A sublime blend of the snarky and sweet.
The two balls of clay introduced in Claymates (2017)—one brown, one gray—now play god, with mixed results.
While the gray ball slumbers, the brown one creates a whole new blob made of blue and green clay. “I take a short nap and you make a new friend?” asks the uncertain gray ball. When it becomes clear that the new creation prefers to take the shape of a unicorn dragon, the gray ball decides to make an accompanying knight to do battle. Unfortunately, it turns out that the brown one is better at making things than its friend. Kids with peers or siblings whose artistic talents exceed their own will instantly sympathize with the gray’s increasing frustration at its inability to make a cool sword (it looks like a banana), a knight (his resemblance to a lumpy tuber lands him the nickname Sir Potato), or a horse (don’t ask). Happily, innate talent is less important than fun when it comes to using one’s imagination—a message that goes down easy, accompanied by a heavy dose of wit and whimsy. Once more, Eldridge’s sculpted creations, photographed against an artist’s desk, charm; her visual gags meld effortlessly with Petty’s written ones, rendering this book just as marvelous a read-aloud for groups as for lapsit storytimes. Additionally, Eldridge’s gift for wresting keen facial expressions—from glee to overt horror—out of her clay creations is without compare.
A sublime blend of the snarky and sweet. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 7, 2026
ISBN: 9780316564540
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 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
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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