Mom Read It

Happy 5th Anniversary, Street Noise Books!

Posted on September 19, 2025September 19, 2025 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Street Noise Books is celebrating five years of take-no-prisoners dissident graphic novel publishing! Five years of queer, BIPOC, and neurodiverse authors publishing their own stories for adults and teens: disabled authors; trans authors; indigenous authors, authors grappling with climate change and social justice; authors struggling for mental health. Street Noise has been recognized this year alone with FOUR Eisner Awards – a heck of a birthday celebration!

I’m a Wild Seed, by Sharon Lee De La Cruz, (Apr. 2021, Street Noise Books), $12.99, ISBN: 9781951491055

Ages 16+

One of the first Street Noise books I picked up was I’m a Wild Seed: My Graphic Memoir on Queerness and Decolonizing the World by Sharon Lee De La Cruz. This full-color graphic memoir details the author’s deep-dive to learn about and unravel the effects of patriarchy and institutionalized racism on her identity, sexuality, and what freedom looks like for her. In De La Cruz’s own words, she “never ‘came into my queerness’ – I decolonized the shit out of my gender and sexuality”. Teens and young adults will embrace De La Cruz’s unflinching and often humorous storytelling. Graphic novel Sharon talks directly to the reader, making the book more of a conversation. Resources in the back matter steer readers interested in learning more to videos, organizations, and books.

If you haven’t yet treated yourself to I’m a Wild Seed, please do – and check out more of the great graphic novels from Street Noise!

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The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole is a charming tale of manners

Posted on September 18, 2025September 17, 2025 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole, by Cecilia Heikkil, Translated by Polly Lawson, (Aug. 2025, Floris Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9781782509530

Ages 4-8

This cozy animal tale is charming and perfect for spooky season storytelling that never gets too spooky. Fox and Mole are friends who gather to enjoy some snacks and a spooky story, The Legend of the Scuffling Monster. Fox is a generous host, baking and preparing food and drink his friend, but Mole is not a thoughtful guest. He interrupts and makes a mess; he even eats all of the cookies while Fox is reading! On the next night, Fox hits his limit when Mole doesn’t even remember Fox’s birthday – and complains about the lack of cookies! Life becomes art as Fox, in his anger, transforms into a monster that seems very similar to the antagonist of the earlier story! It’s up to Mole to figure out how to calm Fox down by telling – and finishing – the whole story. The story is sweetly amusing while offering a cautionary tale to readers about being a gracious guest. Fox’s transformation will resonate with readers as they see Fox sit with his frustration until he finally hits his limit. The illustrations are lovely with a touch of the eerie; the deep oranges and greens give a nice Fall feeling, and the bright blacks and bent postures add wonderfully to the macabre vibe. A delightful story for Spooky Season, The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole was a Foreword Reviews and Shelf Awareness pick. The tale was originally published in Swedish in 2024.

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Piece Out for International Games Month!

Posted on September 14, 2025September 13, 2025 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Piece Out, by Alex Willan, (May 2025, Astra Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9781662620935

Ages 4-8

International Games Month is coming in November! The American Library Association’s Games & Gaming Roundtable has some downloadable resources if you’d like to learn more. This year, I’m hoping to hold a Game Storytime for my library kids, and Piece Out looks like a great storytime choice for younger gamers (and gamers-to-be).

It’s a common occurrence: a game piece gets lost. In Willan’s Piece Out, it’s the key to adventure. A family enjoys their game night when the red piece discovers they’ve been left on the floor! Determined to get back to its box, Red escapes a hungry robot (a vacuum cleaner); discovers long-lost friends (other lost game pieces under the couch), and spends some time in the dreaded junk drawer! Always focused on returning to the Kaflooble box, Red narrates his journey with a grim determination that will make readers laugh as they see the world through Red’s eyes. Willan’s details are a feast for game fans who will love the map of the living room endpapers and the under-the-couch denizens who appear resigned to their life outside the box. The ending will leave readers laughing out loud and ready for the next adventure. Read this to your Toy Story fans.

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The Grumpy Ghost Upstairs – for the introvert!

Posted on September 13, 2025 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Grumpy Ghost Upstairs, by Mamiko Shiotani/Translated by Polly Lawson, (Aug. 2025, Floris Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781782509264

Ages 3-6

A ghost enjoys the solitude of his attic until a little girl makes her way upstairs and disturbs his peace. What is a solitary ghost to do? Determined to get his attic back, he starts a ruckus, but the girl isn’t scared off: in fact, she seems kind of fascinated. When the ghost decides to visit her room and attempts to scare her on her own turf, she disarms the specter with an offer of friendship. The ghost accepts the offer and learns that “it is good to leave his attic once in a while”, saving his nights for his alone and time and spending his days getting to know his new friend. The primary use of gray and muted colors gives the story a dreamlike quality, and the ghost moves between translucence and a soft white, giving him an almost ethereal quality; his body language is humorous as he tries to hide from his inquisitive new neighbor, changing size, shape, and opacity to inhabit paper bags, shrink to hide behind a stack of books, or become see-through to cause a ruckus. The girl’s colorful outfits make her stand out against the murkiness of the attic, bringing life and color to the little ghost’s world. A sweet story about friendship in unlikely places, this is a fun storytime selection. The Grumpy Ghost Upstairs was originally published in Japan in 2020.

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Mayhem at the Museum! Better ask for help.

Posted on August 22, 2025August 21, 2025 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Mayhem at the Museum, by Hannah Brückner, Translated by Laura Watkinson, (Sept. 2025, NorthSouth Books), $19.95, ISBN: 9780735845855

Ages 4-8

Yuri is a kid enjoying a trip to the museum when mayhem strikes in the form of a parakeet that likes to fly around. Yuri is afraid of birds, and proceeds to knock down a giant brachiosaurus skeleton when he tries to get away! This is a definite catastrophe: “the kind of catastrophe that ALWAYS happens when ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE is looking” and sends Yuri into a panic attack. Luckily, he remembers to breathe in and out and that he can always ask for help – and he does! Everyone is happy to pitch in and the end result is nothing short of eye-catching. Brückner’s story about overcoming anxiety and asking for – and accepting – help is spot on and will resonate with readers. Her description of the feelings that hit when experiencing a personal catastrophe are spot on; Yuri’s body language communicates the emotions behind the words. The muted colors provide a calming effect in the middle of the storm of emotions and chaos. With a little imagination and some help, Mayhem shows that you can overcome just about anything. Download a free coloring page at NorthSouth’s website.

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Puzzle fans will enjoy Me & the Magic Cube

Posted on August 21, 2025August 20, 2025 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Me & the Magic Cube, by Daniel Fehr/Illustrated by GOLDEN COSMOS, Translated by Marshall Yarbrough, (Sept. 2025, NorthSouth Books), $19.95, ISBN: 9780735845732

Ages 6-10

Puzzle fans will thoroughly enjoy this look at the “magic cube” – some may call it a Rubik’s Cube. Part story, part STEM lesson, the book begins when a child finds a colorful cube in a box of her dad’s old stuff. As they ponder it, they turn the pieces and discover it’s all jumbled. Can Dad fix it? Nope! The child brings the cube to school, where their friends puzzle over how to fix it. Surprise! Taking the stickers off or taking it apart throws off the configuration of the cube. Did you know that the cube can be twisted into over 43 quintillion positions, or – as our narrator puts into perspective – “43 quintillion is more than all the stars we’re able to see in the universe”. The child and their friends go down a rabbit hole to learn about the cube and how to solve it. Vibrant colors and detailed illustrations have a retro feel and allow for an interesting story loaded with mathematical facts and statistics about the Rubik’s cube and those who have solved it. Back matter includes a tutorial on solving the cube. This book will work well in pop culture collections and STEM/STEAM collections. Visit the Rubik’s Cube webpage for more solution help and information about the Cube!

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Picture books about siblings

Posted on August 20, 2025 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Siblings come in all shapes, sizes, and species! Here are couple of picture books that celebrate our sibs.

Hazel the Handful, by Jamie Michalak/Illustrated by Matt Myers, (Apr. 2025, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536231199

Ages 4-8

Hazel is a small dog with a big personality! She lives a very satisfying life surrounded by her toys and her family, especially Bea, the family’s daughter. But if you look at the illustrations early on, you’ll notice that someone else is joining the family: a baby! Seemingly overnight, Hazel’s world is turned upside down. The stinky baby makes loud noises and gets all of the attention, especially Bea’s. What’s a pup to do? Trying to get back into the spotlight, Hazel causes a bit of chaos and is branded “a handful”. Hiding in a blanket away from everyone, she hears her family looking for her and realizes that she’s still very much part of the family and that just maybe she can find space in her heart – and her toy box – to let the baby in. Narrated by Hazel, this sweet look at new babies and the disruption they can bring to the family pet is humorous and relatable. Hazel is a great stand-in for a child experiencing the mixed emotions surrounding a new baby in the family and communicates in a manner that kids will appreciate. On a family walk, someone who normally gushes over Hazel now says, “Oh, what a cutie patootie baby!” to which Hazel responds, “What? Is it not clear? I am the patootie”; she wonders if Bea still loves her; she feels left out of the family photo. The family is bi-racial; Bea and her brother are light brown-skinned, while Bea’s mother and Nana appear white. A charming readaloud and selection for animal fans and families with a new baby in the home.

First There Was Me, Then There Was You, by Yvonne Sewankambo/Illustrated by Aurore McLeod, (Feb. 2025, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536239003

Ages 3-7

A brother is excited to welcome his baby sister into the world in this heartfelt ode to siblings everywhere. Told from the brother’s point of view, he goes through the ups and downs (but mostly ups) of having a younger sibling, from the first time she curls her fingers around his to “showing her the ropes”. They play together, disagree sometimes, and explore, always together, because “I love you (trust me, I do!), there is no me without you”. Both siblings are brown-skinned. The digital illustrations use warm colors to communicate shared affection and love; McLeod uses warm yellows and oranges and creates soft lighting to soften backgrounds and keep the light source focused on brother and sister, who feature together in every spread. In two spreads touching on disagreements, the sister is by herself on the left side, joined by her brother on the right side to show their ability to overcome the tough times. A moving celebration of siblings, this is an excellent storytime choice and addition to picture book collections.

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Two adorable board books for babies and toddlers!

Posted on August 19, 2025 by Rosemary Kiladitis

These books come Granddaughter approved! My littlest little, who I’ll refer to as Snuggles, gets very excited when she sees these books come out of my bag. Share them with your littles for lapsit fun!

My Animal Sounds (Baby Basics), by Xavier Deneux, (Aug. 2025, Twirl Books), $14.99, ISBN: 9791036382086

Ages Birth-3

A high-contrast book with splashes of primary color, little fingers can this book features animal sounds on every page: littles can hear a cat meow; a bird’s chitter; the glub-glub of a fish; a frog’s croak; a rabbit’s nibble, an elephant’s trumpet (Snuggles’s favorite!); a sheep’s baaaa; a dog’s bark, a pig’s grunt, and a cow’s moo (her second favorite). The illustrations are chunky and bold, with each animal’s name on the top of the page. A colorful disc calls the reader’s attention to it, where they can easily press and hear the animal sound. Pages are chunky and thick and will hold up to multiple reads; there’s even an on/off switch so you can save your battery. A definite fun addition to your board book collections. My Animal Sounds is a companion book to Deneux’s other Baby Basics books, My Books (2024) and Animals at Home (2025).

Hoot Hoot, by Georgette, (Aug. 2025, Twirl Books), $14.99, ISBN: 9791027613632

Ages Birth-3

Another adorable animal sounds book, Hoot Hoot is a bold, eye-catching book that pops out against bright black backgrounds. Die cuts encourage readers to guess at the different animals making sounds by featuring pairs of eyes that reveal identities on the next page. An owl “hoot hoots”; a cat and kitten purr; bats flap, flap their wings, mice scurry, and a playful child tries to fool the reader with his own sound. With bold, bright colors that come alive against the black backgrounds and sturdy die-cut cardboard that will hold up to multiple reads, this is an engaging book that encourages exploration and learning. A must-add! (And a favorite of Snuggles, whose eyes grow like saucers when she sees the cover.)

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Survive This Safari – puzzles and adventure for Back to School mode!

Posted on August 12, 2025 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Survive This Safari, by Natalie D. Richards, (Apr. 2025, Delacorte Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9780593644164

Ages 8-12

Get ready to shift your brain into Back to School mode with this fun adventure set in an Ohio safari park challenge! Lucy is a 12-year-old who loves animals and wants desperately to be a Wildlife Ambassador at the park. She has the chance to compete in a Wildlands Safari Escape Challenge, where only one person will be the newest Ambassador. Lucy and a team of hopefuls have to solve a series of animal fact-based puzzles in order to unlock animal habitats all over the park in a race with the current Wildlands Ambassadors in order to win, but things go haywire when the team runs into communication problems, malfunctioning electronics, and open animal habitats. Lucy and her group come to the realization that things have been sabotaged and the animals – particularly a baby elephant – are in danger! Lucy will learn to manage her panic attacks and the team will learn to work together in order to save the animals and themselves. Filled with puzzles and adventure, readers will get a kick out of this book; entertaining footnotes add some animal facts and provide further character development throughout. Lucy’s character is immediately likable and her efforts to manage anxiety will resonate with many readers, as will fellow competitor Harrison, who is open about his ADHD (which leads to some amusing conversations). Themes of teamwork and friendship with some medium-stakes situations will appeal to readers. This would make a good book club choice.