Cordell, Matthew. 102 [alt title: One Hundred Two]. Matthew Cordell, Illus. Little, Brown, 04/2026. [48]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-3165-8095-3. GRADES Kindergarten–4. OUTSTANDING.           

This mysterious picture book, illustrated entirely in crosshatching using “multicolored, multiscented ballpoint pens,” features a sandy-haired child named George, at home at 102 Greenbriar Drive, sick with a fever of 102, on 10/2, awakened at 1:02 am by a cricket, who shrinks him down to the size of a mouse. Although the only two human beings are George and his equally-light-skinned mother, alongside a varied cast of stereotypically objectionable insects and rodents, young readers are likely to find delight in the journey through the smallest hidden passages of the house, across the yard, and into the mouse family’s home. Tiny details that match George’s home to the mice’s, like a bear-shaped honey pot, a tiny framed Totoro, and of course the 102-bean soup, build connections that invite children to empathize with small creatures among us. The scratched, colored-ink appearance echoes the tiny feet of crickets and mice, and the slightly-flattened feeling of both the night’s moonshadow and the bright light of a hazy, dreamy dawn together create an alternate reality where this magic feels reasonable. There is a harmony of style and message, content and purpose, tiny details and circumspection, tension and resolution, and presentation and intended audience that raises this book to our highest rating of Outstanding, and is likely to be embraced by many readers.

Erica Siskind—Oakland Public Library

Torres, Jennifer. Alight: How Urban Parrots Found New Places to Belong. Molly Magnell, Illus. Atheneum, 06/2026. [36]pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-66593-877-8. GRADES Preschool–3. ADDITIONAL.        

Using crisp, lively text, Torres describes parrots in the Los Angeles area, including how and why they came from Mexico to make this area their home after their natural habitat was destroyed. The brightly-colored digital illustrations show parrots clearly in the urban environment but only do a serviceable job at depicting people. The book ends with a detailed author’s note on urban parrots, a map, definitions of five different urban parrots, and information on some of the Southern California landmarks depicted. Unfortunately, despite including more information about parrots across California in the back matter, there is no mention of the wild parrots in the San Francisco area, which are a notable tourist attraction (even though technically they are parakeets). Includes California-specific content.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Wood, Maryrose. Bad Badger: A Family Story. Giulia Ghigini, Illus. Bad Badger; bk. 2. Union Square, 05/2026. 200pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-1-45495-348-7. GRADES 3–5. HIGH ADDITIONAL.   

In this sequel to Bad Badger: A Love Story (2024), Septimus Badger and Gully (a seagull) are tending three seagull chicks. A group of forest badgers come to visit and build a burrow in the backyard, upsetting Septimus’s routine of teatime and listening to opera, but they teach him new things. The old-fashioned style of this charming novel has the appeal of Grahame’s Wind in the Willows (Methuen, 1908) and similar animal stories, but doesn’t have much action until the final few chapters, when the chicks learn to fly. There are some appealing pencil sketches that appear every other chapter to add interest. This will find an audience with children who like cozy stories in the style of many classic British children’s books.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Szamosi, Sofia. Bad Kid: My Life as a “Troubled Teen.” Little, Brown, 03/2026. 385pp. Graphic. Trade $25.99. 978-1-5235-2738-0. GRADES 9–12. ADDITIONAL.     

As the very apt title says, this autobiographical memoir illustrates the author’s difficult teen years.  Her troubles begin at home, with parental issues and insecurity, but her situation soon changes as her mother searches for help and discovers the troubled teen industry. So this white, goth-like girl is dragged off to the first of several troubled teen camps and centers, where Sofie is to be rehabilitated into a good, obedient, and healthy teen. The reality of these places, as depicted in B&W graphic illustrations (with a touch of red), are themselves troubling and difficult to read about, along with the emotional impact of Sofie’s self-destructive tendencies. The author’s depiction of her experiences shows how these types of places often add mental and physical problems and trauma for the teens they purport to help. A worthwhile topic that may be hard for some readers to understand or process, while possibly helping some who are struggling with similar experiences or with understanding themselves and their place in the world.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Miller, Ron. Bang! The Art, History, and Science of Fireworks. Lerner, 03/2026. 104pp. Nonfiction. Trade $37.32. 979-8-7656-6044-7. GRADES 6–12. ADDITIONAL.      

