35 for 35 book descriptions

A love letter to libraries! In what other place can a child “sail their dreams” and “surf the rainbow” without ever leaving the room? This ode to libraries is a celebration for everyone who loves stories, from seasoned readers to those just learning to love words. It will have children and parents alike imagining where their library can take them. This inspiring read-aloud includes stunning illustrations and a note from Nikki Giovanni about the importance of libraries in her own childhood.

Kai is used to following the seasons with Pa, from place to new place where people speak languages unfamiliar to his ears. When they finally settle in a valley full of pools, Kai tries to invite the other children to join in his play, but the strangeness of his words drives them away. Frustrated, he kicks his most treasured stone into one of the pools and, in his search for it, finds something even more valuable. Dive into a whimsical tale of unexpected friendship, told with compassion and warmth. With every brushstroke, Saki Tanaka paints a radiant world where bonds are formed beyond language barriers. A beautiful tale for shy friend-makers everywhere.

When villagers hear of a huge, mysterious creature that has come all the way from India, they steal into the dark barn to find out what it is. “It’s like a snake!” says one. “It’s like a tree trunk,” says another. “No, it’s like a fan!” argues the third. Who is right? Which of them knows the creature’s true shape? Iranian American author Mina Javaherbin recasts an anecdote from the Persian poet Rumi, itself based on a far older tale about perceiving parts of a truth rather than its whole. Young readers will delight in the villagers’ wildly differing descriptions of the curious beast that has come to town.

A young Chinese American girl notices that her eyes look different from her friends’. They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She begins to wish for eyes like theirs — until she realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s, Amah’s, and Mei Mei’s. They have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea, crinkle into crescent moons, and are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future — they are beautiful. “Eyes that Kiss in the Corners” is a dazzling, lyrical ode to loving oneself. Its tender yet powerful words and Dung Ho’s vibrant illustrations inspire readers to recognize their own beauty and strength, igniting self-discovery and confidence. A breathtaking picture book.

This wordless tale features a boy who wants a dog more than anything in the world and a lonely dog that roams the neighborhood, yearning for an owner. But the boy’s room is a mess! He needs to help more around the house before his parents will even consider a family pet. An exquisitely rendered, touching story of companionship and belonging.

NBA champion and superstar LeBron James pens a slam-dunk picture book inspired by his foundation’s I PROMISE program, which motivates children everywhere to always #StriveForGreatness. Just a kid from Akron, Ohio, who is dedicated to uplifting youth everywhere, LeBron knows the key to a better future is to excel in school, do your best, and keep your family close. “I Promise” is a lively and inspiring picture book that reminds us that tomorrow’s success starts with the promises we make to ourselves and our community today. 

Julián and his abuela are going to a wedding. Better yet, Julián is in the wedding. Weddings have flowers and kissing and dancing and cake. And at this wedding, Julian meets a new friend named Marisol. It’s not long before Julián and Marisol set off for some magic and mischief of their own, and when things take an unexpected turn, the pair learns that everything is easier with a good friend by your side. A celebration of weddings and friendship and a subtle yet poignant reminder that gender, like love, is expansive.

This gorgeous picture book shows how one little girl’s careful tending of a pecan tree creates the living center of a loving, intergenerational Black family. Readers will delight in watching time go back and forth, connecting past and present through linked stories about the planting and multigenerational use of one tree. As Nell grows from a young mother to a grandmother, with the same white house in the background, the tree also grows and grows until it shelters several generations of Nell’s family. Inspired by the pecan trees of the creators’ own childhoods, Anne Wynter’s lyrical picture book, brought to life with breathtaking illustrations by Daniel Miyares, brims with wonder and love.

Just how many things can “one” be? One box of crayons. One batch of cookies. One world. One family. This visually striking picture book sends the message that everyone counts. From veteran children’s author George Shannon and artist Blanca Gomez comes a playful, interactive book that shows how a family can be big or small and comprised of people of a range of genders and races. The tale depicts interracial families, men with their arms around each other, and a Sikh man wearing a turban. This inclusive spirit supports the culminating assertion that “One is one and everyone. One earth. One world. One family.”

Today is a pool day in the city! The sun is shining, so what are you waiting for? Friends and family. Kids and grandparents. Big bodies and small bodies. Everybody is welcome at our pool! Get ready for swimming and splashing, zigzagging and dunking, and racing and laughing. The merriment, beauty, and comforting routines of a pool day are on full display in this celebration of an urban summer tradition.

Cielo loves to skateboard! But when she messes up on a new ramp, she’s embarrassed and afraid to fall again in front of so many people. With the help of some new friends, Cielo summons the courage to try again (and again and again) and learns that falling is not failing — true fierceness isn’t about landing the perfect trick, it’s about picking yourself back up when you don’t. Look out for the glossary that clarifies terms and language for skateboarding newcomers.

In the still before dawn, while the rest of the world is sleeping, a boy and his dog leave the comfort of their warm bed to deliver newspapers. As the boy pedals his bike through his community, along a route he knows by heart, his dog runs by his side, and both enjoy a world that, before sunrise, belongs only to them. The paperboy’s story celebrates the beauty found in silence and the peace that comes from being with a beloved friend.

Lyrical, affirmational, and bursting with love, “We Are Here” is a poignant story about Black and brown heritage and community. Full of assurance, tenderness, and triumph, this much-anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestselling “All Because You Matter” offers an equally inspirational and arresting ode to all the Black women and men who have made momentous contributions from the beginning of time. “We Are Here” celebrates readers with pride, joy, and love, reminding them of their roots, inviting them to imagine a future that shines ever brightly, and strengthening them for their triumphant days to come!

Rubin loves the beautiful sounds played by the orchestra. He wants to learn to play the violin and make his own music. But when Rubin plays, it doesn’t sound like he imagines it should. He goes into the forest to practice alone, and, despite his violin’s screeching, finds an unlikely audience that loves his unique style. 

In an inspiring, lyrical picture book that deftly dives into the heart and mind of a child’s viewpoint and experience, Gracey Zhang offers confidence to everyone who longs to master something that can be difficult. “When Rubin Plays” shows that there is only one way to do something right — to do it your own special way.  

Have you ever wondered why you are you? Or who you would be if you were someone else? Someone taller, faster, smaller, smarter? Someone lighter, older, darker, bolder? This beautiful celebration of our humanity and diversity invites readers of all ages to imagine a world where there is no you or me, only us. “Why Am I Me?” is a captivating ode to wonder and helps foster a child’s sense of connection, compassion, and love.

Walking his dog at dusk, one boy catches glimpses of the lives around him in this lovely ode to autumn evenings, exploring your neighborhood, and coming home. Readers are invited to match their observant eyes with those of the child, who notes the windows and what the people or animals that can be seen within their frames are doing. They may be playing an instrument or dancing or painting. At the end of the walk, boy and dog pass a house with no lights on; its windows “leave you to fill them up with stories.” Finally, home beckons, and the child and mother curl up in a comfy chair for their own bedtime story.