Geo Librarian

KESTREL TAKES FLIGHT written by Joy McCullough Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-7265-9 SOURCE : ARC from publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 9-12 Middle grade contemporary/novel in verse All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, summary, and author guest post provided by the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK A kestrel is the smallest bird of prey in North America. Kestrel doesn’t feel much like the fierce bird for which she is named. Not after being rushed away from her grandfather’s strict church community to the wilds of Montana. Her mother has gotten a job at a conservation institute, where she’ll work with a special breed of dog to help make interactions between humans and bears safer. At first, Kes is terrified of the dogs and angry at her mother for ripping her from the only world she’s known. But with some distance from her grandfather, she starts to understand how badly his bark hurt. In this new terrain, can Kestrel discover a safe place to spread he...

UNICORNS IN UNIFORMS written by Beth Ferry, illustrated A.N. Kang Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-7542-1 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, summary, and interviews provided by the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK No job is too big or too small for magical uniformed unicorns in this adorable and empowering picture book from New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry! We’re Unicorns in Uniforms! We know just what to do. We’re hoofed and horned and well-informed And ready to help you! Come join these caring unicorns as they work, play, and save the day—because when you’re a unicorn, U can do anything if you work together! ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR Beth Ferry is the author of numerous picture books for children including Roar for Reading, Prunella, and the New York Times bestseller Stick and Stone. She is an avid reader who believes that any day spent with a book is a perfect day. Be...

  A DOCTOR AT HEART The Story of Groundbreaking Scientist and Teacher Vivien Thomas written by Joan Schoettler, illustrated by Steffi Walthall Beach Lane Books, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-4814-7666-9 Source: Blue Slip Media & publisher Ages 6-9 All opinions expressed are solely my own Book cover & summary & other information provided by Blue Slip Media & publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK A fascinating and inspiring picture book biography about Vivien Thomas, a pioneer of children’s heart surgery and trailblazer for Black people in STEM. Vivien Thomas always loved solving problems and figuring out how things worked. In high school, inspired by his family physician, he decided he would become a doctor. Despite losing his college savings during the 1930 bank panic, Vivien stayed dedicated to making his dream a reality, a trait that would serve him all his life. Vivien secured a lab assistant position at Vanderbilt University and later moved to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he and his me...

  WHO'S MAKING THAT BIG STINK? written by Darrin Lunde, illustrated by Erica J. Chen Charlesbridge, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6235-4625-0 Source: eARC from publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Eww! Who smells like rotten eggs and smelly feet? Yuck! Whose burps smell like cow poop? Find out which animals stink (and why) in this reeky, cheeky guessing game for ages 3-7. Animals make all sorts of smells for all sorts of reasons! Can you guess the stinker from its stink? Simple clues and laugh-out-loud art make this guessing game perfect for rowdy read-alouds. Fun facts from a world-class zoologist reveal the science behind the stink. REVIEW Appealing digitally-created illustrations and an intriguing topic make this book very kid-friendly. Illustrations of animals noticing a smell, "Ewww" or "Yuck" open a two page spread describing a smell before the pa...

THE UNDERWEARWOLF written by Gideon Sterer, illustrated by Charles Santoso Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-5558-4 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Perfect for fans of Creepy Pair of Underwear, this wolfish picture book romp follows a kid who finds himself in a hairy situation when he dons a pair of not-so-normal undies under the light of the full moon. Do not, under any circumstances, Or for any reason, Wear this underwear under the full moon. Do you understand? Get ready to howl with laughter as one rule-breaking, underwear-loving kid transforms into a—gasp!—UNDERWEARWOLF! Now he’s on an unforgettable nighttime adventure that may or may not include furry paws, sharp claws, uncomfortable wedgies, and an honest-to-goodness wild wolfpack! No butts about it—this is one read-aloud that’ll blow your undies off! REVIEW A y...

  THE CASE OF THE PILFERED PEARLS The Shrew Detective #1 written by Margi Preus, illustrated Junyi Wu Amulet Books, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-4197-7802-5 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 8-11 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Wind in the Willows meets Enola Holmes in this exciting, young middle grade mystery series from Newbery Honor–winning author Margi Preus and with art from Junyi Wu Something that is difficult or impossible to understand. With a curious mind and a vast vocabulary (thanks to her wallpaper—pages of a discarded human dictionary), tiny Minerva Shrew would love nothing more than to solve the Big Mysteries of Life and the Universe. Instead, in The Case of the Pilfered Pearls, she’s called upon to help her cousin Tenacity solve a mystery in the most dangerous of a human house. When a string of pearls goes missing, the human owner is sure a “dreadful rodent” has pilfered ...

  THE DINO DOOR written by Josh Funk, illustrated by Renee Kurilla Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-5783-0 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 Where the Wild Things Are gets a charming dinosaur twist in this whimsical rhyming picture book with adorable and vibrant art about a boy who discovers a magical door to the land of dinosaurs! Do you dare to see what’s behind the Dino Door? Dinosaur. Dino…door? Dino more! When a secret door appears in a small child’s messy, toy-strewn room just when they need it most, they discover a world full of real-life dinosaur friends! But what happens when it’s time to go back home? With clever wordplay and engaging, child-friendly art, beloved author Josh Funk and New York Times bestselling artist Renee Kurilla invite readers to a world full of wonder, humor, friendship, and,...

JUST ONE OAK What a Single Tree Can Be written by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Diana Sudyka Beach Lane Books, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-6104-2 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Nonfiction Ages 4-8  All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Explore an oak tree, from its leafy crown to its roots underground, and learn all the amazing ways it supports the animals, plants, and habitat where it lives in this surprising and enlightening nonfiction picture book companion to the award-winning Fungi Grow. An oak tree is so much more than meets the eye. From tiny fungi to mighty mammals, this amazing tree contains a whole world. For insects and birds, the oak’s leaves, branches, and bark are a home. For bears and squirrels, the thousands of acorns the oak produces are a nutritious superfood. Owls, deer, foxes, and many more creatures are drawn to the rich and healthy environment an oak creates. Bec...

  LITTLE GHOST'S SUMMERWEEN written & illustrated by Maggie Edkins Willis Beach Lane Books, 2026 ISBN;978-1-6659-8514-7 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK Little Ghost tries to pick the perfect party theme for his summer birthday in this charming picture book companion to Little Ghost Makes a Friend by bestselling author-illustrator Maggie Edkins Willis. Little Ghost loves parties, but he’s only ever had the Halloween kind! After attending his first ever birthday party, Little Ghost decides to throw one of his own. His good friend Anya says his party should celebrate Little Ghost and what he likes most. That’s easy—Little Ghost loves Halloween with all its bats, black cats, candy corn, and pumpkins. There’s just one it’s summertime. And Halloween and summer just don’t mix…or do they? REVIEW Little Ghost wants to have a birthday party, but his favorite things...