​Nancy Brashear and Carolyn Angus 
 
A satisfying variety of enticing fantasy standalones, series openers, and continuing sagas published during the first half of 2025 will make for engaging summer reading. Younger readers will be drawn into playful animal fantasies as well as adventurous tales of human characters facing challenges in the “real” world (with magical twists) while older readers will be dropped into dystopian settings in stories with complex plots featuring adolescents fighting beastly or fairy wars, viruses, and treacherous leaders in make-believe worlds of the past, present, or future. 

​All Better Now. Neal Shusterman. (2025). Simon & Schuster.
Survivors of the Crown Royale virus, who manifest permanent side effects different from any experienced in prior pandemics, are beginning to tip the balance of societal power from behavior ruled by fear and anger to viral enlightenment in the form of contentment, happiness, and empathy. In this dystopian thriller, the lives of three teens intertwine. After Rón Escobedo survives the virus, he embraces a personal conviction that, as an alpha spreader, he must infect as many people as possible. Meanwhile, Morgan Willmon-Wu has been chosen by Dame Havilland to use her fortune to eradicate the virus, something Morgan relishes doing so she can be a major powerbroker. And teaming up with Rón, homeless Mariel Mudroch wants to support him but is unsure about his fervor and soon becomes the object of a focused hunt by the opposition because of her natural immunity to the virus. The inevitable intersection of ultimate goals versus consequences in All Better Now will leave readers eagerly anticipating the second book in the duology, All Over Now. (Gr 6 Up)

Among Serpents (Above the Black #2). Marc J. Gregson. (2025). Peachtree Teen.  
Three months earlier, the Lantians of the Below began attacking the Skylands islands with their terrible beasts of the sky and killing hundreds of thousands of Skylanders. In Skylands, which operate on a system of Meritocracy where “the Highs rise, and the Lows fall,” sixteen-year-old Conrad Urwin, having risen to the status of High is named Prince of Skylands by his uncle, King Ulrich. Conrad is appointed commander of a squadron of Hunter ships assigned to destroy the Lantians’ deadly sky serpents (horrifying five-hundred-foot gigatauns and other created beasts) and, ultimately, to lead an invasion on the Lantians. After Ulrich blackmails Conrad and his sister, Ella, into obeying his orders for life and follows up with a move only the cruelest of rulers could orchestrate, Conrad vows to get revenge for the heinous acts of his power-hungry uncle. Readers may want to read, or reread, Sky’s End (2024) in anticipation of Downfall, the closer of Marc J. Gregson’s action-filled science fiction trilogy, planned for release in January 2026. (Gr 9-12)  
—NB ​

As You Wish. Nashae Jones. (2025). Aladdin.
Thirteen-year-old Bernadette (Birdie) Johnson-Nkrumah and boy-next-door Deve Banerjee have been best friends since kindergarten. However, living under the influence of an over-protective mother who is paranoid about possible catastrophes that might befall her daughter, Birdie has developed a reputation as a strange girl. Wanting to reinvent herself for returning to school for eighth grade, Birdie thinks she has discovered the secret for a thriving social life: Get a boyfriend for her and a girlfriend for Deve! However, after showing Deve her list of boyfriend qualifications, she’s shocked that he is so against her plan that he begins ignoring her. When she meets Nancy (Anansi, the West African trickster spider disguised as a teenager), who claims to be an indebted relative who can grant her three wishes (“as you wish”) to heal the Deve rift, desperate Birdie accepts her offer. In a hilarious middle school rom-com turn of events, Birdie learns that each request comes with unintended consequences and that maybe what she really needs has been in front of her the entire time. (Gr 6-8)
—NB

Beasts. Ingvild Bjerkland. Trans. by Rosie Hedger. (2025). Levine Querido.
Gigantic two-legged hairy beasts of an unknown origin are decimating the population of Norway. The collapse of society has left the few people who remain starving and turning against each other. When their mother is killed by one of these beasts, 13-year-old Abdi escapes into the nearby forest with his five-year-old sister, Alva. Ingvild Bjerkland gives a fast-paced, suspenseful account of their long, traumatic trek by foot to the port of Djupvik. Once there, Abdi hopes they will be able to board a ship that will take them to Fair Isle in the North Sea and reunite them with their father, who is conducting ornithological research there. Bjerkland’s ending with the siblings aboard a tiny, over-crowded boat with an outboard motor instead of the ship they expected and Abdi whispering “We will be home soon, I promise” to Alva makes Beasts a hopeful but realistic introduction to dystopian fantasy. (6 Up)
—CA

The Encanto’s Curse (Encanto’s Daughter #2). Melissa de la Cruz. (2025). Putnam.
In the second book of Melissa de la Cruz’s Filipino folklore-inspired fantasy duology, half-human/half-encanto (fairy) 18-year-old Maria Josephina (MJ) Robertson-Rodriguez is the new queen and protector of the hidden fairy island kingdom of Biringan following the mysterious death of her father, King Viviencio. Shortly after her arrival, the townspeople are alarmed when the presence of a manananggal, a vampire-like creature that attacks and feeds upon its victims, is detected. When MJ wakes up from a nightmare disoriented and wearing torn, bloody clothes, she is horrified to realize that the monster terrifying the population is inhabiting her. If discovered, she will be put to death. If not, she will be consumed from within by the beast, and the killings will continue. With time running out and her former boyfriend, her best friend, her fiancée, and others paying close attention to her, she must claim her magical power and figure out how to break the curse with “true love” in time to save the kingdom and herself. (Gr 9-12)
—NB ​

The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner. Erin Stewart. (2025). Aladdin.
After her father’s fatal bus accident, 12-year-old Zoey Turner’s head is filled with traumatic statistics and severe anxiety. Scared to go beyond her home, her mother’s cupcake store, or Jada’s cozy bookstore next door, she has been homeschooled. When Zoey hears that Raven M. Wells, the author of the Magic of Ever After fantasy series she loves escaping into, will be signing books at the mall, she forces herself to attend to get an autograph for the book that hooked her and her dad. Having a panic attack in the crowd, Zoey loses her place in line. She doesn’t get the autograph, but Jada gives her a pencil from the author inscribed with MAKE YOUR OWN MAGIC. When she uses the pencil to write a fan fiction-style story, Zoey is surprised to find it coming true the next day. Planning to keep the pencil’s magic a secret, she worries how quickly the pencil is shrinking with each subsequent sharpening and story creation. Zoey will need to finally face reality and use her own forgotten magic to change her destiny. (Gr 6-8)
—NB

The House at the Edge of Magic (House at the Edge of Magic #1). Amy Sparkes. (2025). Margaret K. McElderry.
Nine, an orphaned pickpocket, pilfers a beautiful ornament from a lady’s handbag, but when she flicks the ring on the tiny door-knocker ring of the miniature house, she watches it grow into a gigantic copy of the little ornament with “higgledy-piggedly floors and windows.” The door is opened by a huge, ugly creature who pulls her inside and slams the door closed. Nine soon learns that the house is bewitched and that its occupants—High Wizard Flabbergast, a boy; Eric, the troll housekeeper; and Mr. Spoon, a kilt-wearing, sword-banishing wooden spoon—are entrapped under a curse. In exchange for a precious jewel that will allow her to escape her life under gang-master Pockets, she agrees to help them break the curse before the clock strikes 15 and the house shrinks until it and all its occupants cease to exist. Amy Sparkes’s funny, fast-paced fantasy adventure will be followed by The Tower at the End of Time (out in June) and The Bookshop at the Back of Beyond (out in September). (Gr 3 Up)
—CA

