November 2 – Look for Circles Day

About the Holiday

Today is one of those days that gets you really observing the world in a new way. As you go about your day at the office, at school, at shops, or just while driving here and there, be aware of all the different circles you see. Sure, there are the obvious ones—the tires on your car, the signals on a stoplight, the lid of your water bottle or coffee cup . . . but how about all the less-seen circles? Knots on trees, a lemon slice, the center of a flower, the ripple of a raindrop or pebble dropped in a puddle. Whether you look for circles through the eye of geometry or the eye of art, be fully aware of the shapes around you!

Thank you to Ten Speed Young Readers for sending me this book for review!

The Little Polka Dot

By Cassandra Berger

A pattern of polka dots did everything together. Sometimes they all changed color at the very same moment. Sometimes they got bigger or smaller. Everyone was happy. “Except for Little Polka” who had trouble keeping up and felt like he just didn’t belong. He decided to try living on his own. Being alone opened many possibilities: “‘. . . if I could do anything, BE anything, what would I be?'” he asked himself. He closed his eyes and thought about what made him happiest—what made him . . . him.

Suddenly, he grew an appendage! Then . . . Pop! Pop! Pop, pop, pop! He grew some more! They were petals! Yellow petals! And suddenly he “felt just right.” When the other polka dots saw Little Polk Dot, they were astounded. Little Polka Dot explained what happened, telling them, “‘I thought really hard about who I am. And I became . . . myself!'” Inspired, the other polka dots decided to try it themselves. Soon . . . Pop! Pop! Pop, pop, pop! The pattern disappeared . . . and each dot became wondrously uniquely “themselves!”

Cassandra Berger’s sweet story offering thoughtful and uncomplicated assurance about finding and being yourself will make readers smile—and get talking—every time it’s read. The confidence and bravery of Berger’s little hero, who bucks ever-changing popular trends to discover what makes him truly happy, is applicable in so many situations from small friend groups to classrooms to the crushing conformity of social media. Berger’s storytelling is charmingly straightforward as Little Polka Dot asks himself the big questions of life and later leads his fellow polka dots to the secret to happiness.

Underlying Berger’s deceptively simple illustrations are complex questions about the nature of individuality, personality, independent thought, and contemplation. The story begins with several two-page spreads crowded with nearly identical polka dots, while outlier Little Polka Dot is pushed to the margins. Once Little Polka Dot decides to leave the pattern, however, he appears alone in the center of a completely white page—an image that feels like an oasis of calm amid cacophany. The following pages also suggest the idea of giving kids (and anyone) the space and time to think on their own about themselves and the lives they want to lead. When Little Polka is reunited with the others, readers will enthusiastically watch and react as they change, grow, and become who they’re meant to be.

An ingenious and joyful story about becoming and being your true self that kids and adults will love to share again and again, The Little Polka Dot will spark conversations and activities for classrooms and children’s programs as well as at home and is a must for all library collections. The book would make a wonderful gift for children, parents, grandparents, and teachers.

Ages 3 – 7+

Ten Speed Young Readers, 2026 | ISBN 978-0593839065

About the Author

Cassandra Berger is an author and illustrator. She graduated from Pratt Institute with a degree in Illustration and a love for Brooklyn. She then discovered the wonderful world of animation and began a long career in kids media designing on award-winning shows and show development. Cassandra now teaches Character Design at her alma mater. Originally from Massachusetts, she resides in New York with her family who are her constant source of love, belly laughs, and crumbs. Visit her at cassandraberger.com.

Look for Circles Day Activity

The Little Polka Dot Teachers Activity Guide from Ten Speed Young Readers

Teachers, homeschoolers, parents, and other adults will find eight exciting and fun activities for kids to do that celebrate their unique qualities along with Little Polka Dot and his friends in this The Little Polka Dot Teachers Guide! You can download it from the Penguin Random House/Ten Speed Young Readers’ website!

You can purchase The Little Polka Dot from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

October 29 – Bat Appreciation Week & Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

It makes sense that October—with its focus on all things spooky and nocturnal—hosts Bat Appreciation Week and Bat Appreciation Month. We don’t celebrate bats this month just because they fit Halloween themes, though. Bats are cool every day of the year! Why? Scientists estimate there are 1,300 species of bats, most of which are beneficial for the areas where they live. Some bats are awesome at keeping the insect population under control. Fruit bats help distribute seeds, and other bats eat pollen, helping to pollinate foods, including bananas, guava, and agave. This month learn more about these fascinating creatures and enjoy a newest adventure of Bitsy Bat in this third book in the series!

Thank you to Beach Lane for sending me this book for review!

Bitsy Bat, Snow Star (The Bitsy Bat Series)

By Kaz Windness

Bitsy Bat’s family woke up to an unusual surprise. Winter snow had come early—even before she, mama, papa, and baby bat could begin hibernating. Mama took this as a sign that the long winter snooze should begin, but Bitsy wanted to go to school. When Bitsy’s friends, Benjamin and Winnie, stopped by to pick her up (even bringing her a “cute snow outfit”), Mama relented.

At school, to celebrate the early snow, Bitsy’s teacher Mr. Nibbles announced that instead of lessons, they’d “all enjoy the snow together.” Everyone wanted to make snow angels, and Bitsy was eager to learn how. But after she plopped into the snow and moved her wings up and down, she shivered and hoped the other activities would be more fun. But Bitsy didn’t enjoy sledding, making a snowman, or the snowball fight afterwards, either. She didn’t like being wet and cold. In fact, Bitsy decided she didn’t like snow at all. As he flew back to the classroom, she worried that she’d lose her friends if they found out.

Noticing how miserable Bitsy seemed, Mr. Nibbles took her to the reading nook to warm up. There, she found Mo and Enzo. When Bitsy asked if they didn’t like snow either, they both said they loved the snow. Bitsy was confused. Then she discovered that Mo and Enzo liked watching the snow while being warm and cozy and reading inside. She understood then that it was okay to like different things, and when Mr. Nibbles offered hot chocolate, she politely declined while asking for a bugmallow treat instead.

When the snow started falling, Bitsy had the idea to make paper snowflakes, and when the rest of the class came inside, they joined in too. When Mr. Nibbles suggested each student write their favorite snow activity on their flake, Bitsy bravely admitted that she hadn’t liked any of the outdoor activities, and was assured that that was okay. Back home, Bitsy hung her paper snowflakes then prepared with her family for their long winter hibernation.

Back matter includes a detailed discussion about autism that defines and explains important terms as well as an Author’s Note by Kaz Windness, who is herself autistic.

It’s easy to see why Kas Windness’s Bitsy Bat series—including Bitsy Bat, School Star and Bitsy Bat, Team Star—is such a beloved part of any child’s library. Told from an autistic perspective, the stories celebrate each student’s differences, and welcome readers as a friend. In Bitsy Bat, Snow Star, Bitsy steps out of her comfort zone to try a new experience. Windness invites children along to witness Bitsy proudly becoming a “snow bat” in winter clothing but also discovering that her sensory differences make the outdoor activities uncomfortable. As Bitsy’s school day progresses, Windness incorporates responses such as stimming, fawning, and autistic masking into the story.

Once inside, Bitsy demonstrates her creativity and imagination by making paper snowflakes as an alternative to real snow. Through Enzo’s, Mo’s, and Bitsy’s preference to watch the snow from the window, Windness also emphasizes that people can enjoy the same activities in different ways. Readers will find Bitsy’s bravery, worries, disappointments, and empathy relatable and her undimmable spirit inspiring.

Windness’s dialogue-rich storytelling is accompanied by her adorable and expressive illustrations that envelope readers in Bitsy’s companionable classroom, where students accept and support each other and their teacher is understanding. Other students use a wheelchair (and snow wheelchair for sledding), noise-reducing headphones, light-filtering glasses, a communication tablet, and glasses.

Whether you’re already a fan of Bitsy Bat or just getting to know her, Bitsy Bat, Snow Star would be a favorite read aloud on any home bookshelf. The book is a must for any public and school library.

Ages 4 – 8

Beach Lane, 2026 | ISBN 978-1665963664

About the Author

Kaz Windness is the author-illustrator of picture books Swim, Jim!; Bitsy Bat, School Star; Bitsy Bat, Team Star; and Bitsy Bat, Snow Star. She created the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Level 1 Ready-to-Read Graphics book Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends, and its sequel, Worm and Butterfly Are Friends, Always; the Star Chapter Book Time Traveling Chickens series; and the Level 1 Ready-to-Reads Cat vs. Vac; Go! Go! Dino!; Squid in Pants; and Speeder Spider. Kaz is also the illustrator of Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea by Andrew Hacket and the author of When You Love a Book, illustrated by Heather Brockman Lee. Kaz lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, two children, and Boston terrier. Visit her at WindnessBooks.com.

National Bat Awareness Week and Month Activity

Bitsy Bat Series Media Kit

You can find a wide range of materials for the Bitsy Bat Series for educators, parents, and other caregivers, from lesson plans to animated read-alouds, to detailed hands-on activities and instructions in Kaz Windness’s Bitsy Bat Media Kit on her website.

You can purchase Bitsy Bat, Snow Star from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

October 23 – I’m Just Me Because Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Following two years of outreach for inclusion by the Culbreath family, the I’m Just Me Movement became an official nonprofit organization in 2015. The organization was founded on the concept that diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It promotes an understanding that every person is unique, recognizes our individual differences, and celebrates the rich scope of diversity contained within each individual. The I’m Just Me organization offers schools, businesses, and other venues a variety of programs, including a team-building I’m Just Me Workshop, a Live Life Forward program, indivisible and group mentoring, and Project Positive, a student-led initiative creating kinder school cultures through peer leadership, inclusion, and positive change. To learn more, visit imjustmemovement.org.

Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sending me this book!

Some Body, Every Body!

By Roz MacLean

Drawn into Roz MacLean’s uplifting, body-positive book by brilliant rays of color, readers enter a world—our world—of people interacting in various ways with family, strangers, and friends or simply enjoying the wonders of life on their own. Across her pages, MacLean merges short couplets describing different body types, abilities, and disabilities with vivid imagery that captures a plethora of everyday activities undertaken not only by “some bodies” but by “every body.” MacLean begins with four common descriptors: “Some bodies are big. Some bodies are small.” (demonstrated with a dad sitting next to his toddler), and “Some bodies are short. Some bodies are tall.” (depicting a very tall grocery clerk handing down a product from a high shelf to an older gentleman using a motorized shopping cart).

MacLean next takes readers to the beach, where “some bodies are round. / Some bodies are straight. / Some bodies are wavy. / All bodies are great!” then on to a pool, playground, park, rock concert, wheelchair basketball game, and birthday party. In each place, readers meet adults or children using various aids, including wheelchairs, canes, adaptive swings, mobility aids, hearing aids, prosthetics (or none), and a G-tube. Among her characters, MacLean also celebrates diverse skin tones, including albinism and vitiligo; those who relish hugs and those who prefer more distance; different hairstyles and head coverings; varieties of exercise; and many more highlighted throughout the pages.

While MacLean pays tribute to personal variations throughout her story, she also intrinsically highlights our similarities. Her welcoming and vibrant illustrations remind us that we all play, eat, sleep, wear clothes, love, and engage in a myriad of other activities that bring us together. In closing, MacLean offers an invitation to reassuring self-love and togetherness: ” I love my body. Do you love yours too? I love that my body / lets me be here with you!”

Roz MacLean’s jaunty storytelling is happily inspiring, stirring an appreciation for people’s contributions and struggles, especially in this day of social media’s hyper-focus on appearance. Adults and children will be moved by MacLean’s embrace of all bodies, finding it comforting and reassuring. Reinforcing these sentiments is MacLean’s glorious color scheme that leans into sunny days, the warmth of spring and summer, and energizing patterns that make our world more interesting.

A superb story of social and self-awareness and acceptance, Roz MacLean’s Some Body, Every Body! is a must for all library, classroom, and home collections.

Ages 3 – 8

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1547618880

About the Author

Roz MacLean is an award-winning Canadian illustrator and children’s writer. Her books include Some Body, Every Body!; More Than Words; Together, a Forest; and Do You Know the Dark? She especially loves making art about themes that are important to her, like exploring emotions and diverse ways of being in the world. Visit her at rozmaclean.com.

