CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS BOOKS ∼A ROUNDUP FOR 2024∼       BOARD BOOK: CHRISTMAS CHEER IS EVERYWHERE Book Format by Hans Wilhelm Concept by Naomi Kirsten Illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan Design by Eugenia Yoh (Chronicle Kids; $10.99, Ages 2 and up) Get ready for some spinning satisfaction with this spin-the-wheel and lift-the-flap board book. Little ones learn that holiday objects such as bows, mistletoes, snowflakes, Santa's cap, Christmas cookies, and more are hidden on every page. "Turn the wheel to choose a holiday object." Are they behind the wreaths, the candy cane, the stocking, or the Christmas tree?…

  NEW HANUKKAH BOOKS FOR CHILDREN ∼A ROUNDUP∼         To date, 2024 has had the most new Hanukkah books than any previous year since I began blogging. While this is certainly something to celebrate, it also means that I cannot devote as much space to each review as I'd like. Several books below include Hanukkah although they do not focus solely on the holiday. Of note is that this roundup ended up featuring 18 books, and if you're not aware, the number 18 in Judaism stands for the “chai” or “life.” A big shout out to author…

  OUR CLASS IS A COUNTRY Written by Andria W. Rosenbaum Illustrated by Dream Chen (Albert Whitman & Co.; $18.99; Ages 4-8)       In the delightful and inclusive picture book, Our Class is a Country, written by Andria W. Rosenbaum with illustrations by Dream Chen, a classroom of diverse students welcomes a new teacher with love and respect. Acorn Elementary School students enter the school building with smiling faces and backpacks over their shoulders. An adult with blonde hair speaks to the new red-headed teacher as a student points to the unfamiliar lady. What makes this opening spread…

MARA HEARS IN STYLE Written by Terri Clemmons Illustrated by Lucy Rogers (Beaming Books; $17.99, Ages 4-8)         It’s the first day of school, and Mara is excited to wear her earmolds and hearing aids that are in her favorite colors: hot pink and purple, respectively. But a shadow of doubt creeps into her mind. Will “my new classmates … think my hearing aids are weird? Once at school, Mara’s anxiety grows. Though she can’t understand their words as she walks down the noisy hall, she can read lips. Everyone’s asking, “What’s in her ears?”    …

      THANK YOU Written and illustrated by Jarvis (Candlewick Press; $17.99, Ages 3-7)           It's easy to recommend Thank You, the joyful new picture book by Jarvis for Thanksgiving and holiday season gift-giving to brighten children's days. If you like picture books about gratitude but with a child's fresh perspective that never fails to delight, add this to your list. The main character with his red pom-pom beanie and the other children he interacts with sees many things to be thankful for in the most unexpected places. Jarvis brings touches of warmth, rhythm, and…

SKYBOUND!: Starring Mary Myers as Carlotta, Daredevil Aeronaut and Scientist Written by Sue Ganz-Schmitt Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno (Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)         ★Starred Reviews - Kirkus, Foreward   I'm always happy to read nonfiction picture book biographies about lesser-known women who did extraordinary things. Mary Myers nee Mary Breed Hawley was one of those women so I'm glad that Sue Ganz-Schmitt and Iacopo Bruno have shined the spotlight on her fascinating story in Skybound. To be honest, I'm surprised that, considering the amazing feats of derring-do that she accomplished, we haven't heard about her sooner…

  HALLOWEEN ROUNDUP 2024 FIVE LITTLE GHOSTS Written by Lily Murray Illustrated by Holly Surplice (Candlewick Press; $16.99, Ages 2-5) It's probably hard to find a child who doesn't adore lift-the-flap books so this new one for fans of spirited Halloween reads fits the bill. Not only is it a rhyming story but it's also based on the nursery rhyme “Five Little Ducks,” if you thought the structure seemed familiar. Twenty-four sturdy pages feature five little ghostlings floating away to hide under flaps, first in a forest amongst owls, a hedgehog, and a deer. The amount of ghostlings decreases as…