Picture Books

2 New Children’s Nonfiction Books about Scientists

| Tasha

Foote Was First!: How One Curious Woman Connected Carbon Dioxide and Climate Change by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Amy June Bates

  • Publisher: Quill Tree Books
  • Publication Date: January 13, 2026
  • Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
  • ISBN: 9780062957061

Though an Englishman is credited with discovering that carbon dioxide traps heat, it was actually an American woman, Eunice Newton Foote, who did it first in 1856. Eunice grew up on her family farm and asked lots of questions. At age 17, she was sent to a girls school where she was taught science and able to use a laboratory. She grew up, married and had children and stayed curious. Never a professional scientist, she did science at home, learning about various gasses and their capabilities. When she wasn’t allowed to present her findings since she was a woman, a friend presented them on her behalf. She was the first to tie carbon dioxide to global warming, a foundational learning for our times. 

Offering just the right amount of information for young readers, this nonfiction picture book focuses on Foote’s curious mind and scientific studies. The illustrations are particularly striking with Foote in her wide hoopskirts engaged in long walks, scientific experiments and discoveries. They demonstrate how rarely we see women of this period engaged in scientific work. 

Inspiring and engaging. Appropriate for ages 7-10.

How to Have a Thought: A Walk with Charles Darwin by Nicholas Day, illustrated by Hadley Hooper

  • Publisher: Neal Porter Books
  • Publication Date: January 13, 2026
  • Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
  • ISBN: 9780823458509

Take a walk like Charles Darwin in this nonfiction picture book that reveals both Darwin’s thinking process and also his scientific discoveries. First find a rock or two, then a walking stick and then find a loop to walk. It could be a loop around the block or a loop around the world, like the one Darwin made on his ship. That’s when he discovered the fossil of a giant sloth, the variety of beaks on finches that lived on the Galapagos Islands, and the bones and skin of a rhea, a bird he’s been seeking but had been served for a meal. Then came the thinking. The why of it all. The walking in loops. The stacking of rocks to count the loops. What will you think of when you take your own walk?

The combination of encouragement to get outside, walk and think with the historical and biographical information on Charles Darwin creates an unexpected treat of a book. The book ends with the author explaining that walks that are celebrated tend to be extraordinary, full of vistas and beauty. That is not the sort of walk we are talking about. These are thinking walks, going the same way every time. And just look at the result. The illustrations play with the dichotomy of the book, sharing historical elements with paintings and offering a light-hearted feel. 

A real thinker of a book. Appropriate for ages 5-9.

2 Terrific new Toddler Books

| Tasha

A Book of Loves by Cynthia Rylant 

  • Publisher: Beach Lane Books
  • Publication Date: January 6, 2026
  • Reviewed from copy provided by publisher
  • ISBN: 9781665987943

This simple little book about various things creatures and people love is pure joy. The book begins with a list of what cats love. With one word on each page featuring things like boxes, food, toys and love. What do dogs love? Sticks, puddles, treats, dirt and love. How about children? Bubbles, cake, stories and love. Everyone loves love. 

Rylant’s text is very simple with just one word on most of the pages, making this just right for the youngest of listeners. Children who know cats and dogs will particularly enjoy seeing what they love and will then see themselves and their love of things like helicopters reflected on the page too. The illustrations are just as simple as the text, featuring round-headed people and frolicing pets. 

Lots of love to love here. Appropriate for ages 1-4.

Your Truck by Jon Klassen

  • Publisher: Candlewick
  • Publication Date: January 6, 2026
  • Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
  • ISBN: 9781536248227

The start of a new board board series from the amazing Klassen, this fits beautifully with his last series: Your Forest, Your Farm, and Your Island. It is a book about your truck. Your truck is red, but it could be a bunch of different colors. Your truck can carry furniture or even a horse. For now though, it will just carry a dog. It can go so fast! But it’s up to you to make it go. Ready? Oops, perhaps tomorrow, it’s getting late now.

Klassen plays with expectations throughout this clever board book that manages in just a few pages to surprise and delight. Patience at the end is quietly taught as we all wait for the next day to rev up the speed a lot more. As always, his art is simple and immensely child-friendly. 

A great pick for the littlest truck and vehicle fans. Appropriate for ages 1-3.

