Category: Picture Book Review

Wildspeak

words by Sangma Francis
pictures by Lexi Vangsnes

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2026. 36 pages.
Review written August 13, 2026, from a library book.
Starred Review

Wildspeak is a wondrous and wonder-filled picture book about creativity and exploring the natural world.

We see a mother and two girls heading off on a nature walk. All three have brown skin, and a dog is happily bounding along with them.

In the wide, wide world with its wide, wide skies,
there are wild, wild words waiting to be spoken.

First, the book highlights some imaginative words that describe nature, like “dragonflies,” and “waterweeds.” But then they begin making up words of their own, like “Sunglitter,” to describe the scatter of light off water. And then they make a game of it:

“What’s the word for the shininess of pebbles underneath?” Cora asks.

It’s time for Wildspeak! On the next spread, they shout the words, “Stonelight,” “Bottomshimmer,” “Rockglisten,” and “Goblingems.”

And so the book continues. I’m not sure where they find so many different spaces for their nature walk – meadows, beach, mountain, forest – but in each space they highlight some existing wild words, and then make up new ones of their own.

For example, when a wave goes out and leaves sea stones drying in the sun, the girls call it, “Beachcrackle,” “Foamdry,” “Poolfizz,” and “Stonebreath.”

At the end of the day, they write their new words in their nature journal.

The end papers are fun, showing that nature journal, and including a taped-in glossary of some of the existing wildspeak words encountered earlier in the book.

This book is more for young elementary school kids than preschoolers – kids that can write down their new words. But preschoolers can get in on the imagination and wonder.

asangmafrancis.com
lexivangsnes.com
sourcebooks.com

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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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When I’m a Moshom

written by David A. Robertson
illustrated by Corrie Hill

Tundra, 2026. 36 pages.
Review written July 9, 2026, from a library book.
Starred Review

This beautiful, soothing, and inspiring book will leave you with a warm and happy feeling. It’s from the creators of On the Trapline, written after the death of the author’s father. Told from the perspective of his young son, it’s a wonderful homage to the boy’s Moshom (grandfather).

Each section is headlined by a word in Swampy Cree with the English translation in parentheses. [And I apologize – I put the Swampy Cree words with the correctly accented letters into this post, but my blog didn’t recognize those characters and when I came back to it, they’re replaced with question marks. Instead of getting it wrong, I will simply list what they mean in English.] Some examples are “teacher,” “love,” and “your home.” Then the text starts with these lines:

When I’m a moshom,
A long, long time from now, . . .

And we get gentle descriptions of the things the moshom will do with his grandchildren… “Because that’s what Moshom used to always do.”

When I’m a moshom,
A long, long time from now,
I will go to all my grandchildren’s activities,
Just like Moshom did.

Those activities will include dancing, swimming, gymnastics, playing hockey.

Because moshoms bring the best luck,
Especially when they watch their grandchildren play.

The child’s Moshom taught them things, like words in the Cree language. He did things with them. He told them stories. He showed them his community.

My favorite section is probably the one headed by the word for Love:

When I’m a moshom,
A long, long time from now,
I will tell my grandchildren I love them,
Just like Moshom did.

I’ll say I love you when I visit them,
And they’ll jump into my arms and knock the wind out of me.

I’ll say I love you when they visit me,
And I’ll swing them around in a great, big circle.

I’ll say I love you when they call,
And they’ll hug their phone tight to their chests.

When ever they say, “Moshom, I love you,”
I’ll say “kisâkâhitin.” I love you, too.

Because that’s what Moshom used to always do.

An incredibly touching book for talking with a child about their grandparents. What things will your child do when they are a grandparent?

darobertson.ca
corriehill.com

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Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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We the People Is All the People

written by Howard W. Reeves
illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2026. 36 pages.
Review written June 4, 2026, from a library book.
Starred Review

The concept of this picture book is simple and beautiful. The first page after the title page lists the Preamble to the United States Constitution, of course beginning with “We the People.” The rest of the book shows the wonderful multi-faceted diversity of the people of the United States.

