In my position as a technical processing assistant at the DeWitt Community Library, I catalog a lot of new picture books. Unfortunately, I cannot review them all, but I do read them all and have assigned a 🙂 to my favorites. Below are a few I’ve cataloged recently. (Whenever possible, summaries have been taken directly from the books.)

A simple, sweet picture book about the joys of waiting and taking in what is around you.

Rather than a lemonade stand, Rufus sets up a story stand one summer and makes a series of trades with his friends–a story for a shell, for a kitten, for a surprise, and one more as a special birthday gift for his sister.

A boy whose parents are preoccupied with preparations for a new baby imagines what life would be like if he could have new parents.

🙂 A father and daughter walk through their neighborhood, brimming with questions–such as What else? and How come?–as they explore their world.

🙂 As an elderly woman, Lillian recalls that her great-great-grandparents were sold as slaves in front of a courthouse where only rich white men were allowed to vote, then the long fight that led to her right–and determination– to cast her ballot since the Voting Rights Act gave every American the right to vote.

🙂 Michael and his grandfather make a special trip into town for a very important event–Granddaddy is going to vote for the first time! But as Michael soon discovers, there is still a long way to go on the road to justice.

🙂 You will be looking out your window when something wonderful comes your way. You will want to keep him.

🙂 A little girl rescues a strange beast in the woods and carries him safely home. But the beast is not happy and escapes!

🙂 Will Jessica find a friend on her first day of school? Watch closely as Jessica reveals the contents of her box. Could this be the answer to her dreams of friendship?

As the seasons change, a young boy shares the magic of his garden with a special friend.

🙂 Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. Amazing Africa–and now she has new baby brothers! Her cousins warn her that boys are “Big Trouble”. But could Anna’s brothers really be Double Trouble?

🙂 Vincent’s animal friends disagree on how he should paint his house, so Vincent comes up with a colorful solution.

There was once a little gardener and his garden meant everything to him. He worked hard, very hard, but he was just too little (or at least he felt he was).