What are fireworks, how are they made, and how long have they been around? These and many other questions are addressed in this in-depth treatise on fireworks. Miller covers the general history, development, and use of fireworks over the centuries and around the world, plus modern uses of firework technology including movie stunts and life-saving rockets for ships. While the text is well-researched, much of the background about the historical development and usage of fireworks is drawn from experiences in Europe and the United States, with less historical coverage from other parts of the world. Sections on festivals, current fireworks production, and future environmental restrictions do include a wider range of countries. Color photographs and drawings enhance and break up the detailed text, which will leave readers with plenty to think about, including offering information about some of the problems related to fireworks. With few nonfiction books to choose from about fireworks, this is a useful installment about a topic that all teens should have an understanding of, especially due to the many celebrations and holidays that often involve fireworks.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Jackson, Tom. Baryonyx: A First Look. Read About Dinosaurs. Lerner, 01/2026. [24]pp. Reader. PLB $29.32. 979-8-7656-8982-0. Paper $9.99. 979-8-3480-2908-1. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.           

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Gigantoraptor by Tom Jackson for series review.

Beth Gousman—Montclair Elementary School / Oakland Unified School District

Nayberg, Yevgenia. Chernobyl, Life, and Other Disasters: A Graphic Memoir. Yevgenia Nayberg, Illus. Holiday House/Porter, 04/2026. 144pp. Graphic. Trade $24.99. 978-0-8234-6058-8. Paper $15.99. 978-0-8234-6278-0. GRADES 5–7. OUTSTANDING.

This distinctive graphic memoir recaptures the atmosphere and events of the author-illustrator’s childhood in Soviet-era Kyiv—wanting to be an artist like her mom, learning to read, growing her hair long, discovering she is Jewish, becoming a big sister, and dealing with eccentric adults in her family and at school. All this is leading up to the events of 1986, when she turns eleven and prepares to apply to the art academy and the catastrophe in Chernobyl upends the life of her family and her city. Her mom and her art teacher urge her to learn how to draw and paint in the straightforward style that will get her accepted at the academy, so that she will have the freedom to draw how she wants in the future. We as readers get to enjoy what she does with her freedom: the collage elements, such as a handwritten and illustrated list of art supplies; the dramatic pops of bright color in the overall palette of muted browns, aquas, and greens; and the somewhat stylized human figures and faces that are reminiscent of Matisse and Picasso. The wry author’s note at the end explores the funny and disturbing ways that people remember events differently or not at all, and says that she is the acknowledged historian of her family but not of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986—“And here, in my own story, I wanted to be as true to my own 11-year-old self as possible.” The author has succeeded brilliantly in this poignant, sharply observed, and frequently funny graphic memoir.

Jennifer Vetter—Montclair Elementary School / Oakland Unified School District

Barrow, Rebecca. Doe. Penguin Random House / Nancy Paulsen, 06/2026. 368pp. Fiction. Trade $20.99. 979-8-2170-0633-5. GRADES 10–Adult. HIGH ADDITIONAL.         

The girls on the cheerleading team come from disadvantaged backgrounds and carry a lot of anxieties, but as long as they have Coach’s tough love and the fearless leadership of their team captain, Maris, they are invincible. Doe, an evil entity trapped in the decaying body of a deer, has been watching Maris and her group—so when a new girl named Genevieve upends the entire team dynamic, the creature understands exactly how to utilize Maris’s rage. Told in verse, Barrow (The Tournament) alternates chapters from the perspectives of Maris, Doe, Genevieve, and the collective voice of the Team; in this way, she slowly builds a growing sense of dread while emphasizing that the girls’ unchecked emotions are as frightening as the paranormal. Characters are described ambiguously overall, but the team reads as a racially diverse group of girls. Maris is a lesbian and cues Black.

