(Marina roses, I think? Washington Park Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon. Photo by Rawley, use with permission only, please and thank you)

Well, hello dear readers, what’s up?

• Why are penguins so comical, and so appealing? Let me count the ways. 1) Tuxedos! 2) They look serious, but can act very kooky. 3) They’re a great subject for kids’ books, or any books. 4) When Benedict Cumberbatch can’t pronounce their name. 5) When they protect their eggs, sometimes at great cost to themselves. Number 3 is the one we’re focused on today. “Penguin Huddle” is scheduled for release next week, and I think the babies and toddlers will love it. (Candlewick Press, board book, ages 2-5, $8.99). Ross Montgomery is the author and Sarah Warburton created the sweet art. The penguin pack is playing, skating, fishing, tossing snowballs around. But when the storm comes in, they get frozen together. Halp!

• “Bizzy Bear It’s Bedtime,” by Benji Davis, is another new board book for the littlest readers. (Candlewick Press; on the shelves Oct. 13, 2026; ages birth-2; $8.99). Kids will like pulling the tabs and sliders to “help” Bizzy Bear brush his teeth, take a bath, and say nite-nite.

• Join “The Smushkins in the Snow,” by Claudia Rueda, as our friends Tippi, Bloo and Puff enjoy wintertime. They’re awfully cute and so are Mr. Moose and their other friends. Whoosh, whomp! (Candlewick; Oct. 13, 2026, release; fourth book in the series; ages 0-3; $7.99.)

• The art, the story, the sweetness and the characters are the best parts of author Ashley Franklin and illustrator Rahele Jomepour Bell’s “Our Favorite Day of the Week.” (This one is a follow-up to A.E. Ali’s and Bell’s book “Our Favorite Day of the Year.”) Meet Zadie, Musa and our other new friends as they share with us why their favorite days are the best days. A beautiful picture book about heritage, hobbies, friendship, and diversity. (Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster, 2026, age preschool through grade 3, $19.99.)

My pick of the week is… “Our Favorite Day of the Week.”

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

WM

(Backyard Fairy Garden/ photo by Rawley/ use with permission only, please and thank you)

So. I read a lot of books for kids and babies. You are probably already aware. And by a lot, I do mean a whole lot. I wish I could review every title that comes my way. I try to, though. Good enough.

All of that reading does not always leave me much time for devouring the so-called “Grown-up Books.” When I do try to read some “real,” actual fiction, my first thought is: Pictures? My second thought is: Wow, that’s a lot of words. My third thought is: Now I sleep.

Here is half of the stack that’s currently toppling over on the side table in the dining room and on my nightstand. Why read one book when you can read 10 at once? was always my kids’ motto, and it became my motto, too. Competitive bunch. I haven’t finished even one of these tomes yet, but I will finish them all, eventually. (Do you want to know what I just made for dinner? Of course you do. A Devil’s Food Cake (scratch from a mix) and a meat-lovers’ frozen pizza from Winco. I remain the best book reviewer and cook on the planet. Thank you.)

So bon appetit and stay out of trouble: Read more.

xo Nancy aka Wacky Mommy, Reader at Large, at Your Service.

• “Hail Mariam,” by Huda Al-Marashi, is just a great young adult title featuring our hero Mariam, who is Iraqi American and Muslim. She ends up going to the local Catholic school (and is not too sure about it) because her parents think it’s a fantastic idea. Why? “Mama thinks I’m going to make friends who aren’t allowed the same things I’m not allowed. No crushes. No boys. No immodest clothes. But yes to visions of holy prophets!” When her younger sister Salma falls ill, the family comes together, in spite of the challenges. This book is top of my stack and it’s so good. (Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2026, 188 pages, grades 3 and up, $17.99.)

• “The Sherlock Society: Art Attack,” by James Ponti (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, 2026, ages 8 and up, $18.99). (OK this one is more of a kid book. I’ll give myself a pass. An art pass!) I love this series. This is the third book from Ponti featuring the Sherlock Society. Alex, Lina, Yadi and Zoe are traveling to check out south Florida’s art scene and try to solve another mystery. Fun read. Ponti has loads of fans and I can see why.

• “Life’s That Way” is one of the best memoirs I’ve ever read (and I have read many memoirs over the years). And it was written by one of my favorite actors, Jim Beaver. (Bobby Singer from “Supernatural,” Ellsworth on “Deadwood,” and he has many other credits, too.) He and his beloved wife, Cecily Adams, a successful actress and Hollywood casting agent, had just welcomed their sweet daughter Maddie when they learned of Cecily’s cancer diagnosis. Written as email updates to their family and friends, this collection of loving messages filled my heart and broke it, too. Jim is such a good writer, husband, father, friend, actor, all of it. Much admiration and love for this family. (Berkley Books/Penguin, 2009, 319 pages.)

