ON GULL BEACH: A boy chases after sea gulls as they play with a star fish.

BIG BOX LITTLE BOX: A curious cat investigates every box it can find and makes a friend along the way.

SHORTY & CLEM BLAST OFF: Clem won’t let Shorty help him build his spaceship.

LORETTA’S GIFT: Loretta tries hard to find the perfect gift for her new baby cousin.

PICNIC WITH OLIVER: While on a picnic, Philbert gets caught in a storm and Oliver must make a daring rescue.

HOW TO KNIT A MONSTER: After Mrs. Sheep insults Greta Goat’s knitting, Greta knits a wolf that swallows Mrs. Sheep whole.

I FEEL TEAL: A girl experiences many feelings, represented by colors, during the course of her day. Nice art!

STEGOTHESAURUS: Stegothesaurus has little in common with his fellow dinosaurs until he meets an allosaurus that’s as hungry for synonyms as he is. Super cute and clever!

GO FISH!: Goose and friends have trouble catching a fish on their fishing trip. Cute!

TINY, PERFECT THINGS: A child and grandfather marvel at all the perfect things they see as they take a walk.

ONCE UPON A SLIME: Beginning with Goldilocks, various fairy-tale characters are drenched in slime and join forces to discover who is responsible.

THEY CAME: When a spaceship lands on Earth, a small town launches into a frenzy until a boy named Stephen explains why the aliens came.

MUSTAFA: Mustafa feels out of place in his new country with strange customs and strange language he doesn’t understand.

A PLACE FOR PLUTO: Pluto feels lost, confused, and left out when he finds out he’s not a planet.

SOMETHING SMELLS!: When Elliot wakes up to a terrible smell, he’s determined to find the source.

SUPER MANNY CLEANS UP!: Manny and his friend Gertie join forces to clean up their local park.

HENRY AND THE YETI: Henry sets off to prove that yetis exist.

KING BEN AND SIR RHINO: Ben must learn how to be a good friend if he wants the other animals to play with him.

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SOUL: With the school talent show coming up, one young music lover dreams about creating the perfect act.

BIGGER THAN YOU: Dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes discover that cooperation, creativity, and being a good friend make playtime the best time.

BE OUR GUEST!: At the Parker Palm Springs Hotel, you can sip lemonade with flamingos, play games with penguins or a zebra, and explore the beautiful grounds with a tiger, a camel, or an elephant.

THE DINOSAUR EXPERT: Kimmy can’t wait to share her fossil facts with all of her friends at the natural history museum.

AYOBAMI AND THE NAMES OF THE ANIMALS: Ayobami dreams of going to school, but to reach the schoolhouse, she has to take a dangerous path through the jungle.

SEED MAGIC: Little Spider teaches her friend Anxious Ant about the life cycle of plants.

JACK B. NINJA: Jack sneaks over castle walls, swims through hidden tunnels, and uncovers a secret treasure, all while avoiding detection.

MAGNOLIA’S MAGNIFICENT MAP: It has taken Magnolia months of exploring and sketching to create her latest map. There’s just one problem, it’s not finished.

LITTLE BROTHERS & LITTLE SISTERS: Explores the relationship between younger and older siblings.

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.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

When Juno returns from a nighttime adventure, she finds a polar bear near the door she left open, and she must summon all her courage to save her boy.

A boy and his family visit the local public gardens throughout the year to see the turtles.

On a gray and rainy day, Kat feels better after writing a song and singing it around the neighborhood.

Newly arrived at boarding school, a boy finds an invitation and goes on an adventure that may lead to friendship.

Fox is lonely and confused when winter comes and his friends Chipmunk, Marmot, and Bear take to their beds and he can’t wake them up.

Fox sets off to find the golden glow, a very rare plant from the Wellhidden family that grows high in the mountains.

Piggy is unhappy living with a boy named Thomas. A chance encounter with a wild pig may lead him to discover what lies beyond the fence.

Bear is hungry and Gertie wants to help, but finding the perfect snack is harder than it looks. Funny!

Hedgehog wakes up needing a hug, but has trouble finding a friend who will get so close to his prickles. Cute!

A young girl finds an injured crow and nurses him back to health.

A girl demonstrates how to take care of a dog.

