sticks

3 Playful New Picture Books

| Tasha
Cover image for Hold by Randy Ribay, illustrated by Zeke Peña, featuring a boy being held up by his father to hold the letters in the title.

Hold by Randy Ribay, illustrated by Zeke Peña

  • Publisher: Kokila
  • Publication Date: April 21, 2026
  • Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
  • ISBN: 9780593856987

When leaving the house in the morning, a father asks his small son to hold the water bottle. Hold? Now the boy wants to hold everything! Starting with some toys, then the cat, then he asks to hold a tree. The father hands him a leaf. How about the rain? Cupped hands fill with water. Can he hold the plan overhead? The truck going by? The father figures out how to match toys to those requests but soon there are tears as the cat escapes. Time for one last thing to hold on to before they leave. 

This picture book cleverly captures the effort of leaving the house with a toddler and how one small request can create all sorts of chaos. Taken to an extreme, it  never loses sight of reality even as the child’s requests get wilder. Both parents and children will see themselves reflected here and enjoy the merry ending as they successfully leave the house. The illustrations add to the fun as the stack held by the child grows impressively. Wonderfully modern, they depict a Latino family’s connection. 

Hold on to this one. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Cover of Robin and the Stick by E. B. Goodale, featuring a little boy in a red jacket holding a stick with other sticks around him.

Robin and the Stick by E. B. Goodale

  • Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
  • Publication Date: April 14, 2026
  • Reviewed from e-galley provided by publisher
  • ISBN: 9781419780837

Robin always had a stick. There was one for bed, one on the couch and many in a container in the hall. The big tree outside dropped lots of sticks, so there were always some new ones around. One day, a big stick had fallen from the tree. It was the best stick Robin had ever seen. Robin tried to pick it up, but Mama said it was a branch not a stick and Robin wasn’t strong enough. But Robin kept on trying to lift it, day after day. Until finally, one day Robin could lift the big and best stick and bring it inside. 

Told in very simple phrases, this picture book is just right for toddlers and preschoolers. Throughout the book, Robin’s gender is not shared, showing that both girls and boys might be deeply into their sticks and other collections from outside. The illustrations are done in monoprint and oil paint with Robin’s red jacket popping out from the otherwise black-and-white images. The illustrations play with hazy vs. clear parts, adding a dynamic element. 

A great book for toddlers looking to branch out. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Cover image of Sockflea: A Stuffie in the Wild by Laura Dockrill, illustrated by Eva Byrne, featuring a young elephant in starred pajamas running outside and holding a pair of socks.

Sockflea: A Stuffie in the Wild by Laura Dockrill, illustrated by Eva Byrne

  • Publisher: Candlewick
  • Publication Date: April 21, 2026
  • Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
  • ISBN: 9781536245103

A little elephant is going camping for the first time with his dad. His father asks him over and over again if he’s sure he doesn’t want to bring a stuffed animal along. The little elephant insists that he doesn’t need one, even for bedtime, because he’s five, after all. The two of them have a great time camping, the little elephant not thinking about stuffies at all. But when night comes, things change. Suddenly, he can’t fall asleep, the noises, the itchiness, it’s all too much! But now they are out camping without any stuffies to use. His father has an idea though, enter Sockflea! 

Dockrill writes with a merriment even as the little elephant is struggling without a stuffie. The language is both empathetic and also funny and reads aloud well. The explanation for Sockflea, who happens to be made out of the father’s socks in desperation, something readers will immediately see, is magical and good hearted. The ending adds a nice little moment after Sockflea has magically disappeared when they return home. The illustrations are filled with bright colors and add to the inherent joy of the book. 

Stuff this one into your camping bag. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

The Clever Stick

| Tasha

The Clever Stick by John Lechner

This is one sharp stick, very smart and clever.  He is so bright, he writes poetry and enjoys listening to the birds singing.  So bright that he is frustrated when he can’t communicate with the other things in the forest.  Finally, he is so dejected that he just drags himself home.  But then he looks back and realizes that he is leaving a trail in the dirt, and that he can use that trail to communicate!  The stick draws a huge detailed picture that has everyone in the forest impressed.  Even when the rain comes and washes it all away, the stick is still happy because he knows he can always draw more.

Lechner has created a smart story about self-expression and finding innovative ways to communicate.  The book has a gentle sense of humor that works very well.  It is a quiet sort of book, one that is more about brains than action, more about creativity and imagination too.  The fact that the stick is special because of its intelligence is also a great message to send to children who may be hiding their own light in school.  Lechner’s illustrations done in ink and watercolor are simple and clear. 

A sharp stick for smart kids, this book is a quiet gem.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Also reviewed by Books4YourKids.