Winsome lessons in problem-solving and collaboration.
Helpful friends make mighty superheroes.
Camilla, a wild boar, and Parsley, her porcupine neighbor, are discussing superpowers when their honeybee friend Melli flies in through the window. She explains she’s been exhausted lately because flowers are so sparse that she and fellow hive mates must fly long distances for their nectar and pollen. Camilla comes up with a plan: establishing water stations and planting flowers in the forest. Melli and her fellow bees offer advice on station locations and which flowers to plant. Camilla, a keen cartographer, devises a map on which to mark the station setups, ensuring their proximity to the hive. Other forest animals pitch in, and a big party celebrates the work’s completion. At summer’s end, there’s more to cheer: Flowers bloom, the bees have stored lots of honey, and Melli has more visiting time. Parsley tells Camilla her “special powers” are “spatial,” with Melli adding that Camilla and Parsley are both “super.” Besides offering an introduction to spatial thinking, this story explores cooperation and bee conservation and teaches simple methods for assisting nature’s vital pollinators. Younger children likely won’t understand the calculations Camilla uses to create her map; those unfamiliar with metric measurements also might get confused. The colorful, lively illustrations are appealing; the animal protagonists are expressive and sympathetic. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Winsome lessons in problem-solving and collaboration. (note to parents & caregivers) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 16, 2023
ISBN: 9781433841934
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Magination/American Psychological Association
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling.
In this picture book from Fox News journalist Hall, a young hedgehog must find a way to protect his community when peril looms.
Hedgehog and his father both have busy days ahead. Dad’s on his way to the newspaper to report “what new news the news brings.” Hedgehog packs his backpack for an adventure, mindful of Dad’s rules: “Don’t talk to strangers” and “never ever cross the river alone.” Obeying the rules proves difficult when Hedgehog notices commotion on the other side of the river: A bear is hungrily eyeing Baby Owl, who’s fallen from her tree. With creative thinking, Hedgehog frightens off the bear and alerts Mama Owl, but the predator is still at large. So Hedgehog and Mama Owl create flyers to warn the forest residents. Though Motzo’s airy illustrations are pleasing—particularly the adorably animated Hedgehog, a tribute to Hall’s own children—the narrative feels bogged down with multiple themes as it attempts to explore the power of the written word, the importance of community, and the need to adhere to a parent’s rules. When Hedgehog apologizes for his apparent disobedience, Dad explains that Hedgehog never actually broke the rules; turns out it’s OK to cross the river in the company of an adult, and Mama Owl’s no stranger (she’s the town librarian, whom Hedgehog sees every week). The back-and-forth may leave readers confused; it also feels like a missed opportunity to discuss how to identify trustworthy adults.
Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780063357549
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026
Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model.
The third title in the Ambitious Girl series finds young Maya wanting accomplished women to get their due.
On a school trip to Washington, D.C., brown-skinned, bubble-braided Maya is full of questions, among them “How many representatives are there?” and, while checking out the statues and monuments, “Where are all the women?” Maya’s teacher tells her that they’ve seen all the “popular” statues and monuments. Maya is as dogged (“But what about Eleanor Roosevelt? Or Mary McLeod Bethune?”) as her teacher is dismissive: “Those aren’t on my list.” (Maya’s teacher follows the same list every trip.) Back at home, Maya is newly awakened to the lack of female representation in her orbit—she notices that streets and “even her own school” are named for men. Is there anything she can do about this? Maya’s teacher’s cluelessness feels a bit implausible, more like a plot device to steer the story in the right direction, but Maya’s righteous indignation is believable, and her corresponding activism will energize readers. Valdez gets into the spirit of things with her invigorating digital art: Maya and her multiethnic classmates and neighbors are colorful dressers with smiling faces, which fosters a sense that wherever Maya goes, a warm and ebullient community is there for her.
Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780316561341
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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