Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Jenny Mei is sad, but most of the time you can’t tell.  She smiles a lot and is kind to other kids.  Her friend knows, though, and when Jenny Mei acts out at school, her friend waits for her to talk to the counselor, then walks home with her, stopping on the way for a popsicle.  As they approach Jenny Mei’s house, her friend asks, “How are you doing?”  Jenny Mei doesn’t answer, but her eyes fill with tears.  “Being sad is hard,” observes her friend.  “But she knows I’m here for fun and not-fun and everything in between.  Because that’s what friends are for.”  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  School and family therapists will find this a helpful book for all kinds of situations.  The fact that the cause of Jenny Mei’s sadness is never identified makes her emotions universal, and her wise-beyond-her-years friend shows kids how to deal with other children whose behaviors may be confusing.

Cons:  I was hoping for an author’s note and/or some resource lists at the end.

Published by Balzer + Bray

Summary:  One day when Mama’s away from the nest, Mel decides she’s going to try flying.  “It sure is a long drop,” her brother comments, while her sister asks, “Aren’t you scared?”  “Yes,” says Mel, “But I won’t let that stop me.”  Off she goes, spreading her wings and diving straight down, past owls, bees, ants, spiders, and other tree inhabitants, who all try, unsuccessfully, to break her fall.  Finally, Mel lands headfirst–in the water.  She dives deep, catches a fish, and heads out again, flying back up the tree.  The animals she passed on the way down watch in amazement, cheering her all the way back to the nest, where she is joyously greeted by Mama and her siblings (the fish gets released and has his own dive back into the water).  Includes a brief author’s note about kingfishers, which is what Mel and her family are. 40 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  Well, this is just pure fun.  The book is designed to be read top to bottom instead of side to side.  After Mel’s dive, there’s one page that’s read the conventional way, and then the book is turned in the other direction…it’s kind of hard to explain, but the unique design may help win some awards, and definitely will win the hearts of young readers.  A good lesson about trying things when you’re scared is subtly inserted as well.

Cons:  I found myself trying to figure out how I could turn this uniquely-formatted book into a Google slideshow to share on Zoom. Then I remembered that I hopefully will never have to do that again (that part is not a “Con”).

Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  Two animals tell their stories: Monkey is stranded on a dessert island made of chocolate, frosting, and berries, while Fox is stuck on a rocky desert island.  While Monkey is feasting on cake, Fox is going hungry.  When a berry falls off the cake, Fox is thrilled to scoop it up as it floats by.  Fox plants one of the berry’s seeds, and a rainstorm helps grow a plant–and starts washing away Monkey’s cake.  The plant proves key to Monkey’s rescue, and the last berry from the cake allows the two new friends to start over.  The final spread shows the two friends on a desert island with a berry plant flourishing, and their thought: “We are very lucky.”  40 pages; ages 3-8.  

Pros:  This picture book debut tells a simple story, but could spark some interesting discussions about kindness, cooperation, and how quickly fortunes can change.  Monkey and Fox are a pretty cute pair; it would be great to see more about what transpires on their desert island.

Cons:  Despite the berry plant, the desert island situation doesn’t seem sustainable.