Platypus and Puggle: Unusual Animals Big and Small, by Ariana Koultourides, (March 2026, Annick Press), $12.99, ISBN: 9781834020808
Ages 2-4
I love a good board book, and this introduction to animals we don’t always hear much about fits the bill. Lyrical alliteration takes the place of rhyme, providing a playful way to communicate facts about animals and their babies: “A hedgehog and some hoglets cuddle in a cozy hug”; “A platypus and a puggle play peekaboo in the pond”. Each spread contains a pastel page with verse and a fact on one side, a colorful, quiet illustration on the other. An oversized board book at 7″ x 7″, little ones will enjoy turning the pages and meeting new animals again and again.
An adorable add to animal collections and perfect for storytimes!
Otter’s New Neighbors, by Li Xingming/Translated by Shan Chen, (May 2026, Charlesbridge), $18.99, ISBN: 9781623547554
Ages 3-6
Otter moves to a new home and learns about friendship in this adorable, gently comical story. New friends seem to come from everywhere to welcome Otter, all bearing gifts: Beaver brings planks to make a bed; Mr. and Mrs. Antelope bring a table; the Sheep family bring cotton for quilts, and the Geese children bring cattails from their mom that Otter can use to make cushions. Bear shows up, too, with a delicious pot of honey, but the door isn’t big enough. When Otter and friends try to pull Bear through, the door explodes into splinters and everyone goes flying: something that could lead to a lot of stress and fret, but Otter just laughs at the sheer silliness of the situation, putting Bear and everyone else at ease. Kids will love this story about friendship, acceptance, and not sweating the small stuff. Originally published in Chinese, the translation is smooth, with spare sentences that communicate playful joy. Xingming plays with perspective and light, creating beautiful incandescence with light sources; when Bear is pulled through the door, the bright white background bends along with Bear, as if he is being pulled through the book itself. A delightful story to pair with favorites like A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker.
