Wellness and healthy habits are always in vogue, but this season they are blossoming in new directions. A deeper dive into the hows and the whys of both our health and nutrition are at the forefront. Readers are encouraged to consider the impact of health and wellness on the world around them—whether it’s what they put on their forks or how they treat their friends at school. There is a rising tide of compassion and empathy ebbing forth through social emotional learning materials. It is not sufficient to only know about oneself to thrive these days. Readers are implored to see their neighbors, animals, and the microscopic world in and around them as an interconnected web.

Elementary

Andrews, E. C. Carbohydrates. ISBN 9781499449143.
––––. Fruits and Vegetables. ISBN 9781499449051.
––––. Meat and Fish. ISBN 9781499449082.
––––. Milk and Dairy. ISBN 9781499449112.
ea vol: 24p. (Fantastic Foods). Rosen/PowerKids. Jan. 2025. Tr $25.27.
Gr 2-4–Where does food come from? What is a whole grain? These and many more common nutrition questions are answered in this series. Through photographs and simple text, each volume examines the sources of food, classifications, and how things are made, like bread and cheese. The author also takes care to explain how meat makes its way from the animal to our kitchen. The model used throughout is referred to as Perfect Plate, which more closely resembles USDA’s MyPlate than the Healthy Eating Plate. The general information about what terms like “organic” and “grass-fed” mean are inclusions that encourage thoughtful, more ethical consumption. VERDICT This series is a solid addition that address nutrition but also incorporates lesser discussed ideas between the steps from agriculture to the consumer.

Andrews, E. C. Dairy. ISBN 9781534549029.
––––. Eggs. ISBN 9781534549050.
––––. Nuts. ISBN 9781534549081.
––––. Wheat. ISBN 9781534549111.
ea vol: 24p. (I’m Allergic To…). Greenhaven/KidHaven. Jan. 2025. Tr $26.23.
K-Gr 2–What does it mean to have an allergy? How can you take care of yourself if you have one? These and other allergy related questions are addressed in this starter selection of common allergies. Nuts and eggs are well known and often avoided, but dairy and wheat are newer in awareness. Each allergy is taken seriously with allergens explained in bite-sized sections with photographic examples. Going beyond how to avoid allergens, the author also addresses auto-injectors, safety, and the serious danger of cross contamination. Closing out each volume is a selection of allergy-free ingredient swaps and recipe alternatives. Care is taken to explain to children and their peers the gravity of allergies while normalizing their presence in a colorful, non-threatening manner. VERDICT A great choice for young readers that is a must-have for children’s libraries.

Dickmann, Nancy. Healthy Eating. ISBN 9781835720059.
––––. Healthy Mind. ISBN 9781835720066.
––––. It’s My Body. ISBN 9781835720073.
––––. Keeping Clean and Healthy. ISBN 9781835720080.
––––. Staying Active. ISBN 9781835720097.
––––. Staying Safe. ISBN 9781835720103.
ea vol: 24p. (Health Matters). Brown Bear. Jan. 2025. Tr $35.70.
Gr 2-4–By approaching health from the perspective of healthy bodies and minds, the intermingling of physical and mental health are shown as most people experience them. Focusing on everyday tasks like being safe online and taking showers, these booksdemonstrate how the small things we do each day have a great impact on our health as a whole. Light on text, the narrative gives readers occasional breaks with sidebar tips and illustrations across each page. Stock illustrations of diverse families and people with different abilities are shown modeling the ideas presented as they eat together, play together, and give one another space. VERDICT A worthwhile purchase for public and school libraries that can be used to support pre-existing health initiatives for families, like mindfulness and nutrition programs.

Gabor, Nicole. Take Care of Your Body. ISBN 9798765643686.
Reed, Charlotte. Night Night. ISBN 9798765643723.
––––. Yummy in My Tummy. ISBN 9798765643693.
Sanderson,Whitney. Be a Friend. ISBN 9798765643730.
––––. Big Feelings. ISBN 9798765643716.
––––. Get Moving. ISBN 9798765643709.
ea vol: 24p. (Sesame Street® Self-Care). Lerner. Jan. 2025. Tr $30.65.
PreK-1–The thrilling return of our childhood friends at 123 Sesame Street has them tackling healthy living from exercise to eating and more. There is a place on nearly every page for one of the beloved puppets to step in and discuss a relevant topic. The facts and tips provided by the fuzzy critters are practical and interesting for young audiences. Going beyond the daily exercise and oatmeal conversations often seen in titles like these, the inclusion of social topics, like how to be a good friend, ties physical and emotional wellness together in a well-rounded way. VERDICT Readers of all ages can have fun with the characters, and caregivers can appreciate the gentle touch applied to approaching deeper self-care concepts.These books will be popular in libraries serving families and young children.

Gitkin, Cassie & Kathleen Hanrahan. Time to Wash Your Hands. ISBN 9798765410004.
Hanrahan,Kathleen. A–Z Fruits, Veggies, and Me!ISBN 9798765409985.
––––. Everyone’s Earth. ISBN 9798765410011.
Hanrahan,Kathleen & Nicole Witmer. Inside My Body. ISBN 9798765409992.
Skwish,Emily. Join the Potty Squad. ISBN 9798765410028.
ea vol: 18p. (Active Minds: Happy Healthy Heroes). Phoenix/Sequoia. Jan. 2025. Tr $18.99.
PreS-Gr 2–The overarching focus of this bright health series is on positive ideas and how being intentional toward healthy choices can be a happy and interesting endeavor. Jumping between styles and reading levels, these books expose readers to a sampling of information around thematic ideas. There are comic book, alphabet picture book, and fact or tip book styles used, making each entry different from the last. The art is primarily two dimensional illustrations with a smattering of stock illustrations that represent a diverse age and racial makeup of the cartoon community presented. High-interest topics like green living are included, even if the jumping between styles feels a bit disjointed. VERDICT These are a fun option for public libraries, especially the superhero take on toilet training.

Glassman, Lenka. What to Do When You Panic. illus. by Janet McDonnell. 96p. ISBN 9781433844843.
Huebner,Dawn. What to Do When Your Temper Flares, 2nd Edition. illus. by Irma Ruggiero. 80p. ISBN 9781433845147.
Toner,Jacqueline B. What to Do When the News Scares You, Revised Edition. illus. by Janet McDonnell. 80p. ISBN 9781433845239.
Toner, Jacqueline B. & Claire A. B. Freeland. What to Do When Mistakes Make You Quake, Revised Edition. illus. by Janet McDonnell. 96p. ISBN 9781433845277.
ea vol: (What-to-Do Guides for Kids). APA/Magination. Jan. 2025. Tr $16.99.
Gr 2-4–Using therapeutic practices from cognitive-based therapy, these titles guide students through processing emotions in a healthy, science-based way. Caregivers are offered an introductory guide about using the materials. There are interactive sections that ask readers to draw something from their experiences and encourage them to do reflective activities. The text is easy to read as it is comprised of short sentences paired with related illustrations and is formatted in a chapter style that allows for the workbook activities to be seamlessly incorporated. Featuring timely titles like What to do When the News Scares You, these are excellent skill-building resources that prepare readers for the future in addition to addressing feelings in the moment. VERDICT Social emotional learning is a cornerstone of education, making these a welcome addition to any school or public library.

Kesselring, Susan. Fire Safety. ISBN 9781503893993.
––––. Home Safety. ISBN 9781503893979.
––––. Safety During Activities. ISBN 9781503893986.
––––. Safety in the Neighborhood. ISBN 9781503894037.
––––. School Safety. ISBN 9781503894006.
––––. Technology Safety. ISBN 9781503894013.
––––. Water Safety. ISBN 9781503894020.
––––. Weather Safety. ISBN 9781503894044.
ea vol: illus. by Dan McGeehan. 24p. (Safety First). The Child’s World/Wonder. Jan. 2025. Tr $32.79.
Gr 1-3–Learning how to stay safe in various situations, from using technology to going to school, are important topics covered in this series. Good examples of solo and adult-assisted safe behaviors are displayed in the illustrations. Each volume includes explanations and definitions of the precautions and care that children should consider in common situations like crossing the street. A little bee buzzes through the pages to give bonus tips and closes each title with a list of applicable safety rules. A balance is struck between looking at physical risks, environmental dangers, and virtual concerns. VERDICT These would be very useful in school libraries as they interconnect ideas related to the lives of school age children.

