Seven Ways Through The Woods by Jenn Reese

Today's read seems to invite to an adventure, and I'm always ready for an adventure. Add the woods, and these pages hold tons of promises. We live in an area where plenty of woods surround us. While it is fun to walk through them, ticks, honestly, keep our adventures a little more subdued. However, my children have spent plenty of time building lean-tos, mushroom hunting (yes, we have edible ones), looking for things to craft with, looking for treasures, hunting turtles, and so much more. 

Let's see if this book opens up to the amazing wonders the imagination can offer when in the woods.

SEVEN WAYS THROUGH THE WOODS

by Jenn Reese

Illustrated by Devin Elle Kurtz

Greenwillow Books

Picture Book

40 pages

ages 4 to 8

Are you brave? Are you curious? Are you ready for an adventure? Then you are invited on the most magical of journeys—through the woods.

There are many ways through the woods. Some are long and winding. Some are as quick as a blink. You might encounter griffins, giants, serpents, sprites, and more along the way. Which path will you choose? What will you discover?

Acclaimed author Jenn Reese and rising star artist Devin Elle Kurtz celebrate curiosity, imagination, and wonder in this sumptuous and timeless picture book for fans of Knight Owl, The Bakery Dragon, Endlessly Ever After, and Journey. A fantastical and awe-inspiring adventure for listeners of all ages.

GOODREADS    /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Seven possible paths through a forest offer a magical adventure.

These pages speak to the reader/listener directly and present the situation of standing on a path, which leads into a forest. There are seven possibilities, which the reader/listener can choose, and these pages offer a look at each one. From sprites who enjoy celebrations to flying griffins, the pages open up to a rich, fantasy world. As the reader dreams of each possibility and contemplates which one they might choose, a seventh choice, at the end, offers an inviting surprise.

This is a book which invites to the realm of imagination and dreams. The first image of a girl, who is standing at the edge of a forest, reminds a little of the Red Riding Hood tale. While these pages don't have anything to do with fairy tales, they definitely embrace fantasy creatures and magical possibilities. Each turn of the page holds a new wonder and will have readers/listeners wishing they could step into this forest themselves.

The illustrations are beautiful and let the fantasy and magic flow. Readers/listeners can view these on their own and let their fantasies weave as they take in each scene. The text is kept short enough to hold the interest of even more reluctant listeners and introduces each moment just enough to allow the illustrations to shine. 

Of course, there's a message hidden behind the tale, which encourages young readers/listeners to seek their own path through life and not follow the same steps of others. It makes a lovely read for group settings, individual moments, or even as a bedtime read.

And here they are...

Jenn Reese (they/she) is the award-winning author of the middle grade novels Puzzleheart, Every Bird a Prince, A Game of Fox & Squirrels, and the Above World trilogy. They also write short stories and essays. Seven Ways Through the Woods is their first picture book. Jenn Reese lives in Portland, Oregon.

 

Devin Elle Kurtz is the author-illustrator of The Bakery Dragon and the illustrator of Mother of Sharks, by Melissa Cristina Márquez. She has worked in the animation industry as a background painter/designer and visual development artist and has also illustrated many book covers. 

Happy Book Birthday, When the Rain Came by Matt Eicheldinger!

This month is packed with book birthdays...meaning tons of opportunities to celebrate! Today's read is the first in a brand new series, which hits the shelves tomorrow. This one caught my interest because of its genre and blurb. It's been awhile since I've picked up a dystopian...well, I guess that's not completely true. I did read The Diseased Ones by Danielle Harrington earlier this year (HERE) Today's read should, however, take a less fantasy-filled direction (no powers) and head into survival mode as a girl faces a never ending rain and watches the world fall apart around her. I'm curious how it will go, especially since it's the first in a series.

Grab a warm cup of tea or hot cocoa and curl up into that blanket because this one will, hopefully, hit like a storm and hold all the way through.

WHEN THE RAIN CAME

Volume 1

by Matt Eicheldinger

Andrews McMeel Publishing

YA Dystopia

320 pages

The rain never stops. The world is drowning. Survival is everything. When the Rain Came is the first YA book in an all-new, action-packed dystopian adventure series by New York Times bestselling author Matt Eicheldinger.

“If we stay here, if we keep wandering without a real plan, we won’t last. Maybe The Hill is dangerous. But maybe it’s not. It’s the only plan we have.”


Seventeen-year-old Aurora knows how to survive. Life in the foster system has taught her how to stay quiet, stay smart, and stay ready. But nothing could prepare her for this: a never-ending storm that swallows cities, drowns forests, and turns the world into a flooded wasteland.

Trapped in a collapsing house with her strict prepper foster parents, Aurora is forced to live by their rules just to stay alive. Until the day they disappear without a trace.

Alone. Abandoned. And running out of time.

All Aurora has is a waterlogged scrap of paper and a “The Hill.”

With looters closing in and the floodwaters rising higher each day, she’s left with one impossible choice—stay and wait for the storm to take her, or risk everything on a journey through the drowned remains of the world, to a find a place that may or not exist.

It’s forward or nothing.

With echoes of Life As We Knew It, The Last of Us, and Hatchet, Aurora’s story is a gripping, emotionally resonant survival story about resilience, found family, and one girl’s fight to reclaim her future in a drowning world.

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON     /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

A world falls apart under relentless rain, leaving a seventeen-year-old girl on the impossible mission to survive.

It has been raining all over the world non-stop for weeks, and there's no sign of it stopping any time soon...if ever. Hunkered down in her latest foster parents' mansion outside of the city, Aurora's, at least, still alive thanks to their years of prepping for a disaster of any kind. When she wakes up one morning to find them gone, she's devastated that she's been abandoned again, but this only holds for a moment as two men burst in to kill her. Barely escaping, she finds herself on a canoe with a couple days of supplies and no where to go, except for a place she keeps hearing whispers about, The Hill. And these whispers aren't necessarily hinting at anything good.

The author does an excellent job at bring this rotting, wet world to life. The problems of mold, leaks, constant dampness, and more come across with grabbing reality. Aurora's situation makes sense, and her foster parents' distance to her emotionally adds an odd edge to create uncertainty. The first chapters give the reader time to sink into the entire world, situation, and gain a grasp on Aurora's personality. Her fighter spirit mixed with a hidden desire to belong to a family make her easy to sympathize with and give her enough toughness to believe that she might have a chance to overcome what she'll face. There is also a constant sense of tension even in calmer moments, which keeps the pages turning, and it's not just thanks to the never-dying threat of the rain or drive to survive...although these definitely pack enough suspense to make it a grabbing read on their own. Instead, the danger caused by the selfishness of others and the extent they'll go to to survive keeps Aurora's situation dire. Then, there's the entire secret surrounding The Hill and even a possibly more sinister secret underneath the water itself, which poses a constant threat to keep the pages turning. I ended up reading this in one sitting because it was engaging.

This is a great beginning to a series with the promise of so much more to come...and there are sure to be several surprises, which are impossible to see coming. Plus, the plot carries enough uniqueness to make it different than other dystopian reads. There are, however, a few things which kept me from absolutely loving this read. First, Aurora does not come across as seventeen, and I found myself (about 2/3rds the way through) stopping to look back and make sure she wasn't twelve or thirteen. Especially a girl who had supposedly been tossed around in a foster system and borders on adult on her own should have a lot more maturity. So, I am very tempted to recommend this read for the lower end of the YA audience. Then, there were several logic holes. For example, the depth of the water was very unclear with mentions that people in the Rockies were drowning but overpasses and parking garages still above water. Several other aspects also didn't really make sense (abandoned cars might have extra fuel...just saying). 

But all in all, this was still a grabbing read and one I would recommend for survival, adventure, and dystopian fans.  

A Forest Begins Anew by Louise M. Aamodt

Anyone else seeing the first breakings of Spring? I have hyacinthus, daffodils, blue bells, and other small flowers already blooming across the farm. With the freezing coming in the next two days, I'm not sure how long they'll still shine, but Spring is poking out its head and saying 'hello'. Even my cows are finding more and more grass to nibble on.

Today's read fits right into the theme of new life. However, it doesn't concentrate on Spring. Rather, it looks at what happens after a forest fire burns everything to the ground. I'm curious to see how this book handles the theme and hope it has the same hopeful atmosphere the cover radiates.

