Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 48 pages, ages 3-7). Monday is the best day of the week as far as Mabel is concerned, and the reader slowly gets to find out why as Mabel wakes up early, grabs some cereal, and heads outside, ignoring her older sister (who thinks she’s boring), her mom (who thinks she’s cute), and her dad (who thinks she’s funny). Perched on a chair, she hears the garbage truck before she sees it, and its arrival is worth the wait! Mabel cheers as the truck’s mechanical arm grabs the trash can, dumps the trash, and puts it back down again. As Mabel heads back home, the truck rumbles down the street, and the reader gets to see other eager faces pressed against their windows, enjoying the spectacle as much as she did.

Who doesn’t enjoy a good vehicle book? This one nicely captures the sights and sounds of the garbage truck, but it also celebrates enjoying small moments, something kids often do better than the older people in their families. The last page, showing other kids eagerly awaiting the truck, is a perfect validation of Mabel’s enthusiasm.

Broken by X. Fang (Tundra Books, 48 pages, ages 3-7). When Mei Mei accidentally breaks Ama’s cup after scaring Mimi the cat, she worries what will happen when Ama finds out. Ama serves tea, where she scolds Mimi about the broken cup. Mei Mei is tempted to let Mimi take the blame, but, overcome with guilt, she finally makes a tearful confession. Much to her surprise, Ama doesn’t get mad, but hugs Mei Mei, then goes about fixing the cup, reminding her that every patch and repair has a story to tell. On the last page, Mei Mei enjoys a slice of cake while Ama sips tea from her newly-mended cup.

This simple story will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt guilty about confessing a misdeed to a loved one and/or experienced forgiveness for said misdeed. There are some excellent lessons, but they are put forth in such a gentle and relatable way that kids won’t notice that they’re getting a good dose of SEL education.