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SAME TIME, NEXT WEEK?

Name: SAME TIME, NEXT WEEK?
Author: Marlene Droop
ISBN: 9780735846302

by Marlene Droop ; illustrated by Marlene Droop ; translated by Alisha Niehaus Berger ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 15, 2026

An affirming reminder to always look on the bright side of life.

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Though a road trip out of the city to see the stars goes awry, four animal friends find joy in the journey.

Night is falling, and Giraffe, Turtle, Sheep, and Crocodile pile into a van to stargaze. Exiting a bright city teeming with cars and towering skyscrapers, they enter a dim, pastoral countryside, a rural/urban divide marked by an impressive visual demarcation. Though their trip is low-key, it’s relatable. The unusual but obviously affectionate friend group chitchats, and small moments of gentle humor—around things like Giraffe’s umbrella keeping his protruding head dry and Turtle’s penchant for road snacks—keep the trip rolling along. When the van’s occupants agree to a brief nap that goes long, it’s a near disaster. They’ve missed the stars. But rather than bemoan their error, they embrace the moment and share the sunrise together, pledging to try again next week, this time “a smidge earlier.” Buttery yellow highlights and large swatches of dusky black, gray, and green made from scribbly lines give the art a burnished look that makes their trip feel like an odyssey, especially when the friends contentedly watch the sky become suffused with sunlight. Droop’s naïve-style art, with its jittery, impressionistic lines, adds to the sense of childlike wonder. Translated from German, the narrative feels pleasantly conversational, almost like an early reader.

An affirming reminder to always look on the bright side of life. (Picture book. 4-9)

Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2026

ISBN: 9780735846302

Page Count: 40

Publisher: NorthSouth

Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

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THE PUMPKIN THIEF

From the Leaf Thief series

by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 28, 2026

More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SUN THIEF
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SNOW THIEF
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BISON AND THE BUTTERFLY
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nancy Leschnikoff

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DOG DAYS

From the Carver Chronicles series , Vol. 1

by Karen English ; illustrated by Laura Freeman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 17, 2013

This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...

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A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.

Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.

This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)