There is a long and storied tradition of bratty kids in children’s literature: Ramona B. Quimby, Max, basically every kid except Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And, of course, Junie B. Jones. Barbara Parks’ kindergarten heroine first entered the scene in 1992 and has graced 31 books, multiple stage plays, and a video game, even finding her way into Banned status in the early 2000s for not displaying good social values, poor grammar, and “mouthiness”. That by itself, in addition to being a straight up mood, could attract new readers to this legacy series. Now our kindergarten sass mouth is starring in her own graphic novel series from Penguin Random House, adapted by Colleen AF Venable and illustrated by Honie Beam. The first three books, Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business, and Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth, are already available and the fourth is expected September 2026.
All three graphics follow the original books closely with mild nods towards modernization (a fidget seat in Junie B.’s classroom and the appearance of a cell phone) but no real structural changes. Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus sees Junie B. on her first day of kindergarten and her dread over the too loud, too crowded, too much bus pushes her to hide in her school overnight with disastrous results. Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business has Junie B. get confused over the arrival of her new baby sibling and telling an oopsie lie about him being a monkey. Finally, Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth follows our main character dealing with an upcoming job day at school and realizing that she occasionally talks before she thinks things through.
Visually, the graphic is cute with a bright, animated art style and easy to follow panel flow. Beam adds fun, wavy cell borders when Junie B. is imagining wild scenarios and the book plays with different text styles for moments of emphasis. Venable sticks incredibly closely to the source material, in fact a little too closely.
I’m not sure this graphic does enough that’s different from the books. I mentioned nods towards modernization and they really are only nods. Venable didn’t leave room for changes in how contemporary children move through what is essentially a new world from what Junie B. inhabited. I’m not saying kids today can’t be “mouthy” or opinionated, there’s just something about this that feels out of step for me. Not only Junie B.’s behavior, but the reactions from the adults in her life seem really far removed from how kids today may behave. The books are filled with moments of Junie B. struggling or lashing out in a way that’s played for laughs, but reads as almost upset and none of the adults in the book seem to acknowledge or provide thoughtful help. I really wanted to like this -I love a mouthy, rude kid- but I finished feeling a little indifferent.
Junie B. is a hard character to like and that has always been part of her draw. She represents that main character part of us that remembers each questionable childhood moment or sees others having those same moments and can take a minute to laugh at them. Having these stories in a new format may introduce a new generation to their parent’s favorite sassy, mouthy rude kid. But, I suspect they’re going to meet her and not know what to do with her.
Junie B. Jones By Colleen AF Venable Art by Honie Beam Penguin Random House Viking Books for Young Readers, 202
Volume
ISBN
Junie. B. Jones and the Stinky Smelly Bus
9780593706701
Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business
9780593706718
Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth
9780593706725
Company Age Rating:Â 6-9
NFNT Age Recommendation: Easy Readers (5-9), Picture Books (3-8)
The town of Maple Hollow holds a special fondness for Halloween. Every October is marked with a lengthy celebration of the spooky season. There are nightly haunted hayrides, pumpkin carving contests and all manner of amusements! Indeed, there are only two people in Maple Hollow who don’t celebrate Halloween—the town’s dentists, Dr. and Dr. Hollowell. They see Halloween as the night all their hard work safeguarding the town’s smiles is ruined, thanks to all the trick-or-treating and the candy that comes with it.
To make matters worse, their daughter Holly Hollowell was born with a natural attraction to the Halloween holiday. She rejected plush toys in favor of a rubber spider and always dressed in orange and black. However, despite Holly’s well-researched arguments that there is more to Halloween than candy, her parents refuse to let her trick-or-treat or dress up. Indeed, they make her stay home on Halloween night while they go out to a dentist convention!
Thankfully, Holly’s wish that she might finally have the Halloween of her dreams is heard by the Spoops – the little spirits of Halloween who make the world a little bit more magical every autumn. With their help, Holly will make up for lost time. And, with a little bit of pumpkin spice, the Spoops just might help Holly’s parents see the magic of Halloween.
I will admit to some bias in my enjoyment of Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween. All Hallow’s Eve has always been my favorite holiday. I made it a point to dress up every year as a kid and I spent more than few Halloween’s during my misspent youth dressing up at The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Even now, I’m a cosplayer who dresses up enough that, while maybe not every day is Halloween, I certainly keep to the spirit of the season all year around. Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween will appeal to those of a similar bend.
This is the first graphic novel of voice actor A.J. Locascio. Hopefully it will not be his last, as he shows a tremendous talent for writing for children. His rhyme scheme evokes memories of Dr. Seuss and Clement Clarke Moore, though he avoids the silly words of the former. At first, I thought some of Locascio’s word usage might be a bit too advanced for the intended audience. Then again, since the point of children’s poetry is often to expand vocabulary along with horizons, I don’t think this is a huge problem.
The artwork by Laurie Conley is born of the same spirit. It calls back to classic Easy Reader books, with colorful pictures interspersed amid the text. In this case, however, the colors are all black, white, and orange. There are many subtle touches in the art, like Holly’s parents being dully monochrome amidst the colorful world around them. Holly in particular stands out from her dull home, thanks to her bright orange clothing. The Spoops themselves, it should be noted, are suitably designed, splitting the difference between eldritch and adorable.
Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween contains no adult content or cursing. The only thing I think might draw objections is the belief that Holly’s Halloween wish might equate to summoning demons or performing witchcraft. Then again, anyone who would make that argument is unlikely to read a book about Halloween spirits in the first place. Most, I think, will find this appropriate for its intended audience of 5–9-year-olds, though some young readers may need help with some of the words.
Spoops: The Little Spirits of Halloween By A.J. Locascio Art by Laurie Conley Top Shelf, 2025 ISBN: 9781603095617
Company Age Rating:Â 5-8 years
NFNT Age Recommendation: Easy Readers (5-9), Picture Books (3-8)
Imagine that you are in middle school and you are excited to go on a school field trip. But, things start to go wrong very quickly. Natalie Mariano, is attending Midway Middle School and is anxious about going on her trip. She feels her mom is a little bit over protective, especially if there is traffic, its too dark or its going to rain. Natalie is given a fieldtrip form that requires a signature from her parents and worries that her parents will not approve for her to go.
Natalie decides to do what she can to prove to her parents that she is reliable and trustworthy, but unfortunately, just before she rides her bike to her friend Zoe’s house, her mom tells her it is too dark. The next day to Natalie’s dismay, her bicycle is stolen and she experiences a setback to her plan of being responsible. Eventually after a long discussion, Natalie’s parents let her go to Philadelphia and Natalie is super excited.
During her field trip, Natalie is given a scavenger hunt assignment list that she has to fill out and complete. On her first day, Natalie visits the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Mutter Museum, which is filled with various scientific and anatomy body parts. Natalie has so much fun with her friends, she decides to stay up late, which causes them to be out of sorts the following morning. On the second day in Philadelphia, Natalie’s trip goes wrong very fast, especially when she is at Washington Square Park with her classmates. Shawn, the troublemaker, plays a prank on Natalie and tricks her into believing there is a snake next to her. In a panic, Natalie jumps up screaming and leaves her cellphone behind. While Natalie and her friend Fiona are visiting the Liberty Bell, Fiona discovers that her puppet sock Argyle is also missing. In a panic, the girls decide to backtrack through the city to find Natalie’s cell phone and Fiona’s puppet sock. The girls end up on a wild goose chase as they end up in various parts of Philadelphia, separated from their classmates and growing more hungry by the minute.
As the clock is winding down to the final hour for their school trip, Natalie finds herself in a panic and fears that she will be stuck in Philadelphia forever, being doomed to eat cardboard granola bars. Finally a brilliant idea pops up in Natalie’s mind, when she decides to follow the other tour groups back to their bus stop. While searching through all of the buses, they run into their annoying school mate, Shawn and find their teacher. Natalie tells her teacher about her wild adventure and her teacher offers to help her find her phone. Natalie and her teacher backtrack to Independence Hall, and thankfully Natalie is able to text her mom, even though the phone is on low battery. Thankfully, a schoolmate has found Fiona’s puppet sock.. So Natalie’s field trip ends on a happy note.
