A clumsy but sweet springboard to discussions about spreading rumors.
A companion to The Whatifs (2020), this time exploring gossip.
Mason is a meddlesome lad, which makes him especially attractive to the buzzy swarms of “Iheards”—insectlike creatures with long proboscises, perfect for fitting in ears and whispering secrets. The Iheards surround Mason, telling him rumors of other classmates. “I heard Ameera is scared / of thunderstorms.” “I heard Valeria broke / Maya’s crayon on purpose!” All of these secrets build up inside of Mason until he can’t take it anymore. They burst forth, whether true or not, and he tells everyone. A special History Day project is assigned, and no one wants to be Mason’s partner. On the day of the presentation, Mason is distraught; the Iheards prey on his weakness, crowding and zipping around, creating literal clouds of insecurities. Luckily, classmate Natalie offers a different perspective—what if the Iheards can be good? A shift appears in both Mason and the art: He beams, and the room brightens. This tale follows the same emotional pathway as Kilgore and Perisco’s previous work but not quite as seamlessly. Framing the Iheards as positive is a bit more clunky and difficult; still, given how relevant the topic is, this one may be a jumping-off point to conversations about gossip. An author’s note further explains that we all deserve to share our own stories and that repeating rumors can be painful. Mason is light-skinned, Natalie is brown-skinned, and their classmates are diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A clumsy but sweet springboard to discussions about spreading rumors. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4998-1268-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
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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