A soothing, uncomplicated meditation on nature’s cycles and letting go.
A child processes loss and embraces renewal when a beloved backyard oak must be removed.
The tree has been a constant companion—whispering in spring, whooshing in summer, cackling and crunching in fall, and whistling in winter. But when the old oak begins creaking ominously, an arborist determines, “It’s time.” The young narrator’s parents nod knowingly, but the little one hasn’t prepared for this goodbye. As a crane dismantles the tree branch by branch, the family presses leaves to preserve memories. After, the yard feels eerily quiet—until weeds sprout between the woodchips “like the start of a new idea.” The family plants a butterfly garden and a sapling, with the protagonist promising to watch over the young tree as the old one once watched over the child. Kurpiel’s narrative is spare and straightforward, leaning heavily on sensory language to convey the tree’s seasonal transformations. The family is rendered warmly in mixed-media illustrations—pencil sketches layered with digital dry media and watercolor brushes. Soft, rounded shapes create a comforting visual rhythm, while warm earth tones and cool blues establish emotional resonance. A standout spread bathes the empty yard in deep blue evening light, fireflies glowing against the ghostly outline of what once was. The compositions showing the tree’s gradual reduction use swirling circles effectively to represent time’s passage. The protagonist is pale-skinned and dark-haired; the family appears to be mixed race.
A soothing, uncomplicated meditation on nature’s cycles and letting go. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 17, 2026
ISBN: 9780593697689
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Rocky Pond Books/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
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
Empowerment to children to be the change they wish to see in the world.
Be a “somebody” who makes a difference!
A Black child witnesses various transgressions over the course of a day. Noticing trash on the walk to the bus stop, the young narrator thinks, “Somebody should do something about that.” Two students push their way ahead of everyone else in order to get good seats on the school bus, prompting the child to muse, “Somebody should speak up about that.” Throughout the day, the child notices examples of bullying and unfairness. These seemingly minor infractions start mounting. Finally, when the protagonist’s teacher tells the students that it’s snack time, the narrator notices that some students don’t have anything to eat. Instead of wishing for a “somebody,” the perceptive pupil realizes, “I am Somebody” and shares food with the others. The epiphany doesn’t stop there. When the narrator arrives home and notices there are toys everywhere but Mom is on a work call, the child responds to Mom’s request for help by cleaning up the mess. Accompanied by simple yet expressive illustrations, this is a loving and much-needed story that encourages kids to make a difference; pair it with Joshunda Sanders’ I Can Write the World (2019), illustrated by Charly Palmer. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Empowerment to children to be the change they wish to see in the world. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 27, 2023
ISBN: 9780762480517
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
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