September 2025 Prime Picks

Reviewer's Choice

(Almost) Instant Noodles
Lily Martin
Hamlyn/Octopus Publishing
9780600639527 $19.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com

(Almost) Instant Noodles: Rapid Ramen, Ultimate Udon, Speedy Stir Fries and More! covers all types of noodle dishes, arranging them thematically in chapters of main courses, soups, side dishes, and instant pot and other quick noodle concoctions.

Recipes will appreciate the facing photos of completed dishes on nearly every page and the inclusion of such innovative fare as a Prawn and Fennel Curry, Aubergine and Sesame Salad, and Hoisin and Orange Veggie Stir-Fry. The dishes embrace the idea of quick, flavorful results with a minimum of special ingredients or fuss.

(Almost) Instant Noodles offers the perfect recipes for success and home cooking enjoyment.

Around the Table
Diana Henry
9781846016004 $26.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Around the Table: 52 Essays on Food & Life cements the notion that Diana Henry produces more than just foolproof cookbooks.

Here she enters into literary food writing, gathering some of her best essays from some two decades of cookbook writing and exploring wide-ranging food topics through discussions of ingredients, recipes, and worldwide culinary explorations.

From an investigation of salt which began with a salt craving to how chicken has always been part of her culinary life, these vivid stories are passionate explorations of the food world and ingredients that introduce culinary excitement to cooks and literary audiences who appreciate delicious food writing.

The Farm Kitchen
Abby Allen
Kyle Books
9781804193075 $24.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com

The Farm Kitchen: Seasonal Recipes from Field, Coast and Garden is the second book by the Pipers Farm folk to promote and cover ethical food with recipes for meat, fish, and vegetables gleaned from sustainable ingredients.

These easy recipes are arranged by season and include a wide range of cultural influences, pairing full-page color photos of dishes as diverse as Mutton Chops with Beetroot Hummus and Dukkah, an Autumn Gardener’s Bolognese, or a summer Chicken Schnitzel Burger with Cucumber Pickle.

The diversity and attraction of these original recipes makes The Farm Kitchen a winner for anyone interested in utilizing fresh farm produce and ingredients for maximum flavor and easy preparation.

The Fromagerie
Claude Luisier
Mitchell Beazley
9781840919158 $29.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com

The Fromagerie: Exploring Pairing and Enjoying Cheese narrows the cheese focus to French and Swiss cheeses. It comes from a cheesemaker who features some 50 cheeses in recipes and history.

Would-be cheesemakers and those who would learn more about these regions receive a travelogue that covers the different cheeses, which combines nicely with a history of how they are crafted and differ.

Full-page color photos accompany recipes that range from an Asparagus and Ham Salad with Arradoy Shavings to a Swiss Gratin de Cornettes from the author’s childhood.

Full-page color photos complete this book’s appeal and top recommendation for inclusion in any cheese lover’s collection.

Genealogy in Reverse
Cheri Hudson Passey
Genealogical Publishing Company
9780806321516
www.genealogical.com

It may be widely acknowledged that the fine art of genealogical research involves piecing together stories of the past, but Cheri Hudson Passey embraces a different approach in Genealogy in Reverse, which probes the art of finding living relatives who can fill those gaps in family stories and information.

Her focus on tapping these relatives offers step-by-step insights into making connections with living family members and following clues that led not just to individuals, but filling in the family tree with current, living knowledge.

Researching online, on location, and through a variety of approaches is covered in a survey that builds a fine skill set for anyone who would research their family’s history, stories, and influences.

Hamlyn
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Two small cookbooks make perfect stocking stuffers and gifts for new cooks, offering recipes and formats that are inviting rather than daunting.

Eloise Goode’s The Pumpkin Spice Cookbook (9780600639480, $12.99) presents some 40 recipes using pumpkin spice flavors, from pies and puddings to brownies, biscuits, and muffins.

One might expect that using similar spice flavors would result in a collection that’s hardly diverse, but the inclusion of such dishes as Coffee & Walnut Cupcakes, Sticky Toffee and Date Loaf, and Caramel Apple Crumble shows that these recipes, paired with full-page color photos throughout, are anything but similar and are packed with satisfying diversity.

Goode’s The Cinnamon Bun Cookbook (9780600639466, $12.99) does the same as Pumpkin Spice, cultivating a small size, appealing color photos, and a diversity of recipes based on a spice (cinnamon, in this case) which demonstrates the extent to which it can appeal.

From Clove and Cardamom Spice Cookies to Honey, Grape & Cinnamon Tartlets, the range of treats, ease of preparation, and appeal makes this book a winner—especially for those interested in exploring the extent to which spices can be used.

Both are wonderful choices for gift-giving that encourage novice cooks to explore.

Hi World, I’m Dad
James Guttman
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
9781805014248 $18.95
www.jkp.com

Hi World, I’m Dad: How Fathers Can Journey to Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Appreciation tackles the big issues involved in raising a non-verbal autistic child, providing a parenting’s guide from one who has been there and done that, along with a fatherhood focus that is gender-specific and useful.

From understanding traditional perceptions of masculinity both in the community and at home to communicating effectively with an autistic child, Hi World, I’m Dad is important reading for mother and father alike, offering many points of discussion about special child-rearing concerns that the entire family needs to know.

Legendary Guitars
Julien Bitoun
Cassell
9781788406321 $60.00
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Legendary Guitars is an oversized, slipcase tribute to guitars that features full-page stunning color photos by Eleanor Jane. These accompany a review of 100 of the rarest guitars ever made, spanning the 19^th century to modern times.

If only one guitar history book were to be selected for a library, it should be Julien Bitoun’s celebration. Bitoun is a specialist in rock music who gathers a wide range of notable guitars that range from inexpensive to pricey, discussing not just how they were made, but their sounds, how they play, and the artists that employed them.

Data on year of manufacture and approximate resale value accompany lively insights on how museum pieces and musical legends are crafted and created, making for an outstanding, highly recommended survey unparalleled in its subject.

Lost in the Forest
Colin Heber-Piercy
Gaia/Octopus Publishing
9781804192313 $24.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Lost in the Forest: Notes on Not Belonging from the English Countryside is an encouragement to get lost in the world, setting aside social labels, institutions, and limitations in favor of losing oneself in the world to ultimately find new perspectives and purposes.

Supplementing Colin Heber-Piercy’s tales from his local Savernake Forest with bigger-picture thinking about social constructs, limitations, spirituality, and life’s riches, Lost in the Forest sports a jaunty spirit and inquisitive mind. It will prove inspirational, reflective, and engrossing to readers interested in nature’s seasons, new directions, and signposts pointing the way to a different form of living.

Summersdale
www.summersdale.com

Three new books make perfect gifts for holidays, birthdays, and other celebrations for dog and cat fans.

Sam Hart’s My Cat’s Plans for World Domination: Hilarious Ways Your Cat is Cleverer Than You Think (9781837996490, $11.99) pairs hilarious, colorful drawings by Tatiana Davidova with real cat facts, making for the perfect pet companion for new cat owners.

From territorial actions to getting work done with a cat in residence, these delightfully whimsical one-liners are both realistic and thought-provoking.

Amy Pike, Elizabeth Mullen and Tara Murtagh’s Dog Parenting: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding, Training and Bonding with Your Best Friend (9781837995752, $13.99) enjoys illustrations by Fin Kendall as it pairs how-to-train basics with a peppering of whimsical portraits.

Many details about the dog training process embrace understanding, compassion, and intention in a different way, giving novice dog owners plenty of food for thought and practical applications.

Sam Hart’s The Love Language of Dogs: Hilarious Ways Your dog is Trying to Show Their Love (9781837996513, $11.99) enjoys fun drawings by Tatiana Davidova as it surveys dog mishaps, humor, and communication attempts.

Dog owners will readily recognize many of these hilarious moments, such as a last-minute dog’s sniff before a human leaves the house, while newcomers receive a blend of whimsy and enlightenment which is fun and revealing.

These small-sized appealing guides deserve consideration by any animal lover and make perfect gifts for new dog and cat guardians.

Tequila, Mezcal & More
Anna Bruce
Mitchell Beazley
9781784729769 $24.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Tequila, Mezcal & More: Discover, Sip & Mix the Best Agave Spirits adds to the growing literature about drink mixing with a focus on Mexican-based agave spirits. It comes from a journalist and photographer who considers all kinds of mixed bottled spirits and many different ways to create cocktails from them.

From differentiating between tequila and mezcal and what makes an agave-based spirit to discerning flavor differences and visiting mescal bars in Mexico, this bend of history and cookbook is nothing short of engaging, informational, and a ‘must’ for tequila and mescal drinkers.

The World Atlas of Coffee, 3^rd Edition
James Hoffmann
Mitchell Beazley
9781784729868 $39.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Readers might wonder at the need for a third updated edition of a book like The World Atlas of Coffee, but the expanding world of coffee requires constant updating to reflect new coffees, brewing mechanisms, ideals about coffee making and consumption, and influences on taste.

This blends a history of coffee around the world with keys to understanding different approaches to its brewing and appreciation. It embraces nearly fifty countries, offering in-depth knowledge that usually is limited to the coffee industry rather than the consumer.

Packed with color photos and illustrations and covering everything from coffee grinders to drinks and growing regions around the world, The World Atlas of Coffee is the one book that should be in any library as an authoritative guide.

Young Adult/Children

Around the World on 80 Horses
Jill Newton
Child’s Play
9781786288080
www.childs-play.com

Around the World on 80 Horses gallops into an interconnected world of horses and folklore with a journey through some 80 horse breeds around the world. Each hold different, unique histories and characteristics.

The lavish illustrations, horse facts and history, and blend of real and mythological horses is surveyed through maps, illustrations, and colorful descriptions. These encourage horse-crazy kids to learn more about equine history and attraction, while the book’s oversized presentation lends to library display to attract a child’s interest.

Its lovely approach to horses of the world will captivate young fiction and nonfiction readers alike.

Dawn
Marc Martin
Candlewick Press
9781536232400 $18.99
www.candlewickpress.com

Gorgeous nature art by illustrator Marc Martin captures the moment-by-moment unfolding of nature as dawn reveals a gorgeous world consisting not just of a beautiful sunrise, but fish, birds and butterflies, bees and frogs, and more.

Read-aloud adults will especially appreciate the insights on how to stop, wait, watch, listen, and look at this unfolding world as they narrate the step-by-step wildlife experiences with dawn for the very young.

The result is a celebration of nature and dawn which deserves a place in libraries seeking simple language paired with exceptional nature illustrations.

Wm. Eerdmans
www.eerdmans.com

These new arrivals from Eerdmans are excellent picture books for discriminating lending libraries and adults who read aloud to kids.

Olivia Armstrong’s The Birds of Christmas (9780802856470, $18.99) will reach ages 4-8 with Mira Miroslavova’s delightful illustrations and the story of birds who want to participate in giving gifts to a newborn baby in a manger.

Each bird seems to come up with something appropriate, but little Robin can’t find a thing. How can she demonstrate her love for the newborn? A fun tale evolves.

Late Today by Jungyoon Huh and Myungae Lee (9780802856494, $18.99 will reach the same age group with its story of a morning in Seoul, Korea, and how a kitten caught in busy traffic is rescued. Will anyone have the motivation to stop and take the time to save her?

A gentle story of values, life, and rescue involves kids in discussions about what it means to be too busy to help versus being conscious about stepping up to others’ needs.

Olga Fadeeva’s Sound: Discovering the Vibrations We Hear (9780802856487, $18.99) receives engaging illustrations by Lena Traer as it explores sound in science, technology, and daily life, revealing how people produce, hear, and react to sounds in life.

The science is peppered with “Try It!” sections encouraging young readers to experiment to better understand sound and its possibilities, while illustrations that pack the pages with lively, attractive information assume almost a graphic novel appearance of powerful pictorial support.

Consider the Birds by Jennifer Grant (9780802855626, $18.99) enjoys fun illustrations by Julianna Swaney as it tells of a birdfeeder that attracts all manner of birds that sport different features and attractions.

Part of a planned ‘Consider’ series juxtaposing spiritual reinforcement with celebrations of nature, this survey pairs a love of nature with a love for God in a gentle, endearing manner.

Olga Ptashnik’s Fly Like a Bird (9780802856456, $18.99) tells of a young bird that wonders what would happen if he never learns to fly. Then he considers all the options of different kinds of flight, from hummingbirds to condors.

