August 18 – Serendipity Day

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 4 – Back to School Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

It may seem like summer vacation just began, but the signs of a new school year are already appearing everywhere. The stores are stocked with clothes, supplies, and plenty of gear to make the new school year the best ever. But all the “stuff” is just part of getting ready for school. Kids are looking forward—eagerly or maybe with a little trepidation—to making new friends, having new teachers, and exploring new subjects and ideas. Preparing kids for all aspects of a new school year easier and more exciting is what National Back to School Month is all about!

Thanks to Orchard Books/Scholastic for sharing a digital copy of this book with me!

To Catch a Ghost

By Rachel Michelle Wilson

At the bus stop, the new girl is noticed right away by a classmate who quickly introduces her to how seriously the kids take show and tell by using Drew—”the only kid who brought nothing last time”—as a cautionary tale. Sam, determined not to suffer Drew’s fate, first signs up to bring “cool rocks” then her “pet brother” and finally a “GHOST.” Sam acknowledges that catching a ghost takes “gumption,” but she has a plan and creates a primer for anyone else who would like to catch their own ghost.

In Part 1: Find, Sam reveals that you must search everywhere and shows how she looked all around at home, in her treehouse, even on the playground—until there, right in front of her, she found her ghost. While finding the ghost was tricky, Part 2: Observe explains that catching it is trickier. Sam explains that the best way to lure a ghost into a trap is to get to know their personality and preferences by spending time with them. When she did this, she says, she discovered a few helpful facts about her mischievous old soul that ultimately led to its capture.

Which brings Sam to Part 3: Catch. She demonstrates how to build “the perfect ghost trap,” how to work quickly and without hesitation when the ghost enters the trap, and posits that “there’s a good reason you need to catch your ghost.” But then the ghost peers through the bars, and Sam has a change of heart. She removes the lock and sheds some tears, knowing she won’t have something extraordinary to share at Show and Tell on Friday.

But then Sam notices something and realizes what a “good ghost” she had caught. All along it had her back. Show and Tell is a rousing success, and friendships follow—one you might not even see coming!

Inventive and endearing, Rachel Michelle Wilson’s To Catch a Ghost will enchant children, whose imaginations often run to such whimsical fancies in concrete ways. The consequences of a poor Show and Tell performance increase the story’s suspense as well as the magnitude of Sam’s ultimate decision, a twist that can lead to discussions about true friendship, doing the right thing for others, and listening to your heart. With her GoPro ready and her determined expression, Sam is a worthy competitor on the chase but also an empathetic and caring friend that readers will embrace.

Delightfully offbeat with lots of read-again appeal, To Catch a Ghost is a spirited and thoughtful story that’s a top pick for home, school, and library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Orchard Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1339031958

About the Author

Rachel Michelle Wilson is a children’s book author-illustrator with a sweet tooth and a dash of sass. When Rachel is not making books, you can find her paddle boarding across a lake, puzzling over a logic problem, or hosting a living room dance party. Visit her at rachelmichelewilson.com.

Back to School Month Activity

To Catch a Ghost Puzzles and Activity Guide for Teachers and Caregivers

Kids can have fun solving the two puzzles in these To Catch a Ghost Fun Pages while teachers, homeschoolers, librarians, and caregivers will appreciate the full Activity Guide that provides questions and activities based on Bloom’s Taxonomy and follow Common Core Standards. You’ll find printable games like Book Chat Bingo, prompts that help children write their own story, creative drawing and imagining activities, and more. Rachel Michelle Wilson even invites kids to send the story they write to her!

