Grandparents have a special role in children’s lives, before and after death. The Best Bunny: The Adventures of Lil Shen, written by Shenandoah Chefalo and illustrated by Alena Tkach, provides a gentle retrospective exploration of loss and grief. Lil Shen is struggling with the death...

A Puppy's Tale is a heartfelt children's picture book written by Grant Merritt, with illustrations by Elena Ciolacu. The story follows a lonely, fluffy dog named Achilles, who yearns for love and a place to call home. One day, he meets Evan, a young boy...

Flight Test 101 by Amanda M. Thrasher is a heartwarming children's adventure that follows three young fairlings called Lilly, Boris, and Jack as they prepare for their first-ever flight test. We’re with them for this thrilling rite of passage, but it soon spirals into an...

Learning the alphabet is the groundwork for reading and writing. Ella Minnow P, written by Trisha Fleming and illustrated by Emanuela Mannello, is a sweet concept picture book focusing on learning the ABCs. The story begins on Ella’s first day of school. This is a...

Little Bear and the Big Hole is a children’s picture book written by Jennifer Seal, with illustrations by Mirjam Siim. The story follows Little Bear, who is deeply affected by the death of his father. He often sits by a large hole, filled with the...

Goldi once came to the young reader’s attention in the story about Goldilocks and the three bears. It’s a fairytale, and Goldilocks, now using the name Goldi, has grown up and is ready to start a new school. In Stéphanie Superle’s Goldi’s First Flute Sounds,...

Thank You Pine Street by Cynthia Centerbar is a heartfelt and charming picture book told from the perspective of a young child saying goodbye to a beloved preschool. Written as a thank-you letter to the teachers and staff, the story beautifully captures the many small...

Are You Bored? is a joyful, clever, and beautifully illustrated book that I wholeheartedly recommend to parents, grandparents, and educators alike. If I were teaching younger children (mine are senior high school students), it would find a place of honor in my classroom library. In...

You're a Miracle! by Manjiri Subhash is a joyful and affirming picture book that invites young readers to explore what makes them wonderfully unique. Through playful rhymes and thought-provoking yet straightforward questions, children are encouraged to notice the diversity of facial features and expressions, from...

Tandem for Two: A Tale of Twinship by Tami Ullom is a sweet children’s picture book. The story shares the story of two sisters who are identical twins. Taking readers along for the ride, the fun rhyming tale shares a glimpse of what it is...