Sweetly affirming and quietly clever.
One mild, sunny day, a town slowly awakens.
“Empty sidewalks doze. / Tree boughs gently sway. / Main Street blinks awake, quiet, still, and gray.” Minimally detailed, purplish drawings of two-story houses with subtle facial features move across the gutter in the foreground, while in the background, yellow sunbeams shine down on trash bins with sleepy smiles. “Soft light slowly spreads, / bin by sleepy bin. / Flag scoots up the pole. / Produce van pulls in.” Bailey’s text continues its easy rhythm and rhyme, combining charming whimsy such as a lamppost standing up straight and eggs that “scramble onto plates” with realistic, everyday events including workers opening shops, cleaning clock faces, and scrubbing sewer covers. Onward to flowers that “primp and preen” (Bailey makes rich use of vocabulary) and street market tents that smile! Lee’s naïve artwork perfectly complements the verse, planting subtle smiles on all manner of things living and nonliving. Keen observers of the art will notice a ubiquitous red cat that’s finally called out in the text toward the end. A diverse human population appears throughout; a bird’s-eye view of the town square is especially noteworthy. This book is best shared in an intimate setting so readers can spend time poring over the illustrations—crucial to the appreciation of the warm, lulling words.
Sweetly affirming and quietly clever. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 12, 2025
ISBN: 9781454948551
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling.
In this picture book from Fox News journalist Hall, a young hedgehog must find a way to protect his community when peril looms.
Hedgehog and his father both have busy days ahead. Dad’s on his way to the newspaper to report “what new news the news brings.” Hedgehog packs his backpack for an adventure, mindful of Dad’s rules: “Don’t talk to strangers” and “never ever cross the river alone.” Obeying the rules proves difficult when Hedgehog notices commotion on the other side of the river: A bear is hungrily eyeing Baby Owl, who’s fallen from her tree. With creative thinking, Hedgehog frightens off the bear and alerts Mama Owl, but the predator is still at large. So Hedgehog and Mama Owl create flyers to warn the forest residents. Though Motzo’s airy illustrations are pleasing—particularly the adorably animated Hedgehog, a tribute to Hall’s own children—the narrative feels bogged down with multiple themes as it attempts to explore the power of the written word, the importance of community, and the need to adhere to a parent’s rules. When Hedgehog apologizes for his apparent disobedience, Dad explains that Hedgehog never actually broke the rules; turns out it’s OK to cross the river in the company of an adult, and Mama Owl’s no stranger (she’s the town librarian, whom Hedgehog sees every week). The back-and-forth may leave readers confused; it also feels like a missed opportunity to discuss how to identify trustworthy adults.
Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780063357549
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026
Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model.
The third title in the Ambitious Girl series finds young Maya wanting accomplished women to get their due.
On a school trip to Washington, D.C., brown-skinned, bubble-braided Maya is full of questions, among them “How many representatives are there?” and, while checking out the statues and monuments, “Where are all the women?” Maya’s teacher tells her that they’ve seen all the “popular” statues and monuments. Maya is as dogged (“But what about Eleanor Roosevelt? Or Mary McLeod Bethune?”) as her teacher is dismissive: “Those aren’t on my list.” (Maya’s teacher follows the same list every trip.) Back at home, Maya is newly awakened to the lack of female representation in her orbit—she notices that streets and “even her own school” are named for men. Is there anything she can do about this? Maya’s teacher’s cluelessness feels a bit implausible, more like a plot device to steer the story in the right direction, but Maya’s righteous indignation is believable, and her corresponding activism will energize readers. Valdez gets into the spirit of things with her invigorating digital art: Maya and her multiethnic classmates and neighbors are colorful dressers with smiling faces, which fosters a sense that wherever Maya goes, a warm and ebullient community is there for her.
Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780316561341
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
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