Strikingly illustrated and imbued with a relevant message.
Reno and Lupton draw from their Cherokee heritage to tell the story of a young girl learning about her own Indigenous ancestry.
From the time that Willa was first born, her Spirit Shadow has been with her. This Spirit, illustrated as a brown-skinned adult with long, flowing dark hair, follows Willa everywhere as she grows, a presence that she feels but doesn’t see. One day, Willa visits Diligwa, a re-created ancient village and example of “living Cherokee history.” There, with Spirit, she learns about her ancestors, the Trail of Tears, and the story of her people’s resilience. Back at school, Willa shares what she learned with her classmates and realizes that all of them have their own Spirit Shadows standing with them, too. The story offers a powerful message about embracing one’s heritage, as well as a heartwarming takeaway about our interconnectedness and shared histories woven together through time. Lupton’s illustrations, deeply rich and full of warm browns and burgundies paired with lush greens, include swirls of movement. Intricate embroideries and patterns that sweep across the page are emblematic of Cherokee art and textiles and skillfully represent a connection between past and present. This memorable and visually dynamic narrative will also serve as a strong starting place for those eager to discover more about Cherokee history. Willa and her mother are drawn with light brown skin and dark brown hair; Willa’s classmates range in skin tone.
Strikingly illustrated and imbued with a relevant message. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 17, 2026
ISBN: 9780823453108
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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