(“Windsor Castle Moat Garden,” photo by Steve Rawley, use with permission only, please)

That’s an old pic that Steve took for me when he and our daughter were in England. It popped up and I now gift it to you. I’m mad for orange roses, by the way, ever since I was a kid. My favorite variety is Tropicana, of course, but I am also fond of Sterling Silver. Which is not orange, but is still a pretty, pretty rose. It’s gonna be a long winter, y’all. I’ll prune my wild roses and Napoleon roses next month. Oh, hi! Are you looking for book reviews? Here’s what’s on the nightstand this week… Picture books! Super nice ones. Flowers and hearts for Valentine’s Day.

• “Lily’s Dream: A Fairy Friendship (Fairies Welcome),” by Bea (Brittany) Jackson, is my pick of the week. (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, 2025, ages 4-8, $18.99.) The glittery cover and dreamy art will capture the attention of the kids. It’s awfully pretty, and will hopefully inspire them to create some art of their own. The author lives in Detroit, Michigan, and this is the first book in a series she has planned. “Lily was a dreamer. She dreamed of soaring with the birds and the butterflies high above the treetops. More than anything, she wanted to fly.”
• “Bitsy Bat, Team Star” is another new picture book about hope and flying. The Bitsy Bat series is written and illustrated by Kaz Windness. (A Paula Wiseman Book/Simon & Schuster, on sale 2/4/2025, ages 4-8, $19.99.) Enzo Owl is a new student at school, and is non-speaking. Some of the students don’t know what to make of this. Winnie to the rescue. “‘Why doesn’t Enzo speak?’ asked Winnie. ‘Enzo uses a tablet and sign language to communicate,’ said Mr. Nibbles. ‘That’s a cool way to talk, Enzo,’ said Mo. ‘Thanks,’ signed Enzo.” Bitsy is a great character, and the kids like her. I love Windness’s art, it’s ebullient, colorful and full of life. Great introduction to talking to kids about kids who have extra needs.
• And now for three new Valentine’s Day books… Keith Baker’s “Hap-Pea Valentine’s Day,” is a lot of fun. This is the first in a series of holiday books (including Easter and Halloween) scheduled for release this year. All kinds of hearts = all kinds of love. (Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster, 2024, ages 4-8, $9.99.)
• Bigfoot!! You know we like that fella out in my part of the country (the wilds of Oregon). Sarah Glenn Marsh, writer, and Ishaa Lobo, illustrator, present “Bigfoot’s Big Heart.” (Viking/Penguin Random House, 2024, ages 3 and up, $18.99.) In this peek into Sasquatch’s life, he’s a homebody, mostly. Humans fear him and he stays away. But he enjoys his knitting, while he’s wearing his cozy robe and fluffy slippers. He’s misunderstood, yes, but his friends — including Nessie in Scotland, Mothman in the Appalachian Mountains, Chupacabra in Puerto Rico — know him and love him. When he loses the Valentines he’s sending them, who will help? Delightful book.
• Awwww, Nicola Killen is back with “The Little Puppy (My Little Animal Friend)” (A Paula Wiseman Book/Simon & Schuster, 2024, ages 4 and up, $17.99). When Grandma and her new pup, Milo, come to visit, Ollie is ex-cit-ed!! But you know puppies. Things sometimes get a little hectic. Killen’s art is beautiful.

Disclaimer: The titles included in today’s post were sent to me free for review purposes. Disclaimer here. See you next time!

WM