Coco and Stephen Together Forever by Beth Stern and Joanie Stone - ADVISABLE

Coco and Stephen Together Forever by Beth Stern and Joanie Stone. PICTURE BOOK. Random House Studio, 2026. $20. 9798217123544

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Coco was the sweetest kitten.  One day he fell and injured his leg.  His owners surrendered him to a shelter because he was too much work.  Stephen is a bunny who was abandoned in the forest.  All they both want is a forever home.  Beth finds Stephen in the forest and introduces him to Coco in her foster room.  Will they ever find friendship and a forever home?

Coco and Stephen Together Forever is based on a true story that is filled with hope and heart.  I enjoyed Stone's expressive and vintage illustrations.

PGPowers

Frank and Bert by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros - ADVISABLE

Frank and Bert : The One Where Bert Plays Soccer (Frank and Bert #4) by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros. PICTURE BOOK. Nosy Crow, 2025. $19. 9798887772288

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Frank the fox and Bert the bear love soccer.  Bert mostly has trouble playing; his ball always lands in the wrong place. Frank hopes he can help Bert.

Frank and Bert are up to their humorous antics in "The one where Bert Plays Soccer," celebrating friendship and heart.  I love Naylor's simple quirky illustrations.

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

Buttfish by Pauline Pinson and Magali Le Huche - ADVISABLE

Buttfish by Pauline Pinson and Magali Le Huche. PICTURE BOOK. Kids Can Press, 2026. $20. 9781525314124

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Buttfish doesn’t like being constantly told his face looks like a butt. Looking for new friends, he heads to the depths of the ocean where he meets a new friend, Steve, who looks like a cheese.  Maybe together the pair can be more than their looks.

Buttfish doesn’t look like a human-type butt, so don’t worry that you might offend through the illustrations - but if you read this aloud, you have to be comfortable with saying “butt” a lot. Pinson has really given us a story about seeing yourself differently from the roles others will try to force us into - and about being a good friend.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Bear Hair by Jeff Mack - SEVERAL

 

Bear Hair by Jeff Mack. PICTURE BOOK. Henry Holt (Macmillan), JULY 2026. $19. 9781250409676

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Bear/bare Hair/hare - Mack uses basically four words and cute illustrations to give us a full story of two friends. A fun way to teach homophones and the interplay between word and illustration in a picture book. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

This Was Not the Plan by Jane Chapman - ADVISABLE

This Was Not the Plan by Jane Chapman. Tiger Tales, 2026. $19. 9781664300781

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Spike, a bear, and Roscoe, a rabbit, are ready to head off on their camping trip. Spike feels each setback greatly, while Roscoe always finds another way to see everything with a positive attitude. Together the two find a happy balance to enjoy their adventure. 

I loved the misadventures and Roscoe’s redirects. Chapman has illustrated many beloved books and she’s done a great job with her own title. While a little longer (not much), the story hangs very well together, keeping up the reader’s interest along the way. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Bookie & Cookie Turn the Page by Blanca Gómez - ESSENTIAL

Bookie & Cookie Turn the Page by Blanca Gómez. PICTURE BOOK. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2026. $19. 9780593696835

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

APPEALS TO: MANY

Bookie and Cookie have very different personalities—Bookie loves adventure and see’s the world as a playground, while Cookie prefers to stay on the safe side of situations. When Bookie wants to “turn the page,” Cookie is hesitant.  “What if we find something bad?”  The two friends discover that sharing experiences can be both fun and rewarding and in the end, Bookie’s adventurous side rubs off onto Cookie and the fun begins. 

Gomez’s illustrations are simple yet expressive, using soft colors and clean lines that make the story feel warm and inviting. The text is easy to follow, making it a great choice for young readers or for reading aloud. This book delivers a sweet message about being open to new interests and appreciating what others enjoy. It’s a delightful read for children and a nice reminder about the value of friendship and the joy of trying new things. 

The boys are illustrated as white and Black.

S. Lewis

Fox and the Mystery Letter by Alex G Griffiths - ADVISABLE

Fox and the Mystery Letter by Alex G Griffiths. PICTURE BOOK. Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2025. $19. 9781836001102

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Fox and the Mystery Letter blends a classic scavenger hunt with a deeply emotional core. Fox receives a letter from an Old Friend challenging him to a puzzle. Fox’s journey is filled with whimsical interactive elements—arrows in the mud, smoke signals, and gifts from forest neighbors like a dapper frog and a grumpy mole.

Griffiths keeps young readers engaged by inviting them to help Fox solve each clue. While it starts as a mystery, it is truly a story about forgiveness. A rare find that appeals equally to toddlers and adults. For kids, it’s a fun adventure; for adults, it’s a reflection on how trivial grudges can lead to isolation and how powerful it can be to say "I'm sorry". It teaches children that while friendship can be messy, it is always worth the journey to fix it.

S. Lewis 

Mac and Cheese: the origin story by Michael Benner and Alison Hawkins - ADVISABLE

Mac and Cheese: the origin story by Michael Benner and Alison Hawkins. PICTURE BOOK. Orchard Books (Scholastic), JULY 2026. $20. 9781546140764

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

How did macaroni and cheese become the yummy partnership we know today?

Benner and Hawkins give us a humor filled look at a great partnership.  Full of puns, which I am not sure most kids will get, but the adults who read this aloud to them will snort as they go along. It is quite a funny tale.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Snow Problem and Other Stories by Greg Pizzoli - OPTIONAL

Snow Problem and Other Stories (Earl and Worm) by Greg Pizzoli, 69 pages. CHAPTER BOOK. Knopf (Random), 2025. $11. 9780593649749

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

It’s Earl’s birthday and Worm has surprises for him. Unfortunately, something seems to go wrong during each phase of the plan. Worm is definitely the Eeyore of the pair - Worm sees everything through a negative lens. Thankfully Earl is patient and forgiving.

While I agree that friends don’t have to match, I don’t know why one has to be negative to the other’s positive. They can be different in some other way.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

Unicorn Post by Emmy Yarlett - ADVISABLE

Unicorn Post by Emmy Yarlett. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick, 2025. $18. 9781536246469

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

When a unicorn lands on her doorstep, the little girl works very hard to help it find a good home, taking it to places like a farm and a circus. Once they find what might be the perfect home, is it really perfect if they can’t be together?

Bartlett gives us delightful extra touches in her whimsical book perfect for unicorn lovers.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS