“drawn together,” by Minh Le, illustrated by Dan Santat (Disney-Hyperion Books, on sale June 5th, 2018, $17.99, 40 pages, ages 3-5). I know that they have to, for sales purposes, but I wish book publishers didn’t tag everything with an “age label.” I love picture books! I always have, I always will, and also? The big kids who are struggling to read can sometimes be coaxed into it with a cool picture book. (Have I gone off on this tirade before? The “don’t pigeon-hole picture books, dang it!” tirade? Possibly.) (Idea #15: You hand a picture book to a big kid, even a grown-up who is in need, and you say, “It will give you ideas for your art.” Alternately, “It will give you ideas.” lol.)

All of this leads to my first review, and this book? This book pulls away from the pack, I must say. (But the others are pretty awesome, too.) You can pre-order from whoever, or just wait until June when it’s released.

Minh Le is first-generation Vietnamese-American who also wrote “Let Me Finish!” and has written for the New York Times, the Horn Book and the Huffington Post. His bio says that he likes to spend time with his wife and sons, and his other favorite spot is “in the middle of a good book.” Awww…

“drawn together” is the (possibly? mostly?) autobiographical story of a young boy and his grandfather. It’s drawn beautifully by Dan Santat (Caldecott Award winner for “The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend” — brilliant book, my students really enjoyed it), where was I going with this, y’all? Santat illustrates it in the style of a graphic novel, then morphs into explosions of color that would work well as large-scale paintings. It’s a cool surprise, like the “Horse of a Different Color” in the “Wizard of Oz.”

I’m just saying.

Next up?

“A Kiss Goodnight” is what Walt Disney called the nightly fireworks display (which was his idea) at Disneyland. Richard Sherman wrote the song, and Disney came up with a companion book, based on Walt’s hardscrabble childhood, and his journey to create Disneyland. Cool book, sweet song, and it comes with a CD. (Published by Disney, but of course, 2017, $19.99.)

“This Story Is For You,” written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli, is a great way of expressing to kids just how important they are to us. (Disney-Hyperion, on sale April 3rd, 2018, 48 pages, $16.99, ages 3-5 — or is it? lol.) Pizzoli’s other books include “Good Night Owl,” “Templeton Gets His Wish” and “Number One Sam.”

I completely overlooked “Marvel’s Super Hero Adventures, Deck the Malls!” over the holidays. (Marvel Kids, by MacKenzie Cadenhead and Sean Ryan, 2017, 77 pages, $4.99.) This lively early chapter book stars Spider-Man, Spider-Gwen and Venom.

Go, go, go!

Bon appetit, babies.

WM

Ready, steady, go! “I Got a Chicken for My Birthday,” by Laura Gehl, with illustrations by Sarah Horne (Carolrhoda Books/Lerner, 2018, ages 4-8, $17.99). Why are chicken books so funny? I have no idea, peeps. (Get it? Chicken joke.) But chicken books are funny. Ana wants to go to the amusement park for her birthday. Instead, her Abuela Lola sends her a chicken, and that chicken? Puts everyone to work. Even the hamster. Kids will love the funny, vibrant pictures and the story that keeps you guessing; the grown-ups will love the goofiness and the story.

Gehl’s other new book is another in the Peep and Egg series. “I’m Not Using the Potty” (Carolrhoda Books/Lerner, 2018, ages 4-8, $17.99), illustrated by Joyce Wan, is a great one for the reluctant potty trainers. We know you’re out there. We see you doing the Potty Dance. Please stop peeing on trees and learn to use the toilet like the civilized people, would ya, now? Egg won’t use the potty, Peep keeps trying to talk them into it.

“Too slippery!” said Egg.
“I’m NOT using the potty.”

Doesn’t want to throw the toilet paper in the potty, either.

“Too tangly!” said Egg.

Sweet book, sweet story, and encouragement is always appreciated. There you go.

“Ten Magic Butterflies,” by Danica McKellar, with illustrations by Jennifer Bricking (Crown Books for Young Readers, 2018, ages 2-5, 30 pages, $8.99), will help the kiddos with their math, and they won’t even notice it’s happening.

The ten flower friends are happy, but they yearn for just a little more in life.

But sometimes we find out things were best just the way they were. The fairies are beautiful, and a little tricky. The flowers? They just want to play.

Lots of bright garden colors, purple, green, yellow and pink, brighten up the pages. And the math? Bonus.

Bon appetit, babies.

— WM

Rick Riordan, you writing machine you. His latest is called, for short, “The Ship of the Dead.” For long, it’s called “Rick Riordan’s Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Ship of the Dead, Book Three in the Series.” (Disney-Hyperion, 2017, 421 pages, $19.99.)

It’s pretty fantastic, as are all of his series. Riordan knows how to keep the readers happy. He starts with funny chapter titles, for example: “I Have a Nightmare About Toenails,” (weird, me, too!), “I Roll Play-Doh to the Death,” “Mallory Gets Nuts,” (followed, of course, by) “Mallory Also Gets Fruit,” “I Become as Poetic as… Like, a Poetic Person,” etc.

