• The Yellow Bus

    The Yellow Bus

    written & illustrated by Loren Long

    48 pages, 3–6 years; published 2024 by Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan Kids

    A picture book about a school bus and her many uses. This touching story highlights the unique camaraderie between the bus and her community over the years. Long’s illustrations draw the reader in with a limited palette that only focuses color on the bus. The rich yellow seems to glow off the page, and kids will enjoy scanning the extra details in every scene. Long built a remarkable 3-D model of the town he depicts, something readers can learn more about in the back matter. The Yellow Bus feels destined to become a classic with appeal for all ages of kids and adults. A wonderful tale about love, devotion, and new beginnings.

  • “The habit of reading is the only enjoyment in which there is no alloy; it lasts when all other pleasures fade.”

    —Anthony Trollope

  • Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas

    Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas

    written & illustrated by Matt Tavares

    40 pages, 4–8 years; published 2023 by Candlewick Press

    This heartfelt Christmas story has something for everyone: a talking reindeer, a flying adventure, and the kindness of strangers. Framed text blocks and subtle lighting give Tavares’ illustrations a classic feel, and the detailed close-ups of Dasher prove captivating. Kids will enjoy rooting for the impatient Dasher when she travels alone and loses sight of the North Star guiding her home. Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas reminds readers to be brave, kind, and thoughtful—grand notions for the holiday season. (This picture book is a sequel to DASHER but each story stands alone.)

  • “A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life.”

    —Henry Ward Beecher

  • Flat Cat

    Flat Cat

    Written by Tara Lazar, illustrated by Pete Oswald

    40 pages, 3–7 years; published 2023 by Flamingo Books at Penguin Random House

    Tara Lazar has a knack for tapping into off-beat topics that humor kids, and this picture book is no exception. Flat Cat might not be your typical cat, but that’s just the way he likes it—or is it? This story shows readers how we often don’t know what we really want until we try something new. It includes fun language like splish-splosh, fuzzy-wuzzy, and comfy-cozy, and the illustrations by Oswald push the fun even further. Kids will love seeing Flat Cat in a waffle maker and being sat on by Aunt Harriet—all sure to warrant multiple readings!

  • “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”

    —Joseph Addison

  • The Walk (A Stroll to the Poll)

    The Walk (A Stroll to the Poll)

    written by Winsome Bingham, illustrated by E. B. Lewis

    40 pages, 5–9 years; published 2023 by Abrams Books for Young Readers

    This picture book by Winsome Bingham is a wonderful way to introduce kids to the concept of voting. It tells the story of a young girl and her grandmother embarking on a long walk to a voting site. They stop along the way to pick up friends and neighbors and remind one another about why this freedom is so important to exercise. The paintings by E. B. Lweis are tenderly rendered to show the colorful diversity of the urban setting and its community. It may be a cold fall day, but readers will feel the sun’s warmth on the characters and the hope and dedication in their hearts to carry out this call in The Walk. 

  • “The books that help you most are those which make you think the most.”

    —Pablo Neruda

  • The Bright Side

    The Bright Side

    written & illustrated by Chad Otis

    40 pages, 4–8 years; published 2023 by Rocky Pond Books

    The Bright Side by Chad Otis brings a much-neglected topic to the picture book realm. His story about an unhoused boy living in a school bus with his parents is autobiographical. This helps Otis present genuine fears and challenges for his character. He brings attention to the fact that schools include children from diverse backgrounds and experiences which warrant compassion and tolerance. There’s a beautiful frankness to the story paired with colorful illustrations conveying emotion and showing readers that kids are both adaptable and resilient. Otis reminds us that staying positive through adversity requires sparks of imagination, something readily available to kids if they continue to be surrounded by love, no matter where they sleep at night.

  • “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.”

    —Walt Disney

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