Shelf Awareness--The Wildest Thing

PB Review: The Wildest Thing

The Wildest Thing by Emily Winfield Martin (Random House Books for Young Readers, 9798217023981)

The Wildest Thing by Emily Winfield Martin (The Imaginaries; The Wonderful Things You Will Be) splendidly depicts one quiet girl's dream of "wild things" welcomed into her heart and home.

Eleanor "dreamed of things... with fur and fin./ And when the/ sun came up/ the Wild had come in." Bunnies hop through her bedroom, squirrels skitter through her kitchen, and her couch has turned into a bear. But Eleanor wants to be wild, too, so she flutters her wings, hides in a den, and howls. Deer, foxes, and wolves all join Eleanor for tea and cake, after which she pounces, hops, and "prowl[s] around the room." She flips, flops, unfurls, and she "bloom[s]!" As night falls Eleanor takes a tumble, after which she's ready for her bath (with a swan and cygnets, a bunny, and some fish nearby, of course) and climbs into bed under a full moon, where "in the place between awake/ and dreams not yet begun," she hears a voice that loves her say, "Good night, my wild one."

This idyllic story springs to life through Martin's radiant colored pencil, gouache, and acrylic art, wherein daytime pastels are bookended by the deep blues and greens of magical night. The author/illustrator's ravishing art, soft and sweet, yet solid and precise builds a believably whimsical world in which Eleanor's adventures come alive. Martin's rhyming text has a gentle cadence that rises and falls as the wonders of Eleanor's day unfold, making The Wildest Thing a delightful dream of creativity, imagination, and getting wild. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Break Wide the Sea

YA Review: Break Wide the Sea

Break Wide the Sea by Sara Holland (Wednesday Books, 9781250854490)

Break Wide the Sea by Sara Holland (Phoenix Flame) is the first installment of a darkly romantic series containing aquatic fae and a tidal wave of betrayed love and ruinous curses.

Eighteen-year-old, "dark blonde"-haired Annie Fairfax is cursed. "In the old days," when finfolk magic was stronger, "they could curse an entire... bloodline." The Fairfaxes, who run one of Kirkrell's prosperous whaling companies, are one such family, doomed by a monstrous "heartbreak" curse that passes through the generations. A brokenhearted Fairfax becomes a scaled, clawed creature blinded by bloodlust.

Annie's curse activated six years ago when her parents drowned in a finfolk attack and Annie took control of the Fairfax Whaling Company. Whalers hunt Livyati, magical whales prized by the seafaring people of Kirkrell. However, Livyati sightings are decreasing as finfolk attacks increase. At least Annie has stalwart fiancé August by her side. When half-finfolk captain Silas Price seeks Annie out to tell her the curse can be broken, he insists she must agree to stop killing Livyati. If she doesn't, devastating war with the finfolk is inevitable. And, Silas says, Annie desperately needs to lift the curse soon--August is about to betray her.

Holland's oceanic setting is inherently high-stakes, and the author capitalizes on the danger and romance that long days and nights on a whaling expedition afford. Holland undoubtedly succeeds at the difficult task she has set for herself: create a compelling plot with a main character who is, in her own words, "weak and avoidant and fragile." Hand this title to fans of Tricia Levenseller's Daughter of the Pirate King or Bethany C. Morrow's A Song Below Water. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Ren's Pencil

PB Review: Ren's Pencil

Ren's Pencil by Bo Lu (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 40p., ages 4-8, 9781419769221, February 3, 2026)

Tender and dreamlike, Ren's Pencil by Bo Lu (Bao's Doll) depicts imagination and a "magic" pencil helping ease one girl's transition from her life in "the East" to an unfamiliar new home in "the West."

Ren loves "magical stories... where a brush [makes] pictures come alive." She, Popo, and Popo's yellow-orange cat snuggle and imagine themselves together in books about "princesses trapped under pagodas, rescued by fairies," and other magical tales "from the East." Then one day Ren's parents tell her they're "moving to the West" so they can "build something new." Ren desperately wants to stay where she is with Popo. But Popo hands Ren a pencil and gently assures her she will make her own magic in the West.

When Ren gets there, everything is different. Faces and hair are "unusual colors" and even her name is wrong; she's told that in school she'll be called Lauren. Words in books look like "upside-down letters" and Ren cannot "imagine herself in these stories." When she misunderstands the word "short" while getting a haircut, she can't even recognize her own face in the mirror afterward. Ren longs to be "with Popo and her magical stories"--"maybe everything would feel right again."

