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IN-BETWEEN PLACES

Name: IN-BETWEEN PLACES
Author: Alex Killian
ISBN: 9781452172798

by Alex Killian ; illustrated by Grady McFerrin ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 8, 2025

A hopeful book for readers of all ages, perfect for those graduating, moving away, or starting over.

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Killian and McFerrin lean into the possibilities that live in every transition.

Though fully accessible to the youngest of readers and their caregivers, this picture book will be equally appreciated by adults (young or otherwise) who find themselves “in the place between where you’re going and where you’ve been.” Playing with images of seesaws, bridges, and tunnels, McFerrin fills each full-bleed spread with saturated color and intricate details. The artwork enlivens the simple text, which begins with confident declaratives—“In-between places are not up or down, not in or out”—before transitioning to a rhythmic sequence of lines focusing on uncertainties, each beginning with “Sometimes” or “You might be.” Though each page features a riot of color and patterns, the palette is unified across the book. Relying on elegant yet child-friendly metaphors (“You might be drifting shore to shore on a cool blue sea. A gap between two mountains. A pause between two steps”), Killian acknowledges the difficulty and darkness that might accompany these in-between places but ends on an optimistic note, insisting that “sometimes they lead…somewhere unexpected but bright with possibility.” The characters vary in skin tone and family structure.

A hopeful book for readers of all ages, perfect for those graduating, moving away, or starting over. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: April 8, 2025

ISBN: 9781452172798

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THIS TABLE
by Alex Killian ; illustrated by Brooke Smart

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THE PUMPKIN THIEF

From the Leaf Thief series

by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 28, 2026

More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.

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Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.

Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.

More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: July 28, 2026

ISBN: 9781464268076

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SUN THIEF
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SNOW THIEF
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BISON AND THE BUTTERFLY
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nancy Leschnikoff

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK LOST AND FOUND

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 18, 2026

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.

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Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.

After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)