Rain Before Rainbows


Smriti Prasadam-Halls - 2020
    Along the way they find friends to guide and support them, and when the new day dawns, it is full of promise. With gorgeous, richly realized illustrations and immense hope at its heart, Rain Before Rainbows holds out a ray of sunshine for anyone looking for light.

Outside, Inside


LeUyen Pham - 2021
    . .. . . went inside.Outside, it was quieter, wilder, and different. Inside, we laughed, we cried, and we grew.We remembered to protect the ones we love and love the ones who protect us.While the world changed outside, we became stronger on the inside and believed that someday soon spring would come again.

Tell Me a Tattoo Story


Alison McGhee - 2016
    The father tells his little son the story behind each of his tattoos, and together they go on a beautiful journey through family history. There's a tattoo from a favorite book his mother used to read him, one from something his father used to tell him, and one from the longest trip he ever took. And there is a little heart with numbers inside—which might be the best tattoo of them all. Tender pictures by New York Times bestselling illustrator Eliza Wheeler complement this lovely ode to all that's indelible—ink and love.

The Old Truck


Jarrett Pumphrey - 2020
    Soon she is running her own busy farm, and in the midst of all the repairing and restoring, it may be time to bring her faithful childhood companion back to life.With an eye-catching retro design and cleverly nuanced illustrations, The Old Truck celebrates the rewards of determination and the value of imagination.

If You Come to Earth


Sophie Blackall - 2020
    . . We live in all kinds of places. In all kinds of homes. In all kinds of families. Each of us is different. But all of us are amazing. And, together, we share one beautiful planet. This masterful and moving picture book is a visually comprehensive guide to the earth, imbued with warmth and humor. • Ideal for children ages 3 to 5 years old• Resonates year-round as a go-to gift for birthdays, holidays, and more• A great pick for teachers looking for a crowd-pleasing picture book about the world for little students• Perfect for parents, grandparents, and caregivers• Add it to the shelf with books like The Travel Book by Lonely Planet Kids, Atlas of Adventures by Rachel Williams, and If You Lived Here: Houses of the World by Giles Laroche.

Bear Is a Bear


Jonathan Stutzman - 2021
    . . a new friend, a fellow mischief-maker, a protector, and a dreamer.Through all the many ups and downs of a little girl’s childhood, Bear is there to provide love and support. Until it is time to say goodbye . . . and hello again.

Black Dog


Levi Pinfold - 2011
    Only Small, the youngest Hope, has the courage to face the black dog, who might not be as frightening as everyone else thinks.

Extraordinary Jane


Hannah E. Harrison - 2014
    She isn't strong, graceful, or brave like her family. When she tries to be those things, Jane just doesn't feel like herself, but she also doesn't feel special. Is she really meant for this kind of life? Her Ringmaster thinks so, but not for the reasons Jane believes. Ordinary can be extraordinary!

Love


Matt de la Pena - 2018
    "In the beginning there is light and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed and the sound of their voices is love....A cab driver plays love softly on his radiowhile you bounce in back with the bumps of the city and everything smells new, and it smells like life."In this heartfelt celebration of love, Matt de la Peña and illustrator Loren Long depict the many ways we experience this universal bond, which carries us from the day we are born throughout the years of our childhood and beyond. With a lyrical text that's soothing and inspiring, this tender tale is a needed comfort and a new classic that will resonate with readers of every age.

Lift


Minh Lê - 2020
    When Iris's elevator button-pushing is disrupted by a new member of the family, she's pretty put out.That is, until the sudden appearance of a mysterious new button opens up entire realms of possibility, places where she can escape and explore on her own.This is a story that will lift your spirits and expand your imagination, by the award-winning creators of Drawn Together.

There Is a Rainbow


Theresa Trinder - 2021
    A hopeful, timely picture book that helps us all see the rainbows that connect us!On the other side of a window, there is a neighbor.On the other side of a sadness, there is a hug.And on the other side of a storm, there is a rainbow.Sometimes we are separated by distance, sometimes by the way we feel. Even though the world is full of barriers that can make us feel unconnected, we are all just on one end of a rainbow. Connected by all that color and light, there is always something, or someone, waiting for us on the other side.Poetically told with an uplifting message for some of life's most difficult moments, this book encourages readers to look past their immediate surroundings and find comfort, community, and inner courage—all are closer than we might think.Inspired by the multitude of rainbows found in the windows of homes around the world following the coronavirus lockdown, this uplifting picture book shares a message of hope and resilience that is truly timeless.• TIMELY: Sweet, sincere, and uplifting, this book offers comfort to readers young and old. Its graceful approach to navigating both today's difficulties and the inevitable obstacles of the future makes this a staple picture book little ones and their parents will cherish for years and return to time and again.• HOPEFUL: This book provides a much-needed dose of realistic optimism, encouraging readers to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Painting a believable picture of what is and what might be, it also shows readers all the wonderful things within our reach, even in difficult times. Its underlying message has the potential to change perspectives.• COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: The book's emphasis on finding a network of support—whether it's among family members a phone call away, the neighbors right across the street, or a wider community accessible through technology—is particularly potent. Imbued with the unshakeable sense that we are never alone, this is one picture book with a message everyone can get behind, and which will, itself, spread hope from home to home, community to community.• READ ALOUD: As this reassuring picture book artfully reveals what's on the other side of both concrete objects and abstract ideas, it smartly uses the page turn to do so—it will have young readers eagerly turning the page to complete each sentence, to see what's on the other side. It provides the perfect read-aloud experience for story time in the classroom, in the library, and at home.• THE INSPIRATION: This picture book was inspired by the author's own experiences during the COVID-19 crisis.Perfect for:• Children going through a wide variety of difficult experiences, possibly for the first time• Parents and grandparents looking for a hopeful, comforting picture book• Caretakers and gift givers looking for profound, beautifully written, optimistic picture books• Teachers, librarians, and booksellers looking for the perfect uplifting read-aloud option• Fans of picture books that teach new perspectives

The Wonderful Things You Will Be


Emily Winfield Martin - 2015
    . . now and forever!   From brave and bold to creative and clever, Emily Winfield Martin's rhythmic rhyme expresses all the loving things that parents think of when they look at their children. With beautiful, and sometimes humorous, illustrations, and a clever gatefold with kids in costumes, this is a book grown-ups will love reading over and over to kids—both young and old. A great gift for any occasion, but a special stand-out for baby showers, birthdays, and graduation. The Wonderful Things You Will Be has a loving and truthful message that will endure for lifetimes.

Ish


Peter H. Reynolds - 2004
    Anytime. Anything. Anywhere.Drawing is what Ramon does. It¹s what makes him happy. But in one split second, all that changes. A single reckless remark by Ramon's older brother, Leon, turns Ramon's carefree sketches into joyless struggles. Luckily for Ramon, though, his little sister, Marisol, sees the world differently. She opens his eyes to something a lot more valuable than getting things just "right." Combining the spareness of fable with the potency of parable, Peter Reynolds shines a bright beam of light on the need to kindle and tend our creative flames with care.

A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart


Zetta Elliott - 2020
    There is a place inside of mea space deep down inside of me where all my feelings hide. Summertime is filled with joy—skateboarding and playing basketball—until his community is deeply wounded by a police shooting. As fall turns to winter and then spring, fear grows into anger, then pride and peace.In her debut, illustrator Noa Denmon articulates the depth and nuances of a child’s experiences following a police shooting—through grief and protests, healing and community—with washes of color.

Small in the City


Sydney Smith - 2019