Dinosaurs in Space by Pranas T. Naujokaitis

Everyone thinks that dinosaurs became extinct...but they didn't. When the Big Bang happened, they just went into space and became dinosaurs in space! Some landed on Planet Lettuce, while others landed on Planet Meatball. While in outer space they have to deal with scary aliens and dangerous black holes, but if anyone's up for the challenge, it would be dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs and space: a perfect combination. They're both things that interest many kids, so putting them together in a book that's aimed at supporting young readers makes so much sense. The stories have really positive messages (don't judge things before you try them, accept people's differences and find your similarities, look before you leap) that adults (and probably some kids) will easily recognize, but they don't come across as too preachy. The darkness of space provides a great backdrop for the colourful dinosaurs, and the mixture of text in speech balloons and text boxes will encourage readers to play with words and explore where words are on the page. This book has "high interest" written all over it; libraries should definitely consider it for their graphic novels/early reader collections.

Check out the Tumblr of Pranas T. Naujokaitis.

I received a review copy from Edelweiss courtesy of Balloon Toons/Blue Apple Books.

Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
Hiccup! by Mike Herrod
Dinosaurs?! by Lila Prap
Dinosaur Vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea
A Day in the Office of Doctor Bugspit by Elise Gravel
Prickles vs. the Dust Bunny by Daniel Cleary

Hiccup! by Mike Herrod

Jamie is already nervous for the big school play, but when he gets the hiccups, it's so much worse! The last time he had the hiccups it lasted all day. This could ruin the play! Can Jamie and his friend Jenna find a way to stop the hiccups before it's too late?

There's something naturally funny about hiccups. They're involuntary, make a funny sound, and usually aren't serious enough to cause a lot of physical pain. It's not a surprise when Jamie starts suffering from hiccups; the cover of the book makes it very clear that that's going to happen, so you can anticipate the big moment. Going from person to person collecting ridiculous suggestions for getting rid of the hiccups provides a lot of humour, including physical humour. As a Balloon Toons title, the story is told in a graphic novel format. The number of panels on each page varies, which keeps the appearance of the story interesting and unpredictable. The pages are colourfully vibrant and the text (shown in speech balloons) is easily readable. It's no secret that I'm a big fan of the Balloon Toons series of books, and with great titles like this I can't wait to see more.

Check out Mike Herrod's website for more of his work.

I received a review copy from Edelweiss courtesy of Balloon Toons/Blue Apple Books.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler
I Can't Stop Hiccuping! by Lauren Child
A Day in the Office of Doctor Bugspit by Elise Gravel
Prickles vs. the Dust Bunny by Daniel Cleary
Doggie Dreams by Mike Herrod

Big Girl Panties by Fran Manushkin illustrated by Valeria Petrone

This little girl is so excited - she's ready for big girl panties! Not diapers, but actual underwear. Fun underwear, stripped or dotted underwear, underwear for every day of the week. Animals don't wear panties, babies don't wear panties, only big girls like moms and sisters and aunties wear panties!

Underwear is often played for laughs in children's books, so it's great to see a book where underwear is shown as a triumphant achievement. This is a fun book; the big, bright illustrations and sense of humour can easily appeal to children. It's a great book to read with kids who have just moved out of diapers (or who need a bit of encouragement). A great book for libraries, public or at home, as well as a gift for young kids.

Check out Fran Manushkin's website and Valeria Petrone's website. 

I received a review copy from Edelweiss courtesy of Random House.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Bear in Underwear by Todd H. Doodler
Potty by Leslie Patricelli
Dinosaur Vs. The Potty by Bob Shea

Bedtime for Boo by Mickie Matheis illustrated by Bonnie Leick

Boo is so excited for his first night of haunting. He's the littlest ghost in his ghost family, and he's looking forward to all the spooky swirling, whistling, and flying like all the big ghosts do. When his mom tells him that it's time for bed, Boo isn't tired! His mom suggests that he listens to all the sounds in the house to help him get to sleep. Will listening to all the rattling and whooshing help Boo drift off to dreamland?

When I think of ghosts, I don't tend to think of them crawling into bed! But as the cover promises, that's just what happens in this spooky bedtime story. The story is more comforting, though, than truly scary; Boo the ghost takes comfort in the noises that are familiar to him (and, in a neat twist, are also the noises that could keep an anxious child up at night). The bedtime routine is one that could work on human kids as well as ghost kids. I enjoyed the spooky-sweet mix of Bonnie Leick's illustrations, and I might be imagining things but I thought I saw a shout-out to Madeline in the book's first few pages of text. This could easily become a Halloween favourite, yet I can also see it being a popular bedtime book for ghost-loving kids all year long.

