Month: November 2025

2 Breezy New Picture book Biographies of Beloved Authors

| Tasha

Jim!: Six True Stories about One Great Artist: James Marshall by Jerrold Connors

Publisher: Dial Books

Publication Date: May 20, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9780593859346

James Marshall is one of the best-known children’s picture book creators and this picture book biography of him captures exactly why. Through six short stories, Marshall’s approach to his work, his collaborative nature, and his personal life are shown with a suitable style. The stories begin with how Miss Nelson Is Missing started. They move on to his dislike of the words “cute” and “zany”, share how he met his partner Billy, show him alongside other children’s picture book creators that readers will know, The book ends with Miss Nelson Is Missing in just the right way. 

Funny and heartfelt, this picture book biography approaches a biography of Marshall by using his own illustration style and his signature small blurbs of text. The result is a merry and lovely book that captures Marshall’s life and his impact on children’s literature while always keeping the audience of young children at the forefront. 

You just know that Marshall himself would have loved this. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Outside In and the Inside Out: A Story about Arnold Lobel by Emmy Kastner

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 23, 2025

Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley

ISBN: 9780593692509

This picture book biography of the beloved book creator Arnold Lobel captures the spirit of his work. It begins with wet socks, offers a myriad of potential silly reasons for wet socks, and then moves on to Lobel as a child who loved stories though his classmates didn’t appreciate them. It’s the story of a boy who loved the absurd and became a man with a gorilla suit in his closet and a plastic goose on his wall. Lobel tried to do corporate work but soon started listening to the stories in his head. He became an illustrator of other people’s work first and then began to write his own. Some of them were illustrated by his wife while others like Frog and Toad he did himself. Soon his inside was being shared outside with everyone. 

Kastner has done such a marvelous job of capturing the spirit of Lobel on the page. She offers a nod at his new love later in his life while not lingering there but rather on the stories that he created for us all to love. Her art style echoes his, offering us glimpses of beloved characters. 

A true homage to a master storyteller. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Publishers Weekly Best Picture Books of 2025

| Tasha

Publishers Weekly has announced their picks for the best books of 2025. The juvenile picks are broken into three categories. Here are the picture book selections:

PICTURE BOOKS

Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa: Join the Quest with Peru’s Famed Scientist and Potato Expert by Sara Andrea Fajardo, illus. by Juana Martinez-Neal

Cranky, Crabby Crow by Corey R. Tabor

Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson, illus. by Dan Santat

Downpour: Splish! Splash! Ker-Splash! by Yuko Ohnari and Koshiro Hata, trans. from the Japanese by Emily Balistrieri

Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess, illus. by Cátia Chien

For a Girl Becoming by Joy Harjo, illus. by Adriana M. Garcia

Island Storm by Brian Floca, illus. by Sydney Smith

The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard, illus. by Selina Alko

Lena the Chicken (but Really a Dinosaur) by Linda Bailey, illus. by K-Fai Steele

Let’s Be Bees by Shawn Harris

On Our Way with Mr. Jay by Chelsea Lin Wallace, illus. by Thyra Heder

Our Lake by Angie Kang

Papilio by Ben Clanton, Corey R. Tabor, and Andy Chou Musser

A Place for Us by James E. Ransome

Popo the Xolo by Paloma Angelina Lopez, illus. by Abraham Matias

So Many Years bookcover

So Many Years: A Juneteenth Story by Anne Wynter, illus. by Jerome Pumphrey

Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave by Drew Beckmeyer

The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue by Elizabeth Brown, illus. by Melissa Castrillón

Your Forest by Jon Klassen

To Activate Space Portal Lift Here by Antoinette Portis – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

To Activate Space Portal Lift Here by Antoinette Portis

Publisher: Neal Porter Books

Publication Date: October 7, 2025

Reviewed from copy provided by publisher

ISBN: 9780823459858

Turning the pages of this book activates a space portal that lets readers be the first to interact with alien creatures! As the portal opens, the readers can see an orange and a yellow alien, who are just as surprised to see the reader and just as shocked that aliens are real. The aliens worry that the reader might eat them, but relax after the reader shares how small their teeth are. They have the reader make all kinds of faces which then scare some other aliens who respond much better to a big friendly smile. As the portal closes, there is an invitation to return.

