Picture Book – Page 2 – Sneak Peek Books

Play Ball, Jackie!

Batter up! April 15, 1947 is a big day for ten-year-old Matty Romano. His dad is taking him to see his favorite team—the Brooklyn Dodgers—on opening day!

It’s also a big day for the Dodgers’ new first baseman, Jackie Robinson. Today is Jackie Robinson’s very first game in the major leagues. Many white fans don’t like the fact that an African American is playing in the major leagues. By putting Jackie on the team, the Dodgers are breaking the color barrier. How will Jackie respond to the pressure? Is he the player who can finally help the Dodgers make it back to the World Series?

Play Ball, Jackie! is told from the unique perspective of two Dodgers fans, Matty Romano and his father, who attended Jackie Robinson’s first game. The father and son discuss some of the discrimination Jackie faced because “he was a black man.” While at the game, Matty explains some of the discrimination that African Americans faced during the 1940s. Even though the story is set at Dodger’s Stadium, the story focuses on Matty’s experience at the game instead of Jackie Robinson’s achievements. However, baseball fans will still enjoy some of the play-by-play action as well as learn more about Jackie Robinson.

Even though Play Ball, Jackie! is a picture book, the story will need to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it independently. Many of the pages are text-heavy with five to nine complex sentences. The illustrations have an old-fashioned feel with blue tinting. All of the characters are shaded in black and some of them have oversized facial expressions that emphasize the person’s emotions. However, some of the facial expressions are a little odd, especially the ones of angry fans.

Play Ball, Jackie! is packed full of information about discrimination during Jackie Robinson’s time. Instead of having a typical story plot, Play Ball, Jackie! is mostly expository as it explains segregation by using several different examples. The educational book ends with a list of books and websites readers can check out to learn more about Jackie Robinson.

Play Ball, Jackie! is an excellent book to introduce young readers to big ideas such as segregation, discrimination, and the civil rights movement. Plus, the book shows how Matty is brave enough to speak up in defense of Jackie Robinson; this part of the book is an excellent conversation starter about how to kindly stand up for others. For more history-related baseball stories, you’ll hit a home run by reading the picture books Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki and Catching the Moon by Crystal Hubbard.

Sexual Content 

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol 

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Language 

When Jackie strikes out, someone yells, “You stink, Robinson! Go back to where you belong.”
While in line at the hotdog stand, Matty sees a boy with an “I’m for Jackie” button. Another boy says, “Negros should stick to their own kind. They’ll never make it in the big leagues.” Matty defends Jackie by saying, “If some of the best players are black, they’re the ones who can help us get to the World Series. That’s what we all want, isn’t it?”

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content 

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Code Breaker, Spy Hunter:  How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars

In 1943, the CIA intercepted messages from Mexico and South America that were believed to be disguised war information. A team of ciphers was able to decode these messages and they discovered that a secret Nazi spy ring was sending the messages. These decoded messages were the evidence needed to arrest thirty-three German spies in what is now known as “the greatest spy roundup in history.” This team of ciphers was led by Elizebeth Smith Friedman, a renowned cryptanalyst. Elizebeth’s work as a spy and her incredible accomplishments were kept secret, until recently.

Adapted from Friedman’s personal memoirs, Code Breaker, Spy Hunter utilizes watercolor illustrations and simple vocabulary to recount the amazing story of a previously unacknowledged figure. The story is told in a linear narrative detailing the most significant moments of Friedman’s career as well as some lesser-known fun facts from her personal life. For example, during dinner parties she hosted with her husband, a fellow cipher, they challenged their guests with the coded address of the restaurant.

The book retells Friedman’s story in a way that is easy for younger readers to navigate while not compromising or minimizing important details to Friedman’s story. Although the book features small font and some particularly text-heavy pages, its colorful, minimalist illustrations help readers maintain a consistent understanding of the story. It is important to note that the book assumes that readers already have a basic understanding of both World Wars. If there are young readers who are not yet familiar with these historical periods, parental guidance will be needed.

In Code Breaker, Spy Hunter, readers will receive an insightful and important education on an overlooked historical figure. Elizebeth’s story of small beginnings teaches that hard work and positive relationships are the keys to success.  

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Groundhug Day

Moose is having a Valentine’s Day party, and all his friends are so excited! Everyone except Groundhog, that is. If Groundhog sees his shadow outside, he’ll hide in his hole for six more weeks and miss the party!

Determined to help their friend join them, Moose, Squirrel, Bunny, and Porcupine put their heads together and come up with a plan. But will it be enough to get Groundhog out to play?

When Groundhog comes out of his den and sees his shadow, his animal friends discover that Groundhog is afraid of shadows. In order to get Groundhog to come out, the animals show him all the different ways shadows are “awesome.” The animals show Groundhog how to use shadows to draw silhouettes and create puppet shows. Watching shadows dance is fun too. Despite this, Groundhog goes back into his hole for six more weeks. And when he finally pops out of his den and is ready for a St. Patrick’s Day party, Groundhog discovers that Bunny is “holed up this time of year” because he’s painting Easter eggs.

Young readers will relate to Groundhog’s fear of shadows and love all the ways the animals use shadows for entertainment. The story comes to life with super cute illustrations that are drawn in natural colors. Readers will giggle as each animal plots a way to get Groundhog out of his hole, especially because each scheme is drawn on a chalkboard. Plus, Groundhog is super cute and his clothing resembles an English gentleman. When he finally comes out for spring, he’s dressed for a Saint Patrick’s Day party!

Even though Groundhug Day is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Readers may need help reading some of the text-heavy pages that have up to seven sentences per page. However, the adorable illustrations and the conversations between the animals make Groundhug Day entertaining enough for younger readers to enjoy.

Groundhug Day is a sweet story that will warm readers’ hearts and remind them that shadows are not scary. If you’re looking for another fun Valentine’s Day book, check out Splat the Cat: Funny Valentine by Rob Scotton.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Captain Bling’s Christmas Plunder

Captain Bling and his merry crew set off to find treasure, but they get blown off course and end up at the North Pole. When they spy the elves carefully wrapping presents, the pirates think they have found the ultimate booty! They quickly steal the presents and make their way back to the ship. By the time Santa Claus catches up to them, the pirates are well on their way to escaping. But Santa has a surprise for Captain Bling and his crew!

Captain Bling’s Christmas Plunder will take readers on a swashbuckling adventure to the North Pole. The pirates’ plundering activities are told with humor, in rhyming couplets. The pirates attack Santa’s workshop, forcing Santa and the elves to fight, and “though Santa swung fast, the pirates swung faster, and a sack versus swords was a surefire disaster.” However, the gifts are saved because the pirates change their ways and help Santa on Christmas night.

The brightly colored illustrations show Santa’s magical land where pine trees are decorated, snowmen smile, and toys are stacked waiting for Christmas day. Young readers will love the illustrations’ fun details such as penguins watching the elves and pirates fight, and a shark happily waiting as Santa walks the plank. Each page has 1 to 3 rhyming sentences which include some advanced vocabulary. Even though Captain Bling’s Christmas Plunder is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently.

Captain Bling’s Christmas Plunder is a fun spinoff of The Night Before Christmas. Pirate-loving readers will enjoy seeing Santa and the pirates fight over the toys. Plus, the happy ending shows Santa and the pirates working together to deliver Christmas toys. If you’re looking for another humorous Christmas picture book, The Knights Before Christmas by Joan Holub is sure to make readers smile.

Sexual Content

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Violence

The pirates take Santa’s treasure, “so Santa gave chase, with his sack on his back, but the pirates were ready to face his attack.” The pirates capture Santa and “the pirates forced Santa to walk the gangplank.”

Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Sweep

On a windy fall night, a young boy named Ed looks over his town. He has a broom in hand and is standing atop a towering mountain of leaves. The day began with him sweeping leaves, but below his mountain are all the other things he seemed to have collected along the way, including dogs, cats, bicycles, cars, buses, people, and buildings.

The story of Sweep starts when a single leaf in the wind hits Ed’s face, causing him to trip over a broom. This puts Ed in a bad mood, but unlike all the bad moods he’s had before, this one grows and grows until he is ragefully sweeping every leaf around him into one large pile. His bad mood convinces him to go on, not accounting for all the animals, vehicles, or people in his way. Ed knows he is taking things too far. He even knows that if he looked up from the ground, he would see all the beautiful balloons, birds, and kites above it. But his bad mood is not satisfied until he has swept up his whole town.

By the end of the day, there are no flowers left and the birds have stopped singing. Ed is tired, hungry, and questioning if he can really stop sweeping after going through all this trouble. As he ponders this, his bad mood begins to lift and a strong gust of wind picks up every person and thing in his pile. Not only does the wind put everything back to normal, but Ed believes the town looks even better than it did before.

The wind gently lands a kite in front of Ed, who, finally looking up from the ground, flies it high in the air. He notices the beauty of all the other kites around him. The next time Ed finds himself in a bad mood, he makes sure to think twice and ask himself if there is a way to process it in a more constructive way.

Sweep is a smart and funny story that teaches a valuable lesson about learning to process your feelings. The book has one to five sentences per page, making it a fast read. Readers of all ages will also enjoy the book’s art style, which makes use of bleaker autumn shades such as beige, gray, brown, and crimson during Ed’s rampage through his town and uses a wide spectrum of bright, vivid colors when his spirit lifts. The items and characters that amass in Ed’s constantly growing pile guarantee a laugh on every page, and the pile’s mountainous final form is full of clever gags and details for eagle-eyed readers to spot upon repeated readings.

Younger readers will relate to Ed’s impulse to lash out when he’s in a bad mood. Plus, his journey will help them to understand the harmful nature of being negative. By reading Sweep, readers will also learn how to evaluate and express their feelings in a way that is beneficial to themselves and others. Readers who enjoy Sweep should also read Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry, a sweet book that shows how one man’s grumpy mood changes when he meets an unexpected friend.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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The Little Reindeer

On the night of Christmas Eve, a young girl named Ollie is awoken by a jingling outside her house. She hurries to her window but sees nothing out of the ordinary. With her reindeer pajamas and red sled, Ollie adventures into the snowy night to find the source of the sound.

Stepping outside, she hears the sound again. She leaps onto her sled. Speeding down the hill outside her house, the sound becomes clearer. Eventually, Ollie traces the sound to the barren, dark woods outside of her neighborhood. Feeling brave, she runs into the darkness. There, she finds the source of the sound hanging from a tree branch. It is a red collar with silver bells. Ollie smiles and takes the collar but wonders who it belongs to.

Just then, she hears a new sound –the sound of footsteps crunching through the snow. A real reindeer is approaching. He eyes the collar in Ollie’s hands, and Ollie understands that the collar belongs to him. Ollie kindly returns the collar to the reindeer, who gestures his new friend to climb onto his back.

Suddenly, the two are soaring above the woods, over Ollie’s town, through the night sky. The reindeer softly lands in front of Ollie’s house. Ollie thanks her friend, but admits that she doesn’t want to say goodbye. However, she understands that this reindeer has a very special job to do tonight. Ollie goes back to her room, lies in bed, and pleasantly dreams of her adventure. Her reindeer friend jingles past her window once more, only this time, he is leading Santa’s sleigh. The next morning, Ollie is gifted a snow globe with a figurine of the reindeer inside. She smiles, knowing that she will always have something to remind her of that magical night and that she’ll see her friend next year.

The Little Reindeer is a fast and fun read for the Christmas holiday, with one to four short sentences per page. Its illustrations are mostly drawn in black, white, and gray, with red being the only color to stand out. The backgrounds are typically entirely blank or black, with chalk-like dots of snow to enliven the winter spirit. Detail-driven readers can have fun searching for Ollie’s stuffed reindeer hiding in every page.

Young readers who celebrate Christmas will relate to Ollie’s holiday spirit. However, all young readers will admire Ollie’s sense of adventure, her bravery, and her sparkling curiosity. Through Ollie’s journey, readers can learn that by following their bravery and curiosity, they can form their closest friendships and greatest memories.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Leif and the Fall

Leif is a small green leaf who lives in a tall oak tree. Being a leaf means being attached to a tree, but Leif doesn’t mind. He loves the view from his branch and getting to spend time with his best friend, Laurel. As the breeze gets harsher and the days get shorter, Leif realizes that it’s nearly fall. Leif has never seen fall, but its arrival worries him, as he knows that fall is the time when all leaves fall from their trees. Leif doesn’t want to be like all leaves. With the help of Laurel, he hatches a plan to catch himself.

Leif and the Fall is a fun and pleasant read for the young reader who doesn’t let others tell them who they are and what they are capable of. It is also a testament to the power of thinking outside the box and surrounding yourself with the right people. While the other leaves mock and discourage Leif’s plan, Leif persists in his goal and chooses to surround himself with supportive friends like Laurel. While none of Leif’s plans work in the way he intended, the story tells a thoughtful message that all your hard work and skills will inevitably help you in some way, as all of Leif’s discarded contraptions form a pile big enough to soften his and Laurel’s fall.

The book’s short and sweet story is well-matched with simple, charming illustrations. The leaves are softly colored in shades of green, yellow, brown, and gray. Faces are drawn to personify them, while their stems are drawn as their arms and legs. The pages have blank backgrounds that are either white or colored with muted autumn shades. Readers can enjoy a second read-through to spot all the insects hiding on the tree’s branches. Each page has one to seven short sentences and easy vocabulary that makes it easy to understand for beginning readers.

Leif and the Fall is an excellent book for young nature lovers and fans of autumn. Apart from being an enjoyable story, it is sure to help younger readers as they learn the importance of creativity, self-expression, and positive friendships. Readers ready to snuggle up with another fall-themed picture book with a positive message should add Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller to their must-read list.

Sexual Content:

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Drugs and Alcohol:

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Drummer Boy

In a wintery little town, a toy drummer boy appears mysteriously on a child’s doorstep. The child loves the little drummer boy, and the drummer boy loves the child. The drummer boy gives the child the only gift he can– He plays his drum– boom pum pum boom pum.

But when he accidentally falls into the trash, the drummer boy is sent on a scary and snowy journey! Even so, as he is carried and flown, and almost buried in snow, the little drummer boy still gives the gift he can to a rat and a snowman and the nighttime stars.

Right from the start, young readers will be captivated by the drummer boy. When he falls into the trash, and is taken to the dump, the drummer boy begins a journey where he ends up in surprising places. Even when his circumstances seem dire, the drummer boy gives to others by playing his song. The ending is surprising and sweet and reminds readers that the reason for Christmas is because a little baby was born.

The snowy illustrations are in muted colors with beautiful details. The illustrations show the scale of the little drummer boy and how small he is compared to his surroundings. Even though Drummer Boy is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 2 to 9 sentences; however, some of the sentences are complex.

The story is surprisingly suspenseful, and readers will be curious to see where the drummer boy ends up next. If you’re looking for a holiday book to share with your family, Drummer Boy is an enchanting story that shows the importance of giving to others despite your circumstances.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Red and Lulu

Two cardinals, Red and Lulu, have made a nest in a particularly beautiful evergreen tree overlooking a family’s house. The shade from the tree’s branches keeps the birds cool during the hot months, while its needles keep them warm during the cold months. Red and Lulu’s favorite time of year is winter when the family decorates their tree and sings O Christmas Tree. One morning, as that special season is arriving, Red flies out to find breakfast while Lulu stays behind. When Red returns, he finds that their tree has been cut down, and is being driven away on a large truck. Red can hear Lulu singing from somewhere inside the tree. He calls out to tell her to stay where she is.

Red flies towards the tree, but he can’t keep up with the truck, which leads Red into a chase through highways, across the George Washington Bridge, and through crowded city streets. Before long, Red realizes he has lost sight of the truck, and finds himself in a strange new place unlike anywhere he’s ever been before – New York City. Red spends days searching the city for Lulu. He searches outside of the New York Public Library, through Times Square, and over the Empire State Building. During Red’s search, he and Lulu’s special season finally arrives. As snow falls, Red hears the faint sound of O Christmas Tree being sung from a distance. He hurries towards the sound, finally tracing it to a crowd of people surrounding a familiar tree standing at Rockefeller Center. The tree is covered from top to bottom in colorful Christmas lights, but Red immediately recognizes it as his and Lulu’s tree.

He flies over the happy carolers and into the tree’s branches, where he is joyously greeted by Lulu. The two reside happily in their tree and smile at the large crowds of people who seem to love it just as much as they do. One day, the same truck arrives and takes their tree once again. This time, Red and Lulu find a new tree in Central Park, where they make their new home. Every winter since, Red and Lulu take a trip to Rockefeller Center to visit their first tree and listen to the crowd of people sing their favorite song.

Red and Lulu is a sweet and touching story and a visually engaging read from start to finish. The book is rich with beautiful illustrations that are carefully and passionately drawn to convey the beauty of winter, as well as that of every season in the book’s opening pages. The background of each illustration tends to have more muted colors, from beige and yellow autumns to gray and blue winters, which allows the bright red cardinals and glowing holiday decorations to stand out. The font of the narration is notably smaller on some pages, but the straightforward narration allows for an altogether easy read. However, beginning readers may need help understanding some of the difficult vocabulary such as “frantically” and “marveled.” There are one to eight sentences per page, but some pages rely on the illustrations to tell the story.

Red and Lulu’s narrative does an excellent job of getting the reader to care about the relationship between its two title characters, making their eventual reunion feel just as special. Readers who celebrate Christmas are likely to enjoy the book’s Christmas setting, but the book can also be enjoyed by readers who live in New York City or who are familiar with the area. Readers who have moved homes or are preparing to move can also find this story particularly endearing, as they may relate to the overwhelming change felt by Red and Lulu, as well as the story’s message of the home being defined by the presence of loved ones rather than a specific place.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Dad and the Dinosaur

Nicholas was afraid of the dark outside his door, the bushes where the giant bugs live, and the underside of manhole covers.
 
