Rutabaga's Reads 2025: Part 5

We’re almost halfway through 2025, and here I am with only the first picture books compilation of the year. I’ve read many picture books already – including with/to my nephew – but I clearly haven’t been reviewing them consistently.

The Book That Can Read Your Mind (Mar. 12, 2024) by Marianna Coppo.

This is no ordinary book. As you can gather from the title, it’s a magical one. Lady Rabbit welcomes all “prestigious readers” to her show. Instead of pulling a rabbit out of a hat, she considers pulling an old guy out of her hat, but she concludes that that’s not convincing enough. It’s not magical enough. Eventually, Lady Rabbit elects to read our minds. Look at the members of the audience. Choose one and only one. Who’d you pick? Keep it to yourself and turn to the page as directed. TA-DA! Did she get it right? I dare you to go back and try again. Did you trick her that time?

            Inspired by a 17^th-century magic book and with vintage-style illustrations, this interactive story is modern-day, enchanting and fun. There are multiple choices, so readers can play again and again. It’s an experience and a magic trick all in a picture book. Although one-trick, it’s an ingenious story idea that absolutely works. Let’s get on with the show!

A Chest Full of Words (Mar. 18, 2025) by Rebecca Gugger & Simon Röthlisberger.

   Tim Mohr, translator.

There is a magnificent treasure chest, but the treasure within isn’t gold or jewels. There are words! Oscar doesn’t initially recognize the words as treasure. He tosses fluorescent aside and rather upsets a hedgehog scampering by, as its now a fluorescent yellow. He slaps another word on another object (an old oak with a new hairdo never before looked so fabulous). He’s soon flinging words about with abandon. But then he runs out of words. He’s … wordless. Oscar goes in search of new words, but no one has any good advice until he talks to Louise. She likes to keep words handy, reminding him that they can be found anytime and anywhere.

            “Words have magical powers. Use them with care and you can make the world blossom,” says Louise to Oscar. This story, with its whimsical, softly colorful, earthy illustrations is inventive, wholesome, original, playful and word-tastic. The story, a Swiss import, is vocabulary-centric, unique, eye-opening, ear-catching and absorbing. It makes adjectives the centerpiece of the story and will engage young readers, even if they don’t understand all of the words. Words are magic. They can transport readers by painting pictures with words.

Danbi’s Favorite Day (Apr. 25, 2023) by Anna Kim.

<This is a sequel story.>

It’s not her birthday. It’s not Halloween, but still, it’s Danbi’s favorite day! She’s hosting a Children’s Day party, a day that she tells her friends is the day “all your wishes come true!” After she invites her friends, she exclaims that there will be kites and magic castles, and they’ll only eat chocolate chip cookies! Her mommy reminds her that “it’s about celebrating all the children on Earth who will one day lead the world.” She encourages Danbi to host her friends at the deli, as both her parents need to work that day. She’s told that rain is in the forecast, but she is adamant that she wants a picnic outside. When it happens as her mom said, will the weather get her down? Or will she be reminded that, “We were the children of the world?”

            This follow-up to “Danbi Leads the School Parade” is a delightful concoction of Korean heritage, diversity, inclusivity, family, friendship and the power of creativity. It’s a celebration of children. The story’s beautifully detailed illustrations in their warm, neutral tones see splashes of color from the author-illustrator and complement the text like your favorite food combinations. This picture book is joyful, fun and full of youthful energy.

            Starts with: Danbi Leads the School Parade

We Are Immigrants (Sept. 17, 2024) by Carolina Fernandez.

   Alyssa M. Gonzalez, illustrator.

Immigrants. They’ve traveled from near. They’ve traveled from far. Their journeys are all different, their skin tones “a rainbow of kings and of queens,” their hair anywhere from pin-straight to super curly, they may pray differently from you, and their languages may be unlike any you’ve ever heard. But a language everyone can understand is the language of kindness and love. Other cultures mean a plethora of new food to taste and enjoy. Just like you, they have traditions that have been passed down in their families. They laugh and have fun, too. The best thing to remember is that, “We all make up one human race.”

            Through Fernandez’s vibrant, rhyming, lyrical text and Gonzalez’s colorful, soulful, expressive illustrations, readers celebrate diversity, inclusion and heritage with this uplifting, inspiring picture book. I love rhyme, and the upbeat tempo of the story gives it a positive beat, a welcoming vibe. The storytelling matches strongly with the art of this book, and I’m so glad that I checked this out from my local library.

Will the Pigeon Graduate? (Mar. 4, 2025) by Mo Willems.

<This is part of the Pigeon series.>

Pigeon has the mortarboard hat. It has tassels. He’s overcome obstacles, noticed the little details and taken big steps. But will he graduate? Is Pigeon ready to take the brave plunge? And, asking the big questions here, will there be snacks?

            Despite my fairly regular reading of picture books, this is my first Pigeon series book, and what a delight it is! The story is simple in its illustrations and understandable in its text. There’s no grandiose verbiage, and Pigeon, despite being a pigeon, can be relatable to, say, the Kindergartner approaching Kindergarten graduation wondering about being a big First Grader next school year. This story is infused with wonderment, fun and humor.