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MONSTERS IN THE MOONLIGHT

Name: MONSTERS IN THE MOONLIGHT
Author: Sina Merabian
ISBN: 9781534496842

A YALDA NIGHT ADVENTURE

by Sina Merabian ; illustrated by Sina Merabian ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 2, 2025

Warmhearted.

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On the Persian holiday known as Yalda Night, two naughty divs try to live up to their monstrous reputations by ruining a family’s celebration.

In a shadowy cave with spiders and bones, Mother Div explains to young Choori and Shooli that “all divs are born to make the winter solstice as dark and cold as can be.” Though they’re monsters, the divs look cuddly, with plump bodies and fluffy violet hair. Even the scenery is full of round shapes and cozy light; as the night’s snow falls, it piles atop picture-perfect evergreens like soft-serve ice cream. After the pair venture out, a rosy-cheeked grandmother beckons them into her luminous home, where they proceed to “STOMP, STEAL, and RIP APART”—to “DESTROY THEIR YALDA NIGHT!” To the divs’ great frustration, however, the family cheerfully agrees to eat apples when the divs demolish their watermelons, to recite poetry from memory when the divs rip up their poetry book, and to sit around the fire after the divs break their heater. Finally, Choori and Shooli prepare to head home in defeat, only for the grandmother to console them. They decide that the family’s celebration is “actually…kind of nice” and join the merriment. “Every year, some divs try to ruin Yalda Night’s celebrations, but there will always be many who will protect it,” Merabian concludes. Her gentle tale balances moments of mischief with good cheer, making for an enchanting holiday tale.

Warmhearted. (information on Yalda Night) (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Dec. 2, 2025

ISBN: 9781534496842

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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IT'S MY BIRD-DAY!

From the Pigeon series

by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2026

Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.

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Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!

Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.

Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: March 31, 2026

ISBN: 9781454999621

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Union Square Kids

Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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THE MONSTER AND PUPPET SHOW!
by Mo Willems & Kate Micucci ; illustrated by Mo Willems & Kate Micucci

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THE PIGEON WON'T COUNT TO 10!
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems

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WILL THE PIGEON GRADUATE?
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)