3 Fantastic New Picture Books about Making Friends

October 13, 2025September 26, 2025 | Tasha

Don’t Eat Eustace by Lian Cho (9780063321847)

Bear lived alone in a lighthouse. He spent his days fishing for lunch until one day he caught Eustace who begged him not to eat him. Bear also caught a colorful sail at the same time and almost threw it back into the sea. But when some other creatures need help, Bear finds himself helping out with Eustace’s encouragement. He makes a new wing for a heron, a coat for a shark, and a new sweater for himself. When evening comes Bear is very hungry and Eustace is already in the pot. What’s a bear to do? Cho has created a picture book that begs to be shared aloud. It has a wry sense of humor as Bear makes promises he has no intention of keeping. Meanwhile Eustace is trying to stay alive but along the way the two form a strong connection.

A book of new friends, crafts and funny fish. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by HarperCollins.

Field Trip to Dinosaur Valley by John Hare (9780823459575)

A teacher takes a class of children back in time using a time machine. Once back in the time of dinosaurs, the machine transforms into a dino-like structure that walks the landscape giving the kids a perfect view of the valley. The teacher lectures along the way. When one student decides they need a snack though things get a bit wild. A stolen lunch box turns into one student falling out of the machine and getting left behind. As they make the best of it by sitting down and eating their lunch, a variety of dinosaurs emerge to share the lunch or potentially having the student FOR lunch!

This nearly wordless book is great fun, offering a humorous look at a visit to the past that will have young children creating a story to go along with the pictures. The illustrations are full of bright colors, leaving the old green dinosaurs in the past in favor of bright dinos covered in patterns. The students and teacher are in protective suits and goggles, adding to the modern feel of the story.

A visit to the past with a slice of pizza and other snacks to share. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Margaret Ferguson Books.

Make New Friends by Joshua David Stein, illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio (9781949480559)

Tomasso is a new kid in school. He doesn’t know anyone at all. His father keeps asking him if he’s made any friends yet and Tomasso admits, not yet. Then he discovers two old balls in the school playground. He gives each one a face and names them Roland and Barry. Eating along in the cafeteria, he gives his carton of milk a face and the name Coco. When his dad asks again about friends, Tomasso tells him about Roland, Barry and Coco, describing them like classmates. Soon he is finding new friends everywhere, including erasers, socks, rocks and paper bags. His father wants to meet all these new friends and insists that Tomasso invite them over. What will his father do when he finds out the truth?

A lovely look at shyness and newness and the power of art and creativity to save the day. Stein writes with such sensitivity and understanding about Tomasso’s situation. There is a joy in discovering the new toy friends he creates. While I don’t want to spoil the ending, it is that part of the book where it all comes together and is very special indeed. The art adds to the joy of the toy friends and the found family story that is so powerful.

Satisfying, art-filled and an antidote to loneliness. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss and Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Wake Your Friday Brain Cells – October 10 Edition

October 10, 2025October 9, 2025 | Tasha

CHILDREN’S LIT

3 Books To Teach Kids About Censorship – Book Riot

‘Because of Winn-Dixie’ Turns 25 – The New York Times

‘Catastrophic decline’ in Black representation in children’s books – The Guardian

Disney Acquires Rights to ‘Impossible Creatures’ Book Series from Acclaimed Author Katherine Rundell – Walt Disney Company

Four Questions for Holly Goldberg Sloan – Publishers Weekly

Mad at Dad by Janie Hao wins CBC Kids Reads 2025 – CBC

A new Moomins movie is on the way. – Lit Hub

Winners announced for $5K First Nation Communities READ Awards for Indigenous storytelling – CBC

LIBRARIES

By the Numbers: Banned Books Week 2025 – American Libraries

Libraries Can’t Get Their Loaned Books Back Because of Trump’s Tariffs – 404 Media

The Pushkin job: unmasking the thieves behind an international rare books heist – The Guardian

YA LIT

13 Adult Books for Teens (even New Adults) – SLJ

Author Jihyun Yun’s Horror Recommendations – The Nerd Daily

New Queer YA Romances to Melt Your Heart – Book Riot

2025 Lammy Award Winners

October 9, 2025October 8, 2025 | Tasha

The winners of the 2025 Lammy Awards have been announced. The awards recognize the best in LGBTQ+ literature and have a wide variety of categories. Below are the winners in the categories for books for youth:

