Trick or Treat on Scary Street by Lance Bass, illustrated by Roland Garrigue (Union Square Kids, 40 pages, ages 4-8). A kid dressed in a wolf costume leads a pack of trick-or-treaters down Scary Street. Although he assures them that, “You’re safe and sound on Scary Street,” the houses all seem to be occupied by monsters like a vampire, witch, and ghost. The last house is a doghouse, and the narrator appears to transform into a real wolf by the light of the full moon. Just when thinks are getting really creepy, he opens the door to reveal a rocking Halloween Disco, with monsters and kids alike enjoying the chance to dance together.
I don’t usually review celebrity authors, but due to the fact that I was particularly uncool through the 1990’s, I didn’t recognize the name of former NSYNC member Lance Bass. I give him credit, though, he’s put together a fun Halloween book with some bouncy rhymes and a creepy parade down Scary Street. The illustrations are just the right combination of scary and funny, and kids are sure to enjoy this Halloween book.
Into the Goblin Market by Vikki VanSickle, illustrated by Jensine Eckwall (Tundra Books, 48 pages grades 1-5). While Millie is happy staying home on the farm with her books, her sister Mina is bored and longs for adventure. One night, Mina sneaks out to the goblin market in town. When Millie discovers her sister is missing, she studies up on how to outwit goblins, packs a few things, and heads to the market. There, the wily goblins try to ensnare her, but Millie is prepared and manages to escape their tricks. When the sun is about to rise, she tries to leave, but the goblins tell her she has to buy something before they’ll let her go. She decides on the wolf that’s been guarding them, even though the goblins scream at her that it’s not for sale. Returning home, the wolf gradually changes shape into Mina, and the two sisters prepare to live happily ever after.
I’m excited to try this book out on my fourth and fifth graders, having already read Jon Klassen’s The Skullto most of them at Halloween last year. The rhyming text (inspired by the Christina Rossetti poem “The Goblin Market”) is catchy, and the gothic-style black and white illustrations with just a touch of red are delightfully creepy. Most reviewers are recommending this for ages 4-8, but personally I think it would be better received by a slightly older audience.
As usual, one of my summer projects has been updating my book lists. I’ve added books that I’ve reviewed since last year’s update, which included these lists:
I always update my Black history list in January in preparation for my school’s Black history schoolwide read-aloud, so you can see what I added eight months ago. If you want to see all my lists, just go to A Kids Book a Day, move your cursor to Book Lists on the bar at the top (don’t click on it), and the list should appear.
And while you’re there, remember there’s a link right next to the book list link for supporting me on Patreon!
Countdown to Yesterday by Shirley Marr (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 272 pages, grades 4-7). James is shocked to learn that his mom is moving out into her own apartment. As he struggles to navigate his new custody arrangements, he recalls “Things That Will Never Happen Now That My Parents Are Not Together”: six happy memories of his family that he wishes he could go back to and never leave. When he meets a slightly mysterious girl named Yan who claims she has a time machine, he’s ready to travel back to the way things were. At first, it seems like she can’t make good on the claim, but one day, she and James travel into an old photo of his dad’s. From there, they make plans for James to visit all six of his happy memories and decide which one he wants to stay in. But when he arrives at each one, he discovers details he had forgotten that reveal how unhappy his parents were before their breakup. Ultimately, James decides that the present moment is the only one where he–and everyone else–truly belongs.
I’m leaving out quite a few fun details in my summary: there’s an intense cake competition/school fundraiser, a class bully whose mother is James’s mom’s best friend, some interesting controversy over the David Bowie song “Space Oddity” and the fate of Major Tom, and the touching friendship between Yan and James, which explores the Chinese immigration experience in Australia. This book is by an Australian author, so there may be a few words or situations that are unfamiliar to American readers.
