November 2026 Prime Picks

Reviewer's Choice

Extreme Dreaming
Theresa Cheung
Godsfield
9781841816166 $19.99
www.octopusbooks.co.uk

Extreme Dreaming: Decode Your Nightmares & Awaken Your Wisdom Within goes beyond the usual dream interpretation approach to address tackling intense nightmares that are hard to shake off. Spiritual dream expert Theresa Cheung explores how nightmares happen, what sparks them, how to decode their symbolism, and how to use disturbing situations and images to better understand how one’s inner emotions speak through symbols.

The result is a powerful survey of awakening whose forays into dreams encourage readers to consider some underlying facets and healing opportunities in the most terrifying of situations, images, and events.

Hamlyn
www.octopusbooks.co.uk

These new cookbooks from Hamlyn offer specific recipe approaches to health and special situations, appealing to health readers and cookbook collectors alike.

Jacqueline Galanty’s The ADHD Recipe Book: Tips, Planners & 90 Easy Recipes to Eat Well with ADHD (9780600640264, $26.99) pairs insights on ADHD habits with surveys of their eating trends, offering case studies alongside 80 recipes designed for those with ADHD.

From recipes that are intuitive and organized ingredient lists to chapters arranged by different cooking methods, dietitian Galanty explores easier ways of producing meals, recognizing hunger cues, and reducing kitchen frustration.

GoodFood’s Best Ever Batch Cooks: Over 100 Fuss-Free Freezable & Prep-Ahead Meals (9780600640325, $24.99) is especially highly recommended for busy cooks seeking to save time and reduce stress while cooking nourishing, healthy meals. Each of the 100 dishes uses basic ingredients, can be accomplished in a few steps, and explores how food made in batches can be frozen and easily reheated for future consumption.

From Chunky Fish Fingers to One-Pot chicken Chasseur, color photos and inviting recipes make for a winning guide.

Jenny Tschiesche’s The Ultimate High Fibre Handbook (9780600640462, $26.99) discusses adding fiber to one’s diet, offering some 70 high-fiber recipes.

Step-by-step instructions to increasing fiber so the body can easily adjust accompany tips on hydration and cooking methods that make fiber production and absorption a snap.

From Curried Roast Butternut soup with Rye Croutons to One-Pan Over Barley Risotto with Mushrooms, these appealing dishes offer a wealth of opportunities for pairing high fiber choices with maximum flavor.

All are excellent guides that health and cookery libraries will want to consider.

Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2027
Hugh Johnson
Mitchell Beazley
9781784728748 $19.99
www.octopusbooks.co.uk

Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2027 adds yet another update to some fifty years of publishing Hugh Johnson’s pocket wine guides. While some might wonder at the need for yearly revamps, wine buyers well know that the wine world shifts so often that having a yearly updated annual guide is essential.

As with its predecessors, this has been fully revised and updated, including facts and comments on some 5,000 wines, growers, and worldwide regions. With its tips on what vintages to buy (or avoid) and how to select and assess wine, this pocket guide is invaluable, requiring only a good pair of eyes to see its smaller print.

Young Adult/Children

Barefoot Books
www.barefootbooks.com

These new arrivals from Barefoot Books offer fun picture book stories that elementary-level libraries and kids will appreciate.

Mathilde Tourbillion and Beatrice Cerocchi’s The Captain’s Christmas (9798898591625) tells of an old boat captain who supposes it must be Christmas, given the cold snap.

Captain Drake is always a bit gruff and looks forward to spending Christmas on his own, but his mate Skipper the squirrel disagrees. Skipper leads him into a different holiday celebration that belays the good captain’s grouchy assessment of the holiday spirit.

This unique exploration of Christmas will delight read-aloud adults looking for a fun survey of how the holiday can appeal to all.

Icelandic author Ævar Þór Benediktsson’s Oops! I Just Ate You. (9708888596654) receives fun art by Joaquín Camp as it explores monsters and a lonely zombie who wants friends - but has a terrible habit of consuming them.

Young readers need to have a thick skin for spooky characters who roam graveyards, think being un-dead is “great,” and consume innocent boys on bikes.

Barefoot pairs this story with audiobook reinforcement for added impact.

Halloween readers seeking creepy tales of uncertain friends and their bad habits will find the story unique as the zombie narrator considers the bad reputation of monsters in general.

Midnight Creep by Jemima Shafei-Ongu (9798898591540) features art by Honoka Taki and music by A is for Artist, is sung by Karim Nagi, and joins Barefoot’s ‘Singalongs’ books that hold online access to audio and video support.

All the giants are asleep and the lights are out – it’s time for the spider dance party! The singalong encourages kids to read the story, listen to the song, watch an animated video, and sing and dance.