When Natalie returns to school, she remembers all of the places she had visited in Philadelphia, and despite not having her phone on her, is able to create drawings that document her adventures. The drawings are enough for her to earn raffle tickets and be entered into a drawing for a brand new bike. Natalie is super stoked for the drawing but discovers that she ends up winning a yo yo instead. The story ends up on a happy note, when Natalie’s friend Luca wins the drawing and the new bike and decides to give it to his friend Natalie, who needs the bicycle more than he does.
Although the recommended age group for this comic book series is for those aged 8-12, I would recommend this story for younger readers who are attending grades 3 thru 5. The comic book is drawn in a modern comic book style, with thick bold lines and colorful images, which makes it a delightful read for younger readers.
All is Nat Lost By Maria Scrivan Scholastic GRAPHIX, 2024 ISBN: 9781338890587
Clar Angkasa skilfully breathes new life into three traditional folktales from her native Indonesia, offering a fresh look from the perspective of her female characters. In these retellings, her female protagonists are the ones with power and agency as they defend and defeat attacks against them physically and psychologically.
The first story, “Keong Mas,” revolves around two competing princesses as they combat selfishness by employing magic and, over time, selflessness. When the proud one is turned into a snail and regretfully thrown away by her younger sister, she is rescued by a fisher woman who teaches the princess the meaning of compassion, friendship, and, ultimately, affection. This is done through flashbacks of the backstory and there is an element of mystery concerning the identity of the person transformed into the snail. The flashbacks are established with muted colours while the palate of most of this tale is primarily shades of purple and gold.
The second story follows two sisters as well, but in this case, they are younger, the best of friends, and stepsisters. Bawang Merah and Bawang Putih develop a deep attachment to each other as well as their individual stepparents, but when the mother dies, the beloved father becomes despondent and angry, so much so that he is dangerous to both of the girls. When they meet a helpful stranger in the forest, they are offered a pumpkin containing a fortune. This fortune does not ease their situation, but it does release them from the inertia and hopelessness of their father’s heartbreak. Along with the purples used in the first tale, this story is augmented with shades of green and brilliant reds.
“Timun Mas,” the final story, is about a young woman who is a healer and horticulturalist living by herself and selling her seeds and natural medicines in the market. One day, to her horror, she is confronted by a giant who commands her to plant a magic seed that will produce a “fruit” he will claim when he returns in 17 years. Reluctantly, she plants the seed in her garden and grows . . . a young baby from a cucumber plant. She names the child The Golden Cucumber, or Timun Mas. The years pass by much too quickly. But before her daughter’s seventeenth birthday, mother and daughter concoct a plan to defeat the giant and his plans. This story’s palate shines with shades of greens and browns.
All three tales celebrate the rural lush landscapes of Indonesia, local customs and traditions, and magical forces and strong female characters through the colourful, cartoon-like illustrations. The panels are bursting with flowing patterns, fonts, and dialogue, adding an additional dimension to the visual telling of the three tales. There is a feeling of joy interspersed with the danger of the situations the protagonists find themselves caught up in through, for the most part, no fault of their own. The swirling panels, the colours, and the expressive features of the characters all add to an enjoyable adventure for the reader.
In the author’s note following the three stories, Angkasa explains her rationale for reworking these particular tales, focusing on feminine matters and issues ahead of the masculine focus of the traditional tales. She briefly explains why these three stories were chosen for the book before providing the texts for the original folktales. As a storyteller I would have also appreciated definite source notes for these tales, but understand that she is providing the texts that she is familiar with herself.
Highly recommended for the intended readership of 8- to 12-year-olds as well as adult readers who enjoy a well adapted tale that, while including some familiar tropes and motifs, will possibly be new to them too. Perfect for school and public library folklore collections.
Stories of the Islands By Clar Angkasa Holiday House, 2023 ISBN: 9780823449781
Publisher Age Rating:Â 8-12 NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Middle Grade (7-11), Picture Books (3-8) Creator Representation:Â Indonesian Character Representation:Â Indonesian, Asexual
Readers familiar with the mishaps and misadventures of animal friends as written and illustrated by Andrew Cangelose and Josh Shipley will no doubt be excited to dive into this fourth installment in the series that started with This is a Taco! Part informational picture book, part comic, this hilarious hybrid tells the tale of forest baker Shelly the turtle’s attempts to teach baking apprentice Bucky the rabbit how to make a birthday cake. But of course, anyone who noticed the crossed-out “disaster” right on the front cover of the book knows this baking lesson is going to be anything but ordinary!
