(2) K-3 "Everything was fine -- beautiful, tidy, safe, just right" with James’s pristine mounted kite collection before his little sister, GG, started walking. When she grabs his latest addition, he gets upset. “NO, GG! BAD, GG! NEVER, GG!” This makes GG sad, but James comforts her with a hug and then works odd jobs around the neighborhood to save up enough money to buy her a kite of her own. She takes it everywhere, and all is well until she wants to fly it. “No, GG! Flying kites is DANGEROUS! It could get TANGLED, TORN or fly away FOREVER!” A dream about a fluttering kite changes his mind. They have fun flying her kite together, but it takes a toll on the toy, and James goes back to work to earn money for supplies to repair it. The duo then works on the kite together. “Everything was fine -- pretty safe, a bit untidy and, somehow, just right.” Abbott’s use of repetition makes for a calming narrative that captures the common push-pull dynamic between siblings. Her lively illustrations, “made using multimedia materials and risograph printing” and primarily in shades of blue and green with yellow accents, capture the closeness between the two children and showcase James’s industriousness. His transformation may influence readers who are resistant to change to loosen up a bit, especially where younger siblings are concerned.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(1) K-3 Translated by Michael Blaskowsky. Is Sato a boy in a rabbit costume or a rabbit with a human face and bearing? Is he a kid or a grownup? What matters is that he's an alert, curious, questing creature who follows his imagination and his heart. In this pair of adventures, Sato plays with light. On one perfect day, a narrow band of sunlight between two curtains turns into a kind of benign lightsaber or magic wand that he wields to scoop up sparkles, gather sunshine, and stir his coffee. As dusk falls, he uses his captured beam of light for a comforting campfire and as one of the ingredients for a delicious sandwich. On another memorable day, Sato wakes up to discover that his bedroom has become a floating lighthouse. He tends the light, accepts gifts from birds and fish, and pays attention to an ever-changing world. A shell becomes a boat, clouds become a whale, a sliver of moon becomes candy, day becomes night. In simple declarative sentences and compositions made of ovals and blobs in warm pastel colors, Ainoya creates a world of kindness and abundance as the background to a story that needs no conflict to be fully realized, absorbing, and sweetly funny.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) K-3 Illustrated by C. G. Esperanza. A child spends the day with their grandmother fishing and then frying up their catch together in this tasty follow-up to Soul Food Sunday (rev. 11/21). The child narrates as the duo leaves before dawn, loading up their supplies into Granny's Jeep and heading for a pier on an Army base on the Chesapeake Bay. Once there, Granny, who is a disabled veteran, shows her badge to gain admittance. She prays "for a blessing" before making her way to the pier, where she's greeted warmly by the other anglers. Soon, Granny's line begins to "Bob-Bob-Bob!" and "Jerk-Jerk-Jerk!" as she reels in a big croaker. By sunrise, the pair have caught a bucketful of fish, and they head back to Granny's house, where they clean, batter, and fry them. The child is then inspired to make hand-rolled hushpuppies to accompany their meal. Finally, other family members arrive for the feast. Bingham captures the love that goes into preparing the food and the closeness between the child and Granny. Her use of onomatopoeia makes for a good read-aloud. Esperanza's oil paint and pencil illustrations feature bold colors, primarily in shades of blue, pink, and coral. The sankofa bird on Granny's T-shirt is a nice nod to the rich history of weekend fish fries in Black culture. An author's note and a cook's note are appended, along with a recipe for hushpuppies.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(3) K-3 The first day of school is approaching, and Yeti is feeling nervous. She comes up with several excuses to stay home (a missing pencil, a lost backpack), but her dad steps in each time to reassure her and urge her to keep her cool. Once she arrives at school, she discovers that other students are anxious too, and that gives her the confidence to make friends and stay calm. Carter’s digital illustrations lean into the humor of the situation, while the text is comforting.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Eugenia Yoh. This imaginative story features a restless bespectacled boy named Max who finds a better way to experience a summer day, thanks to his wise little sister, Mimi. On the first day of vacation, Max enjoys a bunch of activities, captured in a clever cross-section view of his home. However, by the second day, "there was nothing else to do." Max wonders if the park would be more fun. He rides the springy toys and swings on the swings, but "what if I was at the pool...?" Visits to the pool and then the zoo fail to enthrall him. Engaging mixed-media illustrations show Mimi, with her enthusiastic body language, joining her brother and thriving in each space. Despite the protagonist's ennui, Chang's sometimes rhyming text is lively and is well complemented by the art. Max dreams of more outlandish things to do -- "What if I...jumped on giant Jell-o...rode on a koi..." -- and the colorful illustrations become increasingly surreal. His imaginings explode on an energetic double-page spread showing him involved in such exciting activities as soaring into outer space. Feeling left out of his elaborate plans, Mimi suggests: "What if WE?" The tale ends on a reassuring note with Max realizing that baby sis is indeed correct. An inventive sibling romp.