Matt Myers – Mom Read It

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.

Ahoy! Books about Boats

Posted on July 8, 2022July 7, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

To add some fun to summer reading storytimes, add some stories about boats!

Old Wood Boat, by Nikki McClure, (May 2022, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536216585

Ages 4-8

An old boat gets a new lease on life in this distinctive story by award-winning artist and author Nikki McClure. The Old Wood Boat sits, floating in a drydock, remembering “the wind… islands and a sea of green” as she houses raccoons and blackberries grow across her decks. One day, a family arrives and purchases the boat, and set about making her sea-worthy again. Once the work is done, they set off for new adventures, and the boat keeps her new family safe and comfortable. It’s a lovely story of renewal and potential, with Nikki McClure’s trademark spare prose and striking cut-paper artwork. Back matter includes a glossary of nautical terms introduced in the story. A glorious summer story. Consider pairing with Nikki McClure’s counting book, 1 2 3 Salish Sea. Visit Nikki McClure’s website for more about her books.

Lily Leads the Way, by Margi Preus/Illustrated by Matt Myers, (May 2022, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536214031

Ages 4-8

Lily is a small sailboat who is so excited to greet a fleet of visiting tall ships! She races out to the harbor entrance and blows her horn – “Meee-me?” – to ask the bridge to lift and let her through, but bigger ships blast their horns so much louder and their wakes rock and roll poor Lily as they rumble past. When she finally sneaks through and spots the tall ships, she’s thrilled: until she realizes that the bridge will have to lift to let them pass, but these ships are silent! Will good manners and a determined little sailboat save the day? Crisp oil illustrations bring a charming anthropomorphic touch to the realism of this summery story. Illustrated Matt Myers captures the beauty of the water, with shades of blue communicating depth and movement against a summer sky with puffy, light clouds. The ships and land are colorful, set off against the blues, to bring this seafaring story to life. The boats don’t sport cartoony facial expressions, but they are there for those who look: the downcast eyes of a huge vessel as he trundles by Lily; a somber and focused coast guard cutter zips past Lily. Kids will love Lily’s sweet attempts to be seen, and be captivated by the sight of the regal tall ships as they approach the harbor. Lily Leads the Way is a story about determination, and carries a sweet message about being polite. An author’s note offers more information about bridges and boats. A wonderful storytime pick. Make sure to invite the kids to make their own boat horn noises!

Visit Craft Play Learn for fun boat craft ideas for a storytime activity. I love cork boat craft and the craft stick craft.

Margi Preus is the Newbery Honoree author of Heart of a Samurai (2010). Visit her author website for more about her books, and free downloadable resources, including reading guides. Matt Myers is the illustrator of the Infamous Ratsos book series. Find more about his work at his website.

Animal Fiction, Fiction, Fiction, Fiction, Intermediate, Middle Grade

Chapter books to take on a camping trip

Posted on April 1, 2020April 1, 2020 by Rosemary Kiladitis

I know, right now, camping is probably the furthest thing from your minds, but why not? My older boys loved “camping out” in our living room, spreading comforters on the floor for cushioning, and staying up all night giggling and falling asleep while talking into the wee hours of the morning. My eldest “camps” in his little brother’s room in the dog days of summer, when Gabe’s air conditioner is a lot cooler than Will’s. And Gabe and his buddies have had sleepovers where they camp out, sleeping bags all over the living room, and stuffed animals, action figures, and assorted iPads strewn about. So why not consider a camping trip for your kiddos now? Hike on over to a room that can fit you all, and settle in with some snacks, some games, and some good books.

McTavish Goes Wild, by Meg Rosoff/Illustrated by Grace Easton, (May 2020, Candlewick Press), $21.99, ISBN: 9781536203318

Ages 7-10

Originally published in the UK, this is the second book in the McTavish Stories series, starring a rescued dog and his adopted family – although, as McTavish would tell you, he’s the one who rescued them. The Peachey family is a little quirky, as most families are; in this second installment, the family frets over where to go on vacation. Young Betty Peachey wants to go camping, but Pa Peachey is convinced that nature is far too dangerous to be out and about in. Teenage brother Ollie just wants to be somewhere where there are dance clubs where he can find a girlfriend, and big sister Ava wants to stay home and read German philosophy. Thank goodness for Ma Peachey, who sides with Betty. Once out in nature, McTavish sees that it’s up to him to get this family acclimated to the Great Outdoors, in sweet and fun fashion. The story is gentle, moves at a leisurely pace with humor throughout. Black and white drawings give life to the text. Intermediate readers will get a kick out of this quirky family and their canine companion, who seems to be two steps ahead of the game. You won’t need to have read the first book, Good Dog McTavish, to jump right into this series, but animal fiction fans will want to – make sure you have both on the shelf.

The Infamous Ratsos Camp Out, by Kara LaReau/Illustrated by Matt Myers, (May 2020, Candlewick Press), $19.99, ISBN: 9781536200065

Ages 6-10

The fifth book in the Infamous Ratsos series Ralphie and Louie Ratso going on a camping trip with the Big City Scouts, with Grandpa Ratso as their guide. Even with Grandpa’s guidance and experience as a Scoutmaster, the Scouts learn that camping isn’t as easy as they think it is: pitching a tent, making a fire, and finding their way through the woods is hard! They have to learn to work together, and they have to learn that asking for help is the most important skill a Scout – or anyone – can have. With fun scout-meets-urban living references to badges like City Smarts and Cleanup, and scouting levels like Streets and Avenues instead of Cub and Weeblo, this is a cute addition to the series. Black and white cartoony illustrations of the Ratsos throughout the book really engage the reader. Enjoy a chapter sample from Candlewick’s page and consider adding this series to your intermediate collection if you haven’t yet.

Make some merit badges – all you need is paper, scissors, and imagination! Come up with fun merit badge ideas: ate a vegetable, read for 30 minutes, Kitchen Science, Minecrafter. The possibilities are endless, and we’re not going anywhere, anytime soon. Make it fun.