August 29 – Happiness Happens Month

About the Holiday

Happiness Happens Month reminds us that happiness doesn’t have to be something we plan for or spend money on. In fact paying attention to those little moments during each day, going on spontaneous outings with friends or family, or taking time to do a favorite activity may be all you need to feel happier every day! With summer coming to a close and school starting again, it’s a great time to reflect on the fun you’ve had over the past months and all the memories that are about to be made as another year of activities, education, new friendships, and excitement unfolds. Happiness really does come to you if you look for it and let it happen!

An Abundance of Light: a Story of Matisse in Morocco

By Lauren Stringer

As Paris endured a cold and rainy season, Henri Matisse suffered. How could he paint light and colors when he was surrounded by gray? His friend Albert Marquet suggested he visit Tangier, Morocco, “where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea.” There, he said, “the sunlight was abundant!” Henri packed up all of his supplies and made the trip. But it seemed Henri had brought the rainy weather with him. He tried to paint colorful irises and a basket of oranges and lemons, but he still felt gloomy and trapped.

Then one night while Henri slept, the rain stopped. In the morning he woke to ” . . . an abundance of light. A luminous light. A dazzling light.” Henri took his sketchbook and hurried into town, where color shimmered from the pink mosque to the vibrant Grand Socco market to the Casbah gateway to old Medina. Everywhere he looked he saw the vividness of life. Brightly patterned rugs and painted pottery reminded him of the art his grandparents and mother created in their drab town. “Henri felt a glimmer in the cloudy and dark.”

Henri found a large garden to paint in and began painting the lavender branches, green acanthus, blue periwinkles and “pink-tomato sky” he saw. Despite his “bright and bold” colors, he still felt something cloudy and dark. Then one day, following the music of fiddles, flutes, and drums that filled the air. Henri found a cafe, “where men in long robes gazed at goldfish in round bowls.” Henri was mesmerized by the reds and golds of the fish as well.

When Henri left the cafe, “he saw an abundance of shadows.” In fact, the dark shadows accentuated the light. Finally, he understood that light and color and dark could work together. In his new paintings he surrounded his colorful subjects with colorful shadows. He interpreted light itself into brilliant color. And in a painting completed from his hotel window, Henri painted shadows of such a dark blue that he realized “he could paint light and color, even in the dark.” At home when Henri displayed his paintings in a gallery in Paris, they were a sensation. Now, whenever the skies turned gloomy and rainy, Henri remembered the abundance of light in Morocco and painted.

Back matter includes a short biography about Henri Matisse’s childhood, a discussion of Matisse and his time in Tangier, and a note from the Lauren Stringer about her trip to Tangier that inspired her story. She also includes an illustrated glossary of terms found in the book.

Celebrated author, picture book illustrator, and painter Lauren Stringer immerses young children in a particular time in Henri Matisse’s life and reveals how he overcame obstacles to create some of this best-known paintings. His struggles and search for enlightenment are simply and honestly portrayed, lending to his eureka moment deep joy and surprise. The enthusiastic reception for these paintings, Matisse’s newly discovered ability to find light and color even during dark days, and the lessons his artistic parents demonstrated are all reminders that light shines from within.

Stringer’s striking pastel, charcoal, gouache, and digital media illustrations entice readers to join Henri Matisse on his journeys both internal and artistic. Her realistic depictions of Matisse’s circle of famous friends, and the sights of Tangier will entice readers to learn more. As Henri breaks out of his artist’s block, Stringer portrays him with a sprightliness of step, a perceptive eye, and a deft touch with the brush. Readers will be especially fascinated by the side-by-side models and paintings that reveal how Matisse transposed reality to canvas.

An Abundance of Light is a must addition to school and public libraries collections and is highly recommended for art-loving and artistic children. The book would also make an impactful resource for art classrooms and creative projects.

Ages 4 – 8

Beach Lane Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1534493629

About the Author/Illustrator

Lauren Stringer has illustrated many celebrated picture books, including Deer Dancer by Mary Lyn Ray; The Princess and Her Panther by Wendy Orr; Scarecrow and Snow, both written by Cynthia Rylant; as well as her own Winter Is the Warmest Season, When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky, The Dark Was Done, and An Abundance of Light. She lives with her family in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Visit her at LaurenStringer.com.

Happiness Happens Month Activity

CPB - Happiness typography

Happiness Is… Game

Happiness is all around you! Grab one or more friends to play a game that reveals what things make you happy.

