The Interpreter/La Intérprete by Olivia Abtahi, illustrated by Monica Arnaldo (Kokila, 40 pages, ages 5-8). Cecilia has two jobs: being a kid and interpreting for her Spanish-speaking family. Blue cartoon bubbles in English and yellow ones in Spanish are a fun way to show the two languages she speaks, and she provides a good example for readers about setting boundaries and making sure her kid job doesn’t get shortchanged.

Lena the Chicken (But Really a Dinosaur) by Linda Bailey, illustrated by K-Fai Steele (Tundra Books, 56 pages, ages 4-8). Lena is a fearless chicken who knows she’s really a dinosaur. The other chickens think she’s a little crazy, but when her dinosaur roar scares a weasel away from the chicken coop, they start to adopt some of her confidence. A funny story with a good message about being your best self and some interesting information about the bird-dinosaur connection.

Fox and the Mystery Letter by Alex G. Griffiths (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 40 pages, grades K-3). Fox enjoys his solitary life until a mysterious letter sends him on a search for one clue after another that ends with an apology and a friendship restored. It’s a charming story with a satisfying ending, and who doesn’t enjoy a good scavenger hunt?

Balloon by Bruce Handy, illustrated by Julie Kwon (Chronicle Books, 44 pages, ages 3-7). This nearly wordless book tells the story of a boy who loses his orange balloon and finally recovers from his loss by finding an orange cat, whom he names Balloon. The illustrations make this a fun read-aloud, with lots of orange objects that may or may not be the lost balloon.

Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World) by Corey R. Tabor (Greenwillow Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). I read this aloud many times this fall, and it never got old. The cutaway illustration of Crow’s secret hideout is a delightful surprise, as is the meteor shower that Crow entertains his friends with after casually saving the world.