Picture Books

Bark Park

Trudy Krisher

Told in rhyming text, dogs have a wonderful day at the dog park.

"Dogs at the park...Bark! Bark! Bark!" Repetitive and simple rhyming text combined with adorable illustrations make this a title not to miss. -Casey

Julián is a mermaid

Jessica Love

jE Love
Picture Books, LGBTQ+

While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he's seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes -- and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself?

Utilizing sparse text and vibrant illustrations, Jessica Love's debut picture book shows how fantastic unconditional love can be. Love, in using so little text and heavily relying on her visual storytelling has left space for readers to play, imagine and feel along with Julián. -Casey

Heartbeat

Evan Turk

jE Turk
Picture Books

Separated from her mother, a young whale swims the oceans for decades until she finds a young girl who shares her vision of one planet for which all are responsible.

Heartbeat follows a whale calf, orphaned by the early commercial whaling industry, through two hundred years of human development. Evan Turk highlights the ways in which we have used these creatures to advance ourselves, and the shifting attitudes toward whales of more recent history with thoughtfulness. A unique and timely look at human history through the lens of the animals we impact, make sure to read Turk's author's note at the end for more information. -Casey

Once upon a jungle

Laura Knowles

jE Knowles
Picture Books, Nature, Animals

This rhyming text is an eye-catching and fun first look at the jungle as an ecosystem and the food chain found within. -Casey

Ocean meets sky

Terry Fan

jE Fan
Picture Books

"A little boy builds a ship to honor his late grandfather and sets sail for the magical place where ocean meets sky from his grandfather's stories"--

Now that I’ve taken this journey a few times, what really speaks to me is Finn’s growing understanding of what it means to remember those that we have loved. How we can bring those things they have taught us to the present while also saying goodbye. This is a visually and emotionally stunning piece from the Fan Brothers. -Casey

Hello Lighthouse

Sophie Blackall

jE Blackall
Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Nature, Kids

"Explores the life of one lighthouse as it beams its message out to sea through shifting seasons, changeable weather, and the tenure of its final keeper."--

All in all,"Hello Lighthouse" radiates as much warmth as light and will surely be pored over for its lustrous details and touching story. -Casey

The brilliant deep : rebuilding the world's coral reefs : the story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Restoration Foundation

Kate Messner

jE Messner
Picture Books, Biographies, Nature, Science

Looks at the life of the coral restoration pioneer Ken Nedimyer, from his early fascination with the ocean to his ongoing efforts to save and rebuild the world's coral reefs.

Kate Messner and Matthew Forsythe's new picture book biography about Ken Nedimyer is absolutely stunning. This is a perfect place to start learning about our rapidly changing oceans and the efforts being made to combat the bleaching of coral reefs. Parents and children will love this title, not only for it's beautiful artwork, but for the wealth of information and hope that it embodies. It's never too early or late to learn that individuals have the power to impact great change. -Casey