His dad was not afraid of anything.
 
Nicholas wants to be as brave as his dad, but he needs help. That’s why he needs a dinosaur. After all, dinosaurs “like the dark, bugs are nothing to them, and they eat manhole covers for lunch and everything under them for dinner.”
 
With his toy dinosaur, Nicholas can scale tall walls, swim in deep water, and even score a goal against the huge goalie everyone calls Gorilla. But when his dinosaur goes missing, everything is scary again.
 
Luckily, his dad knows that even the bravest people get scared, and it’s okay to ask for help facing your fears.

Anyone who has ever been afraid will relate to Nicholas, who carries his dinosaur with him everywhere. Having his dinosaur helps Nicholas feel brave. But when the dinosaur is lost, Nicholas begins to be afraid. Suddenly, Nicholas notices that “the night was as black as octopus ink, giant bugs were everywhere, and their little car was nearly sucked under the street.” Illustrations help bring Nicholas’s fears to life by showing large bugs skittering across the road, and a large octopus crawling out of a manhole. When Nicholas goes to bed, a large octopus tentacle reaches out to touch him. But with his dad’s help, Nicholas finds his dinosaur and is brave again.

The illustrations show the contrast between Nicholas’s toy dinosaur and his imagined dinosaur. Nicholas’s imaginary dinosaur is shown as a huge outline while the smaller toy dinosaur is often peeking out of a sock or sleeping under Nicholas’s pillow. Plus, Nicholas’s imaginary fears pop off the page because the illustrations of them are so large. Most pages have one to three simple sentences. However, even though Dad and the Dinosaur is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently.

The imaginative illustrations and the simple text allow readers to explore the things that cause fear—both real and imagined. Because of this, Dad and the Dinosaur is a relatable picture book that kids will enjoy. However, at the end of the book, Nicholas doesn’t tell his mom about how his dinosaur helps him be brave. Instead, it’s a secret between Nicholas and his dad. Some parents might not like that a secret is kept between Nicholas and his Dad.

Overall, Dad and the Dinosaur’s wonderful illustrations will capture readers’ imaginations and show them how Nicholas overcomes his fear.

Sexual Content 

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Violence 

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Drugs and Alcohol 

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Language 

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content 

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Halloween Is Coming!

Halloween Is Coming! follows three unnamed friends delighting in the early signs of Halloween. Together, the friends enjoy the fall weather, hayrides at their town fair, picking pumpkins to carve into Jack-o’-lanterns, dressing up for their school parade, and several other activities. Finally, they make their own costumes to wear for trick-or-treating. Then, the long-anticipated night arrives.

This sweet and short book is a celebration of autumn and Halloween, clearly written and illustrated by lifelong Halloween enthusiasts. Halloween Is Coming! is a great pick for younger readers who are looking for a story that captures Halloween’s fun side, while staying away from its scarier side.

Most illustrations are spread across two pages, with monsters, ravens, and other symbols of the holiday hidden in the background. Typically using shades of orange and yellow, the illustrations feature multicolored trees, candy store windows brimming with detail, and unique costumes for every character. Younger readers will enjoy the characters’ diverse and elaborate variety of costumes, ranging from checkerboarded jesters to scaly dinosaurs. The narration is a passionate love letter to Halloween, told in rhyme and limiting itself to one to three sentences per page.

Although the book does not follow a traditional story, readers will still detect themes of friendship, enthusiasm, and creativity. The relationship shared by the three main friends will teach kids that Halloween should be less of a day dedicated to scaring, and more of an opportunity for you to express your creative, unique self alongside the people closest to you.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

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Supernatural

Friendly ghosts and monsters appear in the background of several pages, but none are threatening.

Spiritual Content

None

Square

Every day, Square takes a block from his cave and pushes it up a hill, where he has gathered a pile of blocks. This is his work. One day, his ritual is interrupted by his friend Circle, who mistakes the blocks for sculptures. Circle is amazed by Square’s talent and calls him a genius. She then asks if he can make a sculpture of her by tomorrow morning. With that, she leaves Square before he can tell her the truth.

Square starts to worry. He thinks that Circle deserves a sculpture that is just as perfect as her but he doesn’t believe he is capable of making such a thing. Nonetheless, Square fretfully starts chipping away at a block. The more progress he makes, the less perfect the sculpture is. To make matters worse a rainstorm starts!

By morning, all that is left of the block is rubble. When Circle returns, she is amazed by what she finds. The rubble forms a circle, and the rain has formed a puddle inside that reflects Circle. Circle tells Square that his work is perfect and that he is a genius. However, after Circle leaves, Square doubts that her praise was earned.

Square is a charming picture book with one to six sentences per page, making it an easy read. Its watercolor illustrations are simple, but make great use of light to show glistening minerals in Square’s cave and darkening clouds before the climactic rainstorm that perfectly captures Square’s mood. Characters are drawn as shapes with only two eyes, but the illustrator makes their expressions easy to discern through these features. For example, as Square works on his sculpture, you can see his frustration from his narrow squint.

While the vocabulary and story are easy to follow, Square presents complicated personal issues such as insecurity, inferiority, and perfectionism. While Square gets away with his lie, his last thought of doubt sends an important message to the reader: they should embrace their differences and not pretend to be someone else. Square’s struggle with his sculpture also teaches readers not to obsess over perfection as such a concept can never be entirely attained and that they should instead do what they love. Square does not clearly state this message, but it allows parents the opportunity to discuss these ideas with their child.

Sexual Content

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Violence:

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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by Luke McClain

Morris Mole

Beneath the Earth’s surface, a small mole named Morris lives with his big brothers. They spend their days digging for food and spend their nights eating what they found. However, Morris is not like his older brothers. He is the littlest of the group. He dresses nicely and prefers to think outside of the box.

