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Spring Picture Book Recommendations for Children
Children's Book Recommendations

Spring Picture Book Recommendations for Children

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Spring Picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. These titles can be found on my Amazon Storefront under Spring Picture Books– https://www.amazon.com/shop/mrs.ferraris/list/2OKAJW5CPU53W?ref_=aipsflist )

❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗

Various garden flowers around the title with a butterfly, ladybug, and other insects on them

Consider the Lilies

by Jennifer Grant (Author), Julianna Swaney (Illustrator)

Summary: Young readers will journey through a spring day noticing the various colors of the flowers and the insects that like to visit them. Readers are gently encouraged to notice the colorful wonders of the natural world around them.

Comments: This soothing story is written in rhyming couplets and is the second book of the Consider series. The text was inspired by the biblical passages of Luke 12 and Matthew 6. The illustrations were created digitally.

This would be a lovely read-loud to share in a parochial school setting or at home to discuss spring, colors in nature, different flowers, or a metaphor of how God takes care of the flowers and you.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

A girl is on the green grass with her cat surrounded by spring flowers like daffodils and tulips with a rabbit and butterfly nearby

It’s Spring!

by Renée Kurilla (Author)

Summary: This story follows a group of children as they experience the changes of winter to spring such as splashing in the rain, flying kites, and growing a garden. They celebrate Easter traditions, Passover seder, and Mother’s Day.

Comments: The illustrations are whimsical and created with Adobe Photoshop. The story is written in a cheerful rhyming text.

This would make a fun read-aloud as it is full of seasonal vocabulary to pair with a spring unit of seasonal changes and spring holiday traditions.

This is the third of the Celebrate the Seasons series.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

a gray rabbit in the grass surrounded by pink and white flowers

A Fluffle of Bunnies 

by Christie Matheson (Author)

Summary: A scurry of squirrels are concerned about a gray rabbit that used to be in the field. They go throughout the field asking the creatures if they have seen her. The bears know the answer.

Comments: This is a wonderful introduction to collective nouns in this spring-inspired story. This could be an interactive read-aloud where the reader asks the children where they think the bunny went while learning animal group names.

The back section has the collective nouns used in the story with short explanations.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Yaya is a young girl holding a white flower wearing a vest jacket with the ocean, beach, and her mother with her friends sitting on a beach towel.

Yaya and the Sea 

by Karen Good Marable (Author), Tonya Engel (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Yaya and her mother take the subway to meet her mother’s friends and go to the sea for their annual spring equinox prayer to Mama Ocean.

Comments: The book is based on the author’s true story. The Author’s Note explains the ritual and symbolism of the objects offered to the sea.

The illustrations were created with acrylic underpainting and finished with oils on primed archival paper.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A squirrel and bird in the forest

Don’t Touch that Flower!

by Alice Hemming (Author), Nicola Slater (Illustrator)

Summary: Squirrel wakes from spring to find a new flower growing. He decides to protect it by not allowing any water to get on it, from bees landing on the pedals, and even, putting it under a bucket.

Bird educates Squirrel about his good intentions is harming the flower instead.

Comments: A humorous read aloud.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Two boys under large rainbow umbrellas wearing rain boots

Spring (Seasons of the Year) 

by Karen Bischer (Author) 

Summary: This nonfiction picture books explores how Nature comes back alive after winter–farmers are plowing, flowers are blooming, and animals are waking up.

Comments: This is a season series.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

A grouchy ladybug with three flowers

Spring Sings for the Grouchy Ladybug

by Eric Carle (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: The grouchy ladybug wakes to find the beauty of spring around her–bees, flowers, and the warmth of the sun.

Comments: Illustrated with bright colors and collage.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Moomin the troll with a squirrel in the middle of a field of flowers

Moomin and the Spring Surprise 

by Tove Jansson (Author)

Summary: Moomintroll  wakes up before spring and goes outside to investigate while the rest of his family is inside still hibernating. Too-Ticky usually wakes the family when spring arrives. What will he find?

Comments: This is a season series.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

A girl wearing a blue bicycle helmet riding a red bike on the sidewalk with yellow and orange leaves on the ground. The sky and road is gray.

