The Girl Who Was Too Big for the Page by Geena Davis - ADVISABLE

The Girl Who Was Too Big for the Page by Geena Davis. PICTURE BOOK. Philomel Books (Penguin), 2025. $19. 9780593463963

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

APPEALS TO: SOME

Follow Sheila, who at the beginning of the book is just a baby and still crawling. As each year passes, Sheila gets one year older. She goes on adventures with her family- so big that they don't fit on the pages in the book. But after one summer, Sheila comes back to school and she is a lot taller than her friends. Her head doesn't even fit on the page! At first, Sheila is upset that she is so different from her friends. Sheila realizes that she doesn't need to change herself, she will always fit somewhere in the world.

I liked the idea of this plot, but it didn't draw me in. The theme of being yourself and that it's ok to be different is great. My 7 year old daughter thought it was a fun story, but not one she would want to reread.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

The Wildest Thing by Emily Winfield Martin - ADVISABLE

The Wildest Thing by Emily Winfield Martin. PICTURE BOOK. Random House, 2026. $20. 9798217023981

BUYING ADVISORY:  EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Eleanor loved the outdoors and wild things in her own quiet way, but there was something wild in her waiting to come out.  One morning the outside came in.  She became noisy, free, and wilder than she was supposed to be. 

Martin beautifully expresses a timeless message about little ones unleashing their inner "wild" and encouraging their budding imagination and unique individuality.  Martin's illustrations are sweet and beautiful.

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

What About Scout? by Guido Van Genechten - OPTIONAL

What About Scout? by Guido Van Genechten. PICTURE BOOK. Clavis Publishing Inc, 2025. $20 9798890631510

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

APPEALS TO: SOME

Sheep are herd animals. They all do the same things everyday. They eat, sleep, poop and watch the train go by. But, not Scout. He is different.

Great illustrations. It is fun to try and find what Scout is doing differently on each page. 

A. Snow, Librarian

I Used to be a Dinosaur by Casey Lyall and Laurie Keller - ESSENTIAL

I Used to be a Dinosaur by Casey Lyall and Laurie Keller. PICTURE BOOK. Greenwillow (Harper), JUNE 2026. $20. 9780062890313

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

APPEALS TO: MANY

The chicken is discontented with its chicken life, reminiscing the days when they were dinosaurs. Chicken decides that though they are no longer a dino in fact, they can still be a dino at heart.

Lyall includes a little back matter to explain the evolution from dinosaur to chicken, too. I thoroughly enjoyed this twist on the “You are Awesome” style of picture book.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Gigantic by Rob Biddulph - ESSENTIAL

 

Gigantic by Rob Biddulph. PICTURE BOOK. Doubleday (Random House), 2026. $19. 9780593518960

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Gigantic may yet be a tiny whale, but when his big brother, Titan, is in trouble, Gigantic pulls out all the stops, and his friends, to save him.

Biddulph’s rhyming text gives the story a rhythm evocative of the sea and adds an urgency to Titan’s danger. A great reminder to “biggers” that those smaller in stature are as important. I love the color palette of the illustrations so much.

Lovely endpapers, too. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Ritu in the Sun by Moniza Hossain and Merce Lopez - ADVISABLE

Ritu in the Sun by Moniza Hossain, illustrated by Merce Lopez. PICTURE BOOK. Crown Books (Random House), 2026. $19. 9780593806692

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Ritu loves the sun.  She loves it in the morning when it slants in through the window, and in the afternoon when it makes the pool sparkle.  She loves the sun when it lights up the sky with splashes of orange and pink.  But Nani is worried the sun will darken Ritu's skin.  As Ritu talks with her Nani, she finds out that Nani used to feel lonely while she stayed in the house and watched the others play.  Ritu loves playing in the sun. Will her Nani ever understand?

Hossain celebrates how light and love can make us see things anew -- including colorism.  Lopez's illustrations are expressive and beautiful.

A South Asian family is depicted.

PGPowers

Who Are You? by Claire Keane - ADVISABLE

Who Are You? by Claire Keane. PICTURE BOOK. Random House Studio, 2026. $19 9798217029136

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

A young girl and her basset hound explore nature asking the question, "Who are you?"  As the young girl wanders, she finds her identity through her experiences.  She is the rock beneath her and the clouds above her.  She is the grass and the butterfly.  She is the howling wind and the raindrops.  In her thoughtful wanderings she gets lost and frightened.  What does she realize when she finds her way home?

Keane gives us a thoughtful simplistic story about how every moment, both good and challenging, shapes who we become. I  liked Keane's loose style of illustration.

PGPowers

For a Girl Becoming by Joy Harjo and Adriana Garcia - ADVISABLE

For a Girl Becoming by Joy Harjo and Adriana Garcia. PICTURE BOOK Norton YR, 2025. $19. 9781324052241 

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Joy Harjo has written a beautiful poem welcoming a new baby girl into the world. Relatives come to visit and bring gifts, both physical and spiritual. The child is encouraged to acknowledge the source of all the gifts, the gift of breathing, laughing, tears, dreaming, and others. To give, and help, and do, and praise, and grow. 

Beautiful illustrations accompany Harjo's poem. Intended for a Native American child, with many references to medicine plants, nature, and cultural illustrations; however, any child would find strength, belonging, and happiness in the pages of this book. It would make a wonderful baby gift as well. 

Lisa Librarian

A Single Dreadlock by Xaiver Michael Campbell and Eugenie Fernandes - ADVISABLE

A Single Dreadlock by Xaiver Michael Campbell, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes. PICTURE BOOK.  Groundwood Books, 2025. $20. 9781773069388

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

A young boy named Lovie never thought he looked different until he and his dads moved from Jamaica to Spruce Cove.  His hair is curly and wild and Lovie loves it!  Over the Summer, it forms a dread in just one spot and Lovie is very happy about it until the kids at school make fun of him. He is very sad.  How will Lovie learn to be proud about his hair?

A Single Dreadlock is about finding the courage to be yourself, and the reader can learn to have compassion for others who look different.  I enjoyed the vibrant art of Fernandes. Lovie is being raised by two dads.  They are also Jewish.

PGPowers

Braided Roots by Pasha Westbrook and Madelyn Goodnight - ADVISABLE

Braided Roots by Pasha Westbrook, illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight. PICTURE BOOK. Orchard Books (Scholastic), 2025. $19. 9781339015385

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

A young girl's father lovingly and perfectly braids pink and brown ribbons into her hair before she leaves for school.  He tells her that they weave their hair into a braid to remember history and family, and that her hair is like an unbreakable rope attaching her to her family.

Braided Roots is a poetic reminiscing about family endurance and history, and explores the love between a father and daughter.  I enjoyed Goodnight's sweet illustrations.

The history of the family is of enslaved, mixed-race Black, Chickasaw, and Choctaw.

PGPowers

Little Snail Goes House Hunting by Bia Melo - ADVISABLE

Little Snail Goes House Hunting by Bia Melo. PICTURE BOOK. Happy Yak (Quarto), 2025. $19. 9780711292338

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Little Snail is feeling a little bored with the same-old-same-old environment, so she heads out to try out different types of housing environments, traveling all over the world. When she visits the sea slugs, there she finds the inspiration she needs to create the home to reflect her personality.

Melo’s illustrations are colorful and inspiring - so much fun to gaze at. And I really liked how Snail realized it wasn’t the physical environment that mattered the most, but how she felt about herself.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS