-A KIRKUS STARRED REVIEW!

"When the duo brush their teeth, the spread has just two words in gigantic type: 'MINTY! / BEEFY!' That sums it up: a dog story with a fresh approach and something with solid flavor to chew on

Woof! Woof! Here comes Aaron Meshon's new picture book! 

A little girl and her pet French bulldog are the perfect playmates in this all-day outdoors adventure!

When his family sets out to explore the neighborhood, one puppy is eager to join in the fun! He gets to do everything his sister does—with his own added flair, of course. Together they eat (pancakes for her, kibble for him), bathe (tub for her, sink for him), and play (chasing squirrels for both). Side by side, they enjoy the same things, each in their own way. And when the long day comes to an end, both settle down for a restful sleep—that is, until tomorrow comes. Because when every day’s a dog’s day, every day is the best day . . . especially when you can spend it with the person you love.A little girl and her pet French bulldog are the perfect playmates in this all-day outdoors adventure!

Calling all tools to the workbench! Aaron Meshon’s follow-up to Take Me Out to the Yakyu, which The New York Times Book Review calls “a definite home run,” hits the nail on the head.

In a messy yard, a busy day begins for a team of tools. With a click, clickand a bang! bang!, everyone from Wrench, Hammer, and Screwdriver right down to Nuts and Bolts is pitching in to make a shed. Okay, crew! Who’s ready to build?

Some Reviews:

"Meshon (Take Me Out to the Yakyu) puts his cheery toylike crew to work building a tool shed. The bright cartoon spreads are filled with an epic cast of very cute characters, but by using arrows emblazoned with text to emphasize key actions (“Saw saws Wood”), Meshon makes the project easy to follow. With plenty of deeply satisfying onomatopoeia (“Vrip! Vrip! Vrip!” is the sound of the saw) and tool jokes (What sound does a nail make when it’s being hammered in? “Ok! Ouch! Ok! Ok! Ouch!”), the story should be deemed a job well done by preschool or kindergarten DIYers."

(Publishers Weekly, December 2013)

"Are there any tots who don’t like to play with toy tools? Most likely not, and this appealing and inventive story features animated tool characters, each with its own individual traits. . . . The colored digital illustrations are imaginative (each tool has eyes, and some have legs), with sound effects offering opportunities for participation. . . . Mild puns add to the fun. . . . Diagrammatic arrows with large letters nail down the interchange among the tools and cleverly enforce the concept of working together. . . . Buy it along with a wooden tool set as a gift for an enterprising young carpenter."

(Kirkus Reviews, January 2014)

"A yard full of amiable tools comes together to build a toolshed. Meshon’s illustrations are bright, bold, and emblazoned with smiling faces.... The large, clear font will make this clever title an appropriate choice for beginning readers and will challenge older readers to move beyond the basics (saw, hammer, nails) and learn about more advanced tools.... With this lively text and positive message about the benefits of teamwork, Tools Rule! will please readers with an interest in how things work and provide an opportunity to spur engaging audience participation while reading aloud. This book could provide an excellent jumping-off point to engage students in further informational reading about tools or building structures."

(School Library Journal, February 2014)

Join one little boy and his family for two ballgames—on opposite sides of the world!

You may know that baseball is the Great American Pastime, but did you know that it is also a beloved sport in Japan? Come along with one little boy and his grandfathers, one in America and one in Japan, as he learns about baseball and its rich, varying cultural traditions. 

Some Reviews:

* “Debut illustrator Meshon’s comparison of American and Japanese baseball is a skillful double play, entertaining (and educating) young baseball fans while affirming the growing number of children who live between two countries and two cultures…. Meshon’s spreads make it clear that though material circumstances may differ, human emotions are just the same…. Making a book that’s equal parts affection and edification isn’t easy; Meshon’s record is one for one.” (Publishers Weekly, November 26, 2012, *STARRED REVIEW )

* “The art has a fresh, attractive, naïf quality that fits the story perfectly. Using mostly blue for the American team and red for the Japanese, these bright pages do an excellent job of delineating each place while capturing the enthusiam they share. Final pages include a chart of baseball words and other fun words in English and Japanese and an author’s note with additional information. Easy to follow and fascinating even for nonfans, this bicultural baseball outing provides a fresh, joyful take on the grand old game.” (Booklist, February 1, 2013, *STARRED REVIEW )

“The chunky font, candy-colored cartoon pictures, and Japanese pop-art style will have plenty of appeal for newly independent readers, and an author’s note adds more comparative detail about game rules and stadiums. Baseball-obsessed primary-schoolers will relish this offbeat addition to the meager beginning-reader sports collection.” (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books )

* “A young boy enjoys the best of two baseball worlds. This fortunate youngster can savor the fine points of baseball in America and yakyu in Japan…. It’s all a perfectly constructed, vivid picture of the two nations’ particular takes on what has become both of their national pastimes, as well as a multigenerational love of the game. Colorful charts of Japanese and English baseball terms and other words add to the fun. Yakyu or baseball, it’s all sheer joy.” (Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2013, *STARRED REVIEW )

“The mostly mirror images on the well-balanced pages set up a quiet rhythm, thrillingly interrupted when both hitters get a home run (“Crack! / Kakiiin!”) and their baseballs cross paths and go flying through the facing page. Young fans intrigued by the game’s cultural differences will easily see that rooting for the home team—whether it’s “Win! Win! Win!” or “Do your best!”—is fun no matter where you are.” (The Horn Book, March/April 2013 )

"The bright and cheerful acrylic illustrations feature shades of blue for the U. S. and reds for Japan, making it easy to distinguish between the two. The pages are nicely designed with clean lines and no clutter. A lively and enjoyable read for baseball fans, and a great choice for those compare-and-contrast lessons."
(School Library Journal, February 2013, *STARRED REVIEW )

Baseball may be considered the great American pastime, but the Japanese have embraced the sport with a fervor all their own. This exceptional book marries the two traditions with charming naïf illustration and clear text. On opposing pages, a boy explains the differences between outings with his American pop pop to the stadium and with his Japanese ji ji at the dome. The book’s deceptive simplicity includes sophisticated cultural touches: America’s paper tickets offer a charming contrast to the Japanese scannable QR code version. Meshon’s first picture book is a definite home run. (Kakiiin!) (The New York Times Book Review, MARCH 13, 2013)