Review: The Monster and Puppet Show - Kate Micucci - February 2026 When I worked in the library as a Children's and Teens Librarian, I was always on the lookout for funny interactive books that I could share with my class visits. There's nothing quite like watching kids light up when they get to participate in the story, and those are the books that stick with them long after storytime ends. If I was still in the library, The Monster and Puppet Show would absolutely be one of the books on my School Visits list. Kate Micucci – yes, Lucy from The Big Bang Theory! – has created something really special here. This book immediately reminded me of the classic The Monster at the End of the Book, which featured Grover from Sesame Street. When my brother was little, that was one of his favourite books that I would read to him, and he'd giggle every single time we turned a page despite Grover's protests. The Monster and Puppet Show captures that same magic of breaking the fourt...

Review: This Book Is Not For You - Howard Pearlstein and Illustrated by Susanna Covelli - August 2024 Howard Pearlstein’s *This Book is Not For You*, illustrated by Susanna Covelli, is a brilliant romp through the world of humor and irony, delightfully skewering the conventional wisdom of children's books. Received as an ARC from NetGalley, this picture book defies expectations with its dynamic blend of storytelling and illustration. From the first page, Pearlstein captures readers with an irreverent narrator who insists that this book is, indeed, "not for you." The narrator—a grumpy, mustachioed fellow with a Hercule Poirot-like flair—bemoans the book's content, claiming it is devoid of anything a child could possibly find appealing. No monsters, no ninjas, no aliens—just an endless litany of what makes a book decidedly uninteresting for young readers. Howard Pearlstein’s narrative voice is hilariously out of touch, adding a layer of comedic detachment as the narrato...