Like the “Geography” game: the first player names something that makes them happy, the next player must think of something that starts with the last letter of the word the previous player said. The game continues with each player continuing the pattern. Players drop out as they cannot think of a word. The last player left is the winner.

You can purchase An Abundance of Light from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

August 28 – International Read Comics in Public Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

International Read Comics in Public Day was established in 2010 by comic lovers Brian Heater and Sarah Morean, who also created the comic blog “The Daily Cross Hatch.” They chose August 28th, Jack Kirby’s birthday, for this holiday that celebrates the various comic genres and styles. Kirby, born in 1917, was an American comic book artist, writer, and editor who is widely heralded as one of the medium’s most prolific and innovative creators. He co-created many iconic characters for Marvel, including the Incredible Hulk, Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, the Black Panther, and Thor. To celebrate today, grab your favorite comics and head outside to enjoy the summer day and see what your favorite characters are up to.

Thank you to Harry N. Abrams for sending me a copy of this book for review.

All the Hulk Feels

By Dan Santat

It’s been a maddening day for Bruce Banner. First “The Leader” requests Bruce’s least favorite song be played on the radio during his morning commute. Then, during lunch at the Luvbürger, he finds a pickle on his sandwich when he clearly asked for No Pickles. Could Leader be behind that too? Each of these infractions makes Doctor Banner so angry that Hulk appears. And Hulk is not happy (although all the kids who witness these transformations are thrilled). At the Luvbürger, a boy gives Hulk a crayon with this advice: “Coloring makes me feel better.”

Hulk takes it to heart and scribbles on a piece of paper. Feeling calmer, he stuffs the paper into his pants pocket and continues eating his lunch. Two minutes later, Bruce reemerges only to taste, and immediately “PTOO!” another pickle. Aware now of the paper in his pocket, he takes it out and reads the missive from Hulk. Hulk proclaims “Burger GOOD!” There are pictures of a burger surrounded by hearts and of Bruce blowing his top. Hulk has written, “Dear Bruce, Hulk think you mad for wrong reasons.” He closes with the picture of a pickle and the words “no mad at pickle.” Bruce Banner becomes enraged.

He takes up the crayon, answers Hulk’s letter, and stuffs it into his pocket just before—you guessed it—Hulk appears once more. He grabs the letter and reads. “Dear Hulk, I know we have never met, but we share the same body. Please don’t tell me how to feel. I have real feelings and I can feel them when I want.” Letters fly back and forth as Hulk and Bruce try to make their case. Hulk snaps the crayon in two. Meanwhile, Leader is laughing his head off because his plan to rule the world is working perfectly. While Bruce and Hulk are distracted, Leader frees all the super villains from prison and lets them loose on the city.

Seeing the broken crayon, Bruce realizes his words have consequences, and he writes an apology. In his follow up, Hulk is eloquent in his view that Bruce is lucky because he “feel all feel” while Hulk can “only feel mad” but wishes he could “feel other feel” like laughter, love, and even crying. They come to an understanding: “Hulk okay be mad if smash bad guy!”

Turns out this will work as at this very moment a van is flipping through the air toward Bruce Banner and a tyke on a trike. In the blink of an eye, Hulk saves the day and cleans up Leader’s mess.

Humorous and heartfelt, Dan Santat’s foray into the Marvel Universe takes readers on an alternating transformative learning experience that will resonate with kids—and adults—whose emotions can sometimes become overwhelming and lead to misplaced anger. Bruce’s dismissive attitude toward Hulk’s advice and Hulk’s self-awareness weaves a poignant thread throughout the story while demonstrating to readers that the effects of one person’s anger are felt by many others. As Bruce Banner and Hulk settle their argument, kids see the benefits of talking things out, listening to others, and empathy.

Santat’s dynamic graphic panels are packed with action that will excite kids as Bruce Banner transforms into Hulk and back leaving Hulk confused as to what all the fuss is about. Kids will enjoy picking out Marvel allusions, following Bruce’s ever-changing shirts following his Hulk phases, and catching Leader in his nefarious plots from page to page.

Younger children and adults will have a blast sharing All the Hulk Feels, while emerging and independent readers will find the large text and well-attributed dialog bubbles easy to follow. This fun and perceptive book will easily become a favorite (especially among Marvel fans) on home bookshelves and for library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Harry N. Abrams/Abrams Fanfare, 2025 | ISBN 978-1419776137

About the Author/Illustrator

Dan Santat is the Caldecott Medal–winning and New York Times–bestselling author and illustrator of All the Hulk Feels, The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, and the road trip/time travel adventure Are We There Yet? His artwork is also featured in numerous picture books, chapter books, and middle-grade novels, including Dav Pilkey’s Ricky Ricotta series. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and many, many pets. Join him on Instagram.

International Read Comics in Public Day Activity

Create Your Own Story

It’s so much fun to let your imagination roar! Use these printable comic style pages to create a story as unique as you are!

Comic Panels with Colorful Borders Page 1 | Page 2

Comic Panels with Black and White Borders Page 1 | Page 2

You can purchase All the Hulk Feels from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

August 26 – National Dog Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

In 2004 Pet and Family Lifestyle Expert and Animal Advocate Colleen Paige established National Dog Day to remind people – especially those who may be looking for a new pet – of all the dogs in shelters that need forever homes. The day also celebrates dogs of all breeds and honors the work of these faithful friends, whether they are family pets or specially trained as service dogs, police dogs, or search-and-rescue dogs. If you’re thinking of adding a new family member of the furry kind, or if you’d just like to make a difference to animals in shelter care, call or visit your local humane society, other shelter, or rescue organization.

Hello Dog / Hello Human (Flip Book): Two Stories in One!

Written by Sara Levine | Illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman

With their curly hair or sleek coats, sweet faces, and eager natures, dogs are natural kid magnets. But that doesn’t mean they’re always ready to be pet or played with. In Hello Dog / Hello Human, Sara Levine cleverly teaches children and adults how to recognize the traits of a receptive dog and how exactly to approach and engage with a dog you haven’t met yet.

It’s easy enough to ask a dog’s human for permission to pet their dog, but getting the dog’s permission can be a bit trickier. Behind the Hello Dog cover, Levine shows kids how to read a dog’s body language, an important skill as “dogs speak with their bodies.” Once a child has determined that the dog isn’t too busy, too shy, or too distracted, Levine goes on to reveal the human behaviors dogs consider rude and the ones they find to be polite. If a person gets a signal that their initial overtures are accepted, only then should they put out their hand to pet that furry coat.

But turn-about is fair play, and by just flipping the book over, that’s what readers find! Open the Hello Human cover, and dogs get a primer on meeting kids (with a dollop of humor, readers may also interpret these tips as courteous ways for meeting new people as well). So how does today’s discerning dog go about choosing the right human to make friends with? Well, they can read the body language. Turns out, people say a lot with their gestures and expressions too. They also use words, and it benefits both dog and human if they’re on the same page with some simple terms, especially “Sit.” While some canines may find it incredible, people tend to prefer a quiet, stationary, even non-slobbery greeting. Levine expands on these and other steps and shows what kind of welcome leads to that scratch behind the ears that, for any pup, is so rewarding.

Working perfectly in synch, author and veterinarian Sara Levine and illustrator Suzanne Kaufman have created a clever book that children and adults will find helpful whether they’re adopting a new dog or learning how to interact with dogs they meet at friends’ homes or while out in the park or neighborhood.

Levine’s straightforward and easy-to-understand steps are punctuated by Kaufman’s humorous depictions of expressive dogs of various breeds engaging in natural, madcap doggy behavior. These energetic pups appear in both stories along with a sweet child and an adorable, well-mannered pooch who’s ready to make a friend. A comical subplot involving a squirrel chase also ties the two sections together.

Educational and entertaining, Hello Dog / Hello Human is an exciting, multi-interest nonfiction story for home bookshelves that kids will want to hear often and even chime in on. The text is especially welcoming to new and emerging readers. Librarians will love displaying the book and recommending it to a wide range of patrons.

Ages 4 – 8

Roaring Brook Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1250797025

About the Author

Sara Levine is an award-winning picture book author, veterinarian, and science educator. Her books which include Bone by Bone, Tooth by Tooth, Flower Talk, Sensitive, and The Animals Would Not Sleep! have received the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize, Bank Street College Best Book of the Year, Beehive Book Award, Cook Prize, and the Mathical Book Prize. She loves doing school and library programs. Visit her at saralevinebooks.com.

About the Illustrator

Suzanne Kaufman is the illustrator of Samanthasaurus Rex, written by B. B. Mandell; Naughty Claudine Christmas, written by Patrick Jennings; 100 Bugs!, written by Kate Narita; and the author and illustrator of I Love Monkey and It’s Confiscated. She lives in Seattle with her family. Visit her at suzannekaufman.com.

National Dog Day Activity

Find a Friend Matching Puzzle

Dogs and their humans often have personalities or even their appearance in common. Can you match up these sweet pups with their new best friend in this Find a Friend Matching Puzzle?

Find a Friend Matching Puzzle with Light Green Border | Find a Friend Matching Puzzle with No Border

You can purchase Hello Dog / Hello Human from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

August 22 – First Day of Autumn

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, fall has arrived! If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, welcome to spring! Today, the hours of daytime and nighttime will be equal, ushering in a changing of the seasons. For some that means cooler weather, shorter days, and preparation in nature for the long winter, which leads to our seeing the brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges in the leaves of certain trees. Watching the leaves fall, swirl in the breeze, and pile up in backyards can only mean that a favorite autumn activity is just a leap away!

The Wishing Leaf

Written by Kallie George | Illustrated by Paola Zakimi

From his window, little Bear could see the very last leaf in the forest clinging to the old maple tree. He wanted to be sure to watch the leaf fall because he wanted to make a wish. When his mama told him it was time to go to sleep, Bear protested, and Mama relented with a kindly sigh.

Bear joined his friends, who were standing or sitting under the maple tree, gazing up. Some had brought snacks, Porcupine had binoculars, and Raccoon had brought a camera. “The leaf was bright and golden like a star.” Bear sat on a blanket with Hedgehog and Chipmunk and started to wait. He passed the time thinking about what he should wish for.

Soon, the air turned cold and while the leaf fluttered in the breeze, it still did not fall. Some shivering animals went home. When the sky darkened, more animals packed up and left. Snowflakes even began to fall and stick. Little by little the rest of the animals went home, even Chipmunk and Hedgehog, who wondered what she would have wished for if only she’d been able to see the leaf fall.

Only Bear was left, and he was growing sleepy too. He thought he might hear Mama calling him. “Bear yawned—a big, little bear yawn.” And just then “the leaf twisted . . . and tumbled, falling down, down, down, like a shooting star.” Bear “knew just what to wish for,” and his heart swelled as he imagined his wish coming true throughout the forest. When he turned to go home, Mama was there with a lantern and a snuggly hug. Back in his room, Bear was tucked into bed and drifted off to sleep.

Kallie George is a master at writing endearing children’s stories that remain always within your heart. Her characters are always adorable, caring, and imbued with childhood wonder. In The Wishing Leaf, George amplifies the feelings of giving that define fall and early winter with her story of a young bear whose first thoughts are for his friends. Readers will be charmed by little Bear’s wishEquating the golden leaf to a shooting star is a touching reminder that the magical can be found wherever you look. George’s sweet phrasing and charming dialog create a cozy read aloud that adults and children will want to share time and time again.

Paola Zakimi’s darling characters inhabit a lovely countryside, in which white smoke drifts from the chimneys of snug cottages, the hills and flowing river speak to the peaceful community, and the large, old maple tree stands waiting as patiently for its final leaf to fall as does little Bear sitting on his window seat, gazing out. Zakimi’s soft pencil and watercolor illustrations are adorably expressive, and her renderings of the warm relationship between Mama and little Bear as well as images of community members will inspire plenty of “Awwws.”

A perfect book for snuggly story times that also would make a much-loved gift, The Wishing Leaf is a must for home and library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-1419772467

About the Author

Kallie George is an author, editor, and creative writing teacher living in Vancouver, British Columbia. She has written acclaimed books for children, including The Lost Gift; Secrets I Know; Duck, Duck, Dinosaur, and The Melancholic Mermaid, as well as The Magical Animal Adoption Agency series and The Heartwood Hotel series. She has also taught writing workshops for children and adults across Canada, as well as in South Korea, and she currently teaches at Emily Carr University. Visit her at kalliegeorge.com.

About the Illustrator

Paola Zakimi spent her childhood in cold Patagonia, Argentina. She studied arts and graphic design in Buenos Aires before moving to Villa Giardino, Cordoba, where she resides today. She is the illustrator of Estelle Laure’s Before the World Wakes, Meg Fleming’s Here Comes Ocean, Jacqueline Veissid’s Ruby’s Sword, as well as Newbery Medalist Cynthia Voigt’s Teddy & Co., among other picture books. Visit her at paolazakimi.com.