One day, the brothers come to a startling realization—they are out of food! The older brothers agree that the best solution is to dig even deeper, while Morris suggests that they look elsewhere. Not hearing him, the brothers start their dig. Morris has a moment of fear. He has never done anything alone before. Eventually, he gathers his courage, announcing that his size does not limit his abilities. With that, he does something no mole has ever done before—he digs up. He digs until he reaches the surface, and he is amazed by what he finds.

Morris Mole is a short and sweet picture book with illustrations that put readers into Morris’ shoes. The underground is drawn as pitch black with the only color being the single-shaded brown dirt. Meanwhile, the outside has a blank background that allows the beautifully blended colors of the flowers, animals, and insects to shine. Plus, the characters’ heights and clothing display their personality. For example, Morris is well-dressed and small compared to his near-identical big brothers. On the other hand, the antagonizing wolf he faces outside is dressed in a hilariously stereotypical leather jacket and jeans. His towering height and razor-sharp teeth give him a menacing presence, making Morris’ kindness and bravery all the more impressive.

Morris Mole will teach readers that even the smallest of creatures can do big things. Young readers can learn from Morris’ creative problem-solving and the unconditional kindness with which he treats his fellow animals. Plus, the book’s alliteration makes the story fun to read aloud. For another picture book that shows that someone’s small size doesn’t determine their destiny, check out Knight Owl by Christopher Denise.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

Fox finds Morris and tries to “swallow him up in one gulp.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

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Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

The Wolf, the Duck, & the Mouse

Early one morning, a mouse is swallowed whole by a wolf. The mouse believes this is the end until he is greeted by a voice. This voice belongs to a duck, who was swallowed by the wolf some time ago. Since then, the duck has made a comfortable home out of the beast’s belly. He teaches the mouse that their situation is not as hopeless as it seems. In fact, it may even be better than the lives they had before being eaten. Inside the wolf’s stomach, they never have to search for food, since they can feast on whatever the wolf swallows. Best of all, they never have to worry about being eaten by another wolf!

The mouse forms a fast friendship with his new roommate, and the two enjoy the safety of their new home. However, all is threatened when the wolf is discovered by a hunter. The mouse and the duck must decide whether to stay in the safety of the wolf’s stomach or act against the new threat.

With its witty sense of humor and its twists on familiar fables, The Wolf, the Duck, & the Mouse will entertain readers of all ages. Its simple illustrations add to the hilarity of the plot. The characters are drawn with blank expressions that contrast their outgoing personalities and the ridiculousness of their situations. Readers will also laugh at the variety of outfits that the mouse and the duck wear throughout the story. They wear silly outfits from chef’s uniforms to tuxedos, as well as the random items found in the wolf’s stomach, from sports equipment to an entire kitchen. Each page has six to ten short sentences that are easy to follow. However, young readers may need help understanding some more advanced words, including “remedy,” “grant,” and “intention.”

Readers will appreciate the optimism and creativity of the duck and his ability to make the best out of any bad situation. The Wolf, the Duck, & the Mouse is a must-read because it teaches readers that their greatest challenges are also their greatest opportunities and that the presence of friends and creative thinking can brighten almost any situation.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

The mouse is “quickly gobbled up” by the wolf, but the mouse survives unscathed.
A hunter carrying a rifle follows the wolf. At one point he “fires a shot” at the wolf. The illustration shows the hunter firing the rifle, but the hunter misses.

Drugs and Alcohol

When convincing the wolf to consume items, the duck includes “a flagon of wine!”
The mouse and the duck are shown in tuxedos at a fancy dinner table, holding glasses of wine.

Language

When the duck and the mouse pursue the hunter, he exclaims, “Oh death!”

Supernatural

The hunter mistakes the duck and mouse for “wraiths.”

Spiritual Content

None

by Luke McClain

A Pirate’s Guide to First Grade

Arr! It’s the first day of first grade, and it’s all hands on deck for a young pirate and his crew. How much trouble can they get into? What will they do at recess? And, most important, what treasure awaits them at school?

Shiver me timbers, summer’s almost over and one boy is ready for first grade. He “shined me snappers, and got dressed double quick” and headed off to school. His teacher, “Old Silver,” says he’s “in for a treat.” But after working all day, and playing with his friends, the boy wants to know, “But where’s me treasure?” With a map marked with X, will the boy find the treasure he’s been waiting for?

Even though Pirate’s Guide to First Grade is a picture book, adults should practice their pirate voice and get ready for a fun read-aloud picture book. Both landlubbers and seaworthy pirates will be ready to hop aboard and learn about one boy’s first day in first grade. If you’re not up to speed on your pirate talk, the back of the book has a glossary that explains the pirate vocabulary. While the pirate talk is a lot of fun, young readers may need a little help understanding what’s going on.

Since the pirates are only in the boy’s imagination, they appear in light brown penciled sketches. The boy and his surroundings are illustrated with realistic, full-color drawings. The kids in the classroom are a diverse group. Each page has one to five sentences, but the advanced sentence structure and pirate vocabulary may be a struggle for young readers. Still, readers will have a lot of fun looking at the pirates and their pirate parrots interacting with the kids at school.

If your child isn’t sure what to expect on the first day of first grade, Pirate’s Guide to First Grade can help them overcome their fears. While kids will enjoy the pirate talk and the pirate illustrations, the book makes it clear that real treasure is found in books. Readers looking for more books filled with pirate fun should add Pirates, HO! by Sarah L. Thomson, and the Stinky Spike Series by Peter Meisel to their reading list.

Sexual Content 

None

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Drugs and Alcohol 

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Supernatural

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Barnum Brown Dinosaur Hunter

Barnum Brown had one ambition as a child: to grow up to be a great dinosaur hunter. And that’s just what he did when he was hired by the American Museum of Natural History—working to build their astounding collection.

Barnum had a knack for finding dinosaur bones, a skill that rivaled the paleontologists before him. His most amazing discovery was uncovering one of the largest carnivores that ever walked the earth, the “tyrant lizard king,” Tyrannosaurus Rex!

Barnum’s biography begins when he was a child living in Kansas. As a boy, he was amazingly curious, and this curiosity served him well throughout his career. The picture book describes Barnum’s work, and younger readers will need help decoding the advanced vocabulary and dinosaur terms. The illustrations show the work behind finding the fossils as well as the actual dinosaurs. The dinosaurs are often shown next to their bones which allows readers to imagine the dinosaurs behind the fossils. Plus, the illustrations show both the beauty and ferocity of the beast.

Barnum’s life story is exciting and interesting. Despite this, younger readers will not want to tackle this picture book alone. While the pages have 2 to 5 sentences, the sentences are long and complex. However, Barnum Brown Dinosaur Hunter is an enlightening book that dinosaur-loving readers of all ages should put on their must-read list, especially because Barnum is responsible for discovering 11 new dinosaurs. Without Barnum’s eye for finding fossils, the science of paleontology may be missing important fossils. Readers who want to learn more about Barnum’s life should also read Finding the First T. Rex by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

None

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Supernatural

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Be Brave Little Penguin

Little Penguin Pip-Pip would love to join in with all his friends swimming in the sea, but there’s just one problem . . . he’s scared of water. Can Pip-Pip overcome his fear and finally take the plunge? This irresistible story shows that sometimes all it takes is a little bit of encouragement – and a whole lot of heart – to finally make that leap and be brave!

At first, Pip-Pip watches the other penguins playing in the water. They tease him, calling him “Scaredy-Pip-Pip.” Little Pip-Pip is so sad that a single tear runs down his cheek. Pip-Pip’s mommy treats him lovingly as she reminds him, “we all have certain fears that might be hard to understand.”

Readers will relate to Pip-Pip, who worries about all the what-ifs. “What if the water’s freezing? And what if there are monsters who smell me from their den, and they slither up and eat me and I’m never seen again?” Mommy penguin asks Pip-Pip to turn his what-ifs into something positive. “What if in that water there are friends for you to meet? And what if it is light and warm and full of treats to eat?”

Pip-Pip finally takes the jump and discovers that swimming is so much fun. The cute story uses a beautiful blue color pallet that contrasts with the black-and-white penguins. The full-page illustrations are adorable and have fun elements, like the penguins playing with fish. Plus, the illustrations help readers visualize Pip-Pip’s fears. For example, one illustration shows a large, scary octopus deep underwater.

Be Brave, Little Penguin is a fantastic, fun story that uses rhymes to help young readers face their fears. Because Mommy penguin is loving and encouraging, she is able to help Pip-Pip learn that “sometimes all you have to do is just be brave and jump.” By the end of the story, Pip-Pip is smiling and laughing, which will leave readers with a big grin as well.

Readers will fall in love with Pip-Pip and the other penguins because of the adorably cute illustrations, but the story will become one of your child’s favorite picture books because of the relatable conflict. Each page has one to four sentences that are easy to understand. Plus, some of the words are in bold and some of the sentences are curved to add even more emphasis.

Be Brave, Little Penguin is a must-read because of the entertaining storyline as well as the positive message that will help readers overcome their fears and gain confidence. If you’d like to explore more books that will help young children face their fears, check out Otis and the Puppy by Loren Long and The Pout-Pout Fish in the Big-Big Dark by Deborah Diesen.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

The other penguins tease Pip-Pip, calling him “Scaredy-Pip-Pip.”

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

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32 3.3 5 worms AR picture book, must read

Maybe

You are the only you there ever has been or ever will be. You are unique. Just the odds of you being here at this exact place and this exact time are so great and so rare that they will never happen again. This is a story for everything you will do and everything you could be. It’s for who you are right now, and it’s for all the magical, unbounded potential you hold inside.

Unlike most picture books, Maybe isn’t a story with a plot. Instead, the book gives advice interspersed with questions to consider. The text asks, “Maybe you will help others to see the beauty of each day? Maybe you are here to shine a light into places that have been dark for too long.” While all of the advice and questions encourage readers to think about their unique abilities, many of them are deep questions that require thought and meditation. Because of this, younger readers might have a difficult time staying focused through the end of the book.

The whimsical illustrations focus on a girl and her pig. The young girl has a cap made of leaves with a beak-like beak. While the illustrations are beautiful and interesting, some of them are odd and do not match the words. For example, in one picture the girl is standing inside a giant flower and watering it. In the picture, the pig is chasing a ladybug. The text asks, “What if you are only scratching the surface of what you can do and who you can be?”

Another negative aspect of the story is the quickly shifting focus. The questions do not seem to flow naturally but instead jump from thought to thought. Instead of having a unified theme, Maybe reads like a motivational speech from a stranger. Because of this, young readers may wiggle and squirm throughout the reading of the book. If you’re looking for a motivational picture book, you should bypass Maybe and instead check out I Believe I Can by Grace Byers and The Power of One: Every Act of Kindness Counts by Trudy Ludwig.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

None

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Players in Pigtails

Did you know that one of America’s favorite songs, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” was written about a girl? And that in the 1940s girls all across America were crazy for our country’s favorite game?

These little known facts inspired Shana Corey to imagine a story about how one determined girl made her way to the big leagues & found a sisterhood of players in pigtails. With the same exuberant spirit that fueled the formation of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League, Players in Pigtails celebrates these brave girls’ love of the game & the league they called their own.

Players in Pigtails begins with Katie Casey, who “wasn’t good at being a girl.” The story explains the 1950s view on women in a way that is both relatable and understandable. In order to play baseball, girls had to attend charm school and wear dresses as uniforms. Despite society’s views about girls and baseball, the players in the All American Girls Professional Baseball League showed that they could play baseball. During the first game, “no one was asking what good baseball was to a girl. They were all too busy talking about how good girls were for baseball.”

