Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur) by Linda Bailey, illustrated by K-Fai Steele (Tundra Books, 56 pages, ages 4-8). Lena may look like a chicken, but deep down she knows she’s a dinosaur. She doesn’t understand why her family and friends are scared of everything and never stand up for themselves. Lena believes in guarding the coop, which frustrates the humans–all except for Madeline, the youngest human who likes Lena’s personality. That dinosaur personality finally pays off when a weasel attacks the coop, and Lena’s dinosaur roar causes enough damage to the weasel’s nose to keep him away forever. Madeline’s science fair research reveals that Lena and the rest of her family ARE related to dinosaurs, giving the chickens a big boost of confidence in themselves. Include additional information about the dinosaur-chicken connection.

I loved this book on a number of levels: the funny story and illustrations, the lesson about boldly being yourself, and the science information about dinosaurs and chickens. It’s going on the top of my read-aloud list for 2026.

We Go Slow by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie, illustrated by Aaron Becker (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 32 pages, ages 4-8). A wordless opening spread shows family members rushing out the door, their scrubs and soccer uniform giving hints about their activities for the day. Meanwhile, the youngest in the family eats breakfast with her grandfather, savoring the food and sharing stories of last night’s dreams. Then they head outside where they spend the day enjoying the sights, sounds, and tastes of all that the city has to offer. “We go slow” is the repeated refrain as they relish each experience. The illustrations depict the changing light as the day moves toward evening, and the two take the bus back to their own front door.

You should definitely go slow to enjoy Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie’s poetic text, complemented by Aaron Becker’s gorgeous illustrations. This would be a great mentor text to teach about using sensory details in writing, and a way for younger kids to learn about their senses, as well as encouraging all readers to slow down and enjoy each moment.