Jennifer Taylor—Palo Alto City Library

Levithan, David. Fight of Our Lives, The: AIDS in America. Addl. Creator Gabriel Duckels. Knopf, 04/2026. 466pp. Nonfiction. Trade $24.99. 978-0-593-71092-0. GRADES 9–Adult. OUTSTANDING.           

Both teens and adults will appreciate this history of the AIDS crisis in the United States because it relies on a wealth of interviews and personal stories instead of an emphasis on science and research. The authors clearly detail the depth of the crisis and calamity it caused for so many people, both patients and their friends and family members. Included are published interviews from people who have died as well as AIDS activists who are still alive, giving the narrative an immediacy and infusing a sense of passion about the fight against this disease and its stigma. The book is generally organized chronologically but jumps around somewhat in places; still, most sections are very compelling for such a long book. Both well-known figures like Ryan White and Pedro Zamora are included, as well as other activists who represent women, doctors, political figures, and all areas of the LGBTQ+ community. The book includes sections with comics, zine articles, newspaper reproductions, and other visuals; there are source notes, but no index.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Wolitzer, Meg. Found Sound. Addl. Creator Charlie Panek. Dutton, 04/2026. 224 [+6]pp. Fiction. Trade $17.99. 978-1-1019-9462-7. GRADES 4–6. ADDITIONAL.        

Rising sixth grader Felix finds a field recorder in his summer vacation home along with a scavenger hunt clue and an instruction: “From here on out, record what’s all around.” When Felix teams up with his eccentric neighbor, Marigold, the two embark on a series of increasingly difficult tasks to learn how to create electronic music out of their recordings and solve the mystery behind the clues; as each step takes them deeper into the science of sound, they also come to appreciate the value of family and friendship. Meg Wolitzer and her son Charlie Panek excel in their creation of realistic, relatable, and highly likable. The mystery suffers, however, from overly-complicated clues that require the reader to follow a rather advanced series of lessons on sound theory. Readers interested in music may enjoy the mysterious hunt, but most will likely prefer to focus on the characters themselves. Characters read as white. Back matter includes author notes, resources on creating electronic music, and acknowledgements.

Jennifer Taylor—Palo Alto City Library

Jackson, Tom. Gigantoraptor: A First Look. Read About Dinosaurs. Lerner, 01/2026. [24]pp. Reader. PLB $29.32. 979-8-7656-8981-3. Paper $9.99. 979-8-3480-2907-4 GRADES Preschool–2. ADDITIONAL.           

This dinosaur-based series includes twelve books, with one to two sentences per page for new readers. Within the text, captions have questions for an adult to ask the child as they read. Much of the text is a description of the physical features of the dinosaur. Text color is black on a white page to make it easier for new readers to decipher and is accompanied by computer-generated illustrations. Each book in the series ends by reminding readers that the dinosaur is extinct and that dinosaur bones can be useful in helping determine how the dinosaur lived. Back matter includes an index, photo acknowledgements, a glossary, additional resources, and a STEM Snapshot intended for educators to spur discussion with students.

Beth Gousman—Montclair Elementary School / Oakland Unified School District

Oliver, Mary. Goldfinches. Melissa Sweet, Illus. Viking, 03/2026. 40pp. Poetry. Trade $18.99. 978-05-9369-241-7. GRADES Kindergarten–5. OUTSTANDING.

