Guapo and the Mystery of Goodness Grove by Janet Zappala

As the owner of a small farm, today's read instantly caught my attention. I believe it's the third in a row of books surrounding Guapo and friends, but it's the first one I'm picking up. I highly doubt that will be a problem, though, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what this crew is up to. And the mystery. I'm always a fan of mysteries...even little ones.

So, let's open this one up and see what is going on.

GUAPO AND THE MYSTERY OF GOODNESS GROVE

by Janet Zappala

Illustrated by Lara Calleja

Mascot Kids

Picture Book

38 pages

ages 5 to 10

COMING NOVEMBER 10th!!!

Look closely, young readers, the greatest clues are in the kindness we show.

In this heartwarming third adventure of Guapo, the gentle giant, a mystery unfolds.
Follow along with Guapo and his friends as every act of goodness brings them closer to discovering the heart of the mystery.

A portion of the proceeds from Guapo's Stories go to the Coachella Valley Horse Rescue in Indio, California, and Come Back Ranch Animal Sanctuary in Eagar, Arizona.

GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

Friendship, working together, and surprises follow this group of animals to create a wholesome adventure.

Guapo feels so sorry for a sad-looking tree, who appeared to be dying. He wants to save it and with the help of his friends, gives it water every day, but it doesn't really seem to be helping. When he and his friends assist a baby bird to return to its nest, they notice that the tree suddenly has leaves. Guapo has no idea how this change occurred so quickly and wonders if the good deed of helping the little bird had something to do with the tree's improvement. Not that it would really make sense. Or would it? These friends are determined to find out.

These pages pack tons of wholesome goodness and weave the plot around helping others. So, the messaging is very clear, but it works nicely with the group of friends and creates a lovely tale as Guapo and each of his friends do their best to find ways to help those around them. This forms a fun adventure as they hop from one good deed to the next. There's a touch of magic at the end to dab into the realm of fantasy, and this opens up to dreams. 

The tale creates a lovely read-aloud for individual settings. I'm not sure it would work as well for groups, since there are several illustrative scenes on each page, at times, which would be more difficult to present. Plus, there is a larger amount of text, making this an ideal read for story times or bedtime reads. 

Fans of animal adventures, friendships, and very wholesome reads are sure to enjoy this one quite a bit.

And here she is...

Janet Zappala: Following a career as an award-winning broadcast journalist – garnering six Emmy awards and 14 Emmy nominations – Janet became a bestselling children’s author, writing stories to teach children love and kindness. As a child, Janet would take in baby birds that had fallen from a nest in her backyard, and would care for guinea pigs and parakeets―not to mention her beloved terrier mix, Pepe. As a writer, Janet crafts tales to teach children kindness, compassion, and inclusion, built around real-life animal rescue tales. Janet was awarded the Children’s Author of the Year by the International Association of Top Professionals in 2025. She is a proud mother who is passionate about caring for children and animals. Learn more about Janet and Guapo’s Tales at her website.

Follow Janet on Social Media:

Instagram: @Janet_Zap

Facebook: @JanetZappala.GuaposTales 

LinkedIn: @JanetZappala

The Tiny Thing by Ellen Tarlow

THE TINY THING

by Ellen Tarlow

Illustrated by Lauren Stringer

Beach Lane Books

Picture Book

40 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING OCTOBER 6th!!!

A mole stumbles upon a tiny thing and finds his life forever changed by the power of imagination and finding self-confidence in this tender and enchanting picture book.

When shy Mole is out walking one day, he sees a tiny thing. He brings it to his burrow and immediately sets out to make it feel at home. Mole, who had never been noticed by the squirrels or included by the birds, finds an imaginary friend in the tiny thing. Soon, he feels brave enough to share songs, secrets, and stories—and even bring the tiny thing out into the world!

Sometimes, even the tiniest of encouragement is all that’s needed to branch out and make new friends.

GOODREADS     /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

It's not easy to step beyond self-made boundaries and discover the world outside, and these pages show the magic of doing just that.

Mole is shy and keeps to himself, careful with everything he does. When he happens to pass by something very small, he can't help but take it back with him to his burrow. He dresses it up and creates a tiny friend. Before he knows it, he talks to the friend more and more often, and even begins dancing. He would have never trusted himself to do anything like that before, but the little friend offers silent encouragement. Finally, Mole even takes the little thing outside with him and continues to talk to it, building things and more...and this might lead to something he never would have guessed possible.

Mole is easy to like from the very first page. Although shy, it's clear he has a very gentle demeanor and kind heart. It's hard not to smile as he gives the tiny thing a bit of personality...something I could see listeners wanting to imitate to make their own Tiny Thing. Mole's ability to express himself grows from page to page, adding fun and a touch of humor along the way. It's heartwarming to watch. The end carries a lovely message to round everything off.

The illustrations draw in and bring across the scenes with wholesome goodness. Listeners will have no problem picking this up on their own to follow Mole's little adventure...and that of Tiny Thing. The text flows smoothly and works great for a read-aloud. It holds a steady pace despite the gentle plot and is sure to keep readers engaged, especially since the Tiny Thing holds a bit of a secret as well. This aspect only pops up in the illustrations and invites listeners to carefully watch what happens to Tiny Thing over time. 

It's an adorable, calming read with tons of warmth.

And here they are...

Ellen Tarlow writes stories for children, including the picture books Looking for Smile, Becoming Blue, and The Tiny Thing. She has been a teacher and for many years worked as an editor of early childhood classroom materials. Ellen lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband, David, a painter. 

Lauren Stringer has illustrated many celebrated picture books, including The Tiny Thing by Ellen Tarlow; Deer Dancer by Mary Lyn Ray; The Princess and Her Panther by Wendy Orr; Scarecrow and Snow, both written by Cynthia Rylant; as well as her own Winter Is the Warmest Season, When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky, The Dark Was Done, and An Abundance of Light. She lives with her family in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Visit her at LaurenStringer.com.

Ellen Poe For Evermore by Diana Peterfreund

Today's read is the second in the series, and there was no way I was going to let this one slide on by. I read the first one, reviewed it HERE, and really enjoyed it. I'm hoping this second book will be just as good. Plus, I've missed Eddie...Edgar Allen's ghost...and can't wait to see what he's up to as Ellen Poe heads on the next adventure.

So, let's open this one up and sink right in!

ELLEN POE FOR EVERMORE

by Diana Peterfreund

Running Press Kids

YA Paranormal Mystery

336 pages

COMING OCTOBER 6th!!!

The thrilling sequel to Ellen The Forgotten Lore in which every mystery Ellen solves uncovers another buried secret about her family and the infamous poet, Edgar Allan Poe.

Ellen Poe is no longer plagued by nightmares of scary restless spirits, and she’s even come to a truce with the oft-annoying ghost of her Edgar Allan Poe. But when the coded journal that is tied to his spirit disappears from her family’s home, she’s convinced that the founder of a secret Poe society is responsible for the theft. Ellen finds a cryptic note from the woman, Sara High, and sets out on a dangerous quest to track down the family heirloom that takes Ellen from Baltimore to New York City to Richmond and back. At the same time, Ellen’s visions return, more terrifying than ever, and she realizes it's not just the journal that's in danger. Can she head off a potential murder in time? Or will Ellen find herself at the mercy of a killer who won’t stop until they’ve claimed Poe’s spirit for their very own?

GOODREADS    /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Mystery mixes with ghosts and spirits as the line between visions and hallucinations wears thin.

Ellen Poe is in a very good place. She's now somewhat getting along with her arch-enemy, her aunt's cafe/hotel is doing better, her friend is staying in the hotel after nearly being murdered, and even Eddy, Poe's ghost, is as irritating as ever. But then, the cryptic and questionable head of the Poe's secret society disappears, and at the exact same time, Poe's diary is stolen from Ellen's aunt's collection. Only a mysterious note is left behind. But that's not the worst. Eddy disappears also at the exact same moment, and Ellen's sure it has something to do with the missing diary. She hopes that doesn't mean that Eddy is in trouble. Unfortunately, the entire thing has triggered her nightmares, again, and all she sees is Eddy dying in each one...which considering he's a ghost, is more than odd. And disturbing. Somehow, Ellen has to figure this all out, not only because of her concern for Eddy, but there's reason to believe that the sleep deprivation is leading to hallucinations. And those are getting out of control.