Lost and Found (Orris and Timble #2). Kate DiCamillo. Illus. by Carmen Mok. (2025). Candlewick.
The unusual friendship between Orris, the old rat who lives behind the wall of an abandoned barn, and Timble, the young owl he rescued from a mouse trap in The Beginning (2024), develops as Timble continues to make nightly visits to listen to book-loving Orris’s stories. One night, however, Timble, who had declared, “By the light of the stars, by the light of the moon, I will always return,” does not appear. After nights of sitting at the window of the barn watching the sun go down and the moon come up, Orris concludes that now fully-grown Timble must be busy flying and having adventures and has forgotten him. And then one day, Timble returns to the barn with a story of his own to tell. The coda to Kate DiCamillo’s second book of this delightful early chapter book series, complemented by Carmen Mok’s lovely illustrations done in gouache, colored pencil, and graphite pencil, will leave young readers happy to find Orris and Timble once again spending evenings together and sharing stories. (PreK Up)   
—CA

Sunrise on the Reaping (Hunger Games #5). Suzanne Collins. (2025). Scholastic.
Sunrise on the Reaping takes place 24 years before the dystopian series opener, The Hunger Games (2008). After 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy defends his sweetheart, Lenore Dove, he is illegally “reaped” to be one of District Twelve’s four tributes sent to Panem’s capitol to compete in the Fiftieth Hunger Games where tributes between ages 12 and 18 will fight to their death with only one survivor bringing glory to their district. The odds are not in Haymitch’s favor since District Twelve has only won once in the history of the games. As the 48 tributes (two from each district) are winnowed through horrific deaths, Haymitch uses his wits, intelligence, luck, and alliances to stay alive against everyone’s expectations—especially those of President Snow. Suzanne Collins’s original Hunger Games series includes three books, The Hunger Games (2008), Catching Fire (2009), and Mockingjay (2010), followed by prequels, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020) and this latest book, Sunrise on the Reaping (2025). (Gr 6 Up)
—NB

The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest. Aubrey Hartman. Illus. by Marcin Minor. (2025). Little, Brown.
Clare, the solitary undead (neither alive nor dead) fox of Deadwood Forest, is the Usher, who guides wandering souls toward the realm of the Afterlife where they will be most comfortable: Peace, Pleasure, Progress, or Pain. An unforeseen friendship develops between Clare and a badger named Gingersnapes, who doesn’t seem to be able to find her place in the Afterlife and keeps returning to his doorstep. Knowing that Hesterfowl, the visionary of Fernlight Forest, has prophesized that “the one in Deadwood Forest” (Clare) will vanish forever on All Hallow’s Eve, he must begin to deal with the probability that Gingersnapes is to be his replacement as the Usher and that he will be moving on to the Afterlife. A narrator’s note provides a thought-provoking ending to this gently humorous, child-friendly story about death, love, and the exploration of letting go with the feel of a classic animal fantasy. (Gr 3-5)
—CA

​Children typically love picturebooks about animals. Animal characters can be very relatable, especially in fiction books with talking animals. Interestingly, animal fiction can reveal truths about us as humans, whereas nonfiction teaches truths about animals themselves. These 2025 fiction and nonfiction titles are worth a look to see what you can find out!

The Bear Who Had Nothing to Wear. Jeanne Willis. Illus. by Brian Fitzgerald. (2025). Scallywag Press.
 Albie is a teddy bear who refuses to be identified as any one thing. Albie does not want to be known as a "Him or a Her."  The author refers to Albie as "he" throughout the story, but this does not detract from the hilarious ways that Albie chooses to express himself. He shows up as a baby, a cowboy, a butterfly, a prince, a pirate, a city bear, and a country bear, but none seem to fit. Finally, he opts to go around in his own fur, topped by a hat with a colorful hatband. His cries of "This is me!" invite readers to find their own authentic selves, not through what they wear but by acknowledging who they are on the inside. The story is told in ABAB rhyme that never seems forced. Fitzgerald's jubilant illustrations contribute to the fun, and the subtle rainbow colors on the hatband hint at the message that it is important to be proud of who you are. (PreK-Gr 2)

