Unicorns in Uniforms by Beth Ferry & A.N. Kang. Simon & Schuster Book for Young Readers, 2026. 9781665975421.
Unicorns run the village square at a magical place in the forest. They seem to do all the jobs, and they even defend everyone from dragon storms. Kang’s drawings are full of life and personality. This would be a great book for storytime, and I’d buy uniformed unicorn action figures in a heartbeat if they were available.
Mr. Noodle’s Super Noodle Shop by Qinzi. Francis Lincoln, 2027. 9781805705130.
Mr. Noodle’s handmade noodles are the stretchiest! And while people are eating them, they discover other ways to have fun with his noodles. This makes Mr. Noodle very angry. Qinzi’s anthropomorphic animals are delightful, and I’d love to see parents try to keep their kids from playing with their noodles after reading this.
The Underwear Wolf by Gideon Sterer, illustrated by Charles Santoso. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 20269781665955584.
A highly organized kid gets a strange gift from his uncle, Larry: wool underwear. With them is a note not to wear them during the full moon. But the kid does. He turns into a wolf. The night calls! What follows is a wild adventure around town and in the forest that includes making a bunch of new friends. Santoso’s drawings are amazing, and, bonus, the book includes an epic wedgie.
