Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Kelp knows he’s different from his narwhal friends–his horn is shorter, he has different tastes in food, and he’s not a very good swimmer.  But they like him anyway, so he doesn’t worry about it too much.  Then one day he gets caught in a current that carries him to dry land, where he finds creatures that look just like him.  They tell him they are unicorns, and they teach him the magical wonders of their species.  Kelp loves his new life, but eventually he starts missing his old friends.  He’s afraid they’ll be mad at him for having been gone so long, but they welcome him back with open flippers.  Turns out they knew all along he wasn’t a narwhal!  But how will Kelp manage to navigate his two worlds?  The last page has the answer, with unicorns hanging out on the beach and wading into the water to play with the narwhals.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Embrace who you are, man, this time with unicorns and trendy narwhals.  The message is good and the illustrations are irresistible.

Cons:  It’s not exactly a new message in the world of children’s literature.

Published by POW!

Summary:  Lucia loves to pretend she’s a superhero, running and jumping all over the playground.  But she’s sad when some of the boys say that girls can’t be superheroes.  Her abuela comforts her with the gift of a cape and shiny silver mask, and a story of how she used to dress up as a luchadora, a masked wrestler with swift moves.  Lucia tries it the next day, and loves the anonymity the mask gives her.  Pretty soon, other luchadores appear on the playground.  The rescue of a dog encourages Lucia to unmask; when others follow her example, she is surprised to see many of them are girls, too!  The boys see that girls can be superheroes or luchadoras, and everyone plays together.  An author’s note gives more information about luchadores and the world of lucha libre, popular in Mexico. 32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Girl power with a Mexican twist, and a happy ending that includes everyone.  The colorful illustrations include some spectacular masks.

Cons:  As a former first grade recess monitor, I can’t condone jumping from the top of the monkey bars.

Published by Schwartz & Wade Books

Summary:  Laurel loves hanging out with her neighbor, Honey, who works in her garden rain or shine.  She also enjoys the Friday nights when Honey comes to dinner, bringing with her the fruits of her labors.  Sometimes the two of them picnic in the garden, staying there until the stars come out.  Then one terrible day, a “For Sale” sign appears in Honey’s front yard.  Honey has to move to take care of her mother.  Laurel is heartbroken, but she helps Honey plant strawberries and an apple tree that her neighbor says will be enjoyed by the new people.  When a new family appears, with lots of young kids, Laurel puts on Honey’s old straw hat and goes out to help them find their way around their garden.  An introductory author’s note describes the Talmudic story that inspired this book.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A beautiful story of friendship and creating something positive that will carry down to those who come after you.

Cons:  Honey seems to do a lot of her gardening in a dress, which seems a bit impractical.

Published by Candlewick Press

Summary:  Told in just 60 words, the pictures tell much of the story about the life in a tree.  “A tree,” starts the first page, followed by a birds’ nest, a squirrels’ nest, an owls’ hollow, and a rabbits’ burrow.  Along comes a couple in a car with big plans for a new house.  They start to cut down the tree, but are startled by birds, rabbits, squirrels, and an owl all falling out. When they see the broken nest, it’s back to the drawing board, and a new home emerges that meets the needs of everyone.  40 pages; ages 3-6.

Pros:  A deceptively simple story that could be a good discussion starter about humans’ responsibilities for the environment.

Cons:  If only it were that simple.

Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  When Clem (a quail) steps out for a while, his friend Shorty (a short dinosaur called a shortysaurus) discovers a package addressed to Clem. Shorty vows not to open it, but can’t help guessing the contents, then treating the package as if it contained that item.  He guesses a race car and tries to drive it, then a trampoline and tries to jump on it.  Finally, he decides there are monkeys in the package, and that’s too much.  He loves monkeys so much that he rips open the box, and discovers a pair of monkey slippers inside!  Excitement turns to shame as he realizes he opened his friend’s package. When Clem returns, he tells Shorty he ordered the slippers for Shorty, knowing his dinosaur friend would open the box.  Shorty declares his love for the slippers, and even more, for Clem.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Lots of laughs, not to mention a celebration of friendship, for the preschool and primary set, with the whole story being told in dialogue.

Cons:  Yet another Elephant & Piggie-inspired friendship story told in cartoon bubble dialogue.

Published by Templar

Summary:  The narrator gets a lesson in patience when he wakes up to a rainy day.  He is ready to go outside, but hi grandfather insists it’s better to wait until the rain stop.  While Granddad writes letters, his grandson dreams of floating cities and sea monsters.  Finally, the rain has stopped, and Granddad is ready to mail his letters.  On the walk to the mailbox, the two imagine adventures that continue even when the rain picks up again.  At home with warm socks and hot chocolate, the two agree that the best things are worth waiting for.  40 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  This follow-up to Sam Usher’s Snow celebrates rainy days, intergenerational relationships, and the power of imagination.  The watercolors are the perfect medium to capture the colors and reflections of a rainy day.

Cons:  Written letters and a mailbox?  What child will recognize those antiquities?

Published by Disney-Hyperion

Summary:  Rupert the mouse has the brilliant idea to write a wordless picture book.  His friends Nibbs and Thistle want to help, but the can’t stop talking about the book.  And that means words.  They have other ideas, like about what makes a “strong” illustration (it involves lots of bicep flexing), and what characters to have in it (a strong, silent bear; a cute kitten; a cucumber?).  Finally, Rupert is so frustrated, he lets loose with a page full of words, venting to his two friends.  They inform him that he needs to be quiet in a wordless book, and he storms off in a huff.  40 pages; ages 3-6.

Pros:  Sure to be a hit at storytime, this is purely silliness, told mostly through the cartoon dialogue of the three mice.  Kids who enjoy this will also want to try Higgins’ previous book, Hotel Bruce, that introduces Rupert, Thistle, and Nibbs.

Cons:  I love wordless picture books.

Published by Candlewick

Summary:  The sights, smells, and sounds of summer vacation are celebrated, starting with the cookie crumbs and eraser bits cleaned out of a cubby and end-of-year hugs given on the last day of school.  Then it’s time to enjoy the Fourth of July with a parade down Main Street and fireworks at night.  Small pleasures are savored, like the ice cream truck, evening games of hide-and-seek, and lemonade stands.  When the weather gets too hot, it’s time to head out to the lake for some swimming and camping.  The family snuggles down in the tent on the last page, planning the next day’s adventure.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The brilliant acrylic paintings and cute kids will draw readers in to this happy celebration of a favorite time of year.

Cons:  Many readers will have a very different experience of summer than the idyllic, lazy-days-at-home one pictured here.

Published by Groundwood Books

Summary:  A girl asks a lion to accompany her on the way home from school.  As bystanders scream and faint, she bravely walks down the street, to the sitter’s house to pick up her younger brother, to the “store that won’t give us credit anymore”, and home to cook dinner and wait for their mother to come back from working at the factory.  As night falls, she gives the lion permission to return to the hills, “but then come back when I call”.  She, her mother, and brother all fall asleep in a single bed, a cracked wall above their heads.  The final page shows a framed photo of the whole family, including a father whose bushy blond hair resembles a lion’s mane.  35 pages; ages 4-10.

Pros:  Readers will need to study the pictures to figure out what is happening in this deceptively simple story.  Is the lion real or imaginary?  There are Spanish words in the pictures…where does this story take place?  Kids will empathize with the narrator and a life that forces her to grow up quickly.

Cons:  It felt like the text might have been more poetic in the original Spanish.  Something may have gotten lost in the translation.