Published by Scholastic

Summary: Young Bruce Wayne is fearless until one night when, after seeing a movie together, he and his parents walk down a dark alley on their way home. Bruce hears loud voices, then two bangs, and when he comes out of the alley he’s all alone.  He finds a new home in a big house in the country, but now he’s afraid of the dark.  One afternoon he falls asleep under a tree, and when he wakes up, the sun has set.  Terrified, he runs for home, only to fall down a deep hole into a bat cave.  He’s confronted by a monster bat, but discovers the courage within himself to fight it off.  From then on, he is never afraid again; the last page shows him grown up as Batman.  32 pages; grades K-2.

Pros:  What’s not to like about the Caped Crusader?  Jon Muth takes a break from Zen paintings to illustrate this tale with interesting contrasts of dark and light.  Based on the original story of Batman, this book is sure to please superhero fans.

Cons:  Although the action occurs offstage, there’s no denying Bruce’s parents are shot down in cold blood, which may be too disturbing for some younger readers.

Published by Balzer + Bray 

Summary: Worm and Worm love each other and decide they want to get married. They’re ready to go, but their friends tell them they have to do things the way they’ve always been done.  Cricket wants to officiate, Beetle decides to be best beetle, the Bees not only want to be brides’ bees, but insist on flowers, cake, a white dress, and a tuxedo.   The only problem with that is, it’s not clear which worm should wear the dress and which the tuxedo.  One worm ends up with a tuxedo and bridal veil, and the other with a white dress and black top hat.  Cricket objects that that’s not the way it’s always been done, but the worms insist, and in the end, everyone is happy to see them married.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  What starts out as a sort of insect Bridezilla ends up as a celebration of marriage for all who love each other.  The bugs are as cute as…well, bugs.  And who can resist a happy ending?

Cons:  Some readers may see this as a book with an agenda.

Published by Bonnier Publishing Group

Summary:  Basically, toucans can can-can, and cockatoos in tutus, can too.  The word play never stops in this brief story, starting with a cockatoo, moving to two, then bringing in the tutus and can-canning toucans.  Too.  Paired with the fun illustrations, this is sure to bring giggles from young audiences.   40 pages; ages 2-7.

Pros:  You, too, can can-can like a toucan.

Cons:  The distinction between “Cockatoo two?” and “Cockatoo, too?” may be lost on a very young reader.  A reader who is, maybe…two?

Published by Schwartz and Wade 

Summary: Told with a rhyming couplet on each page (“Winter Bear drifts into sleep/Earth’s snowflake blanket soft and deep”), this story follows a mother bear and her cubs as they move through the seasons. Starting with their winter birth in a cave, the cubs and their mother emerge in the spring, eating, playing, growing, and learning to fend for themselves.  By the time winter rolls around again, the cubs are old enough to be able to dream about being on their own.  40 pages; ages 3-6.

Pros: Although the text is spare, readers will learn about bears and the seasons, both through the writing and charming illustrations that perfectly capture the feel of each time of year.

Cons:  The bear picture book shelf is already pretty crowded.

Published by Creston Books

Summary: In a village by the sea, a woman and her child wait for their fisherman husband/father to return. Near the baby’s cradle is a hole in the wall.  Inside that hole is a cricket who is painting a picture of a fisherman on the sea.  The fisherman in the painting is dreaming about his family at home, waiting for his return.  An author’s note tells about her father, a Vietnamese refugee, who made his living as a fisherman, and her mother, who raised their nine children while he was away.  Ages 4-8.

Pros: A deceptively simple tale that moves inward from the sea to the tiny cricket in the hole then back out again. The illustrations are gorgeous and evoke a feeling of home, while showing details of the Vietnamese culture.  Each picture presents a unique perspective.  The author’s note adds an interesting dimension to the text and illustrations.

Cons:  I didn’t find the cover as appealing as the illustrations, so it took me awhile to get around to reading this book.