And that disaster ensues almost from the get-go, with main characters Bucky the rabbit and Shelly the turtle instantly at odds in their approaches to baking. As Bucky the rabbit speeds ahead without following proper baking instructions, and experienced baker Shelly the turtle taking it at a slower pace, adults and older kids reading aloud to younger readers may soon recognize why something about this feels familiar: it’s a clever reimagining of the classic fable, “The Tortoise and the Hare.”Â
As in the timeless tale, Bucky the rabbit’s belief that speed is equal to skill ends up being his biggest error. When he serves his cake at the party, the exaggerated expressions of disgust on the faces of his forest friends are proof that mistakes were definitely made. After all, it’s got to be quite a shock when you bite into a slice of dirt frosted with mud and sprinkled with acorns when you’re expecting tasty chocolate cake! But Shelly the turtle shows young readers that taking things slow and steady and following the recipe step by step will win the race save the party for all!
Kids will enjoy following along with the goofy antics sprinkled amongst real information, like brief references to the history of birthday cakes, and will likely want to give baking a try with their grown ups using the actual recipe outlined in the story.
Shipley’s illustrations are lively and sweet with a vibrant color palette. The pages and panels depicting the situations Bucky finds himself in have a whirlwind feel to them, full of speed and action, while Shelly’s quiet baking scenes have a gentle softness evocative of her character. Though it is technically the fourth in a series, This is a Birthday Cake works just as well as a standalone book for readers unfamiliar with the previous three books. It likely will entice those new to the series to go back and find the first three, though. Recommended for young readers who are making their first jump from picture books to beginner graphic novels, or who might still be reading together with an adult, this delightfully silly tale could be cataloged in either a graphic novel or a picture book collection.
This is a Birthday Cake (This is a …! bk 4) By Andrew Cangelose Art by Josh Shipley Oni Press, 2022 ISBN: 9781637150450
Publisher Age Rating:Â 4-8 NFNT Age Recommendation: Picture Books (3-8)
A great little book to flip through to teach little ones about minding their manners when receiving gifts. This 32-page mini hardcover is a speedy read, as the pages are filled mostly with simple pictures and not a lot of text.
A friend comes over to visit his buddy rolling a big blue suitcase full of the most perfect gifts he can think of to give someone who is very hard to shop for. The buddy proceeds to eat every gift he’s given as soon as he receives it, even the gift wrapped beautiful little green box is consumed before it’s even opened. There is a moment of panic when the buddy picks up his visitor friend and we aren’t sure if he’s going to be the next one to join the gifts in the gift receiver’s belly. Instead comically, he gives his friend a big thank you kiss and offers him a piping hot peppermint tea. All is well and the two happily sit down together to have a nice visit.Â
This is a very short read with a rough artistic style of drawings. Each page has the same style layout with a single full page square panel showing one sequential step in the story. The book is in full color, but has a simple color scheme of mostly blues, which works well to make things like the pink bow on the wrapped green gift really pop in comparison to the drab colors of his home.Â
Overall, this is a cute little story, and certainly a cute sized book. However, it really can be read in one to two minutes, it’s not dense in text, so it is very quick to flip through the story, even when reading through this with a small child. However, this could certainly be a useful tool to educate children on how to be polite when receiving gifts for any parent or the perfect lesson starter for a teacher. It’s short, simple, and has that little bit of humor that would be ideal for leading into a more serious discussion on sharing and gift giving. I would recommend it to be used as a tool to educate children rather than as a book to simply read through, and it would be best for the younger end of the recommended age range, unless it’s going to be used as a quick lesson starter (it would be an excellent resource for this).Â
Perfect Presents! By Anke Kuhl Gecko Press, 2023 ISBN: 9781776574995
Publisher Age Rating:Â 4-10 NFNT Age Recommendation: Picture Books (3-8)
Really Bird promises to deliver surprise twists, high drama, and a lot of laughs, but it falls flat.
