Henry and the Something New

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to see this book early!

The title and cover of this book caught my eye from the beginning. Jenn Bailey does a great job of breaking up Henry's story to help early readers better understand the story overall. I absolutely LOVED the message at the end of the book, and the affirmations of tough emotions throughout the book were great additions to normalize every day anxieties that kids may face.

The only thing that I would improve is the writing style. The story flowed, but there were some parts that were not as clear and smooth. This is normal for a children's book, of course!

Henry is nervous about new situations. Today will be a first for him, a field trip to the museum and riding the bus. Even though Henry is out of his comfort zone, he pushes forward. For me, this was a vivid reminder of some of the intense emotions we all feel. This was a fun read. I was cheering Henry along. Good illustrations. Highly recommend.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Always a treasure rejoining Henry! Glad to see him outside of school, learning to speak up and celebrating the small joys (a lot of happy to hold inside)

Read as aunt/libraria
on behalf of autistic 5 year old nephew/patrons and shared with sis. She was curious if there are any attempts to get the Henry books into hands of autistic families and caretakers.

This book is cute. The language is simple and repetitive, so new readers will probably feel accomplished when trying to read it themselves.
Henry is anxious about everything, even though he is going to the museum and is hoping to see dinosaurs, which he really loves. He expresses his worries and his teacher firmly lets him know that he needs to keep following the plan.
There is a happy ending when Henry is escorted through a shortcut so he gets to see his beloved dinosaurs.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

*Potential Spoilers*

This book was read as an Advanced Reader Copy provided through NetGalley.

Henry is a child who in this book experiences new emotions through a new adventure - a school field trip. When I first read it, the sentences felt short and very concise, but when I read it again from a child's point of view (the intended readers!) who experiences life like Henry, it made perfect sense and was wonderfully well put.

Jenn Bailey did such a good job in the story telling that it flowed nicely within each chapter and Mika Song so beautifully illustrated the emotions Henry was feeling throughout this new adventure.

Will definitely be purchasing a full version to read to my toddler once it's available!

"Lost is where you can find something new."

This is a very cute book about a boy on a field trip. There is a lot of repetitive language, I believe by design due to the target audience age. It would be relatively easy for an early reader to understand with positive messages.

A beginning reader's story about a school trip to the museum and one of the students, Henry, and his obsession with dinosaurs. A good book, easy to read and with illustrations to carry you through, this is a good choice for the early readers with a story they will enjoy.

This is a great book for young developing readers. The text had repetitive language, large size text, easy to read sight words, and beautiful illustrations. The story is enjoyable and relatable to the target audience.

I read this with my 6 year old. She enjoyed reading it and did not want to stop between chapters. Her only criticism was that “There should have been another rule. HAVE FUN!”

Henry is going on a field trip to a museum but he is a little anxious about what new sights, sounds, and experiences await him. This was a fun read for an early reader. It had short chapters, repetitive words, and eye catching illustrations that make it ideal for young audiences just getting used to chapter books. The book felt as though you were inside Henry's mind and experiencing the museum through him. As the reader we see the range of emotions Henry goes through during the course of his field trip from confusion due to a loud bus approaching or pure joy from finding the dinosaur exhibit. I love the underlying messages of the positivity of trying new things and finding the courage to speak up for ourselves.

"Lost is where you find something new"

I thought that Henry and the Something New was a perfect book for young readers. The book is divided into 5 easy chapters with great illustrations (by Mika Song) on every page. Nicely worded text by Jenn Bailey.

It easily reminded me of taking my 5 and 7 year old niece and nephew to the Natural History Museum in Ann Arbor this past summer.

The blurb on GoodReads indicates that Henry is on the autism spectrum; but with my first read of the book, I barely picked up on it. I noticed it a bit more with my second read of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for approving my request to read the advance read copy of Henry and the Something New in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is 19 Mar 2024.

Personally, I wish the book were titled Henry and Something New.

Engaging children's book about a school field trip to a museum. I liked the drawings and how the author incorporated Henry's anxiety and how he dealt with it.

Henry and the Something New focuses on Henry’s anxiety around a field trip. He is autistic and it deals with his feelings about whether he should go and what good and bad things could happen.

I just read Henry and the something new. It was age appropriate, discussing fears and expectations of visiting the museum. In addition, the concern of getting lost brought into the light the idea that when something is lost, something else is found❤️

Autistic representation, dinosaurs, field trips and clear sense of progress from on place to another, what more could a neurodivergent author want from reading a book? Trains, maybe. But in all seriousness, this book builds on what the first began and blossoms into something more. Showing Henry as a kid with a perhaps unique (if you’re allistic/not-autistic) and perhaps relatable (if you’re neurodivergent) going through and exciting decision to go on the field trip and the journey that is safe and exciting, is just perfect. A nice slice of life. While the text of the book does not find a place to label Henry, it finds ample places to show Henry’s stimming, happiness, interests, friends and world. There are so many little moments here that resonate so well with the experience of being a young autistic kid. When asked where the kids want to go first, Henry piped up with “Dinosaurs!” only he didn’t say it out loud. Who hasn’t been there? And it’s a quiet (pardon the pun) way to add such a lovely detail. There is enough exploring for kids who prefer other parts of the museum, but the reveal of the dinosaurs was rewarding, as was the emphasis on science and detail. I particularly loved the paleontology lab, another element the book did not find a way to label, but showed quiet perfectly. I could see Henry growing into a paleontologist. I look forward to Henry’s next adventure.

This delightful early chapter book is about Henry, a young boy on the autism spectrum who feels nervous about a school field trip to the museum. The illustrations are soft and charming, and the text is simple and easy to read, with lots of repeated phrases that will help novice readers build competence.

The story has a satisfying plot and a pleasing resolution, and there are lots of fun moments along the way. I also like how the author portrays Henry's neurodivergence without spelling everything out on the page. The book portrays some of his autistic traits, such as sensitivity to loud noises, stimming, and fixating on a special interest, but autism is not the focus. Readers with similar traits will relate to Henry, but other readers may not even notice, and that's okay.

When I read the author's original picture book about Henry, I found it disappointing that she didn't explain his autism, because kids would need prior knowledge to understand and sympathize with his behavior, instead of thinking he was just acting up. In this book, since Henry is merely nervous and unsure, and isn't behaving disruptively, the author's approach works well. Many families with autistic kids will appreciate the subtle representation.

This story is cute and fun, and it's a great choice for anyone who is looking for fun and engaging early chapter books. This will appeal to kids who share Henry's interest in dinosaurs, and the themes in the story will be a great fit for autistic kids, and for any child who feels nervous about having new experiences.

I like the message that this story gives about Henry. The talk about dinosaurs is fun! Great beginners chapter book.

A cute children’s book for the younger readers. Short chapters with repeating words and nice illustrations to go along with the story. This was my first ever read from this author. Love the Asian representation and the subtle neurodiversity representation as well!

Thank you to Netgalley and Chronicle Books for providing me a digital ARC copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

My daughter and I enjoyed this cute book. It showed manners and patience to my daughter through the actions of the children in the book.

Cute mini-chapter book! I enjoyed the first book about Henry, and this one will make a great addition to a school library. I am always looking for well-written books featuring neurodivergence.

A touching book for young readers about Henry, who has autism, and his fears about a school trip to the museum and how they are quelled by other's kindnesses. The black and white illustrations are totally charming too. Recommended!

This story is sweet and fun. It’s engaging with beautiful illustrations. The author uses simple language, repetitive phrases, and mini chapters so it’ll be perfect for young readers. Henry is a young boy who is a bit fearful about a school field trip to the museum because it’s a new experience for him.

This would be a great classroom read aloud when preparing young students for their first field trip.

This book was super cute. It took us through the field trip and what Henry wanted to see. It talked about things that kids loved to see when they went on adventures and how they may feel if it's their first field trip.

I was a special education teacher and I felt like my students would have loved this book and maybe even been able to relate to the frustrations of waiting and being exposed to something new, whether it was going on the bus for the first time or going on a field trip for the first time.

Henry and the Something.New by Jenn Bailey is an early chapter book about a class field trip to a museum. Henry is a slightly anxious, shy boy who really wanted to see the dinosaurs. He struggled with whether or not to turn in his permission slip or stay behind at the library. He had never ridden a bus before and felt anxious, but he did get on and sit with his friend. At the museum, Henry’s group visits all the parts of the museum that the other children wanted to see before Henry finally speaks up, but they made it to the dinosaurs and had a good day. This story was enjoyable and the illustrations were appealing. They are all in black and white, which showed the contrast well but may not be as eye-catching for children. This book would encourage discussion about Henry’s fears and his difficulty expressing his desires. All in all, it was an interesting story which would hold a young reader’s attention. I am voluntarily submitting this review after reading an advanced complementary copy of this book thanks to Netgalley and Chronicle Books.

I really enjoyed the black-and-white illustrations in this children’s book. The story was all over the place, but I think it would be perfect for a child. It kind of had a coming-of-age aspect to it with Henry overcoming struggles and challenges along this field trip. I think young readers will love this one!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with access to read this book!

My son really enjoyed this book very much, he is eight and it was easy for him to read and understand. He said he loved the drawings. And it felt like he got to go on the field trip with Henry and see the dinosaurs.. He really enjoyed it being a chapter book and still easy for him to understand.

The book let kids know it’s normal to worry when you do something new like go to the museum. Good message for kids about being patient and waiting your turn. Also about speaking up and finding your voice.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

As someone who lives with multiple disabilities, including learning disabilities, I am glad to see that more and more books are being published about children living with disabilities, and how their peers should treat them with kindness. Therefore this book touched my heart. I think every teacher and librarian should add this to collection. The illustrations were very nice and sort of reminded me of Peter H Reynolds who illustrated books such as Judy Moody.
I enjoyed this book.

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Henry is neurodivergent, as a result, he blends in easily with his best friends, but isn't a fan of the unknown or new things. Henry visit the local museum in a class field trip. He isn't too sure about riding a school bus for the first time and visiting exhibits. He courageously steps up and walks right in. He may not speak up right away, but he does finally find his voice.

I love the way Jenn Bailey explores Henry's mind and actions. A neurotypical young reader can find empathy in Henry's behaviors and feelings. The neurotypical characters are understanding and accommodating of Henry. I love the interactions among classmates and the parent chaperone as well. More importantly our neurodiverse students should feel see and represented through the character of Henry. I can see some many behaviors Henry exhibits among my many students in my elementary library classes even among neurotypical. I've been on a mission to feature and select books featuring neurodiversity and this book is just the ticket to add titles to our early reader chapter books. I am going to have to read Bailey's other books in this series. They clearly belong on our library's book shelves.

Having just read the first Henry book a few days ago, I found this story to be similar in good ways. Henry doesn't react to things in the same way his classmates do, but with a little thinking on his part and the care and attention of the people around him, Henry is able to visit the museum and see the dinosaurs. I like that readers can hear what Henry is feeling, and while he worries about things, he is able to work through those worries. Sometimes his classmates don't realize what he is thinking. They may ignore his preferences for their own, but mostly they are considerate and helpful. These stories set a good example for students who may struggle with changes in the classroom.

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Henry. He's just a little bit neurospicy, anxious, and so smart. I love the way he sees the world and how his quirky little brain works through things. He is so incredibly relatable. Every child (person) feels the way Henry feels sometimes. He is also a doorway to another world, for those times when he is experiencing something different than anything we may have felt. Henry is a great introduction to the differences between us and the love and tolerance and admiration that should exist.

This was a really sweet early chapter book. I think many young children will be able to relate to Henry's excitement and hesitancy about an upcoming field trip. The illustrations are simple, but effective. The book is broken up into easy to digest chapters, which could help beginning readers feel accomplished as they reach each chapter end. Beginning readers that enjoy quiet, realistic stories about school will likely enjoy this one.

I picked this one up based on the cover (and I've always loved the name Henry!) -- so I was very excited when I realized how much Henry and I have in common. ;) I love children's books that affirm neurodiversity, and Henry and the Something New does a terrific job explaining new experiences from Henry's point of view.

The bus sequence was particularly relatable (the sounds! the smells! finding a place to sit!) for me as I remembered the first time I went through the lunch line in the school cafeteria. (I was an adult -- the teacher! -- and my students walked me through the process of getting a tray, choosing my milk, etc.) Hooray for Jayden and Katie, helping Henry through his first bus ride.

The illustrations and text work together so beautifully in this picture book. I definitely want a copy of this one for our home library!