​How can we show others we care? One way is to utter the greeting, “Namaste.”

The words of this story introduce readers to the many meanings of Namaste—it’s “a greeting. A smile. A friendship.” And so much more. The art shows the story of a girl interacting with others as she experiences the meaning and power of namaste in her own life. Lyrical, meaningful text combined with expressive, detailed, colorful illustrations make this an engaging and sweet story for all children and grownups to appreciate and enjoy.
 
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​This month celebrates our world’s oceans—bodies of water that are vital to our survival. But the main character in this book is not very appreciative of the ocean:

Badger is distraught—the sea stands in the way of her friend, Bear. So, she confronts her enemy, and the sea replies with a deal: Badger must bring some things, and then it will let her cross. In the process of searching for something nice, something unusual, and something loud, Badger begins to appreciate the things around her and (spoiler alert) even warms to the idea of making a new friend. This heartwarming, beautifully illustrated story conveys themes of sorrow, anger, comfort, friendship, acceptance, and hope. The muted color palette pairs perfectly with Badger’s mood and the book’s overall tone. This is the kind of book you’ll want to give a big hug! I hugged my copy all the way home.
 
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You know the old saying, “Find a penny, pick it up, and all day you’ll have good luck.” I feel lucky for discovering today’s picture book about a penny wo wants to prove her worth in:

When poor Penny begins to feel worthless, she sets off to prove she’s “worth a pretty penny” in this this multi-layered picture book. Readers will learn about a penny’s worth in both a literal and figurative “cents,” but they won’t feel like they’re being taught, thanks to Kimberly Wilson’s clever use of wordplay, humor, endearing characters, and creative storytelling and Mark Hoffmann’s expressive, animated, fun illustrations. The story artfully conveys themes of acceptance, self-worth, resiliency, and perseverance, and includes both STEM and history components in the main text and back matter. A PENNY’S WORTH is well worth place on your bookshelf!
 
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Because it’s Plant Something Day, and because I have an affinity for trees (I loved to climb them when I was a child), this picture book seems like a very appropriate one to recommend:  

How do I describe this glorious book? It’s about little everyday miracles that happened yesterday to create memories for years to come. It’s about growth, discovery, play, comfort, traditions, and family connections. It’s a poem that connects past and present, and it’s a piece of art to be admired and cherished. Do yourself a favor and read NELL PLANTS A TREE (maybe even read it under the shade of a tree). And then read it again. And again. And again. 
 
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​This month, American’s are encouraged to recognize the sacrifices made by our military personnel. Today’s picture book tells the story of a sacrifice one military family makes that is one I never thought about before, and I bet many others aren’t aware of either:

This heartwarming story will have you on an emotional rollercoaster from beginning to end. The book features a military family who must part with their pet when they are deployed overseas (don’t worry—there is a happy ending!), but themes of moving away, letting go, heartache, reunion, and joy give this book universal appeal. Sweet text, lovely illustrations, and a puppy-the makings of a perfect picture book!
 
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​May is National Moving Month—the busiest moving season of the year. And when best friends are separated by a move, it can be particularly difficult. That’s what the little koala and cheeta experience in: 

In this sweet picture book by Stephanie Graegin, readers will follow Koala on her journey home as she passes familiar places that remind her of her best friend, Cheeta. Graegin’s touching, heartfelt text captures a child-like perspective on friendship and longing. Graegin’s soft, muted illustrations have a dream-like quality that complement the story beautifully. If you’re looking for a book about friendship, memories, moving away, journeys, koalas, cheetas, or all of the above, this is the one for you.
 
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​School picture day is a day a lot of children are familiar with. Some kids get all dressed up, some have their hair specially styled or cut, but some would rather not have their photo taken at all. That’s the case for Lola in:  

Every day, Lola wears a huge red hat to school. It’s so big, she even has trouble fitting through doors and bumps into things, but it’s worth all the trouble because it helps her hide from her classmates to “avoid any embarrassment.” When Lola realizes it’s picture day, she does everything she can to avoid showing her face. This sweet story about an insecure child who, with the help of a friend, comes up with a solution to ease her worries, is eloquently told by Natalia Paruzel-Gibson. Readers will feel every one of Lola’s emotions as she struggles with her self-confidence, puts her trust in a helpful friend, and then overcomes her struggle. The heartfelt text, accompanied by Nynke Boelens’ expressive illustrations, will also keep readers in suspense about why Lola is so insecure about the way she looks, and about Lola and her friend’s creative picture day plan. If you’re looking for a picture book with lovely language and illustrations, a diverse cast of characters, a little mystery, and a story about how a child finds a way to overcome her insecurity, this is a great one to add to your bookshelf!
 
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What better way to celebrate National Superhero Day than read a book about the origin of Wonder Woman in:  

This picture book about the origin of Wonder Woman is fabulous! Kirsten Larson tells the journey of how Wonder Woman came to be, how she was received by fans, how her character influenced the comic book industry, and how she became an inspiration for so many. Complementing Larson’s suspenseful text full of POW and WOW, are Katy Wu’s bright, bold illustrations done in comic book style. I think you’ll agree this book is truly wonderful!
 
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​Do you like to garden? Elliott Michener didn’t care much about it when he became a prisoner at Alcatraz in 1941. All he cared about was escaping. But a funny thing happened to him when he was given the job of tending to Alcatraz Island’s gardens. You can read all about it in: 

I have been fortunate enough to have visited Alcatraz a few times. I have always found it fascinating, but I never thought much about the gardens there. That is, until I read this book. THE GARDENER OF ALCATRAZ tells the true story of Elliott Michener, who was a prisoner at Alcatraz from 1941 to 1950. At first, all Elliot thought about was escaping back to a life of crime, but when he was entrusted with the job of tending to the island’s gardens, “a funny thing happened.” While learning more and more about the art and skill of gardening, his outlook on life changed. Jenn Ely skillfully tells the true tale of a former prisoner who, while transforming Alcatraz island’s gardens, transforms himself. She includes supplemental backmatter complete with a timeline, what happened to Elliott after he left Alcatraz, and history of Alcatraz and its gardens. Jenn Ely’s illustrations reflect the transformation of both prisoner and grounds as they move from dull and drab to bright and hopeful. I found this book fascinating and I think you will too!
 
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​April is for stargazers, and have I got a dazzling picture book for all you stargazers:

Wow! The stuff you can learn in a picture book! If you (and your young readers) like space, stars, and smart and resilient women, this book is for you. Sandra Nickel brilliantly weaves the story of how astronomer, Vera Rubin, overcame barriers to help prove the existence of dark matter. Aimée Sicuro's watercolor, ink, and charcoal pencil illustrations weave a story all their own (and include bonuses I love, illustrated end papers and a surprise under the dust jacket!). Wonderful book! 
 
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