ABED, Omar. The Book That Almost Rhymed. illus. by Hatem Aly. Dial. ISBN 9780593406380.
K-Gr 3–With wacky, bordering-on-nonsensical humor, Abed and Aly join forces for a story of plans gone awry, when one sibling wants to read a composition, but the other constantly interrupts. Brother and sister working together without frustration make a good idea even better. No forced drama, and all adorable.

ADUSEI, Denise Rosario. Cesaria Feels the Beat. illus. by Priscila Soares. Roaring Brook. ISBN 978125 0824967.
Gr 1-5–It is rare to find a Deaf protagonist where deafness isn’t the main plot. Brilliant and bold colors bring this story of a girl’s wish to join the dance to life. Cesaria could be any kid who wants to feel the music, and her nervousness about dancing and excitement—it’s contagious.

ARCHER, Micha. What’ s New, Daniel? Penguin/Nancy Paulsen. ISBN 9780593461303.
PreS-Gr 1–Archer combines and refines her approaches from the first two “Daniel” books, focusing on both nature and community. The handcrafted illustrations, acrylic ink on paper collage, perfectly complement the story’s gentle pace.

BECKER, Aaron. The Last Zookeeper. Candlewick. ISBN 9781536227680.
PreS-Gr 3–A premier wordless picture book creator seems to complete a loose thematic trilogy (A Stone for Sascha, The Tree and the River) that explores themes of long history, speculative fiction, and humanity’s relationship to its environment. This powerful story is tender, intricate, and questioning about climate change and us.

DESNITSKAYA, Anna. A Star Shines Through. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802856319.
K-Gr 3–Winsome art perfectly establishes a mood and space so many children can relate to: moving to a new country and not knowing the language, making it feel like home, becoming a family again. That this elegant, poignant story takes place other than in the United States is a bonus.

EADY, Antwan. The Last Stand. illus. by Jarrett & Jerome Pumphrey. Knopf. ISBN 9780593480571.
K-Gr 4–The educators among us appreciate the wordplay of the title, but Eady is serious about the waning days of the family farm and the additional obstacles of Black farmers. The Pumphreys present a folk-art take on this gem-filled story, and readers get a truly happy ending.

HANNIGAN, Jess. Spider in the Well. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen. ISBN 9780063289475.
PreS-Gr 2–A story that puts readers to work to determine the plot. Flashes of Lemony Snicket–esque irony and a bonkers color palette pair with a bold use of the elements of story—this could be used in a high school English class. Plus, it’s a modern fairy tale with tropes that children love.

HERNÁNDEZ, Karol. I Am La Chiva! The Colorful Bus of the Andes. illus. by Lorena Alvarez Gómez. Dial. ISBN 9780593529201.
PreS-Gr 2–The bus, La Chiva, is the main character here, bringing people from disparate parts of life together in Colombia. Incorporation of Spanish is easy to understand; utterly winning art and rhythmic language focus on part of the world not regularly seen in U.S. picture books.

HILDERMAN, Tasha. Métis Like Me. illus. by Risa Hugo. Tundra. ISBN 9781774881125.
PreS-Gr 2–A breakthrough book on how it feels to not know one’s culture. That effectively launches all readers on this journey of discovery—that it’s OK not to know those stories or crafts that define a cultural identity. In a simple story, but a sweet one, the illustrations match these very familiar feelings.

HO, Joanna & Liz Kleinrock. Eyes That Weave the World’s Wonders. illus. by Dung Ho. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780063057777.
PreS-Gr 3–Capitalizing on a well-established formula, Ho with Kleinrock once again expands representation. This is a powerful, positive adoption story, beautifully expressed. The cadenced, personal language combines with gentle art to explore the loving hurdles of interracial adoption, and how differences are not obstacles.

LONG, Loren. The Yellow Bus. Roaring Brook. ISBN 9781250903136.
K-Gr 2–The yellow bus is a universal symbol and a plainspoken courier; through onomatopoeia and repetition (and brilliantly targeted pops of color), this book has hidden messages: what’s important, and when places/things are more important than what brings joy. As for pulling off a story centered on an inanimate object that isn’t anthropomorphized—Long does it with aplomb.

LUKOFF, Kyle. I’m Sorry You Got Mad. illus. by Julie Kwon. Dial. ISBN 9780593462911.
Gr 2-4–In an epistolary picture book, Lukoff takes what might seem like a didactic premise (how to apologize) and executes it with nuance, warmth, and honesty: sometimes we destroy or yell because of complicated things we don’t understand, and a friend may not say “I forgive you.” Art and story are sublime.

LUKOFF, Kyle. Just What to Do. illus. by Hala Tahboub. Dial. ISBN 9780593462942.
PreS-Gr 3–A terrific title on handling grief: everyone handles it differently, and sometimes, just listening is OK. The small vignettes and quietness of the art is kind and soft, with devastating impact despite outward simplicity. Adults could use this, too.

