If You Make a Call on a Banana Phone

by Gideon Sterer, Emily Hughes (illustrator)

If you make a call on a banana phone, who will answer? What will you talk about? Will you share secrets or ask questions? No one knows what will happen, really. This very silly story is full of the joy and wisdom that comes from making new friends from unexpected places.

Go ahead, pick up a banana and make a call. You’ll be glad you did.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Friendship, Childrens, Humor, Storytime, Fantasy

48 pages, Hardcover

Published September 23, 2025

Reviews

[Ann Haefele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new favorite of mine that I’ll be giving for gifts when needed. Silly and whimsical, but with a heartwarming message about making friends. Illustrations are perfect with the text. The book gives off cozy and warm vibes.

[Vance Miguel Johnson]

So fun and sweet. Really makes me remember how as a kid I could dream of everything and anything. I love this.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would happen if you make a call on a banana phone? You'll have to read this delightful picture book and find out!

Themes: humor, animals, imagination

Vibes: A bit "Where the Wild Things Are" especially towards the end. I even spied a yellow crown on the baby's head (in mama's arms) near the end of the book. Bonus points for positive chill everydayness of mama nursing baby & a family that is "a traditional" (ie: not a "typical" nuclear family with dad, mom, and 2 kids). Lovely soft hand-drawn color pencil style illustrations in a world of AI-creep into art and illustrations and poorly done digital picture book illustrations. Note to publishers & picture book illustrators: If you can do digital art well, keep it old school, folks.

Ages: preK-2nd grade
Pub year: 2025

[Nicole Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

     OMG, this book. With a lilting text reminiscent of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie..., Sterer's new book is cute, sweet, imaginative, and moving. It seems silly at first, but there is something heartwarming about not being afraid to pick up the phone and actually speak to another being, without texting or Facetime, just you and the voice of another. It reminds me so much of my own childhood and discovering my best friend was just like me, that I could connect with my future husband for hours with just his voice. A great book for kids to learn to embrace their imaginations, learn to connect with their voice, and to not fear those first moments of turning a stranger into a friend.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Clarion Books through Edelweiss+.
Sterer offers readers the chance to use their imagination as this young child uses a banana to talk with a gorilla somewhere in the jungle. The author takes readers through possible steps to build a friendship by asking questions and sharing information about each other. I appreciate the way the friendship builds to include others as well and how the story ends with them visiting and growing. The artwork is realistic and captures the various locations.

[Mrs.MakesReadingFun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well we just ADORE this book!
First off, I love the illustrations. They feel so classic and comforting, and I was drawn in instantly to the expressive characters.

The format of the story reminded me of "If you give a mouse a cookie"- and the cause and effect that happens, in this case, if you call a gorilla on the phone.

It is whimsical, humorous, and also heartwarming- all the things we love about a great children's book!

Will be instantly reading it with my students in library classes today :)

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A speculative story about what would happen if you made a call on a banana phone. Maybe a gorilla will answer. Maybe you will begin talking. Maybe you'll share something about youself or maybe you'll share a joke. This is a poignant picture book about listening, being open to connections, and friendship. A truly lovely book.

"What in the hopscotch are you doing?"

"But sometimes it is kind to just listen and say,
Yes, I hear you.
Yes, I understand."

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so imaginative and will be great fun to read aloud to kindergarten or 1st grade classes in library. I can already imagine the discussions we'll have! "Who [or what animal] would you call on a banana phone?" I am not sure yet which library lesson this aligns with but I will be certain to fit it in this school year!

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This magical book is of a child and a gorilla sharing a call on a banana phone. It is simply fun and lovely and deliciously sweet. Perhaps have a banana with you when you read it aloud, so students could decide who they would call using that banana phone, too. Emily Hughes illustrations are a soft palette with excellent details to chat about with your reading friends.

FUN!

[Maren · Rating 5 out of 5]

lets fucking gooooooo for some developmentally appropriate SEL in a non moralistic way that doesnt beat the reader over the head. and HUMOR. going to try this (well an abbreviation of it) at storytime on monday. with props 😈

[Abbigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book! I think this book is especially fun right now because of the trend of buying kids landlines instead of cell phones. This is a silly and sweet story about imagination with nuggets of how to be a good friend hidden throughout. A fun picture book.

[Kristian Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baby me would’ve loved this. The art was detailed and well placed—complex but stylistic. It’s the type of art I would’ve tried to copy when learning to draw and color.
Plus it had gorillas and elephants—two animals that I loved when I was small because of the movie Tarzan.

[Pam Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can just see this book at storytime with every child holding a banana to their ear. This is just so fun!

[KM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, imaginative, and tender! A new favorite read, and sure to be a modern classic!

[Miss Janis the Storytime Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

funny. For a small group, they can answer the questions about favorite color, etc. plenty of animals to point out. Just a good, solid storytime read.

[Syntha Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty much perfection in a picture book

[Marian Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is RAD. I haven't read it yet at storytime but I'm going to figure out a way to do a bananas storytime and it's going to be The Best.

[Frank McGirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turns out you can hear a lot with a banana in your ear.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fantastic book about making friends. ❤️

[Lauren M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminiscent of classic stories, here we have a story full of whimsy and imagination!

Cute and naturally toned pictures paired with a sweet story make this a fun read!

[Justice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my kind of book

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

kind of like if you give a mouse a cookie. A boy uses a banana phone to call a gorilla in the jungle. I didn't really like the illustrations, but the story was okay.

[Meghan Bohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute idea and beautifully illustrated! The African animals are done very well, even if they're not all jungle dwellers.

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great illustrations. Relatable content.

[Lynn Hardesty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute. Love the premise. Lovely illustrations.

[Kirsten Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun and whimsical book with friendship and a bit of phone etiquette delightfully woven into the storyline!

[Bear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming.

[Liese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best picture book published in 2025.