Where do Stories Live? by Meenal Patel - OPTIONAL

Where do Stories Live? by Meenal Patel. PICTURE BOOK. Kokila (Penguin Random House), 2026. $19. 9798217003198

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: FEW

Join two sisters, Avni & Isha, as they find different stories to add to a journal. They ask each other where do stories live? In the nature around us? In the people in our homes? Or in our books, pictures, and dreams? Maybe stories exist in all of these places.

A quiet book for quiet reflective children, this picture book is definitely one that adults are going to like more than kids. The muted color palette also doesn’t draw the reader in, but it does fit the contemplative tone of the story, so there are trade-offs. I liked the Indian elements in the background of the story, they were fun to pick out on each page.

Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes 

The Secret Recipe written by Ilan Stavans and 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 

One Day in June written by Tourmaline and 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

Snarky Sharky by Bethan Clarke and Nikolas Ilic - OPTIONAL

Snarky Sharky by Bethan Clarke, illustrated by Nikolas Ilic. PICTURE BOOK. Tiger Tales, 2025. $19. 9781664300644

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: FEW

Snarky Sharky is the biggest thing on his reef. But he is a bit tired of all of the attention, of the dull surroundings, and of the sea creatures who are constantly admiring him. But when he ventures off the reef for the first time, a surprise awaits him.

The story dragged with all of Sharky’s lines being sarcastic and a bit annoying - while I liked the surprise awaiting him, it was a one pager and the whole thing just didn’t feel finished.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS