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LITTLE BIG MAN

Big responsibilities and small gestures paint a thoughtful picture of masculinity.

Now that there’s a newborn in the house, carefree days are few and far between, but a young boy comes up with an idea to make life a little easier.

As Mama holds baby Lily, Elijah eagerly waits for Daddy to come home so the two can enjoy a weekend of flying his new kite. Unfortunately, Daddy has other plans. “A new baby means extra work for everyone,” father tells son, and Elijah recognizes immediately that he’s being asked to step up in ways that won’t necessarily be fun but that are needed by the family. He tries his hardest to follow his dad’s lead, but he stumbles more often than not while assisting in the kitchen and cleaning up after himself. Bright digital illustrations, paired with exuberant, onomatopoeia-filled text, depict a loving and tight-knit Black family with a lot on their plates despite a barrel-chested handyman of a dad, an attentive and affectionate mom, a vocal newborn, and a considerate young son. When Elijah decides one day to work even harder for his family, he follows Daddy’s lead. Father and son assist others, tidy up messes, and look on with pride at all they’ve accomplished, with Elijah’s body language hilariously, and endearingly, mirroring Daddy’s in several scenes. Finally, Elijah presents Daddy with a flight-ready green kite and a much-needed lesson about taking the time to cut loose.

Big responsibilities and small gestures paint a thoughtful picture of masculinity. (Picture book. 4-9)

Pub Date: May 6, 2025

ISBN: 9781338807431

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025

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HANSEL AND GRETEL

Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators.

Existing artwork from an artistic giant inspires a fairy-tale reimagination by a master of the horror genre.

In King’s interpretation of a classic Brothers Grimm story, which accompanies set and costume designs that the late Sendak created for a 1997 production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera, siblings Hansel and Gretel survive abandonment in the woods and an evil witch’s plot to gobble them up before finding their “happily ever after” alongside their father. Prose with the reassuring cadence of an old-timey tale, paired with Sendak’s instantly recognizable artwork, will lull readers before capitalizing on these creators’ knack for injecting darkness into seemingly safe spaces. Gaping faces loom in crevices of rocks and trees, and a gloomy palette of muted greens and ocher amplify the story’s foreboding tone, while King never sugarcoats the peach-skinned children’s peril. Branches with “clutching fingers” hide “the awful enchanted house” of a “child-stealing witch,” all portrayed in an eclectic mix of spot and full-bleed images. Featuring insults that might strike some as harsh (“idiot,” “fool”), the lengthy, dense text may try young readers’ patience, and the often overwhelmingly ominous mood feels more pitched to adults—particularly those familiar with King and Sendak—but an introduction acknowledges grandparents as a likely audience, and nostalgia may prompt leniency over an occasional disconnect between words and art.

Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025

ISBN: 9780062644695

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2025

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BUFFALO FLUFFALO AND PUFFALO

From the Buffalo Fluffalo Story series

An endearing ode to big siblinghood.

A buffalo is disconcerted when his daily routine is disrupted by a newborn.

Kalb begins with the playful rhymes and rhythms she employed in Buffalo Fluffalo (2024). Fluffalo, having learned a lesson in cooperation in his earlier outing, happily cavorts with Ram, Crow, and Prairie Dog before enjoying some thoughtful alone time and then settling down to sleep at dusk. A loud wailing sound wakes him at dawn and continues into daybreak. “‘What could that be?’ huffed tired old Fluffalo. / ‘I’ve said it before—I’ve had enuffalo!’” When he discovers that the sound is coming from a tiny buffalo, he becomes both irate and alarmed. Fortunately, his friends show up and assure him that the little one just needs some time to learn and grow. Fluffalo calms down and admits that the baby is a bit cute—something readers will have already realized, thanks to Kraan’s sweetly imaginative art. In the ensuing pages, Fluffalo mentors the loving Puffalo, including the baby in his daily activities and fielding (some of) Puff’s many questions. Readers with younger siblings will appreciate the subtle acknowledgment that Fluffalo’s new role can be taxing, but overall, the tale affirms the joy of mentoring, while the colorful, stylized art perfectly complements the upbeat verse. It’s easy to imagine an older child reading this story to a younger one at bedtime.

An endearing ode to big siblinghood. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025

ISBN: 9780593810309

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Random House Studio

Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025

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