When Kitty learns that her teacher is home sick from school one morning, she gets worried.

A boy visiting his father in prison explains why he both loves and hates him.

Duck gets a job in the city, but discovers it’s not the right job for him.

On the way to Grandma’s house, Red is delayed and distracted by Wolf. What are the woodland creatures up to?

Lucy wants a dog, so she goes in search of one and finds a bear instead. Will the bear make a good dog? Cute!

Nate, who loves sharks, cannot swim, but with his brother’s prodding, a good coach, and a lot of determination, he learns to swim like a shark.

At the zoo with her family, a girl mopes around until she meets a new friend on the monkey walk. Fun!

Tomato explains why he’s a fruit and belongs in the fruit bowl. Funny and informative!

A lonely robot decides to build himself a companion. Sweet!

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.) Check your local library or bookstore for availability.

Two kids explore an abandoned house and imagine who might have lived there.

As twilight falls, some animals come out to graze while others are settling in for the night.

Separated from her mother, a young whale swims the oceans for decades until she finds a young girl who shares her vision of one planet for which all are responsible.

Fred tries to keep still, but it’s so hard to keep that bouncy feeling inside.

Follow the clues to guess which adorable baby animal appears on the next page.

Amanda and Bitsy’s friendship may be ruined after they discover their birthday parties are on the same day.

Jim connects each of his found objects–a stone, a key, and a button–to fantastical tales of why they are so important.

Gideon was going to build the most stupendous sand castle the beach had ever seen–without his sister’s help.

When Peter and his dog Nell arrive to school one day and discover the books missing, Detective Dog Nell is ready to solve the case.

A dugong tries to convince two children that she is a mermaid.

Nelly loves to wear her new swimsuit for everything—except for swimming.

After twins Ally and Mae come home sick, it’s up to Nanny Paws to take care of them.

Celebrates a diverse community on a Sunday morning at an inclusive church that welcomes all people. Great message!

Kangaroo tries to make friends with Koala using bubbles. Sweet!

On Mouse and Monster’s camping trip, things quickly go awry after Monster eats all of the supplies. Cute!

Little Owl is afraid of falling and will not try to fly until his friends persuade him to say a special word and keep trying even after he fails. I like the art!

The friendship between a boy and a horse blossoms as the seasons pass.

Russell’s family reunion is coming up and he is not looking forward to all of the hugging, hand shaking, and hair tousling he’ll receive from his unusual relatives.

Cece and Isaac team up to discover the answer to their science project question: Do dogs eat vegetables?

Rashin is an Iranian immigrant girl living in New York and excited about her first trip to Coney Island.

As goat becomes more adventurous in her eating, the farmer and his family begin to notice that things have gone missing.

Henry is fascinated by the bees his Aunt cares for and wants to help, but she says he must wait until he’s older.

In this whimsical celebration of the senses, we learn that when the mind and body are calm, we can see that all of life is still and moving, just like us.

Bear is determined to find the spider that’s building messy webs all over his house. Cute!

Two children notice all the beautiful colors that surround them on a rainy summer day in the country. Great as both a concept book and a fun, rhyming story!

Every week, Zaida delivers bagels fresh from the bakery to his grandson, but when he falls and must rest for two weeks, who will get the bagels?

A long time ago, before email and texting, mail was delivered in a much slower way.

While camping, Bear tells Mole the story of how the First Bears created the moon and the stars.

A child explains how his parent’s lives used to be boring before he was born.

Max is an expert at grocery shopping because his mom makes him go every week. 

Since Box can’t jump and Circle can’t sit, they must find a way to play together. Cute!

A chick and a puppy become barnyard friends. Adorable!

While Harry and his baby brother are getting ready for bed, their father is starting work as a conductor on the overnight train from London to Penzance.

Prankster Kaylee tries to trick the tooth fairy with disastrous results.

Elephant wants to build something as tall as he is, but can he keep it from toppling over?

You’re invited to a glorious Fourth of July picnic, where you’ll learn all about sharing. Lovely!

After LaRue, a handy bunny, grows a giant carrot he figures out a way to use it to help his friends. Cute!

A shy and anxious boy feels sick the day he’s supposed to wear his starfish costume for the parade at school. Great illustrations!

A dog looking for a home sends letters to prospective owners on Butternut Street. This one made me sad. Thank goodness for happy endings!

An otter named Randal leaves home to become an elephant. Sweet, funny, and love the art!

Career Day is approaching, and Annie can’t wait to show the school and her family what she wants to be when she grows up.

When Bif finds a big red rock blocking his path, he enlists the help of his friends to move it.

When an ice cream cone lands on Keith the cat’s head and his friends laugh at him, he pretends it’s a magic hat. Cute and colorful!

Follow the growth of a tree through the seasons.

Two ducks gaze into the clear water of their pond and discover other ducks. Sweet!

Follow Kalayaan, an eagle shot by a hunter, as he is rescued by kind villagers and eventually released back into the wild.

Tired of being teased about her hair, MacKenzie seeks the help of her neighbor Miss Tillie who compares hair care to tending a garden.

Frank the French bulldog is lost. Important evidence and maps will help track his steps and find him. Clever!

Artist Emma scolds her dog, Muse, for changing one of her paintings, but when he leaves, so does her creativity. Perfect for those of us inspired by our dogs!

When the night grows stormy, only Mama Elephant can reassure the baby animals that they are safe. Unusual and interesting art for a picture book!

Charlotte has a talent for anything technological, but when she receives a doll for a gift, she’s not quite sure what to do with it. Fantastic art!

Jack the horse escapes his stall and gets into all sorts of trouble on the farm. Cute!

A group of children say goodbye to a beloved pet turtle who has died.

Olive needs some time away from her little brother Will.

Celebrates the milestones and accomplishments of childhood from first birthday to graduation. Sweet!

Get ready for some wild dancing and find out what really happens at the zoo after dark. Fun!

Fox and Chick are good friends who don’t always get along. Cute!

When Albert the bear’s favorite tree won’t stop crying, Albert tries everything he can think of to cheer it up.

Four chickens flee the coop, roam the world, and return home just in time to roost.

A celebration of friendship that focuses on what makes a person special.

A little girl and her brother imagine all the things that will grow if they plant the sand they brought home from the beach. Darling story and pictures!

Chaos spreads around the world as Petronilla transfers color to everything she touches. Interesting art!

Thief Jack enlists the help of a duck to break into a safe.

Vincent the cat lives on a cargo ship, but he has never had a real home.

A page turns every time you blink, bringing you closer to the end of the book–and bedtime.

The perfect gift of all is the world itself in its natural beauty through every season.

When a dragon catches a cold, setting off fires with its sneezes, a wizard comes to the rescue with a magic potion.

Rupert the rhino becomes flustered when Levi the tickbird lands on him one day and won’t go away. Great art!

People use their teeth to bite all sorts of things, but not other people. Fun!

Mama and little Toad help their friends who are stranded on the road.

Caroline is distracted all day at school because her parents are bringing home someone very special for her to meet.

As Max and Marla set out for the perfect picnic, they learn that getting along isn’t always easy, but best friends can’t stay mad for long. Nice art!

The bears are enjoying a picnic until a feisty wind swoops their kites away and the little bears too. Adorable addition to this series!

Big Brown Bear’s cave just doesn’t feel like home, so he fills it with stuff–all sorts of stuff.

Izzy gets frustrated when her inventions fail to work, but when she finds an injured crow, she knows just what to do to help.

Hot Dog is chilling out on his comfy bread with some corn and a couple of fries when disaster strikes. Cute!

Dogs engage in all sorts of fun activities at the dog park.

A boy is determined to catch the ball even if it takes a bit of imagination.

An older brother encourages his younger brother to take a leap of faith.

A young mouse ventures out on his own to find the most wonderful words.

Stanley the spider likes to collect things, but he soon finds out that nothing lasts forever.

Quincy wants to blend in at chameleon school, but his daydreams always make him stand out.

Greedy Greenbackboy’s got an idea for a game; he wants Snowboy to help him cut down all the trees in the forest.

A fox is caught burglarizing a house by the owners, the three bears. Fantastic illustrations!

Follow a group of friends as they go sailing, explore an island, and return home to tell their tale. Cute art!

Animals love playing sports. Clever concept book!

When two of Moose’s letters come loose, he vanishes, but his best friend Cow has a plan. Fun!

A toad is bumped, bounced, and blown along a bustling road. Fun read aloud!

When an old fountain in their neighborhood is restored, three siblings decide it’s the perfect place to send their goldfish on vacation.

Rescue worries that he’s not up to the task of being a service dog, but then he meets Jessica and it’s a perfect match.

Ruby struggles at ninja school and becomes homesick.

A family prepares for a day at the food truck festival, while at the same time, the food truck crews get ready for the event.

A celebration of the similarities and differences in the unique animals that share our world.

A little boy in the sleeping car of a train counts train cars instead of sheep to go to sleep. Lovely illustrations!

When the star-making rabbit who lives on the moon decides to visit earth, no one is left to make stars. Beautiful art!

A young girl tries to persuade her father that he is the one who should sleep in a little bed while she shares the big bed with Mommy. Funny!

Wendell imagines what it would be like to have a walrus as a pet.

When a little boy gets a dinosaur costume for his birthday, it opens up a prehistoric world of imagination.

A little elephant gets separated from his mother during a storm and must try to outrun a tiger. Beautiful art!

Two siblings build jetpacks and fly off for an adventure that includes visiting Nana and outer space.

A family sees many amazing sights at the park, from bugs and frogs to skaters and fishermen.

After the loss of her grandmother, Mina finds solace in stories told by family and friends.

God made light to cut through the darkness and bring vision and hope to all. That same light grows inside every child. Sweet!

As a girl sits alone in her new house, she can hear kids playing outside, but she’s not brave enough to join them. Super imaginative!

A story about a big bunny gets out of control.

Two kids have fun with their grandfather as he tries to remember the old rhyme about sugar and spice and everything nice. Fun!

A young girl experiences her first funeral and all of the rituals that go along with it.

A little girl learns that it’s okay to make mistakes. Cute and colorful!

A boy misses his bus and watches other very unusual buses go by until he decides to ride one. Fun!

Scoop the Ice Cream Truck is getting old and fancy new ice cream trucks are moving into the neighborhood. Love the art!

Nothing will stop Henry from flying, except maybe gravity.

A dog is called Lazybones because he doesn’t like to go for walks.

To Phoebe, it seems like everything fun is happening tomorrow, and she doesn’t like to wait.

Sixteen poems celebrate the ages and stages of being a robin. Cute!

A playful cat follows a courageous fish to the moon and then to the ocean. (wordless)

Russell and his dad build a tree fort in their new backyard.

While shopping with her two dads, Harriet, who is wearing her penguin costume, gets carried away by a waddle of penguins.

When a girl spills grape juice all over her new dress, a classmate wants to make her feel better by being kind. Sweet!

Ruby and Violet Mutch have always collected things in pairs, but when their house will no longer hold everything, Ruby decides to move out.

Blue Monster loves new things, but things don’t stay new forever, and soon Blue Monster wants something newer. Will he ever be satisfied?

A girl becomes pen pals with a Komodo dragon who tells her all about himself and dangers to his species.

Sakura moves to America with her parents and misses her grandmother and the cherry blossom trees back in Japan.

When Grandma says she’s seen a tiger in the garden, Nora doesn’t believe her–everyone knows tigers live in jungles, not gardens.

A boy and his cat have a magical adventure on the night of the blue moon. Love all the blue!

In a city filled with people and wonders, Adelaide feels lonely. Gorgeous art!

While reading a book, a child is carried beyond the repetitive sameness of an urban skyscape into an untamed natural landscape. Wonderfully whimsical!

Since the author is asleep, the illustrator decides to take over writing the story, but she may need some help.

Neighbors and community workers alike work together when Big Tree, their favorite local landmark, is downed during a lightning storm.

When something sad happens to Taylor, all the animals think they know how to help.

Bob doesn’t like the chaos of New York City, so he decides to build a tree house in the cool, green calm of Central Park.

After visiting the aquarium, Oliver decides to be an otter and tries to copy otter behavior at meals, while playing, and at bath time.

A young girl joyfully creates art from everyday objects.

Murray Bear is afraid to visit the waterfall, so with the help of his big sister, he makes a worry box and puts his worries inside.

