I catalog hundreds of new picture books each year, and I read as many of them as I can. Unfortunately, I can’t review them all, but I can share them. Below are a few recent titles. (Summaries have been taken directly from the books whenever possible.)

While exploring the wilds of the kitchen, Buddy and Earl see wondrous sights, make delicious discoveries and even encounter a couple of unusual monsters.

One summer in Brooklyn during the 1930s, a young hearing boy and his deaf parents take a trip to Coney Island, where they enjoy the rides, the food, and the sights.

Dario, a boy from Brazil, makes friends with a young right whale while spending time on the beaches of Cape Cod.

A boy tries to explain to his mother how the bear at their door got from his cave in the forest all the way to an eleventh-floor apartment.

A hapless skunk, tied to a balloon, floats past buildings, construction equipment, a zoo full of animals, and more. Who will help him get down?

A girl and her dog conquer their fears of the noisy city while strengthening their bond with one another.

Youngsters awaken in the morning with the belief that they are the greatest little ones in their world, whether  human child, eagle chick, or whale calf.

When the new house needs fixing up, a brother and sister accompany their father on a trip to the hardware store to find the tools and materials needed to get the job done.

An adopted child has difficulty adjusting to a new life with a new mom, but feels better once he realizes that, even though they look different, his new mom loves him just the way he is. 

A monk in a monastery and a white cat share a quiet existence together (a retelling of the Irish poem Pangur Ban)