A visually stunning accompaniment to a poem by renowned poet Mary Oliver is filled with the ephemeral magic of nature at its best, with both the writing and the artwork infused with a keen eye for detail and a delight in beauty. The color palette is rich in vivid pinks and yellows, inspired by the bright plumage of male goldfinches and vibrant flowering thistles. Thoughtful design and composition gracefully integrate facts, textures and hand-lettered text throughout. An exuberant tribute to the late Mary Oliver, exemplifying her body of work in a beautiful union of the visual and poetic experiences of nature’s wonder.

Alexandre Petrakis—San Francisco Public Library

Dike, Angel. Helping Daddy. Ebony Glenn, Illus. Nosy Crow, 05/2026. [24]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 979-8-88777-271-4. GRADES Preschool–Kindergarten. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

This toddler is busy helping Daddy with various household tasks, from laundry and cooking to eating and planting. Each time, Daddy is also busy cleaning, since toddlers are quite messy with these activities. Happily, Daddy and toddler become busy with laughing during a bubbly bathtime and fall asleep together during storytime. Colorful digital illustrations accompany a few words per page, showing Black toddler and Daddy, the youngster’s antics and the dad’s patience.  Easy to share and read aloud; the experience may be enhanced by an audio version on the publisher’s website.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Akbari, Nazneen. Home Away from Home. Rashin Kheiriyeh, Illus. Barefoot, 02/2026. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 979-8-88859-896-2. Paper $9.99. 979-8-88859-945-7. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.          

When Nuha travels from the U.S. to Oman to see her grandma (Jadda) for the first time in three years, she is introduced to the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, textures, and delights of the souk (market). The author’s experience growing up in Oman, and the illustrator’s experience in Iran, lend authenticity to this simple story that condenses the visit into one long day. The story focuses on Nuha and Jadda’s relationship to the exclusion of Nuha’s mother, who is only barely present, despite serving as the bridge between the two locations, languages, and cultures—an especially jarring omission given how young Nuha appears to be. Kheiriyeh’s full-bleed oil paint and oil crayon illustrations using a sketched style depict vividly bright, colorful, and enticing scenes, with crafts, architecture, clothing, food, musical instruments, signage, and vistas typical of Oman and other Arabian Peninsula countries. Parents of bicultural children, especially those born to immigrants from the Arab world like Akbari herself, might use this book to prepare their youngest children for a trip back to a grandparent’s home country, while other families might find it a friendly introduction to the region. A focus on dolls and shopping may limit interest.

Erica Siskind—Oakland Public Library

Podesta, Lena. I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log. Lena Podesta, Illus. Ten Speed, 05/2026. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-0-5938-3829-7. GRADES Kindergarten–2. OUTSTANDING.       

A confident but unreliable narrator and an opinionated log team up to subvert expectations and delight with droll humor. Amongst the laughs readers learn that, while a log may not talk, or sing, or move (on its own), it can do many surprising, amazing, glorious, life-changing things. Cheerful, digitally-created cartoon illustrations are full of detail and simple charm. Speech bubbles, expressive eyes, and some swell one-liners give the log plenty of personality. An excellent nature-themed readaloud that is easy to tie into curriculum. Back matter highlights a log’s four key contributions to the ecosystem. An author’s note provides guidance, encourages exploration, and poses questions. Review based on an ARC.

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Onajin, Alaba. Case of the Missing Kolo, The. Alaba Onajin, Illus. Korobá; bk.1. Holiday House, 02/2026. 142pp. Graphic. Paper $14.99. 978-0-8234-6251-3. GRADES 3–6. OUTSTANDING.