Nothing Ever Happens on a Gray Day 

by Grant Snider (Author

Brief summary: As Fall slowly turns towards Winter, a girl rides her bike through her gray neighborhood, crunching through the fallen leaves to the playground, where she goes on a Nature walk into the woods nearby, seeing more and more colors as she explores.

Comments: This is a quiet story of a girl’s solitude and exploring the world around her area. In its conclusion, we can see how her gray day becomes full of colors.

The front end papers feature gray/blue fallen leaves, and the back end papers feature bright yellow/orange leaves visually representing the picture book’s changing mood and color scheme throughout the story.

This is a perfect read-aloud for young ones.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Picture book cover of a grandmother and her grandchild walking in the rain

Together with You

by Patricia Toht  (Author),  Jarvis  (Illustrator)

Brief summary: A grandmother and her grandchild put on rain gear to play in Spring’s rain. Summer arrives with them cooling off from the hot sun. Autumn brings the wind they need to fly a kite and enjoy the falling leaves. Winter comes with them getting cozy and watching the snow from inside. Each season is spent with one another.

The seasonal color schemes go in hand with this gentle and calming book that blends from one season to the next.

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

A girl with black hair wearing a yellow raincoat under a pink blossom tree

When Spring Comes (My Favorite Season, 1) 

by Ekaterina Trukhan (Illustrator)

Summary: A young girl enjoys the coming of spring. She sees the flowers, rain, and baby animals and is excited to celebrate the new season.

Comments: Told through the eyes of the little girl.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Hedgehog under a leave with frogs, butterflies, and a mouse in the spring forest

Hedgehog’s Home for Spring (Clever Storytime) 

by Elena Ulyeva (Author), Clever Publishing (Author), Daria Parkhaeva (Illustrator)

Summary: Hedgehog wakes from his winter nap and wakes up in spring. Although it is around him in the forest, he is not seeing the melted snow, blooming flowers, or leaves on the tree. He continues throughout the forest until he feels spring.

Comments: This is a seasons series. Each one has facts about the season and a craft in the back.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Jim Panzee the chimpanzee's head with flowers on his head

Grumpy Monkey Spring Fever

by Suzanne Lang (Author), Max Lang (Illustrator)

Summary: Jim Panzee  wakes up full of energy and is diagnosed by Norman to have spring fever. His friends suggests ways for him to calm down, but nothing works. He instead decides to be happy and enjoy his spring energy.

Comments: Humorous read aloud. Has helpful ways that students could use to calm oneself when overly excited while learning to embrace it.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

A gray rabbit and other babies of the forest sitting amongst spring flowers and plants

Spring Parade: A Picture Book (Seasonal Parade) 

by Camelia Kay (Author), Allyn Howard (Illustrator)

Summary: A little gray bunny comes out and begins to enjoy that spring is blooming. Soon the other animals begin to follow, creating a parade.

Comments: The illustrations are absolutely beautiful. I enjoy stopping at each page.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

A doe and other forest creatures are walking up a hill

Something on the Hill  

by Jane Kohuth (Author), Sonia Sanchez (Illustrator)

Summary: Field Mouse wakes up and feels that something has changed. She begins her climb up the hill gathering more forest friends to join her.

Comments: I thought this book sparked curiosity and prediction skills, making it a choice for comprehension lessons.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Various seeds growing while under the rain and underground with the sun smiling down upon them. Book cover to Little Seasons: Spring Seeds

Little Seasons: Spring Seeds 

by Mirka Hokkanen (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: A humorous nonfiction picture book examining how seeds live underground, sprout, and come to the top to keep growing.

Comments: Back pages have activities. Great book for young ones to learn about gardening.

Rating 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

A mama brown bear with two cubs in the forest

Brown Bears (Nature Storybooks) 

by Dr. Nick Crumpton (Author)

Summary: This narrative nonfiction picture book is about a mama brown bear waking from winter hibernation. She takes her two cubs around the forest teaching foraging for food, climbing up trees, and fishing in the water so that they will be independent and be able to survive on their own.

Comments: This takes place in Alaska. Wonderful illustrations.

The author is a zoologist.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

A boy in the middle of a dandelion field with him blowing the fluff off the flower. Bees, a monarch butterfly and red winged blackboard are present

An Earth Song (Petite Poems) 

by Langston Hughes (Author), Tequitia Andrews (Illustrator)

Summary: This is based on the classic Langston Hughes poem. A child wakes up and enjoys the season changing from winter to spring symbolizing hope and change.

Comments: The poem and brief bio of the poet is in the back.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

cartoon of a lamb and rabbit wearing clothes with a child watering carrots

The Spring Book 

by Todd Parr (Author)

Summary: Animals wake up from hibernation to see that spring is here. Each of the spring holidays are briefly covered with fun and humor.

Comments: This is in the signature Todd Parr’s style of bright and playful illustrations.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Two girls are sitting under a cherry blossom tree having a picnic

Waiting for Hanami

by J.P. Takahashi (Author), HifuMiyo (Illustrator)

Summary: Cousins, Sai and Avi, meet for the first time in person at the big family gathering during the cherry blossom festival, hanami.

Comments: This is a wonderful books to examine how cultures can merge and celebrate together.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Love and Hugs: Spring book cover with baby animals and blossoming flowers

Love and Hugs: Spring 

by Tracey Colliston (Author)

Summary: Rabbit and Mouse notice signs of spring, like newborns, sprouts, and rain in the forest.

Comments: A delightful book with gentle and charming watercolor illustrations.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

This is part of a Love and Hugs season series.

Escargot is talking to a small white bunny while on a trail amongst blooming tulips. Book Cover of Escargot and the Search for Spring

Escargot and the Search for Spring 

by Dashka Slater (Author), Sydney Hanson (Illustrator)

Brief summary:  Escargot, a French snail, is feeling ennui, which is a sense of boredom with everything around him. He wants to go outside to search for signs of spring. A friendly white bunny follows him, trying to make friends with Escargot, although the snail doesn’t initially reciprocate.

Comments: There are a few French words included in the text. I could entertain myself by reading it with a French accent.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

There are other Escargot books in this series.

Cover of A Place for Rain. Children with raincoats on standing by a rain barrel that is overflowing onto a water path to a flower garden.

A Place for Rain 

by Michelle Schaub (Author), Blanca Gómez (Illustrator)

Brief summary: In this book of rhyming lyrics, young readers will learn where the rain goes during a flood. The students at school are taught how to place a barrel beneath a spout and how to create a path for overflow.

Comments: Learn how to create a rain barrel garden with native plants that thrive in excess water.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Bear and other forest friends such as a rabbit, groundhog, a mole, and birds are in the forest meadow painting the Meadowlarks brown eggs bright colors so they are not lost again.

Bear Finds Eggs

by Karma Wilson (Author), Jane Chapman (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Bear is walking through Strawberry Vale, searching for eggs and leaving small presents in the nests. Meadowlark has noticed that all of her eggs are missing, so the forest creatures come together to help her find the brown eggs. They paint the eggs as they search, making them easier to spot.

Comments: The book features stunning acrylic illustrations that span across two pages.

In rhyming text.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

If you enjoyed this book, there are many more in the Bear series.

The picture book cover of Sister Spring with Spring shaped like a girl with beautiful flowers all over her while she is floating through the sky touching flowers to bloom

Sister Spring

by James Christopher Carroll (Author, Illustrator). Publisher ‏ : ‎ Creative Editions . 2023. K-2. Hardcover. ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1568463841.

Brief summary: A young woman, Sister Spring, comes up from inside the earth and brings the daffodils, the rain, peepers, and all of the spring elements of Nature. A beautifully illustrated picture book with spring colors.

Teachers could include this book when studying personification.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

For more details or to buy, please go to this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Winter Picture Books-New
Children's Book Recommendations

Winter Picture Books-New

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Winter picture book recommendation are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. All of these titles can be found in my Amazon Storefront under winter picture books– https://www.amazon.com/shop/mrs.ferraris/list/114UUUWST0AJ3?ref_=aipsflist )

❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗

Two siblings with sweaters and blankets on are reading a book on a couch with a dog and cat sleeping on the couch.

