The Baby Who Stayed Awake Forever written and illustrated by Sandra Salsbury - ADVISABLE

The Baby Who Stayed Awake Forever written and illustrated by Sandra Salsbury. PICTURE BOOK. Random House Children's Books (Penguin Random House), 2025. $19. 9780593805879

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Follow one very tired family with one very wide-awake baby over the course of a night when the baby decides to stay awake forever. With equal parts humor and sympathy, the author perfectly captures those early sleepless nights with new babies.

I picked this book because I have some friends that are currently in this stage of life, and wanted to get a peek inside their world. Even though I don’t have kids, I still enjoyed the story and I particularly loved the illustrations. I think this will be a hit for anyone with young kids, and could be used as a way to introduce older siblings to the changes that new babies bring to a family. It could find traction in an elementary library, but I see it as more a family library kind of book.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes

You're a Poet written by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Sam Usher - ADVISABLE

You're a Poet written by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Sam Usher. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2025. $19. 9781536239331

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL (4-6) ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Our friend Piglet, sometimes with his BFF Squirrel, goes on five different adventures to explore five different ways to write a poem. Each vignette is followed by instructions on how the reader can try writing a similar poem, along with writing tips from the author.

I was quite charmed by this picture book that makes writing poetry more approachable for younger students. I think this could be used as a mentor text for a poetry unit for elementary, middle, and even high school students. The illustrations are also sweet, perfectly capturing the innocence of childhood and childlike wonder at the world around them.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes

Happy Together written and illustrated by Chloe Douglass - ADVISABLE

Happy Together written and illustrated by Chloe Douglass. PICTURE BOOK. Magination Press, 2025. $19. 9781433845154

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Fox and his friends are at a big music festival where his favorite band is playing. He wants to be as cool as the Bad Apples band. However, when a musical mixup exposes the Bad Apples as lip syncing frauds, Fox realizes he is happiest when he is playing with his friends.

This is part of a series of books that the American Psychological Association publishes as a way to help young children navigate tricky social situations and cope with emotional upheavals. As someone who didn’t read the other ones in the series, I was a little lost, but I did think it was a good overall message for young students. The illustrations are simple and engaging, and young students will enjoy both the story and the moral lesson.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes