Skip to main content

Posts

Books to Read When... It's Sukkot!

The Jewish holiday Sukkot, or Feast of Tabernacles, is an annually held fall holiday. Arriving shortly after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Sukkot recognizes the exodus from Egypt and when the Israelites had to live in temporary shelters. Sukkot started just last Friday night, and currently, Jewish families all over the world will be eating or living in temporary houses called "sukkahs." I saw my first sukkahs when my family and I lived in Jerusalem. I loved seeing the way my neighbors celebrated and I love that now we have so many picture books to learn about how different Jewish families celebrate Sukkot. If you are celebrating Sukkot yourself, or want to learn about this holiday, check out these picture books about the Feast of Tabernacles. ×—×’ שמח! Our Spectacular Sukkah Written by Sidura Ludwig Illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2026. Picture Book. A Jewish family is setting up their sukkah and are excited to eat, play, and sing in it. Then...
Recent posts

Display: I Like Rocks

I Am a Rock Written by Ashley Qilavaq-Savard Illustrated by Pelin Turgut Iqaluit, Nunavut; Toronto, ON: Inhabit Media Inc., 2023. Picture Book. Pauloosie loves his pet rock, Miki Rock. Pauloosie's Anaana, his mother, tells him a bedtime story about what Miki Rock sees, hears, and feels in his Arctic home. As part of the land, Miki Rock sees char and beluga, listens to chirps and howls, and feels the snow and sun. Through lyrical text and ethereal landscape illustrations by Pelin Turgut, readers are taken on an Arctic journey from the point of view of a most unlikely object--a child's pet rock. --Publisher A Pocket Full of Rocks Written by Kristin Mahoney Illustrated by E.B. Goodale New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2025. Picture Book. A sweet and soulful celebration of how a child's imagination can transform ordinary objects into extraordinary treasures. You can do a lot with a pocket full of rocks ... Rocks make excellent chairs for fairies, they are perfect for writing your name...

De la hora del cuento: La letra "D"

  Cuentos No dejes que la paloma se acuesta tarde Por Mo Willems Valencia : Andana Editorial, 2018. Libro ilustrado. "Llega la noche, pero la paloma no quiere ir a la cama!" --Editor Cuentitos Opuestos Por Sandra Boynton New York : Simon & Schuster Libros para niƱos, 2004. PequeƱo libro ilustrado. "Book of opposite words." --Editor Otros libros sobre la letra "D" Desi, mami y las infinitas preocupaciones Dondequiera que tĆŗ estĆ©s Cómo cultivar un dragón Marisol no puede dormir Un deseo en el Ć”rbol

From Story Time: The Letter "D"

Preschool Time The Biggest Dog in the Book By Ben Lerwill and Mark Chambers New York: DK Publishing, 2025. Picture Book. From tiny Chihuahua Agnes who loves to burrow beneath cushions, to Holly the Collie, who loves chasing her tail, this book contains a pack of adorable dogs. Each is special in their own way, but only one of these lovable pups can be the biggest. A gatefold surprise at the end of the book reveals just who is the BIGGEST dog in the book. --Editor Preschool Time Bear and Duck By Katy Hudson New York: Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2015. Picture Book. Bear doesn't want to be a bear anymore so he tries out what it's like to be a duck. With a few lessons from Duck, Bear realizes he makes a much better bear after all. --Publisher Toddler Time Oh Dear, Look What I Got! Written by Michael Rosen Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2025. I went to the shop to get me a carrot. Oh dear! They gave me . . . parrot. Oh dear! Look w...

Books to Read When...You're Planning Your Halloween Costume!

When I was seven or eight I remember asking my mom if it was too early to plan my Halloween costume. It was July. Her answer was, "You can start thinking of ideas, but we aren't going to make anything until September." So according to her, we are in the clear! If you know anyone who is chomping at the bit to break out the bed sheets, pom poms, and hot glue gun, here are some picture books about costumes! Mysterious Mittens : A Moontime Cats Halloween Story Written by Jordan Morris Illustrated by Charlie Mylie Somerville. MA : Candlewick Press, 2026. Picture book.  A pack of costumed cats make Halloween mischief around the neighborhood. Carl, Biscuit, Peewee, and Mittens (or someone disguised as Mittens...) climb trees, provoke dogs, and smash jack-o-lanterns on an extra spooky night. The cute illustrations of funny, expressive kitties are rendered in warm, glowy colors on nocturnal backgrounds. The case of mistaken identity makes for an amusing throughline in this story. ...

Review: My Animalitos/Mis animalitos

  My Animalitos/Mis animalitos Written by Monica Brown Illustrated by John Parra New York : Ediciones NorteSur, an imprint of NorthSouth Books, Inc., 2026. PequeƱo libro ilustrado. In this adorable bilingual board book, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo introduces kids to animals in English and Spanish. As the book goes on, Frida is shown growing from childhood to adulthood while gaining attributes she sees in the animals, whether it be becoming caring like a dog, intelligent like a turkey, or beautiful like a butterfly. The format, which starts each page with "I am" followed by an attribute and the animal will allow kids to "read along" as you share the story. The brightly-colored folk art illustrations evoke the feeling of Frida's work while taking kids directly to Frida's Mexican home. Whether kids are learning Spanish as a second-language or speak it fluently, this book will be reread again and again.

Five Faves: Princess Picture Books

Fairy tales and books about royalty are classics in the children's literary world for a reason. The fantastical worlds featured in these stories open up a whole world of imagination for even the youngest readers. These five picture books about princesses are great options for readers that love fairy tales! The Paper Bag Princess Written by Robert Munsch Illustrated by Michael Martchenko Toronto, Canada: Annick Press, 1992. Picture Book.  This classic picture book is about a spunky princess named Elizabeth, who is tasked with rescuing her fiancĆ©, Prince Ronald, after a dragon destroys her castle and burns all of her clothes. Forced to outsmart the dragon in nothing but a paper bag dress, Elizabeth puts her courage to the test and learns the importance of standing up for herself. The Princess and the Greedy Pea By Leigh Hodgkinson Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2023. Picture Book.  In this silly book, a blend of the classic fairy tale The Princess and the Pea and t...