Sure to inspire many a flight of fancy.
An ordinary day at the playground in the park turns into anything but when a group of imaginative kids meet up.
G-pa gives Cece 10 more minutes to play, but what a 10 minutes they are! At first, Cece slides and swings on the monkey bars but gradually turns to the group in the foreground: three children—Flora, Victor, and Wyatt—by a tree, one of whom has just found a “dinosaur seed” (in actuality, a rock). After cursory introductions, each of the children put their own spins on the imaginative interlude—a spooky robot, a hot lava tree—except Victor, who hangs on the periphery watching insects and insisting that rocks don’t grow…until Flora lends Victor a pair of binoculars that help the previously skeptical youngster see a gigantic dinosaur bug. One spaceship ride later, the kids gradually shed their pretend play to help the spooky robot, aka G-pa, catch his dog. As the older man listens to the kids recount their adventure, he comes up with a quest to occupy Cece on their walk home. Yankey’s characters wear bright colors and patterns that pop against the sepia backgrounds. As the children’s imaginations take off, the pages fill with color that again leaches out as they return to reality. G-pa and Cece are brown-skinned, and the supporting cast is diverse. Rereads are definitely necessary—the pictures reveal something new every time.
Sure to inspire many a flight of fancy. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9798889830337
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beaming Books
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
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
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