(“Boo!” photo by Rawley/use with permission only, please)

• • I love the cover on this one, and the story. Many, many cool details. “Brandon and the Totally Troublesome Time Machine,” written by Seth Fishman, with illustrations by Mark Fearing, is a fast and funny new picture book. (Penguin Workshop, 2024, ages 5 and up, $18.99.) “This morning started like any other day. EXCEPT THAT… BRANDON INVENTED A TIME MACHINE.” Now. To go back in time and meet Alexander Hamilton? Or go back a little while, maybe to yesterday, and fix that homework? Asking for a friend. 
  • Our hero in “Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All” has a goal. It’s a small goal, but it’s an excellent goal: find the matches for all the mis-matched, unloved socks she finds at her parents’ New York City laundromat. Harriet the Spy has met her match. Magnolia is daffy and sweet, brave and funny. With her new friend, Iris, they set off to explore the city and figure some things out. Author/artist Chanel Miller did a fine job with this one. (Philomel, 2024, ages 10 and up, 145 pages, $17.99.)

• • Tis the season… “All By My Elf,” is a new board book for the holidays, just for the babies. Author Jeffrey Burton and illustrator Nanette Regan have done a nice job with this one, and I love the bedazzled cover. (Little Simon, 2024, 18 pages, babies and toddlers, $9.99.)

The pick of the week is… “Magnolia Wu,” because you know I love my friend Harriet and this is just a great novel. And the fun illustrations add to the book. (That’s the link to the author’s website, check it out.)

Disclaimer: All of the books included in today’s post were sent to me free for review purposes. Disclaimer here. See you next time!

WM