Confidence-boosting rhymes by Gardner Middlemiss model nurtured self-assurance in this warmhearted story. Beginning dialogue prompts recognition, with a child’s refrain eliciting encouraging appreciations from their caregiver: “Do you see me?// Yes, of course./ I see you’re driven—quite a force.” Eventually, the adult speaker returns the question (“But now I ask:/ Do you see you?”), and the youth’s exuberant responses (“I see myself, strong and proud./ I will live my life out loud”) powerfully reveal the positive echoes of earlier praise. Providing an additional layer of storytelling, Brown’s mottled digital renderings have a sandy texture that supports beachy scenes of the protagonist and adult companion, both depicted with brown skin, exploring the seaside. Amid sunset’s golden hour, the child looks forward with optimism in this shining picture of a child’s developing self-positivity and -reflection. Ages 6–8. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

As detailed in an author’s note, Sirdeshpande draws on personal experience and family history to pen a heartening picture book about finding a sense of belonging. Leading on from an “I am...” refrain, a youth celebrates their expansive sense of identity (“I say I have a foot in two worlds/ but I am so much more than that”). As affirmations evolve, a multigenerational story unfolds: “I am the plane that carried my parents/ to a new world.... I am long journeys back to India.” Sensorial details—“shiny silks, soft cottons,” “the crack of a coconut”—richly illuminate the speaker’s experiences, while closing passages present the protagonist as gaining confidence from a heritage of “fierce warriors, beautiful minds, and bold heroes.” Mhasan’s soft-edged illustrations gently move between seasons and settings, and conclude with depictions of Southeast Asian historical figures introduced in back matter. Ages 4–9. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

Accompanied by an elderly caretaker, a child on a woodland walk considers their family legacy of finding home in this minimalist picture book. The exuberantly dressed protagonist—pink glasses matching a pink beret—narrates each step of the forest journey: “We come from all over.// We all took different paths.” Swinging from a tree branch amid dandelion seeds, they note one way: “by air.” Crossing a quiet brook represents another: “by water.” A curious fox in the underbrush stands in for “with the help of fellow travelers.” Upon finding a “perfect place/ To put down/ our roots,” the child notes, “This is/ where/ I grew.” Seasons later, as shown by a spread of tree branches in varying weather, the now-adult protagonist returns to the forest with children in tow, thinking about the journeys they will undertake. Awan’s clear, unfussy first-person lines and Jomepour Bell’s bold, translucent illustrations add layers to an expansively imagined portrait of building community and putting down roots. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

During a watery outdoor outing, a child embarks on a captivating adventure in Lundberg’s richly illustrated evocation of early independence. Realistic-feeling dialogue sets the tone: “Do you know what, Mom?... You’re the pier. And I’m the boat.” After proudly untying the knot that tethers a small raft to a dock’s piling, the pale-skinned youth floats away from their mother as storytelling turns wordless. Lush, thickly colored paintings trace the protagonist’s journey through a stand of mangroves to an active urban waterway to a water park where another child gives them a seed. Moving on to a forest, their raft capsizes, but a group of leaf-clad, sprite-like creatures who have appeared throughout provide help and warming comfort. Slightly shaken,the youth returns to Mom for a reassuring embrace, and the pair reflect on when the child’s seed might sprout. Unfolding via panels and full-bleed spreads, shadowy and dreamy artwork yields a meditative visual telling about solo exploration. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–7. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

Todd’s advice-filled lines welcome a growing child, “bright-eyed,/ bold,/ demanding to be heard/ and seen,” in this effusive picture book. “You are everything good/ in this world,” caregivers tell an infant in opening scenes. As the youth matures, upbeat prose turns instructive (“Find your words,/ talk your talk”) and comforting (“When tears come,/ let them flow.... Not every storm/ will end in rainbows,/ and that’s all right”). Echoing text’s steady feel, vibrant, round-edged digital artwork from Wise incorporates botanicals, squiggles, and stars to produce a textured portrait of a child’s emerging ability to feel fully at home in the world. Final sentiments encourage being human (“bright-eyed, bold,/ demanding”) and seeing “the human in everyone,” leading to an affirming close for this strengthening presentation of a life anchored in acceptance. Figures are depicted with varied abilities, body types, and skin tones. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

Repeated prepositions propel this bright-eyed board book, which movingly presents the world from a baby’s developing perspective. Unfolded downward, accordion pages reference common sights the protagonist perceives from below—“under/ the sun// under/ the clouds”—culminating in the round-cheeked tot, held in a baby carrier: “under/ Mama/ me.” A palette of sky blues forms the backdrop for these items, which are given a simple freshness via screen-printing-like techniques. Flipped and unfurled sideways, the book reveals a second sequence that foregrounds a broader rainbow of backdrops via the vantage point of an older, toddling child who experiences the world adjacent to items found low to the ground—“beside/ Grandpa,” “beside/ a cat,” and the like—with text finally circling back to the title: “me// I am here.” Kim cleverly uses the format to articulate the perspective-shifting process of becoming in this uniquely engineered read. Characters read as East Asian. Ages up to 4. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

In a picture book crafted like the best drawn journalism, Bennett (The True Story of Zippy Chippy) and Neiss, making her picture book debut, tell the true story of what happened when a downtrodden young man wandered into a worn New Orleans synagogue. Drawn by the singing he heard inside, Alex Brown found nine elderly Orthodox Jews, most of them Holocaust survivors, who needed Brown’s presence as a 10th Jewish man to complete their minyan. The encounter awakens something deep within Brown, who becomes an essential member of the community, lifting a Torah too heavy for aging hands, handling administrative tasks, and even—in one of the book’s fine comic moments—ferrying nursing home residents to the synagogue. “And in return,” Brown is quoted reflecting, “they gave me life.” Fluid digital and watercolor renderings pulse with immediacy and genuine affection, revealing the men through Brown’s eyes—their resilience and vitality, their crankiness and frugality, and their devotion to both their faith and to their 10th man—in this work about life’s unexpected gifts. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Extensive back matter includes needed context. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

When a movie studio threatens to oust the townspeople of Cabrito Viejo, Mexico, from their homes, an unlikely duo steps up to save the day in this heartfelt graphic novel, a dual debut set in 1950. Every year, Cabrito Viejo citizens celebrate Festival del Chupacabra in honor of the legendary goat-sucking monster. Unbeknownst to the revelers, chupacabra Feo—a green-furred, doglike animal with huge fangs and even bigger eyes—lives among them, snatching their livestock and preening at their worship. But the purchase of Cabrito Viejo by a Hollywood creature feature producer spells disaster for the denizens, the festival, and Feo. To preserve the town, Feo—accompanied by teen mechanic and monster movie enthusiast Camila—embarks on a road trip to Hollywood. There, the pair will persuade the studio to make Feo the star of their next film, which will hopefully earn Cabrito Viejo “culturally significant protection status” and nullify the sale. Rich purple hues blend into sunny golden yellows and glowing oranges, evoking the jovial warmth of Festival del Chupacabra and the cinematic magic of Camila’s beloved films, while authentic cultural iconography and storytelling result in an underdog tale about friendship and the pitfalls of fame. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

A quartet of superpowered roommates must put aside their differences to save the world in this goofy chapter book–level graphic novel, a series launch from Lerner (Nat the Cat Finds a Map). Who left an empty carton of milk in the fridge? That’s what frustrated superhero Blix Blaster, foiled in his pursuit of a cereal breakfast, demands of his super roomies Abby Astro, Captain Kooky Pants, and Wanda Weather. Blix Blaster’s interrogation is interrupted by a call from Big City Mayor Melissa McCorkle, who requests the heroes’ help in stopping supervillain Dr. Slimepeople from replacing Big City Lake’s water with goo. The group dispatches enemies using their unique powers—Abby Astro wields an energy lasso, Blix Blaster shoots explosions from his hands, Captain Kooky Pants’s glowing slacks blow baddies away, and Wanda Weather creates tornadoes—but Blix Blaster, his mind still on breakfast, derails the heroics to ask Dr. Slimepeople a question. Action-centered onomatopoeia (“DRAG!” “WAVE!” “REACH!”) and fourth wall breaks (“Before we get to chapter 5, I have a question...”) ensure readers’ investment. Blocky, geometrical b&w illustrations with yellow accents give the comic an energetic retro appeal reminiscent of Roy Lichtenstein and depict simple shape-based characters with various skin tones. Ages 5–9. (May)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink

An unknown entity plagues young human space settlers in this gripping trilogy opener from Ness, set two decades after his Chaos Walking series. On the planet humans call New World, all native sentient life-forms, including a humanoid species called the Land, communicate via Noise: involuntary telepathic broadcasts of an entity’s every thought. Male humans born on New World also emit Noise until geneticists develop a cure, reinstating personal privacy but widening the communication gulf between people and the Land. When human children start having nightmares that involve self-critical Noise, some xenophobic people claim it’s a disease caused by the Land. Teen brothers Ben, who communicates nonverbally due to a neurological condition, and transgender adoptee Max don’t believe the Land is responsible, however, as their father still has Noise and is friendly with the species’ leader, and their mother, a scientist, suspects an approaching alien vessel is to blame. When flaming skinless giants begin taking human New World kids, the settlers lash out against the Land, impelling Max and Ben to seek answers. Witty, propulsive first-person narration alternates between the sibs’ perspectives as they navigate issues of morality, mortality, identity, and disinformation. Main characters are keenly rendered and cue as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michelle Kass, Michelle Kass Assoc. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/30/2026 | Details & Permalink