Picture Books

Based on the documentary, A Place in the Middle, this book is an excellent introduction to Hawaiian gender traditions and the Polynesian third gender, Mahu. Watercolors, outlined with bold black ink, beautifully capture Ho‘onani’s strength and determination. Perfect for young readers interested in learning about other cultures, kids or parents questioning the gender binary, and classrooms looking to discuss how different societies conceptualize gender. - Molly S.

Amy has stolen my heart, with her fierce determination to conquer…bao. I so identify with her quest to master snack time and her refusal to give up on a family tradition. The art is wonderful and this heartwarming story of creative problem solving in the face of challenges is sure to delight. I especially loved that Zhang included a recipe so that we can enjoy bao with our own families. - Jax

This book makes me want to get outside and go! Wren, El, and Hattie, with Bean the dog, do just that on a day-long hike and their friendship, individuality, curiosity, and self-confidence take them to the summit. I’m impressed with how prepared they are. Getting tired, cold, or lost doesn’t phase them. Wren sketches in her nature journal, El composes poems along the way, and Hattie follows the map. They figure things out together. Young readers will love it! - Noreen

This new picture book from award-winning author Grace Lin treats us to a sweet bedtime ritual between mother and child. Like A Big Mooncake for Little Star, this story spans many nights of seemingly small actions that build to transform the newly independent boy as well as the bigger world outside his window. With pajamas that melt into the white-washed backgrounds, mom and son share knowing looks that reassure anyone on the verge of taking their next big step. - Michelle

“You never know what treasures we’ll find,” says the mom of eight children as they embark on a magical, but also an actual, Depression-era year turning a house into a home. Based on the life of the author’s grandma, Marvel, this picture book recounts the family’s inspiring journey through lovely green-infused watercolors, inconspicuously labeled with general-store items on one page and wildflowers on the next. A generous story of love, with endpapers for those like me who crave more details. - Michelle

As fry bread has become a cherished staple for indigenous peoples across Nations, this book will become a staple for Bookshop families. It’s a sweet story about the making and meaning of traditions that will resonate with children from the Oklahoma Seminole Nation to the neighborhoods of Santa Cruz. The book, like fry bread, is born from necessity—speaking of, from, and to being uniquely at home and loved through tradition and adversity. Perfect for families forming traditions! - Citlalli

Change is hard, but that doesn’t make it bad. When Rabbit loses an old friend, he gains the friend’s motorbike. As someone who never left the farm, it seemed an odd gift, but one day Rabbit hops on and takes a chance on the great unknown. Gorgeously illustrated and lovingly told, it is a reminder that sometimes the hardest risks have the greatest rewards. Roads are long, but they all end somewhere new and exciting. - Ivy

Guojing dedicated this beautifully illustrated book to her lost dog Dou Dou. The story follows a stray whose life is changed when a woman attempts to befriend him. Stormy is wordless, but the stunning illustrations capture all the compassion and empathy embedded in the story. A heartwarming tale about trust, love, and the unbreakable bond that forms between a dog and their owner. A story for dog lovers. - Natalie O.

This beautiful story about the bonds of sisterhood is going to be my favorite book this year. It’s told through the eyes of Faizah, whose older sister is wearing a blue hijab on their first day of school. It’s an insightful look into bullying in a way that isn’t scary or traumatic for younger children going into school: The story, like Faizah, focuses on her sister’s strength and the words of her kinder classmates. - MJ

Bringing together 18 beloved children’s book illustrators, this picture book version of the iconic Sesame Street theme song is the perfect celebration of the show’s 50th anniversary. With such a wide array of visual styles, it welcomes all readers into America’s favorite neighborhood. Kids (and adults!) will love seeing some of Sesame Street’s most popular muppets, drawn in a host of different artistic styles, singing along to the familiar tune in this walk down memory lane. - Molly