The bright full-page illustrations reflect the clothing and culture of the 1950s. However, some of the illustrations use humor to show Katie Casey’s plight. For example, the pictures show how Katie Casey couldn’t knit and her dancing was horrendous. Even though Players in Pigtails is a picture book, it is intended to be read aloud instead of having the child read it independently. Each page has 2 to 4 sentences and many of them are complex. Young readers will need help reading the book as well as understanding societies’ views on women. Younger readers may have a difficult time listening to the entire story because of the text-heavy pages.

Younger readers may wonder why girls had to learn how to drink out of a teacup and have good posture in order to play baseball. However, Players in Pigtails shows how women overcame obstacles to play the game they loved. The charming story will encourage readers to chase their dreams even when they may seem impossible. Anyone who loves baseball should read Players in Pigtails because of its historical value. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for an encouraging book to read to your baseball-loving child, Players in Pigtails is a must read. Readers may also want to check out Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl’s Baseball Dream by Crystal Hubbard and Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki which are wonderful and motivational baseball picture books.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Knight Owl

Since the day he hatched, Owl has dreamed of becoming a real knight. He may not be the biggest or the strongest, but he believes that his sharp nocturnal instincts can help protect the castle, especially since many knights have recently gone missing. While holding guard during Knight Night Watch, Owl is faced with the ultimate trial—a frightening intruder. It’s a daunting duel by any measure. But what Owl lacks in size, he makes up for in good ideas.

Owl’s story comes to life in beautifully detailed illustrations that are shades of brown and blue. Owl’s small size is shown when he is working with the other knights, when he needs a ladder to see over the castle wall, and when a dragon towers over him. Despite his size, Owl reminds himself that he is a knight and knights are brave. When the dragon first appears, his face takes up an entire page, which allows his scales, angry eyes, and large teeth to pop off the page. Even though the dragon is frightening, Owl finds a way to connect to the dragon. Soon the two are talking about “how each of them had hatched from eggs [and] how much they liked the night.”

The story incorporates humorous wordplay. It also shows how Owl’s owlish traits help him be a good knight. For example, “the other knights usually fell asleep during the long Knight Night Watch, but Owl didn’t mind.” The illustrations also have fun elements such as the huge dragon reclining on the castle wall while enjoying a pizza.

Even though Knight Owl is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 1 to 4 sentences. The story’s word play and onomatopoeia make Knight Owl a fun book to read aloud.

Young readers who dream of dragons and knights will fall in love with Owl. The relationship between Owl and the dragon is endearing and it teaches the importance of not making assumptions based on how someone looks. Once Owl and the dragon talk, they discover “they really had a lot in common.” Owl doesn’t save the day by using his strength or a sword, but by being brave enough to befriend the dragon. Readers who love dragons should also read When Dragons are Dreaming by James Mayhew & Lindsey Gardiner. Readers ready for chapter books should read Roland Wright: Future Knight by Tony Davis.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

It is implied that the dragon ate some of the knights.

Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Clovis Keeps His Cool

Clovis has a terrible temper. He’s been learning how to control it with calming tea, deep breaths, and his beloved late granny’s wise words in mind: “Grace, grace. Nothing broken to replace.” His new job running her old china shop helps put him at peace.

But when bullies from his football days come to heckle him at the shop, Clovis faces a big challenge that even deep breaths and Granny’s words might not be enough for. Will Clovis give in to the urge to charge even if it means destroying something he loves?

In stressful situations, Clovis tries his best to stay calm. However, when heckler’s break his granny’s teacup, Clovis charges. When he has the hecklers cornered, Clovis is reminded of his granny’s words, which allows him to calm down. In a unique twist, Clovis invites the hecklers to have a cup of tea with him. In the end, the hecklers help Clovis clean up the mess in granny’s shop. “Little by little, they helped Clovis pick up the pieces, putting right what had gone wrong. And always Clovis served tea. By the time his shop reopened, a few things had changed. Clovis had old hobbies, new friends, and plenty of grace to go around.”

Through Clovis’ experiences, the reader will learn ways to destress. For example, Clovis listens to soothing music, he does yoga, he has chamomile tea, and he breathes to the count of ten. However, Clovis isn’t perfect and he loses his cool, but he finds a way to make everything right. When Clovis was being bullied, he could have retaliated, but instead, he treated the hecklers with kindness and they found common ground. Some younger readers may not understand all the underlying themes in Clovis Keeps His Cool, but it will give parents the opportunity to discuss anger, bullying, and forgiveness with their children.

While Clovis Keeps His Cool is an entertaining story on its own, the illustrations are wonderfully fun and humorous. For example, the contrast between Clovis’ large size and the tiny china in the tea shop will make readers smile. Clovis’ facial expressions are detailed and help the reader understand his varied emotions. Readers will also enjoy looking for the cat that pops up in several pages.

Even though Clovis Keeps His Cool is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 2 to 4 sentences. However, some of the sentences are complex and readers may need help understanding some of the vocabulary. The varying size of the text adds interest to the page and also helps reinforce when Clovis is angry. The story’s alliteration, onomatopoeia, and dialogue make the story fun to read aloud.

Clovis Keeps His Cool will resonate with every young child because everyone gets angry at times. The unique setting, animal characters, and entertaining story will keep readers engaged as it teaches the importance of staying calm. Whether you’re looking for an educational book or a book to read just for fun, Clovis Keeps His Cool is an excellent choice.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

Hecklers come into the tea shop and one throws a teacup at Clovis. Angry, Clovis “tore through town, hot on the hecklers’ hooves. The stampede didn’t stop until he’d chased them to the end of a dark alley. . . Clovis snorted and pawed the ground.” Clovis controls his temper before he hurts anyone.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

Someone calls Clovis a wimp.

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

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The Perfect Birthday Recipe

Summer birthdays can be lonely, but not when you have great friends like Beaver’s! This year Tortoise, Bird, Rabbit, and Squirrel insist on baking Beaver’s birthday cake, but Beaver isn’t so sure. He is the ultimate perfectionist and would rather do it himself, following the recipe exactly. Will Beaver’s nitpicky ways ruin his birthday and his friendships? The Perfect Birthday Recipe is the fourth and final story in Katy Hudson’s best-selling set of seasonal picture books, which include Too Many Carrots, A Loud Winter’s Nap, and The Golden Acorn.

