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MEISEL, Paul. See Me Go. illus. by Paul Meisel. 32p. (I Like To Read). Holiday House. Jul. 2022. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9780823444526.

K-Gr 1–One sleepy day, a dog is lounging on the deck of a boat moored beside a long pier. Suddenly, dozens of varied canine companions run toward the boat, preparing to set sail and explore their world together. The first stop is a diving trip to discover secrets at the bottom of the sea. Next, they don spacesuits and travel in a rocket to the moon. Finally, they parachute back to Egypt, where they uncover an unexpected creature buried beneath the desert sand. This early reader book is similar in design to P.D. Eastman’s Go, Dog. Go! and it is charmingly familiar in its plot and structure. Short, repeated, predictable phrases move readers through the story, encouraging confidence as young children learn to read independently. Though the quantity of text is limited, the story is well-designed within the context of its simplicity, and it provides a complete narrative to satisfy fledgling readers. Watercolor illustrations depict the dogs in a range of entertaining action poses, providing delightful supplemental information to the text itself. Myriad details are included in the illustrations; these simultaneously enhance overall textual awareness while engaging readers with more than the text alone. A guide on the book’s back cover gives teachers and caregivers a sense of the target audience to help them ­determine the appropriateness of the book for their students. VERDICT This action-focused early reader story will appeal to dog lovers, while enhancing their reading confidence as each page is turned.–Mary Lanni

STEM Books for Young Readers

, by Paul Meisel. Ages 4�8 years. Holiday House, 2021. $17.99.

Written from the point of view of a young ruby-throated hummingbird, this fanciful book provides children with a simply worded timeline of a hummingbird’s life, from its first peek from the egg through adulthood. Readers learn how territorial and aggressive these little flyers can be, what incredible distances they cover when they migrate to Central America for the winter, and how their appearance changes as they mature (they aren’t born with red throats, for instance). The end pages provide more detailed information about the birds, their range, and their habits.—Fenella Saunders

Just published is DOGS LOVE CARS by Leda Schubert. Here’s a Kirkus review:

DOGS LOVE CARS

²ú²âÌýLeda Schubert ; illustrated ²ú²âÌýPaul Meisel ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 19, 2021

Created by dog lovers for dog lovers and dog owners–to-be.

When a kid and their parents head to the car for a busy day, their three dogs charge ahead. The dogs� ears flap in the breeze on the drive to the dog park, where both dogs and their owners get wrapped up in play—and leashes. A different topic for each spread captures the world of loved dogs: It’s full of rides, walks, playmates (canine, human, and feline), naps, toys, food that tempts from the tabletop, and even school. Each situation is loaded with options and opportunities for antonyms, delivered in an infectious chant: “Dogs love walks. // Short walks and long walks, / up hills and down, / walks in cities and countryside, / fast and slow walks, / off leash and on.� Humorous cartoon illustrations realistically show dogs of all shapes and sizes being “good dogs� even as they roll in the mud, tear up their toys, get in the way of chores, and share a love/hate relationship with the family cat. These responsible dog owners keep their dogs on leashes at community events such as a farmers market that shows the vigorous diversity of this White-presenting family’s community. At the end of the day, dogs do what dogs do best: “DOGS LOVE YOU, / all the time."

A humor-filled love letter to the dogs that love humans so unconditionally.(Picture book. 3-8)

From School Library Journal:

STARRED Meisel, Paul. My Tiny Life by Ruby T. Hummingbird. illus. by Paul Meisel. 40p. (Nature Diary: Bk. 4). Holiday House. Apr. 2021. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780823443222.

PreS-Gr 4–Meisel’s entry in the “Nature Diary� series offers well-organized, flowing text and pleasant illustrations. Before the title page, there are facts about hummingbird behavior followed by descriptions of physical features, nesting, mating rituals, and more. The main text, which employs first-person narration to chronicle the life of a ruby-throated hummingbird, will engage story time participants. The story is also accessible to the early reader group. The ruby-throated hummingbird describes emerging from his little white egg, no bigger than a jelly bean. He learns to fly, catch bugs, and migrate to warmer climates. Finally, additional information about hummingbirds, which is written at a fourth-grade reading level, is shared. Recommendations for hummingbird-friendly plants, information about the delights of a bird feeder, and a recipe for nectar are provided. A glossary, source materials, and reading recommendations are included. VERDICT A delightful resource that features informative text and rich illustrations. Recommended for all libraries.–Nancy Call, formerly at Santa Cruz P.L., Aptos, CA

From School Library Journal:

STARRED Meisel, Paul. My Stinky Summer by S. Bug. illus. by Paul Meisel. 40p. (Nature Diary: Bk. 3). Holiday House. Jul. 2020. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780823440535.

