I know it’s been a minute since I was posting regularly, so let’s get to the books that were published during my little break!
Good Night, Friends, by Lori Wieczorek/Illustrated by Keiron Ward, (March 2026, Scholastic), $9.99, ISBN: 9798225017675
Ages 3-5
With verse and cadence inspired by Margaret Wise Brown’s bedtime classic, Goodnight Moon, Wieczorek skillfully creates a rhyming bedtime story about Friends: “In the great New York apartment, there was a group of friends on a sunny afternoon and a home full of… Phoebe’s tunes!” Fans of the series will love reliving the sitcom as they read the book to littles. Memorable moments from the series, from the famous “Pivot!” to Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel wearing wedding dresses as they sit on a couch together, run throughout the book. Ward’s illustrations are adorable, featuring simplified versions of the characters. This one is too cute for fans not to have, and the series lives on in syndication, ensuring consistent pop culture life span.
Truckosaurus, by Karen Shapiro/Illustrated by Rachel Foo, (March 2026, Sourcebooks Wonderland), $12.99, ISBN: 9781464251641
Ages 4-7
There’s a secret land where the wackiest and most wonderful creatures live, and the most beloved of all is Truckosaurus, the cutest half-dinosaur half-truck you’ll ever want to meet. Truckosaurus rolls around town catching up with his friends: toucans and apes, laser-toothed tigers, glow-in-the-dark pythons, and so many more! Everyone is getting ready for a big party to celebrate their best friend, the kindest Truckosaurus who helps everyone! Told in rhyme and filled with imaginative and playfully wild illustrations, this colorful ode to friendship is perfect for dinosaur fans (and if you’re doing the CSLP Summer Reading program). If you haven’t added this to your storytime collection yet, give it some consideration.
How NOT To Make a Jelly Sandwich, by Ross Burach, (Apr. 2026, Scholastic Press), $19.99, ISBN: 9781338877090
Ages 4-8
Frankie is a kid who has her own unique way of doing things, and she can’t wait to show you how she makes a jelly sandwich! This hilarious story will have kids giggling as they follow Frankie along on her quest to make a jelly sandwich. How do you get bread? Disguise yourself as a duck, waddle down to the nearest pond, and let folks throw bread at you, naturally! Frankie has a wild imagination and encourages readers to think outside – way outside! – the box to do things. (Maybe don’t organize a joust to get your pieces of bread to meet, though.) Bold outlines, bright colors, and clever details throughout are a delight, always giving readers something new to discover. Definitely a fun choice for storytimes (and if, like my library, you offer Summer Lunch, there’s your lunchtime program).
Mom Read It 