(2) PS Illustrated by Kathryn Durst. Loud colors, inflated shapes, and animated details heighten the silliness of this action-packed story full of snacks and predators. It begins peacefully: “Natterjack Toad is smiling. He is happy to be alive! The sky is blue. The water sparkles with pleasure.” Natterjack Toad is about to indulge in his package of “CHOCO-LATE-CHUNK CRUNCHY-MUNCH COOKIES” when a great blue heron appears. Not wanting to become a snack himself, Natterjack Toad hurries away quietly. Every time he thinks he has found a safe spot to enjoy his noisy treat, he encounters a new enemy. A beret-wearing worm, a firefly, and a dragonfly keep things amusing between disruptions, and even the more threatening parts of the story are rendered in the art with exaggerated comedy. After moving two times, Natterjack Toad decides he can wait no longer for his crunchy snack—despite warnings of a nearby forest hog from a “worried little mole” and a “scared-looking vole.” One noisy bite does indeed attract an enormous forest hog who, looming over all the other characters, overtakes the double-page spread. Natterjack Toad has to act quickly to save himself—with some help from his friends. Ultimately his reluctant sacrifice is rewarded, closing this fast-paced, entertaining read-aloud with cookies for everyone.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(2) PS Illustrated by Anuska Allepuz. British poet Taylor sends little ones to bed with thirty imaginative poems in three thematic sets: "Night Arrives," "Shut-Your-Eyes Time," and "Dream Wheels Turning." With a mix of rhyming and free-verse poetry, along with frequent, satisfying repetition, Taylor offers selections to read aloud and read together. Each poem appears on a double-page spread featuring bold mixed-media illustrations by Allepuz. Her use of vivid color fills the space, with many shades of blue and purple, perfect for nighttime scenes. Angular animals and round children populate the pages with whimsy and purpose, giving each piece focus and specificity. Most young listeners will likely choose favorites to hear repeatedly--perhaps the reassuring "Everyone," or the thought-provoking "Asked by a Pillow," or the list-like "The Middle of the Night," or the silly "Cave Bear's Snore"--rather than experience the poetry from cover-to-cover in linear fashion.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Shirin Adl. Twenty-one pithy tales starring the pan-Muslim trickster figure Mulla Nasruddin challenge readers' perceptions. In one story, a man asks Nasruddin, standing on the opposite bank of a river, how he can cross to the other side. Nasruddin replies, "What a birdbrain...You are on the other side!" With his towering turban, expressive face, and fluffy cotton gravity-defying beard, Nasruddin will elicit giggles even as readers contemplate the puzzles he poses. Mixed-media illustrations incorporate paper, tissue, felt, yarn, sticks, beads, and more. Glos.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(3) PS Illustrated by Kasia Matyjaszek. A dark-skinned, curly-haired little girl likes to play dress-up. One day, she is a penguin. And the next day...and the next. Her family mostly indulges her fancy but grows exasperated with her commitment to penguin-hood when she slides down the stairs on her belly, is a penguin at her aunt's wedding, and tries to catch fish sticks in her "beak." A funny and preschooler-relatable romp with bright, stylized mixed-media illustrations.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(2) PS Illustrated by Jean Jullien. An offstage narrator talks to purple-colored Little Monster. "'Hello, Little Monster. What do you want to do today?' 'Can I be in a story?'" The two try to find just the right balance between funny and scary. The bold-hued, digitally colored ink illustrations work well with the chatty text--dialogue distinguished by color (black for the narrator, purple for Little Monster)--to create an engaging dynamic.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017

(4) PS Illustrated by Emily Hughes. On a hot day, a young bear persuades his dad to head down the mountain to the river for a swim; a slip off a rock (and subsequent hurt knee) interrupts their journey, but the little bear is determined to continue. The twee text is overly sentimental, but detailed pencil illustrations (digitally colored in woodland hues) depicting cartoony bears capture the close father-son relationship.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kate Hindley. A little dog's owner pampers it to an almost unbearable extent. Even worse, the owner calls the dog things such as "Ickle Pickle Woof Woof"--and right in front of some tough-looking dogs! But guess who else has embarrassing owners? It's a vaguely familiar story freshly and funnily told. Hindley gives the melodramatic canine cast the emotional range of the best actors.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jean Jullien. "Everyone knows owls are wise. But...I am a master of disguise." A self-important owl puts on various costumes (e.g., a carrot suit) in hopes of catching prey (a rabbit), but there are no takers because the costumes are (hilariously) terrible. Hoot should be bragging about how satisfying this book is: big and square; gag-filled; and brimming with bold, thick-lined illustrations.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Photographs by Caio Vilela. The uniqueness, excitement, and universality of soccer are the focus of this appealing book: "Where there's a ball, there will always be someone who wants to play soccer." Dynamic photographs capture children playing the sport in fifteen different countries, including Brazil, Ghana, Iran, and New Zealand. Soccer facts for each country are highlighted, and a world map is included.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Edel Rodriguez. A robotic mop in a basement bathroom dreams of escaping, but mops can't climb steps, and other tactics, like sneaking into an inspector's bag, prove unfruitful. Eventually he's replaced and trashed, after which a run-in with an old friend leads to an ideal home. Taylor impressively makes a mop a likable protagonist and Rodriguez's combination woodblock/digital illustrations lend the character still more personality.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Mountain goat Huck is obsessed with eating flowers, which ultimately leads to a moral conundrum. The sportscaster-style omniscient narration ("He's not going to try that impossible climb, is he?"), Huck's dorky look ("Do you like his trendy beard?"), a plot point concerning underpants, a forehead-slapper of a final image--readers looking for satisfying silliness have come to the right place.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) PS Illustrated by Jimmy Liao. After her father tells her it's bedtime, Stella has trouble getting three of her stuffed animals to sleep: they're competing to be "the world champion of staying awake." The story's role-reversal element is a bit of parental wish-fulfillment--Stella herself drifts right off--but it's nevertheless entertaining. Versatile illustrator Liao's watercolors succeed at depicting both tight vignettes and expansive fantastical scenes.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jill Barton. A frog presents his beloved chicken with a ring. Unfortunately, it drops and rolls away. A string of butterfingered animal friends on assorted vehicles help them catch it. The accompanying rhymes ("Diving catches were the rabbit's style. / But his diving catch missed by a mile") are the percussive soundtrack in this cockeyed love song illustrated with muted flamboyance.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) PS Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. When a monster is born, "there are two possibilities--either it's a FARAWAY-IN-THE-FORESTS monster, or...it's an UNDER-YOUR-BED monster." The pattern is looking at two options, eliminating one, and going with the other, leading to two more choices. The hilarious possibilities and bright mixed-media illustrations against alternating black and white backgrounds make this a great storytime selection. This new edition is slightly smaller than the original.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2007

(2) PS Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. When a monster is born, "there are two possibilities--either it's a FARAWAY-IN-THE-FORESTS monster, or...it's an UNDER-YOUR-BED monster." The pattern is looking at two options, eliminating one of them ("that's that"), and going with the other, which leads to two more possibilities. The hilarious possibilities and the bright mixed-media illustrations against alternating black and white backgrounds make this a great choice for storytime.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2007

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Bruce Ingman. While practicing his trampoline skills, the Great Elastic Marvel suddenly bounces himself out the window, and with great springs, flips, and twists he miraculously avoids unthinkable dangers. Accompanying an overlong text that is reminiscent of Remy Charlip's Fortunately are illustrations that merge a Kalmanesque component with simple lines on pale yellow backgrounds.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden