A steadfast hymn from daughter to mother.
Grammy Award–winning musician Chiquis draws from personal experience for the story of a grief-stricken girl rediscovering her voice.
The child works in the garden alongside her abuelita. Among the flowers and Abuelita’s honeybees, the young gardener recalls her late mother’s wise words: “Whenever you have a problem, sing in this garden.” Memories flood back: gardening with Momma, watching her mother perform before adoring crowds, and, above all, singing songs together. But sorrow silences the girl’s voice now. At her new school, bullies disparagingly point out that her budding vocal talents don’t measure up to her mother’s renowned singing prowess. As summer passes in Abuelita’s garden, the girl notices one “busy and unafraid” bee who works harder than the others. Moved by the bee’s efforts, the little singer rekindles her passion for singing. Soon, summer ends, the bee retreats underground, and the girl feels buoyed by her mother’s songs. This serene tale of hope amid grief hits the right notes. Inspired by her childhood as the daughter of Mexican American banda music singer Jenni Rivera (who died in 2012), her experiences being bullied at school, and her own musical success, Chiquis—with an assist from co-author Norman—merges an encouraging message of renewed inner strength with a poignant tribute to her mother, complemented by Rodríguez’s cozy artwork.
A steadfast hymn from daughter to mother. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781250322999
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 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
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
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