We’ve had to wait a bit longer for some of these amazing picture books to be out in the world…and they’re finally here. Wahooo! Hugs to the authors and illustrators who had book launches pushed back months (or more). Here’s what I like and love about my favorites. I hope it’ll help you add tons of awesome books to your must-read pile.
If you have a new PB releasing, check out how I’ll consider it for a future PB Buzz at the bottom of this post. 🙂
I hotlinked the titles to Goodreads, so you can easily search for your favorites in various stores and in some libraries. Tip: while you’re there, clicking ‘want to read’ helps authors. So do reviews!
In addition to discovering amazing new books, you can also enter to win prizes! If you’re a teacher, media specialist or parent and win a critique prize, I’d be happy to switch it to a Zoom chat with a book reading & Q&A instead.
Over, Bear! Under, Where? By Julie Hedlund, Michael Slack (Illustrations)
A hilariously clever story of wordplay and unexpected friendship, perfect for fans of 7 Ate 9 and Eats, Shoots, and Leaves.
Over and Under are two friends, and they’re enjoying a day at the park. They go on the swings (Over goes over Under) and the seesaw (Under is under Over). They meet a hot-dog dog (who joins them for a hot dog). And then they spot…a bear! (Unbearable!) But is he really the overall scary creature they first understand him to be?
In this hilariously punny story that will have readers laughing out loud as they pick apart the wordplay, a pair of pals overcome their fears as they discover that friendship underpins all.
Praise forOver, Bear! Under, Where?
“I adore this book. Am Over Come with emotion…er laughter. It’s Jeff Mack on steroids, and every English teacher from kindergarten up to college needs to have it. THAT good.”—Jane Yolen, bestselling and award-winning author of How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?
Fun, fun, fun! Sparse text with wordplay that should turn children into compound word detectives…and will hopefully inspire them to come up with even more words to put together. There’s a great list of compound words to find inside the book along with their meanings.
The characters are beyond adorable—I wish I could join the group hug, too!
Maya’s Treasure by Laurie Smollett Kutscera
Each morning, when the sun rises, Maya and her sister, Alita, go to the shore to collect the beautiful seashells the waves wash up onto the beach overnight. The sisters scrub their finds until they sparkle like stars, then string them together to make beautiful treasures they can sell to the people of their island village. When Alita throws away shells she deems too broken or ugly, Maya collects them and remembers the words of her grandmother: “Even the tiniest nub can be quite beautiful. You just have to find the magic in it.” But can she turn these clunky shells into something truly special?
Beautiful, lyrical language match the swirly, dreamy sky and sea. I love Maya’s sweet relationship with Grandma—and how she carries on the tradition of finding magic in everything (even if others don’t see the beauty or value in it).
For fans of Shark Lady and from the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Dr. Fauci comes the incredible true story of a girl who discovered dinosaur bones in her own backyard and, after years of persistence, helped uncover one of the most exciting paleontological discoveries of our time.
There’s an extraordinary secret hidden just beneath Ruth Mason’s feet. The year is 1905, and Ruth is a prairie girl living in South Dakota. She has no way of knowing that millions of years ago, her family farm was once home to scores of dinosaurs. Until one day, when Ruth starts finding clues to the past: strange rocks and rubble scattered all across her land. They’re dinosaur fossils—but she doesn’t know that yet, either. It will take many years of collecting these clues, and many, many questions, but Ruth’s curiosity will one day help uncover thousands of fossils all across her land.
New York Times bestselling illustrator Alexandra Bye’s vibrant illustrations bring to life this inspiring and exciting debut picture book from award-winning journalist Julia Lyon.
I loved learning about Ruth. Her curiosity and determination gave a great contribution to the world. A child’s curiosity is priceless. I bet this book will inspire kids to explore and find out more about the ground they live on, too. And when they find something they believe is special…not to let anyone make them think it’s worthless.
I love the hidden dinosaurs in some of the illustrations. I kept going back to see if I missed any.
XO, Exoplanet by Deborah Underwood, Jorge Lacera (Illustrations)
From bestselling author Deborah Underwood comes a lively and heartwarming letter writing exchange between all the planets in outer space to show the power of perspective.
It was an ordinary day for Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, (and don’t forget Pluto, the dwarf planet). The planets were circling the Sun, staring into space, until suddenly they spot something else in their Solar System. What could it be? Who could it be? The planets have no idea but they’re circling to find out. Whatever it is that something is most definitely, absolutely, without a doubt NOT a planet. So begins an out-of-this-world pen pal exchange between the planets and an exoplanet.
Paired with vibrant illustrations from Jorge Lacera, this STEM-friendly story, told mainly through letters, reminds readers what happens when we consider another person’s point of view.
Such a great way for kids to learn more about the planets and see why everyone doesn’t always view things the same way. The illustrations are adorable! I especially love how the planets come alive with unique faces and personalities.
The Book of Rules: A Picture Book by Brian Gehrlein, Tom Knight (Illustrations)
An interactive, laugh-out-loud picture book about paying attention and listening, with a gentle approach to mindfulness—perfect for fans of The Monster at the End of This Book.
Beware! This book has rules. You must follow all the rules. If you break the rules . . . Dennis the monster will eat you. And you don’t want to be Dennis-food—do you?
Hilariously funny, with a timely message of mindful listening, The Book of Rules invites readers to get their sillies out before it’s time to focus and listen to directions. And you better get started, because Dennis can’t wait to eat—or, um—meet you!
Such a fun, interactive book! Reading it and acting it out with children could be a great way to get their sillies out before bed, class, etc.
Any time you need a child to listen, say they need to follow the rules…or Dennis (the adorable monster in this book) will eat them. It’s much more fun to play with Dennis than get eaten by him!
Tu Youyou’s Discovery : Finding a Cure for Malaria by Songju Ma Daemicke, Lin (Illustrations)
Tu Youyou had been interested in science and medicine since she was a child, so when malaria started infecting people all over the world in 1969, she went to work finding a treatment. Trained as a medical researcher in college and healed by traditional medicine techniques when she was young, Tu Youyou started experimenting with natural Chinese remedies. The treatment she discovered through years of research and experimentation is still used all over the world today.
Wow! I’m glad I discovered such an amazing, dedicated, and humble woman who made a huge difference in the world. Backmatter shows how Tu Youyou used the scientific method’s six steps while finding a cure for malaria, which would be wonderful for STEM lessons.
This book shows how important it is for education to be available for everyone. In 1930’s China, most girls didn’t attend school. If Tu Youyou’s parents hadn’t valued education enough to send their daughter along with her brothers, who knows how much longer it would have taken someone to find a cure for malaria.
I am Hava : A Song’s Story of Love, Hope & Joy by Freda Lewkowicz, Siona Benjamin (Illustrations)
The story of the world’s most famous Jewish song… as told by the song herself!
The text and illustrations are beautiful! I love the unique point of view and seeing a song I’ve sung my entire life come alive in such a joyful way. I especially enjoyed all the examples of how the song HAVA NAGILA (COME AND REJOYCE) floated across borders, religions, and cultures.
The Story of a Story by Deborah Hopkinson, Hadley Hooper (Illustrations)
If you’ve ever tried to write a story of your own, you know it’s not as easy as it looks. Words get tangled, pencils get broken, piles of pages get crumpled up. It’s so much easier just to read all the lovely stories other people have written…. But their stories aren’t your stories, and your tale is worth telling.
With the gentle reassurance of experience, two-time SCBWI Golden Kite Award Winner Deborah Hopkinson writes a story that encourages persistence, and celebrates the strength of every child’s unique voice and the story they have to tell. Charming illustrations by Hadley Hooper detail the child’s efforts—and the stroke of inspiration that helps him get going.
This is the perfect picture book for kids who love stories and have big ideas of their own. Young readers who don’t know where to start will be encouraged by the gentle humor, and a page of story-starting ideas offers the opportunity to expand the experience beyond the book.
This is great for any child (or adult) who has stared at a blank page, hoping for a story to appear. I love the creative and heartfelt things to bring when writing a story…including all the invisible things that make you…you.
There’s fantastic backmatter encouraging children to write a story. It helps spark ideas for the beginning, middle, end…and some kind of struggle.
Loving Kindness by Deborah Underwood, Tim Hopgood (Illustrations)
A charming picture book embodying the practice of spreading loving-kindness and opening up our hearts to the world, celebrating connection, compassion, and life.
You are a blessing. You are beautiful just as you are. You are loved, and you love. You make mistakes, and it’s okay to make mistakes, because that’s how you learn.
With simple, poignant text, Loving Kindness encourages readers to be tender with themselves and others.
This sweet book feels like a comforting hug. I love how it connects us all to each other and the Earth. How it shows we’re all special and matter. We make mistakes…but that’s okay, because it’s how we learn.
All the colorful hearts, butterflies, and joyful paint splashes make me smile. 😊
Cold Turkey by Corey Rosen Schwartz, Kirsti Call, Chad Otis (Illustrations)
The Mitten meets How to Catch a Turkey in this absurd-yet-heartwarming read-aloud that’s perfect for Thanksgiving—or anytime you’re feeling ch-ch-chilly!
Turkey woke up c-c-cold.
He wheezed, “It’s ten degrees!”
I need to b-b-bundle up,
before I f-f-freeze!”
Sheep is shivering, Chicken is chilly, and Cow is quivering! Lucky for them, bundled-up Turkey is generous and shares his warm clothes with each of his barnyard friends. But once he’s down to just his birthday suit, what’s a cold turkey to do? (Not to worry—his friends will have him toasty again in no time!)
With rollicking rhythm and giggle-inducing illustrations, this heartwarming story of kindness is sure to be a hit with young readers at Thanksgiving, through snowy winter months, and all year-round!
Fun wordplay, a rollicking rhythm, and all the shivering, stuttering speech makes this great to read out loud. Such a funny, punny book!
Jimi Hendrix’s talent was epic, and so is this fifty-six-page lyrical account of his life, with spectacular artwork by Edel Rodriguez.
Let me tell you a story,
a story ’bout a boy,
who became a man,
a git-tar man,
named Jimi.
From his turbulent childhood through his epical appearance at the Monterey and Woodstock festivals, Charles R. Smith Jr. covers it all in this rich and rhythmic account of a singular life, accompanied by the psychedelic splendor of Edel Rodriguez’s acid-tinged artwork.
Written as a series of verses beginning with intro and ending with outro, this unique mix of rhythm and rhyme captures the essence of rock icon Jimi Hendrix and his struggle to live life on his own terms.
Wow! This made Jimi Hendrix come alive in a new, amazing way for me. The text and illustrations pulse with fire, heart, pain…and the drive to express emotions in a unique way. I think adults will love this as much as children (probably seven or older).
Thanks so much for reading PB Buzz! And a huge thanks to everyone who generously donated a prize on the two Rafflecopters below to help celebrate all of these amazing new books. All prizes below are on this Rafflecopter (you can view them by clicking the arrow under each prize). You have the opportunity to win:
PB critique or 30 minute Zoom chat with me [Winner: Claire Noland]
30 minute school visit OR “ask me anything” session for writers with Julie Hedlund, author of OVER, BEAR! UNDER, WHERE? [Winner: Katie Fischer]
Zoom book reading and Q&A or signed copy of MAYA’S TREASURE [US Only] by Laurie Smollett Kutscera [Winner: Jamie Donahoe]
Choice of a signed copy of A DINOSAUR NAMED RUTH by Julia Lyon (illustrated by Alexandra Bye) [US ONLY], PB critique, or a virtual readaloud (with Q&A) for a class [Winner: Michelle Steinberg]
*Everyone can enter the giveaways on this first Rafflecopter!*
a Rafflecopter giveawayThis Rafflecopter has awesome new books you can win…and is open only to those in the US.
A signed copy of the book TU YOUYOU’S DISCOVERY: FINDING A CURE FOR MALARIA by Songju Ma Daemicke (illustrated by Lin) [Winner: Shaunda Wenger]
A copy of the book I AM HAVA: A SONG’S STORY OF LOVE, HOPE & JOY by Freda Lewkowicz (illustrated by Siona Benjamin) [Winner: Patricia Nozell]
*Everything you do for the first Rafflecopter can count for this one, too. So if you leave a blog comment, you get credit on both Rafflecopters. Just click that you did it on each Rafflecopter and enjoy the extra entries.*
a Rafflecopter giveawayWinners will be shown on this post and shouted out on Twitter on December 7. Good luck!
Which books are you excited to read? I can’t wait to share more amazing picture books with you next month!
If you have a recently released or upcoming picture book with a publisher on the SCBWI PAL list and would like me to read and consider it for PB Buzz, click here to fill out a Google form. I’m excited to read all of your books…but can only share a limited amount each month.
The next #PBParty New Draft Challenge & Critique Train will be on December 16. I hope to see you there. 🙂
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