Well, hello there! Apologies for the long break; I was working on some big projects at the end of 2025. (Have you checked out our new Beginning Chapter Books section yet?) But now I’m back, and I’m so excited to tell you about some new titles coming out this month!
Picture Books
“If This Were the World” written by Stephen Barr and illustrated by AG Ford
By the 138th day of school, Ms. Lee’s class has exhausted all their recess games. Before boredom can set in, a boy pulls an orange out of his bag and declares, “What if THIS…were the world?” The class is intrigued, and they all begin playing along.
Turns out the orange is too small and delicious to share equitably, and they move on to a new world. The dodgeball is great until an older kid steals it. The maple tree has room for everyone, until the branches start to break. They keep hunting for a world that’s big and easy to share, until one girl spreads her arms wide and they appreciate the vast world they already have. The message is actually charmingly subtle, as most of the book focuses on imagination and playground politics. The high-energy illustrations add a lot of interest and beautifully round out the kids’ personalities as individuals and as a group.
“The Rare Bird” written and illustrated by Elisha Cooper
What if a cat’s mischief had a perfectly good explanation? After his family reads a book about birds, a house cat is inspired and spends the entire day imagining himself to be a Rare Bird. The text commits fully to his fantasy: “The Rare Bird flew through the forest, / flying so fast he knocked the leaves off the trees.” But the illustrations tell a different story, as we see the cat climbing the curtains and knocking books off shelves. The Rare Bird splashes under a waterfall, jumps into a gurgling pond and catches a worm…while the cat plays in the shower, leaps into the toilet and catches the dog’s tail.
When the Rare Bird takes a rest, we get to see the cat’s dreams in glorious watercolor illustrations as a bird with the cat’s coloring joins his friends in the trees and soars through the skies. Imagination is enormously fun, but it can be hard work when you really commit! A well-deserved cat nap is in order. One of the best things is that the author never explains that the cat is just pretending. He lets the illustrations tell the story, to the delight of young readers who will enjoy pointing out the dissonance. My children frequently pretend to be birds, so I can’t wait to share this story with them.
Chapter Books
“The Mysterious Magic of Lighthouse Lane” by Erin Stewart
Lucy is regularly overwhelmed by her own emotions and those of other people. After an especially dramatic meltdown at school, Lucy’s parents send her to spend the summer with her taciturn grandpa on Prince Edward Island. Lucy doesn’t mind if Grandpa doesn’t want to talk much, as she’s planning to withdraw from everyone and hide behind her camera lens. At least that way, she can observe the world without getting caught up in it.
Then Grandpa gives her an old camera that belonged to his late wife, and Lucy quickly realizes the camera is magic. Developing the film reveals all the subjects’ secrets and emotions, and Lucy has to figure out what to do with her new knowledge. Confiding in a persistently friendly neighbor and her grandpa, Lucy learns to open up to others despite the risks. This quiet book gently explores emotions and empathy, with fun “Anne of Green Gables” references and magical realism thrown in.
“Korobá: the Case of the Missing Kolo” written and illustrated by Àlàbá Ònájìn
A trio of friends (and their dog!) investigate the theft of a piggy bank, racing against the clock. Now set that familiar feeling story in a Nigerian fishing village, make it a graphic novel, and enjoy the rich immersion in a new culture. Korobá knows everyone in her coastal village of Makoko, so she’s shocked when her friend’s wooden piggy bank, called a kolo, goes missing. All the children save up money in their kolos all year, until Breaking Day, when they smash them right before the harvest festival and spend their savings on new clothes and treats.
Korobá and her friends only have a few days to find the kolo before the festival. They eagerly chase down clues and interview suspects, racing throughout the village. The vibrant illustrations treat the reader to an intimate view of Makoko, full of houses on stilts and boardwalks over the water, bustling markets and brightly painted canoes. The low-stakes mystery is perfect for younger readers, and the graphic novel format offers a wonderful way to visually experience an African fishing village. This is the first in a planned series, so keep an eye out for future volumes!