Gr 2-4–In 2018, The New Yorker published the article “When Twenty-Six Thousand Stinkbugs Invade Your Home.� That horrifying true tale is listed as a source in Meisel’s latest installment in his “Nature Diary� series. Said to be written by S. Bug, this is a first-person account of the first four months of a stink bug’s life, from conception to hibernation. Yes, there is a chastely humorous illustration of two stink bugs mating. S. Bug writes about evading predators, feasting on food, and finding shelter, all while educating readers. The story is peppered with dry humor, like a recurring joke about the stink bug being the only creature proud of its triumphs—everyone else just finds it stinky. The book’s introduction is written at an adult reading level but includes numerous labeled illustrations to appeal to all readers. The book itself is composed of gorgeously detailed full-page watercolor illustrations and two-page spreads. Each day in S. Bug’s life is recounted with one or two simple sentences, such as this entry for July 4: “I was minding my own business eating some lettuce when a bird tried to eat me. I stunk him. He spat me out.� Animals and bugs occasionally spout cute lines of dialogue. Back matter includes a glossary, additional facts, and recommended reading. Kids will likely find the tale funny, and adults may even feel a bit sympathetic toward this invasive species. VERDICT Informative for readers of all ages, the book is as charming as its perspective is unusual. A truly unique must-have for any collection.–Chance Lee Joyner, Haverhill P.L., MA

Starred Review!

☛MEISEL, Paul. You Poop Here. illus. by Paul Meisel. 32p. Holiday House. Nov. 2020. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780823446018. 

Toddler-PreS–In a field filled with gendered books about toilet training, this refreshing title stands out by encouraging all children to see pooping, and by extension the use of the potty, as a universal, cross-gender, interspecies need. Lively illustrations in acrylic ink-on-paper are accompanied by sparse text, with each illustration depicting an organism defecating. The portrayals are comical and not scientifically accurate, focusing not on the action but on the location the act takes place. The only difference between an ant, a monkey, an alligator, and a child comes down to one question: “Where do you poop?� The title draws toward a fitting conclusion while accompanying illustrations feature a racially inclusive cast all using the potty because “You poop here!� Included at the end are fun facts about poop and a short primer on what it is. VERDICT An excellent first purchase for anyone looking to expand their potty learning collection, and an ideal complement to Taro Gomi’s classic Everyone Poops.–Jessica Caron, Bancroft Sch., MA

Horn Book review:

My Stinky Summer by S. Bug [Nature Diary]

by Paul Meisel; illus. by the author

Joining an Awesome Summer (rev. 5/17) and a Happy Year (rev. 5/19) as experienced by a praying mantis and a bluebird, respectively, a stinkbug tells its story about the summer it was born: “June 13: I hatched today.â€� In straightforward scientific thinking delivered in casual prose, the stinkbug tells us how its parents met; where its egg was laid; how it molts (several times) and eventually flies; how it defends itself; and what it eats. “This pepper looked good. I stuck my proboscis in it for a while.â€� The watercolor and acrylic illustrations are humorous yet real-world; painterly and refreshingly un-cartoonish. An explanatory introduction and appended notes fill out the science, noting that the stinkbug is considered an invasive species and a threat to some crops. (Not ³Ù³ó¾±²õÌýbug, I’m sure.) The format and short sentences will suit independent early-chapter-book readers, but do read it aloud, if only for the luxury of saying “stinkâ€� as often as you want to. Appended with a brief glossary and list of recommended websites. ROGER SUTTON

Publishers Weekly:

My Stinky Summer by S. Bug

Meisel’s third Nature Diary showcases the stink bug in a story that spans five months, from early June, when the brown marmorated stink bug narrator arrives (as “one of the twenty eight eggs laid on the underside of this leaf�) to early October, when S. Bug tucks itself under tree bark for the winter. Along the way, the gently humorous volume follows S. Bug as it munches on plants, evades predators, and hears, over and over again, “Ew. Stink bug.� Mixed-media art portrays the insect at different stages of maturity amid leafy spreads, and a cameo by another famous stinker—the skunk—draws laughs. Meisel offers contextualizing information in an introduction and back matter, explaining, for example, how the invasive species likely arrived in the United States and how the bug’s scent helps the species to communicate and survive. An effective addition to the series. Ages 4�8. (July)

So delighted that I See A Cat has received the Geisel Honor from ALA/Association for Library Service to Children!   

My Awesome Summer has been named a 2018 finalist for the 2018

Hello! (Praying mantises can swivel their heads to see what's behind them.)