McAneney, Caitie. How to Be a Good Friend. ISBN 9781499450453.
––––. How to Cope with Criticism. ISBN 9781499450484.
––––. How to Identify Your Emotions. ISBN 9781499450514.
––––. How to Listen. ISBN 9781499450545.
––––. How to Respect Personal Space. ISBN 9781499450576.
––––. How to Speak Up. ISBN 9781499450606.
––––. How to Work Together. ISBN 9781499450637.
ea vol: 24p. (I Know What to Do! Social Skills). Rosen/PowerKids. Jan. 2025. Tr $25.27.
Gr 1-3–The formatting of this social skills series displays short sentences on one side with a photograph on the other side and a consistent art motif behind the text. The photographs are of real kids modeling the ideas presented in the text, like pausing to listen or writing down what one is feeling. There is a comfortable consistency throughout each text that feels calming in its stylistic simplicity. Readers are encouraged to reframe situations to work through them, breaking away from negative feelings to consider a growth mindset. Age-appropriate tips and tools, like the emotion wheel, are given to help both children and their caregivers work through feelings in a way that makes sense for younger audiences. VERDICT A really useful resource for classroom libraries that offers a lifeline to processing social-emotional understanding in an easy to digest manner for emerging readers.

Phillips-Bartlett, Rebecca. Food. ISBN 9781534548909.
––––. Sleep. ISBN 9781534548930.
––––. Warmth. ISBN 9781534548961.
––––. Water. ISBN 9781534548992.
ea vol: 24p. (Caring for Your Body). Greenhaven/KidHaven. Jan. 2025. Tr $26.23.
K-Gr 2–Taking care of oneself is hard work, but these titles are here to break down key ideas around what care means. Introducing young readers to the basic needs of the body, there is an even balance between sustenance and physiological needs. Each part is explained with photographs of real children in various situations to express ideas like hydrating to stay healthy and the dangers of being too warm. Readers are pulled into the text by questions that implore both direct answers and more consideration of the broader themes of the individual books. VERDICT A great choice for home and public libraries looking to expand self care resources for curious emerging readers.

Upper Middle School to High School

Eason, Sarah. Autism. ISBN 9781917187060.
––––. Bipolar Disorder. ISBN 9781917187107.
––––. Cystic Fibrosis. ISBN 9781917187183.
––––. Depression. ISBN 9781917187268.
––––. Down Syndrome. ISBN 9781917187220.
––––. Multiple Sclerosis. ISBN 9781917187145.
ea vol: 64p. (Dealing with Disorders and Disease). Cheriton. Jan. 2025. Tr $34.65.
Gr 9 Up–An intermediate discussion of disorders and diseases that digs deeper than cause and effect to explore the science and roots of each condition. The text is broken up by photographs of teenagers and text boxes with additional information. The focus of these titles remains on the health conditions, and they do not employ examples in the form of personal narratives like other series that cover these topics. There is a great sense of importance and respect paid to readers to help them get to know themselves, peers, or loved ones in an in-depth way. VERDICT These titles are incredibly valuable for young adult audiences in both high school and public library settings.

“Dealing with Disorders and Disease” (Cheriton) tackles heavy issues like depression while respecting readers enough to approach the subjects from all sides: symptoms, treatments, genetics, and chemistry. It offers a profound connection between topics that teens learn in school, like biology and chemistry, and health issues that impact many of them. For younger readers, “I’m Allergic To” (Greenhaven/KidHaven) takes on the details surrounding allergies in a way that is easy for children to understand. Those with and without allergies will find value in the serious nature of staying safe from allergic reactions. Together these series demonstrate a trend in discussing health topics relevant to us and our neighbors.

FALL 2025 SERIES MADE SIMPLE REVIEWS