I’m having so much fun reading stacks of new picture books. 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. Which books are you most excited to read?
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 try to hook you up with a Zoom chat with a book reading & Q&A instead.
Good Night, Oppy! By James McGowan, Graham Carter (Illustrations)
Learn all about the Mars Opportunity Rover “Oppy” in this fictionalized account of the space exploration robot’s time on the red planet.
Mixing humor with solid space and rover facts, this picture book gives an inside look into Opportunity’s time on Mars. An interplanetary detective, Oppy spent 15 years on the red planet taking thousands of pictures and making groundbreaking discoveries that she transmitted to scientists and engineers back on Earth. From joyriding on Olympus Mons, to racing away from a treacherous dust storm, Oppy’s adventure in space—combined with her grit and perseverance—will inspire and educate young readers of all ages.
I know a book will be awesome when it surprises me, causing me to laugh out loud on the first page. Such a clever intro! Oppy’s spunky voice shines through immediately. I couldn’t wait to read the rest of the book.
This is packed with interesting information, heaps of emotion, and incredible illustrations. I adore Oppy and cheered her on throughout the book. The end made me tear up…in the best possible way.
From the creator of the New York Times bestseller Dreamers comes a beautiful story about growth, empowerment, and finding one’s own voice.
Child, you are awake!
You are alive!
You are a bright star,
Inside our hearts.
Told with a combination of powerful, spare language and sumptuous and complex imagery that is typical of Yuyi Morales’s work, this is the story of a fawn making her way through a border landscape teaming with flora and fauna native to the region. A gentle but empowering voice encourages her to face her fears when she comes across an obstacle in the form of an insurmountable barrier.
Yuyi Morales’ first book since her New York Times bestseller Dreamers is a book for very young children looking for their place in a world full of uncertainty. It is a book with resonance for all children, especially those whose safety is threatened due to the immigration crisis in the US.
The text is beautiful and the illustrations are beyond stunning. I wanted to leap into the world and snuggle the adorable fawn. The eyes of the fawn and child say so much—they’re gorgeous and expressive. I love the creative textured text art she sprinkles throughout, too.
So many lines stuck with me—and packed a quiet yet powerful punch that caused me to tear up. Then plunge back into this amazing book again and again.
A humorous picture book featuring a blob (n. a creature that can be anything they want) who finally finds out who they really are after a series of small discoveries.
Blob is a creature of indeterminate kind. Blob can be a giraffe, cotton candy, and even an octopus. It’s not until a negligent (albeit well-meaning) narrator continuously calls them “Bob” that Blob starts to question who they really are.
After a series of funny yet enlightening discoveries about all the possible things they can be, Blob realizes that the best thing to be is . . .
Blob.
(With the L.)
This debut picture book by talented author, artist, and auntie Anne Appert is sure to please fans of What If, Pig?, Tiny T. Rex, and other hilariously charming and meaningful picture books.
Such a fun, funny, and creative book with awesome illustrations. I giggled as Blob played around with all the interesting animals and things they could be…then realized what they really wanted. I can imagine kids playing around with all the things they might want to be—and then discovering who they truly are.
The Star Festival by Moni Ritchie Hadley, Mizuho Fujisawa (Illustrations)
Tanabata Matsuri, the Star Festival, celebrates a popular folktale: The Emperor of the Heavens separates his daughter, Orihime, from her love, Hikoboshi, all year—but on this day the two stars finally reunite, crossing a bridge over the Milky Way. For Keiko, her mama, and her grandmother, Tanabata is about making tanzaku wishes, taking in the colorful decorations, and eating delicious food like nagashi somen and shaved ice. But when Obaasan gets lost in the crowd, Keiko and Mama must make their own bridge to find her again—and see if their tanzaku comes true.
I love learning about different traditions. It was especially fun watching Keiko’s enthusiasm for Tanabata Matsuri (the Star Festival) and how her story mirrors the folktale: The Emperor of the Heavens. The illustrations are bright and wonderful, too.
Wishes are so much fun! I’m sure kids will love the wishes throughout the book—and the craft to make a tanzaku at the end. Then, they can write down their wishes and hang them on tree branches, too.
Magic Like That by Samara Cole Doyon, Geneva Bowers (Illustrations)
In this celebration of Black Girl Magic, a young girl finds confidence and excitement in the versatility of her natural hair and the way her different hairstyles reflect the natural world.
Natural hair is magical, but magic isn’t easy. As a young Black girl patiently waits for her mother to finish her newest hairstyle, she wonders what stunning, majestic, awe-inspiring form her hair will take next!
With radiant illustrations by Geneva Bowers and beautiful, poetic text written by Samara Cole Doyon, Magic Like That will inspire young readers of all textures to believe in the beauty of their natural selves.
I enjoyed seeing how the hair styles Mom created for the main character made her feel magical. The text is beautiful and lyrical, and the illustrations helped me feel the magic even more. My favorites are the shining stars that remind me a bit of flowers.
So many people want hair different than what they have. I hope this book will help children embrace the magic of their own hair.
The Wall and the Wild by Christina Dendy, Katie Rewse (Illustrations)
An exploration of the healing power of gardens and the importance of a healthy ecosystem
When Ana tries to take control by creating a perfect garden, she comes to realize that nature is inherently wild.
In a plot of land at the edge of town, Ana grows only perfectly sized plants and perfect-looking flowers; she throws all the irregular shoots and uneven seeds over the wall into the disorderly Wild. But as her garden gets tidier, neater and more constrained, the Wild begins to grow…
This book shows so much about gardens…and how striving for perfection can push away some amazing and beautiful things. I love the illustrations—especially of the different stages the garden goes through. The wild is stunning and full of life.
Unicorn Night by Diana Murray, Luke Flowers (Illustrations)
After prancing the day away, it’s time for unicorns to shine their horns, sing a unicorn lullaby, and wait for dreams to dance in their magical heads
Before going to bed, unicorns sweep up piles of dust and sprinkles and shine their horns till each one twinkles. They pull up blankets, closing eyes to sleep beneath the starry skies. Then with voices low, they snuggle tight, to sing the song of unicorn night!
“Fuzzy jammies, flower beds,
Sweet dreams swirling in our heads,
Neigh, neigh, neigh,
Played all day,
Time to sleep the night away!”
A fun rhyming book with adorable illustrations that could help put your little unicorns to bed each night…as long as you don’t forget their special song.
Circle Under Berry by Carter Higgins
Part Sandra Boynton, part Each Peach Pear Plum; part Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, part Hippopposites—a treat for the brain and the tongue.
With an elegant and simple approach, this thought-provoking concept book shows young readers that everything in the world can be seen from infinite perspectives.
Each page compares colors, shapes, and objects in relation to each other. A triangle that is over a square is also under a circle. A circle that is pink also might be a flower.
The artful, playful combinations of simple concepts and Higgins’s rhythmic writing and expert arrangement of objects on the page make this book a perfect read-aloud, capable of entertaining, educating, and challenging readers in equal measure.
There are multiple ways to read the book, allowing it to work for several ages and reading levels at once. The educational value and sheer fun packed into this book’s language and visual design will make it a huge hit with educators and librarians, new parents, and creative kids who are visual learners.
This striking, delightfully different exploration of shape, color, and patterns redefines what a picture book can be. Read it once, read it ten times. See something new every time.
Such a unique concept book that’s fun to read out loud. Built in activities will have kids learning and pointing out what they find inside the book. I have a feeling many will take what they learn and make their own shape/color/position puzzles, too.
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodbye by Jane Yolen, Mark Teague (Illustrations)
Saying goodbye is hard, even for dinosaurs.
When they have to part from a loved one, they might cry, or hide in their bedrooms, or even write “DON’T GO!” on the wall. But with a little courage, they can face their fears. They can tell grown-ups how they’re feeling and know that time apart can still be filled with love.
This humorous and heartfelt picture book from bestselling duo Jane Yolen and Mark Teague will teach young readers how to say goodbye with poise and grace — with laugh-out-loud antics along the way!
Each How Do Dinosaurs book is a combination of childish antics followed by a gentle lesson — with over 19 million books in print. See if your little readers can find the names of each dinosaur, hidden on each page!
Yay for another book in this amazing series! Goodbyes are so hard for kids. I love how this book helps make saying goodbye a bit easier. The dinosaur illustrations and humor throughout the book are awesome.
From multiple award-winning author Candace Fleming and Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell comes the true story of a woman who always got what she wanted: Isabella Stewart Gardner.
For years, the indomitable Isabella Stewart Gardner searched the world for magnificent artwork and filled her home with a truly unique collection, with the aim of turning it into a museum, which she established in 1903.
Isabella always did things her own way. One day she’d wear baseball gear to the symphony, the next, she’d be seen strolling down the street with zoo lions. It was no surprised that she was very particular about how she arranged her exhibits. They were not organized historically, stylistically, or by artist. Instead, they were arranged based on the connections Isabella felt toward the art, a connection she hoped to encourage in her visitors.
For years, her museum delighted generations of Bostonians and visitors with the collections arranged exactly as she wanted. But in 1990, a spectacular burglary occurred when two thieves disguised as police officers stole thirteen paintings, valued at $500 million, including a Rembrandt and a Vermeer. They have yet to be recovered, though a $10 million reward is still being offered for their safe return.
Wow! Beautifully written and full of emotion. I didn’t read the blurb before the book, so the ending truly surprised me.
Scurry! The Truth About Spiders by Annette Whipple
Where do spiders live? How do spiders make silk? Are spiders dangerous? These and other questions are answered by the arachnophile author, along with some extra information provided by the spiders themselves in this third book in THE TRUTH ABOUT series.
This book is full of fascinating spider facts and incredible, detailed spider photos. I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of spiders in person…but this book makes me appreciate their beauty. I’ve always thought webs were incredible and loved seeing some close up. I’ve seen tons of orb webs and loved learning about sheet, funnel, and tangle webs. They’re so intricate and unique.
I love the spunky spider in the Spider Spin sidebars—it adds so much to this book. The spider web challenge project looks fun—teachers, parents, and media specialists should love creating spider webs with kids.
Woof! The Truth About Dogs by Annette Whipple, Juanbjuan Oliver (Illustrations)
How do dogs communicate? Why do dogs sniff butts? Are dogs just tame wolves? These and other questions are answered by the author, along with some extra information provided by the dogs themselves in this second book in THE TRUTH ABOUT series.
When I discovered the spider book is part of a series that recently published a dog book, I knew I had to check it out. I adore dogs! The facts are so interesting and helpful. And the pictures are amazing! I especially love that this book encourages people to help dogs in shelters, and gives tips for how to approach a dog. It also has a fun dog tug toy craft.
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: Ellen Warach Leventhal]
PB critique or copy of THE WALL AND THE WILD (US only) by Christina Dendy [Winner: Susan Schipper]
*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. You can win:
Scurry! The Truth About Spiders by Annette Whipple [Winner: Sarah Meade]
The Star Festival by Moni Ritchie Hadley, Mizuho Fujisawa (Illustrations) [Winner: Mary Helen Berg]
*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 Thursday, October 7 . Good luck!
I can’t wait to share more amazing 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.
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