The Dream Builder’s Blueprint by Alice Faye Duncan – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

The Dream Builder’s Blueprint: Dr. King’s Message to Young People by Alice Faye Duncan, illustrated by E. B. Lewis 

  • Publisher: Calkins Creek
  • Publication Date: January 6, 2026
  • Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
  • ISBN: 9781662680311

Based on Dr. King’s rare presentation to a group of middle schoolers in South Philadelphia, this book uses erasure poetry to take his speech and turn it into verse. Using short but powerful sentences, the poem focuses on what your life’s blueprint should be. It’s about feeling your worth, knowing you are Black and beautiful. It’s about achieving things with your life and doing your jobs well. It’s about being the best you can be. And the poem shows the incredible people who came before and created the light to follow. Don’t stop in the hard parts and the darkness, keep going!

Duncan removed a large percentage of Dr. King’s original speech to create her poem. Yet the power of his words carries on the page, a clarion call for change and action. Though she erased much, somehow his voice still booms on the page, thanks to her skill with words. The illustrations are wonderfully abstract, supporting the poem and allowing the words to soar. 

A tribute to Dr. King and his legacy. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

More Than a Million by Grace Farris – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

More Than a Million by Grace Farris

  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
  • Publication Date: January 6, 2026
  • Reviewed from ARC provided by publisher
  • ISBN: 9781547617913

This picture book is sure to capture every family’s good and bad moments and how much we continue to love one another through it all. From very early mornings with bad dreams to spilled food to extra hugs when leaving and notes in lunch boxes. From beloved hobbies and collections to broken bones and picky eaters, this merry and funny picture book captures all the small moments that test us while displaying the beauty of family love. 

A debut picture book from a well-known Instagram account, this picture book has simple illustrations with a modern vibe. In fact, the entire picture book feels current thanks to its great examples of loving moments and its brisk pacing that matches that of a busy family. 

Funny and relatable. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Take a Ride in These 3 New Picture Books

| Tasha

Diggers, Dozers & Dumpers: Small Stories about Big Machines by Ole Könnecke, translated by Melody Shaw

Publisher: Gecko Press

Publication Date: May 6, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9798765667552

Opening this book, readers are greeted by a staring cow, a blue duck with a wand, and an alligator driving a dozer. In very short stories that cover just a few pages at most, readers are introduced to a different sort of large machine and the characters show how they can be used. The characters range from farm animals to giraffe to moose, each depicted in a merry and playful way. Best of all, this is a book about big machinery that can actually be shared aloud and enjoyed by kids who like the machines and those who aren’t entirely enamored. 

Whimsical and heavy machinery have never gone together better. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Mama Car by Lucy Catchpole, illustrated by Karen George

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: November 4, 2025

Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley

ISBN: 9780316578035

A little girl has her own tricycle. Her father has a car. And her mother drives a wheelchair. The two of them go on expeditions together from the snuggly bed to the kitchen for snacks after making a list. They take the Mama Car together. The little girl helps a lot with moving toys, reaching things, and holding stuff. She also helps decorate Mama Car. When she has a little accident riding her tricycle, Mama Car is there to pick her up, keep her cozy and make her feel safe. 

Written by an author who uses a wheelchair, this story is based on what one of her daughters used to call her wheelchair. The book is a merry and loving look at a parent using a wheelchair and the adventures they have together that use the chair. I love that the story is entirely positive and told from the point of view of a small child who simply sees the chair as part of life and nothing to be worried about. The illustrations are friendly and large format, adding to the child appeal of the story. 

Wheel this one onto your library shelves. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Sleeper Train by Mick Jackson, illustrated by Baljinder Kaur

Publisher: Candlewick

Publication Date: July 15, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9781536238983

A little girl goes on an overnight train with her parents. They have their own compartment, but she just can’t fall asleep easily. So she starts to think about all the various places she has slept before. There is her parents’ bed at home, a hotel near the sea, on a beach, in a tent, in the hospital, and staying over at her grandparents’ home. Soon she had fallen asleep on the train. In the morning, there was breakfast on the train and soon they arrived at their destination. 

This picture book shares a way of travel that many children may not have experienced themselves and makes it approachable. I enjoyed that it focused on the variety of places a child may have slept, inviting the reader to see their own experiences alongside the character’s. The illustrations show a Sikh family traveling the train in India. The pictures use spicy colors of saffron and chili with cool teals to create a vibrant experience.

An engaging trip on the train. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

3 Fabulous New Picture Books about Families

| Tasha

Everyday Bean by Stephanie Graegin (9781774886205)

In ten little stories, readers meet Bean, a very small hedgehog who lives with her Grandma. There is a story of Bean’s favorite blanket getting smaller as it is loved until it is finally a bandana. There are ghost stories that are entirely unscary. There is a tale of Clem, Bean’s favorite toy who keeps her safe from storms. Then there are stories of the delights of big boxes and jumping off of swings. 

Told with a winning simplicity that is entirely charming, this book is just right for other little ones with big imaginations and who love ghosts and strawberries. The illustrations are digital and are full of warmth and a timeless childhood feel. 

Terrific tales of a tiny hedgehog. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

The Family Tree by Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Fiona Lee (9781665948371)

Everyone in Penny’s family is always busy and never has time to slow down. They are always hurrying to the next thing until suddenly a tiny sprout appears on their kitchen floor. The sprout grows and becomes something they can’t ignore or rush past. Penny starts to water and care for the tree with help from her dog. Each day it gets more special and bigger with its roots going down into the earth. Soon it is a tree and everyone in the family makes room for it. But that’s not enough, and the house needs to be changed to accommodate the tree that is breaking through the roof. The tree has everyone in the family spending more time at home, slowing down and being together. Now they all feel at home, thanks to the tree. 

This book uses an astute way to speak to the rushing of modern life and families. The use of the tree as a form of physical connection and an invitation to slow down and be together with one another works particularly well. As it grows, it becomes a central feature, something to nurture, transforming their home. The illustrations are jaunty and playful, celebrating the tree, new connections and family joy. 

A picture book to savor with those you love. Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Beach Lane Books.

How to Grow a Family Tree by Bea Birdsong, illustrated by Jasu Hu (9780823453962)

Emmylou’s class is presenting their family trees. All of the others have lots of branches filled with grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. For her, it’s just her and her mother. Her mother doesn’t like to talk about Emmylou’s grandparents or her father. Emmylou realizes that her neighbors are more like family to her. There is Mrs. Patel who shares her mango chutney, Mr. Li who taught Emmylou to ride a bike, and Rosa and her twins where they all watch out for one another. But those people don’t belong on a family tree, or do they?

Birdsong tells her story in brief text that captures Emmylou’s worry about class clearly. It also shows just as vividly her strong relationships with her neighbors, her found family. The illustrations, done in watercolor, are beautifully textured and deeply toned. They show Emmylou’s emotions roiling as her presentation comes closer as well as the warmth and connectivity of her neighborhood.

A brilliant picture book about how some families aren’t related to one another. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss and Neal Porter Books.

2 New Holiday Picture Books Worth Celebrating

| Tasha

The 13th Day of Christmas by Adam Rex

Publisher: Neal Porter Books

Publication Date: September 9, 2025

Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley

ISBN: 9780823456536

On a lonely Christmas without his true love, the main character suddenly receives a partridge in a pear tree. Then the next day, you know what happens and soon it spirals out of control. When he tries to ask his true love why she would do this to him, she hangs up on him. So he heads out with the menagerie and all the people to see his mother. She wasn’t much help either. On their way home, they accidentally start a parade. That happens when you have leaping lords, dancers, cows, pipers and a band. A young boy gets the narrator thinking about things in a more positive way and soon they are making a difference all over town. The next morning, they have a bake sale from all of the eggs and milk they have. But what about his true love?

I must admit I’m not a huge fan of Christmas books. There are just so many mid-level releases each year. But this one is delightful! I love the premise of what happens with the presents after the 12th day, since so many of them repeat and multiply. This creates just the right sort of holiday wackiness that we need without ever becoming too sweet, despite the cakes. 

