Picture Books
A cozy winter day
Eliza Wheeler
jE Wheeler
Picture Books
"A community of forest animals celebrates all the wonder that winter offers"--
Crows : an egg-to-sky story
Margaret Peot
j598.864 Peot
Kids, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Animals, Nature
"This book is an introduction to the natural history of crows for children and includes a brief discussion of the difference between crows and ravens, as well as other members of the crow family such as magpies and jays"--
Here is yet another gorgeous addition to the picture book nonfiction genre! Informative and digestible, Margaret Peot's "Crows: an Egg-to-Sky Story" is just right for sharing with young birders. -Casey
Umami
Jacob Grant
jE Grant
Humor, Kids, Picture Books
"Umami is tired of eating cold fish. But fish is what the penguins eat. Fish for every meal and birthdays too. To find new exciting foods, Umami adventures across the sea and discovers flavors and spices that are inspiring! She has to share them. But will the other penguins share her love for these different foods?"--
Spicy is an adventure! -Casey
Mr. Lepron's mystery soup
Giovanna Zoboli
jE Zoboli
Kids, Picture Books, Nature
Stunning artwork from the acclaimed illustrator of The Midnight Fair illuminates a sweet cautionary tale about a rabbit whose fabled soup-making gets away from him.
Incredible artwork combines with a delicious story just right for the season. This is a picture book not to miss! -Casey
A little like magic
Sarah Kurpiel
jE Kurpiel
Picture Books
"Our young narrator doesn't like itchy hats or cold wind, and she especially doesn't like going places she's never been before. But she reluctantly agrees to join her mom at an ice festival, where they watch sculptors chisel and drill until it's too cold to watch anymore. That night the girl discovers that she has lost the horse figurine she'd brought with her, and she wishes she'd never gone . . . until the next night, when they return to the festival and see what the artists have created: sparkling, glorious sculptures that feel a little like magic. One surprise in particular seems even more magical to the girl. The ice art will stay with her long, long after it has melted away."--
A beautiful new picture book about a little girl and her mom enjoying the magic of an ice sculpture festival! This book will simultaneously make you want to go out and enjoy festive winter community events and burrow in a blanket nest to read. The illustrations perfectly complement the gentle, straightforward story in a palette of blue, purple, and white. Also, the author is a power wheelchair user, and the story's protagonist is a power wheelchair user, too - great disability representation in children's literature of just a kid being a kid, without ever explicitly mentioning disability, much less having the whole book focus on it. -Anne W
¡Vamos! let's celebrate Halloween and Día de los Muertos
1976- author Raúl the Third
j394.2646 Raul
Diverse Characters, Picture Books
"Little Lobo is celebrating two big holidays this fall! On Halloween, he and his friends dress up in costumes, trick-or-treat for candy, and share spooky stories. Then, everyone in the town prepares food, drinks, and other gifts and decorates the cemetery with ofrendas so they can enjoy Día de los Muertos with the spirits of the people they love. Join Little Lobo and his friends as they celebrate, and learn some Spanish and traditions along the way!"--Back cover.
I love, love, love Raul's illustrations, and this is a great way to combine and explain the two holidays in both English and Spanish! -Mari
Santa's first Christmas
Mac Barnett
j394.2663 Barnett
Kids, Picture Books
Santa returns home to the North Pole Christmas morning and, thanks to his loyal elves, gets to experience the magic of Christmas for the first time with a perfect tree, treats and presents.
A beautiful story accompanied by beautiful illustrations - sweet and simple with a few laugh-out-loud moments - a new Christmas classic. As a librarian, I rarely recommend purchasing books, but this one should be part of your family's Christmas traditions for years to come. -Anne W
The café at the edge of the woods
Mikey Please
jE Please
Fantasy, Humor, Kids, Picture Books
"Rene and Glumfoot are ready to serve very fine cuisine at the café at the edge of the woods. But when their first customer, an ogre, demands pickled bats and battered mice, Rene is ready to give up! She can't possibly serve such rubbish. Or can she? With a little bit of compromise, perhaps she can satisfy her customer and still serve the most delicious grub"--Provided by publisher.
What a debut! This one had me in stitches. With perfectly paced rhythm and rhyme, and hilarious illustrations, Mikey Please's first solo book will be a read-aloud favorite, especially for littles who enjoy icky humor. -Casey
My grammie's house
Lana Button
jE Button
Picture Books
"A boy shows potential homebuyers all the things that make his grandmother's house special, like the cupboard that doubles as a clubhouse, the tree that is perfect for climbing, the "swings that are older than the hills" and the best spot to eat scotch cake cookies."--
Look at this little helper who did super job touring and advertising Grammie’s house for sale! He even added himself as the last, but the most important selling point: a new friend! I already fell in love with the house, and of course, the book, too! -Fang
Birthday soup
Grace Seo Chang
jE Chang
Picture Books
Korean American Maia learns the importance of a mother's love while making a traditional birthday soup.
I learned this tradition from my mom. She always did and/or said something special to honor her mom on her own birthday, from when she was still young to the age of being a grandma. Not sure from which year during my childhood I started to repeat the same thing to her. And magically as the years go by, my own children started to understand how struggling moms can be when they give birth to a baby. Yes baby’s birthday is also mom’s suffering day. It’s the time to celebrate, and to appreciate as well. I’m very delighted to read about the similar Korean tradition of “miyeok guk” (birthday soup) in this heartwarming story book. Don’t forget to try that soup recipe after reading! It’s yummy! -Fang
This is maybe the coziest picture book...ever? Lately I have been nostalgic for the classic Golden Book of my childhood, "The Biggest, Most Beautiful Christmas Tree," which features animal residents of a great fir tree in a thick forest cozily anticipating Christmas. This is the updated version featuring a cast of characters living in Acorn Village, with a more generalized, inclusive holiday celebration. This book is a sensory experience of sights, sounds, smells and the overall feeling of coziness as the animals partake in cozy activities such as cooking, reading, crafts, and playing in the snow. The rhyming pages and colorful animals with patterned pastel clothes and detailed, cozy homes complete with Pyrex dishware, softly lit candles, and built-in bookshelves in their snug animal dwellings is a wonderful feast for little eyes as they enjoy this story read aloud--preferably in a lap with a fuzzy blanket and hot drink. -Mari