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WHEN YOU'RE OLDER

Name: WHEN YOU'RE OLDER
Author: Sofie Laguna
ISBN: 9781760291341

by Sofie Laguna ; illustrated by Judy Watson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 2, 2023

Thrilling journeys abound in this lovely ode to childhood fantasies and sibling bonds.

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A little boy dreams of what he and his tiny baby brother will do together just a few years later.

One stock response to deflect children’s wishes is “When you’re older.” In contrast, this book celebrates unbounded imaginative possibilities. In warm, simple words, the older boy envisions future adventures with his new sibling, both of whom present White, in a jungle, in a cave, at the seashore, out on the ocean, on an ice floe, and further, to the edge of disaster, where one blond brother saves the other. There’s no sense of impatience, just the beautiful unfolding of far-flung exploits, including those via books with “dragons, crowns and swords.” A slim tan pooch, sleeping like the baby at the start, actively and enthusiastically participates in everything—even riding on a sled pulled by “wild dogs.” The celebration of brotherhood is admirable. Glowing shades of aqua, turquoise, ruby, gold, and green radiate from the pages. Multiple techniques combine hand-drawn lines, spongelike prints, patterns, streaks, and splashes to evoke luminous worlds. The sleeping sibling can’t know how fortunate he is, but lucky readers can easily project themselves into these scenes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Thrilling journeys abound in this lovely ode to childhood fantasies and sibling bonds. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: May 2, 2023

ISBN: 9781760291341

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Review Posted Online: Feb. 21, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
A FRIEND FOR RUBY
by Sofie Laguna ; illustrated by Marc McBride

- BOOK REVIEW
TOO LOUD LILY
by Sofie Laguna & illustrated by Kerry Argent

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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)