The Things We Miss by Leah Stecher (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 288 pages, grades 4-7). J.P. heads to her neighbor’s tree house after her first day of seventh grade, looking for a refuge after enduring fat-shaming from some of the other girls and her gym teacher. What she finds there is a portal that allows her to skip over three days of her life. When she walks through the door, she emerges three days later, having been present to others but with no memories of anything that happened. She confides to her best friend Kevin, a fellow sci-fi enthusiast, about her time-travel adventure. At first he’s enthusiastic and works with J.P. to test various theories about the portal, but it doesn’t work for him, and as J.P. starts using it more to get through tough times in her life, Kevin pulls away, telling her that she’s not there for him the way a friend should be. Not only that, but J.P. starts discovering there are good and important parts of her life that she is missing out on. When she misses out on a crucial interaction with her sick grandfather, J.P. realizes that each moment in life is too important to give up, even if that means having to deal with the difficult times.
This story is thought provoking and will resonate with anyone going through difficult times. It raises interesting questions about life and would make a great book discussion read. I do always find myself poking holes in time-travel theories, and I also felt like a little humor would have been nice to mix in with some of the heavier topics. Takeaway for time travelers from both of these books: there’s no time like the present.
Mouse on the River by Alice Melvin (Thames and Hudson, 32 pages, ages 4-8). Mouse embarks on a two-day journey in a rowboat on the river from his house in the woods to his friend’s home by the sea. Rhyming text and busy, colorful, lift-the-flap illustrations show all the sights he sees along the way: trees that hide several different birds, a lock with a lock keeper who helps Mouse keep his boat on the river, a town with a cafe and shops. After a happy night camping on the boat, Mouse reaches his friend’s house, and the two enjoy gazing out to sea. This book, a Scottish import, could not be any cozier, although by page two I was pretty sure I would never buy it for my library due to the many flaps. One-on-one sharing would be delightful, though, and kids will want to revisit the book many times to find all the details. A map in the front, and lists in the back of some of the sights Mouse sees and what he packs complete this magical picture book. Read more about Mouse in his first book, Mouse’s Wood: A Year in Nature (2022).
Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi (Kids Can Press, 72 pages, grades K-3). In this early chapter book originally published in Japan, readers get to follow Little Shrew’s somewhat mundane life as he cooks his meals, takes the train to his job at the Exchange, and works hard all day before coming home to a variety of leisure activities like exercising or doing his Rubik’s cube. In two other chapters, he buys a TV at a yard sale and sees images that make him dream of taking a trip some day, and he gets a visit from a couple of friends who come to see him every year. Like Mouse, Little Shrew notices and enjoys small details from everyday life, and early chapter book readers may enjoy the slow, quiet pace of the writing and illustrations.
Gamerville by Johnnie Christmas (HarperAlley, 256 pages, grades 3-7). Max feels like he doesn’t need friends when he immerses himself in the world of video games, and he’s excited to qualify for the big Gamerville championship. In some unfortunate timing, his mother signs Max up for Camp Reset, a monthlong summer camp designed to get kids unplugged and back to nature, which takes place the same time as Gamerville. The gaming venue is right across the lake from the camp, and Max spends his days plotting an escape. His nemesis is a girl named Zanzi, great-great-granddaughter of the camp’s founder, who eschews all technology. Surprisingly, the two eventually become friends, along with a third boy, Dylan, who has anger issues and has been shunned for being a bully. When they finally succeed in getting Max to Gamerville, he ends up using the lessons he’s learned about teamwork and friendship to make some surprising decisions at the competition.
Although this lacked the interesting historical flashbacks that made Johnnie Christmas’s Swim Team one of my favorites, it’s an engaging story with interesting characters and some good messages about friendship and finding a balance with technology. I’m sure you can introduce this as “a graphic novel about a gamer,” and kids will be clamoring for it.
