Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Summary:  Olive (a girl) and Hoot (a stuffed owl) are best friends who both like adventures.  Olive likes those found in books, while Hoot prefers “something a little different.”  One day he takes Olive out for a day of adventures that includes a balloon ride (with many helium balloons) and a boat trip down a rapidly-moving river.  When Olive gets scared, Hoot assures her he is brave enough for both of them.  The tables are turned, though, when Hoot gets a hole and begins to lose his stuffing.  Then Olive must find the courage to help him and get them both home safely.  The title suggests there may be more Hoot and Olive stories to come.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Jonathan Voss illustrated the book Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh, and this book brings to mind the loving friendship between Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh.  The watercolor illustrations showing the variety of landscapes the two friends travel through are beautiful.

Cons:  I thought Hoot could have been cuter, but then, I’m not a big owl fan.

Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  In this follow-up book to A Home for Bird, Vernon the toad is featured in three stories: “Waiting”, “Fishing”, and “Gardening”.  In the first, he is waiting on the back of a snail who finally wakes up and starts moving.  Vernon and his friends Porcupine and Skunk figure out their own way to go fishing in the second chapter.  And finally, Vernon remembers his friend Bird; Porcupine and Skunk are worried that Vernon is sad and find a way to cheer him up.  64 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A quiet collection of stories, focusing on small moments and the importance of friendship.

Cons:  I think I would have appreciated this book more if I had read A Home for Bird first.

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Published by Random House Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Crunch is a big red dinosaur, who is also very shy.  Readers are instructed by an omniscient narrator on how to approach him.  If they greet him too loudly, he hides; too softly and he gets “uncomfortably close” to hear what’s being said.  They’re told to sing him “Happy Birthday”, and to introduce themselves to him.  The final instruction is to say good night to Crunch, and to lie down to show him how it’s done, making this a good choice for bedtime.  40 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  Kids will love Crunch, endearingly portrayed by Greg Pizzoli, and will get some good practice on making their voices soft and loud, as well as learning how to introduce themselves and be friendly without being overwhelming.

Cons:  Crunch seems overly skittish.

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Published by Random House Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Arfy is a stray looking for a home.  He writes letters to a family, the butcher, the fire station, and even the junkyard guy.  Each responds with a note telling him no. Disheartened, he heads for shelter in a cardboard box and falls asleep.  When he awakens, there’s a letter taped to the box. The mail carrier who delivered all his letters asks if she can be his person.  She tells him to meet her in front of the big blue mailbox. It looks like true love as the two meet, and Arfy gives her a note reading, “My tail has been wagging ever since I got your note.”  Includes a list of ways kids can help homeless animals. 40 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  Who can resist adorable Arfy and his pleading letters for a home?  Readers will cheer for Mitzy the mail carrier, and be eager to learn how they can help animals like Arfy.  This would also make a good introduction to letter writing or persuasive writing.

Cons:  Mitzy may be violating federal law by reading Arfy’s letters.

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Published by The Minnesota Historical Society

Summary:  Windy Girl and her dog Itchy Boy are an inseparable pair.  They love when Uncle comes to visit and takes them ice fishing or tells them stories from his childhood.  He tells about attending the powwow; powwow days are Windy’s favorites as well.  She loves eating the food, listening to the singing, and joining in the dancing, while Itchy wanders with the other dogs.  Sometimes when the powwow goes late, Windy falls asleep.  One night, she dreams about a powwow populated by dogs.  In her dream she sees dogs drumming, doing different types of dances, and selling fry bread and blueberry snow cones.  The voice of the real-life announcer breaks into her dream, saying, “Last dance tonight, folks.  Everyone come out into the arena.”  Windy joins in, realizing that the powwow is always in motion, bringing old and new together, almost like a dream. The story is in both English and Ojibwe; includes an author’s note.  32 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  A far-too-rare picture book that describes a contemporary Native American experience and shows how the past is carried on in the present.  The digital illustrations of both the human and the dog powwows are rich in detail, especially the gorgeously colored costumes.  The dogs are adorable.

Cons:  I wish there was some back matter about powwows, maybe with photos.

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