Archives de catégorie : Picture Books

IF YOU MAKE A CALL ON A BANANA PHONE de Gideon Sterer & Emily Hughes

A love letter to making friends from unexpected places, IF YOU MAKE A CALL ON A BANANA PHONE is silly, wise, and surprising all at once.

IF YOU MAKE A CALL ON A BANANA PHONE
by Gideon Sterer
illusrtated by Emily Hughes
Clarion Books/HarperCollins, September 2025

If you make a call from a banana phone, who will answer? What will you talk about? Will you share secrets or ask questions? No one knows what will happen, really. This very silly story is full of the joy and wisdom that comes from making new friends from unexpected places.

Go ahead, pick up a banana and make a call. You’ll be glad you did.

This story celebrates the importance of talking to others who may not come from the same place as you but can understand and empathize with you all the same. It’s a celebration of what we have in common, despite differences.

Gideon Sterer is a New York Times bestselling author who grew up in the woods of upstate New York. Not too far away, his parents owned a wildlife discovery center where he would run around after hours and let the animals out. His books include If You Make a Call on a Banana Phone, The Midnight Fair, I Will Read to You, and Treehouse Town.  

Emily Hughes is the award-winning author-illustrator of Wild, The Little Gardener, The Snail,and others. Born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, Emily Hughes now lives in London.

FROG AND TOAD: TWO TOGETHER d’Arnold Lobel

Frog and Toad’s first board book—perfect for little hands!

FROG AND TOAD: TWO TOGETHER
by Arnold Lobel
HarperCollins, September 2025

One Frog. One Toad. Two friends. Always together.

This sweet homage to Frog and Toad’s famous friendship features iconic illustrations from the original books. This must-have board book for baby showers, first birthdays, friends of all ages, and beyond features a cut-out cover and raised element of the duo for curious fingers to interact with.

The classic Frog and Toad stories by Arnold Lobel have won numerous awards and honors, including a Newbery Honor (Frog and Toad Together), a Caldecott Honor (Frog and Toad Are Friends), ALA Notable Children’s Book, the Horn Book Fanfare Honor List, School Library Journal Best Children’s Book, and Library of Congress Children’s Book (Frog and Toad All Year). The series has also been adapted into a Broadway musical and an Emmy-winning animated series on Apple TV+.

Arnold Lobel (1933–1987) illustrated many wonderful children’s books but is most beloved for his Frog and Toad stories, including the first one, Frog and Toad Are Friends, published in 1970. The books have garnered much acclaim, including a Caldecott Honor for Frog and Toad Are Friends and a Newbery Honor for Frog and Toad Together. These were followed by Frog and Toad All Year and Days with Frog and Toad.

WALLY MAMMOTH AND THE SLED RACE de Corey R. Tabor

Sold in a heated auction, Wally Mammoth is the first in a new four-book early readers series by Caldecott Honor-winner and three-time Geisel Award-winner Corey R. Tabor! A giggle- inducing story about friendship and cupcakes that is perfect for fans of Elephant and Piggie and Narwhal and Jelly.

The Wally Mammoth Series:
WALLY MAMMOTH AND THE SLED RACE
by Corey R. Tabor
Greenwillow, September 2025
(via Writers House)

Wally Mammoth lives in the Ice Age, where his huge heart warms even the coldest of days. And it has to be cold to have a sled race! Wally and his friends Otto the great auk and Wolf the (you guessed it!) gray wolf are all hot cocoa’d up and ready to compete. Otto and Wolf both really want to win, but sweet Wally is happy as long as everyone has fun.

Naturally, the competition goes downhill quickly. If the three friends careen toward the finish line in a giant snowball, how will they determine first, second, and third place? It doesn’t matter—there will be cupcakes for everyone regardless.

Wally Mammoth and the Sled Race is the first installment in a vibrant, laugh-out-loud, comic-inspired series about a group of unforgettable friends—created by friends themselves, illustrator Dalton Webb and Geisel Award–winning author Corey R. Tabor. The perfect choice for emerging readers, for developing visual literacy, and for sharing together.

Corey R. Tabor is the author and illustrator of award-winning books for children, including Mel Fell (Caldecott Honor) and Fox Has a Problem, Fox at Night, and Fox the Tiger.

Dalton Webb has worked in comics for years as a colorist, ghost artist, and font designer. This is his children’s book debut.

HUCK AND LOONA d’Emily Kilgore & Florence Weiser

A story about friendship, conflict, and finding a path forward after disagreement.

HUCK AND LOONA
by Emily Kilgore
illustrated by Florence Weiser
Beaming Books, October 2024
(via Kaplan/DeFiore Rights)

Huck and Loona love spending time together in the Great Northwoods. From cloud-watching to fishing, the two want to do everything together. When they realize they sometimes want to do different things or that there are some activities the other simply cannot do, they worry that their friendship is over.

With themes of friendship, individuality, compromise, and grace, Huck and Loona equips children to embrace their uniqueness and communicate with others for healthy relationships that help them grow and thrive.

Emily Kilgore is an educator and writer of picture books. She strives to share books that bring people together. She is also the author of The Whatifs, The Iheards, and The Christmas Book Flood. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband, their son, and their kitty.

Florence Weiser is a French illustrator based in Belgium. She grew up in Luxembourg and studied illustration in Brussels, followed by specialized studies in graphics and web design in Paris. She has illustrated numerous children’s books for publishers around the world.

EMBARRASSED FERRET de Lisa Frenkel Riddiough & Andrea Tsurumi

When every oopsie is followed by an uh-oh, little Ferret’s embarrassment grows. How will she survive the day at Forest School?

EMBARRASSED FERRET
by Lisa Frenkel Riddiough
illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi
Disney Hyperion, July 2025
(via Kaplan/DeFiore Rights)

Ferret strolled to school in style,
All silky fur and cheerful smile,
Until she tripped on someone’s duffle
And caused herself a slight kerfuffle.
From there her day gets worse and worse.
Embarrassment is Ferret’s curse!
Pencils spilled. Stubborn glue.
Toilet paper on her shoe!
There is one thing that helps her through.
Surprise! She’s just like me and you.

Ferret trips while getting off the bus, makes a gigantic glitter mess at craft time, urgently has to pee at recess, and gets toilet paper on her shoe! But when others in the classroom goof up in equally embarrassing ways, Ferret is relieved to discover that nobody’s perfect.

The first book in the Forest School of Big Feelings series from Lisa Frenkel Riddiough and Andrea Tsurumi is sure to help little ones, parents, and caregivers navigate the many emotions of life.

Book 2 in the Forest School of Big Feelings series, FURIOUS TURTLE, will publish in Fall 2026.

Lisa Frenkel Riddiough is the author of LETTERS TO LIVE BY, which School Library Journal called, “Creative, humorous, and thought-provoking,” in a starred review. Of her second book, PIE-RATS!, Kirkus said, “Here be treasure!” Lisa is a graduate of Hamline University’s MFAC program in writing for children and young adults, and splits her time between Northern California and Idaho. Learn more at lisariddiough.com.

Andrea Tsurumi is an author, illustrator, and cartoonist. Their first book, ACCIDENT!, was named an NPR Great Read, and their second, CRAB CAKE, won the Red Clover Book Award. I’M ON IT!, an Elephant & Piggie Like Reading Book, which was named both a Kirkus and Parents Magazine best book of the year. Andrea lives in Philadelphia with their spouse and very serious dog. Learn more at AndreaTsurumi.com