Mystery fans are sure to enjoy diving into this world as well as enjoyers of the darker realm of Edgar Allan Poe. Actually, the story isn't overly dark as Ellen tries her best to stay somewhat positive as problems mount. There are plenty of questions surrounding the secret society, discovered antiques, and the truth of what happened in the past. At the same time, Ellen is still doing her best at the entire friendship and social end of life, which adds a touch of drama. Much of the book pokes and prods the problems surrounding mental illness and dealing with trauma. though, and after book one, this theme slides in wonderfully. The author uses this very well to work into the mystery and build the tension the entire way through. The paranormal aspects work their magic as fantasy tests reality's borders and has Ellen taking a good look at herself and the truth of those around her. 

It's a quick-paced read, which takes many unexpected twists and turns. Ellen is always ready to take risks and when needed, goes beyond her comfort zone, even if she seems very hesitant and reluctant to do so. There's enough lightness added in to keep the read from getting too dark even when the tension remains high. Then, there's the romance, which is more of a cautious tip-toeing on the sidelines. It never overpowers the main plot but adds to Ellen's character very nicely.

This is a grabbing read from beginning to end, which embraces Edgar Allan Poe in a delightful way...or in as 'delightful' a way as Poe and his poems could probably be. Paranormal mystery fans are sure to enjoy this one.

And here she is....

DIANA PETERFREUND has published sixteen novels for adults, teens, and kids. Her works have been named to the New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age list, the Capitol Choices reading list, the Texas LoneStar List, and the Sunshine State Young Reader Awards List, as well as Amazon’s Best Books of the Year. In addition, she’s written dozens of short stories and a variety of nonfiction essays about popular children’s literature. Diana lives in Maryland with her family.

Marian's Big Dig by Laura Bontje

MARIAN'S BIG DIG

by Laura Bontje

Illustrated by Scot Ritchie

Groundwood Books

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING OCTOBER 6th!!!

When rock-loving Marian stumbles upon a perfect, pointy stone in the park, she just knows it is a dinosaur fossil! But her geologist mom and her fossil-hunting hero remain unconvinced, so there’s only one thing to do — Marian has to find the rest of the dinosaur. One by one, she excavates more fossils in her backyard (though her parents keep mistaking them for gardening tools and household objects). Piecing them together is puzzling, but Marian’s dinosaur is shaping up to be her best discovery yet.

This playful story told through the eyes of imaginative Marian is accompanied by real facts about fossils, further reading and details about real life fossil discoveries made by kids.

GOODREADS    /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Huge discoveries are sometimes only a glance at the ground away, and these pages show how.

Marian loves discovering rocks just like her mother. She even has her own little collection, and there's a  space left for a very special stone. While at the playground, she notices a small fossil on a larger rock buried in the ground, but it's too big for her to move. Then, she discovers a very interesting, smaller rock poking out of the grass next to it. That one looks quite a bit like a dinosaur tooth. Her mom doubts it's a fossil, but Marian is determined and writes a letter to a fossil expert, who even had a dinosaur named after her. The expert admits that she can't identify Marian's tooth without seeing it personally, but Marian isn't about to send her tooth away. Soon, she starts finding all sorts of possible fossils in the ground and even begins her own excavation. What she discovers is something no one expected.

My own daughter is an avid rock hound, so this book already had me smiling. But then, Marian's enthusiasm brightens every page enough to give a very positive atmosphere. Her determination is inspiring as she doesn't let anything distract her from her mission of finding more fossils, and her parents take it with wonderful stride. The result of Marian's efforts isn't anything like a reader might expect, either. Instead, the book lets Marian's imagination flow right in and everything wraps up with a huge amount of creativity...which inspires, too. It's definitely not a dry rock hound or fossil finding book, although these aspects do come through, too, and will have readers looking at what's on the ground around them more often.

The illustrations bring across Marian's lively personality, and the bright colors are as sunny as the atmosphere. They bring each scene to life in a way that can also let younger listeners flip through the story on their own. The text fits the intended age group well and flows nicely to create a lovely read aloud. While it first appears that this might settle into a more informative read, reluctant listeners will be pleasantly surprised at the direction the plot takes. 

At the end of the book, there are several facts about fossils and such as well as a list of children, who made fossil discoveries. This is a nice touch and shows that even four-year-olds have run across big discoveries. So, be careful because this read might also inspires some listeners/ readers to start finding fossils of their own. But that also means that this read works well in connection with a theme surrounding rocks and fossils, too.

