Our Lake by Angie Kang

Our Lake by Angie Kang. PICTURE BOOK Kokila (Penguin), 2025. $20. 9780593698235 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Brothers go to the lake to swim. It's the first time without their father, and the youngest is worried about diving in. 

I loved the illustrations. A really sweet story about grief, trust, and memories. I like that it's vague about why their father is not with them - we know he's gone. The story would be comforting for any child needing reassurance, healing, and a way to process loss. The characters default white. 

Lisa Librarian 

Chopsticks Are by Chloe Ito Ward and Lynn Scurfield - ADVISABLE

Chopsticks Are by Chloe Ito Ward, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield. PICTURE BOOK. Chronicle Books, 2026. $20. 9781797227368

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Chopsticks Are is filled with words that describe what chopsticks are and how they are used.  They are works of art,  represent tradition, and are given as gifts.  They are used in many cultures throughout the world.  Learn everything you ever wanted to know about chopsticks in this book!

I enjoyed how this book uses beautiful illustrations of food and different kinds of chopsticks to catch the reader's eye.  Words are limited on each page.   At the end, you will find a history of chopsticks, the rules for using them and a food index that names the different foods that are listed.

Many different ethnicities are featured in this book.

Tracie, Elementary School Librarian

Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan - ADVISABLE

Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan. PICTURE BOOK Simon and Schuster, 2025. $20. 9781665938150 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Every Monday morning, Mabel does something she thinks is the best. She makes her breakfast, brings a chair, and heads outside. Her sister thinks it's boring, her mom thinks it's cute, and her dad thinks it's funny. Whatever is she doing? 

I loved the suspense; I almost wish there wasn't a huge hint on the cover. A darling story with super cute illustrations. According to the illustrations, Mabel's family appears multi-racial/cultural. 

Lisa Librarian 

Sky Luck by Erica Lee Schlaikjer and Dagmar Smith - ADVISABLE

Sky Luck by Erica Lee Schlaikjer, illustrated by Dagmar Smith. PICTURE BOOK. Blue Dot Kids Press, 2025. $19. 9798989858866

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

A group of friends gather to watch the sky for shooting stars.  A young boy feels unlucky for not seeing anything except an airplane, the Milky Way, a satellite, and a full blood-red moon. His uncle tells him to feel lucky and excited about what he has seen, and reminds him of many other things the boy has seen in the sky.  The boy goes out into the night to look again.  Does he have any sky luck?

Sky Luck is a story that encourages a mindset of appreciation for the constant wonders already present in the world.  Smith's illustrations nicely represent the infinite sky luck around us.

PGPowers

Croco by Azul Lopez, translated by Kit Maude - OPTIONAL

Croco by Azul Lopez, translated by Kit Maude. PICTURE BOOK Tapioca Stories, 2025. $19.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

When a Crocodile falls down a deep hole, the animal friends try to give advice on getting out, but a crocodile isn't like a snake, a bird, or monkeys, and their advice won't work. 

Croco is an unusually sized book which is sure to get lost on the library shelf, however, that said, I can see the reasoning behind the format. The book is held sideways so that the pages appear to be looking at a cross section of a hole, allowing the reader to see in the hole as well as the animal friends in the trees and on the ground above. The story was clever, and didn't resolve as I anticipated, so that was fun. Originally published in Mexico. 

Lisa Librarian

I'm Joining the Herd by Saskia Gwinn and Adam Ming - ADVISABLE

I'm Joining the Herd by Saskia Gwinn, illustrated by Adam Ming. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Quarto Publishing Group, 2025. $20. 9780711295599

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

I'm Joining the Herd explores over fifty different animal groups that live and work together.  It follows a zebra character as she learns about various animal societies.  It features fun facts about packs, flocks, prides, fish, insects, and more with a focus on cooperation and community. 

Gwinn engages kids with a silly Zebra character that interacts with the animal groups.  The book reads like a graphic novel with animals speaking.  Ming's illustrations are detailed, expressive and fun.

PGPowers

A Knot is not a Tangle by Daniel Nayeri and Vesper Stamper - ADVISABLE

A Knot is not a Tangle by Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Vesper Stamper. PICTURE BOOK Random House, 2025 $19.00 9780593809693 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

When the Persian rug the boy's grandmother made with her grandmother begins to fray and fade, it's time to make a new one. So the grandmother teaches the boy everything, from spinning the wool of his grandfather's sheep to dying the yarn, planning the pattern, setting up the loom, and finally weaving. But there's more to making a rug than just knowing how to do it, Grandmother also tells stories and teaches life lessons. 

I'm a fiber artist myself, and adored this story of teaching a skill to a new generation. This story made my heart happy. The illustrations are colorful and accurate (to my eye at least). I liked the author's note, about Persian rug making and a lesson about perfection. I would have loved there to be a personal connection between Nayeri and making a rug with a photo. He's a great writer, and I assumed it was autobiographical. Not disappointed, though, that it is not. Still buying a copy for my library.  The family is Iranian. 