First Day of Autumn Activity

celebrate-pciture-books-picture-book-review-fall-leaves-matching-puzzle

Falling for Fall Matching Puzzle

These kids are having fun in the leaves. Can you find the matching leaves in this printable Falling for Fall Puzzle?

You can purchase The Wishing Leaf from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

August 18 – Serendipity Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

The word “serendipitous” was first coined in 1754 by Horace Walpole in a letter to a friend as he described a Persian fairy tale known in English as The Three Princes of Serendip. In the story three young men, having been banished from the kingdom of Serendip (commonly known as Sri Lanka) to prove their worth, travel the world continuously enjoying surprising good luck—or serendipity—along the way. In 2001 author Madeleine Kay founded Serendipity Day to encourage people “to live your life . . . with the belief that at any moment, something wonderful is about to happen.” Let today’s holiday inspire you to pay closer attention to those moments of serendipitous magic that occur each day. They’re all around us as long as we recognize and embrace them!

The Strangest Fish

Written by Katherine Arden | Illustrated by Zahra Marwan

Daisy lives in a colorful house on the edge of a lake with water like “blue glass.” She loves the month of October for its golden trees, pumpkins, cider, and, especially, the county fair. After riding the teacups and munching popcorn, Daisy “fished for prizes from the go-fish booth.” She came away with her own, real, strange fish. Despite the fish’s extra fins, leaf-like scales, and big head, Daisy loved him and vowed to take care of him. At home she placed him in the nicest bowl and named him October.

In the morning, October had outgrown his bowl, so Daisy gave him a bigger one. The same thing happened the next morning, and the next, even though Daisy had transferred him to the bathtub. October looked like a pile of leaves. Daisy’s brother proclaimed him “so weird.” Daisy, though, thought “October was the best fish,” and when “she petted his scales, she was sure his blue eye winked at her.”

The next morning Daisy knew she had to move October again. But where? He “blinked his lake-blue eyes,” and she knew. She rolled October to the lake in her wagon then worried and worried about him all night. In the morning she ran to the lake but saw only a small ripple. Then a snout and a head broke the surface of the water, and Daisy was gazing into the lake-blue eyes of a water dragon. She cried “‘I knew you weren’t a fish!’” and happily climbed on his back for a magical trip around the lake.

Katherine Arden’s The Strangest Fish radiates charm and the type of serendipity children make happen every day with their open hearts. Daisy is a dear, and in one masterful scene that is both touching and candid, Arden reveals the depths of Daisy’s kindness: While carrying her unusual new pet from the car to the house, Daisy feels a pang of jealousy for the cute and more conventional stuffed koala bear her sister has won, but, not wanting to hurt the fish’s feelings, she keeps it to herself. “Friends didn’t hurt friends’ feelings,” she knows. Instead, Daisy tells her fish that she will give him “the nicest bowl.” Arden extends such perception to each family member, as well, through lyrical descriptions and dialog peppered with honest sibling and parental banter and Daisy’s loving reassurances to October that make her story a read aloud with poignancy for all ages.

Fanciful and shimmering with breathtaking color, Zahra Marwan’s watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations invite readers to enjoy a nostalgic autumn fair before welcoming them into Daisy’s close-knit family life. The siblings’ love for each other shows up in heart-patterned clothing and the way Daisy and her sister and brother huddle under one blanket as they worry about October together. Marwan’s singular fish is part punk aesthetic, part balloon, and completely adorable, stealing readers’ hearts from their first glimpse of him. The details Marwan sprinkles throughout her pages are both evocative and quirky, and she even adds a bit of foreshadowing (but I won’t tell you where). October’s final incarnation will delight kids and adults alike.

Enchanting, unforgettable, and with an ending that fulfills all of a child’s heartfelt wishes, The Strangest Fish is a story that kids will want to hear again and again and is a must addition to home, classroom, and all library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Astra Young Readers, 2024 | ISBN 978-1662620782

About the Author

Katherine Arden is the NYT-bestselling author of the Winternight Trilogy and the middle-grade series Small Spaces. She won the 2020 Vermont Golden Dome Book Award and was a finalist for the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Series. She graduated from Middlebury College in 2011, where she obtained her degree in Russian and French.

About the Illustrator

Zahra Marwan is a children’s book author-illustrator and the 2022 recipient of the Dilys Evans Founder’s Award. Her first picture book, Where Butterflies Fill the Sky, was named one of NPR’s Best Books of 2022 and a NYT Best Illustrated Children’s Book. Originally from Kuwait, Zahra now lives in New Mexico.

Serendipity Day Activity

Go Fishing Game

Kids can engage in their own serendipitous adventure with this Go Fishing Game! With a paper plate pond, some printable fish, and a few other supplies, kids will be catching a whole lot of fun in no time!

Supplies

Printable Colorful Fish Template
Printable Black and White Fish Template
Printable Go Fishing! Playing Die (optional)
A large straw, wooden dowel, or pencil for a fishing pole
String
Two 1-inch round magnets for fishing pole
Paper clips
Scissors
Crayons (optional)
Glue (optional)

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-go-fishing-game-1

Directions

Color the paper plate blue
Print the Go Fishing! Game Playing Die (optional)

To Make the Fish

Print the fish templates or have kids draw and color their own fish and cut out
Tape a paper clip to the back of the fish or slip a paperclip on the nose of the fish
If using back-to-back templates, cut fish out, put a paper clip between the sides and glue or tape the two sides together

To Make the Fishing Pole

Tie a length of string to the straw, pencil, or dowel
Sandwich the other end of the string between the two circular magnets
Lay the fish on the plate
Go fishing!

Optional Game: Kids can roll the die to determine which fish to catch.

You can purchase The Strangest Fish from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

August 15 – National Back to School Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

I know, I know . . . it can’t be time to go back to school already! Maybe not quite, but all over the country, teachers, administrators, parents, and…yes, kids…are preparing for the day when school opens again for another year. Now’s the time to find a new backpack, buy some new clothes, and decide that this year is going to be the best year yet! Reading books about beginning a new school year can also help!

Thank you to Abrams Books for Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book to me for review!

Fall Is for Beginnings

Written by Rajani LaRocca | Illustrated by Abhi Alwar

While Ravi is sad to see summer vacation end, he’s excited to be starting school and seeing his friends, especially his best friend, Joe. They “share jokes, secrets, and sometimes lunch,” at recess they always play together, and—best of all—this year they’ll be in the same classroom.

Ravi and Joe find desks next to each other. Then a new girl, Ellie, sits in the seat next to Ravi. She’s eager and enthusiastic. “‘I just know we’re going to be best friends!'” she tells him. Ravi is taken aback and doesn’t reply. He listens as his teacher explains a project the students will do to celebrate their new accomplishments throughout the year by adding leaves then snowflakes then flowers to a tree of their own.

In music class, at lunch, and on the playground, Ellie always joins Ravi and Joe. When they get new instruments, Ellie plays the loudest, she offers tastes of her beet salad (which Joe tries right away, but Ravi does not), and her new suggestions for Ravi and Joe’s Deep Space Explorers playground game make it much more challenging. For some of these new experiences Ravi adds a leaf to his tree.

“Every day, Ellie says, ‘I told you we’d be best friends!'” When Ravi whispers a reassuring “‘But I’m best friends with you'” to Joe, Joe simply shrugs. Every day, Ellie is right in the middle of Ravi and Joe’s favorite fall activities. At the school Halloween party, Ravi dresses as a scoop of ice cream, and Joe is a cone. When Ellie runs up dressed as a bottle of sprinkles because they’re “best friends,” Ravi loses his temper, crying, “‘You are NOT my best friend!'”

Surprised and hurt, Ellie runs off. She avoids Ravi and Joe during the rest of the party and during trick-or-treating in the neighborhood and moves to another desk in the back of the classroom. At home, Ravi mopes on the couch about how much things have changed since Ellie came. When his older sister hears his complaint, she runs off to get the family photo album. Page by page, she shows Ravi how great it was for her before he was born and how she found him so annoying when he was a baby. But, she says, when she got to know him, “‘Things were even more fun than before.'”

Ravi reconsiders his relationship with Ellie amid all the things they do together. Perhaps, he thinks, “Ellie is already my friend?” The next day at school, he shows a change of heart and lets Ellie take the lead. He has fun on the playground and in music class and discovers that beet salad is delicious. Ravi’s tree is filling with leaves representing all of his new experiences, and he feels proud “because fall is for beginnings and friendship.”

