Horn Book Herald: June 2025

(3) K-3 Illustrated by P. J. Lynch. Based on an Irish legend, the story tells of young Kevin, sent by his impoverished parents to live in a monastery. Though he longs to be in nature, the monks encourage serious indoor endeavors, until blackbirds build a nest in Kevin's hands and lay eggs there. The monks then see the strength of Kevin’s connection to nature. Muted illustrations feel like they are from another era and show a medieval monastery and the animals that surround it. Kevin's moods are palpable in each tableau.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by John Ledda. There is indeed something odd about Freddie’s new babysitter, who scares the dog, doesn’t talk much, and eats garbage for dinner. Eventually Freddie realizes what is already clear from the digital art—the babysitter is three adorable raccoons inside a trench coat, the top one wearing a hat and moustache. Readers will delight in being in on the joke from the start, and the deadpan narration (“Was this babysitter raised in the wild?” Freddie wonders) amplifies the humor.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(3) PS Illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins. In this comical picture book, an offscreen unseen narrator becomes more and more frustrated with little dog Freddie, who is having a wonderful time with various articles of clothing. He wears three pairs of pants, then a shirt as pants, then no pants at all—and so on. A monkey friend adds to the silliness. The combination of Cummins’s expressive art and Daywalt’s tongue-in-cheek, exasperated text makes for an exuberant read-aloud.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) K-3 Dog Toby has trouble making friends in his new neighborhood; this gets harder when he accidentally brings home another dog’s smelly ball from the park and attempts to rectify his mistake lead to his being labeled a “bad dog.” In Heder’s amusing soft-wash illustrations — a mix of spots, full pages, and spreads — dog communication techniques (i.e., peeing and barking) transform into color-coded conversations between the canines, expanding upon the straightforward text. Fortunately, the story resolves happily, demonstrating for young humans how important it is to face their troubles “nose to nose.”

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matt James. In this quietly affecting and beautifully illustrated book, young Belle's drawing of an owl draws praise from her teacher, but the child doesn't want to reveal why it's so good. Belle once had a home but now lives with her mother in their car. Every night in the wooded park where they sleep, Belle hears the hooting of an owl, but it stays out of sight. Then one night it appears; comforted, Belle thinks the owl is saying, "I like sharing my home with you." And just as the owl helped her, when a new boy arrives at school whose circumstances are similar to hers, Belle offers him friendship and reassurance. Atmospheric paintings, with their almost palpable thick brushstrokes and deep, cool colors, memorably depict the ethereal nighttime woods and the majestic owl.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(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

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tracy Subisak. Grace convinces her parents to let her have a dog, but it must be one she creates and buys herself. Her robot dog is hard to put together and then she has to code the dog to act properly. She soon discovers a dog that obeys her every command is boring, and she rewrites the code to add mischief. The pages devoted to coding are a bit tedious, but the pencil and digital illustrations add levity.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton

(3) 4-6 Translated by Nancy Forest-Flier. Illustrated by Annet Schaap. A young Afghan refugee, Roya, bonds with her family’s new pet rabbit, Mishka, as they process the trauma of their escape from Kabul to the Netherlands. Through the gentle voice of Roya, the novel explores themes of belonging and the refugee experience, weaving together moments of joy and sadness. Schaap’s soft, impressionistic illustrations are interspersed and beautifully reflect the story’s warmth, calm, and emotional depth.

Reviewer: Summer Edward