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Why be a wallflower when you can be a Venus flytrap? Prunella’s purple thumb shocks her master gardener parents. Drawn to plants too sticky or scary for others, “strange and curious things” fill Prunella’s garden but repel potential friends, leaving peculiar Prunella alone with her plants. Alone, that is, until one eager boy sees the beauty cultivated by prickly Prunella and worms his way into her favor, bringing “a whole bouquet of botanists” with him, the seeds of friendship. Charming, rosy-cheeked illustrations belie Prunella’s noxious garden while rich vocabulary bolsters its unconventional themes. A fabulous catalogue of Prunella’s real-life Persnickety Plants graces the front and endpages. Heartwarming for odd-kids out and a terrific pick for plant-themed units or story times.
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PRUNELLA, by Beth Ferry & Claire Keane
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@bethferry1 @claireonacloud @simonkids @ssedlib #prunella #youdoyou #picturebookillustration #botanists #librariansofinstagram

It feels good to help others, but sometimes even stalwart helpers need a little support. Toad is constantly on the go in his tow truck, saving the day when flat tires and overheated engines drag drivers to a halt. Slow down? Pshaw. “No time, Pop! Can’t stop!” When Toad’s tow truck has trouble that even Toad can’t fix, he has a mini-break down and, finally, accepts some help of his own. With ludicrously adorable character names—William Goat-Gruff and Skunky van der Stink for spin-offs, please?; simply structured sentences that read aloud perfectly; and clean illustrations begging for story time showcasing, this one’s an endearing (and surely enduring) new favorite that normalizes asking for, and accepting, assistance.
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TOWED BY TOAD, by Jashar Awan
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#towedbytoad @jasharawan @tundrabooks #helpers #helpthehelpers #towtrucks #librariansofinstagram #picturebooksofinstagram

Grateful for you turkeys and the community we’ve built here together!
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#boardbooks #picturebooks #picturebookstagram #librariansofinstagram #librariansofig #familytime #anattitudeofgratitude #thanksgiving2024

Looking for an out-of-this-world gift for curious kids + toddlers this holiday season? I recommend OUR GALAXY and tell you why in the annual @shelf.awareness gift guide! And if you don’t take my word for it, trust Oprah, who picked the book as one of her Favorite Things. The whole, elaborate nonfiction board book series is dynamite. Comment SPACE and I’ll send you the link for the SA guide! ✨
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OUR GALAXY, by Sue Lowell Gallion & Lisk Feng
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@phaidonpress @suelowellgallion @liskfeng #bookreviewers @kidlitchick is the bomb editor so full credit there! #boardbooks #giftbooks #giftguide2024 #nonfictionbooks #spacebooks #oprahsfavoritethings

🌋 CHIMBORAZO, 20,549’ 🌋 An intercontinental tour of eight superlative summits with local color, climbing history, and challenges you’ll face on your way to the top. With practical tidbits on geology, gear, and avalanche survival, all cheerily illustrated with vintage-inspired art, this atlas calls to adventurers and armchair mountaineers alike. And it’s the first time I saw Chimborazo featured in a kids book, which made it a perfect gift to haul to the top (all 20,549’ tyvm) in thanks for my guides! My only lament is the book’s choice of “conquest” in describing first summits — nature is humbling and our presence is a privilege. To higher places!
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@edjbrown @cicadabooks @pubspotlight with massive gratitude to @madisonmtng @e_suarezvalladolid @puruhamanucalapi @danielacalapina_ @kellymcwheeler @robingrowley for the incredible adventure!
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Take notes 🎶 : “This toe-tapping read-aloud seems destined to prompt bedtime hijinks among budding musicians in the best possible way.” Or, if you need a shelf talker: “Young siblings are lured into a late-night musical adventure by the beckoning sound of their father’s jazz band in an exuberant, toe-tapping read-aloud.” Plenty more to say, so sneak your way over to @shelf.awareness to read the full, glowing review!
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THE BAND IN OUR BASEMENT, by Kelly J. Baptist & Jenin Mohammed
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@abramskids @kellyiswrite @knotwritenow #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #kidsbookstagram #bookreviewers #librariansofinstagram

Gnome loves a good celebration, and the impending first snowfall of the year has him aflutter. When the Annual Rat Family Nest Fest, “a party for all things warm and cozy!” collides with fresh flakes, Gnome and Rat pack “snow stuff” to enjoy along their way to the gathering. Ice dancing, an avalanche, and one wild toboggan ride later, the duo land at Rat’s family event, where mousemallows and snuggly sleepover games await. Another silly entry in this cheerful beginning graphic novel series, perfect for reading with cocoa in hand during the first snow, second snow, third snow….
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GNOME AND RAT: FIRST SNOW, by Lauren Stohler
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@lorstohler @knopfyoungreaders @spanishbroom #gnomeandrat #gnomeandratfirstsnow #graphicnovelsforkids #librariansofinstagram #beginningreaders #kidsbookstagram

Niarah’s sure the world is going to sh*t and figures she might as well be prepared for the inevitable. She didn’t exactly thrive during sophomore year (okay, fine — she didn’t exactly TRY, either) and now her choice is either summer school or participation in a POC hiking group (which is basically this indoor girl’s worst nightmare). The nature crew folds Niarah into their fun straight away, and cutie leader Mac lends an eager hand with Niarah’s main summer project, construction of her backyard LA doomsday shelter. Niarah’s prepper inclinations stem from lived trauma, and her tenuous mental health is sensitively woven throughout this slightly snarky, highly readable bildungsroman-romance. TW abound, but heavy issues like climate change, addiction/relapse, domestic abuse, bullying, and suicidal ideation are realistically managed and ultimately resonate with hope. Newcomer Adia won the CSK Steptoe Author Award for her debut and this follow-up cements her as a fresh YA voice to follow.
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OUR SHOUTS ECHO, by Jada Adia
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#ourshoutsecho #booksforteens #teenbooks #yabooks #yalit #prepperlife #yafiction #librariansofinstagram