May very well help children who share the protagonist’s anxieties.
A girl who frets every time the weekend wraps up finds ways to cope.
It’s Friday, school is out, and Josie is psyched to begin her weekend. But on Sunday afternoon, she gets a pit in her stomach that can mean only one thing: “Monday is coming.” So one Sunday afternoon, she makes some desperate attempts to get out of school the next day (for instance, clutching her belly and saying, “Mom, call 911. I think it’s my APPENDA-SOMETHING”). Finally, Josie confesses her worries about Monday to her parents: “WHAT IF MY TEACHER’S SICK? WHAT IF I FORGET MY LIBRARY BOOK AGAIN?” and so on. Not only does talking about her problem make Josie feel better, but it turns out that her parents get the Sunday Scaries too; comparing notes with them empowers Josie to face the school week. This story is all message and light on storytelling beats, but for readers who share Josie’s particular anxiety, it may be just what the mental-health professional ordered. While the text strains to inject levity, Naidu finds an inventive way to convey Josie’s jitters with her caricaturish art: A giant, hairy-looking green “MONDAY” appears on the wall of her bedroom and follows her around the house, the ends of the letters becoming vine-like arms that reach for her. Josie and Mom are brown-skinned; Dad is beige-skinned.
May very well help children who share the protagonist’s anxieties. (more on the Sunday Scaries, note to caregivers) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2026
ISBN: 9780593904381
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
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
Empowerment to children to be the change they wish to see in the world.
Be a “somebody” who makes a difference!
A Black child witnesses various transgressions over the course of a day. Noticing trash on the walk to the bus stop, the young narrator thinks, “Somebody should do something about that.” Two students push their way ahead of everyone else in order to get good seats on the school bus, prompting the child to muse, “Somebody should speak up about that.” Throughout the day, the child notices examples of bullying and unfairness. These seemingly minor infractions start mounting. Finally, when the protagonist’s teacher tells the students that it’s snack time, the narrator notices that some students don’t have anything to eat. Instead of wishing for a “somebody,” the perceptive pupil realizes, “I am Somebody” and shares food with the others. The epiphany doesn’t stop there. When the narrator arrives home and notices there are toys everywhere but Mom is on a work call, the child responds to Mom’s request for help by cleaning up the mess. Accompanied by simple yet expressive illustrations, this is a loving and much-needed story that encourages kids to make a difference; pair it with Joshunda Sanders’ I Can Write the World (2019), illustrated by Charly Palmer. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Empowerment to children to be the change they wish to see in the world. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 27, 2023
ISBN: 9780762480517
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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