Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  The narrator is grieving the loss of her dog.  As she and her family remember him, she gathers his favorite things to create an ofrenda, or offering, for him.  Each photo she looks at reminds her of a time she and her beloved pet shared. She makes his favorite meal and pours him a bowl of water.  When everything is ready, the family celebrates their dog together on Día de Muertos.  Includes notes from the author and illustrator about the loss of their pets and additional information about Día de Muertos and how to make an ofrenda.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  I’m adding this beautiful book to my list about grief and loss.  The simple text and realistic illustrations capture the bittersweet experience of grieving the loss of a pet and provide an excellent introduction to Día de Muertos.

Cons:  Keep the Kleenexes handy.

Published by Levine Querido

Summary:  When Bossy Older Cousin Violet comes over, she doesn’t hold back in her opinion: Riley is playing with toys the wrong way and needs to be shown the right way.  Riley can play all day with a pile of newspapers, and instead of having dolls and stuffies to a tea party like Violet does, Riley likes to line them up by size.  Riley creates art by sharpening crayons and making little spirals with them.  Fortunately, Riley’s dog Charlie is more understanding than Violet is, and all the kids enjoy playing fetch and running around the yard with him.  “See,” Riley tells Violet, “There are lots of ways to play with toys.  And everyone’s way is the right way.”  Includes an author’s note about her personal childhood experiences, similar to Riley’s, and how she got some answers when she was diagnosed with autism as an adult.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A charming story that will appeal to many kids, both those who are neurodivergent and those who simply enjoy doing their own thing.

Cons:  Cousin Violet.

Greenlight by Breanna Carzoo

Published by HarperCollins

Hidden Gem by Linda Liu

Published by Henry Holt

Summary: Two unconventional narrators discover their own value. Greenlight doesn’t like the fact that the cars slow down for Yellowlight, stop for Redlight, but speed through Greenlight, seeming to ignore it. Taking a break for a few minutes, with closed eyes and some affirmations repeated, Greenlight starts to see its own value and is ready to shine bright. In Hidden Gem, an ordinary rock can’t help comparing itself unfavorably when it goes to a museum exhibit of gems. But with the help of a spectacular diamond, the narrator comes to realize that every rock is special in its own way. 32 pages (Greenlight) and 40 pages (Hidden Gem); both ages 4-8.

Pros: With school starting up again, teachers and counselors will be looking for books like these that incorporate humor and striking illustrations (especially in Hidden Gem) to give kids some strategies for feeling good about themselves and accepting others for what they are.

Cons: Both books seemed to prioritize the message over the story.

Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  The first few wordless pages show Bob the seagull watching other sea creatures having fun together while he feels left out and alone.  Another bird comes along and offers Bob her red jacket (with fries in the pockets!), saying that she no longer needs it.  The jacket gives Bob the confidence to talk to the other animals.  Their responses reveal that they’ve always liked Bob but never had the chance to get to know him (“I didn’t know Bob could talk”).  When a huge wave causes Bob to lose his beloved jacket, his friends pitch in and help him recover it.  Bob spots a lonely turtle and offers the jacket to her, saying that he no longer needs it.  The turtle walks away happily, fries spilling from the pockets of her new red jacket.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A cute story with appealing comic-style illustrations that could open up some interesting conversations about where self-confidence comes from.

Cons:  Those have to be some soggy fries.

Published by Anne Schwartz Books

Summary:  A red apple hangs from a tree, ready to drop to the ground.  One by one, animals plan to grab that apple when it falls, each one imagining how delicious it will be, shown with a cartoon bubble and the word “MINE!”  Finally, the wind blows the apple from the tree, and Mouse, Hare, Fox, Deer, and Bear all pounce, resulting in a free-for-all that pushes the apple away.  It lands at the feet of Possum, who eyes it curiously: “Mine?”  A worm pops out, and the two say in unison, “Ours!”  40 pages; ages 3-6.

Pros:  With illustrations reminiscent of Eric Rohmann’s Caldecott book My Friend Rabbit, this story uses catchy rhymes and adorable (if greedy) animals to impart a fun lesson about sharing.

Cons:  Generally, apple trees produce more than one apple at a time, so it seemed like the animals could have just chilled and waited for more apples to fall.

Published by Salaam Reads

Summary:  When Rumi joins the class in early spring, he’s quiet and keeps to himself.  At recess, a couple of the other kids, Ella and Asher, make fun of Rumi’s shoes, which he decorated with his friends back in California.  Han doesn’t think their teasing is funny, but he doesn’t say anything.  The bullying gets worse, and Rumi withdraws under a tree at recess, drawing with a stick in the dirt.  When Asher throws a pebble at Rumi and cuts his knee, Han finally speaks up, asking Rumi to play, then noticing the beautiful world Rumi has created in the dirt under the tree.  Soon the other kids are joining them, and Rumi finds himself in the middle of a happy group of kids.  When he sees Asher sitting by himself indoors the next day, though, Rumi tells the kids he wants to go inside.  The last page shows all the kids, including Asher, drawing together under the tree.  Includes an author’s note about her son’s experiences with bullying in kindergarten that inspired this book.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A moving story of how both a victim and a bystander use kindness to defuse a bullying situation, illustrated with Caldecott honoree LeUyen Pham’s bright, appealing pictures.

Cons:  There was a disturbing lack of adult supervision on the playground.

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  At first the little girl with a big heart, big laugh, and big dreams loves being big.  “What a big girl you are!” adults say happily.  But as she gets older, being big is no longer considered a good thing.  “Don’t you think you’re too big for that?” a teacher scolds when she gets stuck in a swing, surrounded by classmates who moo and call out other hurtful comments.  She tries to blend in, trading her pink ballet costume for a gray one and becoming part of the scenery on stage.  She grows bigger and bigger on each page until she is crammed, curled up and crying, on the two-page spread.  Her tears turn into words: gray words like “too big” and “big cow” are mixed with pink words like “beautiful” and “creative.”  Finally, she gathers up the pink words for herself and hands the gray ones back to the people who said them.  Those people don’t always understand, but the girl is good, as she dances in her pink tutu off the final page.  Includes an author’s note sharing her own experiences that inspired this book.  60 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  An important book that addresses anti-fat bias and gives girls, especially Black girls, some tools for self-love and acceptance. The beautiful illustrations are a perfect complement to the text.

Cons:  I have mixed feelings about gatefold pages like the one in this book.  They are cool, but just don’t hold up well to repeated library use. The Knuffle Bunnies have been driving me crazy this year.

Published by Dial Books

Summary:  Shortly after Elbert is born, he floats into the air.  His mother gets all kinds of advice from so-called experts: catch him in a net like a butterfly, reel him in like a kite, or deflate him like a balloon.  But Elbert’s wise mother ignores all the suggestions and lets him be himself.  This pattern is repeated as Elbert gets older and starts school, then grows into a teenager.  When Elbert feels lonely, his mom assures him that he will find his place in the world.  Finally, with his mother’s support–and a full picnic basket she’s supplied–Elbert floats higher and higher until he finds a whole community of floating people just like him.  Happy in the world he’s always wished for, he sends a rope down to his mother who climbs up and joins them.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This is a sort of how-to manual for raising a child who doesn’t always fit in.  Elbert’s mother is steadfast in her support, and consequently, Elbert grows up to find his people without having to compromise who he really is.  As always, Jerome Pumphrey’s unique illustrations are a delight.

Cons:  I hope if one of my children is ever in this position, she sends me an easier way to ascend than climbing a rope.