This book begs to be shared aloud and with a group of children as long as you enjoy a bit of nonsense and noise resulting. I read this both in physical form and digitally and there is something about the physical page turns that make this book really engaging. The gloriously loud and simple illustrations of the aliens add to the chaotic fun of the book. 

A portal worth visiting. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

2 New Outstanding Outdoor Picture Books

| Tasha

The Newest Gnome by Lauren Soloy 

Publisher: Tundra Books

Publication Date: October 7, 2025

Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley

ISBN: 9781774887202

Return to the world first shared in The Hidden World of Gnomes with this second book set in The Pocket. When a new mushroom circle is discovered, the gnomes know that a new gnome is about to arrive. It is Grolly Maru, a fuzzy brown gnome with stand up ears. The gnomes fall asleep under the stars, preparing to share their love of the world with Grolly Maru the next day. And my, do they share! They try various hats, scramble with squirrels, look at leaves, follow ants, make animal sounds, learn songs, bake a treat, and count all sorts of things. By the end of the day, the gnomes aren’t sure what sort of gnome Grolly Maru will be, until Grolly Maru demonstrates.

This entire book is wonderfully organic and infused with small natural wonders. The pages are warmly tan and show quiet moments of plant growth, bird song, spiders spinning, and fall weather. The stories and information shared by the gnomes will have children wanting to explore their own yards to find small things happening there or greet the worms at the start of the day themselves. The book reminds us to look around, learn about nature and find our own bits of magic. 

Merry, quiet and abundant, this picture book is a celebration of nature in small and large ways. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

The Night of the Hedgehog by Tanya Rosie, illustrated by Chuck Groenink 

Publisher: Candlewick

Publication Date: November 11, 2025

Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley

ISBN: 9781536245066

When the hedgehog came to their yard at night, the little girl’s father woke her up. This had happened before. They tiptoed out barefoot in the garden to watch. Silent and still, the two watched as the hedgehog came out of the bushes. Then they quietly went inside to fill a pan with water. Back to waiting silently in the dark and then they saw an entire hedgehog family come out for a drink. After drinking, the baby hedgehogs followed their mother to the “hog hole” which would lead them to the next yard. Then it was back to bed full of sighs and smiles for the special night.

This quintessentially English rhyming picture book offers American readers a glimpse into the joy of having wild hedgehogs in your neighborhood. Readers will love the coziness of the story, the wonder of going outside in the dark and then the joy of not only seeing hedgehogs but providing for them in different ways. The illustrations add to the joy of the special yet quiet night with their warm golden light and cool blue night. 

Just right for bedtime or an adventure to spy your own wild night creatures. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

2025 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books

| Tasha

The 10 winners of the 2025 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books have been announced. Nearly 800 books were judged purely on the basis of artistic merit. Here are the 10 winners:

Broken by X. Fang

Dragon Flower by Chen Jiang Hong; translated by Alyson Waters

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess and illustrated by Cátia Chien

The Lighthouse Keeper by Eugenio Fernández Vázquez, illustrated by Mariana Villanueva Segovia; translated by Kit Maude

Little Rebels by Yuyi Morales

Making Art by Diana Ejaita

Pencil by Hye-Eun Kim

Sunday by Marcelo Tolentino; translated by Rahul Bery

The Three-Year Tumble by Dayeon Auh; translated by Tim Mohr

Wind Watchers by Micha Archer

The Spy in the Museum: How Rose Valland Saved Art from the Nazis by Erin McGuire – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

The Spy in the Museum: How Rose Valland Saved Art from the Nazis by Erin McGuire

Publisher: Beach Lane Books

Publication Date: September 16, 2025

Reviewed from copy provided by publisher

ISBN: 9781534466173

Rose Valland lived in Paris and was the curator at the Jeu de Paume Museum. She loved all kinds of art, but Hitler and the Nazis did not approve of modern art and destroyed it in their war across Europe. When they reached France, they used the Jeu de Paume Museum as a staging area. All the staff of the museum left except for Rose. She stayed, quiet and shy, often unnoticed by the soldiers. But Rose could understand the German they spoke and soon started taking notes about their plans to move precious art via train. Rose became a spy, sharing her knowledge with the French Resistance and allowing many pieces to be saved. When the war ended, many art pieces were missing, and Rose still had her many notes about where that art had been sent, saving even more.

Told in a way that children will understand the preciousness of the art, the violent hate of the Nazis, and the importance of standing up for what is right, even in a quiet way. This book celebrates the reserved heroes who made a huge difference simply by noticing what was happening and being brave enough to share information. The art in the book celebrates art but also celebrates Rose Vallard, quiet and drab, courageous and integral. 