Camp Prodigy by Caroline Palmer (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 256 pages, grades 4-7). Tate is just starting viola, and they’re feeling unsure about their musical talents as well as their nonbinary identity, which is still a secret. Their original inspiration for learning viola was another nonbinary violist named Eli; when Tate went to see Eli’s debut concert, Eli got stage fright and never performed. The two meet at a summer music camp, Camp Prodigy, where they both struggle to find a balance between a love of music and a quest for perfection. Other campers help them to have fun or to perfect their playing. By the end of camp, they’ve both come a long way toward discovering what works for them, Tate has come out to friends and family, and Eli has loosened up on their perfectionism. Several pages at the end show how Caroline Palmer created the art for the book.
Kids are going to be begging their parents to go to camp after a handful of graphic novels this summer that portray it as a middle school paradise for making friends and experiencing personal growth. This one is an excellent addition, with two loveable nonbinary characters and a host of other interesting kids (I had a little trouble keeping track of them all) that make Camp Prodigy a fun and rewarding time for everyone.
Clever Crow by Chris Butterworth, illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill (Candlewick, 32 pages, ages 4-8). “Wherever you are right now, there’s sure to be a crow or two nearby.” Crows are easy to spot, but also easy to miss. They tend to be plain, not particularly fancy fliers, and have a hoarse caw instead of a melodious song. But they’re smart enough to use tools and store food, and sometimes you can see them acting playfully. To summarize, they are “smart, clever, crafty and playful…just like you!” Includes a list of suggestions for learning more about crows and a short index.
The illustrations in this book are stunning, beginning with the endpapers, which show various crow eggs in the front and the birds that hatch out of them in the back. The text is quirky but interesting, although it left me wanting to know a lot more…for instance, is a crow a specific bird or a family of birds? I was surprised by the inclusion of a blue jay on the back endpapers, since I don’t think of it as a crow, but a quick Google search revealed that it’s part of the crow family. This is an eye-catching introduction, but curious readers will want to dig deeper for more information.
Sleepy: Surprising Ways Animals Snooze by Jennifer Ward, illustrated by Robin Page (Beach Lane Books, 32 pages, grades K-3). Whether it’s the half-sleeping brain of the dolphin, the deep torpor of the hummingbird, or the eyes-wide-open slumber of a snake, animals get their rest in a variety of fascinating ways. Each page features a close-up illustration of the animal with four lines of rhyming text describing its sleep, with a paragraph of additional information giving more details. The last page features a human child experiencing what scientists call “monophasic sleep.” Includes a list of the types of sleep in the book, a list of sources, and pie charts showing sleeping and waking times for all 16 animals and five more showing humans at different developmental stages.
As much as I mourn the loss of Steve Jenkins, his talented wife Robin Page has found an able partner with Jennifer Ward, whose rhyming text and fascinating facts reminded me of many a Jenkins book. The pie charts were very similar to some in his Animals by the Numbers (and the fact that I know that is a testament to how many times I’ve shared that book with classes.) The rhyming text and pictures will appeal to younger readers, and older ones will enjoy the additional information about each animal.
Prunella by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Claire Keane (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Prunella’s green-thumbed parents are surprised when their new daughter is born with a purple thumb. Turns out Prunella’s just as good at growing things as they are, but her talents lie with plants like Venus flytraps, bladderworts, and corpse flowers. Her parents are completely supportive of their daughter’s passions, but other kids are not, and Prunella’s only friends are her plants. One day a little boy appears and starts asking her about her garden. Much to Prunella’s surprise, he not only isn’t repelled by them, but tells her his aspiring-mycologist sister would be interested as well. Before long, other botanists have found them, and Prunella finds herself surrounded by a group of like-minded–and purple-thumbed–friends. The plants from Prunella’s garden (“Prunella’s Persnickety Plants”) are described on the front and back endpapers.
Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden by Christy Mandin (Orchard Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). When Millie Fleur La Fae and her mother arrive in Garden Glen (“A Picture-Perfect Place”), they move into the one rundown house, located on the edge of town. Millie starts a garden with seeds from her old home, and before long plants like fanged fairy moss, sore toothwort, and glowing Jack-in-the-bush are flourishing there. The local garden club is not happy, and they try to root out this unconventional garden from their pristine town. Millie doesn’t understand, but her mother tells her, “Some people are scared of things that are different.” Millie decides to share her garden with the kids in her class, bringing in a plant for show and tell and inviting the whole class over to her house. The kids are amazed (if occasionally grossed out) by Millie’s wild collection, but slowly things start to change in Garden Glen. While it retains some of its original perfect charm, many people incorporate Millie’s plants into their gardens, adding a weird and wonderful dimension to the community. Includes additional information about snapdragons, spider plants, and a real-life garden like Millie’s in England.
These two books came out within a couple of weeks of each other and are remarkably similar with their stories involving girls who love unusual plants and themes of how being true to yourself can enhance a community. They would make a great story time combination, perhaps paired with a study of plants or an activity of planting something from Prunella’s or Millie’s garden.
Mystery and fantasy aren’t my favorite genres, so I usually hold off on reading them until I have a little extra mental energy to devote to reading…which, not surprisingly is during summer vacation.
Medusa (Myth of Monsters, book 1) by Katherine Marsh (Clarion Books, 288 pages, grades 4-7). Ava tries to control her anger using the techniques that her mother has taught her, but when class bully Owen goes too far, she loses her temper, and Owen mysteriously freezes. The next day, Ava and her older brother Jax are suddenly told they’ll be starting immediately at their mother’s alma mater, the Accademia del Forte in Venice. It’s a startling enough change, but things really get weird when Ava learns on the first day that the Greek myths she loves are all true, gods and goddesses still exist, and that the students are all descended from monsters, sent to the school to be taught to control their powers. With her curly hair and freezing power, Ava soon discovers, to her dismay, that her ancestor is Medusa. But a group of faithful friends help her to discover the misogyny of Greek mythology and that many monsters and other mythological beings–especially the female ones–have been misrepresented. When Ava and her friends stand up to the gods, chaos ensues, and they find themselves one step ahead of angry deities, looking to discover the truth about Medusa and Ava’s family.
Fans of Rick Riordan will love this Greek mythology-inspired fantasy, which features engaging kid characters, each with an emerging superpower, and plenty of white-knuckle adventures. I loved the feminist message and the reimagining of many of the myths, although it occasionally felt a little heavy-handed. Nevertheless, it’s a fast-paced and inspiring story, and it appears that readers can look forward to at least one sequel.
The Cookie Crumbles by Tracy Badua and Alechia Dow (Quill Tree Books, 320 pages, grades 4-7). Best friends Lucy and Laila dream of attending high school at Sunderland, a private school where Lucy hopes to hone her journalistic skills while Laila gets to explore her passion for baking. When Laila’s given the chance to compete in the Golden Cookie Competition with a grand prize of a free ride at Sunderland, Lucy goes along to write about the contest with the hope of improving her scholarship chances. Five competitors, two chefs, and the one of the chef’s assistants are the only occupants of Sunderland as the contest begins. Laila’s in the lead when Chef Remi takes a bite of her cookie and collapses. He ends up in a coma in a nearby hospital, with Laila the prime suspect in his attempted murder. As Lucy and Laila investigate, they learn that everyone had a reason for wanting to get rid of Chef Remi. When a storm strands them at the school, it soon becomes obvious that unless they can identify the would-be killer, the two of them may be in danger as well.
This is a classic mystery setup: a group of strangers is brought together in an unfamiliar location, a crime is committed, and the detective(s) must figure out who that criminal is before it’s too late. Laila and Lucy’s alternate-chapter narrations keep things moving along, and the reality show-style baking competition adds to the fun.
Quacken by Justin Colón (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, ages 4-8). When Hector and his family arrive at Cucumonga Campground, they’re immediately warned: don’t feed the ducks. Signs are posted, and the other kids tell Hector, don’t look at the ducks, don’t think about the ducks, and above all else, DON’T FEED THE DUCKS! But the ducks are so cute and look so hungry that Hector can’t resist. When he runs out of bread, a shadow blocks out the sun, and the fearsome Quacken emerges from the lake. A chase ensues, filled with classic horror movie references, until the monster captures Hector! But it turns out…children taste terrible, and Hector is saved, as the Quacken regurgitates all the other things it’s eaten. There’s plenty of monster action in this fast-paced tale with cartoon-inspired illustrations reminiscent of Dan Santat. A perfect late summer read-aloud.
