“One Thursday morning, a box of babies arrives at this door.” With this whimsical premise, Xiao has crafted a heartwarming tale that perfectly captures the exhausting yet rewarding reality of caring for little ones. Seven distinctively expressive round-faced infants—varying in complexion—quickly make themselves at home, requiring feeding, bathing, and entertaining. The simple text is gracefully balanced with the visual exuberance of babies tumbling across pages, exploring their surroundings, and eventually snuggling up together. Xiao employs a restrained palette in her gouache and pencil illustrations—the tots’ yellow sleepers contrast against mostly muted backgrounds—creating scenes that are pleasingly detailed yet never overwhelming. Each baby has individual personality traits conveyed through subtle facial expressions and positioning, enticing children to follow their favorites through the pages. The diverse caregivers respond with good-natured acceptance to the sudden responsibility, modeling joyful adaptability amid domestic disruption. The story ends with a delightful invitation to readers—“What will they do next?”—cleverly setting up a potential sequel while also encouraging children to imagine their own adventures for these seven charming youngsters.

Rayne McGrath inherited McGrath Castle from her Uncle Nevin, with the proviso that Ciara Smith, his illegitimate daughter, stay on to manage the place. He gave them 12 months to get in the black or sell and split whatever money is left. Rayne was a successful bridal designer in LA who was doing very well until her boyfriend stole all her money plus a bunch of wedding gowns. Now the cousins, who had no idea the estate was in such bad shape, are nearly broke and are trying various schemes to make money. Rayne’s still designing bridal gowns and selling off valuable handbags. Ciara works with estate opportunities like raising sheep. Most of the villagers are old, and the cousins would love to attract younger people by refurbishing a bunch of cottages and fixing up a row of storefronts. But their attempts to save the village by modernizing meet with opposition. Although they’ve refurbished the castle as a wedding venue, their first booking ended in murder. As they wait for the next one, a project to clean up a cemetery leads them to a grave they think is in the wrong place, judging from some letters and photos they had found in an old trunk in the castle. Back at the cemetery the next day, Rayne’s dog discovers the body of a man named Aiden Dennehy slumped on the mystery grave, right next to a jewel that Rayne thinks the dog probably chewed out of her Jimmy Choos. More research indicates that the men in the photos were probably fighting in the revolution and involved in a secret society that may have stolen valuable jewelry.

Kaja, a black-and-white dog, leads readers through her neighborhood and introduces her canine friends who live there. Acting as tutor and translator, she points out how each animal uses their body to show their emotions. The book shows and describes each behavior in ways that kids will find easy to comprehend and follows up with questions meant to generate empathy. For instance, an illustration features two excited children chasing a dog, and Kaja notes, “I can tell she is scared because her ears are back and her tail is underneath her.” She then asks the reader what they do when they feel scared. The book covers both positive and negative canine emotions, showing dogs who are frightened or angry but also those who are happy or excited. A “Parent’s Corner” (denoted by a pawprint symbol) offers additional important details for adults, such as “Moving your child after a warning growl builds trust and creates a safe space for the dog.” Lastly, the book offers discussion and comprehension questions and reveals the breed of each dog in the illustrations. (Kaja, for instance, is a mix of springer spaniel and Labrador retriever.) Knoppová’s cheery illustrations are both appealing and informative; the dogs’ faces are wonderfully expressive, and their body language is just as clear and easy to understand. Whenever children’s books address safety, there’s always the possibility of expressing danger in a way that frightens readers, but fortunately, that’s not the case here. Instead, it’s a compassionate and empowering read that makes clear to children that dogs can also feel nervous, excited, or upset—and that it’s important to be able to identify those feelings in order to respect them.

Steve and his magpie pal, Maggie, are headed to a pirate party. Both sport pirate hats, and they have a map to guide them on their journey. The map offers a clue, presented in the form of a rhyming challenge: “Look along your street. What’s got leaves up high and roots at your feet?” Gazing up at a nearby tree, they spot a piece of paper in its branches—the next clue! As the intrepid pair continue on their way, they uncover tantalizing new hints at various locations, among them an aquarium, a statue, the park, and their ultimate destination—the pirate party ship, where, according to the map’s “X spot,” they discover a treasure hoard. This jolly tale, first published in the U.K., provides plenty of entertaining diversion. The puzzlelike format not only adds an engaging element to Steve and Maggie’s adventure but also, importantly, heightens readers’ learning—by enhancing critical-thinking skills, spatial and directional awareness, and vocabulary development. The cartoonish digital illustrations capture the expressive protagonists’ fast-paced exploits and incorporate lots of strategically placed bold-faced type into the artwork for dramatic effect. Steve is pale-skinned, like his YouTube counterpart.

The story is narrated by CATCH-M, a starlike spark born in darkness, and follows a fantastical path from fear and loneliness to awakening and connection. Children are invited to tune into their inner “braveheart,” face their feelings, and trust in their potential. Along the way, CATCH-M meets animals, such as Baby Cheetah and Zebra, who also struggle with difficult thoughts and uncertainty. CATCH-M offers simple visualizations, encouraging phrases, and easy-to-understand concepts from science and nature—such as how stars are formed and how the Earth’s magnetic pull works—to help young readers see that in dark times, love, imagination, and connection can light the way. Tejido’s illustrations employ bold colors and outer-space imagery, the book gently shares lyrical language and repeated affirmations (“I am extraordinary!”; “I love me”; “I can”) that give the book a reflective rhythm, encouraging readers to internalize its message. A mix of narrative, interactive callouts, and “fun, simple science” facts will also engage young minds. At times, the message becomes somewhat abstract and may be difficult for very young children to grasp, but older picture-book readers may find reassurance in its optimism. An author’s note, tying the message to her own childhood struggles and desire to help others “fill [their] heart[s],” adds authenticity.