A timely nonfiction picture book of resistance and the importance of art. Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Wake Your Friday Brain Cells – November 7 Edition

| Tasha

CHILDREN’S LIT

9 Contemporary, Indigenous Graphic Novels for Kids and Teens – SLJ

9 Sensational Indigenous YA Books to Make You Think – Book Riot

10 Great New Children’s Books Out in November That Explore the Skies – Lit Hub

Is a giant picture book about a bus the new Harry Potter… in Denmark? – Diggit Magazine

It will take more than the new Children’s Booker Prize to arrest the dramatic decline in reading enjoyment – The Conversation

Strega Nona turns 50 — and her art lives in Minneapolis – MPR

LIBRARIES

AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge – 404 Media

Historic libraries bring modern comfort to book lovers and history buffs in New England – SC Now

How one South Florida teen continues her fight against banned books and censorship – WLRN

I joined the oldest and most overlooked library in my town – and it feels like being part of a secret club – The Guardian

YA LIT

10 LGBTQ+ YA Fantasy Novels to Inspire Teens to Live Their Truth – People

E. Lockhart Returns to the Land of ‘We Were Liars’ in a New Book – New York Times

A Guide to the Biggest Young Adult Book Releases Wrapping Up 2025 — And How to Read Each Series – US Weekly

Q&A: Chloe Gong, Author of ‘Coldwire’ – The Nerd Daily

Talking teen literacy with University of Minnesota – UMN

2025 An Post Irish Book Awards Shortlist

| Tasha

The shortlist for the 2025 An Post Irish Book Awards has been announced. The awards celebrate the best of Irish writing across a variety of genres and categories. Below are the shortlisted titles for the juvenile categories:

CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR – JUNIOR

An Fia sa Choill by Sadhbh Devlin, Anastasia Melynkova (not available in US)

Badger Books by Paddy Donnelly

Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson, illustrated by Dan Santat

Ellora McGee Trainee Banshee by Sinéad O’Hart

Letters to a Monster by Patricia Forde, illustrated by Sarah Warburton

Once I Was a Tree by Eoin McLaughlin, illustrated by Guilherme Karsten (coming to US in March 2026)

Penguin TV by Niamh Sharkey, illustrated by Owen Churcher

Run Home, Little Fox by Tom McCaughren & Erika McGann, Illustrated by Shannon Bergin (not available in US)

CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR – SENIOR

Animalopedia by John and Kathi Burke

Conn of the Dead by Dave Rudden and Ali Al Amine (not available in US)

The Doomsday Club by Kevin Moran

Granny National by Rachael Blackmore with Rachel Pierce

Milly McCarthy and the Haunted House HullaBOOloo by Leona Forde, illustrated by Karen Harte

Nina Peanut: Epic World Tour Era by Sarah Bowie

TEEN/YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE YEAR

Any Way You Slice It by Méabh McDonnell

Matched Up by Jenny Ireland

My Name Is Jodie Jones by Emma Shevah

The Rebel and the Rose by Catherine Doyle (releasing in US on December 2)

Solo by Gráinne O’Brien

Shipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue

Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publication: July 1, 2025

Reviewed from copy provided by publisher

ISBN: 9781665938129

In 1980, Vision was a teen pop star, singing in front of large crowds. Today, Margot is trying to catch the attention of people online with her music, but her ukulele isn’t cutting it. Margot finds a synthesizer on the side of the road with a sign saying that it’s not haunted. She hauls it home, hoping for her father to teach her to play. But her father deserts Margot and heads to California to become a star once he gets enough online fans. Left behind, Margot starts to learn to play keyboard and that’s when Vision, whose spirit is trapped in the synthesizer, appears. The two girls start to play music together, but is something darker involved with the keyboard and what is the price of chasing external fame?

A marvelous graphic novel for middle-grade readers, this book successfully combines modern online attention culture with throwbacks to the 1980s. The haunted, or not, synthesizer forms a bridge both in music and connection between the two girls, one a ghost and one alive. The message of finding your own happiness rather than seeking external validation is offered in a variety of ways through the story, via Margot’s father, her friends and Vision herself. The art is bright and popping and veers dynamically into horror lighting at times. 

A great graphic novel with a message for our times. Appropriate for ages 8-12.