BOO! BAA! LA LA LA!
written/illus. by Sandra Boynton, (Little Simon, $5.99, July 2021, ISBN 978-1-5344-5283-1), 16p, Ages 1-3

Now in board book format, little ones will enjoy the adventures of a silly cow on one moonlit night in Autumn. “On Halloween, the cow says BOO. / She likes that word. It’s something new.” When she hears an answer of “BAA!” she wonders who it could be and calls out again, only to hear more voices answering “BAA!” with a quack, meow, cluck bow wow, and neigh. As she climbs to the top of the highest mountain, imagine her surprise at the number of friends wishing her a “Happy Halloween to YOOOU!” Little ones will love this gentle, non-scary, sweet story for the holidays.
        Themes: Adventure, Animals, Friendship, Holidays, Series
Other Books in the Series: Eek Halloween | Spooky Pookie

HERE COMES FALL!
written by Susan Kantor, Illus. by Katya Longhi, (Little Simon, $7.99, August 2021, ISBN 978-1-5344-8293-7), 26p, Ages 2+

“Here comes fall, all red and gold, / say goodbye to summer’s green.” When Autumn arrives, woodland friends enjoy the best of the season with cooler days, cozy sweaters, apples picked from trees, pumpkins to carve, leaves to jump in, frosty windows, and fun bedtime books read aloud. Little ones will enjoy the frolicking and fun that comes with this long-awaited special season.
        Themes: Adventure, Animals, Friendship, Seasons

GOOD NIGHT, GOOD NIGHT
written/illus. by Sandra Boynton, (Little Simon, $17.99, Sept. 2021, ISBN 978-1-5344-9974-4), 40p, Ages 3-5

First published in 1982 under the title, The Going to Bed Book, this longer version will more than entertain a new generation of little ones with its assorted crew of animals at sea as they prepare for bed.

They go below deck, “to take a bath / in one big tub / with soap all over— / SCRUB SCRUB SCRUB!” Hanging their towels up, they find their jammies, brush their teeth (“With some on top and some beneath”), then head back up to the deck to exercise. Finally, they head to bed (“some at the foot, / some at the head.”) and are serenaded by two imaginary bunnies with a jaunty song of playing in the mud. As the lights are turned off, the ocean gently rocks them to sleep. Little ones will love this motley crew of colorful animals working together with their cute bedtime routine.
        Themes: Adventure, Animals, Bedtime, Friendship, Rhythm & Rhyme

THE MORE THE MERRIER
written by David Martin, illus. by Raissa Figueroa, (Candlewick Press, $17.99, June 2021, ISBN 978-1-5362-0918-1), 40p, Ages 3-6

“HEY, HEY, here comes Bear— / Over rocks, under trees. / Kicking feet, bending knees. / Stepping high, stepping low. / Stepping fast, stepping slow.” High-stepping Moose, wiggling Snake, and leaping Deer join in the fun and joyfully dance through the forest until they meet Owl (“I like your moves. But I’m not like you. So I’ll just do what I can do.”), who performs aerial flights above them. When Baby Mouse and his friends join in, it’s singing, chirping, cheeping, barking, and peeping until they all collapse in a heap fast asleep.

Little ones will love the musical fun and can sing and dance along with their own song as they join the woodland animals having the time of their lives.
        Themes: Animals, Friendship, Humor, Rhythm & Rhyme

BEAR CAN’T WAIT (The Bear Books)
written by Karma Wilson, illus. by Jane Chapman, (Margaret K. McElderry Books, $17.99, March 2021, ISBN 978-1-4814-5975-4), 40p, Ages 3-6

In this latest entry into The Bear Books series, Bear and his friends, Gopher, Mouse, and Mole, are planning a surprise party for their friend Hare. All through the baking, decorating, and wrapping presents, “Bear frets and he fiddles. / He wiggles and he twiddles, / since the bear can’t wait!” In his impatience, Bear accidentally trips and squishes the cake, and more ingredients are needed. “There’s much to be done. / Hurry, Bear, RUN! / And the bear doesn’t wait!” Kids will enjoy this tale of a loveable bear trying to correct his mistakes and deal with his impatience.
        Themes: Animals, Bears, Friendship, Humor, Rhythm & Rhyme, Series
Other Books in the Series: Bear Snores On | Bear Wants More | Bear Feels Scared | Bear’s New Friend | Bear’s Loose Tooth | Bear Can’t Sleep | Bear Stays Up for Christmas

