Soup's On Around the World by Denyse Waissbluth

Taste the World Book 2

Do you like soup? Let's travel the world and learn more about this delicious and versatile food!

Thoughts: I'm so glad the author and illustrator collaborated again to bring readers an around the world look at soup. Everyone has a soup and I was delighted to learn about some I'd never heard of before. I like that if you're reading this to younger kids in a storytime setting you can just use the large text and abbreviate the description to suit their attention spans. The illustrations are colorful and inviting. I like how detailed the soup ingredients are in the illustrations. I love that the author and illustrator shared their favorite soup recipes at the end of the book. Pair with 10 Hungry Rabbits by Anita Lobel, Is That Wise, Pig? by Jan Thomas, 10 Hungry Pigs by Derek Anderson, House Mouse by Michael Hall, Duck Soup by Jackie Urbanovic, Carrot Soup by John Segal, or Every Color Soup by Jorey Hurley for a soup-er storytime. Pair with Teatime Around the World and Delicious! Poems Celebrating Street Food from Around the World by Julie Larios to tour the world in food and drink. 

Get a curriculum guide from the publisher here. Don't miss the  first Taste the World book: Teatime Around the World. 

Themes: Soup, Food

(Review copy provided by publisher. Illustrated by Chelsea O'Byrne. Greystone Kids, 2025.)

Flora and Friends ABC by Molly Idle

An alphabet of birds. Old friends and new. A few surprises. 

Thoughts: Such a delightful and sursprising alphabet book. I love the unexpected foldout pages and the use of letters together. Flora and Friends ABC will be a lovely addition to a bird themed storytime. I might even try an ABC bird activity with the kids and see what birds they come up with. Pair with Bring on the Birds by Susan Stockdale, Plume by Isabelle Simler, Today at the Bluebird Cafe: A Branchful of Birds by Deborah Ruddell, Beautiful Birds by Jean Roussen, or Bird Show by Susan Stockdale. 

Don't miss the other Flora books! 

• Flora and the Flamingo 
• Flora and the Penguin 
• Flora and the Peacocks
• Flora and the Ostrich 
• Flora and the Chicks 
• Flora and Friends Colors

Themes: Alphabet, Birds 

(Chronicle Books, 2023.)

Flamingos Are Pretty Funky: A [Not So] Serious Guide by Abi Cushman

All you could ever want to know about flamingos and more! 

Thoughts: Facts mixed with fun equals a fascinating nonfiction book for kids. I know so much more about flamingos than I did before I read this book. I love the use of speech bubbles for most of the jokes. If I was sharing this during storytime, I might shorten it and only share parts as it's quite lengthy in text for storytime. Like the other title in the series, Flamingos Are Pretty Funky remind me of The Truth About... series by Maxwell Eaton III. The illustrations are fun. I especially like the different personalities the flamingos get--the makeup artist, the exercise fanatic. Oh, and you can't forget Joey the Snake. His interactions with the flamingos are great. Pair with Fussy Flamingo by Shelley Vaughan James, Sylvie by Jennifer Sattler, Flamingo Bingo by Heidi E. Y. Stemple, Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle, For Pete's Sake by Ellen Stoll Walsh, Pinky Got Out! by Michael Portis, or Pinky Crashes the Party by Michael Portis for a flamboyant flamingo storytime. There's also a flamingo poem in On the Wing by David Elliott. Visit the author's website for activity sheets and a craft. 

Don't miss the other title in this series: Wombats Are Pretty Weird.

Themes: Flamingos, Elementary 

(Greenwillow, 2024.)

10 Dogs by Emily Gravett

10 dogs and 10 sausages. It seems like simple math, but dogs love sausages. Of course there's going to be a battle or three. 

Thoughts: Another fun book from Emily Gravett. Love how the numbers rearrange and you can teach kids multiple ways to make 10. my favorite illustration is the little dog in the teacup. 

Themes: Dogs, Counting 

(Boxer Books, 2023.)

10 Cats by Emily Gravett

1 sleeping mama cat, 9 playful kittens, and 3 cans of paint. 

Thoughts: What a simple, fun book! So many ways to share in storytime. The illustrations are lively and colorful. I love the expressions on all the cats' faces throughout the book. 

Themes: Cats, Counting, Paint, Color Mixing

(Boxer Books, 2022.)

Bearnard's Book by Deborah Underwood

When Bearnard is invited to be in a book, he's thrilled. At least until he tries to imitate bears in other books. Can he be in a book? 

Thoughts: What a fun book! I like the nods to other bear books (Winnie-the-Pooh, Paddington Bear, Baby Bear). I love that Gertie is a great friend and always encouraging Bearnard. The illustrations have bold outlines. If you like books that have Easter eggs, check out Breaking News: Bear Alert by David Biedrzycki. 

Activity kit is available on the publisher's website here. 

Themes: Bears, Books

(Illustrated by Misa Saburi. Goodwin Books, 2019.)

A Mischief of Mice by Christie Matheson

A forest mystery paired with groups of animals. Where did the mice go? 

Thoughts: What a unique way to incorporate collective nouns into a story. Animal group names or collective nouns are one of my favorite things. I even did several events one summer using them as a theme. See those events here. I love the forest setting and the mystery. I can't wait to use this for a fall themed storytime. The extra information in the back of the book will likely spark an interest in collective nouns with a new generation. 

Find an activity kit and educator guide from the publisher here. 

Other Books That Use Collective Nouns

• A Troop of Kangaroos by Lisa Mundorff 
• A Curious Menagerie by Carin Berger
• An Ambush of Tigers by Betsy R. Rosenthal
• A Tower of Giraffes by Anna Wright

Themes: Fall, Collective Nouns 

(Sourcebooks, 2024.)

Not-a-Box City by Antoinette Portis

companion to Not a Box

Building a city all by himself, Bunny doesn't want any help. But height, strength, and artistic ability soon sway him. 

Thoughts: I'm so glad Bunny is back and still using his imagination. I love all the new characters and details of the finished city. Looks like the library is the biggest building in the city. I wholeheartedly approve.

Find activities for Not a Box on the author's website here. (Here's hoping there will be some activities for Not-a-Box City soon!)

Themes: Boxes, Building, Rabbits, Working Together

(Harper, 2024.)

I Am Happy! by Michael Rosen

How do you feel when you're happy? The puppy in this book shows you how he feels and what he does when he's happy. 

Thoughts: Bright, colorful, and full of joy! This will be a great book to use for an emotions themed storytime. The illustrations are full of movement and emotion. 

Don't miss the other books in the I Am series! 

• I Am Wriggly
• I Am Hungry

Themes: Emotions, Dogs 

(Illustrated by Robert Starling. Candlewick Press, 2023.)

Party Rex by Molly Idle

It's Rex's birthday! Here's your guide to celebrating with him at his party. 

Thoughts: Happy Birthday, Rex! Can you believe the first book came out 11 years ago? I've enjoyed sharing the Rex books in storytime and Party Rex will be no different. The illustrations are soft-colored and inviting. I love illustrations that are created with colored pencils. My favorite illustration is on the copyright page...the stuffed animals enjoying a little birthday cake. I'll definitely be using the Rex book heavily next summer when the theme is all about dinosaurs. 

Don't miss the other books in the Rex series! 

• Tea Rex
• Camp Rex
• Sea Rex
• Santa Rex

Download extras on the author's website here.

Themes: Dinosaurs, Birthdays

(Viking, 2024.)

Roar-Choo! by Charlotte Cheng

Dragons are supposed to be fierce, but what do you do when your roar ends with a sneeze? 

Thoughts: Such a treat to see such a fierce animal come down with a cold. Sneezing books are always a hit in storytime. I also love the backstory information about the dragon and the phoenix. The illustrations are colorful and filled with emotion and movement. It's hard to pick a favorite, but he phoenix pouring tea is great. Pair with The Sniffles for Bear by Bonny Becker, Out Cold by Ryan T. Higgins, and Pigs Make Me Sneeze! by Mo Willems.

Download activities on the author's website here. 

Themes: Dragons, Illness

(Illustrated by Dan Santat. Rocky Pond Books, 2024.)

A Unicorn, a Dinosaur, and a Shark Were Riding a Bicycle by Jonathan Fenske

sequel to A Unicorn, a Dinosaur, and A Shark Walk into a Book

Have you ever tried to make anyone do something that they didn't want to do? Well, the characters in this book do not want to ride a bicycle. 

Thoughts: Just as funny as the first. I love how the unicorn, dinosaur, and shark all talk back to the narrator and refuse to ride the bicycle. The illustrations are colorful and expressive. I love the use of speech bubbles for everyone including the narrator. 

Themes: Intrusive Narrators, Unicorns, Dinosaurs, Sharks, Humorous Books

(Penguin Workshop, 2024.)

a bear, a fish, and a fishy wish by Daniel Bernstrom

The bear just wants to eat. The fish just wants to go home. Can two different wishes come true at the same time? 

Thoughts: Such a fun book. I love the minimal text and the detailed illustrations. Pair with Max and Bird by Ed Vere, Chez Bob by Bob Shea, and Chicken Little and the Big Bad Wolf by Sam Wedelich. I look forward to adding this book to my bears storytime in the fall. 

Activity sheets available on the publisher's website here. 

Themes: Fish, Bears, Forest, Predator & Prey 

(Illustrated by Brandon James Scott. Hippo Park, 2024.)

Five Bears by Catherine Rayner

One bear out for a walk meets another bear and so the story goes on. 

Thoughts: A lovely story about bears and friendship. I like that five bear species are together in one book. I look forward to adding this to my bears storytime. The illustrations are just what I've come to expect from Catherine Rayner. I like that each bear while drawn in her style has a unique appearance and personality. 

From the Author's Website

• How to Draw Five Bears
• Activity Sheets for Five Bears

Themes: Bears

(Boxer Books, 2022.)

Party Animals by Tara Lazar

It's all party, all the time with the Party Animals. Anything can inspire a party. Even sour milk. 

Thoughts: A fun book about unusual parties. Parents: pair this book with World Rat Day: Poems about Holidays You've Never Heard of by J. Patrick Lewis (What a coincidence! It's also illustrated by Anna Raff), to plan an unusual party. The vocabulary is top notch. The illustrations are bright and colorful. 

You can download activity sheets from the publisher's website here. 

Themes: Parties

(Illustrated by Anna Raff. Disney Hyperion, 2025.)

I Am Not Your Hat! by Lisa Bentley

Bert and Dot are friends. Everything is perfect until the day Dot is mistaken for a hat and Bert goes along with it. 

Thoughts: A great book about being yourself, being kind to others, and what it means to be a friend. The illustrations are wonderful. So colorful and full of expression and movement. I'm assuming Bert is an emu. I wonder what kind of bid Dot is? Whatever she is, she's fabulous. From her color to her feathers. My favorite illustrations are "I AM NOT YOUR HAT!" and the field of Dots. I look forward to sharing this book in storytime soon. 

Themes: Birds, Friends

(Simon and Schuster, 2025.)

This Is Not a Polar Bear! by Barry Timms

Hello. You might think this animal is a polar bear, but you would be wrong. It's not a polar bear, it's a ...

Thoughts: What a fun book! I read another book in this series back in the spring (This Is Not a Unicorn!) and it was just as delightful. The illustrations are bright and colorful and I love all the imagination that goes into what the polar bear is. Now that I know there's a third book in the series, I might just have a Barry Timms storytime. 

Themes: Polar Bears, Animal Friends

(Illustrated by Ged Adamson. Nosy Crow, 2025.)

All the Books by Hayley Rocco

Piper loves books. She owns all her favorites and keeps them with her everywhere she goes. She doesn't share them. On a rainy day, a catastrophe leads her to the most wondrous place, a library. Maybe, just maybe, sharing books is better than keeping them all to yourself. 

Thoughts: A wonderful homage to books, reading, and libraries. I can understand Piper's unwillingness to share her books. I'm quite like that myself. I will share, but I buy an extra copy. The illustrations are colorful and I love how life like all the animals look. I plan to share this book with slightly older kids than my storytime crowd. All the Books will be perfect to share with first and second graders when I visit their classes and share about the library. 

You'll find a downloadable storytime kit on the publisher's website.

Themes: Libraries, Books, Reading, Elementary

(Illustrated by John Rocco. Little, Brown and Company, 2024)

The Ice Cream Vanishes by Julia Sarcone-Roach

Squirrel can make snacks disappear...or at least he wants to and tries very hard to do so. He is unsuccessful until he discovers the perfect snack--ice cream. With help from his friend Bear and with all the other park animals as an audience, Squirrel is finally going to make a snack vanish. 

Thoughts: Such a fun book! I like how exuberant Squirrel is. The painted, pen and pencil illustrations add a further touch of whimsy to the story. My favorite illustrations are Squirtrel in his "top hat" and the vanished ice cream on Bear's bottom. Pair with Hat Tricks by Satoski Kitamura and Warning! Do Not Touch! by Tim Warnes for a magical storytime. 

Themes: Bears, Squirrels, Magic 

Don't miss these other  books by Julia Sarcone-Roach!

• The Bear Ate Your Sandwich
• There Are No Bears in This Bakery

(Alfred A. Knopf, 2023.)

Out Cold by Ryan T. Higgins

Bruce is back! It's winter in Soggy Hollow and all the animals are enjoying the season...except for Bruce. He's stuck inside with a cold. The mice know just how to cheer him up. 

Thoughts: Bruce is one of my favorite characters and he doesn't disappoint in his latest adventure. Those mice...sheesh! I think they mean well. They're just like a trio of rambunctious toddlers. I look forward to sharing Out Cold in a storytime in January. The illustrations are colorful and detailed. My favorites are always Bruce's expressions. 

Find activity sheets here. 

Themes: Bears, Winter, Bruce, Sniffles 

Don't miss the other Bruce Books! (Links to my reviews.)

Picture Books:

• Mother Bruce
• Hotel Bruce
• Bruce’s Big Move
• Santa Bruce
• Bruce’s Big Storm
• The Bruce Swap
• Hey, Bruce!
• Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow
• Be Quiet

Board Books:

• 1 Grumpy Bruce
• Peek-a-Bruce

Little Bruce Books:

• Spring Stinks
• Thanks for Nothing!
• Beach Bummer (May 7, 2024)

Early Readers:

• Bruce’s Big Fun Day
• Ballet Bruce

(Disney Hyperion, 2023.)