Jan Brett is at it again with two new books. One is due in April 2027, Flybaby, and the earlier in January 2027, Hedgie Blasts Off!.
Starting with the illustrations, they are wonderfully and perfectly Jan Brett. I can’t say enough about how colorful, fun, clever and wonderfully busy they are. However, the stories didn’t “hit home runs” for me. They are cute, but there was always something missing for me. With that said, I know they will be huge hits with fans of all ages and great for new fans too. Both books are Brett’s typical style and voice. They lean towards slightly older readers and listeners, but you can adapt them. 
Flybaby is about a girl and her kittens. When one is lost (captured by an owl) and found in a tree, the kitten lives up there for a while. Nobody can help. But the kitten has been watching and notices how the owls and other animals of the tree have left their nests by flying. And (spoiler) everyone lives happily ever after. The big issue for me was if the tree was so tall nobody could reach the top, how could the kitten survive a jump? So, I was not a fan of the believability of a kitten surviving long enough for its “siblings” to fledge (it is left in the owls nest). But otherwise, the story is sweet and of course Brett’s illustrations are delightful. 
Whereas Flybaby is a bit of a mix of old school Brett and a different new tone and path taken, Hedgie Blasts Off! leans more towards classical Brett with a hedgehog, but it is less folktale and more a cute animal doing human things kind of story. Okay, the idea of a hedgehog astronaut is good, but the adult in me asks, “How can he go to space with no training?” But the kid in me is YAY HEDGIE! Saves the day! And most readers will be the kid in us, rooting for a win. (If you haven’t guessed, the Hedgie in the book is a janitor who is chosen for a space mission, with no training because of the size of the ship issues). But of course, Brett’s illustrations are wonderful.
