WILDSPEAK Written by Sangma Francis Illustrated by Lexi Vangsnes (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; $18.99, Ages 4-9)          ★Starred Reviews - Indie NEXT Pick, Kirkus, School Library Journal   PUBLISHER SUMMARY: Where the stream twists and sparkles? That's SUNGLITTER. Where the sunset touches the sky? That's CLOUDBLOOM. Come take a walk full of the delight of real nature words—mayflies, sea snails, blackbirds, brambles—and full of the joy of new words just waiting to be discovered. Perfect as an inspiration before, during, or after a walk, WILDSPEAK invites readers into the wide possibilities of the natural world, and the…

AN INTERVIEW WITH ROXANNE TROUP AND JENNIFER DOEHRING ABOUT THEIR NEW PICTURE BOOK, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA! (Albert Whitman & Co.; $9.99, Ages 4-8)           PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION: Happy Birthday, America! | Albert Whitman & Company On a hot summer day, a family heads to the local park, where everyone in town has gathered for a party unlike any other. There are games, music, food, and—best of all—a huge fireworks display! There’s a reason behind all of the fun and festivities, though: the freedom of the celebration reminds everyone why the United States was founded two hundred and…

THE PASSOVER PET SURPRISE Written by Ana María Shua Illustrated by Ángeles Ruiz (NorthSouth Books; $19.95, Ages 4-8)             ★Starred review - School Library Journal Publisher Info: A multicultural addition to the Passover picture book canon, this sweet story explores the meaning of freedom for the Jewish people–and their pets! Also available in Spanish: La gran sorpresa de Pésaj. This Passover, Jordanita’s family is leaving their Miami apartment and flying to Argentina to spend the holiday with their cousin. Visiting their cousin is the best, since he not only has a giant yard—he also has two…

THE LITTLE ACORN’S BIG ADVENTURE Written by Sylvia Rouss Illustrated by Rick Penn-Kraus (Dragonfeather Books; $16.95, Ages 5-9)           REVIEW: Award-winning author Sylvia Rouss, who brought joy to picture book readers with her Sammy Spider series, has done it again with The Little Acorn’s Big Adventure, a beautifully written story about the wonders of animals in nature and how we can help our environment. The rich greens, browns, oranges, and golds of the autumn forest, illustrated by Rick Penn-Kraus, come alive as they serve as the background for an oak tree and a small acorn falling…

  BEATRICE AND THE NIGHTINGALE Written by Patricia Newman Illustrated by Isabelle Follath (Peachtree; $19.99, Ages 6-9)           From the publisher: “In 1924, an audience of more than one million listeners across the world listened in amazement to the first live radio broadcast of a nightingale accompanying the young cellist Beatrice Harrison.”   From Booklist: “A gentle gem of a story [with] charming ink-and-watercolor illustrations . . . A delightful introduction to a lesser-known life, and a welcome reminder of the wonder that exists in the natural world.”   Review: Beatrice Harrison grew up surrounded by…

      PURIM BOARD BOOKS ROUNDUP Today I am a Hamantasch: A Poem for Purim, Purim Baskets, and Purim Possibilities (PJ PUBLISHING)   PURIM IS ALMOST HERE! Welcome to this year's special Purim roundup, featuring three new Purim board books that launched on February 1. All three bookswere published by PJ Publishing (scroll down for more details) and are being sent to PJ Library families. They also became available for purchase from Amazon on that date for non-PJ Library families. These delightful board books reflect PJ Library's commitment to bringing a love of Jewish books to young children. According…

LOVE FINDS A WAY Written and illustrated by Vern Kousky (Roaring Brook Press; $18.99, Ages 3-6)         A Kids' Indie Next List Pick!   Sometimes love finds you when you least expect it, especially when you've been making it very clear you want love to stay away! Love Finds a Way, a sweet picture book by Vern Kousky, demonstrates that point beautifully.       Oscar, a bird, is determined to keep love at bay.  In fact, he worries about it so much that he is compelled to find a way to protect himself. It's clear he's…

  THE LEGENDARY LIFE STORY OF THE LEVER: How a Deceptively Simple Machine Moves the World Forward Written by Christine Van Zandt Illustrated by Lesley Breen (Union Square Kids; $19.99, Ages 4-8)     There's a lot to learn about levers. And I'm not lying when I say this "deceptively simple machine" has made life easier over the millennia, which is why it's great that Christine Van Zandt and Lesley Breen have written The Legendary Life Story of the Lever. This nonfiction picture book brings us to modern times by detailing the many ways levers have contributed to civilization's achievements…