Mama Loves It by Raffi, illustrated by Patricia Pessoa - OPTIONAL

Mama Loves It by Raffi, illustrated by Patricia Pessoa . PICTURE BOOK. Random House Children's Books, 2026. $19. 9798217116348

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

APPEALS TO: SOME

Mamas and Papas have many chores to complete around the house.  When children help with the chores, it is much appreciated.  “A happy home is the one where the kids are pitchin’ in, and they do their part to keep things going right.” The sheet music is added to the end of the book so that parents/ teachers can learn the melody and teach the song to little helpers. 

The sentiment is cute and can be used in a unit on chores and household duties.  A unit on teamwork and families could also use this picture book as an added bonus.  The illustrations are sweet and detailed.  I didn’t find the song/ lyrics to be as enticing as other options.  Overall, Mama Loves It is a book that highlights love, connection, and shared experiences.

S. Lewis

Jacomini by Rebecca Dautremer - ESSENTIAL

Jacomini by Rebecca Dautremer. BOARD BOOK. Post Wave, 2026. $19. 9798895090428

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

APPEALS TO: MANY

This book may be small in format, but it has a Big Heart! Jacomini is a dreamer; he’s clever and gentle.  But can someone be too much of a dreamer? Too clever? Too gentle? No! All of Jacomini’s best qualities are character traits we should all want to emulate.  

Usually, board books are loud and fast, but this one is sweet, soft and tender. I could look at the illustrations all day with their rich, breathtaking, classical colors.  One can “feel” the texture of Jocomini’s sweater, see the details of the dandelion seeds, and almost touch the wisps of fir on many of the animals. A beautiful lesson is taught: whether tender or tough, true friends accept you just the way you are. The sturdy pages can withstand the enthusiasm of little hands. It’s a beautiful, durable “must have” for a nursery bookshelf.

S. Lewis

The Secret Recipe written by Ilan Stavans, illustrated by Taia Morley - OPTIONAL

The Secret Recipe written by Ilan Stavans, illustrated by Taia Morley. PICTURE BOOK. Kar-Ben Publishing (Lerner Publishing Group), 2025. $19. 9781728486437

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: FEW

A young boy is inspired to learn more about his family heritage when cooking with his grandmother and hears her use a secret language. Together with our young protagonist, learn how food, language, and culture are integrally tied together through the centuries.

Yes, it is another picture book about food (I can’t help myself!), but this one is about the Sephardic Jews that left Spain and Portugal in the 15th century who speak Ladino, which is a combination of Old Spanish and Hebrew. I liked learning about a culture and history that I was unfamiliar with, but most kids aren’t going to understand how it differs from Spanish because the Ladino words in the story sound very similar, even though they are spelled differently.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes 

Faruq and the Wiri Wiri written by Sophia Payne, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat - ADVISABLE

Faruq and the Wiri Wiri written by Sophia Payne, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat. PICTURE BOOK. Templar Books (Candlewick Press), 2025. $19. 9781536241228

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Faruq learns the art of cooking from his friendly neighbor, an elderly woman by the name of Mrs. Joseph. By utilizing unique Guyanese ingredients like the wiri wiri berry, he prepares a healing soup for his ailing grandmother and a massive lunchtime feast for his entire extended family.

I was not aware that South Asians represent almost 50% of Guyana's population, but the author is Indo-Guyanese and the picture book represents the author growing up in that unique culture. I really liked the colorful and vibrant illustrations. I thought they accurately captured the vivacity of Faruq’s family and culture. I would recommend this for a classroom library, and could be a fun culture study for the Caribbean area.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes 

Wanda Hears the Stars: A Blind Astronomer Listens to the Universe by Amy S. Hansen, Wanda Díaz Merced and Rocio Arreola Mendoza - ADVISABLE

Wanda Hears the Stars A Blind Astronomer Listens to the Universe by Amy S. Hansen and Wanda Díaz Merced, illustrated by Rocio Arreola Mendoza. BIOGRAPHY, NON-FICTION, PICTURE BOOK Charlesbridge/Imagine, 2025. $19. 9781623544874 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

When Wanda Diaz Merced was a little girl, she loved to be in the outdoors with her family - she and her father looked at the stars when they went on a fishing trip. She felt a special connection and had lots of questions. She studied Physics in college with her dream being to study the stars, but her diabetes took her vision while at college so she needed to find another route. One day, while she was experiencing a special radio her friend had engineered, Wanda was able to hear sounds coming from space and the stars. The door to her studies re-opened as she had found another path. She is a scientist and an advocate for those with disabilities. 

What an inspirational story! And how brave she must have been to apply to NASA, which required her to move from Puerto Rico, learn English and find her way around a new campus without sight. I can see my star lovers and my biography readers really liking this introduction to Wanda Merced. Includes a lot of backmatter: Glossary (both of science terms and Spanish words), a note from Wanda and the author, notes about the radio, as well as a timeline and bibliography. Wanda is from Puerto Rico 

Lisa Librarian 

No, I'm a…Flamingo! written by Catharine Robertson, illustrated by Ana Gomez - ADVISABLE

No, I'm a…Flamingo! written by Catharine Robertson, illustrated by Ana Gomez. PICTURE BOOK. Happy Yak (The Quarto Group), 2025. $19. 9781836002031

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Follow a long suffering father as he tries to get his 3 1/2 year-old to wear something other than a flamingo onesie. They go through different outfit ideas before finally settling on what the toddler wants to wear.

This picture book is something that would resonate with anyone who has tried to get a toddler ready for the day, and kids would like it because they all have favorite clothes that they like to wear. I thought it was fun and silly and would work really well for any class read-aloud.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes

Shabbat Shalom: Let's Rest and Reset by Suzy Ultman - OPTIONAL

Shabbat Shalom: Let's Rest and Reset by Suzy Ultman. BOARD BOOK Penguin, 2025. $10. 9780593751930 

BUYING ADVISORY: PRE-K - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

During the week we do the doing, but Friday night Shabbat begins, and we focus on being. 

What a darling board book - I love that resting can be different for different people. A simple explanation of what the child should do on Shabbat. 

Lisa Librarian. 

One Day in June written by Tourmaline, illustrated by Charlot Kristensen - OPTIONAL

One Day in June written by Tourmaline, illustrated by Charlot Kristensen. PICTURE BOOK. Penguin Young Readers Group (Penguin Random House), 2025. $19. 9780593525371

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: FEW

Told in alternative timelines, switching from NYC in 2020 to NYC of the late 60s, this picture book is a fictionalized look of the life of Marsha P Johnson, a black trans woman activist at the heart of the Stonewall riots in New York City, 1969.

I don’t know a lot of details around the Stonewall riots, but I did hear of Marsha’s name and have seen pictures of her before. This book is more about her as an individual, and less about the historical events that led to those riots in June. I wish it had more verifiable historical context, but I did appreciate the unapologetic look at trans joy and the woman that started LGBTQ Pride for so many people. I do think that it will only appeal to a few students though.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes

Rocket Ship, Solo Trip by Chiara Colombi, illustrated by Scott Magoon - ADVISABLE

Rocket Ship, Solo Trip by Chiara Colombi, illustrated by Scott Magoon. BOARD BOOK. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2026. $9. 9798217040384

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

A young astronaut is preparing for a momentous mission: a solo journey.

While the setting is a gleaming, high-tech outer space, the emotional core is grounded in the "firsts" every child faces, like the first day of school or sleeping in their own bed. Rocket Ship, Solo Trip is the perfect "bravery" book for any little explorer about to take a big step. The bright, bold colors are inviting and fun.  I loved the countdown motif to build suspense.  This mimics the heartbeat of a child who is both terrified and excited about many ""firsts"" in their life.  This is a sweet book that will be loved by many. 

S. Lewis

A Compendium of Curious Contraptions: A Guessing Game about History's Most Unusual Artifacts written by Anna Goldfield, illustrated by Paula Zamudio - ADVISABLE

A Compendium of Curious Contraptions: A Guessing Game about History's Most Unusual Artifacts written by Anna Goldfield, illustrated by Paula Zamudio. PICTURE BOOK. St. Martin's Publishing Group (Macmillan Publishers), 2025. $20. 9781684494538

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Archaeologist Anna Goldfield shares a variety of mysterious historical artifacts from around the world in a unique guessing game to see the weird and wonderful things humans have used throughout history.

I thought this was a super fun way to engage readers in historical nonfiction. Each page features different clues to help the reader guess what the artifact might have been used for and then they can uncover the flap to find out more details about the historical artifacts. The author included a wide range of historical artifacts from all over the world, not just Western Europe. I could see this being used as supplemental materials for a history class, especially when talking about artifacts and how historians & archeologists learn about the past through what humans leave behind.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes

Perla and the Pirate written by Isabel Allende, illustrated by Sandy Rodriguez - ADVISABLE

Perla and the Pirate written by Isabel Allende, illustrated by Sandy Rodriguez. PICTURE BOOK. Beach Lane Books (Simon & Schuster), 2025. $20. 9781665961028

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Perla the dog and her boy, Nico have a new neighbor, the Pirate! He is really a teenager in a rock band, but he wears a Pirate t-shirt. One day, Nico gets lost walking home from school, and it’s up to Perla, the Pirate, and Nico’s older sister, Liz, to find Nico again.

This is the second in the Perla series, and for the most part, it’s okay if you haven’t read the first book. I will say that I had forgotten who Liz was at the beginning, but then I figured it out. My biggest complaint (and this was also the case with the first book) was the magical elements that were sort of sprinkled through the book. The magic can easily be explained as the result of a child’s imagination, but for an adult, the lack of a logical magical framework is a little infuriating. All in all, a cute story about a boy and his dog, and how the dog is the hero at the end of the day.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes

Our Prehistoric Planet by Sue Lowell Gallion and Lisk Feng - ADVISABLE

Our Prehistoric Planet: Dinosaurs and Other Creatures of the Past by Sue Lowell Gallion, illustrated by Lisk Feng. BOARD BOOK. Phaidon Press, 2026. $20. 9781837290390

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Our Prehistoric Planet is such a fun and unique book! The accordion-fold format is unlike any other.  When fully opened, magnets connect and create a globe shape that can be placed on the desk or floor.  Gallion explores famous dinosaurs as well as early sea life, soaring pterosaurs, and the eventual rise of mammals.  

The artwork is vibrant and inviting.  The colors are modern and make the ancient world come to life. Gallion turns a science lesson into an adventure.  Each time a child unfolds this board book, there will be an "aha" moment where they realize just how big and ancient our world really is.  Our Prehistoric Planet: Dinosaurs and Other Creatures of the Past will be a perfect addition to any unit on dinosaurs. 

S. Lewis