Mae’s First Day of School

Little Mae’s got the worst case of first day jitters in the history of first days of school.  She flat out IS. NOT. GOING.  It’s up to Mae’s very understanding and creative teacher to allay Mae’s fears and she does so in a pretty brilliant way.  Let’s hear it for amazing teachers...and that unforgettably nervous but magical energy of the first day of school.  We highly recommend Mae’s story for any reluctant kids who might need a little laugh and easing of nerves before their momentous first day.

Mae’s First Day of School was written and illustrated by Kate Berube and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Picnic with Oliver

Best friends Oliver and Philbert do everything together.  When their plans to go on a picnic are derailed more than a couple of times, their quick thinking and inventiveness gets their merry day back on track.  A delightful and lighthearted tale of friendship and misadventure.

Picnic with Oliver was written and illustrated by Mika Song and published by HarperCollins.

The Truth about My Unbelievable School

School might be the furthest thing from our minds at the moment, but you won’t want to miss this amusing story about the unbelievably absurd school that Harry attends.  Harry is asked by his teacher to give a new classmate a school tour.  He feels like there’s not much to see, but readers might disagree when they see the class pet (a jellyfish of Brobdingnagian proportions), an entire amusement park in the branches of a tree out in the schoolyard, and the boat ride one has to take through the underground cavern to get to the principals’s office.  Oh, and let’s not forget the peculiar otherworldly teachers on staff.  A great and quirky story to keep in mind for when back to school rolls around.

The Truth about My Unbelievable School was written by Davide Cali, illustrated by Benjamin Chaud and published by Chronicle Books.

Little Lit Book Series: Biographies

We’re sharing biographies for this month’s #littlelitbookseries.

Jacqueline Kennedy wore many hats in her life (as women usually do) as a journalist, photographer, mother, first lady, preservationist and editor.  She was known for her intelligence, independent spirit, style and elegance.  Margaret Cardillo and Julia Denos tell her story with grace and aplomb and exquisite illustrations.  Just Being Jackie was published by Balzer + Bray.

Be sure to stop by @littlelitbookseries for more picture book biographies throughout the month and see what everyone’s sharing today on Instagram for #littlelitbookseries.

Cat Wishes

A hungry roaming cat is granted three wishes by a wiggly snake in exchange for sparing his life.  Highly skeptical, Cat goes about his day making wishes and it’s perhaps his last that he’s most hopeful for.  Poetic and winsome, this story bounces with lovely, gentle onomatoepia.  Its windswept, atmospheric art is part of its great charm.

Cat Wishes was written by Calista Brill, illustrated by Kenard Pak and published by HMH Books for Young Readers.  It’ll be out on July 24.