My Island

A young girl shows us around her island, all of its whimsical intricacies built by the workings of her imagination.  It’s a place without a name where the flowers are always blooming and where thousands of birds roam.  It’s magical.  You’re welcome, too, but only if you’re the hopeful, wish-making, dreaming kind.  A charming ode to children and their endless creativity and inventiveness.

My Island was written by Stéphanie Demasse-Pottier, illustrated by Seng Soun Ratanavanh nd published by Princeton Architectural Press.  Out on April 2.

Tomorrow Most Likely

What will tomorrow bring?  Most likely it’ll entail a sky with a certain degree of blue, breakfast in the kitchen and an open door to the outside world.  Whatever tomorrow will bring — pondered and wondered about by kids everywhere right before bedtime — just might turn out to be more wonderful and strange than they think.  A poignant book for nightly reading and tomorrow-dreaming with a clever reassurance to all readers to expect something good.  Expect something funny.  Expect something lovely.  Expect the unexpected.

Tomorrow Most Likely was written by Dave Eggers, illustrated by Lane Smith and published by Chronicle Books.  It’ll be out on April 2.

Most Marshmallows

It’s true that many marshmallows live ordinary lives, but look out for the ones who dare to imagine that there is more to life than learning to be squishy and stand in rows, for they are capable of extraordinary things.  Whether you dream a little — or a lot — this sweet, funny and whimsical book is an inspiring reminder to do so!

Most Marshmallows was written and illustrated by Rowboat Watkins and published by Chronicle Books.  It’ll be out on April 30.

Frankfurt

Frankfurt is a unique urban daschund with decidedly eccentric tastes but something he just can’t get behind is his name.  Oh how he despises the name Frankfurt!  How can anyone take a dog that resembles a sausage seriously with a name like that?  He puts a plan in motion to communicate this aversion to his owner Pierre and hopefully he can get the message through, loud and clear!  An entertaining and humorous story that will makes us wonder if we’ll ever truly understand the depths of canine thought.

Frankfurt was written by Mia Cassany, illustrated by Mikel Casal and published by Tate.

Harold Snipperpot’s Best Disaster Ever

A story about a birthday gone terrifically awry.  Harold Snipperpot is turning seven and it’s his first real birthday party ever.  His parents hire cool Mr. Ponzio to plan an extraordinary afternoon that Harold will never forget.  The special day is here, the doorbell rings and before Harold and his family know it, a raucous jumble of wild animals is stomping through their house, wreaking havoc in wild, unimaginable ways.  Stunned by the fiasco unfolding before him and unable to give it too much thought, Harold goes along for the ride.  He discovers that strangely enough, even extraordinarily bad things have their silver lining — proof that sometimes the worst disaster in the world can be the best disaster ever.

Harold Snipperpot’s Best Disaster Ever was written and illustrated by Beatrice Alemagna and published by HarperCollins.  It’ll be out soon on February 5.