• “Sick in the Head: Conversations About Life and Comedy,” a collection of interviews with comedians by Judd Apatow, who knows something about freaks ‘n’ geeks. This one will be good. (Random House, 2015, 556 pages, $18.)

• “Between the World and Me (One World Essentials),” by Ta-Nehisi Coates (Spiegel and Grau, 2015, 152 pages, $26). “Required reading,” according to author Toni Morrison. I concur. “This was the week,” Coates begins his book, which is a letter to his adolescent son, “you learned that the killers of Michael Brown would go free. The men who had left his body in the street like some awesome declaration of their inviolable power would never be punished.” Strong, powerful writing that comes on like thunder. Coates is a gift to the world. Read him.

• Isabel Allende, “My Name is Emilia del Valle” (Ballantine Books/Penguin Random House, 2025, translated from the Spanish by Frances Riddle, 287 pages, $30). It is 1866, we are in San Francisco. Our characters in this novel include: a pregnant, abandoned Irish nun, a Chilean aristocrat, and then a newborn daughter. (It’s still raining here, in 2026, in the Willamette Valley where I live. I’m reading this book all day, can’t wait.)

• “Emperor of the Air,” short stories by Ethan Canin. A beloved treasure I inherited from my old friend Loran. Love. (Perennial Library/Harper & Row, 1988, 179 pages.)

• “Golden Boy,” a new young adult novel by A.J. Symon (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2026, ages 12 and up, $19.99). A science-crazed young girl’s family dog turns into a human, and everything changes. Surprise!

• “Night of Madness,” scheduled for release end of September, is a creative and intense novel by author Ryan Douglass. (Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster, grades 9 and up, $21.99). A horror story about five teenager influencers who agree to spend the night on a movie set. The set? Is based on “Asylum,” a retro slasher film. Whoever lives, I mean, lasts out the night, wins a hundred thousand dollars. Surprise, surprise!

• “Where the Crawdads Sing,” by Delia Owens (G.P. Putnam’s Sons/Penguin Random House, 2018, 370 pages, $26). I think everyone has read this book by now except for me, and you know I don’t like to be left out, dang it. Started it, it’s different. Great writing, interesting characters, and the setting is a trip. You feel like you’re there in the sand, by the water, in coastal North Carolina. All good. Except for the dead body.

• I’m looking forward to starting Kristin Hannah’s novel from 2010, “Winter Garden.” (St. Martin’s Press, 394 pages.) This one is about two sisters who have become estranged, but come together to take care of their sick father. Will their mother help? Or hinder? We will see. I love Hannah’s writing style, and she really goes all in on her characters, settings, and descriptions. Highly recommend this author if you haven’t read her yet.

(Baby Woogie, April 3rd, 2007; photo by Rawley/use with permission only, please)

• First of all, hi. It’s Saturday, what’s up? And here I am with the summer releases still to review, and fall books coming on strong. So let’s get to it. Kaz Windness’s latest, hilarious book in her chicken travelers’ series (yes, I said it), is “Time-Traveling Chickens: Bawk to the Future.” Ha. OK, I’m in. The cover? Yes. So good. That’s a couple of time-travelin’ chickens right there, our heroes, Nugget and Tenders, veering through outer space in what looks to be… a bucket designed for fried chicken. Let’s hope they stay safe, the cuties. These graphic novels are a lot of fun. (Simon Spotlight/Simon & Schuster, 2026, kinder-grade 4, 112 pages, $18.99.) “Pardon me, Dr. Dipping-Sauce…” Oh, wait a minute…. they’re talking chickens, right on!

• Ooooh, here’s a second title from Kaz Windness, another in the Bitsy Bat series. “Bitsy Bat, Snow Star,” and she’s back to have some more adventures with friends, or at least give it her best. “Beep-bop chitter snooze!” she sings. I love Bitsy Bat. She marches to her own drummer and is a good friend to all of her many friends and fans, fictional and real life. Themes of autism and neurodivergence, from a gifted and thoughtful author. (Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster; scheduled for Oct. 27, 2026 release; grades preschool-4; $19.99.)

• “Wrecker,” Carl Hiaasens’s 2023 young adult novel, is such a good read. I love all of Carl’s books (“Chomp,” “Squirm,” “Skink,” “Scat” and the rest). I love his kid books as much as I love the grown-up books. Wrecker is a special, funny and well-meaning kid, who comes from a long line of wild and proud shipwreck salvagers. It’s Hiaasen, so we’re in Key West, and we’re gonna get in over our heads from page one. If you’ve never read his stuff, read him. If you haven’t discovered “Wrecker” yet, please do. It rocks. (A Yearling Book, ages “as soon as they can read it” and up, 323 pages, $9.99.)

• Just starting Triona Murphy’s novel for young readers, “Socks & Secret Quests: The Wandering Shop” (Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster; on the shelves Oct. 20, 2026; 257 pages; ages 8 and up; $9.99). “Peri has been waiting for her magic to show up…” is the introduction to our apprentice shopkeeper. Shivers, yeah? Yes. It’s really good. Murphy lives near my hometown of Portland, Oregon, so woot! to local authors. She designs what she claims are “unfortunately nonmagical” knitting patterns, which provided some inspiration for the book. James Firnhaber, the artist who provided the illustrations, is based out of Philadelphia, Pennysylvania. When not illustrating, “James designs board games and helps run the Game Makers Guild of Philadelphia.” Equally cool. Check this one out, young creative thinkers, you’ll like it.

• And now, a bit of a blast from the past, with “Hardy Boys Clue Book: Fall Mysteries,” by Franklin W. Dixon, with illustrations (so good) by Santy Gutiérrez. This edition is a 3-in-1, with “The Bad Luck Skate,” “The Pirate Ghost” and “The Great Pumpkin Smash.” Fun, fun, fun and just in time for Halloween. (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, 2026, all ages, 274 pages, $8.99.)

• Sam McBratney’s “Guess How Much I Love You?” featuring Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare, was a favorite at our house when the kids were little. Something about these two makes me just relax and smile, even after all these years. This is a sweet new board book, based on the picture book, “Guess How Much I Love You: Shapes” and is super sweet. (Candlewick Press, 2026

The pick of the week is… I can’t choose. All of these titles are pretty cool, check out all of them.

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

Bon appetit and see you next time!

Nancy aka Wacky Mommy

WM

(Pumpkin, North Portland, Oregon/Photo by Rawley/use with permission only, please)

Hiya, cats and kittens,

Would you like a new and improved book review? Just in time for the weekend, here are some sweet new books. Disclaimer and much love.

Bon appetit!

Wacky Mommy

“Tiny Tiger Says ‘Why Can’t I?'” is a new picture book written by Smriti Prasadam-Halls, with illustrations by Steve Small. (Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster, 2026, ages tiny-5, $19.99.) A little cat after my own heart asks, “Why can’t I have the ice cream?” “Why can’t I have the cake?” and many other questions. Don’t try to hold the guy back, y’all. Let it be a free world. I’m a fan of the simple, centered drawings on plain white backgrounds. Just elegant and with great movement, the kids will respond to them.

“A Good Morning for Giddo” is a picture book from authors Dahlia Hamza Constantine and Irene Latham, with illustrations by Basma Hosam. (Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House, 2026, all ages, $19.99.) Treasured granddaughter Somaya and her Giddo (Arabic for grandfather) journey to the Old Cairo market in Egypt to do their weekly shop. What I love about this book is all of the detail, especially when the pair first enters the market: the cats begging for attention, the walls of art, the velvet prayer rugs, all of it.

My pick of the week, by the way, is “A Good Morning for Giddo” and I hope it receives the love it deserves.

The next book I’m reviewing is “The Tiny Thing” (another tiny title, lol), written by Ellen Tarlow, with art by Lauren Stringer. This book… it’s touching, sweet, all-inclusive and kind. Mole is alone, but he’s not lonely. He entertains himself with his walks, exercises, and puzzles. But when he makes friends with a dandelion seed, everything changes. (Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster; on sale Oct. 6, 2026; all ages; $19.99.)

“Horizontal Crocodile” is scheduled for release September 22nd, and came about when artist/illustrator Brian Won sent author/writer Scott Rothman a drawing of a crocodile, along with lyrics to an Elvis song. Something about a long black limousine? And the rest is history. The book is laid out in a looooooooong fashion, and it works. So get ready to meet Horizontal Crocodile, Limo-Driving Lizard, Delivery Komodo Dragon and… well, you’ll have to read the book to find out. It’s a cute story and cute art, too. Have fun, guys! (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, ages 4-8, $19.99.)

“Ghost Army: The Troop of Artists Who Helped Win WWII” is a incredible new picture book based on a true story. Nice work by author Sarah Glenn Marsh and illustrator Becca Stadtlander. (Viking/Penguin Random House, 2026, all ages, $18.99.) Meet the artists (actors, musicians, set designers and others) who put together more than twenty campaigns, illusions to mislead the enemies and fight the war. I’d never heard of this troupe and they did some incredible work. I hope this one makes its way into all the school libraries and classrooms; it’s a story that we all need to know.

Hope you’re able to find some time to read in the next few days, talk soon!

WM