This story begins with an introduction of our three main characters. Really Bird, our protagonist who really wants to be first and his friends, Pup, and Cat. They banter back and forth through a couple of different scenarios like climbing up a tree. This situation is pretty unfair to Pup, the dog, who isn’t not only not good at climbing, but he’s terrified about being up on top of a tree. Really Bird has Cat help Pup down and then Cat celebrates herself for helping Pup. Pup is the only polite and considerate character in this book, as we see him say thank you to Cat for helping him down from the tree that he was peer pressured to climb up.Â
Next, we see the characters argue about who was first on the ground. This short story concludes with Really Bird declaring that he was first, and that he is going to be the leader to take them all home. Really Bird wraps up this tale by happily announcing that he wanted to be first today and he was.Â
This was a very poorly written book. It delivers a terrible message to young readers and fails to hold your attention despite it being such a quick read. I read this to my child and he was bored and confused with the ending. Additionally, I wish that the text used a consistent sentence case for young readers to see correctly written English, however many words or letters are capitalized when they are not part of a name or a title, for example “OKay” or “Today I really REALLY want to be First”. This may be providing a poor example for the children that this book is designed for to start learning correct sentence structure.
The artwork is very cute. The style is sure to please any child from the beginning inside cover showing our three main characters walking into the story, to the three of them leaving together on the back cover. The drawings are simple, cute and have a bright color theme throughout. This is a picture book, so there are no panels or typical graphic novel page organization. Lastly, the text is a cute, but a large and easy to read font.Â
Overall, this book shows selfish characters getting what they want, an example of peer pressuring a friend into a dangerous situation, and celebrating getting to be first. The lesson for children to take away from this story is unclear, perhaps it’s that being first is the best? On the back cover it states that, “Really Bird adventures deliver surprise twists, high drama, and a lot of laughs. Friendship and emotional learning are at the heart of every book.” I missed where there was a plot twist, as the plot was completely predictable, there were absolutely no jokes or obvious humor, and I hope that children don’t learn anything about how to treat others in friendship from the examples in this book. As an avid reader, mother, and librarian, I have read thousands of picture books and this one unfortunately, I couldn’t possibly recommend.Â
I Really Want to Be First!: A Really Bird Story Vol. 1 By Harriet Ziefert Art by Travis Foster OtherRed Comet Press, 2022 ISBN: 9781636550183
This colorful graphic novel, a blend of beginning chapter book and picture book, opens with the ringing of an old-style cordless phone in a house in the woods. Tess, a little Black girl, hurries over to the house of her friend Anna, a white girl with a sweep of knee-length red hair.
Anna has heard that bees are in trouble and wants to help them, but Tess is kinda scared of bees! But Anna doesn’t have time to listen to her friend and drags her outside, along with her cat Tiger, to hastily plant some flower seeds, then fall asleep waiting for them to grow…
The next thing they know, they’ve shrunk in size. They meet Maple, a gnome with a pointed red hat and Asian features. Anna is thrilled to go on an adventure and explore with their new friend May, but Tess isn’t so sure it’s a good idea. Will Anna start listening to her friend or will Tess have to stand up for herself? And will they ever get home—and back to their right size again?
The art is definitely a draw here, with vibrantly colored flowers and lush greens popping off the page. Even the gnomes show a diversity of skin colors and all are drawn with the same, simple rectangular-shaped body. Various creatures appear on the pages, from spiders to foxes, and readers who like miniature items will be delighted by the cozy details of the gnomes’ underground dwelling.
There is an attempt at a gentle lesson, with Anna learning to listen to her friend Tess, but Tess is still somewhat stereotyped as the sidekick with Anna as the main character. On the one hand, Black girls are often portrayed as extroverts and quieter Tess breaks stereotypes in that way. On the other hand, she’s still not the main character in the story and even when exuberant Anna is apologizing, she still makes herself the center of attention. I would love to see a sequel with Tess as the main character.
This makes a sweet read-aloud or a gentle and engaging story for readers ready for simple chapters and those who enjoy nature, imagination, and detailed art. Fans of Poppy & Sam or the Moomins will enjoy this quiet story.
