The power of nature captivates and compels in this phenomenal tale of pushing limits.
Caldecott Medalist Floca and Hans Christian Andersen Award–winning illustrator Smith tell the story of two youngsters braving a gale.
While their parent collects laundry that has flown off the line, the children—presumably siblings—walk away. “Now take my hand / and we’ll go see / the sea before the storm.” At first that seems the beginning and ending of their adventure as they stand on worn stones watching the waves “SMASH on the rocks and EXPLODE into spray.” Then something compels the kids to continue. “You pull on me, I pull on you, and we decide to go on,” the author repeats in what feels like a chant. Only too late do the siblings realize that they’ve gone too far; they race for home through the rapidly approaching dark and rain, toward light and warmth and their relieved parent. Smith’s impressionistic watercolor and gouache illustrations convey not simply the horrifying strength of the storm, but also the way the light of day changes and shifts throughout the kids’ walk. The images plunge readers into heart-stopping moments, rendered real thanks to Floca’s incredibly evocative wordplay, capable of eliciting both fear and comfort. Readers will experience this tempest alongside the characters, every step of the way. Yet the true heart and soul of the book resides in the siblings’ relationship as they weather the weather—and more—together. The characters are light-skinned.
The power of nature captivates and compels in this phenomenal tale of pushing limits. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 22, 2025
ISBN: 9780823456475
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Neal Porter/Holiday House
Review Posted Online: April 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
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
A charming mix of science lesson and winsome storytelling.
The perky red squirrel introduced in The Leaf Thief (2020) is confused.
Bird and Squirrel both love summer, but when Bird calls out a cheery “Night night,” Squirrel, yawning himself, is incredulous: “BEDTIME? It can’t be! The sun’s still up, look!” Naturally there’s a lot more bewilderment ahead. Some weeks later, Squirrel is alarmed to see it’s dark at toothbrushing time. In skittish Squirrel’s view, a “sun thief”—who also made an odd “hoo” sound the other night—is responsible. Bird explains that as summer goes on, the sun sets earlier and earlier each night and reassures Squirrel that owls cry “hoo.” But the very next evening, at bathtime, Squirrel shines a bright light into the dark, sees something looming, and screams that the sun thief has “crashed into my tree!” Patient Bird, roused from slumber, points out that it’s just Bat. But “why was she flapping about in the dark?” Now Bird explains what nocturnal means. Once again, Squirrel is amusingly slow on the uptake, allowing readers to feel superior as Hemming gently folds in some science. Slater’s witty illustrations also lighten the lessons: Bird hangs a tiny T-shirt and shorts on a diminutive laundry line and sleeps tucked into a cozy repurposed sardine can, where a scared Squirrel attempts to squeeze in; Squirrel sports a pink bath towel and shower cap; a real thief quietly makes off with a couple of items (though Squirrel and Bird remain blissfully unaware).
A charming mix of science lesson and winsome storytelling. (info on light changes and diurnal/nocturnal) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464258183
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2026
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