Science, nature, and possibilities for growth and different flight styles blend in a powerful story of possibility that incorporates many thought-provoking considerations which adults reading to kids will want to discuss:

It must feel amazing to be the fastest bird, but I don’t want to hurt other birds! How can tiny birds like us protect ourselves from predators?

Juliana Muñoz Toro’s Journey of the Humpbacks (9780802856432, $18.99) is illustrated by Dipacho and translated by Lawrence Schimel. It explores humpback whale migratory patterns.

This book involved collaboration with three humpback whale researchers and presents an award-winning survey of whale science, migration process, and the influences on their lives, couched in a rich survey that young picture book readers will relish.

All are excellent acquisitions that lend to reading aloud and discussion.

Holiday House Publishing
www.holidayhouse.com

Two new arrivals are excellent picture book stories that will appeal to a wide audience of libraries and young readers.

Chelsea Lin Wallace and Thyra Heder’s On Our Way With Mr. Jay (9780823457045, $18.99) tells of eighteen school kids who are driven to school by efficient driver Mr. Jay. They need different kinds of care to make the bus trip a good one, but he steps up to the task. This uplifting survey adds to the School Heroes series with yet another exploration of how adults can contribute to a child’s happiness, safety, and daily life.

The fun bus ride involves rescues, urban action, and efficient problem-solving as the story evolves.

Heidi Aubrey’s Ada and the Goat (9780823450800, $18.99) tells of Ada’s move from town to an old house on the hill. She didn’t expect her new abode to come with a goat that wrecks havoc, so she sends the beast on its way. The only problem is that it refuses to leave its home.

The dispute over whose house it really is moves into unexpected territory as Ada confronts her true feelings about her move once she rids herself of her unexpected intruder.

Both are lively, fun stories holding thought-provoking insights that young readers and read-aloud parents will appreciate.

Kisses Are Invisible
Dee Rominto
Tilbury House
9781668944899 $18.99
www.tilburyhouse.com

Kisses Are Invisible is illustrated by Jen White and tells of Theodore, who feels that life can be scary. His wise mother also knows that life can be magical, but how can she impart this feeling to her cautious son?

She sends him on a search for “invisibles” in his world that translate to important features of life. In the process, this quest calms his worries and teaches him that the best things are not only not frightening, but often less apparent than safer experiences.

A warm story evolves about an affectionate mother who gently guides her son towards embracing new, truly remarkable facets of life.

Let’s Get Spooky
Štĕpánka Sekaninová and Lukáš Figel
Albatros
9788000074495 $18.95
www.albatrosbooks.com

Let’s Get Spooky is a collection for kids who delight in spooky situations, but don’t want to a story filled with fear. It packs in illustrations of eerie places, encouraging young reader interactions through such adventures as a spot-the-vampire task, sorting through graveyard ghosts to find a swinging ghost and sombrero-wearing skeletons, and confronting headless knights on a dark street.

Presented in an oversized board book so that younger hands can turn the pages without ripping them, Let’s Get Spooky is a visual delight that will especially engage young fans of Where’s Waldo and other stories that encourage a good eye for detail.

Nosy Crow
www.nosycrow.us

Nosy Crow has some lovely titles suitable for a wide range of picture book readers, and these new arrivals are no exception.

Kael Tudor’s Marching Band (9798887772073, $18.99) receives whimsical, colorful illustration by Kate Hindley as it features an animal marching band, a rollicking rhyme, and such a creative countenance that many an adult will be enchanted.

Sound effects can be easily read out loud for maximum impact and emphasis:

Monkeys HOWLING, tigers ROARING./Sleepy sloths are loudly SNORING./Swing and leap from vine to vine./Here we go—it’s marching time!

The result is a bright, enthusiastic book that all ages will love.

Em Lynas and Matt Hunt’s The Bear and the Hare and the Fair (9798887772103) tells of a fair visit in which Hare and Bear are not happy because its rides are too challenging and noisy.

Each has a different system for rating rides; but it feels like no ride will satisfy them both. How can they compromise, with such different interests?

Each book comes with a free ‘Stories Aloud’ audiobook opportunity, making them exceptionally appealing and packed with value.

Penguin Books
www.penguinrandomhouse.com

These new arrivals from Penguin Books offer picture book readers a host of inviting stories with approaches perfect for entertainment and educational value alike.

