Posted in Toddler Reads

Christmas Board Books for stocking stuffers!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

You know I love a good board book and holiday board books are just the cutest! Enjoy the season’s readings!

Winter Light, by Aaron Becker, (Sept. 2024, Candlewick Studio), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536236460

Ages Birth-3

Aaron Becker’s board books are works of art. Winter Light is the companion to We Are Light and describes the waning of light outdoors, heralding the arrival of “winter light”: “Glowing embers, cozy hearths, flames to warm the night”. Becker’s die cuts form the illusion of snowflakes and fire’s embers, with sheer tiles of color to hold against the light to delight readers. It’s a quiet, gentle read filled with the warmth of the winter season. An essential for your board book shelves.

 

Where’s the Reindeer?, by Ingela P Arrhenius, (Sept. 2024, Candlewick Press), $9.99, ISBN: 9781536237719

Ages Birth-3

Arrhenius creates such fun sensory books for little hands! Where’s the Reindeer? is a fun guessing game where readers have to find a caroler, a snowy owl, an ice skater, and a reindeer, all hidden behind shaped felt cutouts. The final spread contains a mirror, where children can see themselves. Christmas icons like Santa and his sleigh, elves, Christmas trees, and reindeer have friendly, expressive faces that kids will love. Where’s the Reindeer? is a book kids will reach for all year ’round.

 

Peekaboo Santa, by Camilla Reid/Illustrated by Ingela P Arrhenius, (Sept. 2024, Candlewick Press), $9.99, ISBN: 9781536237634

Ages Birth-3

Peekaboo Santa is another fun exploratory read that lets readers manipulate pushes, pulls, and turns to reveal Christmas friends. “Peekaboo Christmas” has a push that reveals a hidden star at the top of the book; “Peekaboo Elf” has a pull that reveals an elf. The final spread, “Peekaboo You”, lets readers pull to reveal a mirror. Arrhenius’s illustration is made for young readers, with expressive eyes and bright colors. An absolute delight for board book shelves.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

You’re Not Invited! A new garden adventure

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

You’re Not Invited! (An Ooey Gooeys Adventure), by Sylvia Rouss & David Titcher/Illustrations by Rick Penn Kraus, (Jan. 2025, Brandyland Publishers), $15.95, ISBN: 978-1962416672

Ages 3-7

There’s going to be a party in the garden, but Queen Bea doesn’t want any “ooey gooeys” at her party, leaving Shelly Snail, Willy Worm, and Speedy Centipede on the other side of the velvet rope. Things change, though, when a Bigfoot charges through their area wielding a giant monster, and the Ooeys are there to save Bea and the other garden denizens. They watch the seeming destruction of their home together, but realize that the human – you didn’t really think he was a Bigfoot, did you? – is actually creating a paradise: he’s planting beautiful flowers for them to enjoy! Rescheduling their party to enjoy the new digs, Bea invites the Ooey Gooeys to be part of the fun as the guests of honor. You’re Not Invited! is an upbeat story of friendship and acceptance; of a bully who realizes her mistake, and a maligned group that’s courageous and generous enough to forgive. Colorful illustrations show the garden bugs in close-up, cartoon detail; the Bigfoot is actually a human, and the monster is a lawn mower. Plenty of fun for readers, with positive messages about being a friend. I look forward to more life lessons with the Ooey Gooeys!

Visit Sylvia Rouss’s website for more about her books, including her awesome Sammy Spider series!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Aisha’s Colors teach joy

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Aisha’s Colors, by Nabila Adani, (Sept. 2024, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536235401

Ages 3-7

A young girl living in Jakarta wishes her family would go on a vacation somewhere different, somewhere exciting, like her friends do. Her family takes the same trip every year: they drive to her Grandma’s village in the countryside. As her family sets out on their trip, Aisha thinks of the colors her friends have seen: the white snow her friend Jennie sees; the blue water and sky glimpsed by her frien Dimas. But as the trip progresses, Aisha discovers beautiful colors, too: the white of her favorite treat, for instance. As she sees the most beautiful sight of all – her grandmother – Aisha reflects on the colors her friends have seen, compares them with the colors she sees, and decides that “I’m going to stop worrying about what other people’s vacations are like”. Adani brings home the joy of seeing family, the beauty of what we have around us, and the importance of celebrating and appreciating what we have without worrying about what others have or do. Mixed media illustrations are bright and cheerful, depicting warm family relationships. Mom and Grandma wear hijabs and colorful tunics; Aisha is in overalls and a t-shirt. A cheerful story that readers will enjoy again and again.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

