School Library Journal PreS-Gr 2—This well-illustrated and sweet family tale centers on the experiences of a transgender boy. Like Erica Silverman's Jack (not Jackie), this title portrays parental support and love between siblings. In this story, Aidan has not yet met the baby who will be his sibling, and that's what has him worried. Will the baby like sea horse or penguin-themed outfits better? If Aidan helps paint the nursery to look like the sky, maybe his new sibling won't ever feel trapped the way Aidan did in his old room, before his parents knew he was a boy. Aidan does everything he can to prepare (short of accepting his dad's offer to practice changing diapers), but his excitement shifts to anxiety. What if he's making mistakes and the baby also ends up feeling misunderstood? Lukoff (himself a transgender man) nails the nuances of Aidan's conflict, providing believable reassurance through Aidan's mom, who offers support specific to her son's experience and proves universally calming advice: "We made some mistakes but you helped us fix them….This baby is lucky to have you and so are we." Juanita's playful watercolors make great use of clothing patterns and nature motifs, airily fashioning the sunny world of Aidan's mostly brown-skinned family and their friends, while framing curious or intrusive strangers from a child's-eye view. VERDICT A much-needed and appealing addition to the picture book canon; both emotionally and visually satisfying.—Miriam DesHarnais, Towson University, MD

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Horn Book Brown-skinned (possibly biracial) Aidan, who's transgender, knows how it feels to be misunderstood, so he wants to get things right for his new sibling. Lukoff's straightforward approach to Aidan's gender transition rings with authenticity, and he puts the child-centered story ahead of message. Celebrating the family's close, affirming relationship, Juanita's vibrant digital illustrations take cues from the text, which models how to avoid the male/female binary. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus A transgender boy anticipates his new job as a big brother by helping his parents prepare for his baby sibling's arrival.Aidan "felt trapped" in his old name, clothes, and room before he told his parents "what he knew about himself." Some girls never wore dresses, "but Aidan didn't feel like any kind of girl" because he was "another kind of boy." With his parents' support, he embraces his identity and takes on a new, important role, becoming a big brother. More than anything, he wants the baby to feel loved and understood. This picture book sets a new standard of excellence in transgender representation by centering the feelings of Aidan, a biracial (black and South Asian) transgender boy. Juanita's (Ta-Da!, 2018) digital illustrations have the look of ink and watercolor, and they bring the love in Aidan's family to life. Bright, mixed patterns in Aidan's clothes capture the vibrancy of his personality and his excitement to welcome a baby into the family. Lukoff (A Storytelling of Ravens, 2018) breaks away from binary language and stereotypical gender roles, highlighting within the text and in an author's note that there is more than one way to be a person of any gender. The hopeful message at the end emphasizes love and the importance of staying open to learning.Joyful and affirming, Aidan's story is the first of its kind among books for welcoming a new baby. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Publishers Weekly Everyone thought Aidan was a girl when he was born, but Aidan knows that "he was really another kind of boy." "He felt like his room belonged to someone else. And he always ripped or stained his clothes accidentally-on-purpose." Finally, Aidan cuts his hair short, dons clothes that suit him better, and tells his parents ("It took everyone some time to adjust, and they learned a lot from other families with transgender kids like him"). #OwnVoices author Lukoff (A Storytelling of Ravens) writes with sensitivity and candor as Aidan takes his first steps toward claiming his identity. When his mother is expecting another child, Aidan excitedly prepares for his big brother role and seeks to welcome his sibling in a way that "could fit this new person no matter who they grew up to be." Juanita (Ta-Da!) illustrates with fine ink outlines and loose patterns, filling Aidan's revamped bedroom with cozy fabrics, and populating a family baby shower with balloons that spell out an inclusive, triumphant sign: "it's a baby." The creators' exploration of one transgender child's experience emphasizes the importance of learning "how to love someone for exactly who they are." Ages 5-6. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Book list Though assigned female at birth, biracial Aidan soon realizes he is actually a boy, one who dislikes his girl's clothes and pink bedroom. When he tells his parents that he is a trans boy, they lovingly rectify their errors. Upon renaming himself, Aidan gleefully explores ways of being a boy. Then he learns that his mom is pregnant, and he immediately becomes concerned that he might not be a good big brother. Since he doesn't know if the baby will be a boy or a girl, he searches for names that would fit either, and he is upset when people ask if he is excited by the prospect of a new brother or sister, and steadfastly announces he is simply excited to be a big brother. Though he knows he might make some mistakes, he understands that the most important thing is that he simply love his new sibling and so, when the baby is born (its sex is not given), he does. A trans man himself, Lukoff writes with authority and a loving spirit. Juanita's cheerful digital illustrations are a nicely harmonious match with the text, expanding it in meaningful ways. Together, the text and pictures create a heartfelt celebration of love that will be an ideal selection for trans children and for any who are expecting a new sibling.--Michael Cart Copyright 2019 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly On an island of imaginary friends waiting "to be picked by a child and given a special name," one friend-he's adorably pudgy, and wears a paper crown-resolves to wait no longer. He sets sail in a small boat, but the sea serpents and whales he encounters are not nearly as daunting as the real world, which is gray and pedestrian: "No kids were eating cake. No one stopped to hear the music." At last, his human appears: she's a geeky, mop-headed girl who likes to draw. A sweet sequence shows the two shifting and blushing next to each other; she turns to him with his new name: "Beekle." He's overjoyed. Santat (Crankenstein), a versatile and talented illustrator, ranges wide, drawing underwater ocean scenes, grim cityscapes, and appealing alien creatures. The third-person retelling weighs the story down somewhat-there's no conversation-and the pace drags as Beekle's search has more obstacles than it needs to. Affirming thoughts abound ("thinking about his friend gave him the courage to journey on"), but fans may miss the cracked humor of Santat's more irreverent work. Ages 3-6. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Book list In this picture book, imaginary friends are born on a distant island, where they await their real-life kid friends to dream them up and name them. One surprisingly expressive pudgy white blob gets sick of waiting, so he hops in a boat and embarks on an adventurous voyage to the real world, departing on a sunny sea next to a rainbow-scaled dragon and arriving in a gray, dingy city harbor. Once he reaches his destination, a fortuitous breeze brings him to bespectacled Alice, who names him Beekle, and it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship. It's unclear why Beekle is so unimaginary, since the only thing that sets him apart is his initiative, but that's an easily forgivable quibble. Santat's plush illustrations fill each two-page spread with beautiful, varied layouts and a kaleidoscope of tones. Whether he's lost amid a sea of black pants-legs, lonely on top of a bare tree, or joyful at discovering the loopy, colorful world of vivacious children with vivid imaginations, Beekle's journey is lovely.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2014 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

School Library Journal PreS-Gr 2-How long would you wait and how far a journey would you make to find your truest friend? Born on an island for imaginary friends, Beekle waits to be "imagined by a real child." He waits and he waits, but his turn never comes. Filled with impetuous courage, Beekle does the unimaginable and heads out across deep waters until he reaches the real world. He finds that life there is so harried that no one notices him. Eventually, as he waits at the top of a star-leafed tree, a small girl with a friendly face calls out to him with a picture in her hand. They learn to be friends, share adventures and snacks, joke, "and together they did the unimaginable." Santat's attention to detail in the mixed-media illustrations shares a child's eye for laughter and movement on full-bleed spreads with strategically placed text. Gazes of wonderment, broad smiles, and changes in perspective ensure an easy transition from page to page. Beekle's round white visage and taped orange paper crown are immediately identifiable in each scene, a sharp contrast to his surroundings against variations of dark neutrals on a city street or the brightly colored dragons of a child's imagination. Like Beekle's new friend, there's something here that feels just right as an "unimaginary" friendship creates a joyous, recognizable bond. A terrific addition to any library.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Nine women—four mothers and five daughters—experience tragedy, joy, and hope in two book club meetings held three years apart. Three college friends, Mariella Marciano (now an opera singer), Grace Townsend (a minister), and Elin Mackenzie (a corporate lawyer) are joined by a fourth, Jamie Price, one-time nanny for Elin’s daughter. The women have been close for decades, texting regularly and meeting periodically for weekend book retreats. But during one weekend in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, when they’ve been joined by their daughters, there’s a tragic accident. After a day of drinking, Jamie’s twins, Kathleen and Meg, head out for ice cream on a rainy night and their jeep flips and crashes into a tree. Fast forward three years, and the women come together again for a book club weekend, this time in Mariella’s vacation home—a villa in Lake Como. The twins no longer speak to each other, and the other women are on tenterhooks worrying about what might happen during the trip. But what follows are long days of food, love, and personal growth as the friends talk books, hopes, dreams, and the future. Still, each keeps part of herself hidden, while contemplating sharing their secrets with the others on the final night of the trip. This is a book seemingly made for the screen, with lots of bickering, wine, and dishy revelations. With such a seemingly overfull cast, the authors do well to make each character memorable and distinct—but none of them has much depth. And rather than focusing on mother-daughter relationships, as might have been expected, it’s romantic love—both old and new—and the marriages of two of the women that drive the story forward. An entertaining book, adeptly written and easily read. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Book list Elin, Mariella, and Grace met in college, and Jamie later joined their tight-knit friend group that now includes the four women's five now-adult daughters. Three years after their last Mother-Daughter Book Club, which ended in disaster, the crew is meeting at Mariella's house on Lake Como for a weekend planned to the hilt that will include wine, yoga, boat rides, and a little bit of talking about books. As pastor Grace (still a virgin at 60) finds romance, Elin's daugther, neurologist Brigid, is conspiring with Jamie to hide a secret. This is written by James Patterson with his wife, Susan, with whom he collaborated on Things I Wish I Told My Mother (2023), so despite its relationship-fiction trappings, there's lots of plot that keeps the pages turning, especially the big reveal at the end. Chapters alternate among the nine women—helpfully labeled with the name of the narrator—giving a full picture of a weekend away, bolstered by delicious descriptions of meals and scenery. Fans of Elin Hilderbrand's The Five-Star Weekend (2023) will enjoy this girls' trip to Italy.

