Weekend reads: 22 February 2026: Part Three

 

 

Kip and the Squiggledoodle

Written and illustrated by Em Cosh.

Farshore, 2025.

Picture book.

An imaginary friend story.

Perfectly serviceable – but there are others I would recommend instead.

Possible read-alikes:

• My friend, Billy Whiskers by David Litchfield.
• Just the two of us by Polly Noakes.
• Scribbly by Ged Adamson.
• Bear is a Bear by Jonathan Stutzman and Dan Santat.

 

Lobsters can't knit.

Written by Karla Courtney.

Illustrated by Nicholas John Frith.

Berbay Publishing Pty Ltd, 2024.

Picture book.

Dreams! Aspirations! Cooperation! Helpful friends! Knitting!

With all of that going on, you’d think I’d love this book.

It’s ok. Maybe.

Possible read-alikes, or instead-ofs:

• Elephant can’t jump by Pip Jones and Robert Starling.
• The witch of Maketu and the bleating lambs by Anika Moa and Rebecca Ter Borg.
• Big Frog can’t fit in by Mo Willems.
• Ernest by Catherine Rayner.
• Knitting for dogs by Laurel Molk.
• Humble Bumble by Miriama Kamo and Craig Phillips.

 

Brave Maeve.

Written by Lydia Donev.

Illustrated by Silvia Colombo.

Tiny Seed Publishing, an imprint of Starfish Bay Publishing, 2024.

Picture books.

Trying new things – even when you really, really want to do it – is hard.

Possible read-alikes:

• Bhangra boogie by Hena Khan and Sandhya Prabhat.
• The dolls’ house by Tanya Rosie and Claudia Ravalli.
• The invisible boy by Trudy Ludwig and Patrice Barton.
• My first day by Nic Naitanui and Fátima Anaya.
• John’s turn by Mac Barnett and Kate Berube.

 

Still there was bread.

Written by Lisl H. Detlefsen.

Illustrated by David Soman.

Harper, 2024.

Picture book.

Baking and sharing family recipes.

I’m undecided about this one. And that includes the illustrations.

Possible read-alikes, or instead-ofs:

• To stir with love by Kate Mildenhall.
• Dancing dumplings for my one and only by Eva Wong Nava and Natelle Quek.
• Laolao's dumplings by Dane Liu and ShinYeon Moon.
• Boys don't fry by Kimberly Lee and Charlene Chua.
• Cora cooks pancit by Dorina Lazo Gilmore and Kristi Valiant.

Punk rocker poodle.

Written by Laura Dockrill.

Illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat.

Faber, 2022.

Picture book.

Rhyming.

The trials and tribulations of a toddler-like poodle, told in rhyming rap style text.

Possible read-alikes:

• Heavy metal badger by Duncan Beedle.
• My sister, the Todzilla by Jacinta Fround and Matt Shanks.
• Red red red by Polly Dunbar.
• The big scream by Kirsti Call and Denis Angelov.
• Don’t let the pigeon stay up late by Mo Willems.

The story factory.

Written and illustrated by Jam Dong.

Candlewick Press, 2025.

Picture book.

When the factory malfunctions, new stories are created.

Possible read-alikes:

• The dream factory by Steph Matuku and Zak Ātea.
• Explosion at the poem factory by Kyle Lukoff and Mark Hoffmann.
• Pūkeko who-keko? by Toby Morris.
• A delicious story by Barney Saltzberg.

A very happy Ramadan.

Written by A.M. Dassu.

Illustrated by Abeeha Tariq.

Scholastic, 2026.

Picture book.

Rayhan decides to try and fast for Ramadan, but he finds it hard. Includes information about who isn’t expected to fast.

Possible read-alikes or along-side with:

• The gift of Ramadan by Rabiah York Lumbard and Laura K. Horton.
• The proudest blue: a story of hijab and family by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S. K. Ali, and Hatem Aly.
• Not now, Noor! by Farhana Islam and Nabila Adani.
• Ramadan for everyone by Aya Khalil and Rashin Kheiriyeh.
• How my Koro became a star by Brianne Te Paa and Story Hemi Moorhouse.

We are definitely human

Written and illustrated by X. Fang.

Pushkin Press, 2025.

Picture book.

The visitors who have crashed in Mr Li’s field are very definitely (not) human. Mr Li and his neighbours do the neighbourly – especially rural – thing and help them fix their vehicle to return to their travels.

Possible read-alikes:

• The stray by Molly Ruttan.
• To activate space portal lift here by Antoinette Portis.
• Beegu by Alexis Deacon.
• The spaceman by Randy Cecil.
• The way back home by Oliver Jeffers.
• A home for Spark the dragon by Michael Sheen, Jess Webb, and Sarah Massini.

 

 

Smart George.

Written and illustrated by Jules Feiffer.

Michael di Capua Books/HarperCollins Publishers, 2020.

Picture book.

Sequel to Bark George.

Can George count? Or is it too hard?

Possible read-alikes: 

• One thing by Lauren Child.
• 100 goats and Granny by Atinuke and Lauren Hinds.
• Seven samosas: counting at the market by Kabir Sehgal, Surishtha Sehgal, and Jing Jing Tsong. 

 

“The trouble with dogs!”

Written and illustrated by Bob Graham.

Walker, 2027.

Picture book. 

Australian. 

The very cute puppy from “Let’s get a pup!” needs training – but the training doesn’t go to plan. And Dave the puppy is not the only one who learns new skills.

Possible read-alikes: 

• How to heal a broken wing by Bob Graham.
• 15 things not to do with a puppy by Margaret McAllister and Holly Sterling.
• The fastest tortoise in town by Howard Calvert and Karen Obuhanych.
• Pig the rebel by Aaron Blabey.