Published by Page Street Kids

Summary:  George’s grandmother, Stella, makes everything fun, which is why George likes spending every Saturday with her.  Sometimes they go out to the dinosaur museum, to the park, or downtown, and sometimes they stay in and have ninja tournaments or play games together.  One Saturday, George wakes up late, and gets himself dressed and ready for his visit.  But when he comes into the kitchen, his parents have some sad news about him about Stella.  He’ll never spend another Saturday with her; from then on, George hates Saturdays.  But other changes are afoot, and one day George gets a baby sister…and her name is Stella.  As Stella grows, George teaches her to do the things he and Grandma Stella used to do together.  And soon he loves Saturdays again, because Saturdays are for Stella.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  We all need a story about the ups and downs of life right now, and this one is at the perfect level for kids to understand that life is made up of both joy and grief.  The illustrations are adorable; I love Stella Junior’s pink hair.

Cons:  I don’t think I could read this to kids without losing it; I got kind of choked up just writing this review.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

I think it goes without saying that these characteristics will be essential for students and teachers in the 2020-2021 school year! (Updated list)

When Sophie Thinks She Can’t by Molly Bang

Published by Blue Sky Press

Sophie’s teacher shows her how having a growth mindset can help her solve problems instead of giving up. Buy it on Amazon.

Jabari Jumps and Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall

Published by Candlewick

Jabari’s dad and little sister help him find the courage to jump off the high dive and to persist in his efforts to design and build a flying machine. Jabari Tries will be released September 8. Buy it on Amazon.

Golden Threads by Suzanne Del Rizzo

Published by Owlkids

When a battered stuffed fox washes up at Kiko’s house, she and her father repair him like they do broken china, with golden threads. Broken does not mean imperfect, and the fox leads Kiko and her dad to new friendships. Buy it on Amazon.

The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard

Published by Schwartz and Wade

Born into slavery in 1848, Mary Walker worked hard her entire life. At age 114, she decided to put her energy into learning to read, and was eventually certified as the oldest student in America. Buy it on Amazon.

More-Igami by Dori Kleber

Published by Candlewick Press

Joey loves to fold, so when he learns about origami, it seems like it’s right up his alley. It’s not as easy as it looks, though, and he needs persistence to figure out how to do it. Buy it on Amazon.

Truman by Jean Reidy

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

When Sarah leaves for her first day of school, her pet turtle Truman can’t understand where she’s gone. He decides to go find her, doggedly seeking a way out of his tank and to the front door. Buy it on Amazon.

After the Fall by Dan Santat

Published by Roaring Brook Press

Humpty Dumpty got put back together again, but his new fear of heights proves crippling. His determination to overcome his phobia results in a transformation and one of the best picture book endings ever. Buy it on Amazon.

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

Published by Kids Can Press

It’s not as easy as it seems to make “the most magnificent thing”. This girl and her dog must keep going when their first attempts fail to create what they want. Buy it on Amazon.

Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson

Published by Random House Children’s Books

Born in Ghana without the use of his right leg, Emmanuel learned to persist in school and sports. In 2006, he rode a bicycle from one end of Ghana to the other to raise awareness about people with disabilities. Buy it on Amazon.

Small Walt by Elizabeth Verdick

Published by Simon and Schuster

Small Walt and Gus team up to clear the streets, holding their own with the bigger, more powerful snowplows. Buy it on Amazon.

Published by Magination Press

Summary:   Sarah misses her big brother, Ethan, but any time she says his name, her parents tell her not to talk about him, or turn away from her.  She interprets this to mean they don’t miss him as much as she does, and thinks that only their cat, who carries around one of Ethan’s old socks and sleeps on his bed, remembers her brother.  When she shows her mother a picture she’s drawn of Ethan giving her and Buttons a piggyback ride, Mom bursts into tears and runs out of the room, her father close behind.  Sarah is sure her parents are mad at her, but later they assure her that they are just sad.  The three of them spend some time looking at pictures of Ethan in their photo album and share some happy memories of him.  Includes a note to readers by Elizabeth McCallum, PhD about helping children cope with the loss of a sibling.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This gentle and realistic look at a child’s grief and how a family copes with the loss of a child would make an excellent addition to any family therapist’s bookshelf.