I Am La Chiva! The Colorful Bus of the Andes by Karol Hernández, illustrated by Lorena Alvarez Gómez (Dial Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). La Chiva is a colorful bus that winds its way through the Andes Mountains, picking up farmers and their wares to take to the market. Soon it’s packed both inside and out with men, women, children, animals, and fruits and vegetables. A flat tire can’t slow La Chiva and its crew down, as they all work together to get the bus back on the road. Readers get a tour of the market and various sellers before everyone packs up and heads back home again. Includes a brief author’s note indicating that the story is based on his childhood memories and a glossary of the Spanish words used in the text. If Titlewave is to be believed, a Spanish language version of the story will be available in a few weeks. The spectacular colors of the illustrations and bouncy rhyming text will appeal to kids who love vehicles and give them a nice taste of Andean culture and food. I saw in a review that this story takes place in Colombia, but I couldn’t find that information in the book.
Sour Apple by Linda Liu (Henry Holt and Co., 40 pages, ages 4-8). A small green apple wonders why it hasn’t been picked when its rounder red neighbors are fulfilling their apple destinies. In rhyming text, the apple asks questions, “Am I not shiny enough to sell at the market? Or not tiny enough to be used as a target?” The apple suffers further indignities when it’s carried off by munching insects and buried underground: “No use in playing pretend. Looks like this is the end.” But as the seasons pass, an amazing transformation takes place, and the apple is stunned to turn into a tree! “Maybe falling behind isn’t finishing last. Maybe your season has just yet to pass.” The short rhyming text, big colorful illustrations, and a message that it can be tough but ultimately okay not be chosen first make this a winning choice to read aloud. Kids may need some explanation of references to William Tell, Isaac Newton, and expressions like “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but even if some go over their heads, they’ll still find a lot to enjoy.
Touch the Sky by Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic, illustrated by Chris Park (Carolrhoda Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Vern goes to the playground almost every day and loves to lie on his stomach on a swing, or spin around until the chains are twisted. What he really wants to do is swing as high as the other kids, feeling like his toes can touch the sky, but Vern doesn’t know how to pump. When a girl named Gretchen offers to teach him how, Vern is ready. He watches and listens as Gretchen shows him how to lift off, straighten your legs on the upswing, then tuck them in to go back. “It feels hard until you get it, and then it’s not,” Gretchen wisely tells him. Vern tries and tries, but he winds up falling on his butt or at the very least not moving. Then, just as he may be beginning to get it, Gretchen has to leave. Vern considers giving up, but he knows Gretchen would want him to keep trying. And then…Vern gets it! His toes touch the sky! A new kid sits on Gretchen’s swing, looking on admiringly. “It feels hard until you get it, and then it’s not,” Vern tells him. “Do you want to learn how?” The message of persistence will resonate with kids, both on the micro level of learning how to swing and the macro one of not giving up on your goals. What really makes this book amazing is the illustrations, a rainbow of color and movement that capture both the frustration of not getting it and the thrill of finally succeeding, with a joyous feeling of flying. It’s gotten a well-earned place on Betsy Bird’s Caldecott 2025 prediction list.