A new classic for those who like silliness with their celebration. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

The Book of Candles: Eight Poems for Hanukkah by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Leanne Hatch 

Publisher: Clarion Books

Publication Date: September 16, 2025

Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley

ISBN: 9780063278141

Sharing the story of a busy, modern Jewish family and the eight nights of Hanukkah, this picture book celebrates each night with a poem. From the first candle emerging from the darkness and lighting faces.The second night, the candles in the window are noticed by a man walking past. The third night is a rush to get home and the candle lit before pizza is served. The fourth night is Sabbath filled with light. The fifth night has darkness as the candles go out. The sixth night is spent with family and the youngest is finally old enough to light the candles themselves. The seventh night is messed up with a flat tire and the family has to improvise. The final night the light lingers longer than expected as the family gathers one last time. 

Snyder’s poetry is perfectly balanced between being accessible for children but also profoundly speaking to the meaning of Hanukkah and the importance of family. She has created a book of short poems that reads aloud beautifully, one that families can use year after year or librarians creating programs. The illustrations glow on the page with candles, moonlight, playing with light and dark and showing the beauty of traditions. 

A shining picture book that is a must-buy for Hanukkah collections. Appropriate for ages 4-8.

Forests by Nell Cross Beckerman – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

Forests by Nell Cross Beckerman, illustrated by Kalen Chock

Publisher: Orchard Books

Publication Date: November 4, 2025

Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley

ISBN: 9781546130970

Enter a variety of forests from across the world in this nonfiction picture book. Start with the wonder of a deciduous forest at night and then explore it during the day. There is information on roots and fungi and then the drama of a forest wildfire and how trees survive. The book moves on to a kelp forest in the ocean, the beauty of a forest hosting butterflies. It includes the Amazonian rainforest and a bamboo forest in Japan, each with its own visuals, sounds and facts. 

All of the facts shared are fascinating and add to the understanding of how forests work together and how humans impact them for good and bad. There is a sense of wonder as each page turns and reveals a different forest or a new aspect of the same one. The digital illustrations are arrestingly beautiful from the beam of the flashlight on the first pages to the destructive beauty of fire to the cool greens of bamboo. Each image embraces the colors of the landscape, comparing and contrasting visually.

A detailed and interesting glimpse of forests both familiar and new. Appropriate for ages 5-9.

2 New Picture Books about Learning from Grandparents

| Tasha

A Knot Is Not a Tangle by Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Vesper Stamper 

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: November 25, 2025

Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley

ISBN: 9780593809693

An Iranian boy is woken up by his grandmother. They have breakfast together on the old frayed rug before taking a meal out to Grandpa in the field where he is herding sheep. The three start planning to make a new rug. They wash the wool and card out the tangles. They spin it into wool that is dyed with local flowers. Then the design is plotted out on graph paper. Next they start weaving on the loom, creating Persian knots to hold tight. The boy learns to create knots and not tangles, until midway his grandmother adds the Persian flaw to keep it from being perfect. The new rug is finished and ready for new memories to be made.

Nayeri shows the art of Persian rug making through the eyes of a child, making not only the art itself accessible but also showing the love of grandparents along the way. The boy learns the craft and also the heart of making rugs, with specific emphasis on the Persian flaw and the lack of perfectionism. The art in the book captures the colors of the wool, the beauty of the flowers, and the lovely designs of both rugs that the family uses. 

Family, warmth and art combine in a winning title. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

The One About the Blackbird by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Matt James 

Publisher: Tundra Books

Publication Date: October 21, 2025

Reviewed from e-galley provided by publisher

ISBN: 9781774882665

Jack lived with his grandfather in a house filled with music. There was music on the record player plus his grandfather played several instruments, including the guitar. Jack particularly loved it when his grandfather played the guitar, especially the song about the blackbird. Jack asked his grandfather to show him how to play the blackbird song, but first it took a lot of help and practice to even play a single chord. With encouragement from his grandfather, Jack kept at it and learned to play the guitar. As Jack got bigger and the guitar got smaller, he left home and played music all over the world. When he returned, his grandfather was different and this time it was Jack who showed him how to play. 

Throughout this book, I could hear the song about the blackbird in my head, haunting and lovely. Children will want to hear that song after reading this book. The touching relationship between the two characters comes full circle by the end of the story as the grandfather grapples with dementia. The power and connectivity of music is on full display throughout the tale. James’ art is deeply organic yet accessible, showing the two characters as their relationship evolves and changes in the small blue house. 

Sure to strike the right chord. Appropriate for ages 5-7.