PENSACOLA, FL: Not all heroes wear capes. Some have floppy ears. Some have whiskers and a taste for mischief. And some, as it turns out, have four paws, a bottomless appetite for cheese, and a name that belongs in a storybook. Droolius Cheester is that hero, and he is the beating heart of Goldifox and the Three Hares, the debut picture book from author Judy Berk, releasing in 2026 for children ages 4 to 8.

The story unfolds in Carrot Top, a town with the kind of charm that makes you wish it were real. Three hares, Hoppington, Hopkins, and Little Hopster, have decided to enter a carrot-themed cooking contest. It is an ambitious undertaking, a chance to break from the ordinary and do something worth talking about. Their kitchen is busy, their creations are fragrant, and the contest is within reach. Then Goldifox shows up. Lured by the irresistible smell of fresh-baked goods, he throws the whole operation into delightful disarray. What the three hares need now is a hero. What they get is Droolius.

Even with all its humor, Berk keeps the book’s heart front and center, beautifully illustrating how an unexpected community comes together when real courage is called for.

Berk rounds out the book with discussion questions and writing prompts that give parents and educators a natural springboard for conversation, turning a single read-aloud into an ongoing dialogue about kindness, cooperation, and courage. Educators, psychologists, and parents have responded with enthusiasm, highlighting the book’s rich language, vibrant illustrations, and its ability to portray community and family bonds in a way that feels both genuine and joyful.

This is the first installment of the Carrot Top series, and the world Berk has created feels alive with possibility. Readers who fall for Hoppington, Hopkins, Little Hopster, and Droolius Cheester will find themselves rooting for many more adventures to come. Goldifox and the Three Hares is the kind of debut that signals not just a great book, but the beginning of something worth following.

Judy Berk taught kindergarten through second grade over the course of 35 years in Glastonbury, Connecticut, before retiring to Pensacola, Florida, where she now lives with her three dogs, Smitty, Lola, and Bruiser. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree in Early Childhood Learning from Eastern Connecticut State University. The thousands of picture books she read aloud over the course of her career were, in many ways, the preparation for this one.