August 15 – National Back to School Month

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)

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

July 22 – Wild about Wildlife Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Wild about Wildlife Month may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy all that nature has to offer the rest of the summer and all year long. Exploring parks, woodlands, grassy fields, or the shores of lakes, rivers, or the ocean is a fun and educational family activity that’s different each time you visit. Whether you and your kids like plants, animals, insects, or the rocks that hold everything together, a nature walk provides something for everyone. The best way to enjoy the outdoors is with a relaxed pace that lets you decompress, take it all in, and say “Ahhh!”

Thank you to G. P. Putnam’s Sons for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Polecat Has a Superpower

Written by Jill Esbaum | Illustrated by Bob Shea

A spotted skunk, aka Polecat, sits front and center, backlit by a sunset glow, promising to reveal his “DOOZY of a superpower”—but only after divulging all the other relevant information about himself. Things like why he chooses to live in a very particular place while being not that particular about where he lives; when polecats hunt for food, and how they’re “always, always alert for hungry predators.” It’s at this moment when the word “predators” hangs ominously in the air that Porcupine “SPROINGS” into view, frightened by the prospect of being eaten, and mistakes Polecat for a baby skunk.

Polecat is not too pleased and goes on to show just how many things spotted skunks can do that their striped cousins can’t. Things like climbing quickly and sporting camouflaging spots. Porcupine is just warming up to this unusual interloper when Polecat chomps down a cricket, goes on to provide a full menu of foods that would satisfy its munchies, and then demonstrates how he prepares a caterpillar for “yumminny-yum-yum” fine dining. Trying hard not to be sick, Porcupine pleads, “Tell me that isn’t your superpower.”

Reassured that it is not, Porcupine hints at knowing what Polecat’s superpower is. “Bet you don’t,” Polecat answers. The two creep farther into the woods where they spy a gathering of predators attending a program titled “How to Eat a Polecat” while enjoying a variety of snacks. Polecat is just about to disclose his “great trick to discourage enemies” when Porcupine blurts it out. Upset, Polecat blurts out what he thinks Porcupine’s defense is, but instead ends up getting an education about his spiky friend.

Finally, Polecat is ready to demonstrate his real superpower—”something nobody else does, not even my stripy cousins.” Porcupine happily volunteers to assist in the show only to run away screaming when he gets the surprise of his life. Polecat’s glad his superpower is so powerful, but he was hoping he and Porcupine could be friends. Porcupine’s ready to “hug it out”—but Polecat? Maybe a high five will do just as well.

A True or False? quiz about spotted skunks, with answers and explanations, follows the story.

Polecat Has a Superpower, Jill Esbaum’s third book in this entertaining and educational series, sparkles with humor and smart repartee that keeps kids on the edge of their seats for the big reveal. Along the way, readers learn about the unusual spotted skunk and a few surprising tidbits about porcupines, while getting a grasp on some scientific terms as well.

Bob Shea realistically recreates the appearance of a spotted skunk and porcupine while infusing each with personalities that will hook kids. Porcupine’s facial expressions will endear him to young readers, who are also eager to know what Polecat’s secret is. Shea’s nighttime conclave of predators will have kids giggling, and the disclosure of Polecat’s superpower is sure to have them screaming along with Porcupine (but in delight, not fear).

Polecat Has a Superpower is a high-interest book that will be a much-asked-for addition to any home, classroom, and library collection.

Ages 5 – 8

G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-0593699997

Check out the other books in the series!

About the Author

Jill Esbaum has written many books for children, including How to Grow a Dinosaur, Frankenbunny, and If a T. Rex Crashes Your Birthday Party. Several of her books have been nominated for state awards, and I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo! won SCBWI’s Crystal Kite Award. She also enjoys writing kooky beginning reader stories like Thunder and Cluck, as well as a variety of nonfiction books. Visit her at jillesbaum.com and follow her on Twitter/X @JEsbaum.

About the Illustrator

Bob Shea is an award-winning author and illustrator of children’s books, including the popular Ballet Cat series, the Dinosaur Vs. series, and the runaway smash hit Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great. He is an Eisner Award nominee and has worked with Comedy Central, PBS Kids, Playhouse Disney, Nick Jr., Google, and other clients. Visit him at bobshea.com and follow him on Instagram @BobSheaBooks.

Wild about Wildlife Month Activity

Eastern Spotted Skunk Coloring Page

If you’re kids are wild about wildlife, they’ll be wild about this Eastern Spotted Skunk Coloring Page! You can find many more educational Critter Sheets and Coloring Pages on the Florida State Parks website.

You can purchase Polecat Has a Superpower at these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

July 15 – Wild about Wildlife Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Wild about Wildlife Month celebrates the wonderful diversity of our planet’s wildlife while reinforcing the importance of all animals to our ecosystem and even to our survival! The holiday also focuses on conservation, recycling, and education about how humans’ actions affect crucial habitats and the health of flora and fauna populations. While July is designated as Wild about Wildlife Month, the holiday’s significance is something to be mindful of all year around. To participate, explore the wildlife in your area while learning about the creatures on the other side of the world and everywhere in between. Today’s book will get you and your youngest nature-lovers started!

Thanks go to Phaidon Press for sending me a copy of The Secret Powers of Animals for review!

The Secret Powers of Animals

Written by Soledad Romero Mariño | Illustrated by Sonia Pulido

It’s no secret that kids of all ages are fascinated by animals. Little ones stand on tiptoe gazing up up up in awe at elephants and giraffes, fold themselves into pint-sized scientists to inspect bugs on the sidewalk, and are endlessly entertained by family pets. And when they learn interesting facts about their favorites, they love sharing their knowledge.

How do you replicate the excitement of witnessing an animal in person at home or in the classroom? With The Secret Powers of Animals, a lift-the-flap board book that combines jaunty introductory rhyming verses, three amazing secret powers, and the fun of interactive learning for 10 distinct creatures of the land, sea, and air.

Among this menagerie, kids meet a brainy octopus, who tells them “I’m a master of disguise— / I’m cunning and I’m wise. / Through swirling seas I glide / with my many ways to hide.” Indeed, the octopus’s superpowers back this up! Just one of the three amazing talents this eight-armed beauty reveals to readers is the ability to change “my shape or skin tone to look like something else.”

Little learners will love trying to guess each creature’s super powers as they discover which animal has the best sense of smell, who has a tusk that works like a thermometer, who can chomp harder than a shark, who can detach its tail to throw predators off its track, and so many more ingenious animal traits!

Soledad Romero Mariño brings each animal to life with witty and spirited vocabulary that not only describes the creature’s physical attributes but evokes a sense of their personality and place in the natural kingdom. The elephant “swishes” its tale and “flaps” its ears, the owl “swoops about,” the lizard “scuttles” and “darts,” and the cheetah “inches” and “creeps” before “. . . [giving] chase / in a big, bursting leap.” Romero Mariño explains each secret power in simple language that even the youngest reader will understand and remember. Her flowing verses are a joy to read aloud and are perfect sparks for pretend play at home, in preschool and kindergarten classrooms, and for library story times.

Sonia Pulido’s realistic, museum-quality illustrations transport children to the savanna to meet an elephant face to face; under the sea, where a strikingly beautiful octopus levitates amid colorful coral and a family of narwals floats in the deep-blue water; to desert sands and rocky paths; and to sun-drenched grasslands among other locales. On the facing page, Romero Mariño’s text is bordered by lovely and thoughtful details that reflect the animal’s natural habitat. Both kids and adults enjoy lingering over each spread to talk about the animals. On each tab, Pulido includes an icon that depicts the secret power—for instance, the image of an eye with the words “Amazing eyes” for super vision—which becomes familiar to readers as it is repeated throughout the book.

The Secret Powers of Animals, a stunning, sturdy board book that adults will be excited to share with young children, is a must for all nature-loving families, early educators, and library collections. The book also makes a terrific gift for any young animal lover.