TIME FOR SCHOOL, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
written by Alice Schertle, illus. by Jill McElmurry, (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $18.99, June 2021, ISBN 978-0-358-41224-3), 32p, Ages 3-6

One morning while driving down the road with his friend toad, they meet a yellow school bus taking many of Blue’s friends to school. Wishing that he could be a school bus too, Blue proceeds down the road until they see a friend crying, “Oink! Oink! I’m late! I missed the bus! I overslept!” Being a brave, helpful, and good friend, Blue offers Piggy the perfect solution. Although his creative path to school is an ingenious adventure, Blue learns that he is just important as the big yellow school bus. Kids will love Blue’s bumpy, splashy, wet ride through the woods where no school bus has ever gone before.
        Themes: Adventure, Friendship, Machines, Rhythm & Rhyme, Series Other Books in the Series: Little Blue Truck | Little Blue Truck Leads the Way | Good Night, Little Blue Truck | Little Blue Truck’s Christmas | Little Blue Truck’s Halloween | Little Blue Truck’s Springtime | Little Blue Truck’s Valentine | Little Blue Truck’s Beep-Along Book

TURKEY GOES TO SCHOOL #5 (Turkey Trouble series)
written by Wendi Silvano, illus. by Lee Harper, (Two Lions, August 2021, $17.99, ISBN 978-1542023641), 40p, Ages 3-7

Along with the farm children, Max and Millie, Turkey and the farm animals are anticipating the first day of school. “Each day Turkey got his pals to practice their school skills so they’d be ready. They wrote their names … counted corn kernels … read stories … and even tried out recess games.” To their dismay when the day arrives, they are booted off the school bus, not allowed into school, and told to stay on the farm.

Undaunted, Turkey disguises himself as a backpack, a book, cafeteria worker, and a soccer ball, but nothing works until he presents an idea to the principal that she can’t refuse. Kids will love the creative puns and animals sounds of Turkey singing, “Farmer Jake, he had a farm. E-I-E-I-O. And on that farm he had a … TURKEY. E-I-E-I-O.”
Themes: Adventure, Animals, Friendship, Humor, Series
Other Books in the Series: Turkey Trouble | Turkey Trick or Treat | Turkey’s Eggcellent Easter | Turkey Claus

LITTLE BAT AT NIGHT SCHOOL
written/illus. by Brian Lies, (Houghton Mifflin Books, June 2021, $14.99, ISBN 978-0-358-26984-7), 32p, Ages 4-7

With his yellow floaties and backpack stuffed with crayons, water bottle, pencil sharpener, glue stick and critter snack, Little Bat finally arrives at night school and meets his teacher, a raccoon named Mrs. C. When rebuffed by two other bats in the classroom, Little Bat hides in the closet where he meets Ophelia, the opossum, hanging upside down. Their friendship grows and the rest of the night improves as he meets the other nocturnal classmates.

They all enjoy show-and-tell, learn their numbers, enjoy art projects, snack time (Ophelia states, “This is delicious—my mama found it on the road. Want some?”), quiet down for rest time, and listen to Mrs. C read a story. All in all, Little Bat’s first night school turned out fine when he listened, acted with kindness, and made new playmates. Kids will love the show-and-tell items, rest time pockets, and the racetrack.
        Themes: Adventure, Animals, Friendship, Humor, Serie
Others in the Series: Bats at the Beach | Bats at the Library | Bats in the Band | Bats at the Ballgame

MOVE THAT MOUNTAIN
written by Kate & Jol Temple, illus. by Terri Rose Baynton, (Kane Miller Publishers, $12.99, 2021, ISBN 978-1-68464-293-9), Ages 4-8

Continuing the storyline from Room on the Rock (2019), the authors present another two-sides-to-every-story featuring a beached whale and tiny puffins who try to return it to the ocean. Read from front to back the puffins try everything they can think of the move the huge whale, but ultimately decide, “We can’t move that mountain / So it’s madness to think / We can make it budge / We can make it shrink.” When the story is read in reverse, the puffins find a positive way to return the whale to the sea by working together. “We can make it shrink / We can make it budge / So it’s madness to think / We can’t move that mountain.” Using the same words in reverse, a negative story cleverly becomes a positive one with teamwork and persistence that readers and listeners will love, especially the beautiful illustrations.
Themes: Animals, Concept, Oceans, Nature, Values

THE CHILDREN’S MOON
written by Carmen Agra Deedy, illus. by Jim LaMarche, (Scholastic Press, October 2021, $17.99, ISBN 978-1-338-21639-4), 40p, 4-8

In this delightful tale, Carmen Agra Deedy explains why sometimes the moon is seen during the day. “There one was a time when the sun alone ruled the day, the moon graced the night, and little children were put firmly to bed before sunset.” Since children were sent to bed early, they had no chance to see the moon rise, and likewise the moon never saw the children.