Goat is the G.O.A.T. Bea Birdsong. Illus. by Kelly Murphy. (2025). Nancy Paulsen Books. 
Poor goat is confused when he overhears his farm friends refer to a prize bull as the G.O.A.T., the "greatest of all time."  Goat thinks he must be the greatest, but he's not sure what he's so good at. He tries strength, speed, leadership, and other physical characteristics, but he just doesn't measure up to other animals. Just when he is beginning to think that he's not the greatest at anything, three kittens find themselves stuck in a tree, and it is only the goat who can save them. The message that everyone is great at something is clear, and children will laugh at the funny way that the goat misinterpreted the acronym for his name. While the characters/animals are all personified, they resemble actual animalsanimals, which helps the very real message of self-worth seem relatable. This book lends itself well to an introduction or study of acronyms. (PreK-Gr 2)

​Grace Builds an <Almost-Perfect> Dog. Curtis Manley. Illus. by Tracy Subisak. (2025). Roaring Brook Press.
 Grace is determined to have a dog, even though her parents have forbidden it. She decides that if she can't have a flesh-and-fur dog, she'll build a robotic one. While Grace successfully produces a dog that wags its tail, plays with her, and is easily trained with code she writes herself, she finds that the robot is too perfect. It is boring, and Grace realizes that a perfect pet isn't an ideal one. A subtle theme is that perfection isn't what it's cracked up to be. Her "perfect" dog was too predictable, and some flaws made it much more interesting. This is an important concept for children, especially those who strive to be the best all the time. The cartoon-styled illustrations work well in the story that uses coding directions to carry the plot linealong. At the end of the book, the author provides insight into the art of writing code for beginners. (Gr 3-5)

​I Don't Wanna Hibernate! Anna Ouchchy. Illus. by Raahat Kaduji. (2025). Henry Holt and Company. 
Parents and children alike will relate to this story about a little groundhog named Tess who isn't sleepy and doesn't want to hibernate. She exhausts her mother and father as they try everything they know to get her to bed. The parents finally give up, and little Tess is left to play alone until she finally drifts off to sleep on her own, nearly missing Groundhog Day. Ouchchy's whimsical, bouncy text in verse is fun to read aloud, and Kadjuji's watercolor illustrations beautifully depict the billowy snowflakes and pastel colors that should make any little groundhog sleepy. Readers are left to hope that Tess will learn her lesson and go to sleep on time next year. (PreK-Gr 2)

Otter Carries On. Maya Tatsukawa. (2025). Henry Holt and Company.
This book is a gem and a must-read for anyone who needs another lesson on the dangers of holding on to things they don't need, whether it's physical objects or emotional burdens that keep them from thriving. It's also a cautionary tale about the importance of accepting help when it is offered. Otter is a rock collector, which isn't a bad thing except that he has too many of them, and he insists on carrying them around his stomach while he floats on the water. This habit prohibits him from doing otter-ly things like caring for his fur and swimming. As a result, he is swept away by a storm when he refuses to drop his rocks, insisting that he can handle them while trying to swim to safety with the other otters. The dialogue is presented in conversation bubbles that complement the illustrations of sea life using subtle colors and textures to bring the characters to life. (PreK Up)

​Scamp. Anden Wilder. (2025). Little, Brown and Company. 
Children often identify with animals and sometimes identify as animals. The "Scamp" in this story is a young child who does just that, mimicking her black cat, Hector, and doing everything that he does. One day, she begins to find herself popping up on her two legs, using a spoon to eat, and taking a bath, all things that cats just don't do. This is concerning until Hector gets caught in a downpour of rain, and only Scamp can save him by standing up and using her hands to open a window so Hector can jump to safety. Wilder presents Scamp in striped pink pajamas and at no time depicts her with cat features save for her ear-like pigtails. This technique separates Scamp as a cat person without making her look at all like the cat she pretends to be. The story helps readers know that they can be themselves, whoever they are. (Gr K-4)

Finding Home: Amazing Places Animals Live. Mike Unwin. llus. by Jenni Desmond. (2025). Bloomsbury Children's Books.
Home can be defined simply as a place to live, but this book makes the point that home is really a place where we can feel safe, even if we sometimes must leave a space to find a new safe home elsewhere. Unwin takes readers to the homes of twenty different animals and tells the story of where they live in engaging descriptions accompanied by Desmond's luminous and realistic illustrations. Each home is depicted on a double-paged spread with sidebars that go into further detail about the animals and where they live. The book is oversized, and the end pages include an explanation of Earth as our home, inviting readers to learn how to protect it and to keep each other safe. (Gr K-4)

Good Night Sea Otters Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper. Illus. by Katherine Blackmore. (2025). Random House. 
This delightful board book is part of Random House's Good Night Our World series. It packs a lot of information into a small format made for young children's hands. Readers will learn about where and how otters live, who their friends are, what they eat, and how they sleep wrapped up in kelp, so they don't drift apart. Children will fall in love with these creatures whose faces and antics endear them to human beings. To appeal to children, the facts are embedded within a narrative about a little sea otter who says good night to everyone and everything around him. (PreK-2)

​Pets. Xavier Deneux. (2025). Chronicle Books.
If you liked Pat the Bunny, you will love this board book from Chronicle Books' "TouchThinkLearn" series. With simple illustrations in vibrant colors, children are invited to interact with different kinds of pets through touch. The animals have child appeal, and little ones can trace over the outlines of the animals and feel the pets' textures while exploring how the pets interact with their environments. The entire series is full of motivating titles that will serve as foundational books for emerging readers who are beginning to develop critical concepts of print, such as left-to-right progression and how to identify the front and back of a book. Each book is both entertaining and educational and invites questions about the concepts that will lead to further reading. (PreK-K)

​The Urban Owls: How Flaco and Friends Made the City Their Home. Christian Cooper. Illus. by Kristen Adam. (2025). Little, Brown and Company. 
As the subtitle suggests, Urban Owls features the famous Flaco, who captivated New York City after he escaped the Central Park Zoo and made his home in the skyscrapers until he flew into a building one year after his escape. Cooper tells the stories of other notable urban owls, including the one who found herself moved from the country to the city when her tree home was chosen as the Christmas tree for Rockefeller Center. The text is not told in verse, but there is use of internal rhymes that are pleasing to the ear when read aloud, allowing for a more lyrical kind of performance. Adam's illustrations lend a magical tone, emphasizing the mysterious nature of owls and their surprising appearances when they allow themselves to be seen. The end notes provide information about different kinds of owls, how to look for owls, and how to take action to ensure that owl habitats are protected. Suggestions of other resources, books, and websites are located on the end pages at the back of the book. (PreK Up) 

​You Are a Wildlife Warrior!: Saving Animals & the Planet. Bindi Irwin and Smitri Prasadam-Halls. Illus. by Ramona Kaulitzki. (2025). Random House.
Wildlife warrior Steve Irwin's daughter, Bindi, is carrying on her father's work and passing it along to a new generation in this colorful book about saving animals. Her work in the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital is featured, and photographs of Bindi and her family are included at the end of the book. While the Wildlife Warriors organization works around the world, Irwin focuses on conservation organizations in Africa, Sumatra, and Australia. Although most readers in the United States may be unfamiliar with these places in the Southern hemisphere, Irwin's story with paintings of her and her daughter tending to animals' needs is general enough to appeal to readers everyanywhere. Tips for conserving the earth for animals right from your home will help readers feel that they, too, can be wildlife warriors anywhere they happen to be. (PreK-Gr 2)

​Sue Corbin has taught all levels of education from K through graduate school. She is a fan of picturebooks that entertain and motivate children to love reading and learning.

