Picture Books
Somewhere in the bayou
Jarrett Pumphrey
jE Pumphrey
Picture Books, Animals, Humor
Rat, Squirrel, Rabbit, and Mouse want to cross the bayou, but next to the log they are considering as a bridge is a sneaky tail, which may be attached to someone dangerous--each of the four approach the problem with a different strategy, with varying results.
No nibbling!
Beth Ferry
jE Ferry
Picture Books, Gardening, Humor
Derwood the goat has planted a garden and is prepared to defend it from all nibblers, including Tabitha the bunny, whom Derwood is convinced has designs on his growing vegetables; she teases him as the months go by, but after she helps him with the weeding the two become friends and share the feast.
Puns galore and adorable illustrations make perfect storytime fare! -Casey
Women artists A to Z
Melanie LaBarge
jE LaBarge
Nonfiction, Picture Books, Biographies
An empowering alphabet book celebrates famous and less-represented women artists in a variety of genres who have transformed the art world, from Frida Kahlo and Georgia O'Keeffe to Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Xenobia Bailey. --
I was reshelving this book on the bookmobile and my eyes were instantly drawn to the bright colors of the cover and the stylistic illustrations of the female artists. I read through the whole alphabet and learned about several artists I didn't know about and enjoyed learning about art history in the context of women's role in society during each artist's time. It's also very cool how the illustrator recreated each artist's work on their page but kept the same unique style throughout. So beautiful! -Mari
The crab ballet
Renée LaTulippe
jE LaTulippe
Picture Books, Nature, Music
When the tide is out, the Crab Ballet begins, featuring anemones, squid, crabs and many other sea creatures, an aquatic corps de ballet performing for the reader.
Beautiful, entertaining, and educational! -Casey
A perfect day
Jennifer Yerkes
jE Yerkes
Picture Books, Nature
"One bright summer day, the animals of the pond create a symphony of sounds"--
Beautiful illustrations, minimalistic text, and ample space for performative storytelling make for a fabulous storytime read-aloud. Just right for sharing and beginning readers! -Casey
Where wonder grows
González, Xelena, author.
jE Gonzalez
Picture Books
"A grandmother explores her special garden with her granddaughters. Wonder grows everywhere but Grandmother especially loves to show it in her story garden. She invites her granddaughters to join her there in a sweet meditation on the treasures she's brought to that magical place--the rocks, the shells, the crystals, the meteorites : how they came to be, how they were formed, how they each have a story to tell"--Provided by publisher.
Spring is approaching and Xelena Gonzalez's latest is the perfect book to share as the season changes. -Casey
Piece by piece
Susan Tan
jE Tan
Picture Books
A child who loves visiting museums with her grandmother is sad when Nainai returns to China, but her father takes her to see something special where signs of Nainai are in every corner. Includes facts about the Peabody Essex Museum's Yu Yu Tang exhibit.
I visited the Peabody Essex Museum together with my close family and my extended family. That was a wonderful memory as precious as Nainai’s blanket. Strongly recommend this beautiful picture book that is well mixed with separation and togetherness, feelings and facts. -Fang
Ellie makes a friend
Mike Wu
jE Wu
Picture Books
"A panda has joined the animals, and she's a painter like Ellie! Is there room for two artists at the zoo?"--Page [2] of cover.
I love to read all about pandas! And this is one of the best! Both Ellie and Ping are so loving and smart when they find the beauty of friendship and new inspiration. -Fang
Kalamata's kitchen
Sarah (Sommelier) Thomas
jE Thomas
Diverse Characters, Picture Books
"Tomorrow is Kalamata's first day at a new school, and she's nervous! If only Kalamata and Al Dente could go to back to the Indian spice market they visited this summer, then maybe she'd remember how to feel brave when new experiences seem scary. Luckily for Kalamata, all the magic required for her journey is right in her own kitchen! As Kalamata and her alligator friend, Al Dente, transport themselves to a magical land filled with tasty ingredients, she realizes being brave is exciting!"--
"Being brave is delicious!" This is a very unique story featuring an Indian-American girl who is afraid about starting a new school and finds comfort in her mother's kitchen. Kalamata is a great little heroine for foodies, and she has such a vivid imagination. I appreciated a short read, beautiful pretty pictures, and recommend this story for kids when trying new things! -Mari
Baby, sleepy baby
author Atinuke
jE Atinuke
Picture Books
"It's bedtime for a drowsy little one, and the whole family takes turns to cuddle and sing this sleepy baby to bed. One by one the baby's sister, grandmother, father, and mother call on the winds, the clouds, the stars, and the moon to sail and rock and delight their little one until dreams take over"--
Our household enjoyed this sweet lyrical bedtime read filled with a calming cadence and dreamy illustrations. Even if it didn't always soothe my toddler before bed, I enjoyed revisiting this story! -Shawna
The Pumphrey brothers' latest title is fabulous. Pick this one up if you're looking for something funny and fun to read aloud! -Casey