I cannot wait for July 2024 and these two books to officially come out. Both titles were read as online reader copies, and Douglas Rees and Christy Mandin have written two of my favorite reads (so far) of 2024.
Rees has Sinclair, The Velociraptor Who Thought He Was a Chicken. Edna, the very first chicken, is hatching her very first eggs! And when her chicks are hatched, all the gals are lovely chickens. But there is one egg left, and when it hatches (even though Enda doesn’t remember laying it) she sees Sinclair with his sharp claws and teeth, and his, well, they look like feathers, and thinks what’s one more mouth to feed? And like any good adoption/this child is different from others story, Sinclair sticks out at first. He can’t fly, swim and it hurts his nose when the family is pecking for food. But it is Sinclair who will come to the rescue of two of his sisters and everyone learns that he is the best chicken after all, feathers down! Galia Bernstein has some of the silliest illustrations that are fun, colorful, and just the right amount of details to move things along. A sweet story about being yourself with a clever twist on the theme. 
Then there is Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden. Well, it is not so poisonous but it does have some unique plants, but of course, the neighborhood Millie and her mother have moved into only like orderly homes (not run down like Millie’s) and neat gardens with roses. Christy Mandin allows us to see if Wednesday Addams had a softer side, but still was as quirky and loveable. Of course, Millie thinks about planting roses, but her mom says only if they make her happy. Instead, Millie finds a great way to show off her beloved garden, make new friends, and show the town how they can each have a unique expression all their own. The illustrations are simple, but not simplistic. Also, they are not “pop off page” colorful, but the color is not lacking. It is just its own style, like Mille! However, do read them as there is some clever fun in them. It is quirky, cute and fun. The adult reader will figure out the ending, but it is a nice “be yourself” message. The afterwards talks about real plants, and a real poisonous garden.