Riordan’s other series are “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” “The Demigod Files,” “Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods,” “The Kane Chronicles,” “The Heroes of Olympus,” “The Demigod Diaries,” “Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard” and “The Trials of Apollo.”

Next up:

“Frenemies in the Family: Famous Brothers and Sisters Who Butted Heads and Had Each Other’s Back.” (Crown/New York, 2018, by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Maple Lam, ages 8-12, 229 pages, $17.99.) I wouldn’t limit this one to any specific age group. People often think that kids (and some adults, for that matter) don’t enjoy learning about history. They do. You just need to lively it up is all. This book does that, handily. I love it — I’ve read about half the bios already and will read the rest, too. Favorites so far: Theo and Vincent Van Gogh, art dealer and artist; Chang and Eng Bunker, the conjoined twins; Queens Elizabeth I and Mary I (Bloody Mary)… sooooo good.

Bon appetit, babies. Happy reading!

— WM

This pair of board books, by W.C. Bauers and Marta Costa, are part of the Tiny Bible Tales series. (Grosset & Dunlap, 2018, ages 3-5, $7.99.) (Buy them for the little babies, too, though. Babies need books. Only keep an eye on them so they don’t become teething toys. This public service announcement brought to you by moi, Wacky Mommy.)

“David and the Lost Lamb” retells the story of David, his sheep, and one big, hungry lion. He also has a dog who looks like mine. Kid and dog and God to the rescue!

In “Jonah and the Whale,” Jonah gets a message from God, “Help the people to obey.” At first, he doesn’t want to listen. But then a whale comes along, and things change…

Sunny illustrations, and chipper, rhyming text will keep the kids entertained.

Don’t hide your light under a bushel, y’all, is the message of “When God Made Light,” the second collaboration between Matthew Paul Turner and David Catrow. I like their work together. Here’s Wacky Mommy’s review of their first book, “When God Made You.”) The art lifts right up off the page, gold and blue and purple and green. Two beautiful sisters, and a funny dog.

Have a great day, honeys.

xo and bon appetit!

WM

Super cute new board books from Jill McDonald, from her “Hello, World!” series. “Dinosaurs” and “My Body.” (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2018, ages 0-3 years, $7.99 each.)

“Sleepover Duck!” needs a friend. And he found one. But who is doing all that hooting? And will they be able to get any shut-eye? A good way to talk about sleepover worries with the kiddos. (Random House Children’s Books, 2018, ages 3-7, 40 pages, $17.99.)

“The Science of Breakable Things” is for kids ages 8 and older and addresses the struggle of having a depressed parent. It’s thoughtfully handled and takes on a subject that a lot of folks shy away from. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2018, ages 8 and older, $16.99.)

“The Pink Hat,” by Andrew Joyner (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2017, ages 4-8, 32 pages, $17.99). Presenting: Baby’s first feminist manifesto. This one is inspired by the Women’s March last year. It’s been somewhat sanitized for young readers, but that’s all right. The author included a little historical fact sheet in the back of the book. Joyner is an Australian artist and writer whose work has been published in more than 25 countries. Bright pink with black and white makes for an attractive picture book with a cool message. Reminiscent of P.D. Eastman. PS — google “pink hat” on Amazon and see all the cool kitty-cat hats that pop up.

“Just a Duck,” by Carin Bramsen (Random House, 2015, for babies! $7.99) It’s a rhyming book! This sweet little board book is a lot of fun. The vivid colors pop right off the page. A wee little duck believes… truly believes… that he is a cat. Is he?

“My Pillow Keeps Moving,” written by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Christopher Weyant (Viking Books for Young Readers, 2018, ages 4-8, $17.99) This one reminds me of another P.D. Eastman classic, “A Fish Out of Water.”. Extremely hilarious story of a man and his… pillow? Footstool? Jacket? Check it out, the kids will adore it.

Bon appetit, babies!

— WM

Fastest book review ever:

“Natural Disaster: I Cover Them, I Am One,” by Ginger Zee. (Kingswell, 2017, 282 pages, $26.99.) Sweet, tart, sad, beautiful, funny memoir from ABC News Chief Meteorologist, one Ms. Ginger Zee.

“Fresh Off the Boat: Stories of Immigration, Identity, and Coming to America,” edited by Larry Smith (Kingswell, 2017, $15.99). This is one from the six-word memoirs series, and I thought that would be the format throughout, but was pleased to find essays and photos included, too. Beautiful, touching book. Everyone, especially our President and his staff, needs to read it.

My favorite quote:

“But where are you really from?” Suki Kim

“Nuclear Family: A Tragicomic Novel in Letters,” by Susanna Fogel (Henry Holt, 2017, 199 pages, $16). I picked up this book at somewhere I never shop anymore: the library. Weird, I know. Good God, it’s funny. I mean, like hilarious funny. Crying and wiping tears from my eyes and reading pages out loud to my boyfriend funny, funny-as-David-Sedaris funny. So read it, already.

And in parting, in the words of my late, great Granny: “Even Jesus had to knock a few heads together in the pool hall sometimes.”

Happy Holidays from our house to yours.

Ambrosia, My Granny’s Recipe