Axolotl and Axolittle

by Jess Hitchman, Sarah Rebar (Illustrator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Even axolotls can’t avoid an occasional squabble. This clever, fun and adorable read-aloud captures the giggles and grumbles of sibling life in a charming rhyming way.

Axolotl snacks-alotl.

And lives life to the max-alotl.

Little brother Axolittle

likes to study facts a little.

For total opposites like these two, sometimes differences can lead them to poke-a-little and joke-a-little, then shout-a-lotl and pout-a-lotl. This axo-lutely hilarious new read-aloud about fighting and making up is a must-buy for siblings and friends who need to chill their gills and learn to get along.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781464237904
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	07/08/2025
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jess Hitchman started her career as an online agony aunt for teenage girls. Since then, she has been creating innovative digital experiences for entertainment brands like MTV, Nickelodeon, Radio 1, Channel 5, and Sky. As Executive Product Manager at BBC Children’s, she led the vision and strategy for some of the UK's most loved kids' apps, including the BAFTA-nominated CBBC Buzz and CBeebies Playtime Island. Jess has also created her own educational apps for preschoolers, which have been featured by Apple around the world. Jess is the author of picture books AVA IN CODE LAND, ALL KINDS OF AWESOME (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan), IN EVERY HOUSE, ON EVERY STREET (Little Tiger), and AXOLOTL + AXOLITTLE (Sourcebooks). She also co-writes the graphic novel series THE INFLATABLES (Scholastic US and UK) with Beth Garrod, and created the HIGH FIVE ME series of interactive board books (Happy Yak/Quarto).

Sarah Rebar has worked as an in-house artist for Sesame Street and an art director for Noggin, Nickelodeon’s educational platform for kids. Her illustration credits include the My Tiny Dino Library series and four books based on Michelle Obama’s kid’s show on Netflix, Waffles + Mochi!

Sarah is based in Los Angeles, California.

Editorial Reviews

"Clean-lined, limited-palette digital art by Rebar emphasizes the characters’ distinct personalities, while consistent rhyming lines by Hitchman provide amusing ear tickles alongside gentle lessons about connection and conflict resolution." — Publishers Weekly

"This hilarious tale is chock-full of nimble wordplay....The illustrations zing with color and energy and feature protagonists brimming with personality. No need to wonder what-l to read next. Grab this axo-lent charmer! " — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2025-04-19
Two siblings’ antics add up to a whole lot of cuteness.

Plum-colored Axolotl doesn’t do things by halves. You might say she goes full throttle, living life “to the max-a-lotl,” whether she’s skateboarding or playing her “sax-a-lotl while doing jumping jacks-a-lotl.” Artsy, lemon yellow younger brother Axolittle is a bit more subdued; he enjoys studying “facts a little," “dances, sings, and acts a little," and “loves to just relax a little.” The sibs generally get along until one day, while pretending she’s a duck, Axolotl accidentally ruins Axolittle’s painting; he squirts paint on her in retaliation. Axolotl’s mad-l; Axolittle’s sad-l. The next step? Call in Axo-Dad-l! That wise intercessor calms his weepy kids down, helping them reach an accord “in the axo-middle.” The contrite kids apologize and are soon reading, snacking, and cuddling “to the max-a-lotl.” This hilarious tale, expressed via frisky rhymes that read and scan well, is chock-full of nimble wordplay. Adults sharing this winner should encourage children to take inspiration from the text and make up their own similarly nonsensical (yet somehow logical) terms. Kids may also wish to learn about real axolotls (aquatic, gilled salamanders). The illustrations, incorporating some very creative typography, zing with color and energy and feature protagonists brimming with personality.

No need to wonder what-l to read next. Grab this axo-lent charmer!(Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews