Now That Night is Near
by Astrid Lindgren, Marit Törnqvist (Illustrated), Polly Lawson (Translator)
3 out of 5 stars

A little cat roams about the countryside at sunset, observing how all the animals are settling down to sleep. The cows, foals, piglets, rabbits, and lambs are all going to sleep. Finally the cat arrives at home to nestle at the foot of a child’s bed for the night.

The text sort of rhymes part of the time, and doesn’t rhyme the rest of the time. Not really sure what was happening there. The story briefly describes the animals nestling down to sleep in their burrows, pastures, and dens. And there is a repeating phrase, “Even cats are going to sleep, as bedtime’s nearly here.”

Anita and the Dragons
by Hannah Carmona (Goodreads Author), Anna Cunha (Illustrations)
4 out of 5 stars

Anita and her family are planning to leave the Dominican Republic in a large airplane that Anita pretends is a dragon. She is a ‘princess’ on her island. But what if she is afraid and lonely in a new land with a new ‘palace’ home? It will take a lot of courage to walk into the belly of the dragon and start a new life. She will have to learn a new language. She will miss her island home and all the beautiful familiar surroundings.

Bartholomew and the Morning Monsters
by Sophie Berger, Ruan van Vliet (Illustrator)
3 out of 5 stars

Bartholomew has trouble getting ready in the morning because the friendly monsters he partied with the night before, keep stealing his hairbrush, clutching at his clothes, and spilling his breakfast. Finally Bartholomew’s father steps in to help him get ready, and they share a special moment as they go out the door to start their day.

I thought this was a sweet and relatable story, especially for little kids who have trouble getting up in the morning. I really liked how the father comes in to help without criticizing or getting angry at Bartholomew.

The Pocket Chaotic
by Ziggy Hanaor, Daniel Gray-Barnett (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

Alexander lives in his mother kangaroo’s pocket, even though his sister says he is too old and ought to move out. His mother is always throwing random things into her pocket and it’s a big jumbled mess! Alexander tries to keep things organized, but with mixed results. He is so crowded in the pocket that he can barely breathe, and finally decides that he has had enough.

I loved this adorable story! It is completely hilarious from start to finish, and I loved every page!

Grandfather Bowhead, Tell Me a Story
by Aviaq Johnston, Tamara Campeau (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

A little bowhead whale asks their grandfather to tell them a story about all the amazing things the grandfather has seen in the ocean. The grandfather tells about the wonders of the sea, but adds that he has not seen anything more wonderful than his own sweet grandchild.

The Bear in the Boat
by Owen Hart, Caroline Pedler (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

While the rains begin to flood the forest, Bear has a plan for helping all her neighbors to weather the storm. But when the floods begin to reach her own house, Bear will need everyone’s help to get her boat afloat and save her friends.

I Really, Really Need to Pee!
by Karl Newson, Duncan Beedie (Illustrations)
4 out of 5 stars

A little animal realizes that they need to use the restroom, but they can’t find a place to go! The little creature rushes around the forest jungle, trying to find a toilet, but other animals are always there first. He accidentally disturbs a mouse in their home, gets chased out of a cave full of bats, and has a run-in with an angry bear. He tries to sing a song to distract them from their discomfort, but it doesn’t really help.

Sunday Rain
by Rosie J. Pova (Goodreads Author), Amariah Rauscher (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

A little boy is reading a book about a ship and a princess and a dragon. He hears other children playing outside in the rain puddles, and goes to join them. He is not sure how to make friends, so he just starts playing pretend that he is in a ship fighting off a dragon. The other children naturally join in with his game, and they all go sailing to an island with the princess from the story.

The Problem with Pierre
by C.K. Smouha (Illustrator: Suzanna Hubbard)
4 out of 5 stars

Bertram is very neat and tidy, and Alan is messy and unkempt. However, these two neighbors are best friends. Bertram’s new cat, Pierre, doesn’t like to sit on the pristine couch, or eat from the beautiful china, or sleep on the designer cat bed. Pierre would rather hang out with Alan and eat scraps. Bertram learns to allow some less-than-perfect things in his house to accommodate Pierre. And Alan tries to clean up his house and tidy some of the clutter. Together they find a way to compromise and make the perfect environment for Pierre the cat.

This Is Your World
by Tilly Temple (Illustrator: Sean Julian)
5 out of 5 stars

A parent deer teaches their child about the world, and how each little raindrop and leaf is important and special. The little deer learns that each creature has a responsibility to appreciate and protect the world. The deer marvel at a field full of butterflies, and a mighty tree grown from a tiny acorn. They see a beautiful waterfall, and whales in the ocean.