Hello, friends! Our book today is I Love You More Than Cereal: Maeva and Dad Redefine Love, written by Justin and Alexis Black and illustrated by 1000 Storybooks, a thought-provoking lesson on how we express love. Maeva absolutely loves her new purple bicycle, and can’t wait to finish her breakfast and ride it to the park. She excitedly tells her dad how she will make the other kids jealous with it, then refuse to share her candy; she reckons that by making the other kids envious of the things that she loves, she will be even happier with them. Fortunately, her dad patiently sets her straight ..read more

Hello, friends! Our book today is Turkey’s Sandtastic Beach Day, written by Wendi Silvano and illustrated by Lee Harper, the latest title in the pair’s series of pun-filled Turkey Trouble books. This time around, Turkey and his barnyard friends have been brought to the boardwalk to be in a petting zoo for the Children’s Festival, but Turkey finds himself drawn to the sea. Wanting to check out the sand and surf, he and his animal friends devise a series of (questionably) covert costumes to let him sneak his way onto the beach, but each time he is caught by the lifeguard or Farmer Jake. Will Tu ..read more

Hello, friends! Our book today is Manolo and the Unicorn, written by Jackie Azúa Kramer and Jonah Kramer, and illustrated by Zach Manbeck, a gorgeous story of magic, belief, and being true to oneself. Manolo believes in the magic that surrounds us, and that the world is full of mystery and wonder. He adores nature and creatures, and longs to one day meet his favorite animal: a unicorn. The young boy is positively enchanted by their wild grace and mystique, and when he and his fellow students are called to share information on, and don a costume of, their favorite animal in the next day’s Wild ..read more

Hello, friends! Our book today is Even Superheroes Get Scared, written by Shelly Becker and illustrated by Eda Kaban, third in the pair’s series of superhero-themed books on managing emotions. We might be inclined to believe that superheroes are never scared when facing off against bad guys, especially of such pedestrian things as bugs or thunder or dogs… right? Well, superheroes get scared too, but if they allow their fear to control them, they aren’t able to save the day. So what is a superhero to do? Run and hide? Or allow themselves to feel scared, then make the choice to be brave? From t ..read more

Hello, friends! Our book today is My Brain is Magic: A Sensory-Seeking Celebration, written by Prasha Sooful and illustrated by Geeta Ladi, a wonderful exploration of sensory input and magical minds. “My brain is MAGIC!” is the greeting offered by our child protagonist, who explains that the way in which they experience the world has much to do with their senses and how their unique mind processes them. Sometimes, for instance, their brain is a busy and buzzing bee, and it tells them to flit around the room and give crashing hugs to loved ones. Sometimes their brain is an octopus, and wants t ..read more

Hello, friends! Our book today is Rain, written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Lisa Congdon, a lyrical ode to the joys of a rainy day. As a light spring storm approaches a country home, there a signs of the weather change everywhere: birds chatter to inform each other of the oncoming rain; squirrels and cats head for cover (trees and indoor windowsills, respectively); children come in from play; ducks excitedly waddle off to the pond. And when the rain comes, “it is glorious!”, bringing water to flowers, birdbaths, dogs bowls, and the creek. Even those who have sheltered inside enjoy th ..read more

Hello, friends! Our book today is The Together Tree, written by Aisha Saeed and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, a heartfelt story on bullying, understanding, and forgiveness. When Rumi starts at his new school, he feels nervous and isolated; he misses his friends and former home of San Francisco, and is having trouble finding his place in this new class. This is worsened when two of the other students begin to bully him, and a third watches without intervening. Every recess, Rumi retreats to a sheltering willow tree to avoid interaction – and harassment – until the day that the bullying goes much ..read more

Hello, friends! Our book today is Linus by Stuart Hausmann, a sweet story about the joys of diversity, and the possibilities we open by stepping out of line. In the straight-laced city of Linneapolis, Linus just isn’t like the other rectangular inhabitants. While they all seem to favor grayscale colors, straight lines, and walling themselves off from the rest of the world, Linus can’t help but love shapes, colors, and finding reasons to celebrate. Feeling lonely due to his differences, he sadly decides to take off during the night and explore the colorful world outside of his city. He even fi ..read more