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WE ARE HERE

Name: WE ARE HERE
Author: Tami Charles
ISBN: 978-1-338-75204-5

by Tami Charles ; illustrated by Bryan Collier ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 3, 2023

A powerful narrative about Black yesterdays that have built the foundation for all our tomorrows.

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The creators of All Because You Matter (2020) collaborate once more, assuring children of the Black diaspora of their rich cultural heritage.

Charles’ moving free-verse text, addressed to a brown-skinned child wearing a colorful headband, their hair in two puffballs, argues that though so many contributions of Black people have gone unacknowledged, “we have always been heroes.” When it is “your turn / to rule the world, / people will be amazed / and they will question / the power of you.” But, Charles stresses, they should neither marvel nor doubt, because Black people have always been here and have always been amazing. In an illustrator’s note, Collier mentions that the row houses throughout echo those that Georgia artist John Biggers painted of his childhood home. Row houses grace the endpapers and serve as the backdrop for many scenes showcasing Black people’s contributions to music, activism, fashion, politics, food, astronomy, and more, not just throughout American history, but world history as well. Many of the people Collier illustrates are recognizably famous, like Martin Luther King Jr., after whom more than 1,000 streets have been named, and others ought to be, like Chicago blues musician Howlin’ Wolf. Collier’s signature painterly collage and watercolor images abound in color, texture, and patterning that beautifully reflect Black diversity. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A powerful narrative about Black yesterdays that have built the foundation for all our tomorrows. (biographical notes, glossary, author’s notes) (Picture book. 3-8)

Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2023

ISBN: 978-1-338-75204-5

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
REMEMBER HER NAME!
by Tami Charles ; illustrated by Meredith Lucius

- BOOK REVIEW
TOGETHER, UNITED (AN <i>ALL BECAUSE YOU MATTER</i> BOOK)
by Tami Charles ; illustrated by Bryan Collier

- BOOK REVIEW
JUSTICE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON
by Tami Charles ; illustrated by Jemma Skidmore

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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)

Pub Date: July 28, 2026

ISBN: 9781464268076

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SUN THIEF
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SNOW THIEF
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BISON AND THE BUTTERFLY
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nancy Leschnikoff

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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)