Solving the mystery of a missing “kolo”—a special piggy bank for an annual festival—provides a fascinating view into a small fishing community in Lagos in this graphic novel by a Nigerian creator, featuring Korobá, a girl of about nine years and her friends. Korobá helps her family by selling fish at the local market, running errands for her mom, and caring for younger siblings. Her curiosity, common sense, kindness, and reasoning skills are echoed by her two friends, and amplified in how they treat the other young characters whose behavior is less ideal. Like the Akissi series (Abouet, Flying Eye Books, 2013–2020) set in the Ivory Coast, this also presents authentic, ordinary life, with a strong feeling of community and a beautifully unique locale. The added dimension of deductive logic with visual clues, as well as the amazingly detailed views of their village on stilts and the children dashing along boardwalks or rowing boats between their houses, creates nuance and delight, especially for readers ages eight to ten. Fine black outlines and smoothly vivid coloring resemble hand-drawn animation, both in dramatic close-ups and in landscapes showing a full world of realistic and culturally specific architecture, clothing, livelihood, and social networks. The unity of text and illustration, being at once entertaining and educational, silly and serious, make this graphic novel stand out for adults as well as for young mystery-solvers, who will be eager for the next volume.

Erica Siskind—Oakland Public Library

Pennypacker, Sara. Lions’ Run, The. Jon Klassen, Illus. Balzer + Bray, 02/2026. 288pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-1-2503-9281-7. GRADES 3–6. OUTSTANDING.

Pennypacker delivers action, suspense, and emotional tension in her historical fiction, set in Nazi-occupied France in 1944. Orphan Louis Dubois rescues a bag of drowning kittens and stores them in a barn where he encounters Alice, a strong-willed British girl, hiding her thoroughbred horse in the same place. A friendship develops between the two as Louis keeps up his post as a delivery boy for the local grocer. His deliveries allow him to enter the Lebensborn, a literal Nazi breeding ground for birthing future Nazis from unwed young women. Louis becomes a messenger for the Resistance and befriends one of the mothers, who believes she can reunite with her baby. A perilous plan, a horse, a stolen baby, and a gripping ending highlight the humanity of this story. Pennypacker brings to light the Lebensborn, a more unknown part of WWII, in an undidactic tone. Readers will be rooting for Louis, the quintessential underdog.  A perfect fit for fans of The War That Saved My Life (Bradley, Dial, 2015) and Max in the House of Spies (Gidwitz, Dutton, 2024). Includes a map and author’s note.

Yesica Hurd—Berkeley Public Library

Smith, Niki. Midsummer Sisters. Niki Smith, Illus. Scholastic /Graphix, 06/2026. 272pp. Graphic. Trade $14.99. 978-1-5461-2894-6. GRADES 4–7. HIGH ADDITIONAL.       

Stepsisters Kenzie and Quinn spend a magical summer with their grandmother, while wondering if their sisterhood will stay the same if their fighting parents get a divorce. This middle grade graphic novel sparkles with the magic of summer as colorful panels depict the girls spending days along the water observing wild ponies. The bright color palette captures the essence of vacation, providing a beautiful backdrop to the more emotionally intense moments of the story. Kenzie and Quinn’s sisterly relationship is confronted with the impending reality of their parent’s divorce—and moving away from one another—which offers a unique, yet realistic, approach to the divorce subject. Beyond the parental conflict, the girls are fleshed out characters with their own internal struggles, including Quinn’s queer crush on a friend back home. Quinn is white; Kenzie’s race is ambiguous, and she has a distinctive facial birthmark. Realistic fiction graphic novel fans will enjoy the balance of beautiful summer scenes, unique character design, and emotional conflict.

Willow Faust—Alameda Free Library

Salmon, Caspar. Now You Know Your ABCs… (Or Do You?). Matt Hunt, Illus. Nosy Crow, 04/2026. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 979-8-88777-224-0. GRADES Kindergarten–3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

An unseen narrator encourages readers to call out the word for each letter, beginning with “A” for apple, but soon veers off to unexpected words when a wolf shows up. As the story deals with the crisis and travels through different landscapes, each phrase keeps up with the alphabet theme but draws on funny and unusual choices—“lost, ” “Madame,” and “non” make an appearance as we land in France. This meta-fictional take on the alphabet will make more sense to school-age readers than to young children learning the alphabet, because they will understand the humor and will be able to predict some of the word choices. The full-color cartoon artwork offers a chance for readers to find the wolf, who is often hidden in the background in many scenes. This will appeal to fans of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems and The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak, although not as clever as either.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Jackson, Tom. Parasaurolophus: A First Look. Read About Dinosaurs. Lerner, 01/20206. [24]pp. Reader. PLB $29.32. 979-8-7656-8980-6.  Paper $9.99. 979-8-3480-29067. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Gigantoraptor by Tom Jackson for series review.