A little girl imagines all the things she can be and defies the negative voice inside that says she can’t succeed.

Follow a boy through a day filled with the noisy joy of imaginative play. Fun!

A girl is determined to express herself–no matter what. Lovely lyrical ode to creativity!

Raccoon doesn’t want to be alone on a stormy night, but his neighbors each tell him they have no room to spare. Nice art!

When Morgan has bad dreams and is afraid to go to sleep at night, Nana brings him a plush lion to help him be brave.

While Mr. Noah is building the ark, Mrs. Noah is busy making a very special coat.

Marlo the dog sets off on an adventure among the dinosaurs.

When Mae’s family moves to the city, she misses her garden.

A celebration of the special bond between best friends.

Because Neither is different from the rabbits and birds in the land of This and That, it sets out to find a place where everyone is welcome. Love the message! Love the colors!

After a bumpy start, the pig family’s picnic turns out just right. Super cute!

Determined to be more than just a pebble, Rocky sets off to help his famous relatives. A clever book about rocks!

A girl is disappointed when she receives a chicken as a birthday gift, until she realizes the chicken is planning a big surprise. Fun!

A young girl explores the woods behind her house in search of elusive fairies.

An energetic girl’s activities mimic those of animals, as she stretches like a cat, hangs like a bat, hops like a hare, and etc.

Four rabbit siblings use their unique talents to devise a way to cross the stream and make friends with the squirrels who just moved there.

Peep must find a way to convince Egg to use the potty.

Blip is always plugged into her computer–until one day a blackout forces her to play outdoors. I like the contrast between the black and white of “indoors” and the colorfulness of “outdoors”!

The Lago family’s new couch lands in Llama’s field, and just as he’s begun to love it, the family returns. Hilarious! Just look at that cover!

Sapphire the dragon tries to make friends with the other animals, but they don’t want her around. Nice art!

When her father leaves her at her grandmother’s house, a girl feels abandoned and lonely until she meets some animal friends. Sweet in both text and pictures!

Marigold doesn’t like that her new little sister Daisy is getting so much attention. Funny!

A Busy Creature chomps and chews his way from A-Z. Funny!

When Tough Tug sails to Alaska for the first time, he finds out what being a tug really means. Cute!

When five elephants discover a new fruit at the top of a very tall tree, the race is on to see who can claim it first. Clever!

Five little beavers are hard at work until, one by one, their friends whisk them away to play. Fun!

A duckling enjoys a rainy day with his animal friends.

A young girl ponders the colors of her world. Lovely and lyrical!

Bernie heads out to make a duck delivery, but one of the ducks eats the directions, and now he can’t find his customer. Hilarious with a twist ending!

A little girl tries several ways to get rid of the hiccups.

Brothers Charlie and Mouse enjoy a special visit from Grumpy.

With her shadow’s encouragement, a young dancer psychs herself up for an audition.

Harbet cannot keep up with the latest hat trends–as soon as he gets a new hat, it’s already old. Love Emily Gravett’s books! Especially love the unexpected ending in this one!

A boy and his toy dragon search for the most comfortable bed during a dreamy nighttime adventure.

Little Choo wants to be just like his father Papa Pufferbelly, but pulling a line of freight cars up a steep mountain might be a little too much for the small engine.

Two young Aboriginal cousins hear the story of the Windigo told by an uncle elder, and track the creature into the forest.

Nora notices a very large octopus on top of her apartment building, which proves to be a very good neighbor. Fun story and super illustrations!

On one quiet afternoon, a child and a special friend’s unexpected adventure brings joy and excitement and sights never imagined.

A clever pup ends up in a cozy home and she’ll do anything to stay there.

While the other pandas try to rush her from one activity to another, Flo enjoys relaxing and really seeing the world around her.

When his owners bring a baby home, Bobo the dog competes for attention.

Truly’s magical, sparkling curls have the power to transport her to exciting new places.

A sleepy bunny says good night to the world around him. Beautiful art!

Simon tries to convince the big cats that he is a cat too. So fun!

As five little mice race down the road, they face noisy twists and messy surprises at every turn. Pretty darn adorable!

Words have escaped from the dictionary and have spun out of control.

A spacious umbrella welcomes anyone and everyone who needs shelter from the rain. Sweet!