Giant Parsnip Soup by Daniela Sosa – Book Review

| Tasha

Giant Parsnip Soup by Daniela Sosa (9781665961967)

What should you do if you find a giant parsnip with your friends? Make giant parsnip soup together, of course. All it takes is 1 giant parsnip, 2 bags of potatoes, 3 crates of carrots, and more ingredients as we count to ten together. A diverse cast of children work together on the huge pot of soup that is taller than them. There are children of a variety of races, children with hearing aids, and a variety of ages. The book ends with 10 full bellies once a dog and cat join in the fun.

A friendly and bright counting book sure to make your tummy rumble. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Beach Lane Books.

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess – Book Review

| Tasha

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Cátia Chien (9780063216723)

It’s a hot July day in the city as two siblings head outside. The fire hydrant offers some splashes of water along the way. They give the musician in the park some coins. There is watermelon to feast on and music that comes through the open windows to dance to. The two climb way up to the top of the building where they wait… for fireworks!

From the anticipation through their entire day to the marvelous display at the end of the book, this picture book truly captures the joy of fireworks, their mesmerizing qualities, and the fizz that stays with you afterwards.

A great summer read. Appropriate for ages 3-7.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by HarperCollins.

Double Dutch Queen by Deann Wiley – Book Review

| Tasha

Double Dutch Queen by Deann Wiley (9781250876386)

Shay would love to try double dutch with her cousins, but she’s way too worried about getting tangled in the ropes or falling down to give it a go. She knows that she can do other complicated and fast things like hula hooping or roller skating, but in the end she longs to double dutch. It’s not until her auntie comes out and skips rope herself that Shay is encouraged and brave enough to risk trying it herself. Soon all of her cousins are cheering her on too. A picture book featuring a large Black family where taking a risk and failing seems far too frightening to even try. The illustrations are large and bold with bright jump ropes and the perfect sunny day. Great for encouraging trying new things while surrounded by love.

Appropriate for ages 4-6. Reviewed from e-galley provided by Henry Holt & Co.

2025 British Book Awards

| Tasha

The winners of the 2025 British Book Awards have been announced. The awards are given in a variety of categories. Below are the youth-focused categories and you can see the entire list here.

CHILDREN’S FICTION

WINNER

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess by Jeff Kinney (available in US)

SHORTLIST

I Am Rebel by Ross Montgomery (available in US)

The Majorly Awkward BFF Dramas of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson (available in US)

Reckless by Lauren Roberts (available in US)

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal (available in US)

CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATED BOOK

WINNER

Jonty Gentoo: The Adventures of a Penguin by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (available in US)

SHORTLIST

Bunny vs. Monkey: The Great Big Glitch by Jamie Smart

Dog Man 12: The Scarlet Shedder by Dav Pilkey (available in US)

Letters from the North Pole by Annie Atkins (available in US)

Pablo and Splash by Sheena Dempsey (available in US)

There’s a Poonami in My House by Chris Ramsey

CHILDREN’S NONFICTION

WINNER

Wilding: How to Bring Wildlife Back by Isabella Tree, illustrated by Angela Harding (available in US)

SHORTLIST

Hamza’s Wild World by Hamza Yassin

The History of Information by Chris Haughton

Science is Lit by Big Manny

Taylor Swift by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (available in US)

The World to Come by Robert Macfarlane and Johnny Flynn, illustrated by Emily Sutton (available in US)

Firefly Season by Cynthia Leitich Smith – Book Review

| Tasha

Firefly Season by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Kate Gardiner (9780063274440)

Piper loves spending time with her cousins and family in Cherokee Nation fishing, dancing, and learning to speak Mvskoke. Back home, Piper has a new neighbor, Sumi who is a few years younger. The two girls start a friendship, spending lots of time together. Then Piper’s parents decide to move away. The two girls are sad but keep in touch. Until Piper’s mother has a great idea to bring them closer together.

In the strong tradition of found sisters and family, this picture book celebrates both family connections and those we find along the way. The illustrations capture both nature and also the natural postures and facial expressions of the characters in a way that connects readers to the page.

A big-hearted book about friends who become family. Appropriate for ages 5-9.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Heartdrum.

Teens’ Top Ten Voting Opens

| Tasha

YALSA has opened the voting for the Teens’ Top Ten which is a top ten list of the best books of the previous year voted on entirely by teens. The titles being voted on were nominated by teen book groups in 15 school and public libraries across the nation.

Here are the nominated titles:

The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught

The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Dark Heir by C.S. Pacat

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer by Jeff Kinney

The Getaway List by Emma Lord

The Glass Girl by Kathleen Glasgow

The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana

If I Only Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin

It Found Us by Lindsay Currie

New Girl by Cassandra Calin

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

The Princess Protection Program by C. Alexander London

The Prisoner’s Throne by Holly Black

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

Secrets Never Die by Vincent Ralph

Six Truths and a Lie by Ream Shukairy

Sky’s End by Marc Gregson

Snowglobe by Soyoung Park

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

These Deadly Prophecies by Andrea Tang

Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth

Uprising by Jennifer A. Nielsen

The Way I Am Now by Amber Smith

Indie Book Awards Shortlist 2025

| Tasha

The UK Indie Book Awards shortlist has been announced. The awards include adult fiction and nonfiction, children’s fiction and picture books. The winners will be announced in June. Here are the shortlisted children’s titles:

CHILDREN’S FICTION

Finding Bear by Hannah Gold (available in US)
Ghostlines by Katya Balen

Murder for Two by Niyla Farook
The Falling Boy by David Almond 


Brielle and Bear: Once Upon a Time by Salomey Doku (available in US)
Reek by Alastair Chisholm

PICTURE BOOK

Bear by Natalia Shaloshvili (available in US)
The Dinosaur Next Door by David Litchfield (available in US)

Farah Loves Mangoes by Sarthak Sinha (available in US)
The Golden Hare by Paddy Donnelly 

Invisible Dogs by Ruby Wright 
Runaway Cone by Morag Hood

Wake Your Friday Brain Cells

| Tasha

CHILDREN’S LIT

17 Joyful Picture Books to Enjoy on Summer Vacation – SLJ

Celebrating 35 years of the Children’s Books Ireland Awards – The Irish Times

Every adult should read more children’s novels. Here are the five best – MSN

How Tove Jansson’s Moomins illustrations taught us to imagine, resist and belong – The Conversation

Luck of the Draw: 5 Fabulously Funny and Adorable Picture Books – Book Riot

Mothers in children’s books: a matrix – Lit Hub

This author ‘fixed’ ‘The Giving Tree’ with a new ending. Some say it’s long overdue. – USA Today

LIBRARIES

ALA Disappointed by Senate Vote to Block Hotspot Funds – ALA

Political Attacks on Libraries Endanger Small-Town Democracy – Scientific American

States win a legal injunction against President Trump, pausing library funding cuts – NPR

YA LIT

All the New Young Adult SFF Books Arriving in May 2025 – Reactor

Judy Blume Talks Inspiration Behind Her Controversial Teen Novel Forever, and the Change Happening at Home When She Wrote It – People

Summer Love: 16 Romantic Reads for Teens – SLJ

Picking Tea with Baba by Xu Bin – Book Review

| Tasha

Picking Tea with Baba by Xu Bin, illustrated by Yu Yin, translated by Shan Chen (9781623546236)

A young boy and his family head into the Chinese mountains to pick tea together. Father usually goes on his own, and it’s a special treat for everyone to come along. They must pack extra clothes for the mountain weather and carry baskets on their backs. When they reach the mountaintop, there are the tea fields. Everyone must work together to pick the tea leaves with their sticky juice. The brothers work hard, have some fun, take a nap, and enjoy their day together as a family. The nature around the family is shown in deep greens, from the mountains to insects to birds and snakes.

This is a fascinating glimpse of Chinese culture. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Charlesbridge.