It’s hard to share our favorites: Mauntie and Me

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Mauntie and Me, by Rajani LaRocca/Illustrated by Nadia Alam, (Nov. 2024, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536229417

Ages 3-7

It can be really difficult to share our favorite family members: in Mauntie and Me, Priya is the youngest of her cousins and feels left behind when the family gathers on weekends. But it’s okay, because she has her mom’s youngest sister, who she calls Mauntie: short for My Auntie. Together, Priya and Mauntie play games, share riddles, and have the best time together, but a new cousin, Aditi, arrives on the scene. Only a year older than Priya, Aditi also loves spending time with Mauntie, which doesn’t sit right with Priya. When Priya gets upset, Mauntie gives her an important riddle to consider: “What grows when you share it?” As Priya mulls over the riddle, she also finds herself missing Aditi. The answer dawns on her – love – and she realizes that Mauntie doesn’t halve her attention or her love when Aditi’s around; she doubles it. LaRocca captures the emotion and stress of sharing a loved one’s time and brings Priya on a journey to understanding. She creates a gentle and loving story about familial relationships and the friendships we form within them. Alam’s digital and pencil illustrations captures warm and loving family relationships. The opening spread where Priya and Mauntie greet one another across a crowd of family speaks volumes.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Pavlo Gets the Grumps – we all know it, don’t we?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Pavlo Gets the Grumps, by Natalia Shaloshvili, (Sept. 2024, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536235548

Ages 3-7

Pavlo is not in a great mood today. Mama has all sorts of great ideas, but Pavlo doesn’t want to do any of them: “The swings are too swingy, the sandbox is too sandy, and… the slide is too SLIDEY!” Pavlo adamantly refuses to admit it: he’s got the Grumps, and Mama gets him out the door anyway, where he discovers the best cure for the Grumps: a hug from a friend. Preschoolers (and their grownups!) will easily identify with Pavlo; we all know when the Grumps strike. Shaloshvili expertly captures a child’s grumpy day in her narration, and her mixed media illustrations make for an adorably cranky kitten and a patient parent. Moody darker colors make up the backgrounds until Pavlo gets a hug from his friend Mila; the greens of the park become lighter and the outside becomes brighter as Pavlo’s mood lightens. A great story to cheer the Grumps away.

Pavlo Gets the Grumps has a starred review from Booklist.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Meet Marc Brown’s newest friend, Hop

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Arthur fans, get ready! Marc Brown has a new group of friends for readers to meet, and they’ll be coming to Max in April.

Hop Helps Out, by Marc Brown, (Feb. 2025, Orchard Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9781339035680

Ages 2-6

Hop is a frog who lives in Fair Village with his friends. One day, he and his friend Benny meet a troll named Helga, who’s crying by a bridge. She wants to explore and see the world, but she’s scared. Not to worry: Hop and Benny take Helga by the hand and bring her exploring, introducing her to their friends and enjoying fun things like making ice cream and playing dress-up. Geared toward younger children, the narrative focuses on short, easy-to-read sentences. Marc Brown’s signature style is familiar to any Arthur fan, and the emphasis on friendship and being able to support one another is perfect for a younger age group learning social skills. Brown also creates characters that “are reflective of our communities and friends and inclusive of children who had been underrepresented in the media”, featuring characters with some sort of disability: Hop wears one sneaker that looks like a platform; a depiction of anisomelia (one leg is shorter than the other). Helga is coded as having agoraphobia.

