Geo Librarian

  BEANSPROUT written & illustrated by Sarah Lynne Reul Charlesbridge, 2025 978-1-62354-475-1 Source: publisher for review Ages 5-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK What happens when you do everything right, but it doesn’t work out? When classmates start having success with their seeds, one student's just won't sprout. A picture book about planting and growing, where grown-ups and kids can talk about disappointment, emotions, and second chances. It's seed-planting time in Ms. Greene's classroom! One of the kids has big predictions for their mystery seed and does everything just so to make sure it grows. But as all the other seeds start to sprout, theirs . . . doesn't. So they proclaim they'll never try to grow another seed again! But when they learn the leftover seeds will be thrown out, they start to think about second chances and enlists their classmates to hel...

  WHOA PANDA! written & illustrated by C.S. Jennings Nancy Paulsen Books, 2025 ISBN: 978-0-593-32478-3 Source: publisher for review Ages 3-6 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK From “Whoa!” to “Way to go!,” this is a humorous and heartwarming look at the importance of communicating personal boundaries. Panda gets excited when he sees a potential friend. So excited, he’s apt to put his cold, wet nose right in their face! Eeek! Whoa Panda! Fortunately Panda has a friend to help him navigate how close is too close. And before long, he is able to say “Way to go, Panda” instead of “Whoa Panda!” With irresistible art and a simple, encouraging text, this entertaining picture book is perfect for helping little ones become more self-aware of personal boundaries. REVIEW After waving at the narrator, Panda runs and hugs the 'narrator' (shown in the illustrations with a closeup of Panda's fac...

  ALL THE HULK FEELS A Mighty Marvel Comics Picture Book written & illustrated by Dan Santat Abrams Fanfare, 2025 ISBN: 978-1-4197-7613-7 Source: Abrams for review Ages 5-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK In this graphic novel picture book from Marvel and Caldecott Medal–winning author Dan Santat, Bruce Banner and the Incredible Hulk work together to wrangle their super-sized emotions. Sequential illustration panels combine with traditional picture book elements to create a dazzling new reading experience for budding Marvel fans—and a perfect introduction to comics for the youngest readers. When scientist Bruce Banner starts to feel his emotions getting out of hand, he transforms into his alter ego, the Incredible Hulk! Usually, Hulk is ready to use his anger to smash supervillains, but when everyday moments like pickles on a burger (yuck!) begin triggering Bruce’s transformation...

ANJALI CAN! Always Anjali #3 written by Sheetal Sheth, illustrated by Lucia Soto Random House Children's Books, 2025 ISBN: 978-0-593-65122-3 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Author interview arranged by Random House. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Seven-year-old Anjali is back and ready to prove there’s nothing she can’t do, in this third book in the Always Anjali series! When a beloved community center is threatened with shutting down, Anjali must quickly find a way to save the space or risk losing it. The local community center is a second home to Anjali. It's where she met her best friends; it's her favorite spot for game and movie nights; and it's where she learned to play tabla. Anjali has so many happy memories there, but now the community center is closing! Unwilling to let the center shut down for good, Anjali is determined to keep the place open. S...

THE HOLE written by Lindsay Bonilla, illustrated by Brizida Magro Nancy Paulson Books, 2025 ISBN: 978-0-593-52914-0 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 A powerful story perfect for opening up conversations about loss What does it feel like to lose someone you love? For one little boy, it’s like he has a hole in his life. It’s in the bottom bunk, where his little brother, Matty, used to sleep, and it’s on his brother’s chair at dinner. It follows him everywhere until the day he decides to really explore it. Inside the hole he confronts his grief—the sadness, the anger, and the truth of how much he misses Matty. His friend is waiting when he climbs out, and when she asks, “Do you want to tell me about your brother?” he’s surprised to find that talking about Matty is a comfort—and helps fill his hole with good memories. REVIEW The Hole is a book th...

BITSY BAT, TEAM STAR written and illustrated by Kaz Windness Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025 ISBN: 978-1-6659-4755-8 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher from Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Bitsy meets a new nonspeaking student at school and learns the importance of being a star teammate and friend in this sequel to the “darling” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) Bitsy Bat, School Star from Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor–winning author-illustrator Kaz Windness. Bitsy Bat is a star student and the only fantastic flier at Crittercrawl Elementary…until a new nonspeaking student named Enzo Owl arrives and outflies her during recess. Bitsy worries her friends won’t think she’s special anymore, so she’s determined to beat Enzo in the upcoming Critter Games and prove she’s the better flier. But when her friend Mo needs help during the race, Bitsy must choose between winning and...

