A straightforward and relevant anti-division story that one hopes will inspire young readers.
Conflict divides neighbors in Chenoy’s debut picture book.
The story follows two families who “were very different. They had different gods. They ate different foods. They dressed differently. Even their pets were very different” (one family has a cat, the other, a dog). Despite these differences, they discover shared interests through games like football and hide-and-seek, but the greatest connection between them is a beautiful rose bush that the families care for together. One day, an unspecified argument causes the two sets of parents to turn on each other (to the confusion and dismay of their children), and the families erect a barbed-wire fence between their properties. Both families neglect the rose bush, which begins to shrivel up and die. This deterioration catches the attention of the pets, who decide to tear down “the wretched barbed wire” that has only encouraged more animosity. With no barrier standing between them, the families are able to reconcile, and to nurse the rose bush back to life. Chenoy’s simple story convincingly gets across a timely message of empathy, cooperation, and the value of finding common ground, making it a helpful asset for parents wishing to teach these traits. Katiyar’s stylishly minimalist digital illustrations are simple yet striking, mainly rendered in black and white with symbolic pops of color (especially red) that highlight the narrative’s important moments.
A straightforward and relevant anti-division story that one hopes will inspire young readers.Pub Date: Nov. 24, 2026
ISBN: 9789370891609
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Wonder House Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 10, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.
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)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026
ISBN: 9780063436121
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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