Lisa Librarian 

Whooo Is Still Awake? by Brigette Barrager - ADVISABLE

Whooo Is Still Awake? by Brigette Barrager. PICTURE BOOK. Random House Children's Books, 2025. $19 9780593433546 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

As the night begins, two little owls take flight into moonlit woods. "Whooo" is awake each night? With the turn of each page, readers meet nocturnal friends such as fluttering moths and playful raccoons to creeping black cats and trotting skunks- "Pew! Pew!" "Whoo is still awake?" 

Hopefully not little ones as they snuggle into this perfect bedtime story. Two sets of bright yellow eyes stand out on each page as the two owls take flight to find out who's still awake at night. The background colors are soft and dark with the text in a pastel pink- a perfect combination! The baby owls are so sweet and each of the critters are illustrated perfectly. The text is simple and fun. We enjoyed this book! 

S. Lewis

Hurricane by Jason Chin - ESSENTIAL

Hurricane by Jason Chin. NON-FICTION, PICTURE BOOK Neal Porter (Holiday House), 2025. $20. 9780823458493 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Jason Chin tracks a hurricane from off the coast of Africa to north of the Caribbean islands toward the United States, Through the perspective of a community and family on Cape Hatteras. We see how the National Hurricane Center forecasts the hurricane and predicts its track. We fly with Hurricane Hunters - Pilots who fly specially equipped weather planes right in to the storm. We also see how the residents of Cape Hatteras are preparing to weather the storm, and evacuate if necessary. 

I loved how the scientific information was side-by-side with the activities of the community. What a fun way to read non-fiction, it made the science so applicable. I love how many of the illustrations of the community involve phone calls from neighbors checking on each other. A great non-fiction book about Hurricanes - both the process and the impact. Includes some interesting back matter on hurricanes, including further reading and sources. 

Lisa Librarian

Little Bad Wolf by Abie Longstaff and Leire Martin - ESSENTIAL

Little Bad Wolf by Abie Longstaff, illustrated by Leire Martin. PICTURE BOOK. Happy Yak, 2025. $19 9780711296466 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Before becoming the BIG, BAD WOLF, Baby Wolfie has to grow up and learn patience because things often make him grumpy. If anything (lamp posts, his desk at school, shoes) upsets Baby Wolfie, he simply gobbles it up! When the teacher begins to give out Star Pupil badges, Wolfie is FINALLY chosen as the Star Pupil and to celebrate, his dad makes him a red and swishy red cloak. So begins the story of Little Red stealing Wolfie's cloak, claiming it belongs to her, eventually meeting her demise in the forest and home of her grandmother many years later. 

Goldilocks, the Gingerbread Man, Little Pig, and Jack and the Beanstalk are side characters in this adorable picture book. Every once in a while, the PERFECT picture book comes along. "Little Bad Wolf - Before the Fairy Tale" is that book for me! The illustrations are so adorable! The creative writing is perfection! Tying a variety of other fairy tale characters into the story is brilliant! I am unaware of another book that focuses on The Big Bad wolf as "baby Wolfie", but this one wins the prize! Great picture book! The illustrator did a great job representing many ethnic backgrounds in her illustrations. 

 S. Lewis

Winter Is Wonderful by Emma Dodd - OPTIONAL

Winter Is Wonderful by Emma Dodd. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2025. $18 9781536243956 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) -  OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

A sweet fox family enjoys the magic of winter together. 

With altering pages adding foil in the illustrations, this picture book is unique and fun. The words are simple and the sentiment of being together to celebrate the holidays makes this a fun gift idea. "Winter is special in every way- a time for family, sharing and play." I loved the introduction of foil on alternating pages. Little ones will love this unique, bright addition to their reading library. The story was simple yet didn't really draw us in. The rhyming wasn't as easy to read as I hoped. It's a fun book but just didn't reach the "mark" for me. 

S. Lewis

Torla and Smorla and The Deeper than Average Hole by Kes Gray and Chris Jevons - ESSENTIAL

Torla and Smorla and The Deeper than Average Hole by Kes Gray illustrated by Chris Jevons. PICTURE BOOK. Happy Yak, 2025. $19 9780711288157 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Torla the giraffe has a dilemma. She has accidentally fallen into a deeper-than-average hole. Luckily a new friend, Smorla, happens along the way. Smorla is determined to help rescue her newfound friend. Even with the help of stronger-than-average elephants and hairier-than-average gorillas, there simply doesn't seem to be a solution. 

 With thick paper pages, and fun lift the flap pages, readers will delight in Smorla's unexpected solution to helping her friend get out of the hole. What a fun book! I loved the fun and unusual size- appx. 12 inches high x 6 inches wide. I loved the illustrations. All of the big-eyed animals are adorable. The lift the flap pages will thrill all readers. This will become a must-have picture book for all homes and classrooms. 

 S. Lewis