Learn more about illustrator Bonnie Leick at her website.

I received an advance review copy from Edelweiss courtesy of Golden Books (Random House).

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Kai-lan Loves YeYe by Mickie Matheis
Wolf Camp by Katie McKy
Blossom and Boo Stay Up Late by Dawn Apperley

Where's Ellie? by Salina Yoon

You wouldn't think that it would be hard to find a hiding elephant, but Ellie is really good at hiding! Is she behind a houseplant? Or behind some flowers? She could be anywhere! Where is she hiding now? Flip the pages and find out!

The illustrations in this board book are big and brightly colourful. Kids have the chance to 'discover' what's hiding behind different plants and trees. As in any 'where is blank?' book, the story builds to a triumphant conclusion; its staying power comes from whether or not kids will want to flip it over and start again, and for this title I think they will (at least for a few times). This would be a solid addition to any library's board book collection.

Check out Salina Yoon's website.

I received a review copy from Edelweiss courtesy of Random House for Young Readers.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Where's Eddie? by Daniel Nunn
Humpty Dumpty by Salina Yoon
Find My Feet! by Salina Yoon
Where's Spot? by Eric Hill

Cecil the Pet Glacier by Matthea Harvey and Giselle Potter

Ruby's life isn't exactly normal. Her mother is a tiara designer and her father spends all his time trimming topiary. She just wants to fit in...and she also wants a dog. But while on vacation (in Norway, of all places), something else finds Ruby: a glacier named Cecil. A pet glacier is the last thing that Ruby wants, but maybe it's just what Ruby needs.

I loved the gentle absurdity of a pet glacier; that's what originally drew me to this title. I also liked the cover's visual of Ruby with her three identical dolls (the Three Jennifers).  The book is extremely visually interesting (I'm just smitten with Giselle Potter's style), but it also has a great story with neat turns of phrase. It's an unusual spin on the 'child wants a pet' story, which is always a favourite for young kids, but even at its most absurd there is a firm layer of heart underneath. Definitely look to add this one to a library's picture book collection.

Check out Matthea Harvey's website and Giselle Potter's website.

I received a review copy from Edelweiss courtesy of Schwartz & Wade/Random House.

Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
Ice by Arthur Geisert
Not Like I'm Jealous or Anything edited by Marissa Walsh
The Year I Didn't Go to School by Giselle Potter
The Boy Who Loved Water by Roni Schotter

Baxter the Tweeting Dog by Doreen Marts

Baxter is a very friendly dog who lives in the town of Wackaloon. He spends lots of time on Twoofer - it's a secret communication technology that only dogs know about. When his friend Lucy is missing, he's really worried about her. At first Baxter isn't sure what to do, but then he remembers about Twoofer! Before long dogs from all over town are looking for Lucy and sending updates on where she's been seen. Will Baxter be able to find her?

Books about technology - particularly books for kids - can be kind of hit or miss. It's tough to aim it for the right audience while still accurately using the technology; including technology also runs the risk of giving the book a short shelf life and making it seem dated in the near future. In this case, I don't think that the audience (young readers who are either reading on their own or about to start reading on their own) necessarily needs to have used Twitter in order to get the jokes. The "Twoofs" are really just a way to get Baxter running all over town. Animal lovers (and dog lovers in particular) will find lots of cute, cuddly canines in these pages (many of them looked like they'd stepped out of a TV cartoon about tech-savy dogs in a city). I also liked the endpapers of the book, featuring the different dogs along with their Twoofer handles. Will this be a book that stands the test of time? I can't say, but it definitely is a book that taps into the moment.

Check out Doreen Marts' website.

I received a review copy from Edelweiss courtesy of Blue Apple Books.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
A Day in the Office of Doctor Bugspit by Elise Gravel
Prickles vs. the Dust Bunny by Daniel Cleary
Doggie Dreams by Mike Herrod
It's a Book by Lane Smith

A Dictionary of Dance by Liz Murphy

An arabesque is a ballet position where you stand on one straight leg and extend a leg backwards. Break dancing is really fast dancing that involved using your hands, head, and body on the floor. A choreographer creates the steps that other people dance. These are the ABCs of dance...and it doesn't stop there! A Dictionary of Dance celebrates dance and movement from A to Z!