Snuggle Season

by Jaimie MacGibbon (Author)

Summary: Two siblings wake to a winter morning, cuddling their parents away to go downstairs and begin their day of playing in the snow, sitting by the fire, and reading together.

Comments:  This is a wonderful winter read-aloud for the classroom or as a bedtime story. The rhyming text is gentle and cozy.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A female fox with her two kits outside in the snow with a bit of snow coming down under a crescent moon

Winter Is Wonderful

by Emma Dodd (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: A mama fox and her two kits spend the day in the wintry forest playing in the snow, stopping to look at the landscape, and eating berries before heading home to their den for a sleep.

Comments: This is a lovely bedtime story, and the illustrations are beautifully highlighted with foil throughout.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover of The Most Beautiful Winter with Badger on the cover wearing an orange multi-colored scarf with snow in the background.

The Most Beautiful Winter 

by Cristina Sitja Rubio (Author), Vineet Lal (Translator)

Brief summary: Winter is here, but Badger does not feel like sleeping. He goes to Mr. Bear’s place, but Mr. Bear is asleep. Marmot is also sleeping, and Nighthawk is snoozing. Badger goes back home and keeps himself busy with hobbies.

Later, he goes outside to find someone to play with, only to discover that many more creatures are hibernating. Will he find someone to play with?

Comments: The illustrations were created using Ink, gouache, and watercolor. (The Amazon description does say “crayon illustrated,” but the book says otherwise.)

The back sections are A Beautiful Winter for Everyone and How Can I Help Animals in Winter?

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

*I was sent a complimentary copy of this book.

The book cover of Counting Winter has a fox and an owl in a tundra setting with a full moon in the background. Done with scratchboard and water colors predominately in purple.

Counting Winter 

by Nancy White Carlstrom (Author), Claudia McGehee (Illustrator)

Summary: This beautifully illustrated concept picture book highlights winter animals in the Alaskan tundra. Young readers learn to count from 1 to 12 using lyrical verse.


Comments: The illustrations were created using scratchboard and watercolor.

This book could be incorporated into various educational units, such as counting 1-12, the winter season, or the tundra environment.

Additional sections at the back of the book include Animal Profiles, Author’s Note, and Illustrator’s Note.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

*I was sent a complimentary copy of this book.

Book Cover of Hiro, Winter, and Marshmallows has a bear, Hiro, with a backback walking through the snow through a camping ground.

Hiro, Winter, and Marshmallows 

by Marine Schneider (Author), Vineet Lal (Translator)

Brief summary: The Ursidae family of brown bears are all hibernating except for Hiro. Hiro packs a bag and walks outside, where she experiences snow on her paws for the first time. She wonders what Winter could be and notices unfamiliar paw prints in the snow.

The bear follows them and the scent of toasting marshmallows. All run away when they see the bear. Hiro sits roasting a marshmallow over the fire, crying, having scared everyone away from the bonfire party, when a small boy named Émile comes out behind a tree. Too curious to run away from a talking bear, Émile stays asking, “What’s it like being a bear?”

Will they become friends, or will it all go horribly wrong?

Comments: The illustrations were created with colored pencils, watercolors, acrylic paint, and markers.

This is a sweet bedtime story.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

*I was sent a complimentary copy of this book.

A family look out their picture window of their home watching the snow fall down Cover to Just Us.

Just Us 

by Molly Beth Griffin (Author), Anait Semirdzhyan (Illustrator)

Summary: A young girl’s family usually celebrates the holidays by having extended family come from all over to share a meal and play games. However, the snow made it too dangerous for everyone to visit. Her mom, mama, and brother decided to improvise and prepare a meal together. They even called Grandma for advice on how to make a dessert.

Comments: The digitally created illustrations showed details of all of the relatives. Many young readers may wonder what to do if traditions cannot be kept. This story shares how we can still have a good holiday by making the best of what we have.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A bear with a blanket, red scarf, and basket full of berries and nuts is talking to fox with a hat on drinking a hot beverage while a little blue bird flies near them with a gray squirrel on top a bush in the forest.

Jonny Lambert’s Bear and Bird Winter Wonderland Adventure: A Snowy Search and Find Story

by Jonny Lambert (Author)

Summary: In the forest, Bear and Bird search for berries and nuts to prepare for winter. The next morning, snow fell. As Bear and Bird walk through the forest, they encounter several other woodland creatures. Curious, these creatures follow Bear and Bird to the top of the hill, where they all share something beautiful.

Comments: The “Can You Spot?” panels on the sides of the pages encourage students to stop and observe the illustrations. Additionally, there are question panels that pose questions about the story as it progresses.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Two ducks and a goose are driving a truck

Duck, Duck, Goose! 

by John Hare (author and illustrator)

Summary: Two ducks are flying south when they come across a goose flying in the sky too. To their surprise, they see a moose in a flying contraption. They decide to all travel together to head south for the winter, with a few hiccups along the way.

Comments: Young readers will enjoy the humorous adventures of these fowl and moose as they migrate to a warmer environment.

The art was created with hand-drawn pencil and with digital color and accents.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A girl rejoices from the winter snow falling as she looks ups. She has on red earmuffs. There is a read bird flying with a scarf and a cat with a sweater is beside the girl.

It’s Winter!

by Renée Kurilla (Author)

Summary: The town is covered in snow. The children come outside dressed in warm clothing to slide down the hill, build snowmen, skate, and have snowball fights. Later, they create garlands and decorations before being released from school for winter break. They enjoy holiday foods and celebrate the winter holidays.

Comments: This is a book that highlights the winter weather, clothing, food, and holidays.

It is illustrated using Adobe Photoshop.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A girl wearing a read coat and hat is being carried by a snowwoman wearing a cape as they walk through the forest.

Wonder & Awe 

by Annie Herzig (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: A girl creates a snowwoman she calls Wonder. She and Wonder play throughout the forest with the snowwoman pointing out the beauty around them which leaves the girl in awe. Each day, they play and say goodbye at the end. One afternoon, they both realize that they do not have much time together as spring is coming soon.

The girl shares with her friends all of the wonderful things in Nature that she and Wonder noticed together during their winter discoveries. Will she ever see her friend again?

Comments: The illustrations were created using watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, graphite, and water-soluble crayon.

It is a beautiful story about a magical friendship who discovers together the beauty of Nature.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Mr. Green is wearing a hat and Mo are at the top of the book's cover which is a mix of red holly, a squirrel eating seed, a bee nest, and a robin sitting on a snowy fir branch. There are birds in the now underneath.

It’s Winter (The Seasons in Mr. Green’s Garden) 

by Ruth Owen (Author)

Summary: Mr. Green and Mo turned a city lot into a garden and share what happens to the garden in winter. They explain the changes to plants, insects, animals, and birds.

Comments: The illustrations are a collage of photos and drawings.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A family is on the beach around a bonfire with fireworks and lights all around them.

Winter Solstice Wish 

by Kate Allen Fox (Author), Elisa Paganelli (Illustrator)

Summary: A family spends a day at the beach on the shortest day of the year. As the sun goes down, they share wishes around a bonfire. In opposition, on the other side of the earth, a family celebrates the longest day of the year at the beach.

Comments: This ode shares how the earth is located relative to the sun so that one can have both the shortest and the longest day. Community and family celebrations are emphasized.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Bruce is in a robe outside holding a tissue box while his three mice friends are playing in the snow

Out Cold-A Little Bruce Book (Mother Bruce Series) 

by Ryan T. Higgins (Author)

Brief summary: Winter has come to Soggy Hollow. Poor Bruce has a cold and is stuck inside with his mice friends, Nibbs, Thistle, and Rupert. After playing outside, the mice thought it would be nice to bring the snow activities inside for Bruce to enjoy. I wonder if Bruce will enjoy them…

Comments: What can I say? I love the humor of grumpy Bruce. He reminds me so much of myself.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗 1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A boy in a yellow cate with red mittens and a hat is facing tot he right as he stands in falling snow

I’m Going to Build a Snowman 

by Jashar Awan (Author, Illustrator)

Brief summary: A little boy wakes to see that it has snowed. After eating his breakfast and putting on all of his snow gear, he is determined to build the BEST SNOWMAN EVER.

