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DON'T CALL ME BEAR!

Name: DON'T CALL ME BEAR!
Author: Aaron Blabey
ISBN: 978-1-338-36002-8

by Aaron Blabey ; illustrated by Aaron Blabey ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 17, 2019

Modestly informational and totally fun.

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An anguished koala beseeches readers not to confuse koalas with bears.

Warren, a frustrated marsupial, introduces himself and carefully explains the confusion. Yes, he’s furry, and yes, the explorer Capt. Cook misidentified his species years ago, but Cook was wrong. Bears live in the U.S., Canada, and the polar regions. “Australia doesn’t have bears!” Australia has marsupials such as kangaroos and wombats, emus (which are not chickens), and platypuses (which are not ducks). Blabey’s smoothly rhyming text is set in varying typefaces and fonts to emphasize Warren’s vexation. Australian terms, such as “chook” for chicken (defined in context) and “bush,” meaning a sparsely inhabited region, have been retained in this U.S. edition of a title first published in Australia in 2016. Humorous acrylic paintings feature the koala wearing various types of garb. In a chart of five marsupial species, all wear only tighty whities, guaranteeing giggles. Speech bubbles set on commanding background colors (lime green, deep yellow, ginger orange, light olive, and a deep red) carry the text and will show well to a group of kids who may want to chime in. Observant viewers will notice the crossed-out word in the phrase “koala bear” on a book cover and a toy store sign. When the kangaroo, emu, and platypus point out the obvious—he looks like a bear—he leaves in disgust. Pair with Jackie French and Bruce Whatley’s Diary of a Wombat (2003) for an Australian storytime.

Modestly informational and totally fun. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-338-36002-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
CAT ON THE RUN IN HIDDEN LAYERS!
by Aaron Blabey ; illustrated by Aaron Blabey

- BOOK REVIEW
CRANKY PUG
by Aaron Blabey ; illustrated by Aaron Blabey

- BOOK REVIEW
CAT ON THE RUN IN CUCUMBER MADNESS!
by Aaron Blabey ; illustrated by Aaron Blabey

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MEI MEI THE BUNNY

by Laufey ; illustrated by Lauren O'Hara ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 21, 2026

A reassuring riff on embracing imperfections.

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A young rabbit frets about her upcoming violin performance in Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey’s literary debut.

Mei Mei’s dream—“to share her music with the world”—is about to come true. She’s having her very first recital, complete with an orchestra, at the H’Opera House. But the day before the concert, Mei Mei is racked with anxiety. What if she plays a bum note in front of everyone? Sure enough, the worst happens mid-performance: She hits a clinker. But by remembering her mom’s reassuring sentiments from the night before (“Feel the wind…find the notes to make it right”), Mei Mei summons the strength to soldier on, and “wrong notes become right. Dissonance becomes beautiful.” At times, it all feels more like a resilience parable than a story, and the writing can be precious (“The flutter of butterflies wakes Mei Mei from her slumber”). Still, the message is solid, bolstered by O’Hara’s pencil and watercolor illustrations, which are plush-toy soft—fitting, as even prior to this book’s publication, a stuffed Mei Mei has been for sale at Grammy winner Laufey’s website. The tale features an all-animal, all-adorable cast, and endearingly, the art betrays no hint of modern times. A standout image presents Mei Mei onstage, temporarily incapacitated by her mistake and imagining her fellow musicians and their instruments with the color-blasted menace of an expressionist painting.

A reassuring riff on embracing imperfections. (author’s note, glossary) (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: April 21, 2026

ISBN: 9798217051748

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Penguin Workshop

Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

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IT'S MY BIRD-DAY!

From the Pigeon series

by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2026

Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.

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Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!

Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.

Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)