So, let's open it up and take a look!

A FOREST BEGINS ANEW

by Louise M. Aamodt

Illustrated by Elly MacKay

Astra Young Readers

Picture Book

40 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING MAY 12th!!!

Told through lyrical rhyme and stunning 3D cut-paper illustrations, this is the captivating story of a forest’s renewal as it goes from ashes to new growth in the aftermath of a sweeping forest fire.

Set against the backdrop of a devastating forest fire, A Forest Begins Anew unfolds the life cycle of a particularly resilient ecosystem. As smoke jumpers leap from planes and pinecones eventually unseal from the heat of the fire, the story poetically weaves the effects of a forest fire into a vibrant tapestry that reveals a delicate balance between destruction and renewal. 

Back matter containing fascinating facts and further reading portrays forest fires not just as destructive forces but as catalysts for growth and rebirth. With its lyrical rhyming text and breathtaking illustrations, A Forest Begins Anew honors nature’s ability to survive against the odds.

GOODREADS    /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

With care and respect for nature, these pages help readers understand a little more about how forests recover after a fire.

Starting with lightning striking an already very dry forest, this books leads readers through the moments when the fire spreads and the animals run. Then, come the fire fighters, who use different means to get it under control. But most of these pages cover the aftermath and demonstrate how a burned out forest finds life again. These blossoms, blooms, and sprouting greenery also get a little help as volunteers add their contributions. Then, on the last pages, there's detailed and specific information surrounding all of this and more.

This is a lovely read for anyone wanting to raise awareness for forest fires or anyone wanting to explore the entire process of a forest's rebirth with a young reader. The book fits the age group nicely as it gently leads readers through the entire situation, while making the emotions behind each moment clear. For example, while the fire scenes carry a sense of danger and weight, there's also a sense of hope as the animals successfully flee and the fire fighters arrive. There's a sense of wonder as the dead forest slowly shows signs of life, and the pacing is just right to keep readers interested. The entire thing flows nicely and creates a smooth read-aloud. 

The illustrations are well done and bring each moment to life. Readers can explore these on their own and still get a sense of the story even if they can't read every word themselves. The end of the book holds quite a bit of information, which adults can use to expand on various aspects related to the happenings in the book. This makes it a lovely addition for group activities, homeschoolers and more.

And here they are...

Louise M. Aamodt is an ESL and science teacher, an active SCBWI member, and children’s book author. A Forest Begins Anew, which won the Marvelous Midwest Conference manuscript contest, is her debut picture book.

 https://www.LouiseAamodt.com. 

Elly MacKay is an award-winning picture book maker whose titles include Butterfly Park (a 2015 Junior Library Guild Selection) and Red Sky At Night (a 2018 New York Public Library’s Best Books for Kids Selection). She has been interviewed about her unique illustration process in CBC Arts and the Washington Post. Visit theaterclouds.com.

Have you ever washed a Dinosaur? by Charlie Greene

Today's ready promises tons of fun...and we could all use a little more of that.

HAVE YOU EVER WASHED A DINOSAUR?

by Charlie Greene

Illustrated by Ethan Roffler

Greenehouse Services

Picture Book

20 pages

ages 4 to 8

Explore new worlds of ancient creatures in this exciting adventure. From pools to ponds, through mud and muck, some dinosaurs just don't know how to stay out of trouble. It takes childlike creativity, determination, and teamwork to handle these beasts. It's a dirty job, cleaning dinosaurs...but somebody's gotta do it!

GOODREADS   /    HARDBACK    /    PAPERBACK

MY TIDBITS

If you've never washed a dinosaur, this book will be eye-opening and giggle-inducing.

Children are playing in a small pool outside when a dinosaur happens by. It wants a bath, and the kids are ready to scrub away. This draws the attention of the next dinosaur, who also could use a cleaning. Soon, there's an entire row of various dinosaurs. Not only does this pose a problem with the small pool, but there's a lot of work involved. Luckily, the kids are clever and handle things in an original and interesting way.

This is one of those books, where the text carries some of the story and the illustrations carry even more. The text is written in rhyme, which flows sometimes better than others, but is cute and keeps the tale going. It is clearly printed, which makes it even a nice read for beginning readers out there to tackle on their own. While the story is brought across with lyrical fun, the illustrations make the read. These are very well done and bring across each moment with tons of personality, imagination, and pack the humor and cleverness. An entire new level to the tale unfolds in the imagery, which slyly reveals how clever these kids are. At the end, there's a silly twist to make sure this book gets an 'again' right away.

It's a lovely, light read for small giggles and holds attention nicely for group readings as well as individual settings. And not only dinosaur fans will enjoy this one.

And here he is...

Charlie has lived in places grand and small, and he resides there still. He has a little bit of everything to go with his little bit of life; he just has a little more of it than some may assume. Once you take away the differences, Charlie is exactly the same as anyone else. Charlie likes to be liked, but he likes liking others even more.

 https://charliegreene.carrd.co/

Unexpected Guests by Mariajo Ilustrajo

I'm very excited to open up today's read and see what's inside. This one caught my attention thanks to the title and cover. The two already promise a tale with all sorts of possibilities. Then, I saw that this one was short-listed for the British Books Award...which hints at amazing illustrations and a great tale, too. Right? I'll admit that I'm not always onboard with award decisions (especially in movies!), but I have high-hopes for this one.

So, let's open it up and see if I'll be disappointed or not.

UNEXPECTED GUESTS

by Mariajo Ilustrajo

Frances Lincoln Children's Books

Picture Book

42 pages

ages 4 to 8

Shortlisted for Illustrator of the Year - British Book Awards 2025

From the internationally best-selling author and illustrator, Mariajo Ilustrajo, comes an interactive page-turner of a picture book. Providing a playful, surprising twist on the classic “unexpected guest” premise, the narrative here is flipped, making humans the unexpected guests in a tale told by mice! 

The mice living happily under the floorboards of a house find their peace is disturbed by some unexpected guests . . . humans! The mice are curious about their guests and set out to investigate. They find weird and wonderful human objects and lots of food, so they decide their guests might not be so bad after all – until our intrepid mouse narrator finds himself caught in a jar!  His friends try to save him but get caught too, and they fear the worst, but they’re set free from the jar . . . and into a cardboard Mouse Land. The humans aren’t so bad after all! But, for the final twist, the mice discover there is one last guest to deal with—and it’s even worse than a CAT!

Providing a full interactive picture book experience, Unexpected Guests features a clever gatefold device that reveals the mice in their home under the floorboards, while die cut holes can be found on the front and back cover. These elements elevate the fast-paced and funny story and bring to life Mariajo’s irresistible artwork, resulting in what is sure to become a firm family favourite.

GOODREADS     /     PUBLISHER     /      AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

The idea of uninvited guests takes a cute twist and leads in unexpected directions in an inviting and, yet, thought-provoking way.

Mice have been enjoying their lives under the floorboards of a long, empty house. When so-called humans move in, everything is flipped on its head. These mice have heard rumors concerning humans, but nothing horribly specific. At first, they are very careful but soon learn that humans have some interesting things and foods, which definitely make mice-life more enjoyable. But humans are also known to be dangerous...and that might cause some issues.

This is a beautifully created picture book with light humor and an enjoyable amount of imagination. The illustrations carry this tale as the energetic mice go through their side of an adventure. Their world grabs attention with antics and heart at the bottom part of the page, while the humans' realm sits towards the top. The idea of 'pests' will probably sit in the back of readers' minds from the beginning, but the cute mice completely win over...and that while later switching into this more dangerous relationship between humans and mice. Or at least, edging on it enough to keep readers wondering what will happen and fear for the mice while also empathizing with the humans. It's an adorable and thought-provoking balance.

The text flows smoothly and enhances each moment while giving it foundation. This creates a lovely read-aloud and even a nice one for beginning readers to grab up on their own, since the images can help them along with the plot. The ending isn't quite what might be expected and keeps the entire read snuggly at the age level.

It's one worth picking up and enjoying.

And here she is...

Mariajo Ilustrajo is an award-winning Spanish illustrator based in the UK. She completed her MA in Children's Illustration from the prestigious Cambridge School of Art, before going on to be crowned the overall winner of the World Illustration Awards. Her debut picture book, Flooded, has been translated into 20 languages and won the Klaus Flugge Prize for Illustration.