The Flower Garden By Renee Kurilla Abrams Amulet, 2022 ISBN: 9781419750205
Publisher Age Rating: ages 6-9
NFNT Age Recommendation: Easy Readers (5-9), Picture Books (3-8)
This collection of gentle, thoughtful stories paired with skillful watercolors will be visually appealing to certain audiences.
The first story is titled simply “Here.” With a burgundy leaf and a swipe of rich brown the reader is introduced to Tiny Fox who lives happily alone under an apple tree. Then Great Boar appears and Tiny Fox has to learn to share, but it is only when they are separated at the end of the chapter that Tiny Fox comes to appreciate his new companion. In the following brief stories, “Together,” “Apart,” and “There,” the two experience the beauties of autumn and the cold and hunger of winter, Together they find the courage to travel to find new adventures.
Tiny Fox’s coloring changes from pale browns to rich orange, but Great Boar retains his reddish brown hue throughout the story. Their comparative sizes vary; on the cover, Tiny Fox sits daintily on Great Boar’s snout, but throughout the story he appears at only a fraction of Great Boar’s size, curled in a disconsolate ball, or trotted cautiously behind his new friend. Great Boar, shown with a scattering of bristles and a fang-like tusk, trots about on short, stubby legs, but nevertheless is able to scale a tree, roll down a hill, and curl up comfortingly beside Tiny Fox.
There is no translator listed, although the text appears to have been translated from the Polish; an edition was also published in Spanish in 2021. Besides the illustration for a picture book, That Night, A Monster, this appears to be the first appearance of award-winning artist Kolomycka in a mainstream US press. The beginning of each story has text boxes with simple explanatory sentences, explaining that Tiny Fox is happy alone, that winter is coming and it is cold. The large panels and full-page spreads transition to smaller panels, sometimes wordless, showing the two friends navigating the seasonal challenges and quietly discussing whether they should leave their apple tree, where to find food, and which direction they want to travel in. Only one other creature, an owl, appears near the end of the story to offer advice after they quarrel. Both Tiny Fox and Great Boar use male pronouns.
There’s a gentle humor in the illustrations of Great Boar and Tiny Fox rolling down a hill, their wary, sidewise glances, and their scrambling attempts to climb a tree, but this is more of a gentle story of friendship and the changing seasons. Readers who are more familiar and comfortable with the raucous humor of Dog Man or the clear-cut art and brief text of beginning graphic novels like Cranky Chicken and Narwhal and Jelly are unlikely to be drawn towards this more European conception of comic art, but those who enjoy quieter, more reflective stories and the slow passage of seasons will find this a restful and satisfying story.
Hand this to young readers who enjoy the variety of art styles seen in Toon Books or the quirkier stories of Graphic Universe. This would also pair well with units on art styles and watercolors and the timeless, philosophical story will appeal to some older readers as well.
Tiny Fox and Great Boar, vol 1: There By Berenika Kolomycka Oni Press, 2022 ISBN: 9781637150207
Get ready to race alongside the Glam Prix Racers! This beginning graphic novel, first in a trilogy written by Deanna Kent with art by Neil Hoosan, is a rip-roaring fun time in a sparkly, candy colored world made up of magical creatures and their very animated cars.
The story kicks off with our announcer, Zyah, showing us the map of the worlds where the Glam Prix is raced. We meet who we’ll be rooting for, the titular Glam Prix Racers, ten teammates who work in pairs together to score the final prize, the Glam Prix Cup. Each team of two is introduced via their skill measurement bars, along with their motto. It’s a quick, memorable introduction to the characters and works well for younger readers who will want to flip back to remember who is the best at what.
Before the race itself can kick off, all team members must check in at headquarters by a certain time or else their entire team will be disqualified. Things really get moving as Mio and Mudwick go up against the clock, a swarm of bubblebees, and mysterious gears on the ocean’s floor to make it to headquarters on time. Once everyone is checked in, Queen Tallulah introduces all the teams participating and lays out the details for the race ahead of them.