And here they are...

LAURA BONTJE is a children’s book author and freelance fiction editor. Raised in Calgary, Alberta, she now lives with her husband, kids and fluffy gray cat in London, Ontario. Her picture books include Marian’s Big Dig (illustrated by Scot Ritchie), When the Air Sang (illustrated by Sarah Whang), Was It a Cat I Saw? (illustrated by Emma Lidia Squillari) and more to come.

SCOT RITCHIE is an award-winning illustrator and author with more than eighty books to his credit, including Tug, P'ésk'a and the First Salmon Ceremony, Federica and Owen at the Park. His books have been translated into many languages including French, Korean, Indonesian, Polish, Finnish, Arabic and Dutch. Scot has worked with the National Film Board of Canada and has exhibited his illustrations at the National Gallery of Canada. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Day Shift, Night Shift by Ariel Vanece

The moment the colors on this cover caught my eye, I snatched this one up. The train is a super plus, too. I'm already loving the day to night contrast and have a feeling that it has something to do with this little girl and her grandfather's job. I'm hoping for some family goodness and train fun.

Let's open it up and see what it's all about!

DAY SHIFT, NIGHT SHIFT

by Ariel Vanece

Illustrated by Jade Orlando

Denene Millner Books

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING SEPTEMBER 22nd!!!

A young girl uses her wits, science, and a little inspiration from her train engineer grandfather to get her toy train to run in this endearing picture book.

“Well, good morning to you,” Pop Pop says.
“And good night to you!” Atticus says.

Each morning when the clock strikes six and the front door rattles, Atticus runs to greet her grandpa on his way in from work. Pop Pop’s tools go clank clank clank all through the night, so trains can chug chug chug and choo choo choo all through the day. He’s a railroad mechanic. And when Pop Pop ends his night shift, that’s when Atticus’s day shift starts.

She’s a train mechanic too. But when she can’t figure out how to get her toy train to climb a hill, can she and Pop Pop use their mechanic skills to get the problem licked and the train on its way?

GOODREADS    /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

The mix of trains and family love makes this a book to enjoy all the way through.

Every morning, Atticus meets her grandfather as he returns from working the entire night repairing trains. He to heads to bed since his night is her day. She swipes up his cap and goes to repair her own, little train. She's been building it for awhile, and it's working so well...except that it can't make it up the hill she built. She reworks the train, readjusts the track, and tries again and again, but the train simply won't make it up the hill. When her grandfather wakes up, she hopes he can help.

This is a fun and heartwarming tale. The dance between night and day adds a playful touch while also hitting a familiar scene for readers, whose own family members work night shifts. The love between grandparent and grandchild beams from every page, and although the grandfather is tired from working all night, he lets the joy of seeing his granddaughter shine. Her enthusiasm not only to see him but to fully embrace his job and play with trains on her own adds another layer of goodness. As she plays with the train, her willingness to fix and tinker inspire even when things don't work out as hoped. So, there's a message surrounding dealing with failure as well. Add the grandfather's clever way of dealing with the problem...which isn't a direct help but leads the girl to a different thought direction which helps her see the solution herself...and this read packs tons of positive aspects.

The illustrations are bright and bold, and let each moment come across clearly and with the needed emotions. The girl's enthusiasm is visible, and it's hard not to smile right along with her. The text flows with a playful, lyrical atmosphere, making it a lovely read aloud for groups or single sessions. It's a fun book which is sure to be picked up again and again.

And here they are...

Ariel Vanece (she/they) is a Black American author from Sacramento, California. They hold a BA in English from the University of Kansas and an MA/MFA in children’s literature and writing for children from Simmons University. Ariel’s stories focus on Black American culture and intergenerational friendships. Their stories are described as heartwarming and adventurous.

Jade Orlando was born on an army base in North Carolina and grew up in a tiny Michigan town. After an impassioned childhood spent drawing dragons and cat ladies, she earned a BFA in illustration from SCAD Savannah. Jade worked as a staff children’s apparel artist before switching to freelance full time. She illustrated the board books Who Takes Care of You? and International Women’s Day by Hannah Eliot and the picture books Day Shift, Night Shift by Ariel Vanece. She currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, a greyhound, and four cats (including two naked ones!). When she’s not drawing, she can usually be found curled up with her cats and a really good book.