloyd. What on Earth, 04/2025. 48pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-80466-146-8. GRADES 3–6. ADDITIONAL.

Discover nineteen ways humans are similar to all other animals – from having cells, to making waste, or even aging. A few color photographs are encircled by colorful digital illustrations broken into many small sections focused on specific attributes or animals, each with their own few sentences providing details and explanations. A fascinating way to compare humans with other animals by looking at unusual similarities that readers are unlikely to have considered before.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

dePaola, Tomie. Where Are You, Brontë? Barbara McClintock, Illus. Simon & Schuster, 05/2025. [48]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-5344-1850-9. GRADES Preschool–3. OUTSTANDING.

Tomie dePaola writes in first person about his beloved dog, Brontë, whom he raised from a puppy for more than twelve years. Tomie reflects on their happy life full of car rides, walks, playing with toys, watching TV, and reading books together. Whenever Tomie drew a dog for one of his stories, it was always Bronte. When Bronte goes blind, Tomie worries Brontë will be sad. But he adapts easily to finding his way around. After he passes, Tomie mourns Brontë, only to realize that he’s still with him everywhere and especially in his heart forever. dePaola died before the book was completed, so Barbara McClintock drew the illustrations in his style with bright colors and distinctive lines. Give this hearfelt book to any child who is grieving the passing of a pet.  

Alva Fong—San José State University iSchool Student

Howes, Katey. Where the Deer Slip Through. Beth Krommes, Illus. Beach Lane, 06/2025. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-6659-1827-5. GRADES Preschool–2. OUTSTANDING. 

From dawn until nightfall, we watch as various pine forest animals enter a farm through a gap in the stone fence. The rhyming text uses a cumulative pattern similar to “The House That Jack Built,” beginning “This is the hedge that grew and grew. The wall of stone a bit askew.” Rabbits, birds, lizards, bats, and other creatures are described and shown close-up in the artwork, and the text is equally adept at creating a quiet, bucolic landscape. The distinctive illustrations were created using scratchboard, ink, and watercolor, and resemble woodblock prints. This is a great choice for storytime. The author died in 2024.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Lunde, Darrin. Who’s Making All That Noise?! Erica J. Chen, Illus. Charlesbridge, 08/2025. [32]pp. Nonfiction. Trade $17.99. 978-1-62354-626-7. GRADES Preschool–3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.          

Part of Lunde’s series of picture books depicting aspects of nature including Whose Egg Is That? (2023) and Whose Poop Is That? (2017), this focuses on the sounds made by various animals. The text begins by spelling out the noise being made, such as “Rap Tap Tap!” and after a page turn, the animal is revealed – in this case a woodpecker. The narrative serves as a guessing game, perfect for storytimes or class visits, describing a wide variety of animals, each with a brief paragraph explaining why that animal makes that noise. The full-color, digitally created illustrations depict the animals and their environments realistically. Sure to be popular, this blend of factual information with a story will have wide age appeal.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool