What do you think when you see three bears and a little girl? You’ll question what you think in this visual tale told in highly-detailed, black-and-white illustrations with gold highlights. Though it has the feel of a familiar tale, this fresh reimagining will surely lead to greater discussion.
Gold
Two beavers do what beavers do best: build. Finely-lined black-and-white illustrations with touches of color chronicle the beavers’ activities, from creating their nest, having offspring, protecting them, and wintering in their home.
Building
Vibrant illustrations and brief, rhyming, staccato text tells the tale of a blue baboon who plays the bassoon out of tune. She is unappreciated until a green baboon who croons out of tune joins her on a dune — and together, they make a great tune!
Blue Baboon Finds Her Tune
The young narrator thinks her life in Hong Kong in the alley of Tai Yuen Street is boring — until a stranger down-on-his luck helps her realize that she is indeed quite lucky. Readers will appreciate the gentle reminder that kindness is contagious, when after the girl gives the man her special mooncake, the entire community steps up to help the man.
The Best Kind of Mooncake
The king sends Albie to deliver a message to a neighboring castle, but Albie is delayed along the way as he helps others and falls in love. Meanwhile, life at the castle goes on. Albie and the king’s tales are told in twin narratives: Albie’s with text and humorous illustration; the king’s below in an illustrated wordless banner. Stories merge again for a satisfying conclusion.
Albie on His Way
A realistic illustration and the titular question and a couple of hints ask readers to guess what came from the pictured egg. A page turn reveals the animal along with brief information about them. “Eggcellent” facts are included.
Whose Egg Is That?
There are all kinds of babies in the world. They can be big, small, short, or tall. Rhythmic language and simple illustrations with clean lines and bright colors on each page ends with a mirror — a surprise baby to conclude this charming book.
Sometimes Babies
On Monday, a small mouse notices a fluffy snowflake and wonders how high it will go. On successive days of the week, snow accumulates, covering animals one-by-one. Lyrical language creates a rhythmic pattern accompanied by softly-hued illustrations — first covering, then uncovering them — as the snow melts.
So Much Snow
Lift an acorn to discover a squirrel peeking out of a hole and more. Small hands will delight in the crinkling noise when soft flaps are lifted to see what forest surprise is hidden beneath. Find more surprises in this companion book about ocean inhabitants, Peekaboo Ocean(opens in a new window).
Peekaboo Forest
What do hands do? They greet, touch, hush, heal, and ever so much more. Simple black and while line illustrations use touches of color and single words in a cozy size for the very young, sure to grow with children and inspire myriad discussions.
My Hands
A Korean child declares, “I eat kimchi every day. I like kimchi every way!” in this lively look at the various ways kimchi is eaten each day of the week. Appealing illustrations and rich, descriptive language are rounded out by more information about kimchi.
Kimchi, Kimchi Every Day
A small bear knows it can do almost anything — from cartwheels to swimming — “when you say/you believe in me.” Wells’ signature illustrations and a warm, easy rhyming narrative present an affirming book on the relationship between a child and their adult.
If You Believe in Me
Enzo, often with friends, uses different materials to create art and even visits a museum to see more. Simple language in both English and Spanish are enhanced by gentle, childlike illustrations. In another similarly formatted and sturdy book, Enzo es un enfermero / Enzo Is a Nurse(opens in a new window), Enzo performs the duties of a nurse.
Enzo y su arte / Enzo and His Art
Based on the true story of one family’s struggle for voting rights in the civil rights-era South, this story shines an emotional spotlight on a dark facet of U.S. history. One morning, when Granddaddy heads into town in his fancy suit, Michael knows that something very special must be happening — and sure enough, everyone is lined up at the town hall! For the very first time, Granddaddy is allowed to vote, and he couldn’t be more proud.
Granddaddy’s Turn: A Journey to the Ballot Box
Six children discuss what they would do if they were running for president, describing the election process all the way from making the decision to run to being sworn in on Inauguration Day.
If I Ran For President
An inspiring story of the fight for women’s suffrage, based on the experiences of a real girl. Ten-year-old Bessie Keith Pond discovers that women can’t vote when Susan B. Anthony comes to town to help lead the campaign for women’s suffrage. Stirred to action, Bessie joins the movement and discovers that small efforts can result in small changes ― and maybe even big ones.
Marching with Aunt Susan: Susan B. Anthony and the Fight for Women’s Suffrage
How do our leaders, from local mayors on up to Presidents and Supreme Court Justices, go about getting their jobs, and just what are their jobs? Learn what every good citizen needs to know about American democracy in action, and how our basic system of “government of the people, by the people, and for the people” remains the same.
The Voice of the People: American Democracy in Action
Featuring Woodrow G. Washingtail, a civic-minded mouse with presidential ambitions, readers will follow Woodrow as he runs for president of the United Mice of America — introducing children to campaigning, elections, volunteering, and more.
Woodrow for President: A Tail of Voting, Campaigns, and Elections
Callie knows there’s a presidential election coming up. Her class is having an election, too, about an issue that affects them all — the class field trip! She’s about to witness first-hand what a difference a vote can make — even a single vote — and along the way will find out about the election process and why people have fought for the right to vote throughout history. A great kids-eye look at the power of the vote.
A Vote Is a Powerful Thing
An A-Z trip through our government’s structure, from its earliest beginnings to definitions of basic components and concepts (including immigration and taxation). From founding fathers, first ladies, and the First Amendment to the presidential oath of office, D is for Democracy details the political processes, parties, and people of democracy, American-style.
D Is for Democracy: A Citizen’s Alphabet
A grandmother introduces her granddaughter to indigenous traditions while berry-picking: they sing to not only alert bear of their presence but to thank the land for its gifts. Rhythmic language and lush illustrations are hallmarks of this first book written and illustrated by the Caldecott Medalist and Tlingit illustrator Michaela Goade (We Are Water Protectors(opens in a new window)).
Berry Song
See the world through the eyes of a child in evocative illustrations by a Cree-Métis artist who brings new meaning and joy to Cree singer/songwriter Buffy Sainte Marie’s lyrics. Indigenous traditions echo throughout the seasons and goings-on, but always return to those we care most about, because “still, this love goes on.”
Still This Love Goes On
Josie dreams of dancing at next summer’s powwow. But first she needs many special things: a dress, a shawl, a cape, leggings, moccasins, and, perhaps most important of all, her spirit name. To gather all these essential pieces, she calls on her mom, her aunty, her kookum, and Grandma Greatwalker. They have the skills to prepare Josie for her powwow debut. In this Ojibwe girl’s coming-of-age story, the Native author highlights her own daughter’s experience at powwow.
Josie Dances
Indigenous dancer Ria Thundercloud tells the true story of her path to dance and how it helped her take pride in her Native American heritage. At four years old, Thundercloud was brought into the powwow circle, ready to dance in the special jingle dress her mother made for her. As she grew up, she danced with her brothers all over Indian country. Then Ria learned more styles — tap, jazz, ballet — but still loved the expressiveness of Indigenous dance. And despite feeling different as one of the only Native American kids in her school, she always knew she could turn to dance to cheer herself up.