Some alphabet books really are meant for children who are first learning their letters. A Dictionary of Dance, on the other hand, works best for children who are already familiar with the alphabet; letters can be learned from it, of course, but first and foremost it is a celebration of dance. From "arabesque" to "zones," these words and terms will educate and inspire young dancers. The format of bringing together different styles of dance emphasizes the similarities between different cultures. The artwork is soft and colourful and mimics fluid motion.This is a lovely book that could easily encourage the imaginations of children who dream about dancing - or spark an interest in those who have never thought about it. It would make a great gift for a dancer or a good title for a public library.

I received a review copy from Edelweiss courtesy of Blue Apple Books.

Read it with:
Broadway Barks by Bernadette Peters
Learn to Speak Dance by Ann-Marie Williams
Beautiful Ballerina by Marilyn Nelson

Pretty Penny Comes Up Short by Devon Kinch

Penny really wants to donate money to help the animals at Doodle's Animal Farm. She loves animals! But she only has $5.50 saved to give to charity. It's a start, but she wants to do more. She comes up with the idea to raise money by having a drive-in movie fundraiser. It's a big success! But some of the money is missing. What could have happened to it?

This story is written with straightforward language, great for kids who are adjusting to reading on their own but aren't quite ready for longer chapter books. The illustrations match what's happening in the text and there's a fun sense of humour to the characters. I think that adults will respond well to its positive messages about saving money, helping others, and being honest. It's so important to start financial literacy lessons early with children, and the idea of saving money so that you can donate to a good cause is a great idea to adopt at an early age. Definitely check this one out for classroom, school, and public libraries.

I read a review copy at Edelweiss courtesy of Random House Young Readers.

Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
Easy Money by Gail Vaz-Oxlade
Just Saving My Money by Mercer Mayer
Money: Make it, Spend it, Save it by Jo Ellen Bogart
Pretty Penny Sets Up Shop by Devon Kinch

Bear's Underwear Mystery by Todd H. Doodler

Once there was a bear who liked to wear underwear. One day he gets a mysterious message in the mail: there are ten hidden pairs of underwear and if he finds them he will end up somewhere special. There are some clues to show him where to go, but he's going to need some help! Fans of the titular Bear in Underwear (or bears or underwear) will find more to like in this book. It has the bright colours, the fun expressions, and the underclothing of the other books, plus the added fun of counting. There's not really a mystery per se, and the book isn't interactive (at least that I could see) in letting readers discover the underwear. But I could see crafty teachers and librarians being able to adapt this into storytimes (maybe as a felt story). The board book style will be a good fit with young readers, so check it out for adding it to a board book or concept book collection.

I received a review copy from Edelweiss courtesy of Blue Apple Books.

Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
Bear in Underwear by Todd H. Doodler
Bear in Pink Underwear by Todd H. Doodler
Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow? by Susan A. Shea

The Smiley Book of Colors by Ruth Kaiser

There are smiles everywhere. Not just on happy people, but on things like buildings, food, and clothing. Two eyes, a curve for a mouth, sometimes a nose and voila - an instant face. You might have to squint to see them, or maybe you see them easily (it probably depends on the person). I think I've confessed before on this blog that I'm someone who frequently sees 'faces' on houses (windows, doors, sometimes even a porch mustache), so this book was a natural fit for me. Built around examining colours, this book has the potential to be a bit scary for some kids (imagine faces everywhere - it's not too hard to get to imagining things coming to life), but with the right person it can jump-start their creativity and encourage them to think differently about the world around them.

This book came out of the Spontaneous Smiley Project, so if you're in the mood for some more smiles, head on over there and check them out.

I received a review copy from Edelweiss courtesy of Golden Books (Random House).

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Ruby, Violet, Lime: Looking for Color by Jane Brocket
Building Stories by Isabel Hill
Urban Animals by Isabel Hill
Look Book by Tana Hoban

Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

It's not every day that a boy meets a robot, but this boy and this bot discover that they can have a lot of fun together. But when the robot gets accidentally switched off, the boy is stumped as to how to help him. Can the boy and the robot ever be friends again?

Dan Yaccarino is one of my favourite illustrators working today, and I'm always so excited by his art. Coupled with this debut story from Ame Dyckman, this is a book that I can easily see kids getting excited about, too. Robots (like dinosaurs) are a great crowd pleaser, and this story takes what, on paper, is a very simple storyline and lets it be a simple story. The pictures and the reader's imagination expand to fill in any empty spaces. It's a lovely story about friendship and learning about others' differences and the love and affection that can grow between a boy and a robot.

Check out Ame Dyckman's website and Dan Yaccarino's website.

I received an advance review copy from Edelweiss courtesy of Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Robot Dreams by Sara Varon
Lawn to Lawn by Dan Yaccarino
The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau by Dan Yaccarino