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Toni D. Chambers. It's "Fish Fry Friday," and Cher can't wait: she is finally able to go on the family fishing trip. Papere gives her Great-Pere's pole, with which he "won beaucoup contests," and she joins her uncles around Cane River. The uncles "trash talk" and the children giggle. Cher finds a spot and quietly waits for the bream to bite. She catches a bucketful, but in her excitement gets tangled in her rod and loses all her fish. Though Cher is disappointed, Mamere gives her a red apron so she can help prepare the meal and reminds her granddaughter that the day is about family, not the catch. Courtney's debut picture book celebrates the fish-fry tradition from her childhood in Louisiana. Chambers's digital illustrations add to the celebration, with scenes of the fish fry exuding joy as people dance, eat, and play music. The endpapers show a table filled with fried fish, corn, and Cajun spice. This offering is a welcome addition to the growing landscape of picture books by Black authors highlighting the diversity of Black American life. An author's note and a dictionary with words of French origin from "my rural, Southern English" are appended.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lorena Alvarez Gómez. What do you do when “your brain is buzzy, and it’s way too busy”? Call upon the “Marvelous Now,” a small blue creature who is the personification of mindfulness and peace. “Now” helps you calm down by reminding you to count backward, go for a walk, draw, etc. The reassuring rhymes gives readers effective strategies for “keeping your cool!”; the digital art contrasts gray clouds of stress with soothing, colorful flower trails.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(1) K-3 Guojing (The Flamingo, rev. 11/22; Oasis, rev. 3/25) presents a vivid wordless picture book about a family who lives in a small seaside cabin atop a steep cliff. We first meet a young couple who frees a dolphin ensnared in their fishing net. The soft-focus paneled illustrations follow the seasons as they come and go, and the family grows to include a child. The three live an idyllic life together, relishing such simple pleasures as swimming in the ocean, stargazing, and woodcarving. The child joins their parents out fishing; on one magical trip, a pod of dolphins frolics around their motorboat. Meanwhile, the sea waters rise higher and higher toward their house on the cliff. After one massive rainstorm, the land where the house stands floods, and the house is entirely surrounded by water. Together, the family labors to construct a raft for the cabin and tows their home behind the boat, leading to the book's titular voyage in search of dry land. This tale of a loving family's resilience in the face of changing circumstances is conveyed through luminous chalk and digital drawings that communicate a strong appreciation and respect for nature and the environment. A cinematic page-turner, it may fuel children's imaginations as they weave their own stories to accompany these images.

Reviewer: Michelle Lee | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) K-3 In Norman Didn't Do It!: (Yes, He Did.) (rev. 9/21), porcupine Norman learned how to share his best friend Mildred, a tree, with others; here he discovers that they "don't have to do everything together." Norman suggests to Mildred that they go try something new, which leads to a (one-sided) argument and Norman storming off ("Fine! I will do different things on my own!") with his pack of supplies (including camera and snacks). After exploring caves, rowing upriver, and encountering a moose, he climbs up high and realizes Mildred would love the tree-lined view. Norman returns to Mildred to apologize and relate his adventures, knowing that they can still share everything and pursue their independence. While the main narrative is straightforward, Higgins's trademark absurdity (e.g., Norman's thinking tree Mildred is even capable of going anywhere; he seeks advice from a potted cactus named "S-A-L-E...That must spell Sally!") will have storytime audiences giggling. Comic-book features incorporated in the dynamic digital illustrations provide extra playfulness. Expressive gumdrop-shaped Norman's evolving efforts to be a good friend -- despite excessive rationalizing and rash behavior due to his underlying insecurity and naivete -- will ring true for many young readers, as will the lessons he learns by himself: for one thing, it turns out even porcupines shouldn't try to hug a cactus ("Ouch!").

