MY PET FEET Written by Josh Funk Illustrated by Billy Yong (Simon and Schuster BYR; $18.99, Ages 4-8)           INTRO: GoodReadsWithRonna.com has the pleasure of participating in the blog tour for My Pet Feet. I made sure not to read any advance buzz about the book (easy 'coz I've been on vacation) so that I'd come to it with no expectations which, to be honest, is a hard feat (ha!) knowing how terrific all Josh's previous picture books are. REVIEW: When the letter R disappears from the main character's alphabet wall covering, chaos and hilarity…

  IT'S VACATION TIME! We're taking some time off to read, relax, and re-energize so we can bring you more GoodReadsWithRonna.com this fall. In the meantime, wherever your plans take you, we wish you a ...      

  THE BEATRYCE PROPHECY Written by Kate DiCamillo Illustrated by Sophie Blackall (Candlewick Press; $19.99, Ages 8-12)         ★Starred Reviews - Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly   NOTE #1: I meant to write about The Beatryce Prophecy almost a year ago when I first read it. However,  being in dire need of a feel-good story, I just reread it so I'm happy to finally share my review of this fairy tale. NOTE #2: You definitely do not need to be between the ages of 8-12 to enjoy every last word of this wonderful novel. Written by…

    LOOK AND LISTEN Written by Dianne White Illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford (Holiday House; $18.99; Ages 4-8)         ★Starred Review - School Library Journaltar   From the Publisher: “In this exciting guessing game for budding nature lovers, a child takes a walk to explore the sights and sounds in a garden, across a meadow, and along a brook ... Dianne White’s playful text is paired with the vibrant collage artwork of Amy Schimler-Safford.”     Dianne White’s simple, rhyming text introduces young readers to the colors and sounds of creatures that live in each ecosystem using…

    Franklin Endicott and the Third Key Written by Kate DiCamillo Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen (Candlewick; $6.99, Ages 6 – 9)           Now available in paperback, Franklin Endicott and the Third Key is the latest installment in Kate DiCamillo’s popular Tales from Deckawoo Drive series. In this early chapter book, which is divided into eight chapters and a coda, the story focuses on Frank.       Frank worries about everything, a trait that many kids (and adults, including this reviewer) will be able to relate to. It is one of these worries, which…

THE VERY BEST DOG: MY LIFE STORY AS TOLD BY MY HUMAN Design by Becky Terhune Illustrated by Youlie Dessine (Workman Publishing; $17.95; Ages 5 and up)             Are you a doggy parent or sibling who wakes up to your bestie sleeping beside you on the mattress? Do you hand out lots of treats during the day, and talk to your pets like any other “human?” If you answered yes, then you'll be excited to welcome the keepsake journal The Very Best Dog-My Life Story As Told By  My Human from Workman Publishing into your…

  LAWLESS SPACES by Corey Ann Haydu (Simon & Schuster; $18.99, Ages 14 and up)           *A Junior Library Guild Selection ★ Starred Reviews - Kirkus Reviews, Publisher’s Weekly     In Corey Ann Haydu’s YA novel in verse, Lawless Spaces, Mimi receives a journal for her sixteenth birthday—a century-old family tradition for the women in her family. Mimi asks what she’s supposed to write: “There are things you don’t want to say,” Mom says, opening the car door, getting in. “So you write them down and put them in an attic and then they can…

    WHIRL by Deborah Kerbel Illustrated by Josée Bisaillon  (Owlkids Books; $18.95; Ages 4-8)       From the Publisher: “A stray maple seed, is picked up by the wind and begins a long, wordless journey through a local neighborhood…Eventually, it finds a place to rest …Years later, a family that encountered the whirligig on its journey takes a walk in the forest and meets the seed again—this time as a fully grown maple tree.”     In this appealing wordless picture book with inviting art and a diverse cast of characters, Deborah Kerbel and Josée Bisaillon describe the unpredictable…