The Loud House # 1: There Will Be Chaos. Chris Savino. 2017. 64 pages. Papercutz Books. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] The Loud House is no stranger to my household, so it was a must that we check out its first graphic novel. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this graphic novel is more like an anthology, with the stories focusing on a different child of the Loud household. Admittedly, the idea of a house filled with 11 kids is overwhelming to me, the show is entertaining and carries that same humor to the book. For those unfamiliar with the Loud House television show, this book gives a short and sweet intro to the Loud family in the beginning. There is a brief bio about each of the 11 Loud children that provides some context for their personality type in addition to their ages. At the end of the book, the reader is introduced to the creator, Chris Savino, whose own childhood many of the stories are based upon. The book also took a creative approach to the contents of the book, with a fridge serving as the hub of information. The table of contents is actually presented…

You Can’t Win them All, Rainbow Fish. Marcus Pfister. 2017. 32 pages. NorthSouth Books. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] There’s a reason Rainbow Fish is so beloved, and this continuation of the story is a perfect example of why. In You Can’t Win Them All, Rainbow Fish learns an important lesson about sportsmanship and skill. While playing hide and seek with friends, Rainbow Fish is dismayed that he can’t immediately find his friends, and even more disappointed when he is quickly found in his own hiding space. However, with the help of his friends, he begins to understand what it means to sometimes win, sometimes lose, but always have a good attitude toward the game.

My Good Morning.  Kim Crockett-Corson, Jelena Brezovec, ill.. 2017. 32 pages. Clavis Books. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] For any parent who has a spirited child who has their own style and timeline of doing things (especially on those rushed mornings), this book will be heartwarming and reassuring. It follows a little girl who pops up one morning ready to go! She recounts all of the things she does to get ready for the day, such as washing up, getting dressed, eating breakfast, and getting to her classroom. All pretty mundane things, but she turns them into an adventure, with her parents hanging on for the ride.

Shanti Saves Her Money. Lisa Bullard, Christine Schneider, ill. 2013. 24 pages. Millbrook Press. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] It can be hard to articulate concepts around money to children. However, Shanti Saves Her Money is a cute, easy-to-understand exploration of saving & spending. It explores family spending, taking into account research on cost. I also appreciate how it factors in simple math, such as having to figure out the total cost for amusement park tickets for the entire family. The concept of saving is made simple, with Shanti’s jars. This is a realistic way to show kids how to spend, versus how to put things away long-term, like in a bank. The visit to the bank was a novel idea – how many kids really understand what the bank is and how they can use it?

Move It, Miss Macintosh! Peggy Robbins Janousky. 2016. 32 pages. Annick Press. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] I wish I’d had this book when I was sending my baby off to kindergarten. It’s a cute story about a teacher who’s nervous for her first day of kindergarten, but it’s clearly a tool to ease the jitters of youngsters heading off to school. Miss Macintosh is a ball of nerves and decides she’s not going to school on the first day. That is, until nearly every one from the school shows up to get her on her way. There’s Principal Bellwether who reminds her that other teachers shared her fears. And there’s Mrs. Sketcher, the art teacher, who tries and fails to pick out the perfect first day outfit.