Cons:  This is definitely a book that adults and children should read together, allowing plenty of time for discussion and questions.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  There are some cool beans at the school…but our narrator is not one of them.  He used to hang out with those cool guys, but things changed, and now he feels pretty uncool most of the time.  His clothes don’t seem to fit right, he walks into things, and sometimes he snorts when he laughs. One day, though, some amazing things happen.  When he drops his lunch, one of the cool beans helps him clean up. When he falls down on the playground, another cool bean helps him up. And the third cool bean helps him out of an embarrassing situation in class.  These kind gestures turn his whole day around, and pretty soon he’s feeling confident enough to hang out with the cool guys again. He’s learned that kindness is cooler than any outside appearance, and he tries to spread that kindness to the other beans around him.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The team that brought you The Bad Seed and The Good Egg have produced another winning book that will help kids see that kindness is more important than being cool.  

Cons:  If only it really were that easy to get in with the cool kids. 

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Summary:  “Kindness is sometimes a cup and a card/or a ladder, a truck, and a tree;/a scritch and a cuddle, a rake and a yard,/a cookie, a carrot, a key.”  The rhyming text goes on to list all sorts of ways to be kind. Sometimes being kind just involves taking a break or sitting with someone who is sad.  There’s also being kind to yourself, forgiving yourself when you’ve made a mistake. The book goes through a day, ending with reading a bedtime story and wishing on a star.  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  The catchy rhymes and busy, diverse illustrations will engage even the youngest readers and get them thinking about everyday kindnesses they can give to others.  A good springboard for discussion and brainstorming about how to help friends and family.

Cons:  There’s no real action, just a list of ways to be kind.  Kids’ attention might start to wander before the last page.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Ava’s mom works six days a week, so Saturdays are extra special for the two of them.  They love to go to the library’s story hour, get their hair done, and have a peaceful picnic in the park.  This week they’re going to a special one-day-only puppet show.  But when Saturday arrives, everything starts to wrong. Story hour is canceled, their hairdos get soaked by a passing bus, and the park is filled with noisy people and animals.  Worst of all, they barely catch the bus to the puppet show, only to discover that Mom left the tickets at home. “I ruined Saturday,” she says. But Ava sees it differently.  “Don’t worry, Mommy. Saturdays are wonderful…because I spend them with you.” They head for home, where they both have the same idea: to kick off their shoes and spend the rest of the day making their own puppet show.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A simple, but heartfelt story that every harried parent will embrace.  The gorgeous collage illustrations are sure to be Oge Mora in the running for another Caldecott recognition this year.  Happy Saturday!

Cons:  A six-day work week.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Faizah is excited about her first day of school.  She has a new backpack and light-up shoes. But most exciting of all is that her older sister Asiya is starting sixth grade and wearing hijab for the first time.  Her scarf is blue, just like the sky and ocean. When the girls get to school, they go their separate ways, but Asiya is on Faizah’s mind throughout the day. She draws a picture of two girls in hijab having a picnic.  Later, she sees her sister on the playground at recess and hears a boy say, “I’m going to pull that tablecloth off your head.” Asiyah runs off with her friends, and Faizah remembers their mother’s advice, “Don’t carry around the hurtful words that others say.  Drop them. They are not yours to keep. They belong only to those who said them.” At the end of the day, the two sisters walk home hand in hand. Includes author’s notes about her own experiences that inspired this story with characters named for two of her sisters.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This beautifully illustrated story celebrates wearing hijab while at the same time showing the reality that girls face when they make this transition.  Readers interested in learning more about Ibtihaj Muhammad can read her excellent memoir Proud: Living My American Dream.

Cons:  There’s always that one bully.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Published by HMH Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Readers are invited to notice where they are as they are reading the book.  While they focus on their bodies (“You are sitting, or you are standing, or you are wrapped up in a bed. Under your bum, under your feet, is a seat, a floor…”), there are countless activities going on around them.  Underground there are earthworms and fossils. Earth is spinning through space, and so are you. People and animals are all around, working, playing, eating, healing, and having ideas. And all the while, “right here, right now, YOU are becoming.  Isn’t it wonderful?” Includes an author’s note about meditation and how she came to write this book. 40 pages; ages 4-10.

Pros:  A great read for any kind of mindfulness activities, or to help a restless group of kids center and calm down.  The illustrations feature a recurring, multicultural cast of characters doing things that most kids will recognize from their everyday lives.  There could be all kinds of follow-up activities as kids notice themselves and the world around them.

Cons:  Some additional resources on mindfulness and/or meditation for kids would have been helpful.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.