Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Summary:  One day only…Lance Vance’s Fancy Pants Store is selling Potato Pants!  Potato is so excited he’s doing the Robot (okay, the Po-bot) before rushing down to the store to get a pair.  But when he gets there, he sees Eggplant inside, wearing his new Eggplant Pants! Yesterday Eggplant went rushing past Potato, pushing him right into a nearby trash can.  Potato is sure Eggplant will mash him again if he goes into the store, so he stands outside, watching all the other happy potatoes happily emerging in their apeeling new pants. Finally, he gets up the nerve to go inside, only to find that the pants have sold out, and when they’re gone…they’re gone.  A couple surprising twists bring about a reconciliation between the two vegetables, both of whom emerge well clad, at least from the waist down. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This wildly goofy, high energy veggie tale will have kids doubled over with laughter.  There’s a little bit of a lesson in forgiveness and friendship at the end, but mostly it’s just a lot of fun.

Cons:   After getting to know this cute and friendly Potato, mashed potatoes may be off the table for me at Thanksgiving.

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Published by HMH Books for Young Readers

Summary:  The narrator has a new neighbor, a girl named Zola.  Their mothers have already met and decided the two kids should be friends.  The narrator is sure Zola already has a friend–an elephant–because she saw a big box being moved into the house.  She imagines Zola eating toast with her elephant, playing in the bathtub with him, and enjoying a game of hide-and-seek together. After each page showing what she’s imagining, the illustrations show what’s actually going on at Zola’s house: she’s eating toast alone, washing dishes, then kicking her heels against the wall, bored and lonely.  Finally, the narrator gets up the courage to knock on Zola’s door. Together they watch the couch getting unpacked from the big box, then sit on it together as a new friendship is born. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The author and illustrator show kids how to overcome their fears and reach out to new friends.  Caldecott honoree Pamela Zagarenski’s colorful and imaginative paintings give readers plenty to savor.

Cons:  The narrator’s clown-like costume is a little creepy.

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Published by Scholastic

Summary:  Hector and Louie are such good friends, they want to tell you all about it, so they’re writing a book called Best Friends in the Universe.  Why are they best friends? There are five million reasons! They both want a python; their moms got them both a fish instead (that they both named Python); they both love dance parties and inventing new foods like a peanut butter toast milkshake.  They’re such good friends that they know each other’s secrets…like that Louie once wet his pants after drinking too much milkshake and that Hector likes Linda Berger. Uh-oh, they weren’t supposed to say that! Suddenly the best friends are in a fight and not speaking.  They’re even writing a book called WORST Friends in the Universe! But after awhile, the two boys realize life without a best friend is lonely. Acknowledging that they are both not the greatest at keeping secrets, they patch up their friendship. The book is over, but their friendship is not!  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Some positive messages about friendship and forgiveness, told with exuberant cartoon bubbles and illustrations that look like kids’ drawings on notebook paper.

Cons:  A peanut butter toast milkshake?

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Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  A grandfather is walking with his two grandchildren.  They notice how everything around them is busily moving: birds fly, the dog runs, a frog jumps, and dragonflies beat their wings. Grandfather suggests they sit and rest, so they find a seat on a bench under a tree.  They notice the birds have quieted down, and their dog is taking a nap. The frog is sitting on a lily pad, and the dragonflies are resting nearby. The kids notice they can think and see when they’re still, and the book concludes that “To be quiet and still is a special thing.”  32 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  A simple, quiet book to encourage kids to stop and be still once in a while.  Tomie dePaola’s peaceful illustrations complement the text perfectly.

Cons:  There’s not much of a story, just a simple lesson.

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