From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

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School Library Journal : Gr 5–8—Somewhere in contemporary Britain, "the man Jack" uses his razor-sharp knife to murder a family, but the youngest, a toddler, slips away. The boy ends up in a graveyard, where the ghostly inhabitants adopt him to keep him safe. Nobody Owens, so named because he "looks like nobody but himself," grows up among a multigenerational cast of characters from different historical periods that includes matronly Mistress Owens; ancient Roman Caius Pompeius; an opinionated young witch; a melodramatic hack poet; and Bod's beloved mentor and guardian, Silas, who is neither living nor dead and has secrets of his own. As he grows up, Bod has a series of adventures, both in and out of the graveyard, and the threat of the man Jack who continues to hunt for him is ever present. Bod's love for his graveyard family and vice versa provide the emotional center, amid suspense, spot-on humor, and delightful scene-setting. The child Bod's behavior is occasionally too precocious to be believed, and a series of puns on the name Jack render the villain a bit less frightening than he should be, though only momentarily. Aside from these small flaws, however, Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family.—Megan Honig, New York Public Library

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Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions Inc. Terms

Publishers Weekly: Debut writer and Washington, D.C., native, Clarke has written a novel as lyric and alternately beguiling and confounding as its title. It is the story of the drowning of a six-year-old child, and the tragedy's ramifications for her family and neighbors in the black area of Georgetown in 1925 D.C. Clarke's scene-building skills are the novel's strengths and occasionally its weaknesses, as each chapter is an intense set piece that sometimes provokes more questions than answers. The story is ultimately that of the effects of Clara Bynum's death on her 12-year-old sister, Johnnie Mae, who was babysitting Clara at the time she fell into the river. Johnnie Mae suffers guilt, fear and loss, endures dreams, imaginings and confusion as she sees visions of her sister everywhere: in a trauma-stung classmate who wears braids like Clara's, and the vapor from a boiling pot of green beans that resembles her sister's face. Against a felt, poignant and meticulously detailed panorama of the African-American (then called "colored") community of Georgetown, Johnnie Mae struggles to find her bearings, to cope with institutional and family expectations, and with puberty and race. Johnnie Mae ultimately derives strength from her element, the water, as she becomes a talented swimmer, but her parents Alice and Willie struggle with inextinguishable grief. From the first vivid description of the Potomac, liquid elements provide themes and narrative tension in this plangent coming-of-age story, granting the reader a necessary, if temporary, distancing from the blunt fact of a dead child. Indeed, Clarke's research about African-American Georgetown in the early 20th century revisits a time and place as intricate as any, but so remote from most memories that the historical details are fascinating footnotes to an era. While authorial asides are sometimes intrusive, this is a haunting story. Agent, Cynthia Cannell.

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