(2) K-3 Illustrated by Oge Mora. How much stuff is too much, and what can be done with the excess? A child faced with a cluttered bedroom and overflowing closet starts small: by giving away items to each of their siblings and to the family dog and cat. Next, the youngster packs up a red wagon and hauls it to the senior center ("donations needed!"), attracting friends along the way who have things to give and spending time with appreciative, active seniors. They band together, young and old, to beautify their space and organize a community-wide collection drive. With just a handful of words (mostly more or less), six or fewer on a spread, Hughes tells a complete and satisfying story, perfectly complemented by Mora's (I'm From, rev. 9/23) reliably warmhearted and enriching cut-paper illustrations. There's much to notice—and more and more with every reread—as the visual excess gives way to scenes of cooperative effort and shared mission. In the end, the protagonist's most special giveaway—a pink stuffed bunny who's been there from the start—doesn't read as sacrifice so much as embodiment of a common interest and of the narrative's culminating philosophy: less is more.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ellen Rooney. On an ordinary-seeming day, the wind sends seeds into the air. Three friends dance with the seeds, which prompts others in the park to join in and play imaginatively in this uplifting story. Ribbons of color in the mixed-media art give a sense of the spread of inspiration. Casual representation, particularly of a child who uses a wheelchair participating in the original “seed dance,” is a welcome aspect.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ashley Spires. A resourceful and intelligent girl wearing a lab coat explains the just-rightness of her lovable mutt's goofy parts, including an "odd, tubby, stubby body" ("perfect for cuddling") and "four spare unmatched paws" ("but they all work"). The short, descriptive read-aloud text complements Spires's friendly, cartoonish ink and watercolor illustrations, which are elevated by emotive facial expressions and well-balanced compositions.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Suzanne Del Rizzo. As hard as she tries, Little Gerbil can't follow the Gerbil Motto "Curl Up Noes to Toes" at bedtime. When she notices that other gerbils are also struggling with some of the Gerbil Mottos, she bravely proposes changes. The detailed Plasticine illustrations are more compelling than the purposeful text. Gerbil facts and a craft project appended.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes