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PICTURE BOOK FICTION REVIEW : Sabrina Sue--The Epic Adventure by Priscilla Burris

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  SABRINA SUE The Epic Adventure written & illustrated by Priscilla Burris Simon Spotlight, 2026 ISBN: 979-8-347-10328-7 Source : publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Sabrina Sue—the spunky chicken with a thirst for adventure—makes her picture book debut in this hilarious story about the world’s bravest bird trying to convince her cautious farm friends to join her on her next trip. Sabrina Sue and her fearless pal Froggy have journeyed to the mountains, the sea, the city, and even to space. Even though each adventure has been a rousing success, her farm friends always try to convince her to stay home! They can’t imagine why anyone would want to leave the cozy farm. What if the nervous animals could see for themselves that there’s nothing to fear? Sabrina Sue extends an invite, but will her farm friends decide to take a chance or play it safe? REV...

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION REVIEW : Keepers of the Forests (Sentinels #1) by Kate O'Hearn (Available Nov. 10, 2026)

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  KEEPERS OF THE FOREST Sentinels #1 by Kate O'Hearn, illustrated by Johanna Tarkela Henry Holt & Co. BYR, 2026 ISBN: 9781250419514 Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Rum is the runt of his litter and an outcast in the Sky Clan, but he sees and understands things the other squirrels don’t—for Rum is a sentinel. Born to each squirrel clan when a catastrophe is looming, sentinels are powerful seers that must go to the Dark Forest to meet a mysterious squirrel that can decipher their message. When Rum befriends the Lowland Clan’s runaway sentinel, Nearly, the two band together to reach the Dark Forest to meet the ancient squirrel, Arundale. But the message Arundale deciphers is dire: A fire is coming to the mountains that will destroy everything in its path. Only the sentinels can save the forest creatures. But one of their kind, the final sentinel, is missing. So Rum, Nearly,...

PICTURE BOOK REVIEWS : 4 books about unusual pets!

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  FRANKENKITTY written by Maudie Powell-Tuck, illustrated by Mini Grey Tiger Tales, 2026 ISBN: 9781664300972 Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Meet Frankenkitty—a stitched-together kitten with a haunted castle for a home and a reputation that seems to terrify everyone…even his own inventor! Only Olive, the inventor’s brave young daughter, sees the sweet side of this misunderstood kitty. But when terrible things start to happen at the castle—like mice invading the kitchen, frogs appearing in the bathtub, and Brussels sprouts showing up on the dinner menu—poor Frankenkitty gets the blame and is banished from the castle into the snow. Will Olive be able to rescue the poor kitten before it's too late? This spooky-but-fun story is perfect for kids who love their monsters cute and their bedtime stories dramatic! REVIEW An inventor creates a creature he names FrankenKitty. But wh...

PICTURE BOOK REVIEW & AUTHOR INTERVIEW : Bitsy Bat, Snow Star by Kaz Windness

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  BITSY BAT, SNOW STAR Bitsy Bat #3 written & illustrated by Kaz Windness Beach Lane Books, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-6366-4 Source : publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, summary & interview provided by the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK When Bitsy wakes up to see her first-ever snowfall, she’s excited to try out wintry activities with her friends at school. But sledding turns out to be harder than she thought, and making snow angels and snowmen leaves her feeling cold and wet. Bitsy tries to pretend she’s having fun…until a friendly snowball fight pushes her over the edge. She retreats inside the school, worried her friends won’t like her anymore once they find out she doesn’t love the snow like they do. But a surprise is waiting for her—Enzo Owl and Mo are inside too! They don’t like snow either and would rather read in the cozy nook. Bitsy comes up with an indoor activity for a snowy day—making paper snowflakes—that just mi...

WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY : A Quilt of Stars by Dr. Karen Nyberg, Ann McCallum Staats, and Alida Massari

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A QUILT OF STARS : Astronaut Karen Nyberg Stitches a Dream written by Dr. Karen Nyberg & Ann McCallum Staats illustrated by Alida Massari Familius LLC, 2026 ISBN: 979-8-89396-001-3 Source: Author (Ann McCallum Staats) for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Stitch together a dream with astronaut Karen Nyberg as she shares her quilt with the world, the stars, and beyond. What would you do with an impossible dream? Dr. Karen Nyberg yearned to reach the stars, and when they were finally within grasp, she wanted to share the extraordinary sight with the world. Seeing that the Earth from a distance was like a quilted masterpiece of people and places, she put her skills with needle and thread to use―in space! When Nyberg lived on the International Space Station, she and NASA invited crafters from around the world to join a project to stitch together a global community quilt. Thousands of people ...

PICTURE BOOK REVIEW : A Book for Everyone by Hayley Rocco and John Rocco

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A BOOK FOR EVERYONE All the Books #2 written by Hayley Rocco, illustrated by John Rocco Alvina Ling Books, 2026 ISBN: 978-0-31658842-3 Source : School Library Journal/purchased copy Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK There’s a perfect story for every reader! Piper Waterstone, everyone’s favorite chipmunk from All the Books, returns in a charming and whimsical tale from award-winning creators Hayley Rocco and John Rocco. It’s time for the yearly reading challenge! Piper Waterstone can’t wait to read all the books on this year’s reading list. She’s going to go on so many adventures and is positive she’ll win! But her best friend, Gregory, would rather play pretend pirates than read a book. Can Piper help find a book perfect for Gregory and win the reading challenge? Join Piper on her enchanting reading adventures as she learns not every book is for every reader, but there is a reader ...

CHAPTER BOOK FICTION : Shermy and Shake, the Not-So-Unhappy-Campers by Kirby Larson (Available Nov 17, 2026)

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  SHERMY AND SHAKE, THE NOT-SO-UNHAPPY-CAMPERS Shermy and Shake #4 written by Kirby Larson, illustrated by Shinji Fujioka Candlewick Press, 2026 ISBN: 978-1536239027 SOURCE : publisher/School Library Journal  Ages 6-9 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Unlikely best pals Shermy and Shake go on a fun road trip, meet a brand-new baby, and spend the weekend at a real sleepaway camp in a season full of adventure and steadfast friendship. Awesome-possum! Shermy takes his time and thinks things through, while his best friend, Shake, likes to jump in with both feet. But like peanut butter and sweet pickles, the two boys go together perfectly. Whether it’s crafting leprechaun traps, going to Camp Hootie Hoot with the Owl Scouts, or tackling the school talent show (Shake wants to perform, but Shermy would prefer to cheer from the audience), they bring out the best in each other—even whe...

WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY : Brontosaurus is Back! by Sarah Albee & Chris Hsu

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  BRONTOSAURUS IS BACK! A Dinosaur's Name and Return to Fame written by Sarah Albee, illustrated by Chris Hsu Charlesbridge, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-62354-636-6 Source : Blue Slip Media/Publisher Ages 7-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by Blue Slip Media & the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK This is fun, lively, kid-appeal-filled nonfiction and tells the story of brontosaurus—discovered, discontinued, and then reinstated again. Dino fans, come and get it! There's so much to learn in this interesting book about naming, sloppy science, dueling paleontologists, and more! Sarah Albee's signature humor and strong writing, coupled with Chris Hsu's kid-friendly and accurate art, bring history to life on the page. ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR Sarah Albee is the New York Times bestselling author of nonfiction books for kids. Her most recent titles are both nonfiction picture books: The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart’s Brush ...

PICTURE BOOK GUEST POST & REVIEW : Our Favorite Day of the Week by Ashley Franklin & Rahele Jomepour Bell

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  OUR FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK written by Ashley Franklin, illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell Salaam Reads, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-3567-8 Source : publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. Author bio also provided by the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK Musa and his friends return to share their favorite days of the week and why each one is special to them in this sweet and heartwarming picture book sequel to Our Favorite Day of the Year. Musa is excited to see his classmates at the start of the week, but when he sees Zohra looking sad and asks her why, he discovers Zohra is missing her favorite day of the week! She loves Tuesday, when her neighborhood sanitation workers come around. Musa’s other classmates have favorite days Zadie’s favorite day is Thursday, when her grandma picks her up from school. Mo’s favorite day is Friday, when he and his family have Shabbat dinner. Moí...

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION REVIEW : The Night of the Lions, 2025 (I Survived Wildlife Adventure) by Lauren Tarshis

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THE NIGHT OF THE LIONS, 2025 I Survived Wildlife Adventure written by Lauren Tarshis Scholastic, 2026 ISBN: 979-8-225-06677-2 Source: purchased Ages 8-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK This I Survived book transports readers deep into one of the most breathtaking - and dangerous - places on Botswana's Okavango Delta. This remote wilderness bursts with life, sheltering more lions, elephants, and dazzling (and deadly) creatures than almost anywhere else on the planet. Eleven-year-old Dylan is still reeling from the injury that shattered his all-star Little League dreams back home in Boston. His film-maker older sister offers him the trip of a to travel with her as she films a world-famous lion expert in the heart of southern Africa. Dylan's days in the wilds of Botswana are filled with awe and wonder - elephants splashing in lagoons, leopards growling under star-lit skies, herds of...