NEWMAN, Leslea. Joyful Song: A Naming Story. illus. by Susan Gal. Levine Querido. ISBN 9781646143702.
K-Gr 3–While this is a lovely title about the Jewish naming ceremony of children, it also presents a compelling opportunity to talk with young readers about their names and what they mean. With vivid jewel-toned art, this is inclusivity with a light touch.

NGUYEN, Viet Thanh. Simone. illus. by Minnie Phan. Astra/Minerva. ISBN 9781662651199.
PreS-Gr 4–On the night of a fire that leads to a family’s evacuation of their beloved home, a girl hears her parent’s story of another exodus, in Vietnam. The use of color amid the gray scale to highlight key story elements is inspired, drawing the eye through present and past, dream and reality. Poignant and compelling.

NICHOLLS, Sally. Godfather Death. illus. by Júlia Sardà. Viking. ISBN 9781839131417.
Gr 1-4–A brilliant long-form illustrated fairy tale. Nicholls respects the writings of the Brothers Grimm (with only a few pragmatic changes to the plot) and injects a bit of sly humor that subtly modernizes the telling. Sardà’s art is incredible, with a nod to medieval woodcut art.

OSO, Maisha. My Hair Is A Book. illus. by London Ladd. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780063249103.
K-Gr 3–Everything in this must-have book builds Black beauty and love. In mixed-media art of thick acrylic strokes, the typography graphically highlights plays on words, and everything shines a light on strong historical figures, moving and doing and being.

RAUL the Third. ¡Vamos! Let’s Celebrate Halloween and Día de los Muertos. Harpercollins/Versify. ISBN 9780063277137.
K-Gr 2–It’s a celebration! It’s honoring a sacred day! This gem shares how two distinctly different holidays are much more together than either could bealone. It depicts Día de los Muertos joyfully, showing how this is an exhilarating community gathering of love. The creator’s signature art style is delight-filled.

REDNISS, Lauren. Heatwave. Random House Studio. ISBN 9780593645949.
PreS-Gr 2–A minimalist masterpiece. An extraordinary heatwave is captured, people and animals nearly melting in the unrelenting furnace. Easter eggs point to what is happening in storytelling through bold use of color and mood, offering one of those picture books intended for the very young that also will be thoroughly welcomed by adults.

ROBINSON, Casey W. Small Things Mended. illus. by Nancy Whitesides. Penguin/Rocky Pond. ISBN 9780593529812.
K-Gr 3–A man has a disability and is a recluse. He also has an invisible wound in his heart. He’s given up gardening and interacting with neighbors and then starts fixing small things as a kindness for others. A strong story with solid character development and a lovely message.

SCOTT, Jordan. Angela’s Glacier. illus. by Diana Sudyka. Holiday House/Neal Porter. ISBN 9780823450824.
PreS-Gr 2–A quiet story builds momentum in art and text, as Angela returns to the place she calls home. In a book that includes onomatopoeia, sharp letters crackle like stalagmites to convey how returning to one’s roots can be restorative. Lyrical prose and swirling art are at once warm and cold, but always inviting.

SHAPIRO, Esmé. Roy Is Not a Dog. illus. by Daniel Newell Kaufman. Tundra. ISBN 9780735265967.
Gr 2-5–Grand illustrations, highly stylized and absolutely scrumptious, accompany a funny story; mystery and prediction built into each page require visual literacy and sharp eyes. Whether Roy is a dog is a deeply fascinating question in a glee-filled world of humor, intrigue, and human/animal reversal. Captivating!

TABOR, Corey R. Ursula Upside Down. Greenwillow. ISBN 9780063275560.
PreS-Gr 2–Is Tabor repeating himself with the same book-rotating conceit employed in Mel Fell? Nope—this is totally fresh! Should Ursula change the way she swims, the very way she views the world? Again, nope. The spatial aspects and the emotional themes of the story will resonate with every child in this inviting, right-side-up fish tale.

TOLENTINO, Marcelo. Sunday. illus. by Rahul Bery. Blue Dot. ISBN 9798989858811.
PreS-Gr 2–A boy’s Sunday takes a turn in this journey of the imagination with household objects becoming fantastic things and landmarks; a beautiful rhythm underscores the dramatic play that flows alongside household activities. Like the best work of Anthony Browne, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Macaulay, Bery’s artwork is truly mesmerizing and masterly.

WANG, Ann Suk. The House Before Falling Into the Sea. illus. by Hanna Cha. Dial. ISBN 9780593530153.
Gr 1-3–In Korea, Kyung’s seaside home becomes a refuge for people escaping war in the north. Despite the challenges, Kyung comes to accept what is happening in this life-affirming title. One of the few historical picture books about the Korean War, this is a dynamic melding of stunning art and language.