According to Scholastic’s press release, RespectAbility, an advocacy nonprofit organization fighting stigma and advancing opportunity for people with disabilities, was brought on to consult on the series.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Christmas? Hanukkah? We have books for that!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

In today’s “books for holiday storytimes”…

Gingerbread Dreidels, by Jane Breskin Zalben/Illustrated by Thai Phuong, (Aug. 2024, Charlesbridge), $17.99, ISBN: 9781623543655

Ages 4-7

Christmas and Hanukkah fall on the same day this year! Siblings Sophie and Max are confused: they normally celebrate both holidays, but let’s get to the big question: will this mean they get half the presents? This sweet holiday story is all about family, traditions, and yes, the kids get presents. Sophie and Max bake up a mess in the kitchen with their parents until both sets of grandparents arrive and take over: latkes and applesauce! Sweet potato pudding and turkey! It’s a holiday feast to remember, followed by the stories of both Hanukkah and Christmas, singing holiday songs, a few spins of the dreidel, and then it’s time for gifts. A warm story of family, tradition, and blending faiths, Zalben includes a history of the dreidel and a tasty gingerbread dreidel recipe in addition to an author’s note. Grandma Gold, an Ethiopian Jew as clarified in Zalben’s author note, is depicted as brown-skinned; Papa, her son, is darker-skinned. Cheerful illustrations and warm storytelling will have kids asking for this every holiday.

 

 

 

Luna Loves Christmas, by Joseph Coelho/Illustrated by Fiona Lumbers, (Dec. 2023, Kane Miller), $15.99, ISBN: 978168464641

Ages 4-8

A new Luna story is always a fun time! This time, it’s Christmas. Luna gets to decorate and celebrate at Mom’s, and then at Dad’s, but this year, she and Mom are doing something different: they are volunteering! Luna’s a little cold when she and Mom start out, but as she delivers food, plays with a friend, and joins in with a group of carolers, the warmth she feels inside at doing good deeds warms her up and she doesn’t notice the cold. After volunteering with Mom, it’s off to Dad’s, where the two make cookies and hang stockings. On Christmas Day, they eat dinner at town hall with other families – and where Mom is serving dinner! – including both sets of grandparents. When Santa arrives at the end of the day, it’s the best way to end an exciting Christmas. A sweet story about giving and community, Luna Loves Christmas also supports children of divorce by illustrating life between two households. Her parents seem to have a healthy relationship and co-parent their child in a respectful manner. Illustrations are soft and cheerful. Luna is bi-racial and portratyed with light brown skin and curly hair; her father is dark-skinned. There is diversity in all the families depicted in the story. Originally published in the UK in 2023, there are fun details in the illustrations that hint at British holiday traditions, like the wearing of paper crowns. An insert “Christmas Story” lets readers enjoy a story that Luna and a new friend share. A sweet additional holiday purchase.

Posted in Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Teen, Tween Reads, Young Adult/New Adult

STOP THE PRESSES! NEW MOUSE GUARD INCOMING!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Holy cow, was this a great announcement to read. Mouse Guard is an Eisner and Harvey Award-winning graphic novel and comic book series; it’s a fantasy setting similar to Brian Jacques’s Redwall books. The Mouse Guard was formed to protect mice against predators. It’s a great series; my son (now in his mid-20s) was a tremendous fan when he was a kid, which naturally got me reading it. We were both hooked!

Anyway, the great news from BOOM! Studios: in honor of Mouse Guard’s 20th anniversary, we are getting a NEW Mouse Guard adventure! Here’s the scoop from BOOM!:

LOS ANGELES, CA (December 19, 2024) – There are few series as lauded and beloved as David Petersen’s Eisner Award-winning and New York Times bestselling Mouse Guard. Now, in celebration of the 20th anniversaries of both Mouse Guard and BOOM! Studios, David Petersen, along with Eisner-nominated artist Gabriel Rodríguez (Locke & Key), bring a brand new chapter to life in this sprawling saga with MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE.

The origins of the legendary Black Axe are revealed in this prequel story set in the earliest point in the Mouse Guard history. Adventure with the ancient weapon’s first mouse wielder and champion, Bardrick, as he sets off on an epic quest of good versus evil!

