When We Go Home by Heather Beaumont and Natali de Mello - ADVISABLE

When We Go Home by Heather Beaumont and Natali de Mello. PICTURE BOOK. Kids Can Press, 2026. $20. 9781525312519

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Dad and Mom are excited to go back home to their Caribbean island to see everyone. The two young children say that it's not their home.  The family flies to the Island, and there are lots of people who look like them, but will the young children feel like this is their home too?

When We Go Home is a touching and warmhearted story that explores what it means to belong to two cultures.  I enjoyed the rich, vibrant art by Natali de Mello.

PGPowers

Rocket Beams, Lunar Dreams by Chiara Colombi and Scott Magoon - ADVISABLE

Rocket Beams, Lunar Dreams by Chiara Colombi and Scott Magoon. BOARD BOOK. Viking (Penguin), 2025. $9. 9798217042081

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Rocket gets to go to the moon today. When Rocket realizes that she won’t actually be walking on the moon, though, she is very disappointed. Can Rocket get over her disappointment and help Lander learn how to fly down to the moon?

Rocket Beams, Lunar Dreams is a cute story exploring friendship, overcoming fears, and managing disappointment. 

Magoon's illustrations are fun and engaging.

PGPowers

Wee Unicorn by Meg McLaren - ADVISABLE

Wee Unicorn by Meg McLaren. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge Publishing, 2025. $18. 9781623544935

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

APPEALS TO: MANY

Wee Unicorn feels like she doesn’t fit in. She is loud, small, and can’t do magic. But one day she meets a monster living in the loch who is misunderstood too. Together, they discover that being different is not something to hide.

A cute story with a great message and fun, bright illustrations.

A. Snow, Librarian

Where Is Bear? by Leslea Newman and Valeri Gorbachev - ADVISABLE

Where Is Bear? by Leslea Newman and Valeri Gorbachev. BOARD BOOK. Clarion Books (Harper Collins), 2026. $10. 9780063492035

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

All the animals in the forest play hide-and- seek.  Bunny counts while everyone else hides.   Soon she has found all the animals except bear.  How could the biggest animal be so hard to find?

Where is Bear? is a cute rhythmic tale with charming storybook illustrations by Gorbachev.  Children will be eager to join in this playful search for the missing Bear.

PGPowers

Safari Train by Christopher Robbins and Susanna Covelli - ADVISABLE

Safari Train by Christopher Robbins and Susanna Covelli. BOARD BOOK. Familius (Abrams), 2026. $15. 9798893960594

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Count the jungle animals as you trundle through the forest on the safari truck. 

The train stretches out into a stand-up toy. Just think if the wheels actually rolled.  but still a lot of fun.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Sloths Love Parties by Rory H. Mather and Binny Talib - ADVISABLE

Sloths Love Parties by Rory H. Mather and Binny Talib. PICTURE BOOK. Affirm Press, 2026. $18. 9781922863560

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Sloths are known for loving sleep, but have you ever wondered why they are so sleepy? Marty the sloth tells us that it is because sloths love to party.  Sloths celebrate everything they can think of and each day of the week.  They party all night long dressed up all fancy with food and games.  In the morning, can you think of another party they start? 

Sloths Love Parties is a joyous, humorous story.  Talib's vibrant illustrations are full of colorful fun and jungle party antics.

PGPowers

How to Say You're Sorry by Stephanie Calmenson and Shannon McNeill - ADVISABLE

How to Say You're Sorry by Stephanie Calmenson and Shannon McNeill. PICTURE BOOK. Beach Lane Books ( Simon & Schuster ), 2026. $20. 9781665958394

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

APPEALS TO: MANY

A cute, big, grey elephant knocks over his friend's blocks.  What do you do when something you've done really upsets someone? Do you blame it on someone else?  Do You hide or run away?  Or can you be brave and stay where you are and say I'm sorry.  Will the other person forgive you?

How to Say You're Sorry is very relatable and sparks conversations about apologies and patience.  I enjoyed McNeill's soft, mixed media illustrations.

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Show Your Colors by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and Edward Underwood - ADVISABLE

Show Your Colors by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and Edward Underwood. BOARD BOOK. Candlewick, 2023. $10. 9781536228465 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

As you meet a wide variety of animals, each of them has a colorful body part to show off.

I really enjoyed how Prasadam-Halls rhymed the color with the animals’ first names. And Underwood’s illustrations are the right flash of fun and bright.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Name Your Numbers by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and Edward Underwood - ADVISABLE

Name Your Numbers by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and Edward Underwood. BOARD BOOK. Candlewick, 2023. $10. 9781536228458

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Follow the animals through this counting book to the surprise at the end. 

Interestingly, Prasadam-Halls does not start on one - two is the lucky first number. Underwood’s illustrations are bright and easy to count. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Goodnight Already! by Jory John and Benji Davies - ESSENTIAL

Goodnight Already! by Jory John and Benji Davies. PICTURE BOOK. HarperCollins, 2025. $13. 9780063464995

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

APPEALS TO: MANY

As Bear is desperately trying to get to sleep, Goose is wide awake and looking for fun.

The miscommunication between the two neighbors is pretty funny. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Navigating Night written by Julie Leung and Angie Kang - ESSENTIAL

Navigating Night written by Julie Leung, illustrated by Angie Kang.  PICTURE BOOK.  Random House Children's Books (Penguin Random House), 2026.  $19.  9780593897690

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

A young Chinese American girl helps her immigrant father navigate the roads at night as they deliver take-out orders from their Chinese restaurant. As they drive around town, her father shares his experiences coming to America as a teenager & the little girl comes to better understand the sacrifices her father went through for her and their family.

It's not often that a picture book makes me cry, but this one did. Both the author and illustrator made a note in the back of the book detailing how their own experiences influenced this work, which made it all the more touching. I think this is an important picture book to have in your classroom library because of how it humanizes the immigrant experience, for this young girl and also for the reader. I found it to be full of heart and a text that could pair very nicely with any other immigrant/refugee experience.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes

Little Ghost's Summerween by Maggie Edkins Willis - ADVISABLE

Little Ghost's Summerween by Maggie Edkins Willis. PICTURE BOOK. Beach Lane Books  (Simon & Schuster), 2026. $20. 9781665985147

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Little ghost gets an invitation to a birthday party.  He loves Halloween parties, but has never been to a birthday party.  Anya talks him into going.  He liked the birthday part of the party, but he wasn't good at any of the games.  Little ghost decides to have his own birthday party, but it is summer, and he only likes bats, black cats, and candy corn.  Halloween and summer just don't mix.  He finally gives up on the birthday idea.  But then Anya surprises him.

Little Ghost's Summerween is a warm and funny exploration of identity, friendship, and problem solving skills.  Willis' illustrations are expressive and charming.

PGPowers