Rajani LaRocca shines a light on an important aspect of new school years, old friendships, and the natural changes that occur as children grow up, meet new people, and venture into the unfamiliar. Candid and relatable, LaRocca’s storytelling gives voice to emotions children may feel (and feel badly about) but are unable to express. Reading and discussing the stages Ravi goes through before finally losing his temper and then afterward can give kids an opportunity to talk about their own experiences as well as their ideas for and what to say when assimilating new friends into an established duo or group. Joe’s early nonchalance about Ellie’s proclamations of friendship reveals how the idea of “best friends” can vary from person to person and change over time.

Abhi Alwar’s vivacious, autumn-hued illustrations depict an active classroom in which even amid the usual raucousness, Ellie stands out with her spunky personality. Always in motion, Ellie kicks her feet, runs and leaps and roars, gives her new besties gifts and tastes from her lunch, and in the process overwhelms Ravi, whose apprehension, eventual anger, and regret show in his expressions. Alwar’s combination of chalky line drawings and full color sketches allow her to emphasize certain important moments while presenting dynamic scenes that kids will have fun exploring.

An impactful book to share with children just starting school or as they move through the grades, Fall is for Beginnings celebrates new friends and experiences, while providing a map through some of the trickier bits. The book is highly recommended for home bookshelves and is a must for classroom and library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Harry N. Abrams, 2025 | ISBN 978-1419777400

About the Author

Rajani LaRocca is a physician and an author of books for young readers including Summer Is for Cousins, Where Three Oceans Meet, and Red, White, and Whole, which won a Newbery Honor. She was born in Bangalore, India, and immigrated to the United States when she was very young. She now lives in eastern Massachusetts with her family. You can find her online at rajanilarocca.com.

About the Illustrator

Abhi Alwar is an Indian American illustrator and designer based in New York City. She is the illustrator of a number of books for young readers, including Summer Is for Cousins by Rajani LaRocca and the graphic novel series Super Pancake, written by Megan Wagner Lloyd. Visit her at abhialwar.com.

You can see what Ravi’s up to during the summer in Summer Is for Cousins, the first volume of the Seasons Are for Everything series from Rajani LaRocca and Abhi Alwar.

Back to School Month Activity

Make Your Own School Bus Craft

With a small tea box or other box, some paint, and the printable template, kids can have fun making a model school bus to play with or display. The bus can be made as detailed or simple as they’d like. Maybe they’d even like to draw themselves and their friends in the windows!

Supplies

Printable School Bus Template
Small tea box: 20-bag size (5″ long x 3″ tall x 2 5/8″ deep); or other small box
Bright yellow craft paint
Scissors
Craft glue
Paintbrush

Directions

Print 2 copies of the School Bus Template
Carefully take the tea box apart at the seams, invert it, and glue or tape it back together

To Make the Passenger Side of the Bus

Cut the Door from the template
Glue the door to the box near the front
Cut out and trim the row of windows from the template
Glue the windows near the top of the box
Cut out and trim two of the solid black lines from the template
Glue the stripes onto the side of the box below the windows
Cut out two tires from the template and glue them to the box

To Make the Front of the Bus

Cut out two of the red and orange paired lights
Glue one on each side of the box near the top with the red light on the outside
Add a School Bus sign between the lights
Cut out the windshield in the lower corner of the template and glue it in place
Cut and trim grill and glue it beneath the windshield
Cut and glue white circles for headlights on either side of the grill
Cut, trim, and glue the wide black strip to the bottom as the bumper.

To Make the Driver’s Side of the Bus

Cut and trim the row of windows from the template
Glue the windows near the top of the box
Cut out and trim two of the solid black lines from the template
Glue the stripes onto the side of the box below the windows
Cut out two tires from the template and glue them to the box
Cut out and glue the Stop sign over the two stripes near the front of the bus

To Make the Back of the Bus

Cut out two of the red and orange paired lights
Glue one on each side of the box near the top with the red light on the outside
Add a School Bus sign between the lights
Cut out the two small rounded corner windows
Glue them underneath the lights close to the edge of the box
Cut out and glue the bigger rounded corner window between the smaller windows
Cut out and glue the yellow, red, and white lights underneath the small windows with the yellow light on the outside
Cut out and glue the black rounded corner window centered beneath the lights
Cut and trim the wide black stripe and glue it near the bottom of the box for the bumper

You can purchase Fall Is for Beginnings from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

August 8 – International Cat Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

If you share your home with a cat, then you know how these furry friends can change your life. Whether you love them for their playful antics, for their companionship, or even for their independent spirit, your life just wouldn’t be the same without their daily presence. Since August of 2020, the organization International Cat Care has been the custodian of today’s holiday. Their mission is to ensure that all cats receives the love, care, and respect they deserve. This year’s theme is “Cat Friendly Every Day,” which urges all cat lovers, from veterinary professionals to cat moms, dads, and kids to be aware of their own feline’s needs as well as those in shelters or on the street. Today is the perfect time to celebrate your cat or kitten with some extra attention and care. If you’re considering adopting a cat, now would be a great time to contact your local animal shelter or rescue group to give a cat a forever home. To learn more and to sign up for helpful advice and tips or to donate to this worthy cause, visit International Cat Care.

Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sharing a copy of this book with me!

Witch Cat

Written by Lucy Rowland | Illustrated by Laura Hughes

Pippin, a black cat with “brilliant green” eyes, had always been happy being the Witch’s purr-fect companion, but after her latest annual town-wide Halloween street party, he felt a bit of wanderlust: “He so loved his witch but he had a small itch . . . / ‘There’s a whole wide world I could see! / Just think of the places, and so many faces—/ Oh! Which kind of cat could I be?'”

That night Pippin began his journey aboard a pirate ship, invited aboard by the captain who needed help with stowaway mice. But Pippin soon learned he was more of a landlubber than a sailor, so the pirates dropped him off just outside a castle by the sea. A passing knight offered a ride in his wagon, but fighting a fiery dragon was too scary.

Continuing his search, Pippin met up with a little girl who wanted a pet she could dress up, a tightrope walker, a cowboy, and a small-plane pilot. Months went by, “but try as he might, / nothing ever felt right.” Then one day “Pippin saw an old broom in the street.” He began thinking of how much he missed the Witch, but wondered what she would say if he returned. It had been so long that he wasn’t sure of the way back home. Pippin wandered the streets, getting soaked by a pouring rain. When he spied a jack-o-lantern in front of a door, he crawled in to escape the weather and fell asleep, wishing to be with his Witch once more.

Meanwhile, the Witch was again hosting her party, and while she welcomed her guests with good cheer, it just wasn’t the same without Pippin. The townspeople brought lots of treats, and one even brought a pumpkin “with a huge smiley grin on its bright orange chin and . . . eyes of such brilliant green?!” Just then Pippin jumped out and into his Witch’s arms. She gave him a sweet, tight hug, and Pippin knew he was right where he belonged.

Lucy Rowland’s jaunty rhyming story is a perfect read aloud carried along on gentle suspense, Pippin’s humorous interactions with other could-be companions, and a heartwarming reunion. Rowland’s setting of Halloween, with costumed guests, for the Witch’s annual party provides a clever backdrop to Pippin’s desire to “try on” different personas.

Laura Hughes’s acrylic ink illustrations are loaded with the kinds of details that kids love. As the Witch and Pippin fly over the town on a broom, welcoming residents smile and wave; the pirate ship teems with endearing mice that beg counting, not capturing; dressed-up Pippin will bring giggles, and the Witch’s magical home is all the more cozy for having Pippin back. Readers may even find some inspiration for their own Halloween costumes among the party-goers.

For cat lovers, wistful dreamers, and happy homebodies, Witch Cat offers plenty to love. While the Halloween holiday is a natural tie-in, the story will resonate throughout the year and is sure to be asked for often. With spot-on rhymes, a bouncy rhythm, and a combination of exposition and dialogue, the story invites dramatic reading. It’s a fantastic choice for classroom and library story times and is highly recommended for home, school, and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547616718

About the Author

Lucy Rowland is a star of the picture book world, and her charming, energetic and irresistible rhyming stories are firm favourites with children everywhere. Her books include This Tree Is Just for Me! (Bloomsbury), Little Red Reading Hood (Macmillan) and The Knight Who Said “No!” (Nosy Crow). Visit her at lucyrowland.com.

About the Illustrator

Laura Hughes is an award-winning and best-selling children’s illustrator. She has created artwork for over 20 picture books including The Forgettery by Rachel Ip and Hop Little Bunnies by Martha Mumford. In 2018, Laura won the Oscar’s Book Prize with author John Dougherty for the book, There’s a Pig Up My Nose. Visit her at laurahughes-illustrator.co.uk.

International Cat Day Activity

Wandering Kitty Maze

This silly kitty needs help getting home. Can you help him find his way in this Wandering Kitty Maze?

You can purchase Witch Cat from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

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