A Bundle of New Board Books

| Tasha
Cover image for Baby Botanicals Series by Jillian Miao, illustrated by Riley Samels. Cover features a blue and orange bird on a wooden block looking at a worm in the dirt under yellow and orange flowers.

Baby Botanicals Series by Jillian Miao, illustrated by Riley Samels

  • Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers
  • Publication Date: February 10, 2026
  • Reviewed from pdf provided by publisher
  • ISBNs: 9780593519028 & 9780593419042

From loss and a cancer diagnosis comes this lovely pair of board books in a new series. Written to reflect the walks the author takes with her daughters as well as her mother’s love for gardens, these two board books shine with wonder and a joy at gardens and nature. The first book, Good Morning, Garden!, takes small children directly into the garden, under the earth and getting their hands dirty. The second book, Peekaboo, Flowers!, focuses on the beauty of the blooms and the butterflies they invite. With bright and fresh illustrations and simple words, these board books are just right to help welcome spring. 

Just right for a springtime snuggle outside. Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Cover image for Breathe a Rainbow by Julie Koon, featuring a smiling cloud over a rainbow with falling raindrops in different colors.

Breathe a Rainbow by Julie Koon 

  • Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
  • Publication Date: April 28, 2026
  • Reviewed from copy provided by publisher
  • ISBN: 9781419780431

This board book uses calming strips to encourage small children to take a breath. Each double-page spread offers both a mood and then a new breathing exercise to do while running your finger over each strip. The strips are offered in a variety of shapes and textures from ribs to dimples to stars. A rainbow design is offered if you feel like a thunderstorm, a flower if you are stuck in the mud, an ocean wave for whirling worries. Filled with bright colors and very effective tactile moments of calm, this board book will work well in public library settings. 

Take a breath with this meditative board book. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Cover image for I Am Here by Kim Hyo-eun, translated by Aerin Park, featuring a child seating in the grass under a blue sky looking at a worm.

I Am Here by Kim Hyo-eun, translated by Aerin Park

  • Publisher: Scribble
  • Publication Date: May 5, 2026
  • Reviewed from pdf provided by publisher
  • ISBN: 9781964992419

Told in the most basic of words, this gentle board book starts with the baby looking up at the sky. They are under the sun, under the clouds, under the rainbow, under a bird. It moves closer. They are under their mother’s hat and then under their mother in a carrier. The book then turns, and looks at what is beside the baby. There is Grandpa, a cat, ants, a leaf, a stick. Finally, there is me! Smartly crafted, this board book shows the meaning of under and beside while exploring a baby’s world. Children will love seeing similar things around themselves as they and their family look around too.

A quiet baby-sized adventure. Appropriate for ages birth – 2.

Cover image for Lawn-Mowing Day! By Breanna Carzoo, featuring a skunk with a manual mower, a raccoon riding on a mower, and a fox with a push mower.

Lawn-Mowing Day! By Breanna Carzoo

  • Publisher: Little Simon
  • Publication Date: March 3, 2026
  • Reviewed from copy provided by publisher
  • ISBN: 9781665973472

The first in a new series of board books, this one focuses on lawn mowing. Three big-eyed animals, a fox, skunk and raccoon find that the grass has grown too tall. Time to mow the lawn! There are all kinds of equipment to use, each with its own prep and sound. Then you can make shapes with the stripes in the lawn. When you are done, smell the cut grass. Then take a nap, play some more and wait for the grass to grow tall again. Filled with a lot of energy and a joy for doing a job well, I don’t know of another board book about mowing the lawn. 

Sure to be loved by little ones with their own toy lawn mowers. Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Cover image for Now I See series by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, featuring a close up of two eyes under a yellow hat.

Now I See series by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

  • Publisher: Tundra Books
  • Publication Date: April 7, 2026
  • Reviewed from NetGalley e-galley
  • ISBNs: 9781774886694, 9781774886656, 9781774886731 & 9781774886779

This new board book series from two major children’s book creators is a reason to celebrate every season. With one volume per season, the books are simple enough for even the smallest child to enjoy. Barnett keeps his language limited, sharing small elements of a child’s world, including a cat, a red wagon, a sweet treat and a perfect hat. Klassen’s illustrations keep it simple too with a wry sense of humor that shows how each season differs even as Barnett’s words repeat from book to book. 

A small triumph perfect for small children. Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Armaveni by Nadine Takvorian – Book Recommendation

| Tasha
Cover image for Armaveni by Nadine Takvorian, featuring an arch with two girls' faces side by side.

Armaveni by Nadine Takvorian

  • Publisher: Levine Querido
  • Publication Date: March 10, 2026
  • Reviewed from copy provided by publisher
  • ISBN: 9781646146369

Nadine doesn’t know anything about her Armenian family’s history except that they survived the Armenian genocide. Her parents refuse to share the stories with her and her brother. Then one day, her mother begins to share about Armaveni, Nadine’s grandmother and the incredibly impossible choices that had to be made for survival as the genocide closed around them in Armenia and Turkey. When Nadine is given the opportunity to visit what used to be Armenia with a school group, she and her brother also include a visit to their relatives who live in Turkey. Along the way, they learn about their homeland, and continued racism and bigotry, which Nadine discovers is very close to home. Learning from her grandmother, Nadine finds the courage to stand up for her family in new ways.