“Getting to write this Mouse Guard lore of the forging of the Black Axe and it being handed to Bardrick (first of eleven wielders) while getting to do so with the brilliant Gabriel Rodríguez drawing Dawn of the Black Axe has been a thrill,” said Mouse Guard creator David Petersen. “He’s going above and beyond with his inked pages and storytelling while I’m just trying to keep up coloring them and still do them justice. Gabe was top of my list when we started pitching names for this spin off project, and I postponed it for a long time until his schedule opened up––I didn’t want to do this first one with anyone else.

“I’ll continue to work on the next volume in the main Mouse Guard series: The Weasel War of 1149, but I also hope this is first of many more Mouse Guard books like this one, where I get to explore the other past wielders of the Black Axe with exciting and extremely talented collaborators like Gabe.”

“I’ve been a fan of David Petersen’s work since the first time I saw a volume of his astonishing Mouse Guard books. We became friends as soon as we met,” said Eisner-nominated artist Gabriel Rodríguez. “Almost a decade ago we started daydreaming about working together on the story of the first wielder of the mythical Black Axe. That dream finally came true, and I’m humbled, grateful and excited to share it with the faithful legion of Mouse Guard readers.”

MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE #1 features main cover art by series artist Gabriel Rodríguez, and variant covers by Mouse Guard creator David Petersen, and celebrated artist Goñi Montes (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers).

MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning Archaia imprint, home to inspiring graphic novels such as Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Ryan North, and Albert Monteys; The Sacrifice of Darkness by Roxane Gay, Tracy Lynne-Oliver, and Rebecca Kirby; Big Black: Stand at Attica by Frank “Big Black” Smith, Jared Reinmuth, and Améziane; The Killer by Matz and Luc Jacamon; We Served the People by Emei Burell; New World by David Jesus Vignolli; Eighty Days by A.C. Esguerra; Better Angels: A Kate Warne Adventure by Jeff Jensen and George Schall; The Short While by Jeremy Sorese; About Betty’s Boob by Vero Cazot and Julie Rocheleau; Flavor Girls by Loïc Locatelli-Kournwsky; I’m Still Alive by Roberto Saviano and Asaf Hanuka; and licensed series including Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes; Lev Grossman’s The Magicians; and Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Storyteller, and Labyrinth.

MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE #1 will be available in comic shops March 19, 2025. It is available for pre-order at your local comic shop. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including Kindle, iBooks, and Google Play.

For continuing news on MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to www.boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on X.

About David Petersen:

David Petersen is the creator of the New York Times Bestselling and critically acclaimed Graphic Novel series Mouse Guard.  He was the 2007 Russ Manning Award recipient for Most Promising Newcomer and has since gone on to win three Eisner Awards and two Harvey’s for his continued work on the Mouse Guard series. David has done covers for Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Jim Henson’s Storyteller, Star Wars, TMNT, and Usagi Yojimbo as well as recent work for Magic the Gathering: Bloomburrow.

David and his wife Julia live in Michigan.

About Gabriel Rodríguez:

Gabriel Rodríguez is a Chilean comic book artist and writer. He’s the author of Sword of Ages and co-creator Locke & Key, Onyx, and the Eisner Award-winning Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland at IDW. He’s also drawn titles such as Adventures of Superman for DC Comics, Locke & Key/Sandman: Heaven and Hell for IDW/DC, Le Gouffre Des Resurrections for Les Humanoïdes Associés, and illustrated for Marvel, BOOM! Studios, Skybound, Oni Press, Heroic Signatures and Clover Press. He has also contributed illustrations for novels by Stephen King and Joe Hill. He lives and works in Santiago, Chile. You can find Gabriel on Instagram at @gr_comics.

Posted in Intermediate, Non-Fiction, picture books

Whazzat? You want MORE book suggestions? Happy Holidays, I got you.

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

You need kids’ books? I have recommendations!

For the kid who loves cars and trucks and things that go:

Big Bertha: How a Massive Tunnel Boring Machine Dug a Highway under Seattle, by Amanda Abler/Illustrated by Katy Wu, (Sept. 2024, Little Bigfoot), $18.99, ISBN: 9781632173065

Ages 7-10

Have an emerging middle grader who loves reading about heavy machinery and vehicles? Big Bertha is the book for them: an earthquake rocks Seattle, Washington in 2001, damaging an elevated highway by the city’s waterfront. If another quake were to hit, the roadway could be at danger of collapsing. The decision was made to replace the highway with a double-decker tunnel running underneath the city. Bertha is the huge tunnel boring machine – the height of a 5-story building! – built in Japan and brought to Seattle to dig and build the tunnel. Named for a former Seattle mayor, Bertha is depicted as massive; readers will be amazed at her scale and power. Deputy Project Manager Greg Hauser and his crew, dedicated to the project, took sleeping shifts and stayed with Bertha all the way, even sleeping in shifts to stay with her as she worked. Do you know kids who love building with LEGO and blocks? Do they construct cities in Minecraft and Roblox? Readers interested in engineering and heavy machines will be fascinated by Bertha, who “chewed up dirt and boulders, removing the earth ahead of her” while her “red erector arms pieced together arcs of concrete to form the outer walls” of the tunnel. Back matter includes a photo of Bertha and her crew; numbers, and facts about the machine and the construction.

Big Bertha has a starred review from Booklist.

 

For the future marine biologist:

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Arctic, by Candace Fleming/Illustrated by Deena So’oteh, (Oct. 2024, Anne Schwartz Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593377789

Ages 4-8

Is there anything Candace Fleming can’t do? She writes picture books, novels, fiction, non-fiction, and she’s a conservationist, making her a super human being in my book. Fleming’s newest work is a lyrical piece about a year in the life of a narwhal. Fleming combines nonfiction description with storytelling verse, with playful descriptions – “You are… . shy, / swift, / small (for a whale)” and detailed: “your tusk… / a single / twisting / rod of ivory / that sprouts from your upper left jaw”. The narwhal moves with his pod through the seasons, following food and avoiding danger. So’oteh’s digital illustrations bring the clear cold of the Arctic to beautiful life, with brilliant blues and greens and murky blues showcasing the underwater world. A gatefold displays an incredible narwhal pod dive that will delight readers, and near escapes from a pod of killer whales on the hunt, being stuck under the ice, and discovery by a polar bear! This is picture book nonfiction done spectacularly well and is perfect for readers who love animal stories.

Narwhal has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Booklist, and Horn Book.

 

For the stargazer:

The Mathematics of the Universe, by Soledad Romero Mariño/Illustrated by Renee Hao, (Oct. 2024, Schiffer Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9780764368387

Ages 5-9

Verse, quotes, and beautiful illustrations come together to explain the patterns of our universe, from the spiral of a snail’s shell to the swirl of a galaxy. It’s a beautiful introduction to STEM and mathematics, inviting readers to explore concepts like spheres and hexagons, symmetry and spirals, and inviting readers to look closer at nature and unpack the mysteries they see: “The universe seems in such disarray, / but it follows an order, not one thing astray”.

Want to show your readers more about mathematics in nature? The Carnegie Museum of Natural History has some great photos that explain these concepts, too!

 

 

Reaching for the Stars: A Mission to Space, by Roxanne Troup, Amanda Lenz, (Aug. 2024, Schiffer Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9780764368172

Ages 4-8

A space exploration story in rhyming verse! A group of explorers head to the stars in this fun story with dynamic illustration that blends art with actual NASA space photographs. “What will we find light-years away, / beyond the expanse where our planets play?” Constellations, nebulae, and meteor showers, for starters! The group introduces new space vocabulary to readers and features a diverse cast of explorers. Great for a STEM storytime or a space storytime, and excellent to pair with Roda Ahmed and Stasia Burrington’s Mae Among the Stars (2018).

 

Posted in Fiction, Fiction, Intermediate, Middle Grade, picture books

Holiday Shopping Suggestions!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’m back with more holiday book shopping ideas! Let’s see what we have today:

For the young entrepreneur:

Ryder K The Mini Boss: The Littlest Hands, Yet the Biggest Dreams, by Cheyenne Davis, Margaret Bowdre, & Ryder K Wharton/Illustrated by Niles Britwum, (Nov. 2024, Kingston Imperial), $16.99, ISBN: 9781954220782

Ages 5-9

Many will recognize 7-year-old entrepreneur and her mother, Cheyenne Davis, from MTV’s Teen Mom series. Here, Ryder tells the story of how she created her own nail polish line. The book features Ryder’s mom, Cheyenne, and her family, all who support Ryder in her efforts. With messages of empowerment and creativity, Ryder K The Mini Boss shows positive images of children and families of color. Ryder’s mom guides her through the process of becoming a “mini boss” with keywords written on a whiteboard: “Passion! Patience! Persistence! Play!” and Ryder still comes across as a playful child, pondering the upsides of abeing a “mini boss”: “Can I buy all the toys I want? I am a mini boss. Can I have candy every day? I am a mini boss”. An additional purchase.

 

 

For the middle grader who loves crafting:

The Best Friend Bracelet, by Nicole D. Collier, (Oct. 2024, HarperCollins), $18.99, ISBN: 9780063326163

Ages 8-12

Zariah (“like Mariah Carey, but with a Z”) has a tidy little business making best friend bracelets for classmates at Hurston Middle School. She puts a lot of thought into the process; her customers fill out a profile on their best friend so that Zariah can choose the right beads and make the perfect bracelet. The irony is, Zariah has no best friend: she suffered a best friend breakup that she’s still reeling from, but she hopes to have a bestie again one day. After inspiration strikes on a trip to the bead store, Zariah creates a stunning bracelet that goes viral on her school’s social media platform, but this bracelet is different: everyone who tries on the bracelet becomes Zariah’s best friend! Zariah uses this as the opportunity to audition new best friends, but her parent aren’t as thrilled with her bracelet as everyone at school is: her grades have been dropping and her mom lays down the ultimatum: pull those grades up, or lose the beading supplies. Zariah turns to a school loner for help… but could she be the best friend that Zariah’s needed? A fun story about best friends and learning that one size doesn’t fit all, readers will love Zariah’s voice and creativity.

The Best Friend Bracelet has a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

 

For the fantasy reader:

Princess Betony and the Unicorn (Princess Betony, Book 1), by Pamela Freeman/Illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie, (Aug. 2023, Kane Miller), $6.99, ISBN: 9781684647156

Ages 7-10

Princess Betony is a young princess surrounded by overbearing courtiers. The daughter of a human king and a dryad who retains a human form, Betony’s governess, Lady Pineal, complains and berates her and her father’s chancellor is rude and blustering. Betony longs to learn more about her mother’s Wild Magic, much to Lady Pineal’s and the Lord Chancellor’s chagrin. When Princess Betony sees her mother heading toward the forest one morning, she runs after her, afraid her mother has left her; she discovers other dryads who set her on a quest – catch a unicorn! – to prove she has the Wild Magic; then and only then will she be able to find her mother. With a seemingly impossible task against her, Princess Betony relies on her determination and her legacy as a child of a tree spirit. Storytelling has fantasy elements and black-and-white illustrations throughout and readers will quickly find themselves fans of Betony, who has a strong sense of who she is, a love of family, and a curious streak. Princess Betony and the Unicorn is the first in a series of four adventures, originally published in Australia from 2012-2014.

 

For the lovable and mischievous book-lover:

Nibbles the Very Hungry Book Monster, by Emma Yarlett, (Sept. 2024, Kane Miller), $17.99, ISBN: 9781684647897

Ages 5-8

Nibbles has long had a place in my heart – my middle schooler was a big fan as a little guy, and I’ve never grown tired of this goofy little book monster’s escapades. Nibbles is up to his usual silliness in this latest book, which is chock full of flaps and die-cuts as Nibbles chomps his way through a series of books, leaving holes in hilarious spots: a cookbook sports a peek a Nibbles’s bottom sticking out of a cake pan; a Hansel and Gretel cover has been chewed away to show Nibbles running at full speed; Old Macdonald Had a Farm shows Nibbles’s head peeking out atop the cow’s body. The little yellow monster gorges himself until he comes to the book’s close and his little crate: but will he go in, or will he eat his way through that, too? Great for an interactive readaloud or a scavenger hunt (just print a few Nibbles coloring pages here and set them around!), Nibbles is an enduring character whose antics always make for fun.