Nell Plants a Tree

A pecan tree stands tall, houses nests with tiny baby birds and is a place for races and so many kinds of merriment.  It provides shade and pecans for warm pie baking in the oven that is so sweet to smell and so hard to wait for!  But before all of that, the tree was a seed that Grandma Nell found, planted and nurtured.  A heartwarming story of family legacy, gifts passed down from one generation to another, and majestic trees and their beautiful impact on community.

Nell Plants a Tree was written by Anne Wynter, illustrated by Daniel Miyares and published by Balzer + Bray.

Woven of the World

Happy #bookbirthday to this absolutely lovely and lyrical celebration of the art, history, cultures and traditions of weaving.  Rich with metaphors about the ways people are connected, there are beautiful and resonant insights to unravel with each read.

Woven of the World was written by Katey Howes, illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova and published by Chronicle Books.

Dark on Light

Smooth stones, crisp air and a rosy horizon beckon children outside to explore at twilight.  They wander amongst the dark, light, silent and still sky, flora and fauna of a nearby forest, and revel in wonders and contrasts that can only be revealed during dusk, which later unfolds into an inky evening.  A beautiful, poetic meditation on this magical time of day.

Dark on Light was written by Dianne White, illustrated by Felicita Sala and published by Beach Lane Books.

My Brother Otto and the Birthday Party

Otto is so excited — his friend Ruthie’s birthday is coming up!  He helps pick out the perfect gift for her, and his sister shows him pictures of past birthday parties to help him get ready for the big day.  At the party, Otto has a blast.  He experiences the festivities in different ways than others because he’s autistic, and SLP/author Meg Raby does a wonderful job explaining his sensory differences in a meaningful and accessible way.  This beautiful celebration of neurodiversity absolutely belongs in every home and school library!

My Brother Otto and the Birthday Party was written by Meg Raby, illustrated by Elisa Pallmer and published by Gibbs Smith Books.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out this team’s lovely first book, My Brother Otto.

Very Good Hats

Emma Straub and Blanca Gómez turn the notion of a hat on its head with their new book Very Good Hats.  In it, they explore intriguing ideas about what can constitute a hat.  Other queries are answered throughout the book’s charming pages.  When is a hat filled with ice cream?  Which two hats can you wear whilst riding a scooter?  And is a soup hat as fun to wear as it sounds?  A whimsical and delightfully refreshing ode to creativity, hats and their wearers.

Very Good Hats was written by Emma Straub, illustrated by Blanca Gómez and published by Rocky Pond Books.