A sensitive rendering of a child’s response to a loved one’s addiction.
A young girl tries to help her older brother, who recently began using drugs.
Dylan used to play with Fiona and comfort his little sister when mean kids teased her, but now he flakes out on taking her to the museum, and she spots him meeting up with a mysterious stranger. He argues with their parents and steals money. After Fiona sees him shoving something into his desk, she speaks up. When their parents realize that Dylan’s been using drugs, they explain what’s going on and arrange for him to enter rehab. Notably, this book makes clear that while drug addiction is harmful, those who use drugs aren’t bad people. The story also addresses the important elements of forgiveness and responsibility: Fiona shows a willingness to believe in her brother’s recovery, and Dylan apologizes for and takes ownership of his past mistakes. The recurring image of a large, blue bedroom door separating Fiona from her brother’s downward spiral acts as a symbol for his secrecy and her lack of understanding. Her emotional reactions range from loneliness to fear, gut-deep tension, guilt, worry, doubt, and optimism, with each one clearly portrayed through Fiona’s facial expressions. Dylan’s drug use is never visually depicted; Mom and Dad refer to it as “using drugs” as well as an “illness” and a “sickness.” Fiona and her family present white.
A sensitive rendering of a child’s response to a loved one’s addiction. (author’s note, further resources) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9780807552575
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.
After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026
ISBN: 9780063436121
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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