The Language of Birds by Jon-Eric Lappano, illustrated by Zach Manbeck - ADVISABLE

Language of Birds by Jon-Eric Lappano, illustrated by Zach Manbeck. PICTURE BOOK. Random House Studio, 2025. $19. 9780593806654

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Mira had always loved birds since she was very young.  She could mimic their sounds and behaviors.  Mira had a special gift with birds, but she was anxious and confused when dealing with people.  She was mostly left alone by the kids at school.  One day a new boy named Jad arrived at school.  He was different too.  He connected with trees like Mira did with birds.  At recess, Jad made trees with chalk on the pavement.  Mira wanted to say hello, but her words scattered away.  Can Mira find a way to be friends with Jad?

The Language of Birds gently explores connection, and finding friendship in unexpected ways.  I liked Manbeck's fresh, modern vintage illustrations.

PGPowers

A Family of Readers by Rob Sanders and Gabbie Benda- OPTIONAL

A Family of Readers by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Gabbie Benda. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2026. $18. 9781623546472

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

One sunny day at the local library, a family of readers rushed in the front door to read, enjoy, search, and explore.  In the library, a group of older men were reading the news, while other kinds of bookworms were reading in nooks.

A Family of Readers embraces libraries as powerful, welcoming spaces for learning and community.  Unfortunately,  it was a little boring, even though they tried to have things happening in the library that wouldn't really happen such as breadmaking.  Benda's illustrations were cute. There is an illustration of a boy dressing like a girl throughout the book.

PGPowers

Reach In! by Hervé Tullet - ESSENTIAL

Reach In! by Hervé Tullet. BOARD BOOK. Chronicle Books, 2026. $19. 9781797237817

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

APPEALS TO: MANY

True to its title, the book encourages children to literally poke their fingers, hands, and even their faces into the pages. It breaks the don't touch rule of traditional literature. Tullet introduces children to the power of a simple dot or a wiggly line. He proves that you don't need a complex plot to tell a story; sometimes, the story is simply the relationship between a blue circle and a yellow hole.

Reach In! is the ultimate antidote to screen time. It provides that same instant, high-contrast feedback that a tablet does, but it requires the child to use their fine motor skills and spatial awareness to make the magic happen. It’s not a book that says, "Sit still and listen"; it’s a book that says, "Come and help me finish this!" It makes the reader the most important part of the experience.

S. Lewis

If You Went to the Bottom of the Ocean by Brook McIntyre and Gordy Wright - ADVISABLE

If You Went to the Bottom of the Ocean by Brook McIntyre, illustrated by Gordy Wright. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Chronicle Books, 2026. $20. 9781797226514

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Take a dive to the bottom of the ocean in a submarine.  What creatures would you see as you descend lower and lower?  What can live at the very bottom of the ocean?  Learn these things and more by reading If You Went to the Bottom of the Ocean.

McIntyre cleverly teaches students about ocean creatures.  She takes you along as the submarine dives lower and lower.  Wright’s illustrations are fairly realistic but very interesting.  The text is not overly long on each page.  Most pages also have an I Spy portion that students would enjoy.  Would make a fun read aloud!

Tracie, Elementary School Librarian

The House That Floated by Goujing - ADVISABLE

The House That Floated by Goujing. PICTURE BOOK. Random House, 2025. $19. 9780593709054

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

On a cliff overlooking the sea sits a little red house where a family lives and grows.  The family spends their days exploring the ocean, saving dolphins caught in nets, and carving fish out of wood.  One day the ocean rises, and huge storm waves lap at the house.  What can the family do to save their home?

The House That Floated is an interesting wordless picture book with themes of love, resilience, and adaptation to environmental change.  The illustrations are soft, expressive, and beautiful.

PGPowers

Let's Play Baseball!: A Touch-and-Feel Book by Jo Parker, illustrated by Ahra Kwon - ADVISABLE

Let's Play Baseball!: A Touch-and-Feel Book by Jo Parker, illustrated by Ahra Kwon. BOARD BOOK. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2026. $10. 9798217049127

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

What happens at a baseball game? This sturdy, interactive board book will take you through the excitement of the crowd, the action on the field, and the love of the game.  Readers can run their fingers over the raised red stitching of a baseball, feel the smooth, cool wood of the bat, and tough the rough, pebbled surface of a fielder's glove.  

The sensory actions help toddlers connect words to physical objects.  Kwon’s illustrations are bright and intentionally simple.  This is a great first sports book.  By letting kids touch the game, the book turns a complex professional sport into something intimate and manageable. This is the perfect gift for any baseball loving family. 

S. Lewis

The Cloud That Stuck by Karen Krossing and Dorothy Leung - ADVISABLE

The Cloud That Stuck by Karen Krossing, illustrated by Dorothy Leung. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2026. $18. 9781623545727

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

One blustery day, the wind blows a cloud over Tansy's head, blocking the sun.  She does everything she can think of to get rid of it, but it stays. Her dad, best friend, and teacher try to help, but it won't budge.  Then the cloud begins to rain on Tansy and she forgets what sunshine feels like.  She finally decides to put on rainboots and carry an umbrella.  She looks for things like flowers that need rain.  What if the raincloud never goes away?

The Cloud That Stuck uses Tansy's persistent cloud as a metaphor for mental health challenges. Krossing's text encourages readers to find ways to live with problems rather than to get rid of them,  highlighting self-acceptance.  Leung's gentle illustrations show the light and dark emotions of mental issues.

PGPowers

The Future Book by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Shawn Harris - ADVISABLE

The Future Book by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Shawn Harris. PICTURE BOOK. Alfred A. Knopf (Random House), 2026. $20. 9798217033171

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Lots of things are different in the future.  The sun is called the moon, and the moon is called the sun.  Bananas are called apples.  A cow is called a mooing life form.  The lowest number is one bazillion.  The world of tomorrow is full of unexpected words, strange social customs, and mind-blowing colors.  Can you envision the future?

The Future Book is filled with funny, visionary, and ridiculous social customs of the future.  I also liked the colorful, creative illustrations. 

PGPowers

Himalayan Nights written by Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal, illustrated by Kamala Nair - ADVISABLE

Himalayan Nights written by Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal, illustrated by Kamala Nair. PICTURE BOOK. Beach Lane Books (Simon & Schuster), 2025. $20. 9781665961028

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Follow along with two of our nameless White protagonists as they explore the Kashmir region of the Himalayan mountains. Reminiscent of the classic picture book, Goodnight Moon, each page bids a fond farewell to the sights and features of this unique locale at the base of the Himalayan mountain range.

This is a gorgeously illustrated picture book that pays homage to the rich and diverse landscape in the Kashmir region. I loved the little blurbs on each page that gave more context for the featured element like the bulbuls (birds), or the shikaras (boats). It was a fun way to learn a lot about this region. I will say it’s missing some context as the authors don’t really address the disputed claims to the territory by generalizing the area simply as “Kashmir”. But that won’t matter much to the casual reader. I think it would be a great addition to a world culture shelf in your library.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes 

The Gift of Words written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds - OPTIONAL

The Gift of Words written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. PICTURE BOOK. Scholastic Inc., 2025. $19. 9781339000343

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

Jerome and his rescue dog Ekko are walking the city on the hunt for words. However, when Jerome only finds sad, angry or depressing words, he decides to decorate a tree in the park with his positive word collection and invites his friends and community to participate.

I didn’t really like this picture book. I got what the author was trying to do, but the overall message fell flat for me. I had hoped for more exploration of word choice or diving deep into the joy of language, but the book came off as trite and superficial. I just think there are more ways to create positive change, and share the power of words, than to decorate a bare tree in a park.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes

Pasta, Pasta, Pasta! by Sarah Finan - ESSENTIAL

Pasta, Pasta, Pasta! by Sarah Finan. BOARD BOOK. Post Wave, 2026. $9. 9798895090404

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Pasta, Pasta, Pasta! celebrates the beautiful mess of a home-cooked meal. “Bolognese or Mac and cheese… can I have more pasta please?”

Sarah Finan has created a rhythmic, visual board book that captures the ""wiggly, jiggly"" chaos of yummy pasta! She uses onomatopoeia and bouncy rhymes that make even the most tongue-twisting pasta names—like tagliatelle and farfalle—fun for kids to shout. The illustrations are a blast of color. I loved the peek through pages in this sturdy board book.

S. Lewis 

Hey Diddle Diddle ASL by Annie Kubler and Sarah Dellow - ADVISABLE

Hey Diddle Diddle ASL by Annie Kubler, illustrated by Sarah Dellow. BOARD BOOK. Child's Play-International, 2025. $8. 9781835321904

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Sign and Rhyme: Hey Diddle Diddle is a brilliant "two-for-one" experience that turns a classic nursery rhyme into a hands-on learning session. Annie Kubler’s illustrations are already iconic for their warmth, but the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) by Annie Kubler and Sarah Finan (who provided the signs) makes this board book truly stand out. Instead of toddlers just listening, they can "act out" the story. The clear sign diagrams for words like "cow," "moon," and "cat" are placed right alongside the text, making it easy to learn the signs in real-time without being an expert. The babies in the book are diverse and joyful, which is a hallmark of the Child's Play series. The rhyme is familiar and simple.This is a must-have for parents looking to introduce pre-verbal communication or just add a bit of kinetic energy to story time.

S. Lewis https://www.kingsenglish.com/item/sIlIts1tOMx0DsEXe9A2jw