Published by Neal Porter Books

Summary:  “In the night garden, you can lie on the cool grass and look up to the millions and trillions of stars.”  A girl in the night garden gazes at the sky as the text takes the reader on a tour.  You might see or hear animals like a cat on a roof, a bat swooping through the air, or a fox leading her sleepy cubs home.  The moon may be a tiny sliver or a giant harvest moon. The sounds of crickets, bullfrogs, and the wind will lull you to sleep; the last page shows the girl tucked into bed.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A beautiful bedtime story with amazing collage illustrations, each one of which would be suitable for framing and displaying as a stand-alone work of art.  I’m adding this to my Caldecott contender list.

Cons:  As I prepare for my annual Caldecott vote at school, I wish there were more contenders that tell an engaging story for my second- and third-grade listeners.

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  “WHAT?!” shouts Cat when she sees the broken cookie jar on the floor.  Then “MOUSE!”  “Yes?” replies an innocent-looking Mouse.  When pressed, Mouse weaves some good tales about what happened to the cookies and their jar: the cookies themselves broke free; it was a slimy monster; no, it was an alien named Georgette; okay, it was actually a bug.  Finally, Cat insists that Mouse tell the truth, which is that Mouse ate all the cookies and the jar fell on the floor.  “That’s such a boring story,” says Cat.  “Can you tell me another cookie story?”  Mouse agrees, in exchange for a cookie.  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  An adorable ode to the power of storytelling that is sure to be a hit as a read-aloud.

Cons:  Kind of a squishy message about telling the truth.

Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  A boy and his mom make their usual Sunday visit to the laundromat, but this week is different.  It’s their last time, because they have to leave their apartment and move in with his grandparents in their trailer.  While he tries to look at the bright side–being with grandparents, having a dog–he’s sad to be leaving his familiar home and his friends.  He pretends the washing machine and dryer are wishing machines, and he wishes to be able to stay.  While they wait for the machines to run, he asks his laundromat friends what their wishes are: a new scooter, a green card, a cat.  Finally, the laundry is done, and there are enough coins left for a bag of cookies from the vending machine, which he shares with his friends.  As he and his mom leave, she shares her wish with him–to be together and happy–and he realizes that being with his mom is the most important thing.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A poignant story about a family facing hard times, with a resilient mom who helps her son stay focused on the good in their lives.

Cons:  Seems like pretty tough times for everyone at the laundromat.

Published by Holiday House

Summary:  Young mouse Hubert Cumberbun loves stories and can often be found at the branch (in a tree) library.  One day, a blizzard hits when he’s there, and Hubert has to find his way home through the hollow.  A kind woman appears, offering to lead him, and together they make a journey that grows increasingly spooky.  Trees and rocks appear to have faces, and a gatefold page shows a large bear with two frightened-looking cubs.  They make it to a familiar lamppost, and Hubert strikes out on his own.  When he turns back to say thank you, the woman is gone, and he can only see his own footprints.  He finally makes it home, where his family is gathered around the fire drinking hot chocolate and reading books.  “Welcome home,” says his mother.  “It looks like you have a new story for us.”  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A deliciously creepy tale with gorgeous snowy artwork and a reassuringly cozy ending.

Cons:  As I’ve no doubt mentioned before, I have mixed feelings about those fragile gatefold pages in the library.

Published by Kokila

Summary:  Zora loves hearing her Aunt Bea’s stories about family members.  Aunt Bea used to teach acting, and she dresses up and acts out the tales, or reads from the pages of a family scrapbook she keeps.  Lately, though, Aunt Bea has been sick, and Zora has to help with the storytelling.  When her aunt has to go to the hospital, Zora visits and tells her the stories she remembers.  Aunt Bea doesn’t come home from the hospital.  At her funeral, people bring photos and share memories.  Later, Uncle Ralph gives Zora Aunt Bea’s scrapbook with the photos, saying Aunt Bea wanted her to have it, and together they start piecing together the story of Aunt Bea’s life.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  A beautifully illustrated book that celebrates the power of stories and family love.

Cons:  This seems like it will have more appeal for adults or older kids than for the recommended age group.

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  The narrator imagines life as a horse, with more freedom to do things like not take a bath, not wear clothes (unless he was in a parade), and getting to go wherever he wants.  He would still enjoy some of the comforts of home, coming into the kitchen when he got hungry and giving his sister a ride to school.  It would be fun to roll in the mud, and the swim team would be thrilled to have him.  The last wordless page shows a boy giving his sister a piggyback ride, revealing the human narrator.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  An ode to the power of pretending, gorgeously rendered with Sophie Blackall’s imaginative illustrations.

Cons:  I assumed this would be one of my Caldecott contenders, but it didn’t quite rise to that level for me.

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Fall is introduced with rhyming text and lively illustrations.  A diverse group of kids, who appear to be in a class together, enjoy apple picking, pumpkin carving, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.  The illustrations reflect the season, with their predominantly yellow, orange, and red shades.  Be sure to check out the endpapers for kid-style drawings of their favorite fall things.  Between that and the question on the last page: “What things to you love about fall?” kids should be ready to write and draw about the season.  32 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  Preschool and kindergarten teachers will be thrilled to see this bouncy introduction to the simple joys of autumn with plenty of material to get kids thinking about what they enjoy about fall.

Cons:  I don’t see similar books about the other seasons, although this is listed on Amazon with a parenthetical “Celebrate the Seasons, 1”, so we can hope they’re on their way.