Towed by Toad by Jashar Awan (Tundra Books, 48 pages, ages 3-7). Toad loves to help others as he drives around in his tow truck, helping animals who are having car troubles. He’s so busy that he doesn’t have time to eat the breakfast or lunch that Pop makes for him. But when Toad’s own truck has a breakdown, Toad realizes something: he needs to ask for help. And Pop is only too happy to come to the rescue with his own truck. “Everyone needs help sometimes. Even the helpers.”

From the clever play on words in the title to the satisfying message at the end, this little book is a winner that will be enjoyed by young readers everywhere. There’s lots of humor in the illustrations, with funny animal names and various car-related situations that are sure to bring a laugh.

How to Draw a Brave Chicken by Ethan T. Berlin, illustrated by Jimbo Matison (Hippo Park, 40 pages, ages 4-9). After the narrator draws a chicken, he decides the chicken looks scared. Drawing her some friends, including a knight, makes her braver, but when a dragon is drawn, she gets nervous again. Drawing a rocket sends her to the moon, but she and her friends eventually decide they prefer life on Earth. A hand-drawn waterslide sends everyone back home again, where they celebrate with a party full of scary creatures…all drawn by you, of course!

This hilariously zany story is interspersed with step-by-step drawing instructions that will keep readers busy for hours. For more fun, get the first book, How to Draw A Happy Cat (2022)

How to Staycation Like a Snail by Naseem Hrab, illustrated by Kelly Collier (Owlkids, 40 pages, ages 4-7). Snail has tried traveling and decided he prefers to stay home. He and his friend Stump (a tree stump) decide to have a stay-at-home vacation…a staycation! They notice with a greater appreciation the sights and sounds around them. Just as they’re starting to think they’ve seen and heard it all, a couple of fluffy traveling seeds drop in. Snail and Stump enjoy sharing the sights with their new friends, convincing the seeds to put down roots and join them.

This is another second in a series; I missed How to Party Like a Snail (2022), and I’m glad I caught up with Snail for his staycation. The story is cute, with gentle humor and cartoon bubble dialogue, and it could serve as a prompt for kids to write about what they could do on their own staycations.