October 2026 Prime Picks

Reviewer's Choice

Fairytales for Privileged Children
Daniel Foxx
Monoray
9781800963870 $16.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Fairytales for Privileged Children is a hilarious gathering of fractured fairytales that reworks classic stories to represent privileged characters to young readers and their read-aloud parents.

In fact, the latter audience may be the perfect fit for this survey, which presents tales ranging from “The Two Ugly Sisters” who undertake facelifts to Princess Viennetta, a very beautiful, very rich Sleeping Beauty who finds ordinary life boring and can only be awakened by cold, hard cash.

This hilarious remake will delight a wide age range with its wry satirical inspections of privileged lives and perspectives.

Jessica Kingsley
www.jkp.com

Two new guides are highly recommended, essential reading for health professionals, parents, and caregivers who navigate decisions and shifting information about special needs children.

Anne Borden King’s The Informed Parent: A Decision-Making Guide to Autism Services and Advocacy (9781399830430, $20.95) gives parents essential information about autism services, from how to assess if a service offers the right approach or support to how to plan an educational future and how to manage communication with schools – especially if a parent, too, has autism.

Chapters offer important insights into a myriad of subjects such as independent living, pairing statistics and case history examples with surveys of what works, what doesn’t, and how parents can navigate an autism diagnosis with advocacy in mind and fact-based studies in hand.

The result is very highly recommended for parents and libraries catering to special needs individuals.

Katie K. May’s Teen DBT in Practice: A Comprehensive Guide for Therapists Treating High-Risk Behaviors (9781805019640, $32.95) is a guide for therapists who support kids engaged in high-risk behaviors, offering a focus on Dialectical Behavior Therapy applications.

The book applies its structure and approach to real-world situations of young people embarking on harmful and suicidal behaviors. It considers the foundational impact of mindfulness, cultivating treatment plans that encourage dialectical thinking and involve caregivers and other support systems in the process.

Both are important, highly recommended books for psychology and parenting libraries alike.

Mitchell Beazley
www.octopusbooks.co.uk

These new arrivals from Mitchell Beazley are highly recommended picks for libraries and readers interested in food and wine.

Charlotte Kristensen’s Wine & Dine at Home: Easy Recipes & Perfect Pairings (9781846016424, $26.99) teaches readers how to pair wine with food based on three basic steps: Discover, Pair, and Curate.

It streamlines and simplifies the matching process, allowing for easy absorption of some of the keys to food and wine pairing. Fifty examples of such pairings lead into themed menus that build on this knowledge to successfully couple food and drink.

Anyone new to the food/wine pairing process must have this easy, recipe-filled primer on how to achieve the best results from both.

Ali Stoner’s Scran: Modern Scottish Food Inspired By Tradition (9781846016486, $32.99) presents over a hundred Scottish recipes, but treats them to modern interpretation to provide something completely different - even for those already versed in Scottish fare.

From a unique Pressed Lamb served in “deconstructed Scottish broth” with pearl barley risotto to a savory Prune and Leek Scone, recipes accompanied by a facing page color photos of the finished dish offer satisfyingly original takes on Scottish food that will appeal widely to a modern audience of cooks who appreciate convenience, tradition, and new twists on old favorites.

Stéphane Reynaud’s Bistro: French Food and Wine for Every Occasion (9781846016905, $50.00) packs in color photos by Marie-Pierre Morel as it surveys bistro recipes (some 250) and wines that go well with them.

Many of the food presentations offer home cooks some intriguing options for display, such as a Bone Marrow dish where the filling is removed, mixed with chorizo and chives, and spooned back into the bone for a final grilling. Spicy accents often present new notes on traditional favorites, such as a Merguez Couscous with ginger, cinnamon, chickpeas, and harissa paste that’s paired with an Aoc rosé wine from the Taval region of France.

Simply outstanding, the book is notable for its food/wine innovations as much as its unique bistro fare.

Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding’s World Atlas of Wine (9781784729707, $75.00) has been completely revised for its 9^th appearance, making the authoritative survey a ‘must’ for wine libraries seeking the latest worldwide wine guides.

New to this edition are revisions to virtually every wine map (18 are new), climate data information, new wine labels in the Language of the Label panels, a completely revised introduction and new illustrations, and much increased or extended data.

Packed with maps, color photos, and the latest information about world wine trends, cultivation, harvest, and appreciation, the 9^th update of World Atlas of Wine is not to be missed by anyone serious about wine.

These exceptional cookbooks are worthy of any library’s attention.

Sugar & Spice
Francesca Huntingdon
Hamlyn
9780600640295 $26.99
www.octopusbooks.co.uk

Sugar & Spice: Sweet Treats and Bakes to Enjoy as the Nights Draw In features some 100 recipes that range from Maple Biscuits and Toffee Apples to Gingerbread Men, Marshmallow Crackle Squares, and Honey & Ginger Flapjacks.

These are meant for cold nights and warmth, involve roasting and baking, and provide a host of recipes not seen in other cookbooks in a collection of sweets designed to add warmth to the winter season.

Attractive color photos of finished dishes add allure to the book.

Young Adult/Children

Beaming Books
www.beamingbooks.com

These Beaming Books new releases are original, fun choices for elementary-level readers and adults seeking unique read-aloud opportunities for picture book listeners.

Lina Chopra Haldar’s Dear Math: We’re Not Friends (9798880935790, $19.99) gives reluctant young math readers the idea that math can be fun. It does so through the viewpoint of young Nikhil, who does not like math at all. A savvy teacher encourages him by showing him how to embrace the many circumstances of math in his young life.

Teresa Martinez provides whimsical, fun illustrations that draw the eye as readers learn the possibilities of a math-infused world and how it can be appreciated and enjoyed.

Mariana Ellergy and Clara Reschke’s The Boredom Monster (9798889835073, $19.99) tells of Cameron, who faces a boring, miserable day sans adventure.

When his ordinary living room is transformed into the land of Boredom, this only reinforces his notion that the day will bring ennui – until a mysterious, friendly monster appears to change everything.

There’s no fear, here - just a fun story of a blue monster who introduces creative new possibilities on a boring day.

These excellent, inviting picture book stores will reach a wide audience.

Eerdmans
www.eerdmans.com/youngreaders

These new arrivals from Eerdmans provide picture book libraries and readers with fine, involving choices.

Jennifer Grant’s Consider the Night (9780802855640) reaches ages 3-7 with a story about outer space, God’s love, and connections between the two.

It can be read as a bedtime devotional and is inspired by several Bible verses, but it also defines constellations, planets, and other astronomical terms, adding educational value to the spiritual inspection of the heavens.

Valentina Gottardi, Macie J. Michno, and Danio Miserocchi’s Still Water: The Wonders of Ponds, Pools, Wetlands, and More (9780802856593) considers the differences between bodies of water and the natural habitats they support.

Picture book readers receive colorful illustrations as they learn about these wetland environments, with Valentina Gottardi’s lovely drawings accompanying discussions of microorganisms, crustaceans, peat bogs, fish, and more.

Lovely, appealing color illustrates discussions suitable for elementary-level reports.

I’m Frankie Frankenstein
José Carlos Andrés Gómez
NubeOCHO
9791387834524 $17.99
www.nubeocho.com

I’m Frankie Frankenstein is the picture book story of a big monster of a girl who longs to play with kids her own age. There’s only one problem – they are all afraid of the enormous Frankie.

Frankie knows something is missing from her life despite the efforts of her parents and her own teacher, Ms. Kensington the Skeleton, to help. Determined to play with the village kids against all odds, Frankie pursues her goal – with some unexpected results that will delight picture book readers interested in a non-scary book about differences, monsters, and friendships.

Libraries and parents who read this book aloud will find it holds plenty of lessons about acceptance and connection.

I Want
Ziggy Hanaor and Charlotte Ager
Cicada Books Ltd.
9781800660670 $19.99
www.cicadabooks.co.uk

I Want tells of a demanding baby who wants a cookie and insists that his wishes be met. Witch seems in the perfect position to give Baby what he wants ... but when magic enters his world, it’s hard to balance the effects of power with the needs of a child.

