Families looking to get younger audiences into Harry Potter will love the illustrated version, as I did reading it on my own. I can't believe what a wonderful writer J.K. Rowling is!

Age: Toddler-Preschool
Animals: Ducks, Dinosaur

A bit of fluffy reading that has been done before. Kids will like it but they'll quickly forget it.

Age: Infant-Kindergarten
Bugs: Monarch butterfly

After helping save a monarch butterfly from the paws of her cat, she is lifted away by a cloud of butterflies as they take her to their home. This smaller, handheld picture book adds intimacy to a wordless picture book as the "reader" tells a story with the assistance of the illustrations.

Age: Preschool

A little girl must get her exhausted parents to bed as they misbehave and goof off. Newer and more relatable version of this timeless twist that incorporates cell phone use/addiction.

Age: Preschool-Kindergarten
Food: Soup

A little boy keeps finding the most alarming animals in his soup, while an earnest waiter attempts to resolve the issues with a fresh bowl. Fun dialogue that will be a riot to read aloud in a classroom.

Age: Preschool-Kindergarten
Wordless: one word = Treat!

A perfect companion to Ball!, this plump french bulldog has one thing on his mind but no one seems to be hearing him.

Uuuuugh, the twist at the end is sooooo good.

Age: Infant-Preschool

Tilt and rock this book to try and get the other animals out of Ellie the elephant's bathtub. Glossy pages and large illustrations make this book eye-catching to a rapt audience.

Age: High School-Adult
History: World War II, sinking of the Willhelm Gustloff
Tough Issues: Rape (referenced), Death (including children)

This book could have easily gone on for another 200 pages, but Sepetys' choice writing makes this a suspenseful page-turner filled with loss, friendship, and the determination to live when all odds are against our four main characters.

Spoiler

While the love interest between Joana and Florian adds some lightness and hope to the story, it still felt a little weird considering the tragedies surrounding their flight for life. I did appreciate that Florian was not an infallible, honorable hero. Most of his decisions were done to increase his likelihood of survival, including using Joana for his own benefit--although, in the end, this was done reluctantly. Someone that has survived that long as a "deserter" during the war has to be selfish to some degree.