Ron Grady’s Beatrice Looks for Home (9780593696354, $18.99) tells of a girl who loves living in the country, but faces city life when her father gets a new job.

Her dads are forced to leave Gram and bring Beatrice into their new city lives, which Beatrice is nervous about. It takes a wise grandmother to help her adapt to a totally new environment in this warm story of family transition, change, and new experiences.

New things also worry Sammy and Sunny in Sammy and Sunny’s First day of School by Nina LaCour (9780593695753, $18.99). Elizabeth Lilly provides the simple but compelling pictures that bring to life the first day of a kid’s school (for Sammy) and puppy school (for Sunny).

Each receives basic lessons in getting along, adapting to new environments, and confronting unfamiliar situations in this warm contrast between human and animal concerns.

Lauren Glattly’s Proper Badger Would Never Trash the Classroom! (9780593528195, $18.99) receives large-size, engaging illustrations by Rob Sayegh Jr. as it presents a neatly-dressed, enthusiastic-about-school young badger who strives to earn gold stars at school, which he imagines will be crunchy and delicious.

Unfortunately, his best badger behavior falls short of gold star material as a series of escapades constantly get him in trouble.

Picture book readers and their read-aloud parents will especially appreciate the zany approach to trouble that Proper Badger introduces to his classroom.

Jessica Lawson’s Ablaze: The Story of America’s First Female Smokejumper (9780593463659, $18.99) receives vivid illustrations by Sarah Gonzales as it tells of Deanne, who loves being outdoors and feels very connected to nature.

Her observations about fire season’s increasing threats and her involvement with a woodland crew clearing brush and branches contributes to her decision to become a smokejumper against all odds, even though no woman has done this before.

Firefighting comes to life in a vivid story packed with action and insights about combating fires and preserving nature.

Let’s Rumble! A Rough-and-Tumble Book of Play by Rachel G. Payne (9780593750698, $18.95) tells of three siblings who drum up imaginative ways to roughhouse.

The story adopts an unusual format: it’s told all in text bubbles enhanced with art by Jose Pimienta that describe all kinds of creative play opportunities with kids that seem surprisingly flexible, adaptable, and imaginative.

The joy they all experience through these encounters contributes to a lovely story that is celebratory and hard to put down.

All are excellent library additions which are also well suited for adult read-aloud support.

Red Comet Press
www.redcometpress.com

These new arrivals from Red Comet Press are engaging standout picture books.

Nat Cardozo’s Origin (9781636551555, $25.99) focuses on indigenous peoples of the world and their closeness to nature. Translated by Ian Farnes and Layla Benitez-James, it introduces over twenty Indigenous young people and reviews their lives, creating “you are here” attention to describing and contrasting diverse natural environments and the animals and people that live in them.

Geographical sketches of the population, language, territories, and experiences of these tribes add color to the oversized presentation’s full-page pictures and evocative descriptions.

Marjorie Crosby-Fairall’s Emmie Builds Something New (9781636551395, $24.99) considers an attic home inhabited by inventor mouse Emmie, who has many big ideas about how to build new things from the old materials around her.

Vividly colorful illustrations enhance the tale of a mouse that has many ideas, makes many plans, and enjoys successes while coping with challenges to her innovations. Read-aloud adults will especially appreciate the opportunity to explore Emmie’s world with the very young.

Kathleen Choi and Sook Nyul Choi’s Giving Thanks with Halmoni: Celebrating Chuseok, the Korean Harvest Festival (9781636551616, $19.99) features colorful illustrations by Il Sunh Na as it explores options for celebrating Chuseok and a surprise for Halmoni that two kids concoct.

It takes a community, including Halmoni, to capture this festival’s intentions and incarnations in a fine story about cooperation, ethnic roots, celebration, and discovery.

These excellent surveys are highly recommended for elementary-level libraries.

Scallywag Press
www.scallywagpress.com

Jake Hope and Brian Fitzgerald’s Taking The Long Way Home (9781836300151, $18.99) tells of an uncle who picks up two siblings from school, but encourages them all to choose “the long way home” as an alternative to familiar paths.

Why would he pick a longer route, especially since he knows that Sarah hates long walks? Because there are opportunities for surprises and fun in exploring something different, whether they lie in the physical environment or one’s imagination.

Colorful illustrations bring this route and these adventures to life.

Rachel Tilda Wolf’s Wolf in the City (9781836300106, $18.99) tells of Wolf, who lives on a pedestal in an old square on the edge of the city. Wolf is often pooped on by Pigeon and she feels discarded and old, longing to be as respected and adored as the other city statues which are located more centrally in the city.

It takes a change of perspective, heart, and experience to place Wolf in the position she longs for in this thought-provoking story of belonging.

Elementary-level libraries and read-aloud adults will find this unusual story compelling, and all these books exceptional.

Sleeping Bear Press
www.sleepingbearpress.com

These new arrivals from Sleeping Bear Press offer inviting picture book surveys filled with colorful illustrations, bright moments of discovery, and diverse topics that lend to read-aloud attraction.

Lela Nargi’s Miss Betti, What Is This? How Detroit’s School Lunch Lady Got Good Food on the Menu (9781534113251, $18.99) tells of a savvy woman who knows about wholesome, nourishing foods and how to get them into the hands of the kids who need them the most.

By beginning with an apple and sweet potato fries and moving to other foods, Miss Betti starts a revolution in good eating that changes the habits of not only one Detroit school, but an entire city as gardens are started, vegetables and fruits are gleaned, and kids enjoy healthier lunches.

Lucy Branam’s Little Ghost House Hunts (9781534113138, $18.99) is illustrated by Natalie Hoopes and follows a little ghost who lives in a cozy, crowded attic with his big family. It’s too crowded, though, and so the ghost decides to find a new home with more room.

His endeavor introduces loneliness and other issues as the ghost tries to leave his family behind, only to face a different, equally haunting problem.

Read-aloud parents will find Little Ghost House Hunts to be whimsical and fun.

Lindsay Leslie’s Gus the Bus (9781534113282, $18.99) follows Gus and his family as they undertake a city bus outing. Gus loves buses and decides to learn all he can about them, but goes overboard in wanting all future expeditions to involve a bus.

His enthusiasm for his new discoveries creates a winning, fun story about passion and excitement as Gus faces the dilemmas of being lost and having nobody listen to his ideas.

Read-aloud parents will find his insights and lessons evocative.

Maria Wen Adcock’s My Name is Ai Lin (9781534113114, $18.99) receives engaging illustrations by Yu Ting Cheng as it explores Ai Lin’s ability to educate her fellow classmates on how to pronounce her name.

Despite the temptation to pick an easier name to make them happy, Ai Lin is determined to preserve the significance of her Chinese name and heritage. This involves the risky venture of sharing her family’s history and traditions with her new classmates.

A fine story of cultural identity, fitting in, making choices, and teaching others evolves, which will be perfect for picture book readers and adults seeking to transmit information about other cultures, words, heritage, and values.

The Dog Who Saved the Bees by Stephanie Gibeault (9781534113329, $18.99) enjoys good-sized, vivid illustrations by David Hohn that bring to life the challenges of training a dog to become a beehive inspector.

Cybil is rambunctious. But can he become a trained detection dog that can inspect hives for a deadly disease?

A fun story of a pup that becomes an invaluable dog despite his playful nature provides kids with many insights about bees, dogs, and service animals of various types.

Jeanine DeHoney’s This Sunday My Daddy Came to Church (9781534113336, $18.99) receives fun illustrations by Robert Paul Jr. as it profiles Omar, who loves to go to church on Sunday. His father doesn’t join the family, but it takes a mother’s wise insights about different beliefs to help Omar understand his father.

A fine family story evolves, perfect for read-aloud in families where different religions exist under one roof.

Jamie A. Swenson’s We Want Leaves! A Fall Chant (9781534113350, $18.99) receives playful, colorful illustrations by Emilie Boon as it explores, via rhyme, the delights of kids who eagerly anticipate autumn’s arrival.

From pumpkins to hayrides, falling leaves portend seasonal pleasures that are outlined in a happy, action-packed story perfect for read-aloud because of its many vivid descriptions.

Della Ross Ferreri’s The Mouse Buffet: A Christmas Treat (9781534113381, $18.99) is especially lovely in its holiday illustrations by Tim Bowers, who brings to life the mice who enjoy a good buffet table as much as any human (“Dip the ladle. Slurp the punch. Candy canes! Crunchity crunch.”)

The whimsical descriptions of mice that have fun raiding a holiday buffet will delight kids with their action-packed scenarios, food-laden encounters, and fun stories of mice on the run.

A Cowpoke’s Christmas by Ann Ingalls (9781534113565, $18.99) receives large-size, engaging illustrations by Lauren Gallegos as it explores Christmas Day on the farm—which almost feels like a regular day, in some ways, as chores still have to be done.

It turns out that there are many reasons to celebrate this day as farm life offers seasonal pleasures and the family bands together for a good time.

Arlo by Sophia Gholz (9781534113244, $18.99) is illustrated by Mackenzie Haley and tells of a robot assembly line mechanic who puts in the hours, but longs to be something different than his fellow workers.

When he sets out to explore the wider world, trouble ensues when he realizes there are no charging stations in nature. Can Arlo’s inventiveness save his day and help others?

Kids who eschew the outdoors and new discoveries because they may not include the latest technology will appreciate this gentle story of how a robot adapts to all kinds of situations.

Mary Morel’s Night of the Deer (9781534112865, $18.99) enjoys brooding, evocative illustrations by Mira Miroslavova as it provides a folktale about a pair of deer whom Arabella invites to her school’s autumn dance.

The problem is: they may not actually be deer, but otherworldly figures.

The illustrations may be dark in color but they are vivid in detail and whimsy as a dance atmosphere evolves some surprises and reflections that challenge conventional thinking about mysteries and haunting possibilities.

Both are picture book stories that kids will appreciate.

All are excellent choices elementary-level libraries will want to seriously consider.

The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole
Cecilia Heikkilä
Floris Books
9781782509530 $19.99
www.florisbooks.co.uk

The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole presents an autumn story in which two different friends read a slightly spooky story together. The real challenge lies not in who gets scared over what theme, but in consideration for others, and transformation opportunities.

As the friends clash over many things, they grow and change ... into monsters? Young readers will appreciate this thought-provoking story of friendship, cooperation, perception, and change. It’s filled with evocative images and possibilities that adult readers will find equally important for discussion opportunities about friendship and growth.

Tiger, It’s Snowing!
Daishu Ma
Post Wave Children’s Books
9798895090336 $18.99
www.postwavepublishing.us

Tiger, It’s Snowing! tells of Mei’s best friend Tiger, who has never seen snow before. It’s up to Mei to introduce him to the wonders of snow in a manner that accents their friendship, strengths, and new possibilities. Friends can discover these through experiencing new things together and helping one another learn and have fun.

Daishu Ma does a fine job of connecting weather to wonder in a picture book story about exploring the outdoors which will be appreciated by read-aloud adults and the very young alike.

Tiger Tales
www.tigertalesbooks.com

Tiger Tales has some impressive new picture books that will reach a wide audience of young readers and libraries catering to them.

Huw Lewis Jones and Fred Blunt’s Go, Go, Dodo! (9781664300736, $18.99) tells of a carefree dodo that takes a peaceful jungle stroll. He may think that nothing really is going on around him, but he misses a hungry tiger who is stalking him as they move ever closer to grass where the tiger could pounce.

A fun story explores different viewpoints about the evolving situation in a manner that invites read-aloud adults to delight kids with unusual vantage points.

Fiona Ross’s No More Mr. Mice Guy (9781664300743, $18.99) tells of Squeak the mouse, who has won a dubious prize in a competition. This leads his grandmother to toss it out.

Squeak can’t help thinking that his smelly win may hold more attraction than he knows about, but when he takes a bite, unexpected trouble develops.

With its spoof about Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde (presented mouse-style) and its insights about monsters, transformations, and trying new things against all odds, a hilariously slimy, fun story evolves.

Harriet Howe’s The Street Where Santa Lives (9781664300750, $18.99) is illustrated by Julia Christians and enjoys engaging illustrations that accent the story of a little girl whose new next-door neighbor looks just like Santa.

In fact, he’s convinced he is Mr. Claus. But when he becomes ill, a new worry develops over whether Christmas can happen without him in this engaging story of holiday magic, appearances, and helpful neighbors with big imaginations.

All are engaging stories that kids and elementary-level libraries will appreciate.