Every perfectionist will relate to Beaver, who makes step-by-step plans and wants everything done exactly as specified. When his friends insist on helping, Beaver worries and frets and grumbles his way through the process. Readers will giggle as each of Beaver’s friends “helps” make the cake. Tortoise works slowly and messily. Bird adds her family’s secret ingredient to the cake mix—pickled worms. Once Beaver sees the finished cake, which looks nothing like the recipe picture, Beaver “snaps” and yells, “This is the ugliest, most disgusting cake I have ever seen!”

Beaver leaves his friends and goes off in a huff to create a new, perfect cake. When the new cake is complete, Beaver cries because he has no one to share it with. In the end, Beaver learns that a perfect birthday only needs one ingredient—his friends.

Hudson’s seasonal picture books capture readers’ hearts as they teach about the importance of friendship. Each page is beautifully illustrated in bright colors and contains wonderful details. For example, when Rabbit misreads the cake recipe and adds two hundred carrots, the illustration shows Tortoise and Squirrel trapped under a mound of carrots with only their heads peeking out. Readers will want to look at the illustrations again and again, finding new details every time.

The Perfect Birthday Recipe will keep young readers engaged until the story’s end. Most of the text is dialogue and some words are bolded for added emphasis. Each page has 1 to 3 sentences, which makes it a quick read. The Perfect Birthday Recipe will please parents and children alike because of the adorably cute animals, a relatable conflict, and a positive message. Plus, Beaver’s story highlights the downfall of perfectionism and the importance of friendship.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah

Born in Ghana, West Africa with one deformed leg, Emmanuel was dismissed by most people—but not by his mother, who taught him to reach for his dreams. As a boy, Emmanuel hopped to school more than two miles each way, learned to play soccer, left home at age thirteen to provide for his family, and, eventually, became a cyclist. He rode an astonishing four hundred miles across Ghana in 2001, spreading his powerful message: disability is not inability. Today, Emmanuel continues to work on behalf of the disabled.

Even though Emmanuel only had one good leg, he was determined to do what the other children did—go to school, play soccer, and ride a bike. Unlike most children today, Emmanuel also had to work shining shoes and selling vegetables to help support his family. Because of his disability, people told him to “go out and beg, like other disabled people did.” However, Emmanuel refused to give up, and his experiences led him to ride 400 miles across his country to show that “being disabled does not mean being unable.”

Even though Emmanuel’s Dream is a picture book, most young readers will not be able to read the book independently because of the advanced vocabulary and text-heavy pages. Each page has 2 to 4 sentences and many of the sentences are long and complex. The simple illustrations use bright colors and show Emmanuel’s world. Through the pictures, readers will get a brief look at Ghana’s culture.

Because of his disability, Emmanuel faced many hardships and discrimination. However, his story focuses on how he overcame each difficult situation. Emmanuel’s Dream will entertain readers as it teaches them the importance of perseverance and hard work. Because of Emmanuel’s dedication, he was able to succeed in spreading his message. “He proved that one leg is enough to do great things—and one person is enough to change the world.”

If you’re looking for more inspiring sports related books that focus on people overcoming difficult situations, pick up a copy of She Persisted in Sports by Chelsea Clinton and Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl’s Baseball Dream by Crystal Hubbard.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

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Supernatural

When Emmanuel was born, most people thought he would be “useless, or worse—a curse. His father left, never to return.”

Spiritual Content

Emmanuel was given his name because it means “God is with us.”
Emmanuel asked the king of his region “to give him a royal blessing.”

Just Ask: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You

Sonia and her friends are planting a garden, and each one contributes in his or her own way. Rafael has asthma and sometimes must stay calm so he can breathe, which gives him time to paint beautiful rocks for the garden. Anthony uses a wheelchair to get around and can move super-fast, directing the group. Anh has a stutter and prefers to listen, so she knows just how to plant each flower. All the friends are different, but they all have one thing in common: they like to ask questions and learn about one another!

This inclusive story is told by US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and inspired by her own diagnosis of diabetes. Readers will see differently-abled kids use their strengths to work together and learn about each other. The book shows that differences are wonderful and that all you have to do when you don’t understand something is ask.

Each page of the picture book focuses on nature and the children who are working in the garden. The illustrations are brightly colored and show some imaginative elements as well. For example, Jordan loves dinosaurs, and in his illustration, he is walking over a rainbow and is surrounded by dinosaur-shaped plants. Readers will enjoy finding all the animals that appear throughout the book such as a squirrel, a grasshopper, and birds.

The book uses a similar format on all the pages. Each two-page spread has a paragraph about a different person who has a disability. Each page also has a question for readers to consider. For example, “I also love reading and writing. What about you?” Even though each page only has 2 to 5 sentences, parents will need to read the book to their child rather than having the child read it independently. The complex sentence structure and advanced vocabulary will be difficult for beginning readers.

Just Ask uses an extended metaphor that compares people to a garden. For example, Sonia must take insulin because “my body doesn’t make insulin naturally like other people’s.” The full-page illustration that accompanies the words shows Sonia sitting in a flower, giving herself a shot of insulin. Just Ask introduces readers to a wide range of differences such as autism, stuttering, and needing to use a wheelchair. Plus, the children who appear in the story are diverse and have many different skin tones.

Parents and educators who want to educate readers about people with different abilities should put Just Ask on their must-read list. Unlike most picture books, Just Ask isn’t necessarily entertaining, but it teaches important lessons about being inclusive and shows how everyone can contribute in different ways. While young readers may not understand the connection between people and different types of plants, Just Ask is the perfect book to use as a discussion starter. While the story encourages readers to ask about people’s differences, it does not explain how to ask in a polite and kind manner.

The beautiful and creative illustrations, the diverse characters, and the positive message make Just Ask an excellent book to read to young children. The picture book gives information about different disabilities as well as food allergies and encourages readers to be inclusive.

Sexual Content