Nicole Maxwell
Summer is the perfect time to dive into a new book! Perhaps you are looking for a quick read or want to get lost in a longer novel, or both. Whether looking for humor, a heartwarming message, or mysteries and riddles, you will find worthy options reviewed in this column.

At Home in a Faraway Place. Lynne Rae Perkins. (2025). Greenwillow Books.
Lissie traveled far, far away with her dad and grandmother to visit her dad’s friend, Raúl. The people speak Spanish in this faraway place, which Lissie has not learned much of yet. She is determined, though, to expand her knowledge of Spanish. During their trip, Lissie asks many questions about what things are and the Spanish terms used. As she learns more about the unique aspects of this distant land, she begins to realize the similarities that exist between it and her home. Black-and-white illustrations made with pen, ink, and watercolor are intermingled throughout the text in full-page spreads and comic panels. The illustrations exhibit events in the story and Spanish vocabulary introduced throughout the text. The back of the book contains a list of Spanish words and phrases with English translations that Lissie learned throughout the book. Told from Lissie’s perspective, Perkins invites readers to join Lissie in embracing the wonders of traveling to a new place. (Gr 3-7)

Bad Badger: A Love Story. Maryrose Wood. Illus. by Giulia Ghigini. (2025). Union Square Kids.
Identified as the first book in a new series, Maryrose Wood introduces readers to Septimus the badger. He views himself as a bad badger because he is not very badger-like. He has spots, rather than stripes like other badgers. Plus, Septimus lives by the sea, not in a forest, and enjoys sipping tea on his porch while listening to opera music on his phonograph. He leads a solitary life until a quiet seagull named Gully joins him one evening on his porch, and a friendship is born. Although the friends are quite different, they form a special bond. When Septimus comes to an important realization that he wants to share with Gully, she disappears. This prompts him to search high and low for her. He is determined to find his best and only friend, no matter what it takes. Giulia Ghigini provides an old-style touch to a charming tale of friendship through detailed, textured pencil drawings. (Gr 2-5)

Don’t Trust Fish. Neil Sharpson. Illus. by Dan Santat. (2025). Dial Books.
This entertaining tale, narrated by an “innocent” crab, begins with facts about mammals, reptiles, and birds. Once fish are mentioned, the storyline shifts into a hilarious yarn. That should not come as a surprise, given the title of the book. What follows is a series of silly claims about why you should not trust fish. For example, they are always underwater where they cannot be seen, and some have sneaky disguises, like the tiger shark and catfish. The narrator repeatedly reminds the reader, “Don’t trust fish.” However, crabs are not fish. They are your friends. Dan Santat’s comical illustrations of fish with bulging eyes and exaggerated facial expressions committing irrational acts bolster the crab’s claims, adding to the amusing narrative.  The pairing of wacky pictures and humorous words will surely make readers laugh out loud! (PreK-Gr 2)

Mermaids are the Worst! Alex Willan. (2025). Simon & Schuster.
Gilbert the Goblin is back in the latest installment of the Worst! picturebook series. This time, mermaids are the problem. While Gilbert had hoped for a quiet, relaxing vacation, the mermaids have arrived for the 105th Annual Mermaid Tournament of Awesomeness. They are anything but quiet as they prepare for and engage in the tournament’s events. Not to mention, they invade every activity Gilbert attempts to enjoy, from tanning to snorkeling to floating down a lazy river. Will Gilbert be able to enjoy the vacation he has waited hundreds of years to take, or will the mermaids ruin it completely? Willan’s vivid digital illustrations help create a feeling of total chaos on what was supposed to be a serene vacation for Gilbert. Gilbert’s latest encounter with what he deems the “worst” creatures will thoroughly amuse readers. (PreK-Gr 2)

