Hello, friends! Today’s book is Secrets I Know by Kallie George and Paola Zakimi, a jaunt through the cozy, quiet corners of a little girl’s imagination.

The story opens on a little girl who informs the reader that she knows some secrets, the kind that only a child can discover by exploring the world around them. First, she knows that secrets should be whispered, and that whispers hide in trees, and that trees make good umbrellas. And on it goes as the girl, her friend and her dog enjoy the simple magic of a blustery autumn day in her own backyard, sharing little secrets, and discovering new ones to keep.

We liked this one for the most part. The quiet, childlike insights into the world around the main character were very charming, and the clever layout of the story, in which a shared topic of one secret would flow into the next, let the story unfold very nicely. The length was fine, and JJ enjoyed it. My only issue was with the art: while the illustrations definitely captured the theme very well, the colors were a bit subdued, which seemed to affect JJ’s visual interest. Also, the pale, cherub-faced protagonist was very cute, but she had the exact same expression on many of the pages, which had a slightly unsettling feel. Overall, this one gave us some mixed feelings, but it did have a lovely story, and it’s worth a look for any young explorer/keeper of backyard secrets. Baby Bookworm approved!