A beautiful invitation to savor our interconnectedness with nature.
Animals care for one another, and children express parallel affections in beautiful, simple images.
Stuck on its back, a small turtle wriggles its limbs uncomfortably as a larger turtle slowly nudges it to its feet. An otter snuggles its baby close; crabs hold claws nearby. A shrew gazes over its shoulder to make sure its offspring are all lined up. Alongside these depictions of animal life, dark-haired, brown-skinned children play together in outdoor scenes—rolling in the grass, cuddling near a crackling campfire, or standing stone still to observe a butterfly. Flett’s (Cree-Métis) subtle skill with color and texture imbues each illustration with abiding calm. Seemingly simple backgrounds, on closer inspection, reveal intricacies in the art: Gentle purple streaks signify a blowing breeze; a pale green field is speckled with grasses, butterflies, and tiny flowers. The same detail extends to animals—a dog sits quite still as a ladybug passes, but loose radiating lines indicate a wiggly nose and a waggly tail. Both images and text richly communicate humans’ communion with nature: We love in much the same ways animals do, while the refrain “We love too! kîstanaw mîna” emphasizes a specifically Indigenous relationship to the natural world. Animals are mostly unnamed within the text, but their species names are given in English and Cree at the book’s close.
A beautiful invitation to savor our interconnectedness with nature. (discussion of Cree words, author’s note) (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2026
ISBN: 9781778403279
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Greystone Kids
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
An earnest graduation gift: sweet for lifelong fans, cheerfully encouraging for striving, future graduates.
Success comes at last for the bright-eyed Pigeon.
A clever, tongue-in-cheek ersatz colophon reveals that this graduate has been awarded a “Master of Ornery-thology, Bachelor of Arts of Persuasion with a Minor in Major Freak-outs (summa cum loudly).” Fans will be glad that the Pigeon’s tireless, abundant optimism is finally being ceremoniously recognized. On the cover, the Pigeon wears a mortarboard at a jaunty angle, commenting, “I have the hat!” Of course, dressing the part is essential. But also, “I did the work. I paid attention to the little details. I took some BIG steps.” The Pigeon encountered obstacles (not shown, but many memorable ones will come to mind for the Pigeon's followers). And the Pigeon is plagued by worries familiar to many students who are about to graduate: “WHAT WILL HAPPEN THEN?!? What will I do? Who will I be?” The Pigeon appears in every frame, in close-ups and in poses variously thoughtful, confident, or slightly distressed. Our hero’s simple big eyes and wings are, as ever, remarkably expressive. “Oop!” In one scene, while walking off the dais, diploma in wing, the Pigeon comes to what seems like the edge of a chasm. At last, our hero takes flight with other graduates. Willems' popular characters Gerald and Piggie are there to look on admiringly.
An earnest graduation gift: sweet for lifelong fans, cheerfully encouraging for striving, future graduates. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781454960430
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.
Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!
Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 31, 2026
ISBN: 9781454999621
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
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