1-I have a secret/Tengo un secreto by Maritere Rodriguez Bellas, Illustrated by Jayri Gómez
A brilliant little book for multicultural children about overcoming anxiety about being different. Yunito is teased for speaking Spanish, so he tries to keep it a “secret”. As the story unfolds he learns to take pride in his background and his language abilities. The illustrations support the story well and it has both English and Spanish text. A colorful and meaningful book for bilingual families and has gathered a strong reputation since it was released in 2020.
2-Dragon Stones by Carolyn Watson Dubisch
A new enchanting title from author/illustrator Carolyn Watson Dubisch. This story of a brother and sister begins as a mystery when they happen upon a misty lake in the woods and start to skip stones into the fog. Oddly enough the stones come skipping back. As the mystery unfolds the children soon find themselves face to face with an angry Dragon. The illustrations are as engaging as the story. Overall it is well written with compelling characters and a great magical story.
3-Up Up You Go Joe by Miriam Shapera, Illustrated by I Cenizal
A lively read from author Miriam Shapiro. Little Jo loves playing and writing music when one day his musical notes go missing! Your child’s imagination will soar along with Jo as he searches for his notes. He searches up in the stars and even encounters aliens on his journey for his lost song. This book combines the themes of music and outer space which makes it quite unique. Overall, a well written book for children in pre-k to early elementary.
4-My Muddy Puddle by Kristina Nearchou, Illustrated by Tiffany Everett
A delightful story, told in verse with really wonderful illustrations to engage your preschooler or toddler aged child. A debut book for author Kristina Nearchou and is already making waves with this tribute to the play and wonder of childhood. Children will connect deeply with the main character who just desperately wants to splash in the huge puddle in the play yard. Such a fun book for kids and the adults who will be reading it aloud over and over to their eager toddlers.
5-Louie and the Dictator by Lisa Bournelis
This is a powerful, well-written middle-grade novella that explores a boy with OCD’s challenges as he navigates the pandemic. Louie is an average boy living through the COVID pandemic. He likes Taekwondo and is almost a black belt, just one more test! He goes to school and wears his mask (brings an extra couple as well as gloves, just in case!). He also has a sweet dog named Baily. One thing he has that other kids don’t is a voice in his head that he calls “The Dictator”. The Dictator makes him fear the number seven and avoid the cracks in the floorboards and jump over the landing on the stairs. The Dictator has gotten worse and more demanding since COVID began. A fantastic debut novel from author Lisa Bournelis who based the story on her son’s own experiences.
6-Kittie Don’t Eat That! Do They? By Sarah Kathleen Taber
An endearing story about a little girl named Lilly who very much loves her toy kitty, Piper. Whatever she does, she always carries her along, share food with her. Lilly gives her every food she eats, from milk to pizza, from ice cream to cookies, and that makes Piper very messy. Lilly’s mother struggles to make her understand the difference between plush kitties and living kitties.
This book is a great conversation starter about caring for pets and helps children who are so emotionally attached to their stuffed toys that they struggle with understanding the difference.
7-Fear Not! – How to Face Your Fear and Anxiety Head-On by Christina Furnival, Illustrated by Katie Dwyer
A beautiful self help book for young kids on coping with fear and anxiety. The rhymes are truly empowering and give children good ideas on identifying their fears and ways to help relieve them in a concise, poetic way. The illustrations are really well done and I think it’s a great starting point in helping your child overcome these intense feelings. This is the second and newest book in the Capeable Kiddos series and lives up well to the first book.
8-Your Own Little World by Chris Ruter
The perfect book to spark your child’s imagination this summer. This is author/illustrator Chris Ruter’s first book and is full of colorful illustrations that encourage the reader to build a unique world of their own. The rhyming text tells the story well and makes it an easy read for bedtime with the little ones. An unusual concept executed incredibly well. Children are sure to love it!
9-Lulu and the Missing Tooth Fairy by SE Richey, Illustrated by Jhon Ortiz
Losing a tooth is such an important milestone for kids and moment to remember and talk about. Why not celebrate with this fun book about Lulu who has lost a tooth and is eagerly awaiting her visit from the tooth fairy. Trixie has just finished her tooth fairy training and is ready! Or maybe not, as the reader follows Trixie all over the world in search of poor Lulu. The illustrations bring such life to this little story and leave the reader wanting more! Hopefully a book two is in the works.
10-Butternut by Jill Dana, Illustrated by Rachel Tan-Hwee
An excellent and creative story about a Butternut squash placed on the wrong shelf in the grocery store and his journey to find out who he is and where he belongs. It strongly connects to every child’s experience in life and shows the grocery store from a new and fascinating perspective! There’s a wonderful chart in the back that explains where food comes from for the reader as well. The illustrations truly add dimension to the story and make it a must have for your child’s bookshelf. This is the first book in a series and book two “Butternut and Buttercup” has already been listed for pre-release!
11-Three! By Tia Perkin
The story of a three year old in this wonderful little board book. The illustrations and text design are striking and author/illustrator Tia Perkin does absolutely masterful work in this truly engaging book. The chaos that follows the protagonist from the moment of waking, to getting dressed in the most absurd outfits, then off to the store for more chaos, is easily relatable for parents and somehow makes the book even more hilarious. Favorite illustrations include Daddy “finding” the train by stepping on it, and when he knocks down all the cans in the supermarket.
12-Lion Lights: My Invention That Made Peace with Lions By Richard Turere, Shelly Pollock, Illustrated by Sonia Possentini
One of the most beautiful books I have read in some time and probably one of the more remarkable stories as it’s based on true events. This is the story of Richard, a young Massai boy in Kenya whose job it was to watch over the family’s cattle. A very important job for a child and a dangerous one as the cattle are regularly targeted by the lions. Richard invents a system using lights to chase off the lions that works remarkably well and saves his family’s herd. Truly inspirational and empowering I think for young readers. A wonderful book for kids in early primary grades.
13-The Dragon in The Closet, Dragon’s Journey By Carolyn Watson Dubisch
The third book in “The Dragon in The Closet” comic book series, “Dragon’s Journey” is action packed with the monsters and magic we have all come to expect. In this installment Dragon has left the closet that was his prison and is flying away with Orin to conquer the family curse that torments them both. Orin’s Nana and his friend Lucy are traveling closely behind to meet up with them and encounter many challenges along the way. Lots of fun with beautiful monster illustrations, and a tone reminiscent of Maurice Sendak and Roald Dahl. This new release is not to be missed.
14- The Not-So-Friendly Friend: How To Set Boundaries for Healthy Friendships by Christina Furnival, Illustrated by Katie Dwyer
Bullying is unfortunately all too common for kids and addressing this struggle is no easy challenge in a picture book but it’s truly expressed in a masterful way by author Christina Furnival. The story is short and engaging and the characters are easily relatable. She even manages to convey some incredibly helpful strategies in this simple rhyming book. The illustrations are charming and very appealing and it’s a great book for any child looking forward to a new year at school.
15-Two! By Tia Perkin
A wonderful little board book that documents a day in the life of a two-year-old boy. Told in verse with colorful cartoon illustrations it’s just hilarious. The older sibling follows around his little hurricane of a brother trying to fix all that he destroys. So easy to relate to for all members of any family with a toddler. Just a perfect bedtime story your child will love to hear again and again.
16- Learning Together With Sally And Kate by Sarah Kathleen Taber
This book is a great resource for early learners and perfect for maintaining math and reading skills through the summer months. It teaches little ones how to make a snowman, teaching them step by step with counting and shapes. In the back are fun activity pages for little ones to draw their very own snowman. The quality illustrations really add to the text and this interactive book is perfect for keeping kids busy on a hot, sweaty summer afternoon
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