March 2025 Prime Picks

Reviewer's Choice

Hamlyn/Octopus Publishing
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Saskia Sidey and Libby Silvermann’s The Green Slow Cooker Cookbook: 80 Easy and Delicious Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes (9780600638667, $19.99) gives busy vegan cooks quick meals for not just dinner main dishes, but breakfasts and desserts.

The wide-ranging scope of the dishes in this vegan cookbook provides a wide range of appeal, from Squash Moussaka and Creamy Orzo With Green Veg to Vibrant Beetroot Curry and Corn Chowder.

Color photos accompany recipes, adding eye-catching value to the variety featured, making The Green Slow Cooker Cookbook a top recommendation for busy vegan and vegetarian cooks looking to make the most of their crock pots.

A new hardcover series of affordable ($12.99 each) small-format cookbooks is perfect for gift-giving and for building basic home libraries of classic fare from different countries.

Yes, there are plenty of competing cookbooks that cover these nations, but having this smaller-scale series represents a compact, affordable, and colorful invitation that will especially appeal to newcomers to world cuisine and cooking.

Elisabeth Luard’s Classic Spanish Recipes (9780600638940) surveys the classic recipes that define Spanish cooking, from Venison Stewed with Chocolate to a Seafood Paella and Octopus With Onions and Potatoes.

Access to fresh seafood will enhance appreciation of the range of Spain’s appealing cuisine.

Anna DelConte’s Classic Italian Recipes (9780600638902) achieves the same for Italy, profiling uncomplicated classic recipes that best represent the nation’s unique cuisine.

From Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca to Beef Braised in Milk and Vinegar, both common and uncommon dishes will excite a wide audience just beginning to delve into the diversity of Italian fare.

Chetna Makan’s Classic Indian Recipes (9780600638889) achieves the same varied focus as the other books, showcasing Indian cuisine in a broad manner that couldn’t have been easy, considering the vast regional differences in Indian fare.

From Spinach and Coconut Dal to a classic Masala Chicken, the book’s inviting color photos and easy dishes that stay true to classic tastes and traditions makes for a winning introduction.

Don’t forget Ken Hom’s Classic Chinese Recipes (9780600638926), which also represents a fine introduction made all the more important for its synthesis of various broad regional Chinese influences under one cover.

Newcomers who try Sweet and Sour Spareribs or Sichuan Chicken will find these dishes surprisingly easy to duplicate at home, virtually foolproof, and representative of China’s diversity.

All are wonderful acquisitions; especially for libraries and gift-givers looking for inviting basic books that are easy to absorb and invitingly colorful.

Horti Curious
Ann Treneman
Mitchell Beazley/Octopus Publishing
9781784729639 $24.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Horti Curious: A Gardener’s Miscellany of Fascinating Facts & Remarkable Plants pairs beautiful colorful illustrations with facts and celebrations of plants and gardening which packs a wide range of botanical topics under one cover.

From fantasy and practicality to plant hunting, the development of the first garden gnome, recipes for flower usage, and tropical cascades, an attention to lively detail and absorbing illustrations results in a book that excels in delightfully unexpected forays into colorful botanical topics.

General-interest as well as botany libraries will find Horti Curious lively, absorbing, and accessible to a wide audience.

Kyle Books
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Secret Sauces by Vanessa Seder (9781804192900, $19.99) explores not just sauces, but how they work in recipes, pairing sauce and dish discussions to teach how to choose sauces that involve a minimum of effort for maximum flavor.

The book has been reissued to appeal to modern audiences, featuring a host of easily-produced sauces that will especially appeal to busy cooks still interested in home-cooked meals, but looking to add ‘healthy’ into the mix.

Each sauce is adaptable, can be customized or can serve as a variation on a theme, and is accompanied by recipes for a finished dish that works particularly well with the sauce.

Some examples are a ‘Golden Romesco’ Catalonian sauce of peppers, tomatoes, nuts and garlic that goes well with seafood, or a Butternut Curry Cashew Cream that is a rich dip and an easy way to make a sauce from vegetables.
Readers used to the plethora of sauce cookbooks on the market will be delighted to find these recipes quite different and utterly appealing. They expand the concept of sauce applications and eliminate the fuss of extensive prep or special ingredients.

