I discovered so many amazing picture books this month! 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, see 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.
In addition to discovering amazing new books, you can enter to win prizes! If you’re a teacher, media specialist or parent and win a critique prize, I’d be happy to hook you up with a Zoom chat with a book reading & Q&A instead.
Goodnight Ganesha by Nadia Salomon, Poonam Mistry (Illustrations)
A gorgeously illustrated goodnight story that celebrates the nighttime rituals of two young children visiting their grandparents in India.
As nighttime falls over the city, two children visiting their grandparents in India find there’s so much fun to be had! Whether it’s listening to epic stories or observing rituals in the puja room, there are many moments that make this time together special.
In this beautiful, rhyming ode to bedtime, the only thing more universal than getting ready for bed and saying goodnight is the love between children and their grandparents.
Bedtime routines are so special. I love seeing some things I did with my daughters, like precious family moments while winding down and saying goodnight to everything around us. And I adore the glimpse into the routine of two children saying goodnight while visiting their grandparents in India. The illustrations are absolutely stunning. I can’t stop staring at the intricate details.
The lyrical rhyme and varied goodnight refrains make it easy for children to chime in. This is great to read before children go to bed…then say their own special goodnights before drifting off to sleep.
Survivor Tree by Marcie Colleen, Aaron Becker (Illustrations)
This hopeful story of a resilient tree that grew (and still grows) at the base of the twin towers is a simple introduction for young readers to gain an understanding of September 11th and the impact it had on America.
One September day, the perfect blue sky exploded. Dust billowed. Buildings crumbled. And underneath it all, a tree sprouted green leaves in its distress. Pulled from the wreckage, the tree saw many seasons pass as it slowly recovered far away from home. Until one day, forever scarred and forever stronger, it was replanted at the 9/11 Memorial.
This story of the real Survivor Tree uses nature’s cycle of colors to reflect on the hope and healing that come after a tragedy—and assures readers of their own remarkable resilience.
This is such a powerful picture book with lyrical writing that reaches straight to your heart. It made me teary and hopeful at the same time. Without going into details of 9/11, the story of the Survivor Tree captures so many emotions. I think we can all use the hope this amazing tree gives us…that with nurturing, our world will be bright, beautiful, and thrive again.
Be Strong by Pat Zietlow Miller, Jen Hill (Illustrations)
A picture book about finding strength in unlikely places from the team behind the hugely popular New York Times–bestseller Be Kind.
When her gym class must face the school rock-climbing wall, Tanisha is discouraged. Her muscles are weak, and she knows she’ll never reach the top like Cayla.
But maybe strength is about more than just muscles.
With help from her family, Tanisha learns that by showing up, speaking up, and not giving up, she can be strong, too. And that people are the strongest when they work together and trust each other.
Award-winning author Pat Zietlow Miller has reunited with illustrator Jen Hill for another unforgettable story sure to inspire kids and adults alike.
I love Be Kind and am thrilled this talented author/illustrator team created Be Strong, too. I hope all children read this book!
It’s fantastic that this book not only shows ways to be strong for yourself…but to also be strong enough to help others. To make a difference. And make our world a better place.
There are times every child and adult doesn’t feel strong enough. This is the perfect pep talk and inspiration to take steps (even if they’re tiny) toward being stronger and never giving up. Sometimes we need a little help…and it’s comforting to know we can be stronger together.
Brains! Not Just a Zombie Snack by Stacy McAnulty, Matthew Rivera (Illustrations)
The beginning of an exciting new picture book series focused on the science of the body from writer Stacy McAnulty, who leaves the solar system behind and takes readers into the human brain with the help of a zombie narrator.
Brains. 78% water, 100% delicious. A zombie chef who has sworn off eating brains salivates over this super powerful organ in this funny and fact-filled picture book. From learning about how the brain processes messages from our five senses, to learning why wrinkly human brains are so much more powerful than smooth mouse brains, this is a hilarious introduction to the organ that does it all. Rich with kid-friendly facts and beautifully brought to life by Matthew Rivera, this is a charming and irresistible picture book.
Look out for the next title in the series, Blood! Not Just a Vampire Drink, following in Spring 2022.
A zombie with a fun, quirky personality will have you laughing throughout this book as she (sort of) tries to resist the temptation of your scrumptious brain. Tons of amazing brain facts sprinkled throughout. After reading this, you’ll know why you shouldn’t let a zombie taste (or even sniff) your delicious and much-needed brain.
Clayton Parker Really Really REALLY Has to Pee by Cinco Paul, Gladys Jose (Illustrations)
From the screenwriter behind family favorites like Despicable Me and Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax comes a hilarious, rhyming picture book romp about knowing when to GO
Clayton Parker can’t wait for his field trip to the zoo. When his teacher encourages the class to go before they go . . . Clayton rushes onto the bus and doesn’t give it a second thought.
Little does he know . . . Clayton Parker really really REALLY has to pee. He discovers this as soon as he gets to the zoo. And he panics! Clayton needs a bathroom, and he needs one now! The first one he finds is broken. The next one isn’t much of a bathroom at all. What will Clayton do?
A cautionary tale for the procrastinator in us all, this hilarious picture book romp will have readers vowing alongside Clayton Parker: “Before I go out anywhere, I’ll always try to pee.”
I’m still laughing! This fun and sometimes slightly shocking picture book told in rollicking rhyme is a great reminder to pee before going anywhere. I’ve been in Clayton’s position (and have had many experiences trying to get a child to the bathroom before they burst). I love the sparse, fun text paired with the amazing, humorous illustrations of Clayton and the zoo animals.
Pando: A Living Wonder of Trees by Kate Allen Fox, Turine Viet-Tu Tran (Illustrations)
Pando is an inspiring tribute to a Utah grove of quaking Aspen trees connected by their roots to form one of the world’s oldest and largest living things. Author Kate Allen Fox engages readers’ senses to help convey the vastness of Pando, the challenges it faces, and how we all can be part of the solution. With lyrical poetry, Fox summarizes the science, action, and compassion needed to save this wonder of nature.
If someone asked me what one of the largest living things is, I never would’ve guessed it would be Pando. I learned so much reading this lyrical nonfiction book. It’s full of beautiful language, fascinating facts…and a powerful message.
Usha and the Big Digger by Amitha Jagannath Knight, Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrations)
Celebrate diversity, math, and the power of storytelling!
When sisters Usha and Aarti look up at the stars, they see different things. Aarti sees the Big Dipper, but Usha sees the Big DIGGER. And cousin Gloria sees the Big Kite! Could they all be right? A playful introduction to geometry and spatial relationships, featuring Indian American characters and a note about cultures and constellations.
Storytelling Math celebrates children using math in their daily adventures as they play, build, and discover the world around them. Joyful stories and hands-on activities make it easy for kids and their grown-ups to explore everyday math together. Developed in collaboration with math experts at STEM education nonprofit TERC, under a grant from the Heising-Simons Foundation.
Series Overview: Storytelling Math brings together math, diversity, and the power of story to provide better books for children of all backgrounds.
I like how this book encourages kids to look at the stars from different perspectives…and see what pictures they can find. There’s great back matter about seeing stories in the stars around the world. I love the illustrations and fun STEM exercises at the end of the book that parents and teachers should enjoy doing with children.
Kookaburra by Claire Saxby, Tannya Harricks (Illustrations)
The team behind Dingo returns with a lyrically told, beautifully illustrated exploration of another unique Australian animal: the laughing kookaburra.
In the crinkled shadows,
night dwellers yawn,
day creatures stretch,
and Kookaburra laughs.
Kook-kook-kook. Kak-kak-kak. What is that sunrise chorus that sounds like laughter? It is a kookaburra and her family, calling over the river. Follow these iconic Australian birds as they search for food and team up to defend their territory in preparation for the nesting season. With rich paintings and poetic text, threaded through with intriguing facts, Kookaburra offers insight into the lives of these fascinating birds. Curious readers will find more information about kookaburras at the end, as well as an index leading them back through the book to explore these distinctive creatures more closely.
I enjoyed learning more about this fascinating bird. Great lyrical story for bird lovers—filled with lots of fun facts!
Poultrygeist by Eric Geron, Pete Oswald (Illustrations)
From a debut picture-book author and a #1 New York Times best-selling illustrator, a wry take on “Why did the chicken cross the road?” that gives a whole new meaning to “the Other Side.” Cock-a-doodle-BOO!
It’s punny. It’s spooky. It’s a meta picture book that puts a fresh spin on an old joke and elevates chicken comedy to ghastly new levels. A little spring chicken crosses the road but quickly gets flattened under a semitruck. The barnyard beasts who’ve gone before break the news: now that Chicken’s fried—dispatched to the Other Side—Chicken has a job, an unwanted job, as a noisy troublemaking ghost. This fowl may be weak in the beak, but Chicken knows that scaring people isn’t nice. There is such a thing as a friendly ghost, after all—isn’t there? Loaded with laughs and shivers, this Halloween-ready treat features ghoulishly funny art by the illustrator of the #1 New York Times best-selling Bad Seed series. Let the haunting begin!