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Amber Ren. Boba tea Mindy, who’s pink, white, and green, stands out against the other brown teas in Milk Tea Town. The grownups fear that Mindy and her colorful friends represent the end of classic milk tea, but the kids teach the adults that their town has always been a place of changing flavors and ingredients. The message about celebrating diversity is cleverly packaged, complete with tea puns; the charming mixed-media art shows off the beverages’ rainbow colors. A history of pearl milk tea is appended.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(2) K-3 As dawn breaks, sleepy Mama Owl urges her not-tired, curious Tiny Owl to rest, warning, "Days can be scary for a small owl." Unfazed, Tiny Owl tiptoes out to explore a sunlit morning. The owlet, who is still covered in fluffy white down and has yet to develop predator skills, meets other birds, explores meadows and riverbeds, and soaks up the beauty of daytime. Dangers, too, emerge: a cat and a fox lurk and creep nearby. She escapes them just in time, but readers will note Mama pursuing each threat to her oblivious offspring's safety. Finally, Tiny Owl, weary of all the scary daytime sounds, returns home -- where she hears one more: "WHOOSH!" But it's just her equally tuckered-out mama. "Being out during the day is scary for owls...I'm glad to be home," Tiny Owl admits. "Nighttime is owl time," Mama replies as they snuggle together for their day's rest. Then, as the moon rises, they fly through the quiet, star-filled night, just as owls are meant to do. Lush, textured mixed-media illustrations contain details to be discovered on subsequent reads, such as the reactions of the birds Tiny Owl attempts to befriend. This lovely, quietly humorous picture book is likely to be equally successful at bedtime and storytime.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Baljinder Kaur. A child and parents board a train. At night, they pull down bunks to sleep, but the child, wide awake, reflects on "all the different places I have slept": a hotel, the beach, a tent, Grandma and Granddad's, and a hospital. Each reminiscence is accompanied by an illustration showing the child and family sleeping peacefully or enjoying time together in that location. These family scenes are paired with a contrasting image of the restless, awake child in the train bed, surrounded by a detailed and highly ornamental border. Rich digitally colored pencil drawings bring a Punjabi-appearing setting and loving Sikh-presenting family to life, along with culturally distinctive foods and household items. Illustrations in unusual, contrasting color combinations and with fantastical elements demand long perusals in order to spot all the details. For example, the child peers out the train window at dark red and hot pink foliage with little yellow eyes peeking out, while the turquoise train puffs out pink smoke as it chugs along the tracks. Ironically, when the family arrives at their destination and the child is sleepless, what helps is pretending to be back on the train. "I remember how it felt to be rocked by the train, just like a baby." This visually vibrant yet gentle bedtime book promises, like the sleeper train, to calm and soothe readers.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) K-3 James lives on an island, which he shares with plenty of other creatures (otters, rabbits, birds, bears) whom he greets from his bike every day. Rounded shapes, soft textures, and warm colors make for a blissful backdrop for the text to punctuate: "Every day was the same. Every day was wonderful." Then one night a storm rolls in, and the mixed-media illustrations take the mood from sunny and serene to dark and threatening in a page-turn. Though James and his cat are safe at home, he worries about his animal neighbors and ultimately goes out to check on them. Art and text work together to amplify the volatility of the weather and James's alarm at finding himself in it alone -- all the animals are gone. The light from his lantern emits a reminder of the safety of home, but when he finally gets back there, some unusual shadows call even that safety into question. All ends well in this compelling island adventure in which everyone truly cares about their neighbors. The illustrations create dramatic moments and endearing characters through deliberate use of shape, color, and line and are full of special details to notice. Endpapers open the story with a single sailboat on a vast sea but close with many boats sailing together, cleverly bookending the story's broader themes.

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

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Moran. A friendly, toothy T. Rex, who pops out at birthdays, holidays, and school plays, can’t figure out why humans aren’t happier to see the “Surprise Dinosaur.” After one too many unexpected appearances, the dinosaur reluctantly agrees to be a statue at the natural history museum. But there are more surprises in store. The eager dinosaur’s efforts to deliver “fun surprises” are comically reflected in the expressive, digital cartoon illustrations.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(2) K-3 A young space explorer records the ups and downs of intergalactic education in this lighthearted, affirming take on the perennial first-day-of-school tale. Clad in a tiny space suit, wide-eyed astronaut James lands a rocket and bounces delightedly across a novel planetary landscape before reporting to the bus stop. Our narrator is curious about new alien classmates, but the dizzying UFO ride to school kicks off a disorienting day in an unfamiliar environment. The bathroom is too perplexing to use, the rules of recess slime-ball don't seem human-friendly, and nobody can say James; his optimism beaten down by mid-day, James retreats to "this little book" and writes about the day's experiences in solitude. With candy-colored pencil and digital landscapes and smiling goggly-eyed students, Kwan establishes a quirky extraterrestrial atmosphere that feels strange but not threatening. Diary-style prose captures James's earnest, often charming perspective: "I can even see my old home, like a faraway blueberry." The protagonist's gift of observation provides a pivotal point of connection when, after recess, James offers the journal up for show-and-tell; riveted classmates are now quick to share the bathroom code and their excess slime and generally welcome the new kid into the fold. This reassuring, accessible story speaks to both nervous newcomers and their future friends.