Sara Kiyo Popowa’s Bento Lunch Box (9781804192948, $22.99) is a plant-based recipe collection that expands the bento box concept from lunches to include breakfast and dinner options (even though the title says ‘lunch’), and comes from the founder of Sisho Delicious.

Workers who eat on the job and those who enjoy picnics but utilize vegan ingredients will find many options to the traditional lunch box approach. Attractive, full-page color photos add mouth-watering images of finished dishes such as a No-wrap Summer Roll Bento consisting of watermelon, onion, peanuts and cucumber, or a Savory Banana Bread for breakfast that’s made with oats, almonds, bananas, and brown rice miso.

The delicious interplay of flavors and options is not to be found in other bento box cookbooks, and is perfect for readers seeking healthier meal packages that can be easily made and packed into small bento boxes.

Leon Big Flavours
Rebecca Seal
Conran/Octopus Publishing
9781840918267 $26.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Leon Big Flavours focuses on recipes which profile salty, sour, spicy or sweet punches. All come wrapped in the signature approach to big flavors which has made the Leon restaurant and brand so appealing. The heart of Leon’s manifesto is that fast food can be both zesty and tasty.

To this end, busy cooks will simply love the infusion of global flavors and variety that is unique to this Leon production, above all others.

Rebecca Seal introduces ‘flavour markers’ throughout to help busy readers identify their special interests, while recipes featuring colorful, full-page facing photos invite interest in such dishes as Loaded Miso Soup, Blackened Trout Tacos, or Caramel Pork with Garlicky Greens.

The pairing of innovation with flavor makes Leon Big Flavours an outstanding winner among original, creative cookbooks. It’s a top recommendation for libraries either seeing popularity with the prior Leon-branded cookbooks, or new to the notion of fast food with a zip of ease and flavor.

Roadside Geology of Arizona
Stephen J. Reynolds & Julia K. Johnson
Geological Society of America
Mountain Press Publishing
9780878427192 $32.00
www.mountain-press.com

Roadside Geology of Arizona is the perfect take-along tote for anyone interested in exploring the Grand Canyon and lesser-known geologic wonders of the state. It’s designed for those planning an Arizona sojourn, pairing geological assessments and science with tips on routes to take, spectacular parks and environments to visit, and a wide range of attractions on and off the beaten path.

The second edition of this guide, which is written by geologists with the general public in mind, includes colorful geologic maps, road condition assessments, good-sized color photos throughout, and an attention to capturing Arizona’s exciting geologic wonders.

With so many attractions reviewed in depth, the impetus to go and visit them is high. Taking Roadside Geology of Arizona along for the ride assures an easy, engrossing journey, while libraries looking for practical discussions that aid in traveler destination plans will find it an essential acquisition.

Talking the Talk About Autism
Haley Moss
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
9781839978562 $19.95
www.jkp.com

Talking the Talk About Autism: How to Share and Tell Your Story considers an autism diagnosis and how best to self-advocate for better understanding, overcoming adversity, and receiving support.

Anyone who has wondered about the best approach to disclosing their new diagnosis (or that of another) will find this book encourages overall dialogues about neurodivergence. It profiles special ways to talk to different people, from siblings and family members to telling other kids, involving romantic partners, and more.

Its first-person insights about trust, isolation, the politicalization of neurodivergency, and how others started conversations that led to better understanding provide invaluable resources, tips, and insights that no library or general-interest reader should be without.

There are very few guides to raising conversations that support and encourage, as well as disseminating invaluable information about experiences and diagnosis. Talking the Talk About Autism falls into the category of a must-have approach that ideally will draw readers, psychology, and healthcare groups into avid discussions.

Young Adult/Children

Candlewick Press
www.candlewickpress.com

These outstanding new arrivals from Candlewick Press deserve special recognition and library attention.

Advanced elementary to middle grade collections will find Christina Couch’s Innovative Octopuses, Half-Brained Birds, and More Animals with Magnificent Minds (9781536229721, $17.99) focuses on animal brains and intelligence. It presents this discussion in an exceptionally lively manner that pairs attention-grabbing headlines (“The Night Shift in Your Skull,” for example) with color photos in a vivid blend of science and description.

Kids interested in the wonder of wildlife and the oddities of natural history and brain science research will relish Daniel Duncan’s colorful embellishments, the color photos throughout, and, most of all, the inviting, lively language that reviews the exciting world of nature.

