• Only: The Bird Who Liked Being Alone

    Only: The Bird Who Liked Being Alone

    written & illustrated by Airlie Anderson

    40 pages, 4–8 years; published 2024 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

    Some may say Only: The Bird Who Liked Being Alone by Airlie Anderson is quiet, but this picture book is also bursting with colorful illustrations and charming birds. Sometimes when the other birds are noisy and playing games, Only flys off on their own to sit and read. This story does a great job of showing how some of us need downtime, quiet time, or alone time. Despite this fact, no one actually wants to be lonely. Kids will see ways you can enjoy friendship in a low-key manner and how empowering it can be to identify what your personality needs and ask for it from others. Readers will also love analyzing the unique details in Anderson’s adorable paintings—something often done quietly. 

  • “Children have limited power to shape their own lives, but when they can experiment with possibilities through books, their optimism can be recharged and kept alive.”

    — Morris Gleitzman

  • Wombats Are Pretty Weird

    Wombats Are Pretty Weird

    written & illustrated by Abi Cushman

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

    Wombats Are Pretty Weird: A (Not So) Serious Guide packs loads of humor around its non-fiction text (which includes back matter). Kids won’t realize how much they’re learning! Abi Cushman possesses incredible skill at drawing animals with both cute and expressive faces. She pairs her illustrations with hilarious dialogue and somehow gets animal facts in there too. The mystery of square poop is laid to rest thanks to Cushman’s relatable science speak. Turns out wombats are indeed pretty weird, and a whole lot of fun.

  • “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”

    ― Oscar Wilde

  • Grandmother’s Galore!

    Grandmother’s Galore!

    written by Judith Henderson and Ellen Yeomans,
    illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh

    32 pages, 4–8 years; published 2023 by Abrams Books for Young Readers

    I love how Henderson and Yeomans built their story around something as simple as a mysterious yellow envelope arriving in the mail. This humorous story is full of spunky grandmas and bright colors courtesy of Kheiriyeh’s detailed artwork. The highlight is the birthday bash, for no one and everyone, that shows how we all simply crave each other’s company—no reason needed. Grandmother’s Galore! has a Grammy, Abuela, Nana, Nonna, Bibi, Nai Nai, Bubbie, and even a Bubbie Two-Two, plus a whole lot of heart.

  • “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”

    ― Rudyard Kipling

  • Butt or Face?

    Butt or Face?

    by Kari Lavelle, designed by Michelle Mayhall

    40 pages, 4–8 years; published 2023 by Sourcebooks Explore

    Kids will love the silliness Kari Lavelle brings to her non-fiction picture book about unique animal heads and heinies. Readers are sure to giggle while gaining knowledge from text that’s often accompanied by a pun or two. This book includes extra factoids in the back matter regarding animal locations and diets. Book designer, Michelle Mayhall, creates wonderful artwork by pairing reference photos with colorful graphics in a fun collage effect. Butt or Face? provides a fun and interactive way to introduce children to non-fiction topics with visuals and jokes that will entertain everyone. 

  • “Reading with children makes an intimate, human connection that teaches that child what it means to be alive as one of many beings on the planet.” 

    —Anna Dewdney

  • Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse!

    Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse!

    by George Mendoza, illustrated by Doris Susan Smith

    48 pages, 3–7 years; published 2023 by New York Review Books

    Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse! was first published in 1981 and later went out of print. I loved it as a child and was thrilled to see it brought back to life by New York Review Books. The story features Henrietta Mouse, a brilliant architect who bucked gender stereotypes in the 80s and continues to be an inspiring character for girls today. The details in Smith’s illustrations make this book stand out (endpapers and copyright page are no exception). Each spread presents one of Henrietta’s designs for her many friends including mole, caterpillar, and rabbit to name a few. Smith’s imaginative dwellings and floor plans are fresh and intriguing with unique furnishings that will captivate the eyes of young and old for many readings. The re-printing of this book is a gift to the picture book world and one sure to resonate with future generations as it did with mine.

  • “There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.” 

    —Ray Bradbury

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