To Catch a Ghost Puzzle Pages | To Catch a Ghost Activity Guide

You can purchase To Catch a Ghost from these booksellers

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

Picture Book Reviews

July 30 – International Day of Friendship

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established in 2011 by the United Nations General Assembly, the International Day of Friendship asserts the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures, and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. “In this year’s observance of the International Day of Friendship,” the UN General Assembly eloquently states, “we’re reminded that real peace is forged not only in negotiation halls or by writing into treaties — it’s built, thread by thread, in the trust we extend to one another in daily life. Friendship, especially among young people, holds a special kind of power. It can cross languages, faiths, and histories that might otherwise divide us. It invites us to listen before we judge, to stay when it’s easier to walk away. And when nurtured across cultures and communities, friendship becomes more than a bond—it becomes a blueprint for reconciliation. It teaches us that understanding isn’t a grand achievement; it’s a habit, a practice, a way of moving through the world that says ‘your well-being matters to me too’.”

Celebrate the International Day of Friendship all year long with today’s story for that can help young children build strong and trusting friendships from the earliest ages. For more information about the International Day of Friendship and a list of actions we can all take, visit the United Nations website.

Thank you to Laura Sassi and Paraclete Press for sharing a copy of this book with me for review!

Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle

Written by Laura Sassi | Illustrated by Farah Shah

Belle Bunny, who lives in a tall, tidy pumpkin on Leaf Lane, is best friends with Boo Chipmunk, whose cozy home is a squat pumpkin shell. Despite the rain that’s been pouring down all week, both Belle and Boo are looking forward to getting together for their annual Pumpkin Day Tea that day. There’s just one hitch: while Belle is finishing her final preparations, Boo is still waiting for his invitation. Where could it be?

When the clock chimes three and with a warm fire crackling in the wood stove, Belle, “. . . grateful for a friend like Boo, . . . set out heaps of treats for two.” But Boo was taking his clues from the drab day, his dank den, and his smoking wet wood in his fireplace. “‘So much for friends like Belle!’ huffed Boo.”

A hour went by and Belle was growing miffed because the tea was cold and the frosting melting. ‘”My tea is ruined! Did Boo forget? / Why hasn’t he arrived here yet?” Meanwhile, Boo was wondering if Belle’s kindness was “just pretend.” They both grabbed their umbrellas and headed outside. Unexpectedly, they bumped into each other on the bridge between their homes.

Instead of hemming and hawing or ignoring each other, Belle asks Boo if he forgot their Pumpkin Tea, to which Boo replies that he never received an invitation. A moment passes between them—could each be telling the truth? Belle breaks the silence with an apology for not double-checking with Boo, and Boo says he could have done the same. With their friendship patched up and the sun beginning to shine, Belle and Boo head back to Belle’s house. There, Belle made new goodies while Boo steeped a new pot of tea, and they both pondered over the missing invitation. A sudden knock on the door answers the mystery with a surprising twist and a new reason to be thankful at their Pumpkin Day Tea!

The story was inspired by the sentiments of joy and gratitude found in Psalm 118:24, which appears on the final page.

Laura Sassi’s breezy and heartening rhyming story for little ones is layered with depth and insight about the nature of friendship, expectations between friends, and generosity of spirit. Belle’s and Boo’s changing emotions are depicted honestly and in language that young children will understand, and when Boo and Belle meet on the bridge and a moment of doubt passes between them, adults and children have an opportunity to discuss how they think the characters feel, how they would feel in the same circumstance, and how they would resolve the issue with their own friends. Metaphors found in the weather and how each character responds to it as well as in the bridge where Belle and Boo meet and reconcile also offerareas for discussion. Bitsy’s entry into Boo and Belle’s long-standing tea for two also brings cheer and open-heartedness to the story.

Farah Shah’s cozy pumpkin homes are washed in warm tones and full of charming details that children will adore. The crackling fire in Belle’s wood stove reflects her sunny personality while Boo’s smoking logs reflect his unhappy mood. The stormy weather outside foretells the coming clash between Boo and Belle. Both character’s facial expressions are easy to read and provide talking points for adults and kids. Just as Belle and Boo clear up the misunderstanding, the weather lightens and shines brightly with the inclusion of a new friend.

Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle is a charming and meaningful read aloud that’s perfect for friendship building at the beginning of the school year, Thanksgiving celebrations, and any time that empathy and understanding are needed. The book is highly recommended for home and library collections.

Ages Preschool – 3

Paraclete Press, 2025 | ISBN 979-8893480191

About the Author

Laura Sassi has been a teacher, homeschool mom, children’s ministry director, and more. She is the author of multiple books for young children including the best-selling Goodnight, Ark (Zonderkidz), which was a 2015 Christian Book Award Finalist, the My Tender Heart series (Paraclete Press), Happy Birthday Christmas Child (Paraclete Press), Love is Kind (Zonderkidz), Faithful Feet (WorthyKids) and more. She writes daily from her home in New Jersey and finds special joy in sharing messages of kindness, comfort, and hope at school visits, church gatherings, and other events.

About the Illustrator

Farah Shah is a children’s book illustrator who was born in West Yorkshire and is now based in the South of England. If she is not drawing characters at the kitchen table, then you can often find her traveling around the UK in search of sun, sea and a bit of inspiration.

International Day of Friendship Activity

Pom-Pom Pumpkin Village – by Laura Sassi

Read Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle, then, inspired by a spirit of friendship and the adorable map on the opening spread, make your own pumpkin patch village out of pom-poms! Arrange the village in a cozy spot, then use your imagination to retell the story or create your own story of friendship and community.

To make a pom-pom pumpkin village you will need:

orange yarn
stiff drawing paper
scissors
tacky glue
colored pencils, markers, or crayons

Directions:

For each pumpkin pom-pom, loosely wrap a single strand of orange yarn 60-80 times around four fingers or a similarly sized sturdy household item (such as a coaster). Next, gently slide the loopy bundle off your hand (or coaster). Cinch the looped yarn in the middle and tie securely in a knot with a separate piece of yarn. Snip the loops to make a ball. Then fluff and snip the uneven bits as desired. These will be your pumpkins. Repeat to make as many as you want. The more you have, the bigger your village will be.
Transform each pom-pom pumpkin into a house by cutting sturdy white paper to create a base. Glue the pom-pom to the base, then decorate each front yard using colored pencils, markers, or crayons. Cut doors, windows, and stems from the scraps, coloring them with whatever details you want. Finally, using ample tacky glue, affix the doors, windows and stems onto the pom-pom pumpkins, as shown above.
When everything is dry, set up your pumpkin village in a cozy spot. Retell the story or imagine new adventures you and a friend (or several) might have in a pumpkin patch village. Have fun!

You can purchase Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

June 25 – National Day of Joy

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established by Comfort Keepers, who offer uplifting in-home care for seniors, The National Day of Joy encourages everyone to look for simple moments and expressions of happiness in daily life. Cheerful smiles and greetings, random acts of kindness, upbeat moods, and general positivity can affect not only immediate interactions but can change our moods and improve our health. To honor the day and the idea, find ways to start each morning with a positive attitude for the day to come. Need ideas for how to get started? Say “Hello” to those you meet, listen to and encourage others, happily help out where needed, send a surprise letter, card, or text to a friend or family member far away. And, of course, doing something fun with your kids always makes the day better. Oh! And don’t forget to treat yourself too! When you feel good, those around you will respond in kind!

Big Boy Joy

Written by Connie Schofield-Morrison | Illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice

It’s playground time, and the little boy who’s about to conquer the slide and the swings, unexpectedly make a new friend, and use his skills introduces himself: “I am a BIG boy.” As he tears down the sidewalk, he demonstrates—”I can run FAST. I can walk SLOW. I can climb HIGH! I can Go! Go! GO!” Slipping down the slide, too fast to stop, he crashes into another boy walking by with a basket of dinosaurs. They both go tumbling, the dinos spilling out.

The boy cries, but he’s also a big-enough boy to apologize and turn the accident into an opportunity to make a new friend. The two play—”RAWR, RAWR”—with the toys, they “STOMP and CLOMP.” The two move to the sandbox for a “CRASH and SMASH” demolition derby with their trucks, and when a wheel comes off: “I can fix. TWIST and TURN TA-DA!”

But the day’s not over, these fast friends share snacks, play chase, and swing “right into space!” Dad waves. It’s time to leave, with a high five between the boys and a promise to play again.

Connie Schofield-Morrison infectious ode to boyhood and unfettered play is a joyous read aloud, with vivacious rhymes full of personality and pride in what the narrator can do. From releasing all that big-boy energy to turning a crash-bang mishap into friendship to exhibiting ingenuity and manners, Schofield-Morrison’s young child shows just what it means to be a “big boy.”

Emerging and new readers will love being able to read the story on their own, and younger children will quickly catch on to chiming in on all of the high-spirited onomatopoeic words. The story is also perfect for acting out for rambunctious story times.

Shamar Knight-Justice’s young child brims with happiness and excitement as he tackles the playground; shows an awareness of others and their feelings; and races, chases, tumbles, and climbs a slide ladder so tall you have to turn the book sideways! Vivid primary colors, dynamic typefaces, all the big-kid equipment that makes a playground so enticing, and two boys who know how to roar, stomp, kerplunk, share, and have fun together shine from the pages.

Big Boy Joy is a lively read aloud that will capture the hearts of kids and adults alike and will quickly become a much-asked-for favorite for home bookshelves and library collections.

Ages 3 – 5 (and up for newly independent and emerging readers)

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547611515

About the Author

Connie Schofield-Morrison captured the rhythm of the neighborhood in her first picture book, I Got the Rhythm, and again in I Got the Christmas Spirit and I Got the School Spirit. She is also the author of the picture book biography Stitch by Stitch: Elizabeth Hobbs Keckly Sews Her Way to Freedom. Connie has been writing since she was a young girl and is inspired every day by the big sounds and bright colors of the world around her. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Visit her on Instagram.

About the Illustrator

Shamar Knight-Justice is an illustrator based in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up with a crayon in his hand and a love for patterns. He currently serves as the principal of an elementary school in Southwest Atlanta, where his scholars’ stories and personalities inspire him to create illustrations that honor their identities. When not drawing, Shamar loves to spend time hoarding collage materials, going on long walks with his family, and devouring the nearest pancake. Visit him at shamarknightjustice.com.

National Day of Joy Activity

Playground Spot-the-Differences Coloring Page

Search for all of the differences between these two pictures then color the scenes!

Playground Spot-the-Differences Coloring Page

You can purchase Big Boy Joy from these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

June 9 – National Great Outdoors Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Everyone benefits from spending time outdoors whether they’re playing, helping out with home projects, gardening, traveling, or just enjoying some lazy time. Simple pleasures, breaking the routine, and taking time to recharge all spark the imagination and make memories that last a lifetime. To celebrate National Great Outdoors Month, plan an outing with your kids. It may turn into an adventure you never expected!

Sloth & Squirrel on Vacation

Written by Cathy Ballou Mealey | Illustrated by Kelly Collier

With Sloth & Squirrel’s Pickle Pop stand always hoppin’, the two friends longed for time to do something else. Squirrel yearned for adventure, and Sloth “longed for a l-o-n-g nap.” Then Sloth had an idea: why not close the stand for a vacation? Squirrel was all in, and even got a travel magazine to peruse together on a park bench.

Squirrel was partial to Raging Rapids Rafting and Swoop-dee-Loop Skydiving, while Sloth was eager to check out Lazy Lodge and . . . . Sloth needed a nap! As Squirrel dragged Sloth away, they discovered an advertisement right on the bench that provided the perfect answer: Paradise Park, which promised “Something for Everyone!”

At Paradise Park they hit the beach first, and while Squirrel enjoyed the sand and surf while Sloth slept on a floaty. When Squirrel, trying to skip stones, popped Sloth’s floaty instead, Squirrel scampered off to the gift shop to buy a new one. On the way to the shop, though, Squirrel got sidetracked by rock climbing and then diverted again . . . and again . . . and one more time by all the fun activities before realizing he missed Sloth.

Back at the beach, Sloth had just woken up from his nap and wondered where Squirrel was. As he began his search, Sloth heard two pigs talking about a rock-climbing squirrel. Sloth headed up the mountain, but didn’t find Squirrel. He tried again, taking to the water, but no Squirrel. Sloth always seemed to be a step behind. Perhaps a view from the air would help. At last! “There was Squirrel!” Reunited, the two friends embraced and decided to do something together.

Sloth was ready for an ice cream cone, and Squirrel agreed. But by the time Sloth returned with the cones, there wasn’t anything left to lick. Squirrel knew just what was needed—speed! He zipped to the ice cream stand and zipped back with one “Scooper Bowl Deluxe.” They then “savored every spoonful—the same way they enjoyed the rest of their vacation.”

Cathy Ballou Mealey’s delightful sequel to Sloth & Squirrel in a Pickle is a sweet and funny friendship romp that will steal your heart. This time, Mealey deepens the bonds between Sloth and Squirrel as they collaborate on choosing a vacation spot and after being separated vow to spend the rest of their vacation together. In between readers are treated to a masterclass on being a best friend as Sloth overcomes his natural instincts for snoozing in order to find Squirrel, and Squirrel realizes that time spent with Sloth is more valuable than even the most exciting adventuring alone. Their yummy compromise will satisfy all readers.

Kids will be happy to see Kelly Collier’s fast (and slow) friends back again and discover that their pickle pop stand is still dill-iciously popular. Squirrel’s hijinks as he just can’t stop himself from trying every activity Paradise Park has to offer is sure to whet their appetite for their own summer fun with friends while Sloth’s refreshing downtime will appeal to adults looking for a bit of relaxation.

Sloth & Squirrel on Vacation is a sequel fans of this duo won’t want to miss. It will become a quick favorite read aloud for home and library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Kids Can Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1525312564

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sloth-and-squirrel-in-a-pickle-cover

Read my review of Sloth & Squirrel in a Pickle here!

About the Author

Cathy Ballou Mealey enjoys all kinds of fun vacation activities, including swimming, reading and sharing sweet treats. When she is not writing or reading, she volunteers for schools and programs that support individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities. Cathy likes dill pickle pops and chocolate ice cream, but not at the same time! She lives with her husband, son and daughter north of Boston, Massachusetts, where she delights in watching silly squirrel antics and is waiting patiently for a sloth to appear. Visit her on Instagram, X/Twitter, and Bluesky.

About the Illustrator

Kelly Collier has been drawing since she was little, and studied illustration in college. She is the author-illustrator of the Steve the Horse series and The Imposter, and the illustrator of the Sloth and Squirrel books, the Izzy series and How to Party Like a Snail. She has an identical twin sister and an older brother and lives in Toronto, Ontario, with her husband and daughter. Visit her on Instagram.

National Great Outdoors Month Activity

Summer Fun Activity Book

Enjoy your summer vacation with the coloring pages and puzzles in this Summer Fun Activity Book!

You can purchase Sloth & Squirrel on Vacation from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

April 25 – Disability Book Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Disability Book Week encourages individuals all over the world to become more inclusive with what they read by reading a book that features characters with disabilities. It’s easy to participate! Individuals and families can pick up a disability-inclusive book to read. Libraries, schools, and bookstores can create a display of inclusive books. Hosting an author, illustrator, or disabled community member to do a reading is also a great idea. Other ways to help are to leave a review of books you’ve read and to talk about disability inclusion with your family or others. These ideas can all go a long way in raising awareness of how we think about disabilities and interact with people who are disabled.

To learn more about Disability Book Week and find lists of books for kids, teens, and adults as well as resources such as display signs to download, visit disabilitybookweek.org.

Thanks go to Beach Lane Books and Barb Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sharing a copy of this book with me.

Maybe Just Ask Me!

By Katie Mazeika

Mazie was starting at a new school, so she “put on her favorite scarf and wore her prettiest eye patch.” As she waved goodbye to her mom and walked into the building with other students, she was happy she’d be able to make new friends. But when she stood in front of her class to introduce herself, the kids’ questioning faces sent her hurrying back to her seat.

During a science lesson outside, the wind caught Mazie’s scarf and sent it flying, exposing her bald head. While she tied it back on, she heard two of her classmates concocting a fantastical story as to how she’d lost her hair involving a circus and a fire-breathing performer. Before Mazie could say hi, they ran off. Mazie remembered that her dad “had said it might take a few tries.”

So while in line to wash her hands, Mazie tried again, but the boys in front of her were excitedly discussing the possibility that maybe Mazie had joined a “‘pirate crew, and that’s why she wears an eye patch.'” When they finally saw Mazie, they were embarrassed and wouldn’t look at her. At lunch, Mazie felt intimidated to break into the already-established group, especially because they were debating the pirate and circus ideas while creating yet another outlandish story. In fact, everyone had their own theories about what had happened to Mazie.

Mazie began to think that no one would ever talk to her, but then she “remembered what she had learned last year” about being brave and not losing hope. So when the class went to the gym for P.E., she talked to the teacher then blew her whistle. When the kids all stopped to look, Mazie took to the bleachers to announce that she’d heard their stories and while she was “as daring as any circus girl” and “fiercer than a pirate,” if they really wanted to know the truth then “‘Maybe just ask me!'”

And the kids did want to know. They sat around her on the bleachers as she told them she’d been sick but that they had “‘never lost hope.'” Her classmates listened and realized that while their ideas had been way off, their new friend Mazie was “pretty brave. And a very good storyteller, too.”

Back matter includes Katie Mazeika’s own story of her experience with cancer at age three, during which she lost her right eye, as well as a discussion encouraging people to ask questions and engage in conversations with those with disabilities that show interest, concern, and kindness. Mazeika says, “. . . when we pretend not to see people with disabilities, we make them feel invisible” and “curiosity, with kindness, should always be allowed.” She also includes a list of how people can be supportive of those with disabilities.

In her heartfelt autobiographical story about her childhood experience with cancer, Katie Mazeika reveals to readers that not only is it okay to ask someone about their disability, it is welcomed. As Mazie’s classmates in her new school make up elaborate scenarios to explain her bald head and eye patch instead of asking what happened, they unwittingly isolate her from the group. When Mazie is finally able to make her voice heard, however, both Mazie and the class discover that honest dialogue paves the way to long-lasting friendships.

Mazeika’s colorful, textured illustrations are infused with emotion, imagination, and gentle humor that make the story immediately accessible to children. Young readers will feel empathy for Mazie as she bravely walks into a new school, knowing most eyes are on her, and becomes flustered at the front of the puzzled class. Mazeika depicts the kids’ theories in vibrantly detailed scenes, while also showing the impact they have on Mazie. When Mazie gets the chance to tell the real story, her battle with cancer is portrayed in a simple but powerful illustration of her and her doctor facing and dispelling a fire-breathing dragon. The final spread of Mazie surrounded by her new friends is uplifting.

Emphasizing hope, bravery, and empathy Maybe Just Ask Me! is a unique story and a must addition to all school and public library collections, pediatrician offices, and hospital gift shops.

Ages 4 – 8

Beach Lane Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1665949897

Katie Mazeika is an author and illustrator with a BFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design. When she isn’t in the studio, she likes to spend time at the theater, in her garden, or getting lost in a good book. She is the creator of picture book biographies including Annette Feels Free and Beulah Has a Hunch!. She lives in Ohio with her family and two dogs. To learn more, and download a free curriculum guide, visit her website at katiemazeika.com. You can also find her on Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky.

Disability Book Week Activity

Maybe Just Ask Me! Favorite Thing Activity

This Curriculum Guide for Maybe Just Ask Me! is full of ideas and activities for teachers, librarians and families to interact with the book and engage in some thoughtful drawing and writing about their own lives as well.

You can connect with Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster Kids on Facebook and on their website @simonkids

You can find Blue Slip Media on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. To learn more visit their website @blue_slip_media

You can purchase Maybe Just Ask Me! from these booksellers

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

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