A simple, fun story evolves about a cookie-loving kid that will accept nothing else and a frustrated witch that discovers a cookie is only the beginning of a list of needs.

Libraries and parents who read aloud will appreciate this fun story.

The Journey Seed
Sabbithry Persad
Eternal Tree Books
97815953384515 $19.99
www.eternaltreebooks.com

The Journey Seed: A Story of Roots, Home, and Growing Again receives lovely art by Chandrima Chatterjee as it surveys Indian girl Mala, who listens to family stories in her Indian village. When her family is forced to leave, her mother gives Mala a mango seed she can plant in her new home to remember her old life.

Picture book readers receive a gentle story of change, migration, connections to home, and courage which is embedded with uplifting messages (“Traveling makes us brave.”). The moving story lends to elementary library acquisition and shared reading with adults.

The Mole Construction Company: The Squirrel Family’s Treasure
Shingo Nagasaki
Do Re Mi Books
9781917933070 $18.95
www.doremibooks.co.uk

The Mole Construction Company: The Squirrel Family’s Treasure is translated from Japanese by Lisa Wilcut and tells of moles who “run the best construction company in town.” The mole crew is dedicated to ‘safety first’ and happily tackle big problems on the job, such as a leaning squirrel tree.

Read-aloud adults will appreciate the embedded sound effects that are part of the text’s appeal as a crane creeeeeaks the tree trunk upwards and a grab loader clank-clanks to fix up the tree house.

Kids interested in construction and uplifting stories of kindness, helping others, and approaching big problems with positivity will relish the progression of construction and community effort that makes The Mole Construction Company: The Squirrel Family’s Treasure a winner.

Paw Prints Publishing
www.publisherspotlight.com

These new books from Paw Prints Publishing feature fun monster stories that will attract, not frighten, young readers.

Frances Stickley and Stefano Martinuz’s Goblin (0781223189123, $19.99) tells of a little goblin who has everything. But possessions are never enough for him. He always wants more, which propels him on a search for “trinkets and trash” to collect.

His obsession is such that his greed neither holds boundaries nor enables him to recognize potential friends.

How can a selfish heart be changed by friendship?

A lovely story details an unusual change of heart as his demands meet a brick wall, then change.

Stickley and Martinuz’s Troll (9781223188577, $18.99) considers the life of an under-bridge troll who loves to shout nasty things to those who travel over the bridge via his trusty, loud megaphone.

Nobody wants to visit him, much less hear him – but when little Rabbit comes to pay a call, Troll’s ability to shout nasty things from a safe distance is challenged.

“There beneath the bridge unseen, he found it easy to be mean.”

What happens when proximity changes everything makes for a lovely, inviting story read-aloud adults will find perfect for the very young.

Both books are exceptional examples of colorful, appealing approaches to life that present as tales, but hold deeper meaning and impact with unprecedented opportunities for adults to teach kids important lessons about friendship and life.

Annie Auerbach’s Forever Kind (9781223188591, $17.99) presents a group of animals at Forever Friends Farm who are planning a special party to help P.J. the Goose.

Newcomer Jasper the Cat isn’t sure about joining their efforts, and causes trouble. The formula is set for conflict, but instead the friends decide to employ kindness as a solution to the problem.

Lovely, colorful animal drawings by Luke Flowers and a scannable sing-along song enhance the attraction of this barnyard tale.

Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing With Feathers (9781223188164, $18.99) pairs illustrations by Tim Hopgood in a ‘Picture a Poem’ format that pairs art with poetic enhancements.

As Dickinson’s poem comes to life, picture book readers receive a fine literary and artistic introduction at an earlier age than is usually received, with the poem separated into pages that make its overall digestion accessible to the very young and those unused to poetry in general.

Adults who read this aloud will find it surprisingly easy to introduce to kids, given its attractive format and colorful presentation.

Moon Cat by Casi Cole (9781223189239, $19.99) features lovely art by Amanda Romanick as it presents a gorgeous night meditation narrated by a Pawpaw to his grandchild.