Beth Gousman—Montclair Elementary School / Oakland Unified School District

Hale, Christy. Reaching Across the Sky: A Celebration of Bridges. Christy Hale, Illus. Little, Brown / Christy Ottaviano, 05/2026. 41pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-0-316-57547-8. GRADES 1–5. OUTSTANDING.    

Following up Hale’s previous book Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building (Lee & Low, 2012), this new entry describes more than 100 bridges around the world and throughout history and how they are built. The text has two areas: one brief sentence per spread in large print is made to be read to an audience, accompanied by brief paragraphs in smaller print defining many of the concepts depicted such as beam and clapper bridges. The ten-page section at the end goes into more detail on the different types of bridges, how they are made, and what they are made of, and includes a glossary and a brief list of other books and websites to read. The cut paper collage art dramatically shows many of the bridges in their natural environments, including mountains, deserts, and bodies of water. The clear and lively text and the illustrations work together perfectly, appealing to a wide age range.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Charles, Tami. Remember Her Name!: Debbie Allen’s Rise to Fame. Meredith Lucius, Illus. Charlesbridge, 02/2026. [32]pp. Biography. Trade $17.99. 978-1-62354-565-9. GRADES Kindergarten–4. HIGH ADDITIONAL.    

In this picture book biography of award-winning actress, director, and choreographer Debbie Allen, readers will learn about her struggle to take dance class in segregated Houston, Texas. In fact, her family moved to Mexico for three years so she could take ballet lessons. The text is smoothly written in free verse poetry, clearly describing the racism she endured without sensationalizing her experience. The digital artwork does a good job of depicting people, the locations, and the movement of dance. The author’s note, timeline, and other back matter fill out the story for those interested in more details about this ground-breaking woman, although her equally successful sister Phylicia Rashad is not mentioned by name.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Kelly, Erin Entrada. Second Life of Snap, The. HarperCollins / Greenwillow, 05/2026. 176pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-0-0634-8595-2. GRADES 4–7. OUTSTANDING.     

Two-time Newbery Award winner Erin Entrada Kelly continues her science fiction streak in this tale of twelve-year-old Susannah “Zuzu” Santos, who spends every evening running around with her friends, the Valleycats. Her postapocalyptic world has divided humans into “Bounties,” the privileged elite who live luxuriously in a walled city called Bountiful, and “Dusties” like Zuzu and her father, who scramble for survival outside the city. When her father arrives home one night having lost his job but gained a guardian robot as his severance package, Zuzu at first rejects the robot as a symbol of the rich. But once her friend Elias adds some special programming, the robot Snap gradually reveals a unique ability to feel friendship. Because his charger arrived broken, however, Snap will reboot to factory settings when he eventually runs out of power, thereby losing the personality that’s won over Zuzu and the Valleycats. Kelly effectively uses this plot point to build suspense throughout the novel, tracking Snap’s draining battery life chapter by chapter. Though a quick read, this story packs an emotional wallop with stakes that feel real, plus a timely exploration of both AI integration and resource conservation. Zuzu and her father are Filipino; her group of friends is also racially diverse.

Kristin Shaw-Hall—Belvedere Tiburon Library

Berry, Carlotta A. STEM Kids Make a Robot, The. Samuel Valentino, Illus. NSTA Kids, 05/2026. 150pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 979-8-89977-009-8. GRADES 3–5. ADDITIONAL.       

A diverse group of fourth grade students have been assigned a group project: helping to solve a problem. Santana, Tyler, Ebony and Minyuan name their group STEM and work through many problem-solving steps to come up with possible problems to address and their possible solutions, before focusing on and designing a way to help with their selected problem: long lines while students sort trash and recycle in the cafeteria. They design and then learn how to build a robotic machine to assist students with sorting. The group seems to have plenty of school time for the project, and lots of support from a dedicated Maker room and teacher, which most schools are unlikely to have. This ethnically diverse group figures out ways to harness thir different backgrounds and personalities into a cohesive project. Although not an exciting storyline, experiencing how a group project can come together and work out due to good teamwork is interesting and could be useful to many readers.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Adamson, Ged. That Bird Can Draw. Ged Adamson, Illus. Nosy Crow, 06/2026. [30]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 979-8-88777-236-3. GRADES Kindergarten–1. ADDITIONAL.          

A beret-wearing girl with pale skin and purple hair enjoys creating art. Dismay sets in when her grandpa’s new pet bird, Vera, begins creating seemingly better, more awe-inspiring works of art than she can. Various mediums and art types are depicted, including paint on canvas, a stone sculpture, a mural, and a collage. The young artist becomes discouraged, but after a little encouragement from Grandpa and Vera the bird, she keeps creating and collaborates with Vera.  Readers will be surprised by what the bird can do, while relating to the girl’s simpler artwork, and relieved at Grandpa’s efforts to showcase the girl’s art. Budding artists will appreciate the variety of art and the message that every artist is different.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Chapman, Jane. This Was Not the Plan. Jane Chapman, Illus. Tiger Tales, 04/2026. [28]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-6643-0078-1. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.       

Spike the bear and Roscoe the rabbit go on a camping trip that is full of mishaps, including using an upside-down map and not being able to start a fire. Spike is frustrated but Roscoe shows him that you have to be flexible and look for the positive. The story has humor, which makes the lesson go down easily. The full-color artwork, likely done in gouache, has charm and will carry to a large group, similar to Karma Wilson’s “Bear and Friends” series. Although this doesn’t break new ground, it makes for an enjoyable story.

Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool

Pizzoli, Greg. When the Sun Goes Down. Greg Pizzoli, Illus. Penguin Random House, 04/2026. [34]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-593-64980-0. GRADES Kindergarten–1. HIGH ADDITIONAL.           

A young girl with light skin and brown hair wonders where animals, bugs, insects, and people sleep once night falls. Her gentle curiosity will appeal to young readers who enjoy questions about the natural world. Simple cartoon-style drawings, created with a Pentel pocket brush pen, create bright illustrations of a cozy house, ants, fish, a bird, a butterfly, and the girl herself to bring each nighttime resting place to life. The repeated phrase “when the sun goes down” adds warmth and predictability, making this picture book a soothing and engaging choice for reading aloud before bedtime.

Eboni Weston—San José State University iSchool Student

Atkins, Marcie Flinchum. When Twilight Comes: The Animals and Plants that Bring Dawn and Dusk to Life. Michelle Morin, Illus. Chronicle, 03/2026. 48pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-7972-1679-9. GRADES Kindergarten–2. OUTSTANDING.    

The book presents a selection of the crepuscular plant and animal species found in North America, such as bats, fireflies, owls, coyotes, evening primrose, and morning glory, and highlighting the activity occurring in the dawn and dusk periods. The poetic writing style creates a calm, reflective mood while blending scientific facts with descriptive language. The watercolors and gouaches, in a combination of blues, purples, golds, and warm earth colors, successfully convey the magic of the period when twilight occurs. The book also includes a glossary, author’s note, bibliography, and additional resources. Although sometimes the transitions between animals are abrupt, the book’s warm and detailed illustrations, simple nonfiction text, and fascinating facts make it a great choice for schools, libraries, and nature collections.

Nereida Bravo—Belvedere-Tiburon Library