Lenny & Lucy, the latest picture book from the award-winning husband and wife team of Philip and Erin Stead, is a quietly captivating story about a boy named Peter who moves with his father and a large dog, Harold, to a new home at the edge of a big forest.

While firmly aimed at a young audience, Philip’s writing is refreshingly sophisticated from the start: “Winding along a bumpy road, through the dark unfriendly woods, Peter said, ‘I think this is a terrible idea.’” To ease his fears, Peter stitches together blankets and pillows to create a giant guardian named Lenny. To keep Lenny company, Peter also creates Lucy, and the pair bring great comfort to the anxious boy working hard to overcome his own fears. Erin’s illustrations have a slightly old-fashioned feel, drawn in the style of her Caldecott-winning A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Each detailed drawing highlights Peter’s loneliness and isolation, and then later the comfort he gains from Lenny and Lucy, who look like bulky, bundled-up snowmen. The illustrations are in various tones of gray, with muted color accents given only to the characters, a technique that adds a distinctive focus to this imaginative tale of loneliness and connection, the known and the unknown.

And sure enough, as Peter grows more comfortable in his new surroundings, along comes a young neighbor, Millie, and her mother, bringing the promise of new discoveries and adventures ahead.

Lenny & Lucy is a wonderfully reassuring book about the inventive adjustments that are sometimes necessary to confront intimidating new situations.

This article was originally published in the October 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

In this irresistible story, readers fall for Clement the rabbit, Jean the elephant and Alan Alexander the bear, the three tiny friends of a girl named Maggie.

“The sun set, the moon rose,” and Maggie helps Clement get ready for bed. Then, surprise: It’s a pajama party when Jean and Alan show up in PJs. (Alan’s are a bit too big, and in one very funny spread, when the three creatures leap for joy on Maggie’s bed, Alan’s pajama bottoms don’t leap with him.)

Who wants to slip under the covers when there are chicken dances to do, funny faces to make, hide-and-seek to play, balloons to bounce, yoga to practice, snacks to eat and wishes to be made upon shooting stars? The joy and heart of dearing play of these three friends. (Maggie often seems to be on the sidelines, as if she’s the parental presence.) Either the girl’s imaginative revelry with her stuffed animals is a potent thing, or she lives in a world where pajama-clad, pint-sized creatures visit to play with her each night. No matter. The play’s the thing.

Nearly everything about Thank You and Good Night is comfy and intimate, including its smaller size. The soft color palette is especially inviting; the humor is sweetly goofy; and the compositions are uncluttered. Look closely at the window where the three creatures play with balloons: It seems to be a tribute to the ultimate bedtime book, Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon, as it looks almost precisely like the window in the iconic great green room. There are other nods to beloved children’s books throughout this story. (Could Maggie even be a tribute to Brown herself?) The snug ending, an ode to gratitude and the joy of children, is perfection.

Call it a night with this one, the year’s most captivating bedtime book.

Julie Danielson features authors and illustrators at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, a children’s literature blog.

This article was originally published in the October 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Ragwood is a farm dog. He’s really, really good at it. Most dogs aren’t—but don’t despair: Ragweed is here to tell you exactly what to do.

Everyone on a farm has a job, and Ragwood can explain them all. Take pigs: Pigs lie in the mud all day. "That’s their job. That’s not your job. Don’t lie in the mud. Mud is lovely. It smells like worms and toes and earwax, so you will really, really want to lie in the mud.” And of course, every farm has chickens. Can you guess what a chicken's job is? Yup, you’ve got it: “Chickens sit on their nests all day to make eggs.” Now, is that a farm dog’s job? No. But would an aspiring farm dog WANT to sit on their nests? You betcha. But as you should take it from Ragweed, if you sit on the chickens’ nests, you will definitely NOT get a biscuit.

You see, the farm dog’s main job is to get biscuits. And just as Ragweed is spectacularly skilled at getting biscuits, author-illustrator Anne Vittur Kennedy is a wizard at creating a hilarious, warm-hearted picture book that future farm dogs (and their families, including parents) won’t tire of reading again and again. From its delicious voice, enticing refrains and satisfying conclusion, Ragweed’s Farm Dog Handbook is one of those deceptively simple but perfectly constructed picture books that should be part of every home—country or city. To paraphrase Ragweed, “You’re going to love this book.”

Deborah Hopkinson lives near Portland, Oregon. Her most recent book for young readers is Courage & Defiance.

Max the Brave is a charming little kitty who looks a bit like a child’s clever thumbprint creation. This mini superhero wears a red cape and appears fierce while proclaiming that he's in pursuit of mice―except for one important complication: He’s not sure what a mouse looks like.