Ages 2 – 5

Phaidon Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1838669522

About the Author

Author Soledad Romero Mariño is an experienced children’s non-fiction author who specializes in ‘best of’ round-up style books. Her works include Superpowered Animals: Meet The World’s Strongest, Smartest, and Swiftest Creatures (also published by Phaidon), Awesome Accidents: 19 Discoveries that Changed the World and Famous Robberies: The World’s Most Spectacular Heists.

About the Illustrator

Sonia Pulido’s illustrations have appeared in publications globally, including The New Yorker and The New York Times. In 2020 Pulido won the Spanish National Illustration Award and she is the illustrator of Phaidon’s bestselling What a Shell Can Tell. Visit her at soniapulido.com.

You’ll find my review of the stunning Super Powered Plants for older readers here.

Wild about Wildlife Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hand-print-elephants-craft

Handprint Elephants

This easy craft is fun for siblings to do together and can make a nice decoration for a child’s room or a gift for mom, dad, or other family members.

Supplies

Craft paint in two colors of the children’s choice
Yellow craft paint
Black fin-tip marker
Crayons, markers, or colored pencils to make a background
Paper
Paint brush

Directions

Paint one child’s hand and press it on the paper. The thumb is the truck and the fingers the legs.
Paint the second child’s hand and press it on the paper near the other “elephant.” A couple of examples are: the elephants standing trunk to trunk or trunk to tail
After the paint has dried, draw on ears and an eye
Add a sun with the yellow paint
Add grass, trees, or other background features

You can purchase The Secret Powers of Animals from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

July 9 – National Fashion Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

First celebrated in 2016, Fashion Day is a day to celebrate your own style, whether that’s following the latest trend or creating a look that’s as unique as you are. Since its very beginning, fashion has made a statement about the person, the times, what society values, even the weather. Of course before the invention of the sewing machine, pants, shirts, dresses, coats, and even socks and shoes were made entirely by hand. And many of these garments were festooned with elaborate decoration that boggles the mind. With the invention of the sewing machine in 1790, garments could be produced faster, and the rise of factory-made clothing made mass-market style fashionable. To learn more about Fashion Day and find lots of ideas on how to celebrate, visit Days of the Year.

Thank you to Phaidon Kids for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Get Dressed! A Historical Guessing Game for Fashion Lovers

Written by Katy Canales | Illustrated by Erin Vanessa

Throughout history people have worked, played, ruled and been ruled over, invented, engaged in the arts, made scientific discoveries—and dressed themselves. Through Get Dressed! today’s fashion-savvy kids can time travel to 10 influential eras and cultures throughout history—spanning from Ancient Greece to the Tang Dynasty, the Ottoman Empire, and Inca State to the Elizabethan and Edo eras to the French Revolution, the Roaring Twenties, and Independent Ghana—to learn fascinating facts about what people were wearing (or not wearing!) while they went about their days fulfilling their particular roles in society.

Dropping into each era, kids are oriented to the culture with a brief introduction that highlights it’s geographical reach, as well as its contributions to textiles, science, the arts, entertainment, and political thought. In addition, compelling paragraphs spotlight four important societal groups. As readers absorb this eye-opening information, they’re also set in the middle of a panoramic scene filled with action and appropriately dressed citizens.

But wait! Are all three people in each societal group of four really wearing a garment or accessory from the time period? Look closely! One out of each group is actually sporting an anachronistic item. It’s up to readers to determine which one it is. Ready to test your guess? Just turn the page to find out if you’re right—and to discover the intriguing reasons why people wore “this” and “this” but not “that.”

For example, zipping all the way back to 776 BCE Greece, readers find themselves dropped into the first Olympic Games, where they meet a group of children, three women, three athletes, and three chariot riders. Chariot races, kids learn, were “highly dangerous to take part in” due to the “power, speed, cost, and clamor” of the competition. The riders are presented wearing long tunics, leggings, and helmets. Which of these is wrong? Turns out, “despite being dragged behind four galloping horses on a small two-wheeled, open-backed wooden chariot,” riders only wore “a headband to keep their hair down.”