Jump for Joy by Karen Gray Ruelle, illustrated by Hadley Hooper (Astra Young Readers, 32 pages, ages 3-7). Joy, a girl, loves dogs and wants one of her own. Jump, a dog, loves kids and wants one of his own. Each believes they will know their dog/kid when they see them. Through the seasons, on facing pages, each one creates what they want: a dog named Tulip out of flowers and a kid named Fern out of ferns in the spring, a dog named Shelby out of shells and a kid named Sandy out of sand in the summer. Nothing lasts, though, through a whole year. The next spring, Joy and Jump discover new tulips and ferns respectively and call out with excitement. And those cries (or woofs) alert them to each other’s presence, and “Joy jumped for joy and Jump jumped for Joy.” I can easily imagine reading this to a pre-k or kindergarten class, going through the seasons, getting a kick out of Joy and Jump’s amazing creations, and a happy ending at last. This is another one on the aforementioned Caldecott prediction list, and the illustrations are mostly black and white line drawings with the final spread in glorious color. A note at the end says the black and white pictures are inspired by art from the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, “collaged together to create something new,” and it does have a very unique and interesting look.
Home in a Lunchbox by Cherry Mo (Penguin Workshop, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Jun is a new arrival from Hong Kong, facing her first day of school knowing only a few words (hello, thank you, I don’t know) that she’s written on her hand with the Cantonese translations. She tries her best but struggles with assignments and saying the wrong thing that causes her classmates to either laugh at her or ignore her. At lunchtime, the foods in her lunchbox bring back happy memories with her family and friends in Hong Kong, and it’s ultimately food that connects her with the other kids. A girl from her class has been quietly observing Jun, and one day she says hello and tells Jun that her lunch looks good. Soon, all the kids are trading food, and Jun learns the names of several other kids. The last page shows Jun bringing home those kids, and her mom preparing a snack for them that includes some of the family’s traditional foods and the pizza Jun enjoyed in the cafeteria. Includes a table showing the words from Jun’s hand in English and Cantonese and a labeled diagram (in English and Cantonese) of the food in her lunchbox.
Ruby’s Tools for Making Friends by Apryl Stott (Simon and Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Ruby’s new at school, but she’s packed a bag full of tools designed to help with her anxieties. Her tape measure reminds her to count her breaths, pliers help her stay flexible, and safety goggles show her a new way of looking at the world. Her new school is a unique blend of people and animals, and Ruby is excited to be on a team with two humans and a goose, designing a holder for an upcoming egg drop. Working with others can be a challenge, though, and Ruby uses her tools to help her stay calm, focused, and confident enough to speak up when she has an idea. Their project wins the class competition and moves on to a schoolwide egg drop. As the principal gets ready to test the various designs on the playground, Ruby realizes she’s left her tools in the classroom, but she’s able to visualize them when she starts to worry. Although their egg ends up breaking, her new friends assure Ruby that she had a good idea, helping her to feel happy and excited to work on a new project.
Sister Friend by Jamila Thompkins-Bigelow (Harry N. Abrams, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Every day is a “play-by-herself” day for Ameena, who’s the only kid in her class with brown skin and twists in her hair. One day, a new girl named Sundus comes to class, and Ameena is excited to see that she has brown skin and that she wears hijab, meaning she’s Muslim like Ameena. After a series of missteps, Ameena sees Sundus at masjid one night when she’s there with her family. Her mother greets Sundus’s mother, “Assalamu Alaikum [peace be upon you], Sister. Welcome!” The next day at recess, when Ameena sees Sundus, she finally knows what to say and gives the new girl the same greeting her mother used the night before. That’s all it takes to reach out to Sundus, and before long, the two girls are the best of friends.
Here are a few more books that may come in handy at the beginning of the school year, especially if there are new kids starting in a class that’s been together for a while. All three would make good prompts to talk about ways to welcome new students and how to bridge differences in culture and/or language (and also good reminders for teachers, who for the most part seemed completely oblivious to the struggles going on in their classrooms.) Ruby offers some suggestions about handling the anxiety that can come from being a new kid (and Abbott Elementary fans may get a chuckle from the egg drop activity). If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Home in a Lunchbox, a debut that has illustrations worthy of Caldecott consideration, and that reminded me of one of my favorite books for sharing, Gibberish, another almost wordless book that shows what it’s like to start in a school where you don’t know the language, and the importance of that one kid who reaches out.
A Kids Book A Day 