Icon: Picture Book

The Garden That We Grew

Two kids decide to plant a garden. They have everything that they need: a patch of soil, a bunch of seeds, and a warm sunny sky. They make sure their plants can grow by watering and weeding. As the days go by, their plants peek out of the soil and eventually turn into large pumpkins. The kids harvest the pumpkins and use them to make pie and cookies. They also make jack-o-lanterns! The kids have so much fun that they decide to save the seeds so they can grow pumpkins next year.

The Garden That We Grow is perfect for early readers. Each page has large, cartoon-like illustrations that show the kids working in their garden. Most of the pages have one simple sentence that uses rhyming, familiar words, and visual clues to help readers. Almost every page begins with “these are the. . .” The repetition will help young readers feel confident in their ability to read.

With a simple plot and colorful illustrations, The Garden That We Grow will entertain readers as well as teach them the steps of growing a garden. After reading the story, readers will want to plant a garden of their own. More advanced readers will be bored by the story’s repetition and simple sentences. Young readers who want to learn more about gardening should add We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines to their reading list.

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Mortimer’s First Garden

Winter is just ending, the sky is gray, and the ground is brown. Little Mortimer Mouse munches on sunflower seeds and longs to see some green.

Upon overhearing the story of how springtime rain and sunshine nurtures little seeds to grow into great big green plants, Mortimer is skeptical, but decides to plant one of his seeds just to see if such a miracle really can happen. Mortimer finds a perfect spot to plant the seed, and then. . . he waits. And waits. And waits.

Impatient, Mortimer thinks nothing is ever going to happen to the little seed. But then something does happen. Something wonderful. Something divine. Something green! Mortimer discovers the miracle of springtime.

Mortimer’s First Garden is a wonderful story about discovering the wonders of gardening. As he waits for his sunflower to appear, Mortimer weeds, waters and cares for his growing plant. Through Mortimer’s experiences, readers will discover the joy of planting and caring for seeds and the excitement of growing a garden.

Mortimer’s environment comes to life in colorful, full-page illustrations. The illustrations are colored with muted spring colors and show the beauty of spring. Readers will fall in love with the little mouse, as he waits for his flower to grow. Readers will relate to Mortimer’s impatience, and smile when Mortimer tells God, “I wouldn’t mind a friend to help me eat these [seeds].” Just when Mortimer needs it, a friendly spider appears and the two friends snuggle down to sleep. Some readers may wonder why a spider would make a good friend for Mortimer. However, this would be an excellent opportunity to discuss the beneficial qualities of spiders.

Each page of Mortimer’s First Garden has 1-6 simple sentences that use repetition, onomatopoeia, and alliteration. The simple story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Both the text and the pictures combine into an engaging story that highlights the miracle of a seed. Parents who are looking for more books that encourage children to plant a garden should also read We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines.

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  • Mortimer hears a voice whisper, “Wait.” At first, Mortimer doesn’t know who spoke. But then, “Mortimer felt warm and protected. Then Mortimer knew the voice. Mortimer bowed his head. ‘I will wait, God. But please, make my seed grow.’”
  • When Mortimer’s seed begins to grow, he says, “Thank you, God!”
  • When Mortimer sees the sunflower, he says, “It is a miracle! Thank you, God!”
  • After all the seeds have been harvested, Mortimer prays, “And please, God, I wouldn’t mind a friend to help me eat these.”

Newton’s Rainbow: The Revolutionary Discoveries of a Young Scientist

Famed for his supposed encounter with a falling apple that inspired his theory of gravity, Isaac Newton (1642–1727) grew from a quiet and curious boy into one of the most influential scientists of all time. Newton’s Rainbow tells the story of young Isaac—always reading, questioning, observing, and inventing—and how he eventually made his way to Cambridge University, where he studied the work of earlier scientists and began building on their accomplishments.

When a bubonic plague outbreak interrupted his formal schooling in 1665, he made discoveries that illuminated the mysteries of gravity, motion, and even rainbows—giving mankind a new understanding of the natural world that changed science forever.

While most people recognize Isaac Newton’s name, they do not know how extraordinary his discoveries were. Newton’s Rainbow details many of Newton’s experiments, including when he made a mouse-powered mill. “Isaac attached a string to a mouse’s tail and put the mouse on a treadmill. When he tugged on the string, the mouse ran.” Readers who love science will be intrigued by Newton’s experiments.

Newton studied many great men who came before him including Aristotle, Plato, Johannes Kepler, and Galileo Galilei. The book includes a one-paragraph biography of both Galileo and Kepler. As Newton studied these great men, he also conducted experiments to prove or disprove a hypothesis. While the story of an apple falling on Newton’s head was not true, Newton was able to develop the theory of gravitation. He also developed calculus and his theories became the basics for modern physics.

Newton’s Rainbow is a picture book that has large full-colored illustrations that show Newton’s activities and experiments. However, the book will need to be read by an adult because of the text-heavy pages and the difficult vocabulary. Some difficult words, such as philosophy and chamber pot, are defined in the text. While the book does an excellent job of explaining Newton’s impact on today’s world, Newton’s Rainbow may not appeal to young readers. However, the book would be an excellent resource for a research paper.

Newton’s Rainbow will help readers understand Newton’s contributions to math and science. Readers who love science should add Newton’s Rainbow to their must-read list. However, highly active children may find it difficult to sit through a reading of the book. To introduce young readers to science, parents should read these books to their children: Questioneers Collection by Andrea Beaty and the Zoey and Sassafras series by Asia Citro.

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  • At school, Newton was often bullied. But then, “he beat up the school bully in a fight—even though the bully was much bigger.”

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  • Newton lived with an apothecary, who made medicines. “One required the patient to drink a mixture of mint, the bitter herb wormwood, and three hundred headless millipedes ‘well beaten with ale.’”
  • While at Cambridge, Isaac’s first roommate “liked to go to pubs and parties throughout the night.”

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City Dog, Country Frog

In spring, when City Dog runs free in the country for the first time, he spots Country Frog sitting on a rock, waiting for a friend. “You’ll do,” Frog says, and together they play Country Frog games. In summer, they meet again and play City Dog games. Through the seasons, whenever City Dog visits the country he runs straight for Country Frog’s rock. In winter, things change for City Dog and Country Frog. Come spring, friendship blooms again, a little different this time.

 City Dog, Country Frog explores the beautiful concept of friendship by focusing on two unexpected friends. When City Dog meets Country Frog, the two teach each other games. Their friendship is beautifully portrayed through watercolor illustrations that use muted colors. The illustrations enhance the concept of friendship by showing the two spending time together. For example, one illustration shows the two friends relaxing; Country Dog is floating in a pond and Country Frog is sitting on the dog’s head. Another illustration shows the wise frog protecting Country Dog from a summer shower by holding a large leaf over Country Dog’s head.

The story goes through the four seasons. But in winter, Country Frog is missing from the scenes. The story implies that the frog has died, and City Dog’s sadness is evident. However, when spring arrives City Dog meets a chipmunk. At this point, City Dog repeats Country Frog’s words: He says he is “waiting for a friend, but you’ll do.” And then City Dog “smiled a froggy smile.”

Even though City Dog, Country Frog is a picture book, the story intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 1 to 3 sentences and some of the sentences are complex. City Dog, Country Frog is a touching story that both young and older readers will enjoy. It’s a perfect book to put in your reading library because children will begin to understand the underlying themes as they grow.

The story has several underlying themes such as the rhythm of the seasons, the loss of a friend, and learning from each other. While younger readers may not understand the deeper themes, they will still fall in love with the two unusual friends. The captivating illustrations perfectly blend with the text’s words to create a lovely vision of friendship.

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Cece Loves Science

Cece loves to ask questions which is one reason she is so excited when her teacher, Ms. Curie, assigns a science project. Cece and her best friend Isaac both love zoology, so they decide to find out if dogs eat vegetables, and Cece’s dog Einstein will be the perfect test subject.

Cece and Isaac give Einstein different vegetables, but he refuses to eat them, even when they are covered with ketchup and bacon. Then Cece gets a great idea! Einstein loves bananas. Would Einstein eat vegetables if she made a vegetable and banana smoothie?

Both Cece’s parents and teacher encourage Cece to ask questions and then investigate to discover the answer. While in school, Ms. Curie introduces four famous scientists as well as different types of science. When Ms. Curie assigns the science project, Cece and Isaac use the scientific method which includes brainstorming, observing, and experimenting with different variables. The two friends use Ms. Curie’s Science Project Worksheet to document their experiment. The project worksheet appears throughout the story, which helps readers understand Cece and Isaac’s process.

Cece Loves Science introduces young readers to the scientific method in an easy-to-understand format. The brightly colored, full-page illustrations show Cece and Isaac in action. The illustrations highlight the characters’ facial expressions which helps readers understand their emotions. Readers will laugh at Einstein’s antics as he tries to avoid eating vegetables. The story’s text and illustrations expertly combine into an engaging format that will capture readers’ attention.

Even though Cece Loves Science is educational, the information is integrated into the story’s plot and never feels like a school lesson. While the science is kid-friendly, younger readers will need help reading the text-heavy pages because of the complex sentence structure and difficult vocabulary such as interpret, investigate and guarantee. Even though Cece Loves Science has more text than the average picture book, the fun science project will keep readers interested until the very end.

The supportive adults, diverse characters, and fun experiments make Cece Loves Science a must-read book. A two-page glossary appears at the back of the book. The glossary explains the scientists introduced in the story as well as defines science words. Cece’s curiosity is contagious, and her story will spark readers’ interest in science. After reading Cece Loves Science readers will be eager to try an experiment of their own. For more science fun, readers should check out the Ada Twist Series by Andrea Beaty, which includes both picture books and chapter books.

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Brown: The Many Shades of Love

The narrator, an unnamed boy, describes the varied skin tones of his immediate and extended family. The boy starts with his mama whose brown “is chocolate. It’s clear, dark, and sweet.” The book ends with the boy explaining that “I love to paint our shades of skin, and give each one a name. I love my family.”

Each page has two short lines. The lines describe a family member’s skin. For example, “Sister’s brown like polished pine—fragrant, tall and strong.” The boy describes eleven members of his family and uses nature and food to describe each person’s skin tone. Even though each person is a different shade of brown, the boy acknowledges, “We’re different and the same.”

The picture book’s illustrations look similar to watercolors. One side of the page is shaded brown, like the person’s skin. The illustrations celebrate the unique skin color of each person. For example, “Uncle’s brown like coffee beans, a dark and fragrant blend.”

Brown: The Many Shades of Love uses child-friendly language to show how each person in a family looks different, but they all share one thing—love. Even though Brown: The Many Shades of Love is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for a child to read it for the first time independently. The poem uses easy vocabulary and each page has two lines of text. Readers who enjoy Brown: The Many Shades of Love, should also read Love by Matt De La Peña which also shows the importance of a family’s love.

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Mango Moon

One day Maricela’s father doesn’t come home. With her father in a detention center awaiting deportation, Maricela’s whole life changes. Her mother has to work two jobs, her family had to move in with Maricela’s aunt, and she has to change schools.

Maricela misses her father so much that it makes her stomach hurt. And everywhere she looks, she’s reminded that her father is gone. She misses him pushing her on the swings. She misses him coaching her soccer team. And she misses him whenever she sees the moon, the bright orange moon that is just like the mango Maricela was eating the last time she and her father looked at the night sky together from their porch.

Mango Moon tackles the difficult topic of deportation by focusing on one girl’s struggle. Maricela and her brother were born in the United States, and her mother has a visa. But Maricela doesn’t understand how her father can be sent to a dangerous county because “Papi never did anything wrong; he just didn’t have papers.”

Beautiful illustrations show Maricela’s range of emotions—confusion, loneliness, fear, and sadness. Her father’s absence is felt in every picture. On one page, Maricela hugs her father’s picture, and on another, she reads her father’s letters. The most touching picture is when both Maricela and her father are looking up at the same moon, but Maricela is in her backyard and her father is in a detention center. In the illustration, her father is holding a card that Maricela made for him. The illustrations highlight Maricela’s emotions, which often contrast with the bright illustrations. Most of the illustrations have mango color, which helps remind the reader of Maricela’s last night with her father.

While Mango Moon doesn’t talk about the political aspect of immigration, the story does show the devastating effects of families being separated. Unlike many stories, Mango Moon doesn’t end on a happy note. Instead, Maricela expects her father to be sent to another country, alone. Like many children of undocumented immigrants, Maricela is teased at school which only adds to her worries. Maricela’s story is heartbreaking because it shows how Maricela’s life is shattered.

Any parent who wants to broach the subject of immigration should read Mango Moon with their child. Even though the story is a picture book, young readers will need help understanding the difficult subject. De Anda writes about immigration’s hardships in a child-friendly manner that shows it is “all right for us to cry.” Many children may face similar hardships to Maricela, and Mango Moon can help them process the confusing emotions of having a parent deported. Even if you are not in a similar situation, Mango Moon can help kids grow empathy and understand the pain of losing a parent.

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All Are Welcome

Follow a group of children through a day in their school, where everyone is welcomed with open arms no matter their race, religion, or background. The picture book begins with families being welcomed to school. The story shows events that happen during a typical school day such as playing at recess, making music, having lunch, and presenting science projects. Each page repeats the refrain, “All are welcome here.”

The end of the book transitions to the children’s home life. Two pages show some of the kids sleeping, but in their dreams, they are playing with a special friend. Even though everyone is different, “we’re part of a community. Our strength is our diversity. A shelter from adversity. All are welcome here.” The picture book shows the importance of accepting others despite differences.

The picture book’s illustrations are bursting with colorful details. The book includes a diverse group of children including a girl in a wheelchair and a blind boy. One page includes a Muslim girl praying. The children’s clothes are bright, colorful, and full of patterns. Parents may want to point out the two girls who seem to be special friends and are playing in most of the pictures. The children’s hair is messy, and many of them have missing teeth which adds charm to the pictures.

All Are Welcome is a quick read since each two-page spread contains 2 to 4 rhyming lines of text. The end of the book has folded pages that can be removed and used as a poster. Both the words and the illustrations celebrate a group of diverse people that make up a community. A world map appears in several of the pictures which reinforces the idea that “No matter how you start your day. What you wear when you play. Or if you come from far away. All are welcome here.”

All Are Welcome would be a wonderful read-aloud book that will introduce readers to the concept of being accepting of everyone despite their differences. In a world filled with division, All Are Welcome will help young readers understand the importance of being kind, inclusive, and accepting others. Angus All Aglow by Heather Smith is another wonderful book about accepting people’s differences.

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Funny Valentine

It’s Valentine’s Day and Splat and his friends want to give Mrs. Wimplydimple something special. Follow Splat the Cat and his friends as they create the perfect Valentine’s Day card. On each page, readers will need to lift the flap to find what’s hidden behind.

Splat the Cat Funny Valentine will get young readers ready to grab the glitter and glue to create their own cards. When making the card, Splat and his friends use everyday objects like rubber bands, construction paper, and paper clips. Large, full-color illustrations bring the story to life and add humor as well. The illustrations have fun details like the rat flying in a paper airplane. Readers will also enjoy looking for the rat that appears in many of the pictures.

Each page has 2 to 3 short sentences that contain onomatopoeias and alliteration, which makes Splat the Cat Funny Valentine a fun story to read out loud. The story is perfect for beginning readers. The story is designed for readers who can read on their own but may still need a little help. The cute pictures and the low word count make Splat the Cat Funny Valentine a fun story. Younger readers who want to create crafts of their own will love Splat the Cat Funny Valentine. For more Valentine’s Day fun check out The Mystery Valentine by A.I. Newton.

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I Will Rejoice

Based on Psalm 118:24, I Will Rejoice teaches how to find joy in each day God has made. We can appreciate the simple, everyday things we do, from a “warm, cozy lap,” to being glad “in the evening light.” There are lots of reasons to rejoice. The story follows one little girl’s day as she plays with a friend, takes a nap, and wrestles.

Beautiful pictures in muted colors illustrate one girl as she goes through her day. The illustration highlights the many people (and the teddy bear) that love the girl. The story focuses on small delights such as being able to play, snuggle, and listen to a story. I Will Rejoice will help young readers appreciate the many simple blessings they receive each day.

Each page has a rhyming couplet and most pages begin with, “I will rejoice. . .” The repetition and rhyming that appear in each short sentence, make I Will Rejoice the perfect book to read aloud. Each page contains 1-4 sentences. Even though I Will Rejoice is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for a child to read it for the first time independently.

I Will Rejoice combines beautiful pictures and poetry to create a picture of all of God’s blessings.

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  • I Will Rejoice focuses on celebrating Psalm 118: “This is the day the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Golden Threads

When a storm sweeps Emi’s beloved stuffed fox away from their mountain home, he ends up tattered and alone on a distant shore. A kind old man finds the fox and gives it to his granddaughter, Kiko. As she recovers from an injury of her own, Kiko mends the fox lovingly with golden thread.

As the seasons pass, Kiko cares for the fox as her own. While the fox is with his new friend, Kiko sews him with golden thread. After discovering his origins, she sets out with her grandfather’s help to bring the fox back to its original home. Once together, Emi and Kiko piece together the fox’s journey and find delight in their newly forged connections.

Told from the stuffed fox’s point of view, readers will relate to the fox who is lost and misses his friend, Emi. The fox worries that because of his “tattered paws and matted fur” that Emi will no longer want him. The illustrations depict Kiki’s injury and imply that both Kiki and the fox will be better than before after they heal. The story shows how the fox brings Emi and Kiki together and helps them form a friendship.

Golden Threads is inspired by the Japanese art form of kintsugi, or golden joinery, where broken pottery is repaired with resin painted gold. Kintsugi values repairing, rather than replacing, believing that the cracks give the broken item its story. This book is also a warm celebration of wabi-sabi, the Japanese idea that there is beauty in things that may be incomplete or imperfect.

Any child who has a favorite stuffed animal will love Golden Threads and understand the themes of getting lost, healing, and coming home. The sweet story has beautiful paper-cut illustrations with depth and warmth. Even though Golden Threads is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. The alliterations and descriptions make the story fun to read aloud. However, younger readers may have difficulty with the complex sentence structure and the vocabulary. Each page has 1-4 sentences, which makes Golden Threads perfect to read aloud. Golden Threads beautifully conveys the message that people and stuffed animals do not need to be perfect in order to be loved.

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A is for Astronaut: Blasting Through the Alphabet

Retired astronaut Clayton Anderson takes readers on an A to Z flight through the alphabet from astronaut and blastoff to spacewalk and Zulu Time. Topics cover science, the history of NASA, and practical aspects of being an astronaut. In addition, A is for Astronaut has other astronaut facts that books usually overlook—such as how astronauts take out the trash while in space!

Even though younger readers may not understand all of the scientific information in A is for Astronaut, this picture book will captivate readers of all ages. Each letter has a fun poem paired with longer expository text. The main text appears in the form of a rhyming poem. Most pages have a sidebar that explains more about each topic. These sidebars have 2-3 paragraphs that use some difficult vocabulary. For younger readers, the poem will give enough information without reading the sidebars, while older readers will enjoy the additional tidbits in the sidebars.

The illustrations in A is for Astronaut are so beautiful that they would make gorgeous pictures to hang on the wall! The full-page illustrations use a kaleidoscope of color to show the beauty of space and the wonder of space travel. For example, one picture shows a child’s face, clearly captivated by a space shuttle launch which is reflected in the child’s sunglasses. Each illustration has beautiful details that show different aspects of space flight such as the planets, the astronauts, and the people on earth. While most illustrations focus on planets and astronauts in space suits, the pictures include a diverse group of men and women which will allow all readers to picture themselves in a space-related career.

Every child should read A is for Astronaut because the text and illustrations combine to show the wonder of space flight. For those who do not already love science or space, A is for Astronaut will provide a basic understanding of space flight. But more importantly, the book might just spark readers’ interest in space flight, the planets, or a career in science.

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Bear’s Loose Tooth

Bear and his friends are munching on their lunch when all of a sudden Bear feels something wiggling and wobbling in his mouth. It’s Bear’s first loose tooth. Bear’s friends ease his concern about his tooth and help him understand that losing a baby tooth is perfectly natural. Bear puts his tooth on a plate and the tooth fairy replaces the tooth with fresh berries for the bear to munch.

Everyone, whether they have lost their first tooth or not, will fall in love with Bear and his forest friends. Bear’s friends want to help him by pulling out the tooth. First, the little wren tries, then the owl. All of his friends try to remove the tooth, which doesn’t come out until Bear uses his tongue to nudge and wiggle the tooth. The cute ending will both surprise and delight readers.

Bright, colorful illustrations chronicle the process of Bear losing his first tooth. The full-page illustrations are adorably sweet and have just a bit of humor. Readers will giggle as all of Bear’s friends look into his mouth as the rabbit wiggles the tooth. All of the animals’ faces are expressive and show emotion, but the story focuses mainly on Bear’s emotions which allows the reader to see his sadness and his joy.

Bear’s Loose Tooth is perfect for younger readers. Each two-page spread has 1-6 sentences that contain alliteration and some rhyming words, which makes the story fun to read aloud. The picture book is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Bear’s Loose Tooth is a fun story that will help younger readers understand why their teeth become wiggly and fall out.

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I Wanna Be A Cowgirl

A young girl dreams of going out west where “the warm winds blow. The grass grows high, the sun hangs low.” Using her imagination, the girl saddles her stick pony and heads to the back yard to “check in on my chicken coops, take a bath in the creek, and milk the cows.” Her trusty dog and cat go on the adventure too. Finally, she moseys in to “rest my head. I’ll get some grub, unroll my bed. I’ll be tired, but warm and fed.”

The book’s illustrations have a vintage feel and use two main colors—red and green. Anything that is associated with being a cowgirl appears in red, in contrast to the green of nature. Each illustration shows the girl’s imagination at work. For example, when she pretends to shear the sheep, the illustration shows her brushing her dog. When the girl takes a bath in the creek, she’s really jumping into a wading pool. The illustrations are warm and whimsical and will immediately capture readers’ attention.

Even though the text uses simple sentences, the picture book is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 1 to 3 sentences that would make a fun book to read aloud because of the rhyming text and the country twang. For example, “I’ll check in on my chicken coops./ I’ll make my rope do loop-de-loops—/ a lasso spinnin’, makin’ hoops.”

I Wanna Be A Cowgirl has adorable pictures that bring the girl’s imagination to life. Young readers will enjoy the adventure and have fun imagining the life of a cowgirl. The girl’s trusty pup makes an appearance on almost every page which adds even more fun to the illustrations. The story’s plot is easy to understand, and the book would be an excellent (and short) bedtime story. If you’re looking for another picture book with a country feel, check out I’ll Love You Till the Cows Come Home by Kathryn Cristaldi.

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There Was An Old Astronaut Who Swallowed the Moon!

In this space-themed Old Lady Book, an old astronaut takes off into space and “swallowed the moon. I don’t know why she swallowed the moon, it happened at noon.” In between the old lady swallowing different space objects, two characters ask and answer space questions. For example, a girl asks, “How does the moon stay in the sky?” Her friend answers, “Gravity’s force keeps it up high.”

The only positive aspect of the story is that it teaches some space facts. The end of the book has two pages of space facts and the illustrations contain hidden objects. Unlike The Old Lady Who Swallowed the Fly, There Was An Old Astronaut Who Swallowed the Moon doesn’t have the same silly rhyme scheme that gives the words a fun flow. While the space facts are interesting, they are oddly placed and they break up the rhyme and repetition.

The story is illustrated with bright colors on top of space’s blackness. The illustrations have the same grainy aspect as a chalkboard. Some of the illustrations are funny, but others leave the reader wondering how the old astronaut swallows a comet, a rocket, and still has room for a satellite. In the end, the reader finds out that the old astronaut is actually in a planetarium and was only pretending to swallow the space objects. However, instead of being humorous, the ending falls flat.

There Was An Old Astronaut Who Swallowed the Moon is a picture book with 1 to 2 sentences per page. However, the story is not intended for children to read it for the first time independently. Younger readers may enjoy the story’s silliness, but parents may want to leave this Old Woman Book on the shelf. Unfortunately, the lack of rhyming, the odd illustrations, and the space facts do not blend well together.

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Don’t Touch My Hair!

Aria loves her hair. It’s soft and bouncy and grows up toward the sun like a flower. But what will Aria do when curious hands can’t resist touching her curls?

Based on the author’s experience, Don’t Touch My Hair! uses humor to show how uncomfortable Aria feels when someone touches her hair. In the author’s note, Miller explains, “This is also a story about personal boundaries and what I would like to be used as a tool to teach the importance of asking for permission first. I hope that, after reading Don’t Touch My Hair!, children can learn the importance of asking for permission and of not being afraid to say ‘no’—and not being afraid to hear ‘no,’ too!”

The picture book is full of bright and colorful pictures that show how Aria tries to blend in with the scenery. However, people, mermaids, monkeys, and even a space alien want to touch Aria’s hair. Younger readers will love the wonderful and often silly illustrations. Throughout the story, the illustrations include diverse people of different ages and races. Not every child will relate to Aria’s conflict; however, Don’t Touch My Hair! would be a great book to teach about personal boundaries.

Even though Don’t Touch My Hair! is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for a child to read it for the first time independently. Most pages contain 1-3 sentences, which makes the story a quick read. Don’t Touch My Hair! is an entertaining and humorous story that focuses on Aria’s need to speak up and tell others not to touch her hair because it makes her uncomfortable. Readers who enjoyed Don’t Touch My Hair! should add Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry to their reading list because both books highlight the importance of expressing yourself.

Sexual Content

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Supernatural

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Grama’s Hug

When May comes to live with Grama, they become an unstoppable team. Together they create art, birdwatch, and prepare inventions for the annual space fair. And they never, ever say goodbye without a hug. But when May wins the opportunity of a lifetime and gets ready to take off—literally—on her own, Grama worries: will May leave on her longest adventure yet without a hug?

May wants to “soar” just like the birds. With Grama’s help, May makes bird wings so she and Grama can go on adventures. “May wanted to take off to the stars one day. So, every year she prepared for the space fair and Grama eagerly assisted.” With the help of illustrations, the reader is able to see May’s science fair projects win year after year.

The relationship between May and Grama is sweet, and the two clearly love spending time together. The story begins with May going to live with her Grama. However, the reader does not know why. Readers will enjoy both May’s imagination and her love of science. While several pages show May receiving awards at the annual space fair, the story skips the hard work that goes into each project and unrealistically shows May winning the space fair five years in a row.

The whimsical illustrations are full of color and add beautiful details that children will enjoy looking at over and over. Birds appear in many of the pictures, which help reinforce May’s desire to fly. Grama and May even make their own wings and pretend to fly off to find a new planet. Several illustrations show May with a group of children from diverse backgrounds which shows that science isn’t just for one type of person, but is for everyone.

While children may not understand all the story’s themes, they will understand the importance of imagination and having big dreams. The story is a little disjointed and has some unrealistic parts, but the main theme is clear—everyone can make their dreams come true. Grama’s Hug is a picture book with 1 to 3 sentences per page. Some of the sentences are complex and will require the story to be read by a parent before it is read independently. Grama’s Hug allows readers to see the importance of hugs and saying goodbye and will inspire readers to dream big. Space-loving readers should also check out Mousetronaut by Mark Kelly and Mae Among The Stars by Roda Ahmed.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13

You’ve likely heard of the historic Apollo 13 mission. But do you know about the mathematical genius who made sure that Apollo 13 returned home safely?

As a child, Katherine Johnson loved to count. She counted the steps to the road, the number of dishes and spoons she washed in the kitchen sink—everything! Boundless, curious, and excited by calculations, young Katherine longed to know as much as possible about math and about the universe.

From Katherine’s early beginnings as a gifted student to her heroic accomplishments as a prominent mathematician at NASA, Counting on Katherine is the story of a groundbreaking American woman who not only calculated the course of the moon landing but saved lives and made enormous contributions to history.

In a time when women could not find jobs as research mathematicians, Katherine took a job as a teacher. However, the “space race” gave Katherine and other women an opportunity to work at NASA. Because of Katherine’s accuracy and strong leadership skills, astronaut John Glenn and others relied on Katherine’s mathematical calculations. Counting on Katherine explains how Katherine Johnson helped determine a spaceship’s trajectory. Katherine’s life shows that with hard work and determination, dreams do come true.

Counting on Katherine’s realistic illustrations add beauty and emotion to the story. The artwork also portrays how Katherine’s life was filled with mathematics. The artwork also helps explain how mathematics is essential to space travel. The story shows how “sending a rocket ship into space is like throwing a ball in the air.” Through both text and illustrations, Katherine’s advanced mathematic equations become understandable to younger readers.

Counting on Katherine explains many of the difficulties that Katherine had to overcome, including segregation and the belief that women could only do “tasks that men thought were boring and unimportant.” Even though Counting on Katherine is a picture book, the story has wide appeal for all readers. Counting on Katherine only has 1-6 sentences per page, but younger readers will need help with the story’s advanced sentence structure and vocabulary. Readers who want to read additional inspiring space stories should read Mousetronaut by astronaut Mark Kell and Mae Among The Stars, a picture book that was inspired by the story of Mae Jemison, the first African American in space.

Sexual Content

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Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution

Squirrel hears about New Year’s resolutions, but she doesn’t know what they are. So she visits her friends to find out what they resolve to do in the new year. Bear wants to help others learn to read. Porcupine decides to be less grumpy. What will Squirrel choose to do for her resolution?

 Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution explains the significance of a resolution in kid-friendly language. The story goes through the steps of making a resolution. Bear starts by explaining, “A resolution is a promise you make to yourself to be better or to help others. When we begin a new year, we make a fresh start.”

When Squirrel still isn’t sure what to do, Rabbit tells him, “Think of a way to improve yourself. Or a way to use what you’re good at to help others.”

The story concludes with Rabbit pointing out that even though Squirrel had not verbalized a resolution, Squirrel has helped others. Throughout the story, Squirrel helps other characters find realistic ways to keep their resolutions. Rabbit tells Squirrel, “Your actions are better than words. It looks like you resolved to help someone every day.”

Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution has illustrations with friendly forest animals in bright colors. Each two-page spread contains one full-page illustration as well as one or more large illustrations. Not only are the pictures beautiful to look at, they also show the animals’ emotions. Each page contains 3-9 sentences and the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently.

Younger readers will enjoy the simple plot and detailed illustrations of Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution. The story is not only engaging, but also encourages readers to improve themselves, help others, and make the world a better place. The enjoyable story and positive message make Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution a must-read.

Sexual Content

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Astronaut PiggyWiggy

 PiggyWiggy dreams of being an astronaut. Along with his faithful friend and companion, Teddy, he boards a rocket dressed in his special space suit and blasts off to explore the wonders of the planets. What will bring PiggyWiggy down to earth again?

PiggyWiggy’s imagination comes to life in illustrations that use bold colors. While the pictures are simple, they do have some cute details that children will love, such as a parade of animals carrying space helmets. Each two-page spread has one sentence that is written in large print. While in space, PiggyWiggy meets some colorful aliens and puts a flag on another planet.

PiggyWiggy’s adventure has a simple plot with 5 to 17 words on each two-page spread. Even though Astronaut PiggyWiggy is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for a child to read it for the first time independently. The short story will entertain younger readers who have a short attention span. Astronaut PiggyWiggy will teach a few facts about space. Space-loving readers will also enjoy Moon’s First Friends: One Giant Leap for Friendship by Susanna Leonard Hill. Both books are imaginative stories that introduce young readers to space.

Sexual Content

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Supernatural

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The Biggest, Best Snowman

Little Nell lives with BIG mama, BIG Sarah, and BIG Lizzy. They think she’s too small to do anything. So little Nell goes into the big, snowy woods to play with her friends Reindeer, Hare, and Bear Cub. They don’t think she’s too small at all. They think she can build a BIG snowman. And with their help, she does—the biggest, best snowman ever!

Little Nell would like to help with something, but her family thinks she’s too small to help. Nell goes into the snowy woods and plays with her animal friends. When Nell’s friends want her to make a snowman, she says she can’t because “I’m so small.” Bear asks, “How do you know unless you try?” With the help of her friends, Nell makes a gigantic snowman. When she shows her family the snowman, they realize that she isn’t too small to help.

The Biggest, Best Snowman will appeal to a wide range of readers—the story is set in a winter scene with cute forest animals. After Nell and her forest friends have a tea party, they all work to build a snowman. Nell starts by patting snow into a ball, and then each animal helps make the snowball larger. Even the birds help with the snowman by finding objects to make a face. The illustrations have pops of blue and green that help give the story a festive feeling. Nell’s BIG family is portrayed oddly. One sister has silly details, such as holly in her hair and Christmas ornament earrings. However, the other sister is obese, sulky, and ill-mannered.

Even though The Biggest, Best Snowman is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page contains 1-8 sentences with some complex sentences. The pictures are beautiful and have some fun details. For example, when the animals roll the snowball, their tracks spell out snow. However, the story’s repetitious dialogue and the repetition of the word BIG may irritate some readers. Some might find the odd sisters and their behavior silly, but others might find it slightly disturbing. For example, the mom pulls the big sisters on a sled, up a hill, while the younger sister has to walk.

The Biggest, Best Snowman teaches that even little kids can do something big with the help of their friends. However, there are better winter books to read including, The Snowmen At Night by Caralyn Buehner, Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer, and A Loud Winter’s Nap by Katy Hudson.

Sexual Content

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Shampoodle

Two kids take a group of dogs to the salon so they can be groomed for picture day. When the dogs get to Shampoodle, the groomers begin cutting the dogs’ hair. There’s “scrubbing. Bubbling. . . Rubbing. Patting. . .Tangling . . . Combing.” Then a couple of cats come in and the “puppies spot them.” Chaos ensues as the dogs begin to chase the cats. The chaos causes the groomers to make some silly errors with the dog’s hair.

When the dogs are finally picture-perfect, the two kids head to the park. But the excited dogs find some mud and soon create a “dog mud slide.” The dogs and the kids finally make it to the park and get their picture. In the picture, both the kids and the dogs are a silly, muddy mess.

Shampoodle makes reading fun. The colored illustrations are full of fun details that younger readers will love. The dogs are humorous and cute, and the illustration captures the dog’s hair care journey. The story is intended to be read in preschool through first grade. Readers will recognize familiar sight words, but they will also need to sound out new words. Each page has 4-10 words and short sentences filled with rhyming and alliteration. Shampoodle is a simple, silly story and both the text and the illustrations will entertain readers over and over again.

Sexual Content

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Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve?

Who’s knocking on Christmas Eve? Kyri is afraid that it’s the trolls that come every year and gobble up Kyri’s Christmas feast. Kyri hears someone knocking and when she peeks out the window, she sees a boy from Finnmark. Kyri lets the boy and his bear in, then quickly closes the door.

The next time Kyri hears knocking, she knows it’s the trolls. Kyri and the boy from Finnmark try to keep the trolls outside, but the trolls are able to sneak in. The hungry trolls chase Kyri and the boy outside. As the trolls eat Kyri’s Christmas dinner, Kyri wonders if anyone will be able to save it.

Beuer brings a Norwegian fairytale to life with her beautiful illustrations. Each picture is detailed and includes side panels, borders, and a lot of winter landscapes. The artwork is beautiful, but the trolls may be frightening for younger readers. In order to fully grasp the story’s illustrations, readers must look at the decorative side panels that focus on the different characters.

Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve? is not a typical Christmas story. Although the story takes place in winter, the focus is on the mischievous trolls who want to gobble up dinner. Some readers may be frightened by both the trolls and the polar bear that chases them away. Even though Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve? is a picture book, it is intended to be read aloud to a child rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has four or fewer lines of text. The complex sentences and detailed pictures will require readers to take their time to enjoy the story. Even though the story is not well-developed, readers will enjoy the pictures and the conclusion of Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve?

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Snowmen At Night

Have you ever wondered about the secret life of a snowman? Maybe one morning his grin is a little crooked, or his tree-branch arms have drooped, and you’ve thought. . . What do snowmen do at night?

Now is your chance to marvel at their magical frosty adventures, as roly-poly snowmen slide away to the park for an evening of wintertime merrymaking. Once the sun goes down, let the snowman fun begin! And just to add to the wintertime mystery, Mark Buehner has hidden the following in his paintings: a cat, a rabbit, a Santa face, and a Tyrannosaur Rex.

Snowmen At Night is a simple story about the fun snowmen have when everyone is asleep. Told in rhyme with entertaining imagery, readers will enjoy seeing snowmen sipping hot coca, skating on a frozen pond, and having a snowball fight. Most pages have one sentence, which makes Snowman At Night a wonderful read-aloud bedtime story. To add to the story’s appeal, the text is not always linear; it occasionally swoops along with the snowmen.

Even though Snowman At Night is a picture book, it is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. The story’s illustrations are bright, colorful, and the snowmen often look like they are ready to jump off the page. To add to the fun, the reader can search for hidden images within the illustrations. Snowman At Night is a fabulously fun story that will keep its appeal year after year. Grab a hot chocolate, snuggle up with a little one, and let Snowman At Night show you what fun winter can be. Readers who want to add more winter fun should add A Snowy Nap by Jan Brett to their reading list.

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