Just then, a flash of yellow-orange streaks by. Ren chases a giant cat, who invites her to "hop on," and she enters a dreamscape of "strange trees and houses" and "upside-down letters" that dance in the sky. A yellow orange-haired princess in a tower needs saving and, when no fairies appear, Ren sees the "soft glow" of the pencil Popo gave her: "Make your own magic." Ren does just that and saves the princess, with whom she begins to share her drawings. In time and with hard work, Ren begins to make friends and, "like magic," letters begin to make sense.

Bo Lu's expressive language feels intensely personal as she relates how Ren uses her pencil to communicate and create her own "something new." Lu's pencil, watercolor, and digital illustrations are soft with dark blues and purples to indicate the world of stories; she switches styles to include naïve art for the drawings done by Ren herself. Lu seamlessly entwines Ren's inner and outer lives as she portrays how important imagination is when coping with uncertainty. Art and storytelling provide a familiar place wherein Ren can learn to paint her new and old homes together into stories where she belongs. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awarenesss--Frog

PB Review: Frog

Frog: A Story of Life on Earth by Isabel Thomas, illus. by Daniel Egnéus (Bloomsbury Children's Books, 48p., ages 5-8, 9781547618200, January 13, 2026)

Frog: A Story of Life on Earth is the third utterly absorbing nonfiction picture book collaboration between author Isabel Thomas and illustrator Daniel Egnéus (Moth; Fox), this time linking the evolution of frogs to the origins of the universe.

A child with a net wades through "a pond full of jelly-like eggs" that will one day grow legs and become "frogs that lay eggs of their own." The ensuing chicken-and-egg question--"if frogs come from eggs, and eggs come from frogs, where did the first frog come from?"--proves the perfect jumping-off point for a journey back in time. The text reverses to a period before frogs and people, all the way "back to the beginning" when time began, and then back even further to when "everything that is, was, and ever will be was squashed together in a superheated speck too tiny to imagine."

That speck expands with a Big Bang to become the universe, "still small enough to hold in your hands" and "fizz[ing] with energy." But "there were no frogs yet." Time begins with new "tiny specks of stuff" that appear, "dashing and veering, colliding, disappearing," as the universe cools and forms atoms. The atoms gather into huge, hot clouds and create even bigger atoms. Billions of years later, these first stars explode, and their stardust is "the stuff that forms new stars and planets." Included in this star-stuff is Earth, a planet with a "not too hot, and not too cool" surface that collects rain "in dips and dents." In one pond "something spectacular" happens. Chemicals form the first cell, which multiplies and evolves into larger forms of life, "from sponges to sea squirts to fish that laid eggs," and from there into "the ancestors of every animal with four limbs," amphibians, including frogs.

Thomas expertly distills massive ideas into tangible facts in a dynamic text that wisely includes both a child stand-in and repeatedly returns to frogs as the touchpoint for exploring the universe. Egnéus's mixed-media illustrations are striking, featuring over-saturated colors and shapes that exude energy and motion. The art is so inventive and nearly neon that it demands viewers' attention. Back matter tells "the [greatly abridged] Story of Everything" in one final supplementary spread offering a bit more context. This clever, fascinating approach to evolution is told through the undeniably child-friendly lens of frogs, who are, clearly, nothing less than "the story of the universe." --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Forest Magic for Kids

PB Review: Forest Magic for Kids: How to Find Fairies, Make a Secret Fort, and Cook Up an Elfin Picnic

Forest Magic for Kids: How to Find Fairies, Make a Secret Fort, and Cook Up an Elfin Picnic by Susie Spikol, illus. by Renia Metallinou (Gibbs Smith Kids, 144p., ages 5-9, 9781423665533)

Author Susie Spikol and illustrator Renia Metallinou's first collaboration, Forest Magic for Kids, offers a charming and whimsical array of activities, crafts, and ruminations to encourage children to find wonder in the natural world. Readers are encouraged to step outside, look around, and enjoy some essential "open-ended time in nature." Spikol suggests a list of top 10 tools for a "Forest Magic Search" and a DIY secret notebook for "planning, creating, and designing," then delves into potential activities featuring green plants and wildflowers, foraging, mushrooms, "wee" forest inhabitants, or hidden worlds. She offers abundant prompts for creative thinking, such as recipes for dandelion tea and lembas bread, fanciful crafts like a "mini magical moss garden," and hints for sighting myriad marvelous creatures, including gnomes, trolls, and, of course, fairies. Metallinou's full-color, deeply saturated art offers images of fairy folk, the instruments needed to make the magic, and children taking part in the suggested activities. Science, folklore, and imagination come together in this delightful offering brimming with ideas to get kids thinking, observing, and discovering outdoor wonders. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Drawing Is...

PB Review: Drawing Is...: Your Guide to Scribbled Adventures

Drawing Is...: Your Guide to Scribbled Adventures by Elizabeth Haidle (Tundra Books, 72p., ages 8-12, 9781774885031)

This inspiring book begins with a discussion about drawing. Drawing is not "a contest," "a waste of time," or only for the "talented ones"; drawing is a way to "explore, think and feel, experiment and question." Outlined in the table of contents as individual chapter headings are Elizabeth Haidle's tenets of drawing: "traveling, wondering, focusing, feeling, growing, not-knowing, and magic."

Readers are invited to take the pressure off and begin with just two things: a dot, which is "like a point on a map," and a line, which "takes you... somewhere." Haidle (Before They Were Artists) invites young creators on "scribbled adventures," smoothly integrating technical considerations such as scale, contrast, texture, and pattern. The author/illustrator wonderfully presents her introduction to drawing with strong-yet-delicate mixed media illustrations and mostly hand-lettered text. Drawing Is... promotes an inclusive, purposefully unintimidating approach by focusing on the process rather than the product, and offers all the encouragement that anyone who blinks, breathes, and reads--or listens to someone reading--might need to open a sketchbook and give drawing a try! --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Moonleapers

MG Review: Moonleapers

Moonleapers by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Quill Tree Books, 320p., ages 8-12, 9780063392564)

Moonleapers is compelling, high-stakes time-travel fare in which a 12-year-old's new phone reveals unexpected connections between her sick great-aunt, "moonleapers," government spies, and herself.

Maisie is delighted to be finally getting her own phone, a hand-me-down from Great-Aunt Hazel. Unfortunately, she's receiving the phone because Hazel is "really, really sick" and Maisie and the rest of her family will be moving to Maryland for the summer. Maisie's first-ever text on Hazel's old phone is an unknown number: "Hey diddle diddle/ Are you ready for your riddle?" The message is confusing, as is the blank, old-fashioned-looking book titled Guide for Moonleapers Maisie's mother hands her, saying, "it might make you feel closer to Great-­Aunt Hazel." Maisie decides to correspond with the anonymous texter and begins answering the riddles; when she does, writing appears on some of the previously empty pages of the guide. Then, Maisie accepts a call from the "MOONLEAPERS HOTLINE"--the girl on the other end is "from a different century." She tells Maisie that time itself can be "taken apart and reknit in a better way" and that the two of them, plus Hazel, must "change the world."

Margaret Peterson Haddix (Running Out of Time) masterfully grounds her suspenseful series opener in contemporary dynamics, such as Maisie feeling "weird" and not fitting in at school. The cryptic communications advance the narrative and raise the stakes until, by the end of Maisie's time in Maryland, readers can well believe she has thwarted Nazis, saved lives, and is now one of a privileged few who can both see and affect the past and future. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--The Spy in the Museum

PB Review: The Spy in the Museum

The Spy in the Museum by Erin McGuire (Beach Lane Books, 40p., ages 6-9, 9781534466173)

Illustrator Erin McGuire (Rollin' on Down the Line) authors her first picture book, the fascinating and well-researched The Spy in the Museum, about Parisian Rose Valland's important work tracking artwork pillaged by Nazi's during World War II.

Rose Valland was the curator at the Jeu de Paume Museum in Paris, where she cared for "some of the world's greatest art." When the Nazis "arrived on Rose's doorstep," they "stormed the hallways... eyeing its treasures greedily." Quiet, shy Rose could have fled the danger but stayed at the museum as manager, fearful about what would happen to the artwork. "The Nazis... thought she was harmless," but Rose was brave and took notes as the Nazis discussed their secret plans in front of her. Rose kept track of where the art went, even after she was caught eavesdropping and threatened with death. When the Germans finally left Paris, their train cars stuffed full of the museum's masterpieces, Rose sent her information to the French Resistance; the French Army managed to save "148 crates of priceless paintings."

McGuire's engrossing narrative hews closely to its mission of describing Valland's "small, overlooked" act of heroism. The text is precise and concise and conveys the danger Rose was in, as well as her passion for her work. The digitally painted, graphite and mixed media illustrations are equally strong, portraying Rose's determination through facial expressions and posture and using shifts in perspective to create both menacing and thoughtful images. While the focus of this gripping book remains on Rose and her accomplishments, the "twisted and hateful" outlook of the Nazis is apparent in both text and back matter. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Broken

PB Review: Broken

Broken by X. Fang (Tundra Books , 48p., ages 3-7, 9781774882009, October 14, 2025)

In Broken, the exceedingly talented X. Fang (Dim Sum Palace; We Are Definitely Human) passionately describes a dramatic incident in which Mei Mei breaks Ama's cup. How the cup--and Mei Mei--are subsequently made whole again involves glue, understanding, and the perfect hug.

Mei Mei is bored while visiting Ama. So, "naturally," the child decides to scare Ama's cat, Mimi. Mei Mei jumps out with a loud "BOO!" and bumps into a table; Ama's patterned yellow mug flies "up, then down, down, down, until CRASH!" It breaks into three pieces. Mei Mei, who doesn't know what to do, runs "far away." Alone and worrying on Ama's doorstep, Mei Mei believes that Ama will get mad or yell, but fondly, "with a smile," Ama asks Mei Mei to come back inside for tea and cake.

The mug is gone from the living room floor, but Mei Mei's guilt remains. "Mimi, you naughty cat!" Ama says while cuddling the cat, "You broke my cup!" But Mei Mei and Mimi know the truth. Mei Mei tries to eat the cake, but Mimi stares directly into the child's eyes over Ama's shoulder. And then "Mimi stare[s] even harder." Finally, the guilt overwhelms Mei Mei, who runs to a dark closet and huddles there. Ama finds the overwhelmed kid and Mei Mei confesses. Even though Mei Mei cries so hard it seems "the entire closet [will] flood," Ama isn't angry. Ama, who is a "fixer," glues the cup back together "piece by piece": "every repair tells a story" and now the cup has one, too. Finally, there is cake.

Fang's child-centric picture book speaks directly to the heart. Strong text, strong feelings, and strong art all acknowledge that mistakes are made (endpapers show the cat is not exempt either!), but kindness and compassion rule the day. Direct, first-person narration in the voice of tempestuous Mei Mei holds nothing back, and the digitally colored, graphite pencil-on-paper illustrations include plenty of extreme closeups, child's-eye-views, and even one invitation to turn the book 90 degrees for dramatic effect. The art is composed mostly of saturated blues, oranges, and yellows, accompanied by plenty of white space, keeping the pages from getting too dark. Ama's cheerful warmth nicely balances Mei Mei's passion, and readers will surely feel all Mei Mei's feels, then cheer when the child finally gets cake. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--The Blue Velvet Chair

PB Review: The Blue Velvet Chair

The Blue Velvet Chair by Rio Cortez, illus. by Aaron Marin (Denene Millner Books/S&S, 40p., ages 4-8, 9781665912594)

The Blue Velvet Chair combines eloquent language with cozy illustrations to deftly convey a child's view of the world outside their window, perceived from the comfort of a favorite chair.

When a Black child wakes in the morning, the first thing they do is "streeeeetch [their] arms up beside [their] ears and climb the blue velvet chair" located by a window in the living room. Today, it's winter in the city, and the child sees white snow, brown branches, and their own "tiny cloud" of breath on glass. Sometimes it's spring and "the roof across the street is wet with rain." Sometimes a "black cat licks its paws"; other times, people are dancing. When the glass is warm, "that's summer." In autumn, the trees in the garden "turn orange and yellow and make crunchy piles," but the "roof across the street is quiet." As day winds down, the child stretches their arms up beside their ears and imagines "all the little ways the world might change tomorrow."

Poet and picture book author Rio Cortez (Golden Ax; The ABCs of Women's History) writes a flowing text that is a pleasing tumble of child-friendly musings. Sensory descriptions emphasizing the variable nature of the outside world tenderly express the message that time is always changing, and so are we. In Aaron Marin's sophomore work of picture book illustration (Amoya Blackwood Is Brave) he uses fully saturated colors with few outlines to highlight the warmth of the home and the closeness of its family. The Blue Velvet Chair offers an excellent excuse to snuggle up with a loved one for storytime or some world-watching. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Squirrel and Bird

PB Review: Squirrel and Bird

Squirrel and Bird by Laura Baker, illus. by Stacey Thomas (Tiger Tales, 32p., ages 3-7, 9781664300866)

In the dynamic, thought-provoking Squirrel and Bird by Laura Baker (Monsters Everywhere series), illustrated by Stacey Thomas (The Inventor's Workshop), an increasingly irritated Bird chafes at being typecast by a narrator's narrow interpretation.

A narrator states, in no uncertain terms, that Squirrel is so loud, "you can hear Squirrel from anywhere." And Bird "hardly makes a sound at all." Squirrel is "busy, busy, busy," while Bird "prefers to sit and do nothing." Frustrated, Bird tries to explain otherwise but is repeatedly ignored by the adamant narrator. The two friends are preparing for a concert: gathering instruments, sheet music, and inviting all the animals in the forest to attend. When the stubborn narrator decides that perhaps Squirrel, who is "oh-so-easy-breezy," should perform alone because Bird is "freaking out," Bird finally shouts "ENOUGH!" Bird vehemently insists that there is "so much more" to each of them, and now that Bird has spoken up, the narrator agrees. Bird is a lot of things, most notably a thinker and a performer, while Squirrel can be loud, excitable, and shy. With the narrator duly chastised, Squirrel and Bird can begin their story all over again. And, this time, they will tell it their way!

Baker's irresistible tale playfully demonstrates the downside of making assumptions and judgements. The entertaining text is thoughtful and full of energy, with Bird actively breaking the fourth wall. Delicate, predominantly yellow and gray illustrations cleverly contradict the narrator, showcasing the true nature of Bird's contributions and highlighting the multifaceted personalities of both endearing characters. Squirrel and Bird may appear lighthearted, but it packs an undeniable wallop of wisdom. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Immortal Consequences

YA Review: Immortal Consequences

Immortal Consequences by I.V. Marie (Delacorte Press, 512p., ages 12-up, 9780593898802)

In Immortal Consequences, a compelling dark academia YA novel, six ambitious teens are stuck in a magic-infused world "parallel to life and death" where there is copious amounts of romantic tension, intrigue, and deception.

Wren, August, Emilio, Olivier, Irene, and Masika have all died, but none have "crossed over to the Other Side." Instead, they are at Blackwood Academy, a purgatorial magic school. Blackwood students generally "graduate" after a few hundred years--they lose "memories of their previous life" to the Forgetting and are sent to the Ether to "reap lost souls for the rest of their existence." Every decade, however, one outstanding student is nominated for the Decennial, a ritual that allows the student the option to join the academic elite or cross over. When the six teens sneak out to watch a new student arrive, they bear witness to a concerning--perhaps impossible--display of magic. Rather than getting in trouble, though, all six are ordered to participate in a startling revision of the Decennial: instead of celebrating one student, this year's Decennial is a competition. The six "unfortunate acquaintances" become immediate rivals, but there will still be only one winner--and all are determined it will be them.

I.V. Marie's well-crafted debut is a riveting page-turner with action, witty banter, mysterious secrets, and unfulfilled longing. Her agile prose describes an ensemble cast of competitive characters who are each driven to be the best, even as they remain haunted by mistakes of their past lives. The six strive to conquer fears, personality flaws, and errors in judgment, yet remain startlingly human: even dead, all are terrified of running out of time. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Dream for the Land

PB Review: Dream for the Land

Dream for the Land by Laekan Zea Kemp, illus. by Leo Espinosa (Anne Schwartz Books, 40p., ages 4-8, 9780593710302)

Dream for the Land is a moving and ultimately hopeful look at how one family in the Southwestern U.S. works and dreams of rain during a megadrought.

A child with brown skin and messy pigtails chases bunnies away from crops on her family's small farm. But this is the second batch of tomatoes that looks "withered on the vine" and the squash is being destroyed by spider mites. When a horned toad "skitters across the soil," Pá demonstrates how to catch it, kiss its head, and make a wish. The hardworking family prunes and weeds, but the drought means clouds refuse to "burst open over [their] small farm." When Pá was a boy, this same land "used to be green as jewels" and he would swim in the "cobalt river"; now, the river is only a memory. The child realizes the family needs some magic: they find another horned toad and "plant a gentle kiss on his head," dreaming of "the world as it once was" and "the world as it could be."

Laekan Zea Kemp (Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet) tells a tenderhearted story that depicts the hardships of tending a drought-stricken land yet maintains hope. Illustrator Leo Espinosa (Islandborn) uses pencil and Photoshop to illustrate both sweeping landscapes and intimate emotion; an earth-toned palette uses gentle colors that realistically show the stark climate. Though the child's situation is dire, the story ends optimistically. A powerful author's note points out that although the Southwest is experiencing its longest megadrought in 1,000 years, there are "Indigenous communities and other communities of color that know exactly what the earth needs to heal." --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Hurricane

PB Review: Hurricane

Hurricane by Jason Chin (Neal Porter Books, 48p., ages 5-8, 9780823458493)

In Hurricane, Caldecott and Sibert Medalist Jason Chin (Watercress; Life After Whale) delivers another sensational work of creative nonfiction that features precise details and exacting illustrations.

"A storm is raging over the Atlantic Ocean." But it's no ordinary storm, it's a hurricane, with "howling winds, raging waves, and torrential rains [that] can cause terrible destruction." And it's heading toward the east coast of North America. Luckily for people who live in its path, the storm is being watched by a weather satellite hovering 22,000 miles above Earth, meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center in Florida, and brave hurricane hunters who pilot their "airborne weather station[s]" into the very storm itself. Informed residents know to prepare with emergency supplies; they fuel cars, check on neighbors, board up windows, and when forecasts indicate lives may be at risk, these residents lock their doors and leave.

Chin's fascinating, information-packed narrative tracks the hurricane day by day, describing the violent storm and its effects on the residents in its path, while sidebars and back matter explain related topics. His pen, ink, watercolor, and gouache illustrations gracefully and diligently depict both the meteorology and the urgent-yet-measured approach informed residents might take. Chin demonstrates the extreme importance of weather monitoring in general, and hurricane tracking in particular, offering a welcome presentation of how they can be vital to human safety and emergency preparedness. Hurricane is a top-notch addition to the strong body of hurricane picture books for children. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--I Come from Another Galaxy

PB Review: I Come from Another Galaxy

I Come from Another Galaxy by James Kwan (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 40p., ages 4-8, 9781419771149, July 1, 2025)

I Come from Another Galaxy humorously, compassionately--and with a healthy dose of cuteness--relates the story of a dauntless young human who finds that things are very different away from Earth, where they are now the alien.

"Hello, friends." Intrepid adventurer James, who's zooming off to school in another galaxy, explains that they're writing in their little book to share "discoveries from outer space." Their new classmates are all aliens, adorned with slimy tentacles, big googly eyes, and noodle arms. James has "never seen anyone like them!" At school, no one knows how to pronounce the young traveler's name ("Joo-mez?"), and the bathroom has so many buttons that James decides to "hold it in." Not only is James not slimy enough for slime-ball, but when it's time for show and tell--where everyone else shares their favorite shiny, fancy things--James realizes that all they have to share is their little book. Slowly, they open it and read what they've written.

Turns out communicating helps! Once the aliens learn how to say the name "James" correctly, they cheerfully say "hi" (and "greetings" and "beep boop") to the human, after which they advise "PRESS RED! THEN GREEN! THEN SQUARE!" to help James use the toilet. With the help of new friends James can even be slimy enough to play slime-ball. Finally, wonderfully, James offers up things from their own "alien" culture: toothbrushes, socks, and noodles for lunch ("!!!"). The little book, it turns out, lets James "feel bigger having shared it."

James Kwan (Dear Yeti) takes the familiar premise of aliens coming to Earth and spins it 180 degrees. James (the character) is an earnest adventurer who's exhilarated by all the exciting new things they can learn, and their counterparts in the other galaxy are likewise eager to find out about James, all of which delightfully affirms the power of dialogue and the benefits of keeping an open mind. Kwan's pencil drawings are digitally colored in dark pastels, and his characters are engaged, unthreatening, and frankly adorable as they demonstrate how easy it might be to help someone new feel at home. I Come from Another Galaxy beautifully suggests it is likely that everyone has "special stories to share"--even if they are stories from another galaxy. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Never Thought I'd End Up Here

YA Review: Never Thought I'd End Up Here

Never Thought I'd End Up Here by Ann Liang (Scholastic Press, 320p., ages 12-up, 9781546110675, June 3, 2025)

In the inviting Never Thought I'd End Up Here, Ann Liang (This Time It's Real) gives the classic enemies-to-lovers trope a fun, fish-out-of-water twist by forcing her Los Angeles-born heroine to take a trip to China with her (now handsome) childhood nemesis.

Seventeen-year-old Leah Zhang was convinced that being a model would turn her from the ugly duckling into the swan. It did, to some extent, but it was also "an all-consuming force" that colored in "every single aspect" of her life. Worse yet, Leah hates being stared at--a huge problem when she realizes she has to offer a toast in Mandarin at her superstitious cousin's wedding. Leah, who generally communicates with her Chinese relatives "via elaborate gestures" rather than the language she barely knows, is given tips on what to say. Stressed and nervous, she accidentally wishes the happy couple a "depressing marriage" and hopes they "fall ill quickly." Leah's horrified mother signs Leah up for a two-week trip to China to immerse her in the language and culture. Unfortunately, "evil" Cyrus Sui, the boy responsible for a deeply humiliating betrayal that "permanently stained" Leah's school records, is also attending.

The pair are repeatedly thrown together, first on the airplane, then as teammates in the group competition, and Leah realizes she can humiliate Cyrus for ruining her life by playing up her flirtation and grabbing hold of his heart. She decides she will demand a public display of "chocolates and balloons and streamers," then laugh "long and loud, right in his face." But first, Leah will need to make Cyrus want her, and she's not immune to his "solemn, dark gaze and the visible cut of his collarbone." To her dismay, Leah becomes increasingly more affected by Cyrus's unexpected tenderness--and his "enviably long" eyelashes.

Liang spins her story with plenty of verve, as Leah develops from being somewhat lost and self-absorbed to a thoughtful young adult. While Never Thought I'd End Up Here is first and foremost a romance, Liang uses humor to explore cross-cultural disconnect and investigate the development of self-worth: as Leah's China trip proves an opportunity for an awkward, "uncultured" girl to learn she is actually worthwhile and "interesting" enough to make her own life choices. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Everybelly

PB Review: Everybelly

Everybelly by Thao Lam (Groundwood Books, 40p., ages 3-6, 9781773067643)

Everybelly is an amusing, original look at bodies and the idea of home, narrated by an inquisitive youngster who stands tummy-high to their neighbors.

One summery day, a child and their mother join neighbors at a local pool. Readers are first introduced to Mama, whose belly was where the narrator "used to live... until I grew too big." The brown-skinned child wears a flowery long-sleeved swim shirt, pink bottoms, and a polka-dot swim cap, as they discuss their neighbors. "Vibhuti's in a band. They know how to keep a beat"; an unnamed neighbor has a shy belly and prefers "pigeons to people" (which the kid understands because, likewise, they prefer "jelly beans to broccoli"). Also presented are neighbors with tattoos, wrinkled bellies, insulin pumps, appendicitis scars, stretch marks, and bellies that "make great tables." The diverse cast speaks to this child's easy acceptance of all bellies, though they do profess themselves puzzled by "flat" ones: Why do people "work hard to keep their bellies flat" when they can fill them with "ice cream topped with jellybeans, donuts in sprinkles, har gow, gimbap..."?

Everybelly showcases a delightful parade of funny, sweet, and sometimes misunderstood moments. Thao Lam (One Giant Leap) consistently employs a child-centric point of view in language and in her lively, innovative cut-paper collage illustrations. Brimming with goodwill, the child's cheerful spin on everything they encounter creates a welcome place for readers to feel at home. Indeed, Mama's belly, where the child used to live, bookends the story: the book closes with the child resting atop Mama's belly, a place that "will always feel like home." --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Frank's Red Hat

PB Review: Frank's Red Hat

Frank's Red Hat by Sean E. Avery (Walker Books Australia, 32p., ages 4-7, 9781761600661, May 6, 2025)

Frank's Red Hat is a hilarious tale of creativity--first scorned, then redeemed--as one inventive penguin tries to get his fellow seabirds to appreciate the finer qualities of his functional, fashionable way to keep warm.

Frank is known within the penguin community for "doing things differently" and for being "full of ideas." Unfortunately, most of his ideas are not great (such as the time he figured out how to spear multiple fish at once, only to have a resident walrus insist that Frank give its tusk back). The penguins are understandably nervous when, one day, Frank wears a red hat. Not only had the seabirds never seen a hat before but, in their "cold and colorless world," they had never seen anything red. Frank tries to explain that a hat is for "keeping your head warm--in style," but when Neville gives the hat a try, a killer whale leaps out of the ocean and eats the penguin "in one big bite." Despite Frank's assurances that the hat had nothing to do with Neville's tragic accident, the other penguins want nothing to do with the hat or with Frank.

Disappointed, Frank tries to get the penguins to appreciate his creation by making several differently colored hats in hopes of creating the perfect head covering, but the wary seabirds don't trust him at all. Frank decides to make one final, perfect hat: "The evil hat will end us all!" the terrified penguins yell, "waddling for their lives." Frank is crushed and vows to never again make another hat, until... a non-penguin someone asks for his masterpiece!

Sean E Avery (Happy as a Hog Out of Mud) uses jaunty text that is active, direct, and suitably sly. His characters feature large, round eyes with expressive eyebrow lines, and his world is rendered almost entirely in black, white, and grays, which allows the colorful hats to stand out. The clever, digitally collaged illustrations add plenty of humor and depth to the story, and readers are advised to pay attention: sight gags amplify the fun and loose ends are often tied up in the art. In fact, hints in the illustrations set up the possibility that savvy readers may guess at the resolution, and the final twist adds to the satisfying finish. Frank's Red Hat shouldserve as both a boisterous read-aloud and an excellent choice to linger with after story time. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--Trouble Dog

PB Review: Trouble Dog

Trouble Dog: From Shelter Dog to Conservation Hero by Carol A. Foote, illus. by Larry Day (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 48p., ages 5-9, 9780802855817)

Trouble Dog deftly tells the story of Tucker, a sweet pup with boundless energy, who, after a few failed attempts, is adopted by a woman who recognizes his potential.

Tucker loves to play. But all his romping, CRASHING energy means he's returned to the shelter so frequently, the attendant begins to warn visitors, "Not this dog. He's trouble." Months go by, until Laura finds him and wonders if "maybe he's the right kind of trouble." Laura begins to harness Tucker's exuberance with special training. She introduces "a strange, new smell" and when Tucker recognizes that smell, they play. She tries hard to trick him but "Tucker's nose never fail[s]." She introduces other smells until they are working with a conservationist in Hawaii to find invasive rosy wolfsnails. The pair continues to seek out invasive and endangered plants and animals, helping scientists to study them. Tucker becomes a romping, leaping, crashing hero, who also finds love in his "forever home."

Journalist and debut picture book author Carol Foote's text is as buoyant as her protagonist, with plenty of heart for good measure. Her story champions second--and third, even fourth--chances, along with the idea that some deeply hidden talents may need extra care and attention to flourish. Larry Day (Found) uses a loose line in his watercolor illustrations that allows his fully saturated colors to bleed and blend, creating a natural feel of movement to mimic Tucker's playful nature. Backmatter explains that Trouble Dog is based on "the true story" of Pepin and Wicket and includes plenty of fascinating facts about conservation dogs. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--All the Blues in the Sky

YA Review: All the Blues in the Sky

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson (Bloomsbury Children's Books, 208p., ages 10-14, 9781547605897)

Coretta Scott King Award winner and Newbery Award honoree Renée Watson (Piecing Me Together) uses poetry and lyrical prose to sculpt All the Blues in the Sky, a deeply affecting window into healing that skillfully manages to be both heartbreaking yet full of hope.

A month ago, on 13-year-old Sage's birthday, her best friend was killed by a drunk driver. Since then, Sage struggles to understand why "sometimes no one sees death coming," especially when it suddenly and senselessly comes for a best friend as "mangled metal wrapped around/ a street sign." Grief group at school provides a safe space. There, Sage meets Ebony, who helps her understand that when life feels like an ocean, "there is something/ to hold on to/ to keep you afloat." But healing is slow and difficult, and Sage is constantly reminded of everything her best friend will never get to do. Luckily Sage is surrounded by fellow grief group members, wise and loving adults, and even a neighborhood boy to crush on, as she begins to slowly make her way toward acceptance and healing even through horrific and ongoing loss.

All the Blues in the Sky is an intimate, intense portrayal of grief as well as the uncertainty and promise of tomorrow. Watson's hybrid style skillfully makes use of poetry and lyrical prose to crack open the heart of her protagonist, while grounding Sage in a realistic middle school experience. The author sure-handedly balances intense, engulfing sadness with moments of love and beauty, and shows how life, and death, carry on, with every person affected differently. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.