STARRED REVIEW! The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, March 2026 issue

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An ebullient little boy and his trusty sidekick white terrier, Miles, bound around the house packing everything necessary—binoculars, a lucky penny, books, and more books—for a road trip to meet their new baby cousin. Mom, dad, grandpa, and sister go about their morning routines, with sister helpfully (and sarcastically) reminding her little brother to pack socks and underwear. Once ready, the family clambers into the car only to realize they forgot the baby’s welcome gift. Heading back into the house with the boy and Miles leading the charge, they retrace their steps to no avail. They do, however, unearth nostalgic bits and bobs from when the kids were little ones, inspiring a mini trip down memory lane. Miles helpfully piles all the items together, and the family realizes this collection of well-loved things will make a perfect present to be loved even more; the boy enthusiastically wraps them up, and the family drives off to meet baby. Digital comic-style, full-color illustrations depict richly detailed images of the Asian family’s happy, bustling home, with mom doing laundry while grandpa snoozes on the couch, and steamed buns and donuts rest on the kitchen counter next to the wrapping paper and tape. A particularly fun spread shows a bird’s-eye view of the house with the family searching for the gift and a dotted line showing Miles’ path racing through each room. All text is in speech bubbles, adding to the energetic pace and comic-book styling. This inviting, lighthearted story is a wonderful reminder of the value of sharing loved keepsakes and would make for an excellent conversation starter about what the listener or reader treasured when they were a baby. 

*This is the first starred review for this title!

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Kirkus Reviews

A family gets ready to hit the road to celebrate a new member’s arrival.

“ROAD TRIP!!!” thunders a child filling a backpack in preparation for a car trip to meet a new cousin. The other road trippers include the kid’s mom and dad and what appear to be a teenage sibling (“Hey, genius: did you remember to pack underwear and socks?”) and a grandparent, all of whom present East Asian. Also accompanying them is the titular Miles, a white terrier whose barks and “Mwroofs,” along with the family’s dialogue and the odd noise, are the story’s only text. Everyone is seat-belted into the car when…“Wait, you remembered the present, right?” “I thought YOU had the gift.” The family’s scramble to locate the present inside the house leads to diversions. The kid finds a beloved baby blanket; the teenager finds a favorite old stuffie. These discoveries inspire shared reminiscences, which, with an assist from Miles, spark the kid’s brainstorm: What’s a more meaningful baby gift than these long-treasured family keepsakes? Lê’s sweet tale of a loving family that problem-solves together reads like an extended comic strip. Bontigao’s clean-lined digital panel work contains fun-to-spot rewards, among them old photos of the siblings and the answer to the book’s big question: What happened to the original baby gift?

An encouraging story starring a family whose heart and values are in the right place. (Picture book. 3-7)

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Publisher's Weekly

The title of this all-dialogue picture book mystery from Lê (Real to Me) and Bontigao (Kailani’s Gift) playfully refers to both a road trip that the focal family’s preparing to undertake and their white terrier, Miles, who cleverly lends assistance when things go awry. As the relations bustle to get out the door, much of the action focuses on a child who has crammed a backpack with objects from an extensive packing list (“Origami paper? Lucky penny? More books?”). But as everyone files into the car, no one can remember where they left the wrapped present for the infant they’re heading to meet. Retracing their steps across a horizontal cutaway doesn’t yield the gift, but with the help of the family’s savvy pooch, it does uncover treasured mementos from the children’s own early days: a beloved baby blanket, bath-time book, bunny stuffie, and booties. The child takes matters in hand, compiling the objects and indicating that together, they form a gift that’s just as suitable as the “latest fancy baby gadget” procured for the occasion. Exuberant slice-of-life illustrations, reassuring family-sitcom rapport, and a clever visual punch line turn the quandary into a celebration of memory and resourcefulness. The family is portrayed with brown skin and dark hair. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management. Illustrator’s agent: Caryn Wiseman, Andrea Brown Literary. (Apr.)

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Booklist

By Minh Lê. Illus. by Lynnor Bontigao. Apr. 2026. 40p. Knopf, $18.99 (9780593569207). K–Gr. 3

After a hectic struggle to get everything and everyone in the car, an Asian American family sets off to meet a new baby cousin, only to realize that no one packed the gift. Back to the house they go, and everyone rushes inside to search. Though they don’t find the present, they do find a variety of previous baby favorites: a soft yellow blanket, a picture book, tiny booties, and a beloved stuffed animal. While the family continues the search, their dog—a white terrier named Miles—gathers the treasured objects into a pile, and the brother realizes that, though used, they’ll make a well-appreciated gift. The entire story is told through speech bubble dialogue that demonstrates a sometimes teasing but always loving family, making the book accessible to a wide range of readers. Bontigao’s illustrations are full of color and all the details of chaotic family life. Careful observers will have fun spotting the missing present amid the chaos. This joyful celebration of family and memories reminds readers that new isn’t always the best.