The Glam Prix Racers quickly realize winning this season of racing might not be as easy as expected when they meet their newest rivals, the Vroombot Crew. This team of mischievous robots, led by a tiny mastermind, has evil plans to destroy the chances of their opposition and are our heroes’ main foes. There is one member of the Vroombot Crew who really just wants to dance it out, which is a fun running gag through the book.
As the first race of the season begins, readers find more of this magical world coming to life as the racers drive into the Fancy Forest. Coming in first place time wise isn’t a guaranteed win in these races. Teams must also complete side quests along the way. These side quests bring even more characters into the world, including a confused ogre, excitable glittershrooms, and extremely irritated hangry monsters. The introduction of the side quests also give the story more detail, so readers aren’t just reading along with a simple race against the clock.
Even with this race finished, the Vroombots promise their revenge, setting readers up for another visit to the Glam Prix Racers world. At its heart, this story is about teamwork and how friendship can help you always win. Young readers who enjoy playing Mario Kart will find themselves drawn to this enchanting world, as will ones who appreciate a story about working together or ones with fantastical creatures of all sorts. There’s even a fun hidden gnome search at the end of the book, giving readers the chance to go back through the world all over again!
Kent’s writing is silly and fun without being too saccharine and works well with Hoosan’s colorful, bubbly art. The color palette fluctuates with each new challenge the racers face. There’s some great work with darkness and shadows in the spookier parts of the story. The characters jump off the page and will certainly inspire some readers to give drawing them themselves a shot.
Fans of stories with adventure, fantasy worlds, and friendship will find an exciting read in Glam Prix Racers and will find themselves ready to follow the team as they start their next adventure.
Glam Prix Racers Vol. 1 By Deanna Kent Art by Neil Hoosan Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2021 ISBN: 9781250265388
NFNT Age Recommendation: Easy Readers (5-9), Picture Books (3-8)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And, of course, Junie B. Jones. Barbara Parks’ kindergarten heroine first entered the scene in 1992 and has graced 31 books, multiple stage plays, and a video game, even finding her way into Banned status in the early 2000s for not displaying good social values, poor grammar, and “mouthiness”. That by itself, in addition to being a straight up mood, could attract new readers to this legacy series. Now our kindergarten sass mouth is starring in her own graphic novel series from Penguin Random House, adapted by Colleen AF Venable and illustrated by Honie Beam. The first three books, Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business, and Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth, are already available and the fourth is expected September 2026.
The town of Maple Hollow holds a special fondness for Halloween. Every October is marked with a lengthy celebration of the spooky season. There are nightly haunted hayrides, pumpkin carving contests and all manner of amusements! Indeed, there are only two people in Maple Hollow who don’t celebrate Halloween—the town’s dentists, Dr. and Dr. Hollowell. They see Halloween as the night all their hard work safeguarding the town’s smiles is ruined, thanks to all the trick-or-treating and the candy that comes with it.
very quickly. Natalie Mariano, is attending Midway Middle School and is anxious about going on her trip. She feels her mom is a little bit over protective, especially if there is traffic, its too dark or its going to rain. Natalie is given a fieldtrip form that requires a signature from her parents and worries that her parents will not approve for her to go.
Clar Angkasa skilfully breathes new life into three traditional folktales from her native Indonesia, offering a fresh look from the perspective of her female characters. In these retellings, her female protagonists are the ones with power and agency as they defend and defeat attacks against them physically and psychologically.
Readers familiar with the mishaps and misadventures of animal friends as written and illustrated by Andrew Cangelose and Josh Shipley will no doubt be excited to dive into this fourth installment in the series that started with 
A great little book to flip through to teach little ones about minding their manners when receiving gifts. This 32-page mini hardcover is a speedy read, as the pages are filled mostly with simple pictures and not a lot of text.
This colorful graphic novel, a blend of beginning chapter book and picture book, opens with the ringing of an old-style cordless phone in a house in the woods. Tess, a little Black girl, hurries over to the house of her friend Anna, a white girl with a sweep of knee-length red hair.
This collection of gentle, thoughtful stories paired with skillful watercolors will be visually appealing to certain audiences.
by Neil Hoosan, is a rip-roaring fun time in a sparkly, candy colored world made up of magical creatures and their very animated cars. 
