Starred Reviews

As a young boy, Bao and his father awoke early, hours before his father's long workday began, to fish on the shores of a small pond in Minneapolis. Unlike many other anglers, Bao and his father fished for food, not...

The stick appeared when a tree dropped it. The stick appeared when a tree dropped it. Where did the bad mood come from? Who picked up the stick? And where is the bad mood off to now? You never know...

Spirited Away meets Where the Wild Things Are by way of yokai mythology in this enchanting picture book by debut author J. P. Takahashi and illustrator Minako Tomigahara. The night parade is about to begin . . . The ground...

Learn about the wild, wacky and downright disgusting ways some animals react out of fear. Are you afraid of the dark? Of getting lost? Or of something you saw in a movie? Maybe someone laughed at you for being scared...

E. B. White Read-Aloud winner Mac Barnett celebrates individuality in a story told with tenderness and subtlety. It’s John’s big day at school today—a performance for Sharing Gifts time. His bag is carefully packed and prepared, his classmates are ready,...

In this lyrical picture book, world-renowned poet, New York Times bestselling author, and Coretta Scott King Honor winner Nikki Giovanni and fine artist Erin Robinson craft an ode to the magic of a library as a place not only for...

Forced to take shelter when their Syrian city is plagued with bombings, young Nour and her cousin begin to bravely build a secret underground library. Based on the author’s own life experience and inspired by a true story, Nour’s Secret...

An empowering reflection on the many things we are and the ways we relate to the world. Poet Bob Raczka’s You are a Story highlights all of the nuance and potential of a growing person’s identity, delighting in the things...

Willow is shy. VERY shy. Her home is in an abandoned mailbox, and she'd rather stay put. Outside kids scream and soccer balls collide, trees look like monsters, and rain is noisy in a scary kind of way. It's much...

From New York Times bestselling Joanna Ho, of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, and award-winning educator Liz Kleinrock, comes a powerful companion picture book about adoption and family. A young girl who is a transracial adoptee learns to love...

New York Times bestselling author Joanna Ho, of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, creates a meaningful and diverse picture book about how names define us. Names reveal generational ties and histories, weaving an intricate tale of the past. Names—and...

Nicky is a shy girl who feels most at home in the safe space of her school library, but the library closes for a week and Nicky is forced to face her social anxiety. When she meets a group of...

Tie on your apron! Roll up your sleeves! Pans are out, oven is hot, the kitchen’s all ready! Where do we start? In this lively, rousing picture book from Caldecott Honoree Jillian Tamaki, a crew of resourceful neighbors comes together...

A breathtaking picture book featuring a Korean girl and her haenyeo (free diving) grandmother about intergenerational bonds, finding courage in the face of fear, and connecting with our natural world. Dayeon wants to be a haenyeo just like Grandma. The...

New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds’s debut picture book is a snappy, joyous ode to Word King, literary genius, and glass-ceiling smasher Langston Hughes and the luminaries he inspired. Back in the day, there was a heckuva...

Whether you're settling in for a heaping plate of banana pudding or arepas and tostones, a good meal can always bring families together. Elizabeth Lilly's tale of a joyous road trip, drawn from her own experience, is illustrated with quirky...

A sneaky snake has no idea that the captives in his belly are planning their escape! In the spirit of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback, the reader sees a cutaway of the snake's...

Curious minds are rewarded with curious answers in a fantastical bedtime book by Mac Barnett and Isabelle Arsenault. Why is the ocean blue? What is the rain? What happened to the dinosaurs? It might be time for bed, but one...

An American Library Association Notable Children's Book Follow perfect pet Barnaby on his perilous journey home through bustling streets, mysterious alleyways, and the untamed wilds of city parks in this gorgeously illustrated tale of friendship, unconditional love and belonging. A...

Lena lives in a chicken coop, and she looks a lot like a chicken. But deep down, she’s convinced that she’s a . . . DINOSAUR! She can feel it in her bones. Lena just doesn’t understand the scaredy chickens...

No one knew where the strange storm came from, or why it lasted so long. The family at the center of this timely story has to hunker down together, with no going outside - and that's hard when there's absolutely...

With simple, lyrical text and vibrant panoramic illustrations, this picture book explores the beauty and resources of thirteen ancestral Indigenous lands and how we all use those lands each day. Simple poetry and portrayals of children and families enjoying rivers,...

When a girl is asked where she’s from—where she’s really from—none of her answers seems to be the right one. Unsure about how to reply, she turns to her loving abuelo for help. He doesn’t give her the response she...

Max is a cat. He attacks. From socks to strings to many a fish, attacking, for Max, is most delish. But how many of these things can he actually catch? Well, let’s just say it’s no even match. *Book cover...

A touching and joyful celebration of siblinghood, by New York Times bestselling author Derrick Barnes Rasheed has the best big brother in the world! Anthony has been his hero from day one, making him feel safe during storms and included...