This is one of those books that opens an aching hole in your center as you read it. Through the graphic novel format, Takvorian brings readers into Nadine’s family and alongside her we learn about the Armenian genocide from the perspective of one family while also realizing how many people were murdered, displaced and lost. Seeing that this is a debut graphic novel is just amazing, particularly done by a solo artist/author. It is based on the author’s own experiences and family, which resonates through the entire book.

A shining example of what graphic novels can be. Appropriate for ages 13+.

24 Amazing Books Arriving in April

| Tasha

PICTURE BOOKS

102 by Matthew Cordell

Even Steven by Carrie Finison, illustrated by Daniel Wiseman

Hold by Randy Ribay, illustrated by Zeke Peña

Just One Oak by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Diana Sudyka

Piece by Piece: How Stephen Sondheim Made Musical Puzzles Come Alive by Erin Frankel, illustrated by Stacy Innerst

Robin and the Stick by E B Goodale

Sockflea by Laura Dockrill, illustrated by Eva Byrne

Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp by Minoru Tonai and Jolene Gutiérrez, illustrated by Chris Sasaki

We the People Is All the People by Howard Reeves, illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

When the Sun Goes Down by Greg Pizzoli

MIDDLE GRADES

Auntie Q’s Golden Claws Nail Salon by Van Hoang

Chernobyl, Life and Other Disasters by Yevgenia Nayberg

Found Sound by Meg Wolitzer and Charlie Panek

Fruitcake by Rex Ogle, illustrated by Dave Valeza

The Genie Game by Jordan Ifueko

Life on the Moon by Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr

Mixed Feelings by Sara Amini, illustrated by Shadia Amin

A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic by Philip C. Stead

Sashimi by Dan Santat

YA

Ambrosia Lee Drops the Mic by Patricia Park

Forgive-Me-Not by Mari Costa

May the Dead Keep You by Jill Baguchinsky

Soundtrack by Jason Reynolds

To Steal a Throne by Gabi Burton

Inbetweens by Faith Erin Hicks – Book Recommendation

| Tasha
Cover image for Inbetweens by Faith Erin Hicks, featuring two girls lying on the ground together, one drawing a series of small creatures, the other holding a book.

Inbetweens by Faith Erin Hicks

  • Publisher: First Second
  • Publication Date: March 31, 2026
  • Reviewed from Netgalley e-galley
  • ISBN: 9781250838759

Twin sisters, Sloane and Ash, no longer look alike thanks to different hairstyles and colors. They do share a love of art and animation. The two of them decide to spend their summer vacation attending Ormidale College’s animation program for high school students. Ash is excited to start, certain of her skills and sure she is going to love being taught by one of her animation heroes. Sloane is more hesitant, unsure of the new environment and making new friends, and not quite as sure of what she wants to do in the future. The two girls must navigate challenging assignments, others being better at animation than they are, sexism by one of the teachers, and finding out that animation is more than just Disney movies. 

Hicks is a master of the graphic novel format for middle schoolers and teens. Here she deftly shows how two very different sisters find their way and discover more about themselves through learning animation. Particularly nice is the fact that the confident Ash is not the one who makes the first connections and friendships with others. The clear sexism on display by one of the teachers is clearly shown and then explained by one of the other adults as an ongoing issue in animation studios.

Charming, fresh and full of animation tips and art love. Appropriate for ages 12+.

Shrinking Violet by Laurel Snyder – Book Recommendation

| Tasha
Cover image for Shrinking Violet by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, featuring a girl holding violets surrounded by purple flowers, a black spider, a bird and a nest.

Shrinking Violet by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

  • Publisher: Chronicle Books
  • Publication Date: March 31, 2026
  • Reviewed from copy provided by publisher
  • ISBN: 9781797200729

Violet lives in a castle by the sea with her friend Bird. Violet stayed at home, caring for the castle while Bird flew outside and sang. But every now and then, Violet got scared by something like a spider. And when Violet was frightened, she shrank smaller and smaller. After she shrank, she had to work to grow bigger again by thinking soothing thoughts and forgetting what scared her. At night, Bird stayed with her which made her less scared. But then one night, Violet woke up and Bird was gone. As Violet left the castle to find him, she got smaller and smaller. What can one tiny girl do to save her best friend?

Two award-winning children’s book creators come together to tell this relatable story about fears and overcoming them. Readers will appreciate the lack of lecture here, with the book focused on telling a great story and offering small tips about handling fears along the way. Snyder’s writing is brisk and strong, telling the story and carrying the reader along. Pham’s illustrations show the castle, Bird’s nest on the window sill and then capture just how small Violet becomes when truly terrified. 

