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SAME WAY BEN

Name: SAME WAY BEN
Author: Maryann Cocca-Leffler
ISBN: 978-0-8075-7222-1

by Maryann Cocca-Leffler ; illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2019

Sensitively pragmatic.

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Change happens, even to those who prefer otherwise.

“Ben liked things the same way—every day.” His clothes, the greeting from his teacher, Mrs. Garcia, and what he eats for lunch: chicken strips and an apple. But one day, the music teacher announces he’ll be their substitute for the next six weeks since Mrs. Garcia just had her baby. The substitute’s penchant for “changing things up” doesn’t sit well with Ben, and after one too many alterations, he cries out. Mrs. Garcia, coincidentally in the classroom on a surprise lunch visit with her baby, tells him that “changes make life exciting…like an adventure.” Ben accepts a bite of Mrs. Garcia’s snack—bagels with blueberries and cream cheese—and realizes he likes it. He decides to willingly try mixing some things up. Bright, cartoony drawings make the daily routine of a classroom come alive, worthily representing the center of this child’s world. Ben has beige skin and brown hair, his classmates are racially diverse and one child uses a wheelchair, and the two teachers present white. Although it is never specified, Ben’s preference for continuity could be read as stemming from autism, though the text treats Ben the same as the other members of the class. Young readers, including many not on the spectrum, can empathize with the character’s reluctance to embrace change, so the book could be a good discussion starter.

Sensitively pragmatic. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-0-8075-7222-1

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Whitman

Review Posted Online: July 23, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
MARABELLA'S MOMENT
by Maryann Cocca-Leffler ; illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

- BOOK REVIEW
DON'T ASK CAT!
by Maryann Cocca-Leffler ; illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

- BOOK REVIEW
FIGHTING FOR YES!
by Maryann Cocca-Leffler ; illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK LOST AND FOUND

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 18, 2026

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.

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Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.

After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026

ISBN: 9780063436121

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK AND RACER RED
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
TIME FOR SCHOOL, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

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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)