Cheery comforts and the lightest of personality clashes define this newest entry in an already wonderful series.
“She was going to have to embrace this change, whether she wanted to or not.”
Given that the Winnie-the-Pooh books (Castillo’s most obvious influence) ended with Christopher Robin starting school, it makes total sense that this story begins with that same earth-shattering rite of passage. It’s tan-skinned young Annika Mae’s first day, and her leaving inspires her woodland friends (last seen in 2022’s A Place To Call Home) to create a school of their own. Everyone will teach the subject in which they are an expert. Hedgehog, beset by anxiety on a normal day, now finds herself wracked with indecision. She loves art, but is she an “expert” at it? After Owl teaches beginning vocabulary, Beaver building, Mole geography, and Hen math (all to varying degrees of success), Hedgehog has an encounter with Annika Mae that changes her perspective on doing what you love. Like the other books in the series, this one taps into the best elements of classic bedtime read-alouds (the first sentence of Chapter 1 begins with “In the great forest, beside the river, in a cozy fort”). Mild conflicts between characters are gently resolved, and the author displays a pitch-perfect understanding of child psychology as she explores Hedgehog’s uncertainties. Alongside her deft language, Castillo works in some humor, too, as when Owl’s incessant corrections are “bird-splained” to the other teachers.
Cheery comforts and the lightest of personality clashes define this newest entry in an already wonderful series. (Fantasy. 5-9)Pub Date: July 14, 2026
ISBN: 9780593898963
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: April 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note.
Little Honey Bunny Funnybunny loves baseball almost as much as she loves her big brother P.J.—though it’s a close-run thing.
Readers familiar with the pranks P.J. plays on his younger sibling in older episodes of the series (most illustrated by Roger Bollen) will be amused—and perhaps a little confused—to see him in the role of perfect big brother after meeting his swaddled little sister for the first time in mama’s lap. But here, along with being a constant companion and “always happy to see her,” he cements his heroic status in her eyes by hitting a home run for his baseball team and then patiently teaching her how to play T-ball. After carefully coaching her and leading her through warm-up exercises, he even sits in the stands, loudly cheering her on as she scores the winning run in her own very first game. “‘You are the best brother a bunny could ever have!’” she burbles. This tale’s a tad blander compared with others centered on P.J. and his sister, but it’s undeniably cheery, with text well structured for burgeoning readers. The all-smiles animal cast in Bowers’ cartoon art features a large and diversely hued family of bunnies sporting immense floppy ears as well as a multispecies crowd of furry onlookers equally varied of color, with one spectator in a wheelchair.
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note. (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9798217032464
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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