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SAMMY SPIDER'S NEW FRIEND

Name: SAMMY SPIDER'S NEW FRIEND
Author: Sylvia A. Rouss
ISBN: 978-0-7613-6663-8

From the Sammy Spider series

by Sylvia A. Rouss & illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2012

This is a book without conflict, and that’s the last thing a child needs.

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Sammy Spider is perfectly safe.

Maybe you’re a parent. Your child is asleep in the next room, and you’re watching the news. War has broken out in the Middle East. Senators are screaming about the budget. There’s a pile of picture books nearby. You want to give your child a story with no conflict at all. You open up this latest in the Sammy Spider series. A boy is crying. He has no friends at his new house. But two pages later, the boy next door brings him cake. They play baseball. They take turns on the swing. Sammy spins a web to keep them entertained. You think: No one could object to this book. It even teaches vocabulary, like the Hebrew word akavish, which means spider, and the English word “hospitality.” And you think: Did I really make friends that quickly when I was a child? Maybe you did. But you start thinking about the books you loved back then. Max had to tame monsters. The Cat in the Hat nearly destroyed a house. And suddenly, the boys on their swing seem a little dull. You look for a book about pirates, in case your child wakes up in the middle of the night.

This is a book without conflict, and that’s the last thing a child needs. (Picture book. 2-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2012

ISBN: 978-0-7613-6663-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Kar-Ben

Review Posted Online: July 21, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS FICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
SAMMY SPIDER'S FIRST WEDDING
by Sylvia A. Rouss ; illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn

- BOOK REVIEW
SAMMY SPIDER'S FIRST TASTE OF HANUKKAH
by Sylvia A. Rouss & Genene Levy Turndorf ; illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn

- BOOK REVIEW
A WATERMELON IN THE SUKKAH
by Sylvia A. Rouss ; Shannan Rouss ; illustrated by Ann Iosa

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READ ALL ABOUT IT!

by Benjamin Hall ; illustrated by Martina Motzo ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 3, 2026

Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling.

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In this picture book from Fox News journalist Hall, a young hedgehog must find a way to protect his community when peril looms.

Hedgehog and his father both have busy days ahead. Dad’s on his way to the newspaper to report “what new news the news brings.” Hedgehog packs his backpack for an adventure, mindful of Dad’s rules: “Don’t talk to strangers” and “never ever cross the river alone.” Obeying the rules proves difficult when Hedgehog notices commotion on the other side of the river: A bear is hungrily eyeing Baby Owl, who’s fallen from her tree. With creative thinking, Hedgehog frightens off the bear and alerts Mama Owl, but the predator is still at large. So Hedgehog and Mama Owl create flyers to warn the forest residents. Though Motzo’s airy illustrations are pleasing—particularly the adorably animated Hedgehog, a tribute to Hall’s own children—the narrative feels bogged down with multiple themes as it attempts to explore the power of the written word, the importance of community, and the need to adhere to a parent’s rules. When Hedgehog apologizes for his apparent disobedience, Dad explains that Hedgehog never actually broke the rules; turns out it’s OK to cross the river in the company of an adult, and Mama Owl’s no stranger (she’s the town librarian, whom Hedgehog sees every week). The back-and-forth may leave readers confused; it also feels like a missed opportunity to discuss how to identify trustworthy adults.

Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 3, 2026

ISBN: 9780063357549

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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MAYA'S BIG QUESTION

From the Ambitious Girl series , Vol. 3

by Meena Harris ; illustrated by Marissa Valdez ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 3, 2026

Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model.

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The third title in the Ambitious Girl series finds young Maya wanting accomplished women to get their due.

On a school trip to Washington, D.C., brown-skinned, bubble-braided Maya is full of questions, among them “How many representatives are there?” and, while checking out the statues and monuments, “Where are all the women?” Maya’s teacher tells her that they’ve seen all the “popular” statues and monuments. Maya is as dogged (“But what about Eleanor Roosevelt? Or Mary McLeod Bethune?”) as her teacher is dismissive: “Those aren’t on my list.” (Maya’s teacher follows the same list every trip.) Back at home, Maya is newly awakened to the lack of female representation in her orbit—she notices that streets and “even her own school” are named for men. Is there anything she can do about this? Maya’s teacher’s cluelessness feels a bit implausible, more like a plot device to steer the story in the right direction, but Maya’s righteous indignation is believable, and her corresponding activism will energize readers. Valdez gets into the spirit of things with her invigorating digital art: Maya and her multiethnic classmates and neighbors are colorful dressers with smiling faces, which fosters a sense that wherever Maya goes, a warm and ebullient community is there for her.

Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model. (Picture book. 5-8)