These are inviting books that kids and adults will find satisfyingly different.

Eerdmans Books
www.eerdmans.com

These new arrivals from Eerdmans provide picture book readers with lovely stories that are excellent choices for both adult read-aloud and elementary-level library inclusion.

Rebecca Janni’s Branch: A Resurrection Story (9780802856159, $19.99) will reach ages 8-10 with a review of the Bible story from Genesis to Revelation, presented through the lens of lyrical poetry and watercolor art.

Examples from Old and New Testaments infuse Biblical tales with nature, with the symbols and spiritual meaning of the Bible illustrated by such unusual and thought-provoking phrasing as “breaking winds and breaking hearts.”

Puma Concolor: In Search of Patagonia’s Wild Pumas by Rene Araneda (9780802856609, $18.99) will reach ages 7-12 with the latest addition to Eerdmans’ STEAM for Curious Readers series.

The book originally appeared in Chile and is translated from Spanish by Lawrence Schimel. It explores the habitats and natural history of the puma, from its anatomy to its conservation. Lovely color illustrations by Julio Antonio Blasco in digital and pencil enhance the story’s visual attraction and overall appeal.

The Boy Behind the Wardrobe: How C.S. Lewis Grew Up to Create Narnia by Suzanne Poulter Harris (9780802855169, $19.99) will appeal to ages 6-12, pairing of lovely illustrations by Mira Miroslavova with a biographical survey that should appeal even to adults who may be familiar with Lewis’s fantasies, but not his inspiration.

The story of a boy who loved to write and dream imparts a sense of wonder and whimsy to Lewis fans of all ages.

Aline Portman’s This is How to Spot Animals! (9780802856615, $18.99) will attract ages 3-7 with its inviting invitation to perceive the world like an animal, much as author Portman does with her alter-ego, ‘Bear’.

Here Bear acknowledges that spotting animals is difficult as he leads readers through a day of wildlife watching, from birds to beasts, yet keeps coming up empty-pawed.

The broader emphasis on looking more closely at the world and less intensely at phone screens is supported by attractive, fun drawings and the running muse that “there’s nothing to see here.”

All are excellent, inviting picture books that will attract a wide audience.

The Green Child
Hollie Hughes and Britta Teckentrup
Post Wave
9798895090749 $18.99
www.postwavepublishing.us

The Green Child takes place in the “deepest, densest forest” where a sleeping Green Child resides.

Having slept through autumn and winter, she awakes when spring arrives, when the forest begins to awaken, too.

Lovely color illustrations follow her progression through this arousing forest world as she moves through spring and summer and celebrates the flowing seasons.

Adults seeking to reinforce the connections between seasonal change and human delights to be had from observing nature’s progression will find The Green Child evocative.

I Am a Growl
Kari-Lynn Winters
Pajama Press
9781772783803 $19.95
www.pajamapress.ca

I Am a Growl invites read-aloud participation from kids who growl, roar, and become animals.

Full-page photos of animal face-painted kids accompany simple descriptions that will attract adults seeking read-aloud opportunities that come heavy on dramatic sound effects:

“I am a growl. Grrrr! Sneaking through tall grass, my stripes hide me. Shhhh! I am a...”

Elementary-level kids will delight in the opportunity to mix science with drama in this fun survey of animals and their sounds and natural history.

Penguin Random House
www.penguin.com/kids

These new Fall arrivals from Penguin offer picture book readers fine stories and appealing illustrations. They will attract a wide age range, along with adults who read to them and elementary-level libraries seeking lasting lending acquisitions.

Katie Kordesh’s Merpig (9780593620502, $18.99) tells of an annual school show which always stars Marlon. This year is different, though: Marlon is no longer the star. So, how can he stand out on stage? This fine story about being a team player will work well with the adult objective of teaching kids about cooperative efforts and supporting one another.

Stephanie Ellen Sy’s The Magnificent Banyon and the Green Tong Lau (9780593858448, $18.99) receives colorful, inviting watercolor illustrations by Ishita Jain as it surveys a bird that drops a seed into the crack of a green tong lau.

The modern Hong Kong fable will appeal to kids interested in stories of resilience, community sharing, and human interactions with nature, even when the banyan tree is accused by one grandmother of “stealing my sky!”

We Are Free: Our First Amendment Rights by Allison Matulli (9798217142750, $18.99) explores the ideal of freedom, its allure and power, and the ways Americans are free to protest together, practice any or no religion, and report the news, “good or bad.” Art by Edel Rodriguez highlights these freedoms, adding attraction to a survey that will enlighten many elementary-level readers about their basic American rights.

Susan Straub’s Ring Ring (9780593857472, $18.99) receives whimsical illustrations by Anait Semirdzhyan as it tells of video calls with a grandmother that keeps her connected with her grandson’s life and adventures.

As a vacation unfolds in all its experiences, these calls become centered on a wobbly tooth as much as the adventures which follow the young boy throughout the day. The inviting story will appeal through its engaging illustrations and action-packed encounters.

Young Cat, Old Cat by Jillian Tamaki (9780593694312, $18.99) celebrates the joy of owning a cat through a combination of engaging cat drawings and simple reviews of different cats, from babies and “hopeful cats” to cats that grow older, are naughty or nice, and which interact with their owners and history over time.

Kids who love cats will find this engaging story a fine celebration of feline ownership and habits.

Keith Negley’s The Beginner’s Guide to Being a Wizard (9798217318568, $18.99) offers a primer on magic and enchantment that will attract kids interested in the possibilities of acquiring spell-casting abilities. But, don’t forget the wizard duels and other trappings of learning, which involve making mistakes and handling wands correctly (“If something explodes, its yours. If nothing happens, keep giving it words of encouragement. (Some sticks just need time.”)

Anoosha Syed’s Love in Every Language (9798217041138, $18.99) tells of different languages, misunderstandings between English-speaking Mirha and her nani, who speaks Urdu, and parents who try to translate for them both. Worst of all, nani doesn’t know how to express love to her granddaughter in the right words.

A fine story of communication, language, and love evolves which teaches young readers about the importance of expressing affection no matter what language is involved. Colorful illustrations accompany thought-provoking insights: “She was still sad, but seeing her favorite treat made her smile.”

Night Ride by Christopher Myers (9798217238460, $19.99) tells of an adventure which starts when a city falls asleep and a group of friends set out on a night bicycle ride.

Part of the attraction lies in the adventure of exploring a city after dark, but the main feature setting this tale apart from any others is the stained glass illustrations by the author, which bring to vivid and colorful life the wordless adventure story. This will encourage discussions about night encounters, urban attractions, and art, making the plot vivid and involving.

Owl Capone by Christy Ewers (9798217042326, $18.99) receives fun illustrations by Rob Sayegh Jr. as it explores an owl known for his big heart and yummy sandwiches, who is literally ratted out by his right-hand man, Gus the Rat.

Owl has thought of Gus as ‘famiglia’, but when Gus embarks on unfair competition, Owl is stymied.

Issues of loyalty, friendship, competition, and the notion that “kindness has made you weak” lend to an unusually thought-provoking foray into anger, betrayal, and the unexpected realizations that come from confrontation and competition, making for a lovely story that lends well to read-aloud and discussion.

I Am A Spicy Nugget by Loryn Brantz (9798217042142, $18.99) discusses big emotions in a way kids can readily understand. A simple request for a pet penguin, which is unreasonably denied, sets off an explosion in response.

The young protagonist is expressive: “Nothing can calm me down. My thoughts are those of anger; I want to scream and frown!”

The detailed descriptions of angry feelings and what doesn’t work to calm this child will provide read-aloud adults with much fodder for discussion, with intriguing illustrations adding attraction to the mix.

Habbi’s Treasures by Yoojin Grace Wuertz (9780593891131, $18.99) is illustrated by Dung Ho and tells of Caleb’s discovery of a box of treasures at his grandfather’s house. It contains rich memories which the two explore together. Family stories draw connections between treasured objects and history.

Kids are invited to explore their own heritage and family memories through this warm experience of intergenerational discussion and discovery.

Traci N. Todd and Vashti Harrison’s That You Are Here Is No Small Thing (9780593353028, $18.99) presents a story about resilience and survival as the young descendents of enslaved Africans learn about their history.

The survey is perfect for picture book collections seeking enlightening explorations of Black history and the different ways oppression is battled, offering reviews of grandparent and family legacies: “Like your grandfather’s grandfather, who conjured a magic mix of spices and cream and made smothered chicken so good, we still chase that recipe.”

All are excellent stories that picture book readers will appreciate.

Sparrow’s Blue Christmas
Roger Hutchison
Beaming Books
9798889834816 $18.99
www.beamingbooks.com

Sparrow’s Blue Christmas enjoys fun illustrations by Ag Jatkowska as it presents Sparrow, who tries to invite his friends to participate in fun holiday activities. Each friend is suffering from seasonal blues, however, so his invitations fall on deaf ears until Sparrow realizes what the problem is – and how the solution involves creating a unique Blue Christmas that invites friends to share their feelings.

Adults interested in concepts of friendship, God, support and comfort, and exploring the different emotions Christmas brings will find this an engaging, warm-hearted story well suited to bring the holiday spirit to life.