Helen Stephens features Smelly Peggy (9781536235722, $17.99), a picture book replete with the drama of a naughty dog named Peggy.

Peggy involves her family in ongoing troubles ... so, how can they love her anyway? The puppy story is simple, engaging, and fun for read-aloud adults and young listeners who love dog antics.

Thomas Harding’s The House on the Canal: The Story of the House That Hid Anne Frank (9781536240702, $19.99) is illustrated by Britta Teckentrup, who invites picture book readers to enter the tall, narrow house on the canal that protected Anne Frank.

Dark, evocative drawings from the house’s perspective follow its changes over time as plagues, Christian refugees, fires, and more experiences call upon the home to serve as a comfort zone for not just Anne, but many others.

Kenneth Kraegel’s Something Good (9781536229448, $17.99) presents a young narrator convinced that “nothing good ever happens to me.”

A series of life snafus only seems to reinforce this sentiment ... until a mysterious gift introduces whimsical fantasy into her world that turns her head around about opportunities and positivity.

Read-aloud adults will find this story delightful, opening the door for dialogues about positive thinking and creative perceptions.

Jam Dong’s The Story Factory (9781536230000, $18.99) tells of the impact that is felt when a factory that churns out stories day after day suddenly stops producing books.

There’s a problem in the storytelling machinery somewhere—but how can the workers unclog the backup when such efforts could change the book world forever?

An exceptionally creative plot is supported by whimsical illustrations and an uncommon message that kids will find thought-provoking indeed.

Jason Cockcroft’s Night Walk (9781536239614, $18.99) follows a boy and his grandfather on a pre-sunrise journey through nature, where they reflect on some of Grandma’s favorite sights, smells, and views of the outdoors.

Can they create their own special space from the memories and approaches of Grandma’s warm world?

Lovely illustrations accompany a visionary story of grandparent relationships, natural beauty, loss, and celebration, attracting a large audience.

Ronda Armitage’s To the End of the World, Far, Far Away (9781536235883, $18.99) receives simple, engaging illustrations by Victoria Turnbull that bring to life the story of Louis and his mother, who are experiencing frustrating moments in their relationship.

What better time for Louis to head off on a journey to visit the end of the world? But, will his mother miss him?

His question to her raises a series of insights and issues that lead them both on the path of a better relationship in this moving picture book tale of love, adaptation, problem-solving and togetherness that families and elementary-level libraries will relish.

All are exceptional books, highly recommended for elementary-level libraries and for young readers looking for something different and notable.

Have You Seen My Acorn?
DK Ryland
Flamingo Books/Penguin
9780593622421 $18.99
www.penguin.com

Have You Seen My Acorn? is the picture book story of a squirrel who faces the classic problem of a hidden nut which he can’t find. All he can conclude is that someone stole it.

Queries to Deer, Skunk, and other wildlife friends don’t result in either a confession or discovery ... but there’s definitely something going on in the wildlife realm. What do they know that Squirrel doesn’t?

Fun illustrations and a whimsical approach to missing acorns and problem-solving challenges promise that kids and their read-aloud parents will enjoy much laughter as Squirrel makes a surprising discovery about his missing largess.

Elementary-level libraries, as well as those catering to read-aloud parents, will want to add Have You Seen My Acorn? to their collections while highly commending it for its hidden science lesson.

Wm. B. Eerdmans
www.eerdmans.com

Giulherme Karsten’s Ramon Fellini the Dog Detective (9780802856364, $18.99) is the picture book story of an aquarium attack, a brave dog who must masquerade as a cat in order to solve the crime, and a little boy who participates in a truly strange whodunit investigation.

Humor, clues embedded in artwork, and odd queries made by Ramon Fellini the Dog Detective cause a little boy to question who the real perp might be. This makes for an engaging picture book tale that will lend especially well to read-aloud by adults who will enjoy its intrigue, humor and out-of-the-box thinking.

Alice Brière-Haquet and Michaela Eccli’s Thread By Thread (9780802856395, $18.99) will attract ages 4-8 with its lively story of a mouse family living in a yarn nest, that watches it unravel as knitting goes on.

As they see their yarn home dissolving, can the family embark on a long-distance journey, tackling new challenges to build themselves a new life?

Knitting imagery blends nicely into life experience and bigger-picture thinking in this warm, revealing picture book.

Carol A. Foote’s Trouble Dog: From Shelter Dog to Conservation Hero (9780802855817, $18.99) will reach ages 5-9 with a fine survey of conservation and dogs that blends humor with insights and the compelling drawings of Larry Day.

Kids will be motivated to join scientists and ordinary humans (and even dogs) in an exploration of how wildlife can be saved as shelter dog Tucker becomes a globetrotting adventurer.

Dog lovers will relish this inviting, loving tale, which operates on many different levels.

Yiting Lee’s The Quiet One (9780802856418, $18.99) appeals to ages 4-8 with an inviting story of a shy student who would rather hide than participate in the dreaded Show and Tell portion of her school week.

Milly’s secret makeover of an old robot leads her to think otherwise as she discovers that the power of friendship also holds the power to transform and address her fears.

Marta Pantaleo’s And There Was Music (9780802856401, $18.99) will reach ages 4-8 with its vivid survey of different kinds of music and musical connections.

Ethnic music is explored in a picture book story replete with not just musical and artistic insights, but the connections such music fosters in the art community, and the diversity it encourages.

All are outstanding picture books, suitable for elementary-level libraries and adult read-aloud choices alike.

Simon & Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com

These new picture books from Simon and Schuster are highly recommended standouts for library and home collections.

April Pulley Sayre’s Vulture View (978166595194, $18.99) receives fine illustration by Caldecott Honor recipient Steve Jenkins, whose lovely collages accent an equally compelling survey of the vulture.

Lyrical celebrations by Sayre (“They hop, flap, soar/to look for more./All afternoon. But soon...”) provide simple facts about vulture habits, countenances, and how they locate and consume dead creatures, acting as a clean-up crew for nature.

It’s about time the vulture had his day ... and here, he does.

April Pulley Sayre’s Eat Like a Bear (9781665952217, $18.99) again enjoys attractive illustration by Steve Jenkins as it surveys how a brown bear forges for food year-round, and how she raises cubs.

Grizzly bear habits come to life in an attractive, interactive invitation that encourages kids to think about such topics as “Can you eat like a bear?” and “Can you forge like a bear? It’s July. Find food. But where?”

Jennifer Bradbury’s Nearly Exactly Almost Like Me (9781481417679, $19.99) features appealing art by Pearl Auyeung as it surveys how a brother shares many interests and life perspectives with his sibling.

Even though the two don’t look alike and sport many differences, similarities and family ties keep them connected. Just how is revealed in this celebration of their relationship and acknowledgement of their love.

Steve Small’s The Hare Who Wouldn’t Share (9781665972932, $18.99) tells of an introverted bunny who wants to live life his own way—alone. That’s how he likes it ... until one day a hungry boar’s attack on the next-door neighbors’ carrot patch changes everything.

A lovely story of cooperation, sharing, hoarding, and discovery enjoys exceptionally appealing illustrations that invite kids and read-aloud adults to discuss concepts of sharing and positivity.

The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard (9781665914970, $19.99) reviews what happens when a beloved library, which is a “keeper of stories,” experiences a devastating fire.

When New York’s Jewish Theological Society is threatened in 1966, firefighters try their best, but the building and its holdings are largely destroyed.

How can a concerned community keep the books and their messages alive?

Fine illustrations by Selina Alko enhance this lovely tale of recovery and discovery, based on real-life history.

Lisa Bentley’s I Am Not Your Hat! (9781665955362, $19.99) also reaches picture book readers ages 4-8 with the fine story of a talkative bird and a listener who keeps his secret.

When new birds mistake Dot for Bert’s new hat, Bert doesn’t argue with them ... even if it means upsetting his best friend.

When Dot rebels, how can Bert regain her trust and friendship?

Kids will learn important lessons from this fine story of a friendship’s conundrum and its outcome.

Meeg Pincus’s The Crane and the Keeper (9781536232363, $18.99) receives simply gorgeous illustration by Gillian Eilidh O’Mara as it explores a friendly crane, Walnut, who is raised by humans. She loves all except her own species, and so is rejected by several zoos until she lands at her last possible home in captivity, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

As her story dovetails with that of new crane zookeeper Chris Crowe, facts emerge about zoo management, captive breeding programs, and extraordinary connections between nature and humans.

All are appealing, informational stories that are highly recommended for any elementary library’s natural history section, offering kids and read-aloud adults fine opportunities for not just absorbing facts, but better understanding wild creatures and nature.