LGBTQ+ CHILDREN’S BOOKS

WINNER

Glenn Burke, Game Changer: The Man Who Invented the High Five by Phil Bildner, illustrated by Daniel J. O’Brien

FINALISTS

Harper Becomes a Big Sister by Seamus Kirst

Jacob’s Missing Book by Sarah and Ian Hoffman

Just Us by Molly Beth Griffin, illustrated by Anait Semirdzhyan

Love of the Half-Eaten Peach by Lee Wind, illustrated by Jieting Chen

LGBTQ+ MIDDLE GRADE

WINNER

Mallory in Full Color by Elisa Stone Leahy

FINALISTS

Murray Out of Water by Taylor Tracy

Noah Frye Gets Crushed by Maggie Horn

Splinter & Ash by Marieke Nijkamp

Wishbone by Justine Pucella Winans

LGBTQ+ YOUNG ADULT

WINNER

Icarus by K. Ancrum

FINALISTS

The Feast Makers by H. A. Clarke

Old Wounds by Logan-Ashley Kisner

So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole

Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield

2 Friendly New Picture Books for Helping Hands

October 9, 2025September 18, 2025 | Tasha

Oh Dear, Look What I Got! By Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (9781536235685)

The masters who gave us We’re Going on a Bear Hunt reunite for another great read-aloud picture book in a similar style. A little boy heads from shop to shop asking for something but instead getting a rhyming item. He asks for a carrot and gets a parrot. He asks for a hat and gets a cat. Along the way, his lineup of animals steadily grows until he finally asks for a cup and gets a pup who manages to set in motion a real mess. In the end, the animals are returned to the shop keepers and the boy gets the items he wanted all along.

This book is filled with energy and romping rhythms that make it a treat to read aloud. Rosen cleverly builds his rhymes into the story, creating moments that children can guess what the animal might be. He also uses repeating lines that audience members will enjoy saying along with the book character. “Do I want that? No, I do NOT!” The illustrations are pure Oxenbury joy, mimicking the structure of Bear Hunt while also creating something fresh and new.

A great read-aloud pick that will be a new classic. Appropriate for ages 2-5.

Reviewed from copy provided by Candlewick.

Piccolo by Dan Yaccarino (9780316574563)

Piccolo creates a list of the places he wants to visit in his Italian city that day. He makes it to the gelato store and almost gets to start eating, but his friend Mr. Rosso needs help carrying his artwork to the museum. Luckily, the museum is on Piccolo’s list of favorite places. Soon Piccolo is being asked to help with all sorts of things around town. He manages to either check most of the items off his list of places to visit or to do something very similar as he helps everyone. Unfortunately though, he doesn’t make it back in time for the gelato shop to be open. What’s a shrew to do? Happily, his friends come through. With Yaccarino’s signature illustration style, this Italian picture book merrily brings readers into the city and all around. Filled with all sorts of animals, the city is lively and active.

All the better to learn a bit of Italian along the way. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Hachette Book Group.

National Book Award Finalists

October 8, 2025 | Tasha

The finalists for the National Book Award have been announced. The winners will be announced on November 19th. NPR has the full list of finalists. Here are the finalists in Young People’s Literature:

The Leaving Room by Amber McBride

The Teacher of Nomad Land by Daniel Nayeri

Truth Is by Hannah V. Sawyerr

A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff

The Forest of a Thousand Eyes by Frances Hardinge – Book Recommendation

October 8, 2025September 18, 2025 | Tasha

The Forest of a Thousand Eyes by Frances Hardinge, illustrated by Emily Gravett (9781419777783)

Feather has never met a stranger before, since her community has been isolated along the decaying wall. So when he asks her for a favor, she helps him and manages to lose one of her group’s most valuable items, a spyglass for spotting oncoming danger. Now Feather must follow the stranger into along the wall and close to the dangers of the Forest where vines strangle and plants take over. Animals and insect grow huge and aggressive. As she travels, Feather finds safe places to hide at night, walking during the day and eventually finds small groups of other people living along the wall, each with their own societies and solutions for survival. Feather has to catch up to the stranger, save the spyglass and perhaps then she can return home to her family without disgrace.

