A holiday encouraging us buy a book? Yes, please! If you’re looking for ideas, here’s an adorable picture book I recommend:

I can relate to Bear—he loves books! He loves them so much, he wants one of his very own. One that’s “the color of ripe red raspberries. And delicious to read.” The problem is, Bear is a bear, and bears aren’t allowed where you can find books. Poor Bear! Ellen Ramsey’s sweet story of determination, creativity, friendship, and a love of books is perfectly paired with MacKenzie Haley’s bright, whimsical illustrations. Readers will cheer for Bear as he pursues his treasure and will love the heartfelt ending, complete with a surprise cover reveal under the book’s dust jacket. Bear loves books and I love A Book for Bear. I think you will too!
 
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Let’s give a shoutout to friends this month! Sometime friendships click in place perfectly right away; sometimes they take a while to find their fit. Today’s book recommendation is about two friends who start off a bit apprehensive of one another, but gradually warm to each other: 

After I read this book the first time, I felt like I found a new friend. I hugged it all the way to the checkout line. I am a huge fan of Julie Fogliano, Molly Idle, and Juana Martinez-Neal’s work, so to see them create this book together? Pure magic! Fogliano’s lyrical text rolls off your tongue as it tells the story of two children who start off in a rocky place, but gradually become friends. And who better to illustrate than two friends in real life? Idle and Martinez-Neal blend their unique styles into one cohesive look to create a story I hope you’ll love as much as I do. This one’s a keeper!
 
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Today is a day to celebrate bees and their importance in our world. But bees face dangers that can be detrimental to our lives. This picture book has a humorous take on the danger one bee faces because of a bear:

This book is a perfect example of the marriage between text and art in a picture book. The title alone gives you an idea of what this story will be about— a hungry, honey-loving bear will be in some sort of conflict with a bee. And that is what the story is about, but it’s so much more. Daniel Bernstrom’s text is short—only 116 words—just enough to tell the story, yet it has the humor, rhythm, and repetition that makes this a brilliant read-aloud for little ones. Then the art! Brandon James Scott’s bright, expressive illustrations have a honey glow on every page that tell a story beyond the words that, again, make the book a brilliant read-aloud. Run, don’t walk, to grab yourself a copy of this fun book!
 
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​Let’s give a round of applause for all the hardworking farmworkers, especially today! And here’s a picture book that imagines what life might have been like years ago for twelve children who grew up on a farm:

Sophie Blackall has gone above and beyond with this beautiful, breathtaking, heartwarming book. The text is one long, lyrical sentence about a farmhouse “where twelve children were born and raised,” and the life Blackall imagines they had until they all had gone, and the house lay empty until Blackall discovered it and collected some abandoned treasures that inspired and her to create “this book that you hold.” Sigh. If that’s not enough, Blackall’s art is inspired. She used “scraps and fragments [she] found in the house” to create the illustrations and even included photographs of the remains of the house on the back endpapers. Maybe it’s because I, too, love old things (Blackall begins her author’s note, “I have always loved old things”); maybe it’s because my grandmother was the youngest of twelve children raised on a farm; maybe it’s because I have a large (not twelve) family of my own and can see my children in this book; whatever it is, this book holds a special place in my heart and a prime spot on my bookshelf.
 
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​Often authors are asked, “Where do you get your ideas?” Most will answer, “Everywhere!” which, in my case, is true. But if you’re wondering where I got the idea for my debut picture book, PAISLEY’S BIG BIRTHDAY, the answer is simple—a birthday. More specifically, the fifth birthday for this little guy:

​On a special day in 2014, I dropped my smiling birthday boy at preschool with homemade treats, wished him a happy birthday, and watched him hop through the front door. A few hours later, that same boy, now wearing a glittery birthday crown and a slight frown, walked toward the car. As he climbed into his car seat, the conversation went something like this:

​Birthday Boy:     “When is my birthday?”
Me:                       “Today!”
Birthday Boy:     (shakes his head) “No.”
 
I did a quick assessment: Birthday crown? Check. Empty birthday treat container? Check. Hmm…

Me:                       “Did everyone sing happy birthday to you?
Birthday Boy:     “Yes”
Me:                       “And you got birthday treats? And a crown? And you were line leader?"
Birthday Boy:     “Yes”
Me:                       “Because today is your birthday!”
Birthday Boy:     (pause)
                              “No.”
                              (another pause)
                              “When is my real birthday?”
Me:                       “Today!”
\Birthday Boy:     (longer pause)     
                              "It doesn’t feel like it.”

​My mind began to spin. Why didn’t he feel like it was his birthday? Did something happen at school? Did something not happen? What would it take for him to feel like it was his “real” birthday? A few questions later, I realized he believed that on his birthday he would instantly “feel” older; he would magically be able to do things he wasn’t able to do the day before. But I kept the conversation going during the ride home, through lunch, and for some time after that. I asked lots of questions and listened as he shared evidence for why it was most definitely not his birthday. I was enamored with his reasoning and determination, while underneath it all, I felt his disappointment that this day, one that was supposed to be special, didn’t meet his expectations. 

​Take your poet to work? Sure! Poetry is for everyone, everywhere, so get your poetry on!

Beautifully written and illustrated, this book is an ode to a poem inside you. Katey Howes uses the metaphor of a seed as the dormant poem waiting to be watered, grow roots, sprout, blossom, and be shared—if you dare. Heather Brockman Lee’s bright, expressive illustrations depict a diverse group of children surrounded by nature and are the perfect complement to Howes’ lyrical, rhyming text. This emotional, meaningful, and masterfully told and illustrated book is a must have for your bookshelf!
 
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​For a pet parent, losing a pet is devastating. This month do your part to prevent losing your pet! But I do sometimes wonder what an “escaped” pet thinks and feels when they wander away from home. Are they looking for adventure? Today’s recommended picture book is about a kitty who gets lost on her adventure in:  

This book is so much fun! Poopsie is a pampered kitty, and after observing her boring routine, the narrator dares her to go on an adventure. Poopsie takes the dare and encounters a bit more than she anticipated. As the story progresses, the kitty looks less and less pampered and more and more distrustful of the narrator (rightfully so). How does Poopsie fare in the end? Well, you’ll have to read to find out, but let’s just say that she shows the narrator a thing or two about adventure. This laugh-out-loud story with adorable, expressive illustrations will surely tickle your funny bone!
 
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​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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