“Hi, Koo!” (Scholastic, $17.99) says each season to a special panda bear, who enjoys every one with his human friends. Autumn brings new clothes, the chance to dance, and warm cookies. Winter knocks at the door with an opportunity for a powdery stomp. New leaves, new grass, and new sky bring spring, allowing Koo to observe, quiet and still. Finally there’s summer: fireflies and kites. Jon J. Muth’s playful watercolors and accompanying haikus encourage us to remember—or embrace—our childhood, using familiar sensory images to capture the heart, soul, and innocence of each passing season. Ages 4-8. Allison Trotter
Maria and Mouse Mouse are an unlikely pair with a big secret and more similarities than they know. A human and a rodent, they have to keep their friendship hidden. One night, as Maria and Mouse Mouse get ready for bed, Maria in her room and Mouse Mouse in her hole under the floor, neither can find her mother to tuck her in! Searching frantically among kitchens, living rooms, and outrageously detailed illustrations, the two must stop to ask “Where’s Mommy?” (Schwartz and Wade, $17.99). Beverly Donofrio’s heartfelt story and Barbara McClintock’s whimsical illustrations work together to create a clever tale that shows that children aren’t the only ones with secrets. Ages 4-8. Allison Trotter
“We have new friends.” These simple words are whispered to the baker, the librarian, and the farmer—and accommodations are made for the Jewish family hiding in Anett’s basement in a small Danish village in the early 1940s. Only two more days, then a boat can take the secret friends away from the Nazis, to Sweden. But how will they get to the harbor when there is no moon, and clouds blanket the cold sky, on the night of their departure? The Whispering Town (Kar-Ben, $17.95) is born. Jennifer Elvgren’s new take on a true story, just right for introducing younger readers to the Holocaust, is perfectly balanced by Fabio Santomauro’s charming illustrations. Ages 7-10. Allison Trotter
