CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS, MIDDLE GRADE, YOUNG ADULT
Finding Muchness
How to Add More Life to Life Kobi Yamada, Charles Santoso (Illustrator) Compendium (JUN 29) Hardcover $14.95 (48pp) 978-1-970147-43-8
An adorable duckling imparts bite-sized lessons in this picture book about getting the most out of life. Meticulous grayscale illustrations—with the exception of the duckling’s yellow beak and feet— use rings of tree stumps to portray the potential fruits of imagination cut short by worry, while a bed of heart-shaped leaves supports the lesson: “If in doubt, love more.” Heartfelt and heartwarming, there is no age limit on the advice in these pages.
All the Fish in the World
David Opie, Peter Pauper Press (AUG 1) Hardcover $16.99 (32pp), 978-1-4413-3578-4
A curious mudskipper seeks a single definition of what a fish is, knowing that he’s outside of the norm of others’ expectations himself. Illustrations awash in innumerable examples of underwater biodiversity validate his curiosity: “fish” is an umbrella under which a vast and varied number of creatures swim! Educational and enchanting, this busy picture book does an excellent job of introducing curious young readers to the wide world just beneath the water’s surface.
Amazing Animals of the World
Sabina Konecna, Zuzana Dreadka Kruta (Illustrator) Albatros Media (JUL 27) Hardcover $12.95 (40pp) 978-800005930-3
Come one, come all to this delightful display of some of the animal kingdom’s quirkiest members. Set up like an old-fashioned circus revealing its oddities, the book mixes scientific facts with expressive, cartoonish characters, keeping even tarantulas and blobfish from being too scary or unbecoming. From an armadillo with a dashing top hat to a tattooed goblin shark, kids and their helpers alike will be charmed by this educational title.
Daisy Runs Wild
Caz Goodwin, Ashley King (Illustrator) Little Hare Books (JUL 1) Hardcover $15.99 (32pp) 978-1-76050-305-5
Daisy the koala is back with her dapper friend and owner, Jasper, in this wild romp with a subtle lesson about not making assumptions. Daisy is lazy, preferring to ride in the special contraption Jasper built for her. When she takes off running through town, Jasper is desperate to figure out what’s wrong—if he can catch her. Daisy is a splash of gray in a luminous world as she causes chaos and frustration, but all is forgiven once the cause is revealed.
Harley the Hero
Peggy Collins, Pajama Press (JUN 22) Hardcover $17.95 (32pp) 978-1-77278-195-3
Ms. Prichard’s class has the reputation for being the best in the school thanks to Harley, the service dog who helps her to feel safe. Among students of all backgrounds and abilities, Harley is a calming force. He helps the children learn about respect, boundaries, and listening—and when an emergency strikes, he’s ready to leap into action and assist. The detailed illustrations will reward attentive eyes in this bright picture book about accepting and celebrating each other’s differences.
I Am the Subway
Kim Hyo-eun, Deborah Smith (Translator) Scribble (AUG 3) Hardcover $18.99 (60pp), 978-1-950354-65-8
A bestselling Korean picture book is translated to bring this entrancing tale of “the unique lives of strangers you might never meet again” to a new audience. Told from the perspective of the Seoul subway, the story peels back layers on the people who board, reminding us that everyone we encounter has a story we don’t know. Bewitching watercolor illustrations invite lingering as they present stampedes to the ticket stiles, abalone diving, and the golden light of late afternoon stretched over sleepy faces.
It Could Be Worse
Einat Tsarfati, Candlewick (JUN 29) Hardcover $17.99 (40pp), 978-1-5362-1791-9
As if being stuck on a broken bit of ship isn’t bad enough: Albertini is lost at sea with George, the most optimistic castaway in history. George is unfazed by mermaids’ earworms, fish waste falling from the sky, and rain clouds concentrated just above their heads. Pursued by ghost pirates and chased into the sea, these two adventurers finally find a way to coexist in this bubbly, bumbly, color-washed, giggle-inducing story about surviving disaster with your sanity intact.
Marty
Rachel Noble, Zoey Abbott (Illustrator), Holiday House (JUL 6) Hardcover $17.99 (32pp), 978-0-8234-4662-9
Marty, a curious green Martian, observes human beings from a safe distance, donning costumes to blend in. But hiding who you are leads to a lonely existence, as Marty soon learns—though attention because he’s different isn’t desirable, either! A child who’s been watching Marty, too, offers him friendship and a home, and the invitation is irresistible. This is a heartwarming story about accepting others for who they are, no strings attached; it celebrates the fun that ensues when you do.