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) K-3 A small mouse sits at a desk with a furrowed brow, surrounded by discarded papers littering the floor. Observing the mouse's struggle with writer's block, a stuffed bunny springs into action to lead the mouse down a rabbit hole of imagination. An ordinary cardboard box becomes a rocket ship, blasting the critters into space past chocolate-chip-cookie-like space rocks. "Writing a story is like traveling through space. It may take a long time. You may not know where you're going, but sooner or later...you arrive!" Landing on a strange planet, the mouse and rabbit encounter a menacing cyclops and a goofy, grape-colored extraterrestrial with several more eyes than legs. When the cyclops captures the rabbit, the mouse draws from the inspiration that exists all around to rewrite the end of their story. Mack (recently the more earthbound Time to Make Art, rev. 1/24) here revisits the theme of creativity, smartly blending an elaborate analogy of the writing process into the visual telling of one mouse's space odyssey. Digital illustrations in saturated hues depict deep magenta skies, tangerine orange terrain, and turquoise seas. This cosmic adventure will inspire many readers to write their own stories and follow their imaginations to unexpected places.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon. In a familial tradition of selecting Kente for children, a young narrator and family travel to pick one for the protagonist's baby brother, Jojo. Along the way, Daddy entertains the family with the familiar story of how Kente began through the folklore of Ananse the spider. Mensah's poetic text imbues the older sibling's process of looking for Jojo's Kente with love for both Jojo and the tradition, as they first admire the Kente on the wall of a shop ("This is the home of Kente, where the first were made for kings") and then approach a weaver to create a new one: "something special. Something beautiful. Something...that sparkles and shines, just like Jojo." The narrator himself is inspired by the rainbow to try to weave Nyankonton, "the story of God's eyebrows." Holding up the finished work (including a mistake, which makes it "even more special"), the weaver says, "Nyankonton means he will be beautiful, unique, and have great luck." Mensah's vivid storytelling is as inviting as Zunon's colorful illustrations, which were made using acrylic and oil paint and cut-paper collage and intricately convey the rich texture of the cloth and the meticulous weaving process. Together, they have created a fascinating introduction to this reverent aspect of Ghanaian culture. Back matter provides additional information about Kente, including its history, colors, and patterns.

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sandra Dumais. A sentient boo-boo named Bob -- a round, red character with spindly arms and legs, rosy cheeks, and emotive eyes -- is looking for a "warm and cozy place to settle down." After a couple of false starts, he encounters a crying boy who has fallen off his bike. "Do you have a boo-boo?" "No." "Can I be your boo-boo? Please? Pretty please?" "Um...okay." He jumps on the boy's knee and nestles in. After Mom cleans the area with a washcloth and adds a comfy bandage, Bob and his host are content. Inevitably, with such good care and the passage of time, the boo-boo starts to shrink. Having served his purpose, Bob takes off, with a hint of melancholy and the promise to return when needed. As we see in the final image, that will likely be sooner rather than later. The illustrations are cartoony yet understated, adding emotion and droll humor. The story's messages, both about fulfilling one's goals and about the no-big-deal-ness of small injuries, are delivered memorably -- and painlessly.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(1) K-3 At Freedom Elementary School, students tackle reading, writing, and math, but as the narrator wryly notes, sometimes they "need a break from all that fun, right?" Enter recess -- spontaneous, unannounced, and absolutely necessary. What if, Smith suggests, students took a recess in the middle of a math assignment or during a spelling lesson? In this interactive story, children are invited to join in the action: shaking limbs, yelling "Bananas!" during a hilariously absurd math problem, air-typing in the media center, quacking like ducks, bouncing and tossing invisible balls in gym, and playing pretend musical instruments while marching in place. Each burst of movement begins with an exuberant "RECESS!" set in saturated neon pinks, sunny yellows, and electric oranges that contrast sharply with the dull, grayscale classroom scenes. The visual cue mirrors students' pent-up energy and their deep longing to play. Smith's meta-commentary adds a comic, teacher-like voice ("Too silly! Stop typing!" and "Enough! End of RECESS"), which creates a rhythm that mimics some real classroom dynamics. Underneath all the antics, the story honors children's need to move, laugh, and be momentarily wild, even within the structure of the school day. A high-energy, high-participation read, tailor-made for storytime, that joyfully affirms play as essential, not extra, and is likely to become a classroom favorite.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Sonia Sánchez. A girl named Stella looks out her window to the house next door with a for-sale sign on the front lawn. After the sign tips over, curiously, the moon moves into the empty house. Stella introduces herself, and the two become friends. The moon explains it has only one interest: gardening. "I came here to grow things. I was just sitting around in space!...Besides, up there, there's not even a blade of grass to talk to." However, its disappearance from the sky brings disasters such as "sea turtles getting lost on their way to the ocean." After reporters track down the moon, Stella convinces it to, finally, return home. There is a happy ending when a new family with a little girl, enticed by the moon's verdant garden, moves in next door and the moon still, occasionally, comes to visit the garden at night. Soltis's magical telling of a brief friendship intertwines with a celebration of nature. Sanchez's digital illustrations create a world where day and night are equally captivating. The face of the moon is especially expressive in this imaginative story. Endpapers provide factual information about the moon and its impact on our planet.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025