After visiting the past, kids may be hankering to take a peek at their fashion future. They can whisk off to see that too with a section dedicated to addressing contemporary issues such as sustainability to combat the problem of clothing pollution, technological advancements, and how designers adapt to changing needs and styles. A final spread gives readers a quick tour of ten museums with fashion exhibits, and a fun prompt to get kids thinking about what clothing item of theirs they would donate to a museum.

Through her dynamic writing, Katy Canales weaves engrossing facts about historical events, gender-specific roles and dress, cultural touchstones, and the fun of a fashion guessing game into a unique tapestry sure to captivate children and adults as well. Each section can be read in its entirety or easily divided into parts that allow readers to enjoy the text at their own pace. Canales’ accessible storytelling provides a perfect portal into expanded lessons and activities on world history and culture, inventions, and art for teachers and homeschool educators.

Erin Vanessa’s vibrant and beguiling illustrations transport children to the cities and villages where commoners and the elite mingle clad in the attire of the day. They meet peat cutters and poets, sultans and embroiderers, herders and farriers, and even Queen Elizabeth. They attend a Kabuki theater performance, join revolutionaries as they protest beneath Marie Antoinette’s balcony, and get in the swing as jazz musicians and flappers bring the spirit of the 1920s to a city street.

Get Dressed! A Historical Guessing Game for Fashion Lovers provides a perfect portal into expanded lessons and activities on world history and culture, inventions, and art for teachers and homeschool educators. The book would be an exciting addition to any library collection and a much-appreciated gift for fashion and history buffs.

Ages 5 – 8+

Phaidon Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1838669966

About the Author

Debut children’s author Katy Canales is the Beatrix Potter Curator. Katy joined the National Trust after a decade at Young V&A and the V&A Museum. As curator, she produced family-focused exhibitions, displays and public events. Katy was the V&A Museum’s children’s clothing collection specialist.

About the Illustrator

Erin Vanessa’s artwork is a blend of traditional and digital methods. Erin lives and works in Canada. She is the author/illustrator of two picture books: You Do You-nicorn and Swept Away at Witch Camp. Visit her at erinvanessa.com.

National Fashion Day Activity

Paper dolls by Jen Goode from Kids Activities Blog.

Printable Paper Doll Kit

With these free printable Paper Doll Kits by Jen Goode found on Holly Homer’s Kids Activities Blog at kidsactivites.com, fashion lovers can decorate the clothing templates provided. They can then have fun designing their own fashion line with styles, costumes, accessories, and more! Use crayons, markers, or even cut out clothing and accessories from wrapping paper, scrapbooking paper, fabric, and other materials. Get creative!

Summer Paper Doll Set | Winter Paper Doll Set (scroll down for more paper doll and paper craft fun!)

You can purchase Get Dressed! A Historical Guessing Game for Fashion Lovers from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

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Make Your Own School Bus Craft

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Witch Cat

Written by Lucy Rowland | Illustrated by Laura Hughes

International Cat Day Activity

Wandering Kitty Maze

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To Catch a Ghost

By Rachel Michelle Wilson

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

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Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle

Written by Laura Sassi | Illustrated by Farah Shah

International Day of Friendship Activity

Pom-Pom Pumpkin Village – by Laura Sassi

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Polecat Has a Superpower

Written by Jill Esbaum | Illustrated by Bob Shea

Wild about Wildlife Month Activity

Eastern Spotted Skunk Coloring Page

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About the Holiday

The Secret Powers of Animals

Written by Soledad Romero Mariño | Illustrated by Sonia Pulido

Wild about Wildlife Month Activity

Handprint Elephants

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About the Holiday

Get Dressed! A Historical Guessing Game for Fashion Lovers

Written by Katy Canales | Illustrated by Erin Vanessa

National Fashion Day Activity

Printable Paper Doll Kit

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