Crushes of the Week: November 16-22, 2025

This week's crushes:

1. Strange Creatures by Cristina Sitja Rubio and Cristóbal León (Kids Can Press, October 2025)
2. MR Search and Mrs Find by Csil (Post Wave Books, October 2025)
3. The Dangerous Alphabet Book by DK Ryland (Astra Young Readers, November 2025)
4. The Old Sleigh by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey (Norton Young Readers, November 2025)
5. Braided Roots: The interweaving of history, family, and a father's love by Pasha Westbrook and Madelyn Goodnight (Orchard Books, November 2025)
6. Los Colores/Colors by Airlie Anderson and translated by Creoletrans (Child's Play International, June 2025)

     

Endpapers for the end of your week!

Let's Talk Illustrators #383: Lauren Tamaki

I got a chance to chat with Lauren Tamaki, illustrator most recently of A Pond, a Poet, and Three Pests, written by Caroline Adderson. We talked about what Lauren uses to create her illustrations and how her process has changed across her impressive roster of books. Enjoy learning more!

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

We've got a case(wrap) of the Mondays!

Crushes of the Week: November 9-15, 2025

This week's crushes:

1. Bear by Himself by Geoffrey Hayes (NYRB Kids, November 2025)
2. Look Up by Azul López, translated by Shook (Transit Children's Editions, November 2025)
3. Flurry, Float, and Fly!: The Story of a Snowstorm by Laura Purdie Salas and Chiara Fedele (Bloomsbury Children's Books, November 2025)
4. Èske Ou Ka Glise Tankou Yon Pengwen?/Can You Slide Like a Penguin? by Cocoretto and Abi Hall (Child's Play International, September 2025)
5. Catnip Mouse by A J Smith (Kids Can Press, October 2025)
6. Pencil's Best Story Ever by Carly Gledhill (Post Wave Books, July 2025)

     

Endpapers for the end of your week!

Down to the Last Detail: EXPLORING THE UNIVERSE

So excited for the third book in this series! Each one has a different treatment on the cover from gold foil and die-cuts to spot gloss and now rainbow foil on the newest title. Love!

Let's Talk Illustrators #382: Jasu Hu

Today I'm very pleased to present a peek into the illustration process for the book How to Grow a Family Tree, written by Bea Birdsong and illustrated by Jasu Hu. It was so fun getting insight into how Jasu created the visual narrative and where she drew her inspiration from. Happy reading!

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

We've got a case(wrap) of the Mondays!

Crushes of the Week: November 2-8, 2025

This week's crushes:

1. A Winter's Morning by Angélique Leone and Gregoire Solotareff (Post Wave, November 2025)
2. Salmon Run: An Epic Journey to the Ocean and Back by Annie Chen (Red Comet Press, November 2025)
3. The Very Fine Clock by Edward Gorey and Muriel Spark (Transit Children's Editions, November 2025)
4. Forests by Nell Cross Beckerman and Kalen Chock (Orchard Books, November 2025)
5. You Can't Tame a Tiger by Stephanie Ellen Sy and Julien Chung (Owlkids, September 2025)
6. Rez Kid by Andrea Landry and Isabella Fassler (Kids Can Press, September 2025)
7. Take a Walk with the Wind by Xiong Liang and translated by Chloe Garcia Roberts (Elsewhere Editions, September 2025)

      

Endpapers for the end of your week!

Down to the Last Detail: THE STORY OF GOLD

I mean, if you're going to do a book about gold you either go big or go home, and this book goes BIG!! Gold foil on the front, the back, and the spine!

Let's Talk Illustrators #381: Myungae Lee

I read Late Today––by Jungyoon Huh and Myungae Lee and translated by Aerin Park––back in June and instantly fell in love with the story and illustrations. It is such an honor to present my interview today with illustrator Myungae about the book, digging into what makes it so special. Enjoy!!

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

We've got a case(wrap) of the Mondays!

Crushes of the Week: October 26-November 1, 2025

This week's crushes:

1. The Kerfuffle by Clotilde Perrin (Gecko Press, October 2025)
   
2. A Song of the Seasons by Yibing Deng (Post Wave, October, 2025)
   
3. A World of Kisses by Marta Morros and Mariona Tolosa (Nubeocho, October 2025)
   
4. The Museum of Shapes by Sven Volker (Cicada Books, October 2025)
5. Azizi by Laïla Koubaa and Mattias de Leeuw (Lantana Publishing, October 2025)
6. Fortune Cookies: The Surprising Story of the Tasty Treat We Love to Eat by Mia Wenjen and Colleen Kong-Savage (Red Comet Press, October 2025)
7. Three Ladies Beside the Sea by Rhoda Levine and Edward Gorey (NYRB, October 2025)

      

Endpapers for the end of your week!

 

Let's Talk Illustrators #380: Azul López

Today I'm pleased to share my interview with Mexican author-illustrator Azul López about Croco (available in English and Spanish), translated by Kit Maude. This uniquely designed book runs vertically to capture some stunning images and deep emotions. Read on to learn more about how Azul developed and created it!

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

We've got a case(wrap) of the Mondays!

Crushes of the Week: October 19-25, 2025

This week's crushes:

1. Where Is the Cat? by Eva Eland (Penguin Workshop, September 2025)
2. Weiwei's Winter Solstice: A Dongzhì Story by Michelle Jing Chan (Bloomsbury Children's Books, October 2025)
3. The Fib: An Allegorical Tale About the Consequences of Lying by Pedro Iniguez and Nathan Kwan (Gloo Books, October 2025)
4. The Sacred Stone Camp by Rae Rose and Aly McKnight (Dial Books, October 2025)
5. Crocodiles Everywhere by Estelí Meza (Rocky Pond Books, October 2025)
6. Some Days I'm the Wind by Rebecca Gardyn Levington and Dinara Mirtalipova, narrated by Teresa Gallagher (Barefoot Books, September 2025)

     

Endpapers for the end of your week!

Let's Talk Illustrators #379: Lorenzo Sangiò

It was such a pleasure talking to Lorenzo Sangiò about The Night Giant, written by Lorenzo Coltellacci! Take a sneak peek with me behind the process of illustrating this sweet book with a giant heart (and an actual giant!).

Case(wrap) of the Mondays

We've got a case(wrap) of the Mondays!

Crushes of the Week: October 12-18, 2025

This week's crushes:

1. Mary Oliver, Holding on to Wonder by Erin Frankel and Jasu Hu (Calkins Creek, October 2025)
2. Soup's on Around the World by Denyse Waissbluth and Chelsea O'Byrne (Greystone Kids, October 2025)
3. Three Ladies Beside the Sea by Rhoda Levine and Edward Gorey (NYRB Kids, October 2025)
4. Our Islands by Yuval Zommer (Thames & Hudson, October 2025)
5. Rock Star: How Ursula Marvin Mapped Moon Rocks and Meteorites by Sandra Neil Wallace and Nancy Carpenter (Paula Wiseman Books, October 2025)
6. Call Me Gray by Andrew Larsen, Bells Larsen, and Tallulah Fontaine (Kids Can Press, October 2025)