No chickens were harmed in the making of this book.
This is such a quirky ghost story with tons of fun word play and awesome ghostly illustrations. Great for those who love a mix of humor and dark picture books.
My Sister, Daisy by Adria Karlsson, Linus Curci (Illustrations)
Daisy’s older brother is thrilled when he gets a new sibling. They are best buddies who do everything together. But in kindergarten, things change. His sibling tells him she is a girl and wants to be called Daisy. Daisy’s brother must adjust to the change—including what it means for him and their relationship. A powerful, moving picture book based on a true story, My Sister, Daisy handles a sensitive subject with warmth and love.
I love that more and more kids are able to see themselves in books now. It’s so important for them…and also for others to understand and respect who a person truly is on the inside.
This book is told from the point of view of a brother who discovers his younger brother (and best friend) is really his sister, Daisy. Some books have a child trying to figure out who they are…but in this book, Daisy absolutely knows who she is. It’s awesome that we get to see what the big brother goes through, worrying he’ll accidentally say the wrong thing and wondering what his relationship will be to his new sister (I won’t give away the answer…but absolutely LOVE it).
The author note shares the struggle her son had when he discovered his little brother was really his sister. The author wished she had a book to help him through it. Luckily, both children have an amazing, supportive mom…and thanks to their experience, this much-needed book is out in the world.
CATastrophe!: A Story of Patterns by Ann Marie Stephens, Jenn Harney (Illustrations)
Nine kittens go on an exciting boating adventure that’s a (funny) catastrophe in this playful picture book that demonstrates the key math concept of patterns.
A crew of hungry kittens and their captain head to the lake to catch some dinner, but the fish have surprises in store for them. Even before the cats encounter the fish, they run into trouble. What happens when confused kitties paddle every which way? Or when they all lean in the same direction? A pattern is needed to avoid a catastrophe!
Patterns are the foundation on which math is built. Using strong rhythm, clever wordplay, and countable characters, CATastrophe! is a fun read-aloud that also shows what patterns can do. Helpful backmatter will deepen readers’ understanding and challenge them to find more patterns in this book and in our world. There’s also much to find in the illustrations—including a dragonfly and worm that each appear twenty times.
Such an awesome way to teach kids patterns. This book is filled with fun pattern sounds kids should love repeating and adorable illustrations. One of the visual surprises toward the end had me laughing out loud even after I finished the book. So clever! The cats are each bursting with personality—they’re all adorable, but I especially love the fluffy white cat.
I love the challenge to find all 172 cats, 20 dragonflies, 20 worms, and 14 small fish throughout the book.
Where Three Oceans Meet by Rajani LaRocca, Archana Sreenivasan (Illustrations)
A child, mother, and grandmother travel all the way to the end of the earth in this picture book that celebrates multigenerational love—perfect for fans of Drawn Together and Alma.
Sejal, Mommy, and Pati travel together to the southern tip of India. Along the way, they share meals, visit markets, and catch up with old friends.
For Pati, the trip retraces spaces she knows well. For Mommy, it’s a return to the place she grew up. For Sejal, it’s a discovery of new sights and sounds. The family finds their way to Kanyakumari, where three oceans meet, and delight in making it to the end of the earth together.
This is a sweet multi-generational story that gives readers a taste of some wonderful things India has to offer. I’ll never look at a braid the same way again.
I love learning new things—going to a place in India where three oceans meet sounds like an amazing experience.
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 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: Jyn Hall]
Critique or virtual class visit with Kate Allen Fox, author of PANDO: A LIVING WONDER OF TREES. [Winner: Judy Bryan]
PB critique of up to 1000 words from Adria Karlsson or a copy of her book, MY SISTER, DAISY (US only) [Winner: Cindy Sommer]
*Everyone can enter the giveaways on this first Rafflecopter!*
This Rafflecopter has awesome new books you can win…and is open only to those in the US.
3 lucky winners will receive a copy of GOODNIGHT GANESHA by Nadia Salomon, illustrated by Poonam Mistry!
- Heather Stigall
- Angela De Groot
- Kara Sibilia
*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.*
Winners will be shown on this post and shouted out on Twitter Saturday, September 4. 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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