An uplifting story about grappling with assumptions and helping others embrace your passion.
A girl’s enthusiasm for vehicles clashes with her grandma’s traditional views.
“Sarabeth loves cars.” The ones that “[roar] like lions” and are “sleek and fast like cheetahs”—she adores the sound and mechanics of every automotive. Sarabeth relishes Saturdays spent by her father’s side at the garage, wearing personalized coveralls and getting her hands dirty. Her grandma, however, doesn’t approve of garage work for girls or what comes with it: “In my day, little girls wore dresses, not grubby work clothes.” Sarabeth’s deflated body language and facial expressions make clear how the comments affect her confidence, and her parents step in to help Grandma understand, as when her mother praises her: “Sarabeth knows everything about cars.” One night, when Grandma’s engine starts to groan, Sarabeth decides to help, but how will Grandma react? Florence’s effectively matter-of-fact and figurative language emphasizes the child’s devotion to all things cars. Some of Alam’s illustrations show realistic scenes, like a day at the garage, full of tiny details for car lovers, while other spreads depict Sarabeth’s swirly, magical daydreams. Readers who are building their own confidence in the face of generational expectations will celebrate Sarabeth’s persistence and positivity. Grandma and Sarabeth’s father are brown-skinned; Sarabeth’s mother is pale-skinned; Sarabeth is tan-skinned.
An uplifting story about grappling with assumptions and helping others embrace your passion. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2026
ISBN: 9781774885956
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
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
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