Nellie’s Big Splash. Cori Doerrfeld. (2025). Dial Books.
Nellie is a newly hatched sea turtle in this heartfelt story of facing what seems like the impossible. While she knows the ocean is where she belongs, each time Nellie inches toward it, the CRASH of the waves sends her scurrying away in hopes of safety. Yet, she keeps trying, even enlisting the help of a larger sea creature at one point, because she knows the ocean is her home. Can she muster up the courage to join the rest of the baby sea turtles? Cori Doerrfeld’s digital ink drawings in mostly muted tones, in contrast to the rich hue of blue used for the daunting waves, lure the reader into Nellie’s predicament, making them feel as if they are on the journey with her. Readers will find themselves cheering for Nellie to make it past the waves to the refuge of the water. (PreK-Gr 2)

The Green Kingdom. Cornelia Funke & Tammy Hartung. Illus. by Melissa Castrillón. (2025). DK Children.
Small town girl, Caspia, is a 12-year-old from Wilmerton, Maine, who is not excited that she must spend the summer in the city of Brooklyn, NY, while her dad works on a construction site. When the family arrives at the apartment her parents have rented for the summer, she is immediately skeptical of the number of flowers on the wallpaper and the décor around the house. Then she finds a collection of old letters in a flower-covered dresser in her room and is intrigued by the riddles about the inhabitants of the green kingdom contained in the letters. Her curiosity is sparked, and her eyes are opened to the possibilities of exploring a new place over the summer and meeting new people. Ultimately, Caspia discovers more about herself and the adventures life has to offer during her summer in the city. Castrillón’s black-and-white sketches of various flowers and scenes from the story complement the storyline well. (Gr 2-6)

The Misfits: A Copycat Conundrum (Book 2). Lisa Yee. Illus. by Dan Santat. (2025). Random House.
Olive Cobin Zang and the rest of the crime-fighting Misfits at RASCH are back in the second book of Lisa Yee’s witty series. When their classmate, Zeke, receives alarming notes while researching his great-great-uncle, who disappeared during an attempted prison escape, the Misfits jump on the case. As they try to figure out what is going on with Zeke, the Misfits are called to investigate valuable pieces of art that have gone missing from a museum in San Francisco. Along with the missing pieces of art, the city has experienced a series of odd earthquakes that only occur in certain areas within the city. Are these events somehow linked, or is it just a coincidence? Dan Santat’s black-and-white sketches are woven in throughout the text and add to the humor of this engaging, fast-paced storyline that is sure to keep readers engaged. (Gr 2-6)

Tios and Primos. Jacqueline Alcántara. (2025). Nancy Paulsen Books.
A little girl travels with her Papa to meet family for the first time in his home country. While she is excited to meet her familia, she is worried about being able to communicate with them since she only speaks a little Spanish. Upon arrival, she meets numerous family members one right after another as they drive around the city. She does her best to communicate with them and to decipher what they say to her. Will she find a way to connect with her family, despite their language barrier? Colorful illustrations using marker, gouache, and Photoshop exhibit the familial connections, while Spanish words interspersed in the body of the story and within the illustrations contribute to the authenticity of the little girl’s experience. (Gr K-4)

Wee Unicorn. Meg McLaren. (2025). Charlesbridge.
Wee Unicorn is not like what others expect of unicorns. She is loud and not magical, which often bothers her. Thankfully, her mountain giant friends lift her up when she is feeling down by encouraging her to be herself. One day, Wee Unicorn encounters a strange creature at the edge of the water and bolts away in fear. Once she stops to think, she realizes that she had treated the misunderstood creature in the same manner that she feels others treat her. She resolves to make it right and returns to the water’s edge in search of the creature. Her search takes her through the dark woods until she arrives at the loch. Here she finds the creature, who is not actually scary but gentle, and apologizes. Could these two misunderstood creatures form a friendship? With cartoon-like illustrations and the use of speech bubbles, McLaren has created a mythical world for young readers to enjoy and a touching account of friendship. (PreK-Gr 2)

​Nicole Maxwell is a professor specializing in literacy instruction in the Elementary and Special Education Program at the University of North Georgia.