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR AMYGDALA written by Anna Housley Juster, illustrated by Cynthia Cliff Free Spirit Publishing, 2024 ISBN: 978-8-88554-373-6 Source: Media Masters Publicity & publisher for review Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Your amygdala keeps you safe, but what about when it gets things wrong ? This amusing training guide helps children learn to calm their amygdala and control their fight-flight-freeze impulses.   The amygdala is the brain’s alarm system that alerts for danger, but sometimes it gets things wrong and needs help calming down. In this picture book, young readers receive kid-friendly information about the amygdala from the amygdala, how it can sometimes get confused, and simple ideas to calm and train it.   The amygdala in How to Train Your Amygdala makes complicated concepts accessible to children so they can understand their bodies, practice impu...

  A NEWCOMER IN POCKETVILLE Monti and Leo #1 written and illustrated by Sylvie Kantorovitz Walker Books, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-5362-2277-7 Source: purchased Ages 6-9 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK A charming early reader in graphic form draws on the classic theme of friendship to show that being new—or different—doesn’t have to mean being lonely. Pocketville is a small town, set in its ways, and the arrival of a stranger causes a stir. Monti the mole is stunned one morning to find Leo the lizard hogging his special reading rock. When Monti visits the bakery and the library, he learns that the last cinnamon roll has been purchased, and the book he was waiting for has been checked out. What’s a fastidious mole to do? When Monti confronts Leo, the newcomer turns out to be agreeable in the extreme, and friendship is a given. Now to convince the town’s cantankerous baker, Ms. Sheep, to stop turnin...

  LET THE LIGHT IN written by Laurie Ann Thompson, illustrated by Adriana Predoi Worthy Kids, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-5460-0647-3 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 Help little ones move from sadness to brighter days with this hopeful and encouraging look at a universal emotion. It’s normal to feel sad, but for kids, sadness can often feel overwhelming and confusing. Let the Light In meets children in their moment of sadness and offers empathetic ideas on how to navigate it. Concrete and simple ideas include creative expression, going for a walk, paying attention to the world around them, and visiting a friend. Little ones will be left with the uplifting message that, whether it happens in big ways or small, all at once or over time, sadness will eventually fade, and better days will come. REVIEW This lovely little book with it's sweet rhymes and ...

  THE ELEPHANT AND THE SEA written and illustrated by Ed Vere Doubleday, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-525-58090-4 Source: Publisher through Blue Slip Media (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Blue Slip Media & Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK An inspiring, seafaring fable about a determined and brave elephant who reaches for his dreams, from New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Ed Vere. "There is only one thing I want to do . . . So I will do it!" Gabriel the elephant dreams of being part of the lifeboat crew in his seaside town, but he is too young, and too little. But soon, Gabriel grows up and he is too . . . BIG! Disappointed but undaunted, Gabriel makes a plan. He hammers and chops, saws and sands, and builds his very own boat. One night, a great storm hits, and it's Gabriel's time to shine, pulling his oars alone against the crashing waves to save a crew in peril. Young children wi...

  READY TO SOAR written and illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld Dial Books for Young Readers, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-593-69672-9 Source: purchased Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary are provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK From the New York Times bestselling author of The Rabbit Listened , a story of learning to stay true to yourself, rather than what others want you to be. Riley made a paper airplane and couldn’t wait to let it soar. But just before the plane could take off—SQUAWK. An eagle swoops in and insists Riley’s plane could never fly. It’s much too small. So Riley makes it bigger! But just as this bigger paper airplane is ready to go, a parrot squawks that the plane is way too boring to fly. So Riley makes it fancier! Bird after bird offers advice, and Riley tries making the airplane faster longer, taller, and slimmer. When the plane crashes to the ground after all these changes, Riley finally meets a more supportive ...

FINDING GRATEFUL by Dianne White, illustrated by Faith Pray Chronicle Books, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-7972-1123-7 Source: publisher for review Ages 3-6 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK  A heartfelt picture book that celebrates embracing the moment and finding gratitude right here, right now. What does grateful look like? How does it feel? How do you find it? Even in the face of a challenge, you don’t need a You just need to pay attention to the little things—a smile, a hug, the smell of newly cut grass—that add up to a sense of presence and hope.   With evocative, lyrical prose, this warmly illustrated children's book is a reminder to pause, reflect, and take in the glimmers of positivity and connection that can be found amid even the most difficult circumstances. Both a timely meditation on finding gratitude in everyday moments and a timeless ode to the simple joy of truly being present,...

THE WILD JOURNEY OF JUNIPER BERRY written by Chad Morris & Shelly Brown Shadow Mountain, 2023 ISBN: 978-1-63993-099-9 Source: ARC from publisher for review Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Juniper Berry knows how to handle bobcats, bears, and mountain lions, but can she survive the toughest predator of all—middle school? Eleven-year-old Juniper Berry lives with her family deep in the wild woods. Living off the grid is pretty exciting, but her happy life in the wild ends abruptly when her younger brother gets sick, and they move to the city to be closer to the hospital. Juniper and her older sister end up living with cousins they hardly know and attending public school for the first time, which is harder to navigate than the wild woods ever were. Juniper feels like a wolf cub separated from her pack. As the hospital bills for her brother start piling up, Juniper knows they’ll need...

THE BIG CHEESE The Food Group Series #7 written by Jory John and illustrated by Pete Oswald Harper, 2023 ISBN: 978-0-06-335517-0 Source: purchased Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com, book summary provided by publisher through Amazon.com. ABOUT THE BOOK The Big Cheese is the best at everything, and brags about it, too. When the annual Cheese-cathlon comes around, the Big Cheese is prepared to win, as always. But what happens when the quiet new kid, Wedge Wedgeman, comes out on top? Is a slice of humility all the Big Cheese needs to discover that some things are better than being the best?  Jory John and Pete Oswald serve up another heaping plate of laughs and lessons with this empowering, witty, and charming addition to their #1 New York Times bestselling series! REVIEW If you love picture books and haven't yet discovered Jory John's and Pete Oswald's Food Group series you have been missing out. I've ...

WILLOW AND BUNNY written by Anitra Rowe Schulte, illustrated by Christopher Denise Two Lions, 2023 ISBN: 978-1542025690 Source: Blue Slip Media/publisher Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, bios, & illustrations provided by Blue Slip Media & the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK From a Caldecott Honor winner and New York Times bestselling artist and a Christopher Award–winning author, a beautiful, heartfelt tale of friendship, community, and hope after a difficult experience. Bunny needs a new home. After a long journey, he meets Willow and knows he will be safe beneath her branches. Every day is theirs to share. Just Bunny and Willow, Willow and Bunny. Then, one evening, an angry spiral whips through the wood. Every creature in the forest runs to Willow for shelter. As the storm rages, Willow shields and protects them with all her might. But when the calm returns, Willow’s beautiful branches are tattered, twisted, and forever changed. Bunny and the other cre...

THE TOGETHER TREE by Aisha Saeed, illustrated by LeUyen Pham Salaam Reads, 2023 ISBN: 978-1-5344-6296-0 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK All Are Welcome meets Be Kind in this poignant and accessible picture book about the power every bystander—no matter how small—has to extend kindness and stand up in the face of intolerance. At his new school, quiet Rumi feels small and unwelcome, and a few kids bully him for being different and wearing bright shoes. He finds refuge beneath the old willow tree by the playground and builds his own world of hope and dreams of belonging. One day, when Rumi is made a target again, one of his classmates bravely steps in to defend him. It’s in that moment of solidarity Rumi’s class finally realizes that under the shade of the willow tree, all are welcome, and they create a space they can all play in—together. REVIEW T...

EVEN SUPERHEROES GET SCARED written by Shelly Becker, illustrated by Eda Laban Union Square Kids, 2022 ISBN: 978-1-4549-4342-6 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW In this rhyming companion to Even Superheroes Have Bad Days  and Even Superheroes Make Mistakes , a group of superheroes wrestle with their fears. The theme of overcoming one's fears by facing them down bravely and moving forward despite them is a worthy one for sharing with children. As long as children also understand that deep-seated phobias and anxieties, as well as other mental health concerns, require more than just willpower to overcome. The story provides a fun way to open the door to discussions about fear vs. anxiety, what real courage and bravery is, and that it helps to have others around to provide support. Laban's illustrations are charming and perfect for young readers who are really into superhero...

BITSY BAT, SCHOOL STAR by Kaz Windness Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2023 ISBN: 978-1-6659-0505-3 Source: F&G from publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW Kaz Windness's Bitsy Bat eagerly awaits her first day of school. She wants to be a star, but worries that she's not ready. She rehearses raising her wing, painting friends, and sharing snacks. As a bat, however, she can't sit like the other students, she paints with her feet, and no one wants her bug snacks. After having 'a five-star meltdown', Bitsy refuses to return to the school where she can't do anything the way the other students do. Thanks to her family's encouragement and her teacher's help, Bitsy comes up with an idea to show the students in her class the ways she does things and help them all show what makes them special. A note providing additional information about autism and a...