Books of the Week: June 5th, 2026

 Name Your Colors (and Critters, too!) (5/12/26; $12.99). With its unique double-spined format, this book is meant to be read both forwards and backwards! 

Little ones will love this book!

Little ones can learn to recognize their colors and critters by turning each page of the book to reveal a new colorful bug. When they reach the end, they are rewarded with a rainbow of colorful creatures! Then, to re-fold the pages correctly, read the text backwards and watch the bugs hide away again.

With its engaging format and fun opportunities for vocabulary practice, Name Your Colors (and Critters, too!) begs to be read multiple times! Also check out our other FlipFlap Board Book Count to 10 and Back Again for counting practice. 

GIGANTIC: THE SMALL WHALE WITH A BIG HEART (Doubleday Books for Young Readers | On sale April 14, 2026 | ISBN: 9780593518960 | 3-7 years | $18.99)

A tiny whale with a BIG heart will capture the hearts of readers in this underwater adventure with positive messages about teamwork and believing in yourself.

Meet Gigantic, the smallest blue whale in the Atlantic. Dwarfed by the others in the pod, Gigantic is teased by the bigger whales and keeps to himself. But one day, when Gigantic’s brother, Titan, gets stuck on the sand, it’s down to Gigantic and his smallest sea creature friends to save the day. Can they show it’s possible to be both tiny and brave?

SPORTY BABY: A SPIN-AND-SLIDE BOOK (Workman Kids; $10.99). With colorful illustrations and interactive moving parts, this book is a slam dunk for busy babies and toddlers!

Readers can spin the cover to see eight different sports balls (see it move here!), then move sliders inside to watch them in action: hit a baseball, kick a soccer ball, sink a putt on the golf course, slapshot the hockey puck, serve a tennis ball, set the volleyball, shoot the basketball, and throw the winning touchdown!  

 Middle grade titans and longtime friends Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge present STYX AND STONES a page-turning fantasy adventure with a heart of gold. The book follows Simon, an orphan from Ancient Greece who’s been trapped in Hades’ underworld for thousands of years – until he escapes through a portal that spits him out into a seventh grade boys’ bathroom in present-day Saint Paul, Minnesota. There he meets Zeke Tripps, a nerdy outsider who is quick to welcome Simon to the land of the living. Together they face first crushes and Greek gods, a demon bounty hunter, and a three-headed dog – all equally daunting! With cinematic pacing, pitch-perfect middle school humor, layered characters, and epic stakes, Gary and Ron deliver a fast-paced contemporary fantasy that readers will devour. A must for Summer reading!

Self Disclosure: I received free copies of the above books to feature. Cover images were also provided.