Hilwa’s Gifts by Safa Suleiman, illustrated by Anait Semirdzhyan (9781536229424)
Ali loves visiting his grandfather in Palestine and has a favorite tree in their olive grove. The tree was planted by his grandfather’s grandfather and is named Hilwa. Ali is visiting at harvest time for the first time and is shocked to see that they are hitting the trees with sticks to get the olives to fall onto tarps on the ground. Even though his grandfather says that they won’t hurt the trees, Ali tries to harvest olives without hitting the branches. It’s impossibly hard work, so soon Ali tries the stick method and makes it rain olives. The olive trees, including Hilwa, provide olives, olive oil, soap and even fuel for fires. After a feast of olive treats, Ali must return home with one little green gift in his hands to plant back in America.
A beautiful look at the connection of people and trees, the importance of planting for the future and the vitality of olives and all they provide. The Palestinian family is warm and generous, celebrating Ali and his growing connection with the land. The digital illustrations have an organic feel thanks to watercolor effects and a touch of depth from small splatters.
A timely visit to Palestine and its people. Appropriate for ages 3-6.
JieJie lives with her little brother in a barren wasteland that they trek across for water and to reach the phone that lets when call their mother who works in a far off city. One day, the children discover the broken parts of a robot in a trash heap. JieJie uses skills her mother taught her to fix the robot and her little brothers asks the robot to be his mom. The AI boots into mother mode and soon the three of them are living a better life together, but what will happen when their real mother returns?
Done in pencil illustrations that capture the dark desolation, this graphic novel looks towards the light. Color is introduced only sparingly, offsetting the darkness but never taking it fully away. The story is hauntingly told, the answers are never easy and the humanity of robots and humans alike is the center of the tale.
Another simply beautiful read from this author. Appropriate for ages 8-12.
Here Is a Book by Elisha Cooper (9781419766756) Released April 22, 2025.
Cooper does it again in his signature style. Taking what could have been a dry subject of how a book is made, Cooper infuses it with wit, charm and still offers real information. Starting with author and artist inspiration and work, we travel with the idea to the publisher to the printer. Then the finished book is taken across the country to a school where one student takes it home and is inspired herself to create.
While Cooper’s illustrations are as always top notch, it is also the writing that sings here. Using repetitive forms without rhymes, this book gently swings the reader along, inviting exploration, pausing and relishing in the wonder. This was one of those books that had me sighing happily at the end and so thrilled to be a small part of getting books into children’s hands.
Appropriate for ages 4-9. Reviewed from e-galley provided by Abrams Books.
Here are a pair of newer picture books that celebrate our connection with nature and invite young ones to head out and explore:
Forest Song by Kirsten Hall & Evan Turk (9780593480366)
Explore poetry and nature together in this gorgeous picture book. Hall has written a poem that pays clever homage to great poets such as Robert Frost, Mary Oliver, and Edgar Allen Poe. The illustrations by award-winning Turk are rich with color, riotous with swirls and an invitation into the drama of the forest. Combined with the lyrical language, this book is a celebration of the woods.
Appropriate for ages 4-8 and can be used with older children to explore poetry. Reviewed from library copy.
Fill your pockets with a young child as the seasons change. From rocks in winter to petals in spring, shells in summer and acorns in fall. Layer them all together in a glass jar to see your year. Reach for them in your pocket when you need some comfort. This picture book celebrates seasons through the senses, touching each item, listening to them and pretending with them too. The illustrations are marvelously simple and yet filled with a magic of fairies and nature.
Appropriate for ages 3-7. Reviewed from library copy.
Mama Moon by Noah Grigni (9781250824295) Released April 15, 2025
A little girl lives with her two mothers near the sea. Her mama is like the moon, waxing and waning at times, “sometimes she’s blue, sometimes she’s bright.” There are some days she can’t get out of bed and these times can make the little girl very angry. After yelling at her mama to “Go away!” her mama has to go to the hospital to get better. The confusion of mental illness as seen through the eyes of a child is very powerfully depicted in this picture book. The book shines with love, showing that despite mental health struggles, parents are vital to a child’s life. The illustrations depict a mixed-race family and have a simple style with deep colors showing emotions as storms and mental health as a pitching boat at sea.
Appropriate for ages 5-9. Reviewed from e-galley provided by Macmillan Children’s Publishing.
Izzy is having a very bad day. She just can’t stop making mistakes. In fact, she made a huge mistake at school and doesn’t want to talk about it! When they go to visit her Lita and Lito’s house, Izzy just wants to be left alone. Instead she is asked to help make tortillas. Now there are even more mistakes! Can Izzy find a way to get past her mistakes and laugh about things again? A large and merry family supports Izzy in her struggles with mistakes, finding a creative way together to help her see that mistakes can be delicious. With rambunctious illustrations full of speech bubbles, action and joy, this picture book invites us all to laugh more together.
Appropriate for ages 4-8. Reviewed from library copy.
Based on the author’s childhood with housing insecurity and living in a blue van, this picture book shows the wonder mixed with the challenges of a child growing up living a nomadic van life. The strong connection to nature shines throughout the book as well as her connection to her family members. School is more of a challenge since they don’t have a house or apartment to invite others over. Being different from the other children can cause real upset and that is depicted with care. Judge’s watercolor and colored pencil illustrations provide a real glimpse into van life and housing insecurity for families. A great addition to picture book collections as this shows a type of family life not often depicted.
Appropriate for ages 5-9. Reviewed from e-galley provided by Abrams Books.
Ripening Time by Patrice Gopo, illustrated byCarlos Vélez Aguilera (9781546005391) Released April 22, 2025.
A little girl, her sister and mother buy green plantains from the grocery store. It takes a lot of patience to wait for the green fruit to turn sweet, yellow and black. Day after day that week, they check on the plantains and their progress, even stopping their babysitter from treating them like bananas for snacking. Finally, on Sunday they are ready to fry up and everyone can enjoy their sweet flavor together. I did not grow up eating plantains, but one of my best childhood friends had them regularly in her Trinidadian-American home. Ever since trying them, I’ve loved them too and enjoy seeing a book that celebrates this unique starchy-sweet fruit, the warmth of family and the need for patience. Illustrated with rich colors that feature golds, teals and oranges, this one is worth digging into. Appropriate for ages 3-7. Reviewed from e-galley provided by WorthyKids.
The finalists for the 2025 Christian Book Awards have been announced by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Below you will see the youth categories, but there are many more to be seen here. As a public librarian, I find these lists very helpful to identify materials sometimes missed by professional reviews.
Waking Brain Cells 