Category: picture books

Posted in picture books, Toddler Reads

Three Board Books for Spring and Easter

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

It is no secret that I love board books. Having a new grandbaby to share all these great new board books with? GOLD. Here are a few I’ll be tucking into her Easter basket – and reading at Spring storytimes!

Egg Hunt with Max and Moo, by Susie Lee Jin, (Jan. 2025, Schiffer Kids), $9.99, ISBN: 9780764368851

Ages Birth-3

Max and Moo are having an Easter egg hunt, and you’re invited! Fun lift the flaps and a playful story show the two joining their friends preparing and enjoying the egg hunt. Doubling as a concept book, Egg Hunt helps reinforce colors as readers discover the eggs and the friends they’ll discover on the way. Characters from Max and Moo’s previous adventure, Peek-a-Moo!, show up here and will delight readers who are familiar with them. Bold, colorful illustration with bold, black fonts make for easy reading. Durable flaps will hold up to multiple reads. A fun read for holiday and board book collections!

Visit Susie Lee Jin’s website for fun and free downloadables and more about her books.

 

Oh So Sleepy Head to Toe, Illustrated by Maria Gabriela Gama, (April 2025, Scholastic), $8.99, ISBN: 9781546139409

Ages Birth-3

This is more of a bedtime story, but there are adorable animals, including a bunny, so Spring it is! Animal friends are all getting ready for bed, and it’s up to readers to soothe them to sleep. Rub Little Sheep’s fuzzy tummy; smooth Little Pup’s blanket, pet Little Bunny’s ears: touch-and-feel pages and the repetitive “Goodnight” on each spread will soothe and relax readers and provide a gentle bedtime routine. If you’re holding a pajama storytime, encourage your attendees to repeat the behaviors on their own stuffed friends. Gama’s illustrations are adorable, with bright colors and cartoony animals, all curled up under their covers. A final directive to readers to “Wiggle your toes. Stretch your arms. Close your eyes” provides more interactivity and leads them into their own slumber (or the close of your storytime). Don’t miss this one.

 

Spring ABC, by Jannie Ho, (Jan. 2025, Candlewick Press), $7.99, ISBN: 9781536237689

Ages Birth-3

It’s a Spring alphabet! Filled with Spring images, this ABCedary is sure to be a hit. Cheerful, colorful illustrations will capture any reader’s attention, with playful alphabet choices like Apple Blossoms and Daisies; Ho thinks up creative ways to highlight other letters, like G, choosing the word “grow” and showing a worm next to a series of growing saplings; X for Extra Eggs, and Z for Zipper, showing the zipper of what could be a spring jacket. The book is well-constructed, with hardy pages that will hold up to multiple readings. A concept books essential, make sure to put this in your collections.

Spring ABC is the fifth book in Jannie Ho’s ABC series – visit her website to find out more!

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Three picture books to welcome Spring

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Spring is springing! I’ve got my Cricut kicking into high gear and am preparing displays for the children’s room here at the library. What better time to start talking about Spring Storytime? Here are three fun books to start things off.

Let’s Be Bees, by Shawn Harris, (Feb. 2025, Neal Porter Books/Holiday House), $18.99, ISBN: 9780823457090

Ages 3-8

It’s all about imagination and sounds with this storytime between a father and child. Starting with the two reading a story – why, they’re reading the same book we are! – there’s a statement: “Let’s be bees”. The next spread expands on the fun as parent and child turn into bees, the accompanying statement reading “Let’s be fuzzy, buzzy bees and BUZZ!” The two turn into chitty, chatty birds (“CHIRP!”), lofty, leafy trees (“RUSTLE!”), and a host of other nature and animal sounds. It’s great fun made for an interactive storytime with onomatopoeia and alliteration to keep kids’ interest with wordplay. The two even mimic each other for a delightful close to a perfectly fun story. The crayon artwork beautifully matches to the playful theme. Do not miss this one; it’s an essential add to storytime collections.

Let’s Be Bees has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist and is a Shelf Awareness pick.

 

 

Alfred Blooms, by Carrie Kruck & Carrie Mok, (March 2025, Random House Studio), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593647608

Ages 4-8

This amusing story about friendship, flowers, and blueberry treats is just what a Spring storytime needs. Alfred would love to have a beautiful garden like his friend Lulu, whose garden “was full of flowers and fruits trees and friends”. Try as he might, though, nothing grows in Alfred’s garden, leaving him disheartened until he sees some wildflower seeds and decides to give it one more try. As Alfred gets the seeds open, though, he sneezes, and the wind blows the seeds right back in his face. The seeds are EVERYWHERE, and when it starts raining , the flowers sprout: all over Alfred! He’s got flowers in his hair, flowers in his nose, flowers all over his clothes! As much as Alfred wants to hide away, the smell of blueberry muffins reminds him of Lulu’s favorite snack, so he heads to the local bakery and then to Lulu’s, where he discovers that a blooming garden isn’t the most important thing to have, and that sharing a kind moment with a friend is the best way to spend time. The gouache and pencil artwork create soft and gentle illustrations; Alfred, covered in flowers, will amuse readers and Lulu’s kindness will resonate with readers. Endpapers show the before and after of the garden. The cast of characters is diverse. Don’t miss this one for your Spring storytimes.

 

Fairy Walk, by Gaia Cornwall, (April 2025, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536230710

Ages 3-7

Three kids and their puppy friend are in search of fairies! While their moms relax, the explorers head into the woods on a wordplay adventure that gives We’re Going on a Bear Hunt vibes: “River rushes icy cold. / Step, / hop, / hop. / Splish-splash… / into the misty magic”. The group encounters all sorts of flora and fauna, but where are the fairies? Readers who keep an eye on the canine companion may see a fairy or two before the kids do – there’s playful magic to be found if only you look! The story is a light-hearted walk through a magical world that makes for a lively storytime. Fun storytime tip: flannel fans can create some fairies for readers to place on the flannel board. Pencil, watercolor, and collage illustration sets a magical stage for the story; the woods seem to glow with magic in the background on the opening pages, and the sprites bring a whimsical joy with them when they appear. Endpapers give readers a lay of the land, with fairies transparent yet visible for sharp eyes. Fairy Walk is magical and playful and a do-not-miss addition to storytime collections.

Don’t forget to have some fairy coloring sheets on hand for a post-storytime activity!

Posted in Non-fiction, picture books

Next Year in the White House: a story about the first Presidential Seder

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Next Year in the White House: Barack Obama’s First Presidential Seder, by Richard Michelson/Illustrated by E.B. Lewis, (March 2025, Crown Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593711583

Age 5-9

The White House has celebrated Easter with an “Egg Roll” since the 1870s, but a Seder celebrating Passover? Barack Obama was the first U.S. President to introduce a Presidential Seder, and it all started in 2008, when three members of Obama’s staff gathered in the basement of a hotel while on the road, working to get him elected President. Just as homesick and tired as his staff, Obama was invited to join the group. As the men read from the Haggadah – the guidebook to the Passover meal – Obama reflected on how the Exodus story inspired his heroes of the civil rights movement. At the conclusion of the meal, the group promises to celebrate the next year’s Seder at the White House. The White House Seder frames the story of this first Seder, with appearances by Sasha and Malia and even Bo Obama. Building a bridge between, as Michelle Obama reflects, “two enslaved peoples… now free to share a meal together in the White House”, the story is at once warm and powerful, as is the message delivered by the original three staff members – Herbie Ziskend, Eric Lesser, and Arun Chaudhary – that Passover is “about the family you have and the family you make”. Back matter includes the Haggadah booklet from the White House Seder annotated by Eric Lesser, notes on Passover, Black History, and a recipe for Flourless Golden Apricot Cake from Arun Chaudhary.  Lewis’ warm watercolor illustrations bring the reader into the story through perspective. An important book.

Next Year in the White House has starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus.

“Essential reading for all children—and adults—who hope for freedom for all.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred)
Richard Michelson is a poet, children’s book author, and art dealer whose children’s books have been listed among the 10 Best Books of the Year by The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and The New Yorker; and among the 12 Best Books of the Decade by Amazon.com. He has been a finalist for the Massachusetts Book Award, the Harlem Book Fest Wheatley Award, and the National Jewish Book Award, as well as receiving two Skipping Stones Multicultural Book Awards, a National Parenting Publication Gold Medal and an International Reading Association Teacher’s Choice Award. In 2009 Michelson received both a Sydney Taylor Gold and Silver Medal from the Association of Jewish Librarians, the only author so honored in AJL’s 50 year history. Michelson received his 2nd Silver Medal in 2017 and his 2nd Gold Medal in 2018. Additionally, Michelson won the 2017 National Jewish Book Award. Michelson is the owner of R. Michelson Galleries, the host of Northampton Poetry Radio, and the current Poet Laureate of Northampton Massachusetts. Visit his website: richardmichelson.com
E. B. Lewis has illustrated over seventy books for children, including the Caldecott Honor–winning Coming on Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson. Lewis also illustrated Jabari Asim’s Peaching to the Chickens, which was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book and a Kirkus Reviews Best Illustrated Book, and he’s a five-time Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner. Lewis teaches at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He is also a member of the Society of Illustrators in New York City, and an artist member of Salamagundi Club of New York. To learn more: eblewis.com
Posted in Non-Fiction, picture books, Preschool Reads

Earth Day and Every Day Reading: I Love Salmon and Lampreys!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I Love Salmon and Lampreys: A Native Story of Resilience, by Brook S. Thompson/Illustrated by Anastasia Khmelevska, (Feb. 2025, Heyday), $20, ISBN: 9781597146685

Ages 4-8

Growing up, Brook Thompson loved fishing with her family and hearing their stories; she also learned to care for the salmon and lampreys that sustained generations of her family. The dams along the Klamath River in Northern California endangered the fish, leaving the fish susceptible to “ich”, a parasite, that killed over 60,000 salmon. A member of the Yurok and Karuk Tribes, Thompson joined the tribal members and community that protested the dams until several were removed. Thompson’s story goes beyond the biographical to explain how the story of the fish mirrors her own journey to becoming a scientist and engineer; their pasts are rooted together in history, starting with the fish sustaining her ancestors. Like the salmon and lampreys, Thompson explored a life away from home, returning after receiving an education that will allow her to “take care of fish for people in the future, like my ancestors did for me in past years”. Khmelevska’s endearing artwork is rich with warm colors and expressive faces. A rendering of a grown-up Thompson wears a dress readers will recognize in an author photo from the back matter. Back matter includes fun facts, maps, and a note about the Klamath River dams. The book’s text utilizes a font called OpenDyslexic, making it easier for readers with dyslexia to enjoy. A good additional purchase for picture book biographies. Pair with We Are Water Protectors for Earth Day displays.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Alpacas Here, Alpacas There… so much fun to read and share!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Alpacas Here, Alpacas There, by Carrie Tillotson/Illustrated by Elisa Chavarri, (Feb. 2025, Beach Lane Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781665942027

Ages 3-8

This delightful illustrated rhyming book went over very well at storytime yesterday! These adorable big-eyed, lushly lashed animals have their moment in this fun and informative rhyming story loaded with alpaca facts. The story begins with alpacas’ domestication thousands of years ago in the Andes Mountains, when the people living among them used their fleece to keep warm in the cold mountain climate. From there, Tillotson provides a glimpse into alpaca life and behavior, with rhyming text making for an engaging storytime and informative paragraphs on each spread, providing deeper context and more information. Tilloton weaves beautiful imagery with her verse; paired with Chavarri’s charming and textured illustration, engaging moments abound: “While winter brings its crystal shawl, / In summer’s blaze / they laze and sprawl” shows alpacas steadfastly standing on the mountains as the winds whip around them, then enjoying a warm afternoon in a wading pool. Alpacas Here, Alpacas There is a cheerful and enlightening introduction to the smiling and fluffy animals. Endpapers feature a bevy of colorful alpacas across a stark white page. An excellent addition to storytime and picture book collections. Back matter includes an notes from the author and the artist, a glossary, and additional sources. Find some fun coloring pages to hand out after storytime here at Coloring.ws.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Ramon Fellini… a detective who isn’t what he seems

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Ramon Fellini: The Dog Detective, by Guilherme Karsten, (Feb. 2025, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780802856364

Ages 4-8

CRASH! A boy’s fish bowl is attacked! As soon as the boy gets his fish safely into a temporary bowl, a visitor appears: “Ramon Fellini, the Dog Detective, at your service”. Readers will be as confused as the boy, because Ramon looks suspiciously like a cat. But Ramon is a smooth talker, and easily talks his way into the gullible boy’s house, where he proceeds to ask strange questions, like “Are there any more fish in this house?”; he’s got some strange investigative methods, too: what kind of detective licks the fish’s shelter to discover clues? Readers will be shrieking at the boy, who really should be more critical of Ramon’s methods. A darkly funny mystery that readers who enjoyed Jon Klassen’s This is Not My Hat and I Want My Hat Back, Ramon Fellini: Dog Detective is also a great way to introduce readers to critical questioning and observation. Digital illustrations carry an amusing noir feel, with nighttime lighting and an expressive, distressed main character. Ramon’s facial expressions and body language telegraph his ulterior motives, making it easy for readers to figure out what he’s really up to. A good purchase for collections.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Taste the rainbow with How Do You Eat Color?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

How Do You Eat Color?, by Mabi David/Illustrated by Yas Doctor/Translated by Karen Llagas, (March 2025, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780802856388

Ages 4-8

Spend a day eating color: wake up and “sample sunshine in yellow, in a bite of pineapple”; by noon, brown like a banana. Enjoy and orange sunset as you see a melon moon rise, and tuck yourself in like a yam. Two kids and their chameleon wander through a rainbow of color, sampling food and enjoying their day. A nice twist on the “eat the rainbow” concept, David talks textures in a way that will bring a smile to readers and listeners: “Do you know how red tastes? / Does it tickle the tongue? / Is green sweet and cold like your / favorite sorbet?” As someone who grew up associating the flavor “green” with my favorite ice pop, I greatly appreciated this. Doctor deftly incorporates food into the landscapes, letting the group frolic among leafy greens and walk past carrot heads casting a shadow at dusk. Back matter includes some notes on additional colorful foods, why eating the rainbow is important, and tips on getting families to eat more colors together. Originally published in the Philippines, How Do You Eat Color is a good purchase to picture book collections and food storytimes. It will work really well with the Color Our World Summer Reading Theme (if you’re part of CSLP).

The Whole Kids Foundation has Eating the Rainbow printables available to share with families.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

That’s Not Funny, David! – actually, it is

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

That’s Not Funny, David!, by David Shannon, (March 2025, Orchard Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781546123187

Ages 3-7

That mischievous preschooler, David, is back and he’s still in trouble! That’s Not Funny, David! shows David just trying to have a little fun: but not everyone appreciates his sense of humor. David rams a shopping cart into a fruit bin; does a cannonball into the pool, soaking everyone around him; goofs off during class, and somehow – in what may be the most hilarious spread in the book – wedges a peanut firmly in his nose. The narrator’s exasperated voice starts with “Not funny, David!”, which becomes, “That’s disgusting!”, “We are not amused, David”, and “What were you thinking?” Kids and grownups alike will recognize both sides of the story; they’ll also recognize the moment David’s parent gives in and admits, “Okay, that’s pretty funny”. Show me a grownup who hasn’t had to hide a smirk or a chuckle at some behavior or other they should be curbing, right? As with all David stories, after an exhausting day of hearing “No, David!”, the story ends on an affectionate note where David’s parent expresses love for the lovable goofball, and David has a smile that stretches from ear to ear. All my David books go out on the regular, and I expect I’ll need a couple of copies of this newest one to keep up with demand. That’s Not Funny, David! is another fun addition to the series and to picture book collections. That’s Not Funny, David! is an Indie Next pick. Download some free activity sheets from Scholastic!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Special Days: Wash Day with Mama

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Wash Day with Mama, by Monia Mikai, (Jan. 2025, Crown Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593810644

Ages 4-8

It’s Sunday, and it’s the best day of the week for the little girl at the heart of Wash Day with Mama: it’s wash day! The story takes a wonderful look at the process of caring for Black hair by turning it into a girls’ spa day. Mama asks her daughter what hair style she wants for the coming week, and the girl helps prep by fetching all the supplies her mom will need – except for the deep conditioner, which her mom makes in the kitchen. The story takes readers step-by-step through the wash day routine and focuses on the relationship-building and self-care aspects. Mama empowers her daughter by relating the dual purposes served by the conditioner’s ingredients, telling her it contains “all the things you’ll also need in life… honey for some smoothing, for when life gets tough… tea tree oil for soothing, for the discomfort that can come with growth… coconut milk and avocado for strength, so you can keep on going”. The digital illustrations are warm and full of comfort and love and show a legacy of care as we see Mama’s mother taking her through the same ritual when she was a child. Mama reminds her daughter that wash day may take some time, but prioritizes self care, noting that “it’s an act of loving yourself, inside and out”. This story is pure joy and is a great addition to collections.

Monica Mikai is an author and illustrator of books for children. She is passionate about creating thoughtful stories and illustrations that inspire the reader to see life from a new perspective. Monica is the illustrator of the picture books Build a House, Thank a Farmer, The Proudest Color, My Name is a Story, and The Blue Pickup, among others. When not writing or illustrating, she can be found practicing yoga and pranayama, hiking, or propagating her many house plants. She lives in coastal Virginia with her husband and two sons.
Instagram
Monica Mikai: @monicamikai
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Read and display with:

Hair Love  Hair Love, by Matthew A. Cherry/Illustrated by Vashti Harrison, (May 2019, Kokila), $17.99, ISBN: 9780525553366

Stella’s Stellar Hair, by Yesenia Moises, (Jan. 2021, Imprint), $18.99, ISBN: 9781250261779

 

My Hair, by Hannah Lee/Illustrated by Allen Fatimaharan, (Sept. 2019, Faber & Faber), $16.95, ISBN: 9780571346868

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

I Am Jack: A Story of Imagination

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

 I Am Jack: A Story of Imagination, by Paige Duncan/Illustrated by Julia Moroko, (Oct. 2024, Front Porch Collective), $24.99, ISBN: 9798218537722

Ages 3-6

A little boy and his mom play outside together; as he dons different outfits, Jack’s mom wonders aloud what he is. He proudly proclaims, “I am Jack!” every time. The book’s structure is set in a question-and-answer format, with Mom guessing at Jack’s identity with each new costume: a dinosaur; an astronaut; a shark, or a monster truck? “I am Jack”. The costume changes are fun and creative: he sports a basket on his back when Mom asks if he is a “trash truck”; a construction worker when he wears a box on his head (with a drawing of a construction worker on the front). The box becomes airplane wings when Mom asks if he is a plane, and they use chalk to draw train tracks on the ground while he sits in a box with wheels as Mom asks if he is a train. It’s a fun and inventive story that Moroko’s colorful and playful illustration brings to life. The repetition of question-and-answer will inspire readers to chime in during a readaloud. I Am Jack is a fun story about a playful day between a child and his mother.