Potentially perplexing, though rewarding for the right reader—and empowering for all.
On a day at the beach, two children discover words that start with the prefix bi.
“Many words that start with ‘bi’ mean two,” Irving informs readers. The kids in Alonso’s illustrations watch a biennial plant grow, then ride bicycles with their grown-ups to the seaside. Legs outstretched, the youngsters proudly proclaim themselves to be bipeds, watch a whale through a pair of binoculars, and explore bivalve sea creatures and the concept of bilateral symmetry in butterflies. Other families at the beach introduce the terms bilingual and biracial. Irving closes with a bi word that “can mean ‘more than two’”: bisexuality, since “bi hearts love in a rainbow of ways.” Some of the concepts will be a bit abstract for young readers. A much-needed glossary goes into further detail and may allay some confusion; children and their adults will need to put in some work to understand these terms, but those interested in finding connections between words and concepts will be intrigued. The book’s soft, powdery illustrations rely heavily on the iconic pink, purple, and blue of the bi flag, particularly in the final spread, which shows silhouetted figures on the beach as the sun sets, with the phrase “Bi is beautiful” written in the sky. One of the children has dirty blond hair and pale skin, while the other has curly pigtails and light brown skin.
Potentially perplexing, though rewarding for the right reader—and empowering for all. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780593571828
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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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