As always, Hardinge’s text is extraordinary. She paints a vivid world being steadily devoured by the Forest and its invasive branches. Feather is such a small heroine against this sea of woods, the isolation of her journey, and the small moments of kindness. She shines against the darkness, alone and afraid but driven to fix what she has done. Gravett’s illustrations depict with some humor the daunting height of the wall, the dangers that Feather faces and the ingenuity of people in the face of destruction.

Perfect for sharing aloud thanks to the great pairing of text and illustration. Like Feather, this is a journey you must finish. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from copy provided by Amulet Books.

3 Smart New Picture Books for School Days

October 7, 2025September 18, 2025 | Tasha

Jordan’s Perfect Haircut by Sharee Miller (9780316592284)

It’s almost picture day at school and everyone is talking about the great haircuts they are going to get. Jordan’s mom has made an appointment for him at the barbershop. It will be his first time getting his hair cut. Jordan likes his cloudlike hair and is very worried about going to the barber. When they get there, it’s busy and loud. Jordan sees classmates getting their new haircuts and his Mom sits down to get her done too. Soon it is Jordan’s turn and he knows just what haircut he wants.

Miller captures both the worry of a child trying something new to them and also the busy community feel of a neighborhood barbershop. The writing is fast paced and inviting, with the first person perspective bringing readers directly into Jordan’s point of view. The illustrations are bold and colorful, tantalizing readers with what haircut Jordan will choose.

A book that celebrates Black hair and culture. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Rain and the Reading Horse by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Hannah Salyer (9780063257252)

Rain has been signed up for a new school reading program: Giddy-Up and Read where she will read to a horse. She has never read to a horse before, but it can’t be worse than reading aloud to her classmates where the words catch in her throat. Snow stands in the stable, tail swishing but Rain isn’t ready to read that first day and instead spends her time mucking out the stall. Rain keeps coming, keeps trying to read, spending quiet yet busy time with Snow. Eventually, Rain whispered the book to Snow and she listened with twitching ears. Then the two got to ride together and over the days, Rain learned her book by heart.

Gianferrari captures the emotions and physical response of being shy and anxious. The book offers deep moments of quiet and solitude with an animal, slowing the reader down and allowing that stillness to spill out. The connection between reader and horse is built steadily and just as unrushed as their time with one another. This is a lovely picture book with pacing that matches the topic well. The illustrations are done in colored pencil and pastel, creating a warm softness around the budding relationship.

A picture book that celebrates anxious children and the animals they love. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Clarion Books.

Recess by Lane Smith (9781419776892)

Welcome to a very loud picture book that celebrates the joy of recess. This is not a story book for children to sit quietly and enjoy, instead it’s a book where there are quiet parts and then very raucous moments built in. The book tells the story of being at school, sitting quietly at your desk until suddenly RECESS! The breaks for recess involve booty shaking, typing in the air, making trombone sounds, quacking like a duck, and much more.

I love the swooping action of this picture book, the delight of moving from quiet to loud to quiet to loud. The beauty of shouting “Bananas!” or stomping your feet to make music. As always, Smith’s art is a large part of the story, capturing the quiet in subtle colors and then amping the color up for the repeating recesses. Sharing this one aloud may take a bit of practice beforehand and a willingness to get wild and just let things happen.

Let the wild recess start. Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from library copy.

While We Wait by Bee Johnson – Book Recommendation

October 6, 2025September 18, 2025 | Tasha

While We Wait by Bee Johnson (9781250901231)

The sisters from What Can a Mess Make head out with their mother to run errands around town in this jaunty sequel. After finding their missing bag and gathering their phone, the three head out to the farmer’s market. They dance to some music and buy some flowers. Then they have to wait in line at the post office where they make a young friend along the way. They meet a puppy next, then make a mess in the vintage store. Lunch at the diner has a little chaos and then a dash home in the rain. Throughout the busy day, there are moments of waiting and what happens in those times is just as important as the rest of the day.

Johnson captures the dynamic nature of a busy day of errands in this picture book. From the list at the beginning of the book to the end where it’s all somehow been accomplished, the day is a glorious riot of moments spent together, items getting done and the busy city around it all. The text rhymes and has the repeating phrase “while we wait” that make it a pleasure to share aloud. The illustrations are merry, filled with small details that bring the world alive, and capture the warm love of family.

Just right for your own busy day. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Henry Holt and Company.