One dawn the moon heard children’s laughter that sounded like silver bells and begged the sun to see them but was rebuffed. “You know the rules. The day is mine. The night is yours.” When the sun boasts of how beautiful the lakes, jungles, rivers, and cities are during the light of day, the moon counters with the beauty of the moonflowers, aurora borealis, nocturn animals, and the gorgeous stars, which are suns like him. Find out how the sun has a change of mind, relents, and agrees to the moon’s plan of working together to experience each other’s beautiful world. Information at the conclusion includes interesting facts about the moon, its phases, solar eclipses, and its legends. Kids will love the illustrations are spectacular.
        Themes: Folk Tales, Friendship, Humor

THE PEPPERSTORM
written by Rafael Ordóñez, illus. by Marifa Morea, translated by Laura Victoria Fielden, (NubeOcho 2021, $15.95, ISBN 978-84-17673-80-2), 44p, Ages 4-8

“The jungle is home to many elephants. Many mice live there as well. Elephants live a happy life in the jungle. They eat and they sleep without a care in the world.” Mice, on the other hand, do not lead happy lives. They are always troubled by the elephants’ wandering feet that might stomp on them as well as their falling piles dung. The mice decide to hatch a simple and well thought out plan to triumph over the careless elephants and teach them an unforgettable lesson. Called the Pepperstorm, (tormenta de pimiento in the original Spanish edition), the strategy involved bats, spicy pepper, sneezing, pepper-red trunks, and the fleeing of the elephants. Kids will enjoy this delightful tale of why elephants are afraid of mice today along with lessons of considering others and living in safety.
Themes: Adventure, Animals, Humor, Values

THE SPECKLED FEATHER
written/illus. by Johanna Ries, translated by David Henry Wilson, (NorthSouth Books, May 2021, $17.95, ISBN 978-0-7358-4447-6), 40p, 5-8years

“Elephants live in the savanna. They are so big and gray that you can see them from miles away. But if you dare to go closer you will realize that someone else is there too . . .” Three birds, Ade, Emem, and Nuru share space on top of an elephant, where they are safe from predators, feed off the insects on the elephant’s skin, and live in harmony. One day a strong gust of wind blows a beautiful red speckled feather toward the elephant and Ade quickly grabs it, boasts that it belongs to her, and their peaceful existence ends. Tired of their constant bickering and arguing, Elephant demands that they get rid of the feather or leave him forever. Now on their own, danger approaches and they finally realize that friendship and their lives mean more than a feather. All should enjoy the beautiful illustrations in the translation from German.
        Themes: Animals, Countries & Cultures, Friendship

EINSTEIN: The Fantastic Journey of a Mouse through Space and Time (Mouse Adventure Series)
written/illus. by Torben Kuhlmann, (NorthSouth Books, Sept. 2021), 128p, Ages 7-11

A very adventurous and inventive mouse marks the days to “The biggest cheese fair the world has ever seen.” Using a human pocket watch and calendar, he measures the passing days, but upon arrival at the fair, he discovers that it was held the day before. Extremely disappointed, the little fellow determines to find a way to turn back time. And so, his journey begins.

Inquiries lead him to a mouse clockmaker and the Swiss Patent Office where a certain “physicist and later winner of the Nobel Prize Albert Einstein worked here from 1902 until 1909”. There, he finds a copy of Einstein's Theory of General Relativity and begins calculations to assemble a time machine. Complications set in when he miscalculates and ends up in 1905, where he meets in certain young patent clerk, with a bushy mustache. Using a series of riddles about the relationship between space and time, he communicates with Einstein to calculate the formulas for his return trip to the future. Is he successful? Find out in this outstanding time-travelling adventure of a determined little mouse, his clever inventions, and encounter with an employee of the Swiss Patent Office who turned the world upside down.

Closing chapters present an overview of Albert Einstein’s life and his thinking about relativity and time travel. Kids will love the outstanding illustrations of a small mouse and his adventures of a lifetime.
         Themes: Adventure, Animals, Famous People, Heroes, Historical Fiction, Inventions, Science Fiction, Series

THE HEDGEHOG OF OZ
written by Cory Leonardo, (Aladdin, $17.99, 2021, ISBN 978-1-5344-6759-0), 400p, Ages 8-12yrs

This charming and delightful animal adventure, which pays homage to The Wizard of Oz, stars Marcel, a little hedgehog, who hides out in the Emerald City Theatre with two chickens. They love the popcorn and candy from the concession stand and enjoy the Saturday matinee of The Wizard of Oz. When captured and dumped in the countryside into Mousekinland, bespeckled Marcel begins his journey home with the help of Scamp, a fierce little mouse with big ideas and bold courage and Ingot, an old crotchety squirrel. On their journey, they find Tuffy, a lost baby raccoon, who joins the group. Similar to the movie, they encounter many enemies (Wickedwing, Whizzers, and Gulls, Oh My!)

Kids will love Marcel, who brings out the best in those around him, loves through his own grief, keeps doing the next right thing, and discovers that, “Being brave isn’t being something you’re not. Courage is knowing everything you are, fears and all, and stepping out anyway.” This tale of adventure, friendship, and hope, filled with little nuggets of wisdom, is destined become a classic.
         Themes: Adventure, Animals, Families, Friendship, Heroes, Humor, Values

THE GREAT GHOST HOAX
written by Emily Ecton, illus. by Dave Mottram, (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, $17.99, Sept 2021, ISBN 978-1-5344-7991-3), 272p, Ages 8-12

The pets and residents of the Strathmore Building from The Great Pet Heist (2020) return for another adventure as they investigate Mrs. Third Floor’s rental unit that is showing signs of ghost activity. Butterbean, Walt, Marco, Polo, Oscar and Wallace discover eerie noises, moving objects, empty cans of sardines, and fish missing from the aquarium. They discover the culprit is Jerome, a celebrity octopus (Mr. Wiggles) and camouflage artist, recently escaped from the local zoo. When confronted by crooked professional ghost hunters, they find a way to scam the scammers and save Mrs. Third Floor’s life savings. Kids will love the animals’ quirky personalities, their dedication to help their friend, the silliness of their antics, and the “Cannonball” ending.
        Themes: Adventure, Animals, Heroes, Humor, Families, Friendship, Mysteries, Pets

THE SERPENT’S NEST #3 (Young Captain Nemo series)
written by Jason Henderson, (Feiwel and Friends, Macmillan Publishing, $18.99, March 2021, ISBN 978-1-250-17327-0), 256p, Ages 10+

This third installment of the Young Captain Nemo series finds Gabriel, Peter, and Misty on the coast of Wales looking forward to a family Thanksgiving, when they hear a distress call involving an attack by giant sea serpents. As they rush to the rescue, they encounter another ship piloted by a young girl from an underwater community that the Nemo’s have long suspected existed. Befriending Cora, a descendent of the original Captain Nemo crew, they follow her to her moveable, underwater city, where they discover the new leaders are controlling the sea serpents for their own benefit. Find out how Gabriel and his friends stop the sea predators, rescue Cora, and enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. Kids will love the daring rescues, great technology, pincher torpedoes, controlled sea monsters, undersea battles, intrigue, a great environmental message, and the centuries-old mystery of Captain Nemo’s disappearance.
        Themes: Adventure, Families, Friendship, Machines, Science Fiction, Series
Others in the Series: Young Captain Nemo #1 | Quest for the Nautilus #2

LORE (The Starlore Legacy) #3
written/illus. by Chuck Black, illus. by Elena Karoumpali, (Perfect Praise Publishing, $24.99, $11.99, June 2021, ISBN 978-1-7359061-4-0), 256p, Ages 16+

This third installment in the Starlore Legacy Biblical allegory series finds Daeson Starlore fighting for the future of the Raylean people that are on the edge of annihilation. Battling marauders and the archenemy of the Sovereign Ell Yon, Daeson and his loyal friends rediscover the power of the Protector. However, leading his people to freedom results in a higher cost than he could ever imagine. Readers will enjoy this third well-crafted tale that mirrors God’s truth from the Bible of the deliverance of Israel’s children from Egypt and the promise of their Messiah.
        Themes: Adventure, Heroes, Mysteries, Science Fiction, Series
Other Book in the Series: NOVA #1 | FLIGHT #2

Over the years, we have researched thousands of children's books, and can recommend some of the best in outstanding children's literature for parents to read aloud and children to read.

Our recommendations must meet certain criteria: fun, creative and imaginative stories, delightful illustrations, and excellent for age appropriate listening and reading. We hope that you enjoyed our recommendations. If you desire further information some of the best in children's literature, please visit our website, www.tchliteracy.com.