Here’s how it begins:

“We the people” is all the people.

People
next door,
down the street,
and across the country,
in cities,
towns,
and farms.

People
living in houses,
apartments,
and in shelters,

who worship in churches,
mosques,
and temples.

People
who were here,
who arrived later,
who still come today.

And so it continues. Of course the pictures add great resonance – showing us a wide variety of people who fit each description.

A later section includes:

People
who look different ways,
love different ways,
and communicate different ways.

People
on assembly lines,
bread lines,
and protest lines.

And the last couple spreads:

Her. Him. Them.
You. Me. Us.

“We the people” is ALL the people.

There’s an author’s note at the back where he does acknowledge that the Constitution was originally written not for all the people, but for landowning white men. But I like his conclusion:

Some injustices have been corrected, such as emancipating the enslaved and giving women the vote, while others we are still working on.

Although things are better today, and there are more people included in “we the people” than when the preamble was written, for every step forward there is often a step backward, and there are still so many people left out. We still have much more work to do to include all the “we” in “we the people” as we strive to create a more perfect union.

This simple and beautiful picture book helps me believe that we can raise up the next generation to help make it so. Reading this book is a perfect way to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

DuncanTonatiuh.com
abramsbooks.com

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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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Sometimes We Pray

by Mary Wagley Copp
illustrated by Felishia Henditirto

Charlesbridge, 2026. 36 pages.
Review written April 20, 2026, from a library book.
Starred Review

Here is a simple and inclusive book about how all kinds of people from all over the world in all kinds of situations and all kinds of ways all pray.

The book is simple – it doesn’t talk about who or what different groups pray to. Instead, it talks about what we have in common – we pray. And it does show the variety of ways that happens.

I love the story at the back of why the author wrote the book:

One day, in the middle of an ELL (English language learners) class, two of my Syrian students stood up with their prayer rugs, went to a corner of the room, and knelt in prayer. Another student, a former pastor from Burundi, suggested that we sit silently as they prayed. The class obliged. A student from Haiti made a sign of the cross and others bowed their heads, as we sat in silence. When the class resumed, a lengthy conversation ensued – as best we could with the variety of languages we spoke – of what prayer meant to each of us. The curiosity of the students, coming from vastly different cultures, was heartening. In making space for, listening to, and hearing different perspectives, we found connection and discovered many shared values. Sometimes We Pray is inspired by that class. It is an offering to initiate similar explorations. During my research, many people shared their perspectives and practices, and I am grateful for their generous and open spirit.

The main text of the book stays simple, suitable to read to a child:

Sometimes we kneel.
Sometimes we bend and bow.
Or lie flat.

We might pray with each step. [Here there’s a picture of Buddhist monks walking in a labyrinth.]
strumming each string,
inspecting each incredible leg, [Here there’s a picture of a child looking at a praying mantis.]
or maybe…
marveling at a star.

The book goes on to talk about positions of prayer, what we do with our hands, times we pray, ways we pray, places we pray.

I like the part at the end that does include praying in difficult times:

Sometimes we wonder if prayer works.
Someone we love gets sick…
and doesn’t get better.

Someone is hungry or
doesn’t have a home.
The rain doesn’t stop or
never
comes.

But we keep praying, wherever we are.

We might be praying the same prayer,
sowing the same seeds, or…
marveling at the same star.

The beautifully painted pictures accompany a few lines on each spread. They portray people of many different cultures and religions, from many different parts of the world – and viscerally show us how much we are all alike in this way.

This isn’t a book I’d use to introduce a child to prayer. As a Christian, I’d use the tried-and-true “Prayer is talking to God.” But once a child has seen how their own family prays, this book is a glorious way to point out that others may do it differently, but so many others of us here on earth do pray.

marywagleycopp.com
felishiahenditirto.com

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Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Picture_Books/sometimes_we_pray.html

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.

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