Encouraging.
Children expound on how their brains make them special.
On “share day” at school, Nova nervously reveals that she has epilepsy. Seizures, which Nova calls “brain sparkles,” make her stutter and shake, and “it feels like you can’t see and can’t talk.” Teacher Robin explains that all brains are different, but some are “especially unique.” She adds, “That uniqueness is called neurodivergence, which absolutely can cause challenges but also creates cool strengths.” Nova’s classmates share their own experiences. Isaac, who’s autistic, tends to focus heavily on interests such as flowers; Phoenix’s ADHD makes it hard for her to sit still, but running helps calm her “swirling” thoughts—and her speed is impressive. Teacher Robin—whose obsessive-compulsive disorder keeps the classroom tidy—names various neurodivergent celebrities, including gymnast Simone Biles and soccer player David Beckham. Cheered, Nova realizes brains are “all…magic. We love our brains, and we want to make sure they’re happy.” While some dialogue feels stilted, Nova’s classmates’ banter adds humor, and the positive tone will inspire many neurodivergent readers to find their own “superpowers.” Katstaller’s big-eyed cartoon illustrations vividly express the distinctive personalities of Nova and her classmates. Nova and her family are light-skinned, Teacher Robin presents Black, and the class is diverse. In an author’s note, Bell mentions that her protagonist is based on her own daughter, who was also diagnosed with epilepsy.
Encouraging. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781665906753
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees.
After Duncan finds his crayons gone—yet again—letters arrive, detailing their adventures in friendship.
Eleven crayons send missives from their chosen spots throughout Duncan’s home (and one from his classroom). Red enjoys the thrill of extinguishing “pretend fires” with Duncan’s toy firetruck. White, so often dismissed as invisible, finds a new calling subbing in for the missing queen on the black-and-white chessboard. “Now everyone ALWAYS SEES ME!…(Well, half the time!)” Pink’s living the dream as a pastry chef helming the Breezy Bake Oven, “baking everything from little cupcakes…to…OTHER little cupcakes!” Teal, who’s hitched a ride to school in Duncan’s backpack, meets the crayons in the boy’s desk and writes, “Guess what? I HAVE A TWIN! How come you never told me?” Duncan wants to see his crayons and “meet their new friends.” A culminating dinner party assembles the crayons and their many guests: a table tennis ball, dog biscuits, a well-loved teddy bear, and more. The premise—personified crayons, away and back again—is well-trammeled territory by now, after over a dozen books and spinoffs, and Jeffers once more delivers his signature cartooning and hand-lettering. Though the pages lack the laugh-out-loud sight gags and side-splittingly funny asides of previous outings, readers—especially fans of the crayons’ previous outings—will enjoy checking in on their pals.
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622360
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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