A magical story about fears and heroism. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Wake Your Friday Brain Cells – March 27 Edition

| Tasha

CHILDREN’S LIT

Audiobook recommendations for kids, according to a children’s book critic – NPR

Be Still My Children’s Book Nerd Heart: The Digital Kerlan Collection – 100 Scope Notes

The best children’s fantasy novels, according to Katherine Rundell – MSN

EPL’s Blueberry Awards name year’s top nature and climate books for kids – Evanston Roundtable

LIBRARIES

ALA releases free library programming toolkit for library workers to support online health literacy and selects twelve libraries for pilot program – ALA

Bankruptcy Filing Offers More Details into Baker & Taylor’s Stunning Collapse – Words & Money

Ohio libraries are facing a perfect storm of funding challenges – Cleveland.com

Tennessee library director refuses to remove 190 children’s books – News Nation

The Mighty Macy by Kwame Alexander – Book Recommendation

| Tasha
Cover image for The Mighty Macy by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kitt Thomas, featuring a Black girl showing her fingers with musical notes and books in the background.

The Mighty Macy by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kitt Thomas 

  • Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
  • Publication Date: February 3, 2026
  • Reviewed from library copy
  • ISBN: 9780316442169

When Macy gets the first book in the Mighty Zora series for her birthday, she stays up late reading. The next day, she rushes to the school library to get the second book in the series. But the school library is closed due to budget cuts. Now the school library will only be open two days a week instead of all week long. Macy has to figure out how to save the school library while also learning her minuet for her violin concert. It’s all happening at once, but with help from her poet father, her pancake-providing mother and her friends she might just get it all done. 

Alexander is a virtuoso of children’s literature. He writes with such warmth here of Macy, a little girl filled with the drive to speak up and finding the courage to do so. Alexander demonstrates that children have a place in social justice work and giving them a voice in processes is vital to making change happen. Written primarily in verse, this book is approachable for readers newer to chapter books. The illustrations add to the joy of the book, sharing Macy’s life and family. 

A great new chapter book that speaks up about taking action.

Wake Now in the Fire by Jarrett Dapier – book Recommendation

| Tasha
Cover image for Wake Now in the Fire by Jarrett Dapier, illustrated by AJ Dungo, featuring one pane with a group of students holding signs and protesting and another pane with a girl lying down and reading a book.

Wake Now in the Fire by Jarrett Dapier, illustrated by AJ Dungo

  • Publisher: Ten Speed
  • Publication Date: February 3, 2026
  • Reviewed from library copy
  • ISBN: 9780593838044

When Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, a graphic novel that shares the atrocities that happened in Iran, gets pulled from classrooms in Chicago Public Schools, the teachers, principals and librarians must comply. Some teachers move their classroom titles to the school libraries to keep them from being destroyed. But it is the students who stand up and rise up to protest them being removed. This graphic novel about a true event that happened in Chicago in 2013 shares the stories of several of the teens who took action when the school district made the decision to remove the title from curriculum. The book shows how students dealing with other events in their lives found community and solace in shared action. 

The author of this work won an award from ALA for his work exposing this story of book censorship. His afterwords about the claims of Chicago Public Schools and what eventually was proven is alone brilliant to read. In the graphic novel, he shows students and teens the power of collaboration, protest and resistance. Throughout he shares how a variety of students can take their own unique form of action and how it all comes together to force changes to be made. The art is dynamic and marvelously modern, almost like art from a protest sign or banner. 

Brilliant, rage-filled and action inducing, this graphic novel is entirely perfect for our time. Appropriate for ages 12+.

Queen of Faces by Petra Lord – Book Recommendation

| Tasha
Cover image for Queen of Faces by Petra Lord, featuring a girl's face a wave, and a castle against a black starry and lightning-filled sky.

Queen of Faces by Petra Lord

  • Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
  • Publication Date: February 3, 2026
  • Reviewed from library copy
  • ISBN: 9781250362971

In a world where the wealthy can switch bodies whenever they want or need to, Ana finds herself stuck in a decaying body of an Edgar, the lowest level body available when her last one caught an infection. Ana can’t afford a new body, unless she can start to make money. But when she fails the entrance exam for Paragon, the top magical school, for a third time, she can’t find another way out. Then the headmaster of Paragon offers her a deal. Become a mercenary for hire for him and she can start working as a servant at Paragon, a way to potentially be considered as a student. Given no choice, Ana agrees, but she soon discovers that heroes can be villains and opportunities can be traps. 

Wow.This is one incredible fantasy novel that weaves dark academia with dystopia with trans elements. It is done skillfully and with such passion. The switching of bodies and genders is a core element of the book, speaking to people feeling disconnected with the body they are currently in and being able to become alluring and gorgeous if they have enough money and luck. The entire cast of characters is beautifully rendered and complex with heroes and villains intertwined at times.

A great teen fantasy with an LGBTQIA+ heart. Appropriate for ages 13+.