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Picture Book Review

September 17 – Constitution Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Constitution Day commemorates the official signing of the United States constitution in 1787 by the delegates of the Constitutional Convention, whose purpose was to forge an agreement between the states which would allow a central government the power to enforce its decisions and allow the new country to stand as an international force, while maintaining a reasonable level of independence within the separate states. This document has formed the basis for the development and running of the United States ever since while periodically being amended to reflect changes over time.

Thank you to Harry N. Abrams for sending me this book for review!

We the People Is All the People

Written by Howard W. Reeves | Illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

Howard W. Reeves opens his and Duncan Tonatiuh’s patriotic tribute with the Preamble to the United States Constitution, inviting readers to contemplate the meaning of this groundbreaking paragraph, and especially its evocative first line—”We the people of the United States.” Reeves and Tonatiuh then encourage children and adults to really look around their town or city, their state, and the country as a whole with a fresh appreciation that “‘We the people’ is all the people.”

Illustration copyright © 2026 by Duncan Tonatiuh. Text copyright © 2026 by Howard W. Reeves. Published by Harry N. Abrams copyright © 2026.

Reeves offers straightforward and thought-provoking prompts urging readers to consider who these people embraced by the Constitution actually are. He begins close by with “people next door,” then branches out to people “down the street, and across the country.” He takes readers to various living situations—houses, apartments, and shelters—and to a variety of places of worship.

He reminds us that the Preamble’s timeline is open-ended, welcoming “people who were here, who arrived later, who still come today.” Reeves then asks readers to ponder the universal experiences of belief, doubt, struggle, and achievement as they apply to the people around them at work, school, the store, passing on the street. He also initiates an appreciation for the diversity of those you cheer for on favorite teams, those who help you achieve your goals; those who teach; and those who help you eat, stay healthy, and remain safe at home and in the world.

In closing, Reeves reminds us with moving clarity that everything this country is built on, has achieved, and continues to achieve is accomplished by us: “people who look different ways, love different ways, and communicate different ways.” We are “children and adults. Family, friends, and strangers. We the people is ALL the people.” Author’s and Artist’s Notes follow the text.

Howard W. Reeves’ lyrically cadenced story gives adults and children a heartfelt opening for discussions on so many topics concerning the United States from historical events—both proud and heartbreaking—to current concerns about our future. Reeves prompts readers to think deeply to view and understand our country’s vast population from various perspectives and with the same consideration they give themselves.

Matching Duncan Tonatiuh’s instantly recognizable artwork with Howard W. Reeves’ text was a stroke of inspiration as his textured, collage-style illustrations immerse readers in landscapes as quiet as pristine mountain terrain and as bustling as a gleaming city. Tonatiuh’s eloquent images make reflective connections across pages, as exemplified by a woman whose hair fans out as a backdrop to rural, suburban, and city life and a woman whose hijab provides a pathway for worshipers attending a church, a mosque, and a synagogue.

In a particularly affecting spread, an indigenous woman stands with arms and braids outspread to support original settlers, enslaved people, and immigrants who built the transcontinental railroad, as well as farm workers and those building new technology now and in our future. Each page shows the diversity and the commonality of our country’s vibrant population, allowing readers to see themselves and their community in the fabric that is America.

We the People Is All the People is a standout must for all library and classroom collections. The book will also inspire compelling and profound discussions for families and homeschoolers.

Ages 4 – 8

Harry N. Abrams, 2026 | ISBN 978-1419776496

About the Author

Howard W. Reeves is an editor of many award-winning picture books and novels for children and adults. His work often focuses on American history, and he is passionate about editing books that celebrate diversity, equality, and inclusion. He was one of the founding instructors for the School of Visual Arts MFA Design Program. Reeves lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

About the Illustrator

Duncan Tonatiuh is a Mexican American award-winning author and illustrator known for children’s books that explore history, identity, and social justice. Born in Mexico City and raised in San Miguel de Allende, he later studied at Parsons School of Design and Eugene Lang College in New York City. Tonatiuh’s books have received numerous honors, including the Pura Belpré Medal, the Robert F. Sibert Award, and multiple New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book selections. Visit him at duncantonatiuh.com.

You can purchase We the People Is All the People from these booksellers

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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, after three young men are banished from the kingdom of Serendip (commonly known as Sri Lanka) they travel the world to prove their worth and continuously enjoy surprisingly good luck—or serendipity—along the way. In 2001 author Madeleine Kay founded Serendipity Day to encourage people to live their lives believing that at any moment something wonderful may happen. Let today’s holiday inspire you to pay closer attention to those moments of serendipitous magic—from enjoying a bit of good luck to making a new friend—that occur each day. They’re all around us as long as we recognize and embrace them!

Thanks to Hippo Park for sending me a copy of this book for review!

The Stuffie Stand

By Maddie Frost

Moose had always love, love, LOVED stuffies. So when he got older, he began making his own, taking care with the stitching and filling to make sure they had “just the right amount of squish and [were] always one hundred percent cute.” It didn’t take long for Moose to open his own Stuffie shop called, appropriately, The Stuffie Stand. Pretty soon, he had lots of customers, the most enthusiastic of which was Mable.

Turned out, Mable made stuffies herself. But she liked to “bedazzle them with accessories.” She could even see herself selling her stuffies at The Stuffie Stand and moved right in, but Moose wasn’t feeling it. “Goodbye, little girl,” he said, as he removed Mable and her embellishments from his shop. It wasn’t as if Moose didn’t have any customers. He was plenty busy making his own designs and filling special orders. In fact, Moose was sew, sew, sew, sew busy that he couldn’t keep up with demand, and the quality of his stuffies began to decline.

Mable noticed that Moose was looking frazzled and offered to help, but Moose was adamant—until he suffered noodle arms—”a crafter’s worst nightmare”—and relented. Mable got right to work, and while the difference in their creating styles left Moose cringing sometimes, he discovered that “it was nice to have someone to share ideas with.” He even came to admire the bedazzled stuffies on the shelves, and when they opened the renamed Moose and Mable’s Stuffie Stand, Moose was happy to have found a partner—and a friend.

Maddie Frost infuses heart and humor into her DIY story of a moose who likes his stuffie creations simple and a girl who’s all about the bling. Moose’s perfectionist tendencies and Mable’s over-the-top enthusiasm clash in hilarious scenes between this unlikely pair while conveying a gentle reminder of the positive effects of varied influences and the unforeseen joys that can come from teamwork.

Moose and Mable’s facial expressions will have readers giggling throughout the story, and their final partnership will have them cheering for this lovable duo. Kids who go goggle-eyed over stuffies or other treasures will excitedly pore over The Stuffie Stand’s stock to pick their favorites and, perhaps, be inspired to make their own.

Pure read-aloud fun, with a squish of friendship here and a squeeze of collaboration there, The Stuffie Stand will leave readers in stitches and become a quick favorite in any library and home collection.

Ages 4 – 8

Hippo Park, 2026 | ISBN 978-1662641152

About the Author

Maddie Frost is an author-illustrator from Massachusetts. She has written and illustrated eleven picture books and graphic novels. Her obsession with 90s Nickelodeon cartoons started her love for characters and storytelling and then a love for picture books. She studied animation at Massachusetts College of Art and Design which further pushed her in the direction of children’s media. Visit her at maddie-frost.com.

National Serendipity Day Activity

The Stuffie Stand Activity Kit from Maddie Frost

Kids can learn how to draw Moose and Mable and color and fill a Stuffie Stand with their own creations with these The Stuffie Stand Activity Pages found on Maddie Frost’s website!

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Picture Book Review

April 8 – National All Is Ours Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

National All is Ours Day is a joy-filled holiday that encourages us to pause, look around, and really think about the beauty and abundance in our lives and the world around us. Our family and friends, neighbors, teachers, and colleagues—and who can forget our pets?—add so much richness to every day. Exploring your immediate surroundings or taking a trip to new locales and taking pleasure in the beauty you see can open up new perspectives and gratitude for the gifts we all share in common. Today, celebrate our interconnectedness with others, extend kindness, and embrace the idea that the best experiences in life are shared.

Thank you to Ten Speed Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book to me for review!

Others: A Story for All of Us

Written by Kobi Yamada | Illustrated by Charles Santoso

Kobi Yamada’s story starts simply enough. Two boys on one side of a hedge are having a discussion about the people on the other side of the hedge. One boy wonders what “the other people” are thinking about. The second boy is confused and asks, “Are there different kinds of people? How are they different?” His friend thinks it’s obvious: the way they look, talk, everything. The second boy then begins asking some pointed questions about exactly how they are different. “Do they have heads and bodies?” Of course. Do they have wings or tails or maybe “sticky tentacles” or even wheels? The boy thinks these attributes would be helpful, but “No” the first boy answers, the people “are humans.”

Once that’s established, Yamada’s story takes a deeper dive into the internal lives of these “other people.” The second boy is trying to wrap his head around the issue and inquires if the other people “have hearts and brains.” “Yes, of course,” comes the quick answer. Now the manner of the boy’s questions take a subtle change. He wonders if his friend thinks that these people “think and feel,” get lonely, scared, or hurt feelings. He confesses that he, himself, experiences these emotions. Does his friend think they love their family and do things together? His friend takes time to answer. He says he’s never really considered such things before, but imagines they do. Still, they are from “over there” and “not from here.”

The boys begin to debate the meaning of “here” and “there” as the one with all the questions climbs the hedge and drops into the yard on the other side, where’s he’s offered a glass of lemonade. The two get closer and closer to their respective sides of the hedge—one here, one there; or is it one there, one here? They climb, and when they meet at the top, they agree that wherever they are, they feel like they are “here.”

Turning the page, the boys are unseen, but somewhere within a panoramic view of a city, the ocean, and mountains in the distance. Turn the page again and the image pans out even further, their conversation about there and here, them and us loosed from their mooring to become universal.

Others: A Story for All of Us is a perfect pairing of Kobi Yamada’s powerful text and Charles Santoso’s perceptive and layered illustrations. As the story opens, Santoso sets the scene with nuanced imagery: The hedge spans both pages, but is leafless on the facing end, showing the trunk and branches that give it structure—a reminder of family trees and the tree of mankind. On one side are the two boys—one in a striped shirt, the less open-minded child wearing a green shirt and dark pants that mirror the hedge. Rising from the other side is a blue and green cloud dotted with amorphous bodies that loosely create Earth’s continents.

Yamada then channels the literal-mindedness of children to challenge the idea of otherness. Santoso’s accompanying illustrations will bring giggles but also deep thinking. As the rest of the story plays out, Yamada engages readers’ hearts through the boy’s thought-provoking prompts that poignantly reveal the commonalities that connect us all while Santoso reinforces this message with vignettes of families, friends, children, neighbors and pets all playing, talking, celebrating, and relaxing together.

Others: A Story for All of Us is a book with a light touch but a lasting impact to show us the way forward to a meeting of minds and hearts through understanding, kindness, and acceptance. Others is a must for all library and home collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Ten Speed Young Readers, 2026 | ISBN 978-0593839676

About the Author

Kobi Yamada is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Do You Do with an Idea?, Finding Muchness, Because I Had a Teacher, and many other bestselling, award-winning books. In addition to being the creator of inspiring books and products, he is also the president of Compendium. He lives with his family in the Pacific Northwest. Follow him on Instagram.

About the Illustrator

Charles Santoso is the creator of Happy Hippo and has illustrated many books, including Finding Muchness by Kobi Yamada and the New York Times bestseller Odder. He lives in Singapore. Visit him at charlessantoso.com.

You can purchase Others: A Story for All of Us from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

April 2 – Celebrating Hans Christian Andersen’s Birthday and International Children’s Book Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Since 1967, April 2—Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday—has served as the date for International Children’s Book Day. The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), a non-profit organization founded in Zurich, sponsors the day to promote a love of reading and call attention to children’s books. National Sections of IBBY around the world alternate in hosting the event. The host for 2026 is Cyprus, and this year’s theme is “plant stories and the world will bloom.” Each year a prominent author and illustrator from the sponsoring country prepare materials for the event. This year’s poster was designed by Sandra Elephteriou. Elena Perikleous wrote this year’s message, and Giorgos Hatzipieris wrote this year’s official song, “The Little Gardener.” To learn more about the initiative and download digital materials, visit the IBBY website.

Thank you to Levine Querido and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me this book for review!

The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan

Written by Sandra Nickel | Illustrated by Calvin Nicholls

“There once was a poor shoemaker’s son, who was tall and skinny. His nose was two times as long as everyone else’s and his heart two times as tender.” Thus begins not a fairy tale, but Sandra Nickel’s real life story of Hans Christian Anderson.

While most children spent their days working at the factory or going to school, Hans cut out costumes for his toys and invented stories that he performed for whomever would watch. Some neighbors gave him a few coins, but the factory workers and other children bullied and teased him. Hans “soothed his wounded heart by cutting out shapes from cloth.” At fourteen, knowing there was more for him in the world, Hans sailed alone for Copenhagen. There, he tried to find a place to express his talents, but each attempt ended in disappointment. Soon all his money was gone.

When he sent a play to the Royal Theater, one director rejected it brutally, but another found a “few jewels” in it and arranged for him to go to school. At 17 Hans was taking classes for the first time. The other students laughed at him, and the headmaster dashed his dreams of becoming a storyteller, forbidding him to write. For six years Hans obeyed. “To comfort his heart, the boy cut out shapes from paper.”

Then one day when a girl asked him why her flowers had faded, Hans—now a young man—answered her by telling a story while cutting a scene in paper of hearts, dancers, flowers, and castles with working doors. The girl loved the story so much that Hans wrote it down and had it printed into a book. “The children of Copenhagen adored every word.”

Soon, Hans was telling and publishing more and more stories. Adults began reading them, and even Copenhagen royalty invited him to their castles for dinners and afterward to entertain the other guests by weaving “magic with his words and scissors.”

Back matter includes an Author’s Note recounting that experts now believe Hans Christian Andersen was likely on the autism spectrum and may also have had Marfan syndrome. She also discusses her choice to follow the story arc of The Ugly Duckling to depict Andersen’s life.

Sandra Nickel’s mesmerizing and sensitive portrait of Hans Christian Andersen highlights his seemingly limitless creativity, imagination, and courage as he stays true to himself despite the treatment and rejections he endured. Her lyrical and moving biography is not only an inspiring tribute to this unique storyteller and artist, but a buoy for children struggling themselves and a reminder for all to embrace each person as a whole, recognizing and encouraging their talents, dreams, and contributions. Although his enduring popularity is already known to readers, her account of his ultimate triumph still has the power to astonish and prompt cheers.

Visually arresting, Calvin Nicholls’ extraordinary paper sculpture illustrations pop with action and emotion, immersing readers in the sights and sounds of Andersen’s factory hometown, his experiences in Copenhagen, and the joy of his long-dreamed-for success. The realism of Nicholls’ low-relief sculptures, assembled from various weight and textured papers then photographed, is astounding. Nicholls’ color scheme mirrors the theme of the “Ugly Duckling,” portraying Andersen in muted grays and browns until his full transformation when he dazzles Copenhagen royalty in a white tuxedo.

The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan belongs in every classroom, school, and library collection to edify and inspire and would be an inspirational addition to home bookshelves, especially to pair with readings of his stories.

Ages 4 – 8

Levine Querido, 2026 | ISBN 978-1646146093

Hans Christian Andersen’s Birthday Activity

Easy Origami Swan

Kids can have fun on Hans Christian Andersen’s Birthday and International Children’s Book Day by making this easy origami swan to celebrate their unique personalities and talents! All you need is origami paper or you can cut your own 6-inch by 6-inch paper or any size square.

You can purchase The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

About the Holiday

The Little Polka Dot

By Cassandra Berger

Look for Circles Day Activity

The Little Polka Dot Teachers Activity Guide from Ten Speed Young Readers

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About the Holiday

Bitsy Bat, Snow Star (The Bitsy Bat Series)

By Kaz Windness

National Bat Awareness Week and Month Activity

Bitsy Bat Series Media Kit

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About the Holiday

Some Body, Every Body!

By Roz MacLean

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About the Holiday

We the People Is All the People

Written by Howard W. Reeves | Illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

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About the Holiday

The Stuffie Stand

By Maddie Frost

National Serendipity Day Activity

The Stuffie Stand Activity Kit from Maddie Frost

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About the Holiday

Others: A Story for All of Us

Written by Kobi Yamada | Illustrated by Charles Santoso

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About the Holiday

The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan

Written by Sandra Nickel | Illustrated by Calvin Nicholls

Hans Christian Andersen’s Birthday Activity

Easy Origami Swan

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