Here, the moon assumes feline form and the story a “you are here” narrative style as the Moon Cat “snuggles into the moon, and you look to Earth with its white swirls of clouds.”

The gorgeous, oversized illustrations are exceptional, and captivate with colorful insights.

All are outstanding acquisitions for home and elementary-level libraries.

Penguin
www.penguin.com/kids

These new arrivals from Penguin offer fine stories to picture book readers that are also suitable for elementary-level library acquisition.

Jessica Goecke’s Billy and the Hole (9780593695234, $18.99) tells of a boy’s discovery of an extraordinary talking hole. The hole does more than talk – it demands.

As his new best friend increases his requests, suddenly Billy begins to realize that the ongoing needs may not translate to a good friendship.

Adults seeking to impart the foundations of friendship, giving and taking, and loyalty will find Billy and the Hole a fine jump-off point for discussion, with engaging illustrations adding attraction.

James Yang’s Swing! (9780593693100, $18.99) follows a girl who loves to play tennis with her father and dreams of becoming a famous tennis player. There’s more to tennis skills than just hitting the ball, however. As she learns more about her hero Arthur Ashe’s abilities, she begins to realize that tennis efforts can also model life (“I didn’t know that Arthur Ashe helps people when he’s not playing tennis.”).

Parents with athletic young kids will want to use this story’s examples to reinforce expanded visions of success and sports.

Padma Venkatraman’s Faraway Family (9780593698860, $18.99) is illustrated by Nicole Wong, who provides lovely embellishments for the story of a separated family who live far from one another, and who join together after a long time apart.

The first-person young narrator feels this “faraway family” is alien to her, but as she settles into their lives and they share experiences together, the alienation turns into something akin to friendship, with newfound connections.

These lovely picture books are highly recommended.

Post Wave
www.postwavepublishing.us

Fun new picture books offer young readers adventures and lessons in survival as they create engaging tales that stand out from the crowd.

Hervé Le Goff’s Grizzly (9798895091555, $18.99) tells of a bear who is dissatisfied with nearly everything in his world. Water is too wet, blackberries too prickly. There’s a lot to be grumpy about ... except when a positive friend points out all the good things in life.

Charis Ainslie translates this story of an encounter between very different friends who approach life in novel ways.

Lorenzo Coltellacci and Alice Ourghanlian’s How to Survive on a Desert Island (9798895091531, $18.99) presents a challenging adventure about survival processes, linking the effort to imagination, creativity, and proactive thinking.

Kids learn how to handle an unfamiliar place and how to apply some creative juice to adapting to new surroundings as the young protagonist is encouraged to exercise, explore, and “always be on the lookout for your next meal” in a whimsical, uplifting tale.

Both are highly recommended for elementary-level libraries and read-aloud adults.

Tiger Tales
www.tigertalesbooks.com

These new picture books celebrate the holiday and winter seasons with fun stories kids will find inviting.

Hank Goes Ho Ho Honk by Maudie Powell-Tuck and Duncan Beedie (9781664300996, $18.99) tells of a silly goose that gets loose in Santa’s workshop.

Hank’s impatience for the holiday to arrive causes no end of problems, from eating the Advent calendar all at once to crashing into the North Pole. Hank seems like nothing but trouble, but proves he can be helpful and contribute to one of the cornerstones of the holiday season when he gets the opportunity to help solve a problem.

He also learns that Christmas is about more than a big sack of toys in this whimsical tale that adults will find refreshingly fun and thought-provoking.

Stella J. Jones offers Christmas is in the Little Things (9781664301009, $18.99) to families seeking underlying messages about the holiday spirit.

Jane Massey’s engaging drawings add whimsy and attraction as two best friends, a bear and a child, celebrate all the trappings of Christmas while discovering that their friendship is the biggest holiday attraction and gift of all.

This fine story of affection, love, and shared experiences proves adults the perfect opportunity for cultivating a wider view of the Christmas spirit that most picture books offer.

Both will make outstanding holiday gifts.