British author-illustrator Ed Vere’s latest offering has already been named to The Sunday Times’ list of 100 Children’s Modern Classics, and rightfully so. Max’s short, sweet quest has all the ingredients of an instant readaloud hit as this kitty searches for a mouse and encounters a fly, fish, birds and an elephant, all of whom report that they have just seen mouse scamper by.

Preschoolers will love the repetitive nature of the animals’ question-and-answer conversations, along with the mounting excitement of the inevitable mouse encounter. Vere’s minimalist graphics are highlighted by his bold, spare use of color, which makes Max and all he encounters pop right off the page.

When Max finally meets Mouse, the clever rodent claims to be Monster and artfully steers Max toward the real Monster, whom he says is Mouse. All of this confusion just adds to the fun, leading to an epic encounter that brings to mind Jonah and the whale.

Max the Brave has it all: a bold, bumbling superhero; laugh-out-loud preschool humor; eye-catching illustrations; and a fun twist at the end. Kids will ask immediately to hear this one again.

In a story whose title will immediately thrill children and whose charms will keep their attention till the happy end, Mac Barnett and Christian Robinson explore an unusual friendship—between a ghost named Leo and a little girl.

“This is Leo. Most people cannot see him,” the book opens. “But you can.” This present-tense, second-person address is an inviting way to kick things off. Leo lives alone, and when a family moves in, he’s excited to make new friends. Instead, he frightens them with his friendly overtures—they can’t see him, after all—so he leaves. The city overwhelms him, but it’s there that he meets Jane, who quickly befriends him. He’s disappointed to learn that Jane thinks he’s merely her imaginary friend, but when there’s an intruder in Jane’s home late at night, Leo is able to save the day—and ask Jane to accept him as the spirit that he is. “If I tell her I am a ghost,” he fears earlier in the story, “I will scare her away.”

Robinson employs a spectral palette of cool blue-gray shades to great effect. He communicates a lot with little, spinning magic with cut-out construction paper and acrylic paints. In one spread, the family hiding in the bathtub—after Leo attempts to serve them tea—are simple shapes with one-half of a curtain and some circles for a curtain rod, with Leo floating in the air, aghast at the fright he’s given the family. These minimalist, uncluttered spreads open up a world of imagination for child readers.

Also refreshingly unfussy are Barnett’s words: “It was very well done,” he observes as the omniscient narrator when Leo scares a thief in Jane’s home. “That was that,” he writes when the police arrive. “He was so happy he couldn’t sleep,” he writes when Jane calls Leo her best friend. Barnett uses a pleasing economy of words, while spinning the compelling story of a burgeoning friendship.

Don’t be afraid: This is a ghost story that will warm your heart.

Julie Danielson features authors and illustrators at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, a children’s literature blog.

Best-selling authors—and friends—Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld buddy up to create this charming tribute to friendship.

Friendshape features four friends: blue circle, yellow square, green triangle and red rectangle. With sweet, smiley faces and geometry gymnastics, they illustrate various ways friends can change each other’s lives. Flying kites, performing balancing acts, doing a happy-face impersonation—the colorful shapes remind us that friends share, laugh and back each other, even when our edges get a little wobbly. They cheer when we succeed, pick us up when we crash and help us achieve more than we otherwise could.

Adding Friendship to their collection (Exclamation Mark, Duck! Rabbit!), Rosenthal and Lichtenheld prove again they are masters of simple, delightful books with big messages. Basic statements regarding friendship are complemented by dialogue from the cheerful shapes. The authors’ clever use of four shapes and colors visually underline their theme and add a subtle note about embracing our friends’ differences.

With a message that is both straightforward and accessible to children of all ages, this book is a must-have for every home bookshelf and school library. Friendshape will be especially helpful in elementary classrooms. A useful jumping-off point for units on friends and teamwork, the bold illustrations will inspire students in artistic endeavors of their own. While kids will be entertained and amused by the antics, Rosenthal and Lichtenheld’s theme stands strong and confident.

It’s a good lesson for kids, a sentimental reminder for adults and a perfect gift for someone who has improved your life.

Phillip has a problem with his imaginary friend Brock. It’s quite an unusual problem, even for an imaginary friend. At the end of an exhausting trip to the Big Fair, Phillip falls asleep, and upon waking up at home, he realizes something has gone very wrong: Brock isn’t in the car! After frantically searching the house and not finding Brock, Phillip has a full-fledged meltdown, screaming, “We forgot Brock!”

Brock is a motorcycle-riding, mustachioed, brawny man who wears a sleeveless T-shirt emblazoned with a skull and crossbones and polka-dotted pants. Once he realizes he has lost Phillip, he searches the Big Fair for him, without any luck. Anne, the only other person who can see Brock, befriends him. Anne and her imaginary friend, purple Princess Sparkle Dust, try to cheer up Brock, which works for a little while. Meanwhile, plucky Phillip takes to his bike, scouring the neighborhood for his buddy.

In We Forgot Brock!, author-illustrator Carter Goodrich’s personality-plus watercolor illustrations charmingly capture Phillip and Brock’s emotions: gleeful, agitated, sad and happy. The imaginary friends are sketched in crayon like children’s drawings, making them stand out from the other characters and setting and mimicking the idea that only children believe in these pals—though a surprise at the book’s end makes readers wonder about the nature of imaginary playmates.

Like an insect flying around your living room, Bug in a Vacuum by Mélanie Watts grabs your attention. A vacuum may seem an easy way to get rid of pests, but to one fly, this undignified “end” is actually a beginning. Snatched from his life mid-journey, the fly is initially in awe of the wondrous, nebulous world in which he has landed. Flying among the myriad items also caught in the vacuum’s voracious belly, the fly eventually realizes he’s trapped. Now his real journey begins, through the Kübler-Ross stages of grief (as advertised and summarized by household cleaners, a microwave dinner and a box of tissues).

Attempting to escape, the fly tries everything—including arming the dust bunnies—before he settles into his new (permanent?) home among the dice, broken crayons and paperclips. Echoing his grief is the family dog, Napoleon, who tries to rescue his similarly trapped chew toy. Is this really the end of our spunky friend?

Watts (Scaredy Squirrel) has created an irresistible tale that will have readers rooting for her buggy-eyed hero and eager to know what’s next. Watts cleverly keeps the narrating text to a minimum, so her fascinatingly detailed illustrations move the plot and tell the story. Watts’ art perfectly captures the vacuum’s vast collection; one might suspect she spent significant time poring over an open vacuum bag. Adding to the hilarity is the fly’s nonstop chatter, in familiar idioms and exclamations, directed toward the vacuum’s inanimate residents.

While significantly longer than most picture books, the story moves quickly with its vibrant pictures and our hero’s fidgety determination. Bursting with witty, all-ages-friendly quips, Bug in a Vacuum will pull you in, happy ending guaranteed.

Crickets and fireflies are mere insects, right? Maybe, but don’t tell that to Peter, a young boy who befriends one special Cricket and Firefly. And absolutely don’t call them his “imaginary friends” like his parents do. They prefer to be called “actual.” 

One summer, as Peter (the “miniature giant,” as the insects call him) silently grieves the loss of a schoolmate, he keeps a close watch on Cricket and Firefly—two independent souls who long to see the world outside Firefly Hollow. Each wants to do amazing things: Cricket wants to learn to catch like Yogi Berra, and Firefly wants to fly to the moon. Together, the trio share their dreams, their hopes and their summer—all to the dismay of Peter’s parents (the “giants”) and Cricket and Firefly’s respective nations. 

Throw in the character of the wise old Vole, guardian of the river, and you’ve got an utterly charming and believable story of imaginary friends who really can do remarkable things with each other’s encouragement. 

Through sheer perseverence, this quartet of friends attain actual joy and reach important milestones. Author Alison McGhee has created a tiny world of wonder with a gentle, never heavy-handed, message. Both full-color and black-and-white illustrations from Christopher Denise add even more charm to the reading experience.

Fans of middle grade animal stories like The Incredible Journey and The Underneath will enjoy Firefly Hollow, as will anyone who has ever had, and loved, an imaginary friend.

This article was originally published in the September 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

“There were five of them. And they were waiting.” Thus opens Kevin Henkes’ latest picture book, featuring an unseen’s child five patient toys, all of whom sit in a windowsill and watch the world go by. There’s an owl, waiting for the moon; a pig with an umbrella, waiting for some rain; a bear with a kite, waiting for wind; a puppy on a sled, who longs for some snow; and a content rabbit who “wasn’t waiting for anything in particular. He just liked to look out the window and wait.” 

Everything about this book’s appearance is soft. Henkes uses a pastel-dominated palette, delicate pinks and blues and greens, on uncluttered spreads laid out on cream-colored paper. Curved, rounded lines are the name of the game, hinting at the security and comfort young children crave. Despite this softness, there’s loss and tragedy—a new addition to the windowsill, a china elephant “from far away,” falls and breaks. And there are scary moments, as when lightning cracks in the sky, and observant readers see that Henkes varies the expressions on the toys’ mostly unchanging faces: The owl squints in fear, and the pig’s eyes are wide and round.

The world beyond the window is their stage, and the wordless spreads really shine. One features frosted panes; another has fireworks; and yet another reveals a rainbow. The five toys watch in wonder, “but mostly they waited.” Children undoubtedly spend a lot of time waiting, since they’re often at the whim of the adults in their lives. But despite their dreaming and waiting, life tends to be full of surprises, and it is for the toys, too. One day, a cat with patches shows up and joins the gang. The cat has a secret, one that will delight young children.

Good things come to those who wait, as they say. And this child-friendly tale of wonder and anticipation is a very good thing.

Julie Danielson features authors and illustrators at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, a children’s literature blog.

This article was originally published in the September 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

In this picture book import, first published last year in Italy, Silvia Borando tells the story of two cats who befriend one another and explore their worlds together. A minimalistic treat, it’s illustrated with simple shapes and in only black and white (with a dash of color at the end).

Black Cat has always been entirely black, and White Cat has always been entirely white. Black Cat only goes out during the day, a black shadow against a white sky, while he watches the black swallows fly through the air. White Cat only goes out at night, a white shape standing out on a spread of black, with only twinkling white stars to accompany her. When Black Cat decides to head out into the night, White Cat decides the same—Black Cat heading right, and White Cat heading back toward the book’s cover. Naturally, they meet in the middle. They hit it off, and each follows the other into the part of the day that's unexplored. The night, Black Cat learns, is full of wonder. And the day, White Cat learns, is full of surprises.

Also full of surprises is the book’s close: The two felines become so inseparable that they have six kittens. “And can you guess what color they are?” Borando directly asks the reader. If you think black-and-white, you’re mistaken, but I’ll leave that for you to discover on your own. (Hint: The punctuation on the cover gives it away in a clever moment of book design.)

Borando uses pleasing repetition in both text and illustrations to tell this story of balance and friendship. Preschoolers will be particularly enthralled as they take in the many yins and yangs of this story from overseas. They may be inspired to create their own story of opposites with simple shapes and unfussy lines.

This one is the cat’s meow.

Julie Danielson features authors and illustrators at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, a children’s literature blog.

Parents of young children are obsessed with bedtime. We paint the nursery in calm pastels, pipe in white noise and read soothing stories in hopes of speeding and easing our children’s transition into sleep. From Margaret Wise Brown’s classic Goodnight Moon to Sandra Boynton’s The Going-to-Bed Book, bookstore shelves are full of soporific books. Beep! Beep! Go to Sleep!, written by Todd Tarpley and illustrated by Caldecott honoree John Rocco, offers a refreshingly hip take on the bedtime story.

It’s time for bed, and three rowdy robots wreak havoc, none of them in the mood to power down. Each robot needs the hi-tech equivalent of a human toddler—tweaking of bolts, checking for properly adjusted fan belts, and maybe an extra sip of oil. A boy patiently attends to them, desperately hoping they will fall asleep.

The robot tykes’ final bedtime request for a bedtime story proves to be the magic bullet. The twist at story’s end will give children and adults a chuckle, and Rocco’s clever and lively illustrations, though not remotely sleep-inducing, entertain throughout.

The next time you confront a little one determined to stay awake, grab a copy of Beep Beep! Go to Sleep! Whether or not your child succumbs to sleep, you’ll enjoy a laugh together and end the day in a happier mood.

Billie B. Little is the Founding Director of Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands-on museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

In this companion to the phenomenally best-selling The Day the Crayons Quit, Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers once again offer perceptive and frequently hilarious insights into the emotional lives of supposedly inanimate objects that most of us don’t think twice about. One by one, the lost, broken, forgotten and discarded crayons from Duncan’s collection write postcards begging to be rescued from their current circumstances.

There’s Maroon, who’s been marooned in the couch cushions with only a paper clip for company; Neon Red, who’s been abandoned on a family vacation and is determined to find her way home again; Big Chunky Toddler Crayon, who longs to be saved from the clumsy clutches of Duncan’s little brother; and Esteban the Magnificent (formerly known as Pea Green)—“No one likes peas. No one even likes the color pea green.”

The prose at times borders on sarcasm but remains sweet, and the situations that the crayons have encountered will be familiar to kids and parents alike. The illustrations, rendered in postcards and crayon (of course), are appealingly childlike and full of surprises (be sure to look at Glow in the Dark’s letter . . . in the dark!). The Day the Crayons Came Home will have readers of all ages chuckling—and will inspire kids’ empathy and imagination in equal measure.