Comments: The story explores how one’s expectations may not be realistic but still can be enjoyable in a positive mindset.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

billy barr is looking over his shoulder as he wears a red and black checkered hat with ear flaps while it snows. the background is pine trees on a snowy mountain.

The Snow Man: A True Story 

by Jonah Winter (Author), Jeanette Winter (Illustrator)

Brief summary: billy barr (he prefers all small letters) lives ALONE in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, eight miles from the nearest town. He first moved there as a college student in 1972 for the summer. He lived in an abandoned shack with dirt floors and no electricity or running water. He began to take meticulous notes of all of the wildlife and weather of the mountains.

He stayed for fifty-one years and is still there.

 The scientists at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory used his notes and observations, all written in notebooks, to chart how the mountains’ climate was changing. He still takes notes but enters them into a computer.

Comments: There is an Author’s Note in the back explaining billy barr in more detail.

I had so many questions while reading this biography. Why is he a hermit? What made him go there? Why did he stay so long? Would I want to live like that? What would that be like? Can I get my library up there? And could I bring all of my cats?

This biography picture book could spark some interesting classroom discussions.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A very excited boy has his face against the window looking outside

Just SNOW Already! 

by Howard McWilliam (Author, Illustrator)

Brief summary: A boy excitedly waits for the snow expected that evening in his neighborhood. He dreams of all the wonderful things he will do in the snow. He keeps checking out the window, not noticing all of the stupendous things taking place on his street, believing that nothing is happening because there is no snow yet.

He begins to wonder what it would mean if it never snowed again.

Comments: The details in these illustrations are action-packed and hilarious. I love the boy’s giant head and all of his facial expressions. This would be a fantastic read-aloud for kids, especially the day before the first snowfall of the year.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗 1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Forest animals are lined up while the owl is flying above with their gifts of feathers, berries, nuts, and so on are in a circle around the title

Winter: A Solstice Story (The Solstice Series) 

by Kelsey E. Gross (Author), Renata Liwska (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Owl calls down from the top of a pine tree to the creatures of the forest asking who can help brighten the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. Each forest animal contributes something to the pine tree as it shines with the full moon upon it.

Comments: This is a gentle and quiet book that could be read as a bedtime story.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover to Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter with a boy and girl walking between an autumn field with fallen leaves and a deer changing to a winter field with snow.

Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter

by Kenard Pak (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: A boy and girl walk in nature noticing the late autumn around them, playing in the fallen leaves and seeing the birds flying south. They go home and wake to an urban winter landscape where they go outside and notice the snow as they walk back to the now wintery field.

Comments: The illustrations change with the seasons complementing the story.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

A girl with a red hat and black scarf wearing a snow jacket is lying on the snow smiling

On a Flake-Flying Day: Watching Winter’s Wonders 

by Buffy Silverman (Author)

Brief summary: When winter arrives, nature changes in many ways to prepare for snow.

Comments: There are large and brilliant Nature photos in this narrative nonfiction picture book.

The back section includes the question: What can you see on a white winter’s day? and then in-depth answers correlating to the pages before, Further Reading, and Glossary.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Summer Picture Books–New
Children's Book Recommendations

Summer Picture Books–New

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Summer picture book recommendation are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. These titles are available on my Amazon Storefront under Summer Picture Books– https://www.amazon.com/shop/mrs.ferraris/list/3R7J5JRIZERHB?ref_=aipsflist)

❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗

A bouse, snail, and praying mantis are around a large red lunch box while in the forest.

This is NOT my Lunch Box!

by Jennifer Dupuis (Author), Carol Schwartz (Illustrator)

Brief summary: In this narrative nonfiction picture book, a boy is on a camping trip. As he opens a different colored lunchbox each time, he discovers that it is full of food for creatures in the woods. These creatures include herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores. What will he find in his lunch box next?

Comments: The lunch box is located on the right-hand side of the double-page spread. Turning the page reveals the answer of the lunch box owner located on the left. Readers then have to guess who will eat the contents of the next lunch box. This pattern continues for about a dozen times. Very clever!

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Ben is in the summer garden full of flowers with bumblebees around him.

The Bumblebee Garden 

by Dawn Casey (Author), Stella Lim (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Ben and his grandpa spot a bumblebee in the garden. Grandpa educates his grandson about the bumblebee’s life cycle, explaining its activities in each season as the book unfolds.

Comments: There is a back section titled The Life Cycle of a Queen Bumblebee.

The illustrations were handcrafted using watercolor and colored pencils, finishing with digital methods.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A granny with white hair is holding a black cat and mouse along with her vegetables harvested from the roof garden.

Grandma’s Roof Garden

by Tang Wei (Author), Kelly Zhang (Translator)

Brief summary: An elderly granny collects discarded vegetables at the market to feed her animals and for compost. She has planted a rooftop garden, where she teaches neighborhood children how to care for plants. She shares her harvest with family and friends by having a meal together and giving extras for them to take home.

Comments: This book was initially printed in China in 2019.

The Author’s Note explains the author’s personal inspiration for this story.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A rode has a variety of bikes all going down the road in the same direction.

Ride Beside Me

by Lucy Knisley (Author)

Brief summary: A young child and mother go bike riding in the city. They are soon joined by other bicyclists in the bike club of different backgrounds and various forms of bikes, all heading up the mountain and then back down.

Comments: The illustrations were created using gouache paint on paper.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A young boy and his dad are in a green truck with a bunch of camping equipment on top going down a country road with pine trees on either side.

The Best Worst Camp Out Ever

by Joe Cepeda (Author, Illustrator)

Brief summary: At the end of the school year, a boy and his dad decide to go camping. However, upon arriving at a campsite, they discover it is full. They then find an alternate campsite, which is not as appealing. Despite facing a series of setbacks, they persist in overcoming each problem.

Comments: This humorous elementary graphic novel was created with Adobe Photoshop.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Bruce is at the beach with the mice and friends. The bear has a very grumpy look on his face as he is carrying all of the beach stuff.

Beach Bummer

by Ryan Higgins (author and illustrator)

Brief summary: It is a hot summer day in Soggy Hollow, and the mice want to turn the house into a beach resort, but they go to one instead. Bruce begrudgingly carries everything to the beach until it is time to return home.

Comments: The illustrations were created using scans of treated clayboard for texture, graphite, ink, and Photoshop.

This book is smaller–7.28″ x 7.28″.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Sophie, Diego, Lili are outside chasing fireflies during the summer evening. The stars and insects are twinkling.

Firefly Galaxy

by Sarah Nelson (Author), Estrellita Caracol (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Sophie, Diego, and Lili excitedly wait until it is dark enough to catch fireflies and put them in a jar. Their parents go with them away from the house, where they can see the stars at night and the fireflies flashing off and on.

Comments: There is a section at the back called “Fascinating Firefly Facts” for more information about this insect.

The illustrations were created in paper collage.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A young girl is looking up at the bubbles she is blowing.

Summer is Here

by Renée Watson (Author), Bea Jackson (Illustrator)

Brief summary: A young girl wakes up on a sunny summer day and eats a breakfast of fruit. She then goes to play in the pool with her friends. Throughout the day, she also plays Double Dutch, goes on a picnic, throws water balloons, eats ice cream, and partakes in other activities. As the day comes to an end, she wishes that summer would stay.

Comments: Young readers will enjoy an action-packed summer day full of activities they can relate to.

The illustrations were created using a variety of pastel, oil paint, and watercolor brushes and Photoshopped.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Bo is with his dog playing in the river. There are flowers and vegetables in a circle around the solstice moon.

Summer’s Magic: An Indigenous Celebration of Nature

by Kaitlin B. Curtice (Author), Eduardo Marticorena (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Bo’s mom braids his hair into one long braid divided by three to represent the body, mind, and spirit. During the summer, he and his family celebrate by growing plants and visiting a river with their dog, Sam. They give thanks to the river before playing in it. However, as they prepare to leave, Bo notices people throwing their picnic trash into the river.

During the solstice, Bo goes to the river and asks the other kids to help him clean it up. In the evening, they have a big meal and their neighbors stop by. Bo shows the children his garden, and they catch and release fireflies.

Comments: Bo is a Potawatomi and shares his beliefs about Mother Nature throughout the story.

This could be shared not only as a summer solstice companion but with Earth Day, pollution ,and environmental unit of studies as well.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover of Summer's Child with a child standing on a donkey telling the silly story for the summer play. Bright colors are in the background of hils, flowers, trees, clouds, a dove, and the sun.

Summer’s Child 

by James Christopher Carroll (Author, Illustrator)

Brief summary: The forest animals gather around Bear to perform a play about the first day of summer. Child will be the narrator of this whimsical production.

Comments: This book’s illustrations are vibrant and filled with bright, appealing colors. This lighthearted and humorous story could serve as a great bedtime book or one to uplift a young reader.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

*I received a free copy of this book.

Garmann's standing in water with two orange floaties on each arm with a ship in the background.

Garmann’s Summer 

by Stian Hole (Author), Don Bartlett (Translator)

Brief summary: Garmann’s three elderly aunts come to visit just as the summer is about to end and school begins. The boy talks to his aunts and parents about what scares them. What scares Garmann?

Comments: This book is a translation from Norway, initially published in 2006.

I like this book’s candid humor about what scares us, death, and new beginnings.

The illustrations are collages of mixed media.

My students enjoyed these Garmann books and would read them together.

*I was sent a complimentary copy to give an honest review.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Science Picture Books-New
Children's Book Recommendations

Science Picture Books-New

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Science picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Science Picture Books can be found on my Amazon Storefront under Science Picture Books —https://amzn.to/48cWRqd .)

Abstract city book cover of people crossing the street with all sorts of sounds around them

Sound: Discovering the Vibrations We Hear

by Olga Fadeeva (Author), Lena Traer (Translator)

Summary: This nonfiction picture book details the various types of sounds and how we perceive them. Various text features, such as diagrams, illustrations, photos, labeling, maps, headings, and others, help explain the topics.

Comments: This is a detailed and informative sound book that explains not only how we actually hear sound but also how sounds have evolved over the centuries. Learn the answers to “What is an echo? What is sound like under the water? Can sound influence our health? How has sound changed over time?”

The illustrations were created with acrylic paint and water.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

*I received a free copy of this book.

Close Up and Far Out 

by Mary Auld (Author), Adria Meserve (Illustrator)

Summary: This narrative nonfiction picture book explores the lives of two scientists, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek and Galileo Galilei.

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek had questions about observing the world more closely and seeing it magnified. He created many microscopes until he designed one that could magnify objects up to 500 times.

Galilei was curious about distant objects, particularly in space, and sought to understand how the universe worked. He successfully modified and created an improved telescope that allowed him to see farther into space.

Comments: This book promotes scientific inquiry and persistence. Both men had questions and could find answers through repeated failures until they produced the desired results.

This book could be used in several units of study: space, inventions, cells, and Intellectual growth/performance(persistence, failure, grit).

Rating: 4/5📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

*I received a free copy of this book.

Large full moon in the background of two people looking up at it while standing on a hill.

The Museum on the Moon: The Curious Objects on the Lunar Surface 

by Irene Latham (Author), Myriam Wares (Illustrator)

Brief summary: This nonfiction picture book uses a poem and nonfiction text to describe objects left on the moon.

Comments: This book could be used in a poetry unit or a lesson on the solar system. It was fascinating to learn about all the objects that were left behind.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Cover of a poetry picture book titled Push-Pull Morning with a child hugging a dog

Push-Pull Morning: Dog-Powered Poems About Matter and Energy 

by Lisa Westberg Peters (Author), Serge Bloch (Illustrator). Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wordsong. 2023. Grades 2-4. Hardcover Nonfiction Picture Book. ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1635925272.

Brief summary: A fun introduction to physics in free verse poetry about a child and dog experiencing everyday life.


Comments: Each poem’s physics correlation is explained at the back of the book. This book could be shared in science units when each physics aspect is introduced to give students an idea of seeing it in the world around them.

For more details or to buy, click here.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

The Three Little Tardigrades book cover is of three little creatures with water droplets in the background

The Three Little Tardigrades 

by Sandra Fay (Author, Illustrator)

Brief summary: This fractured fairy tale of the Three Little Pigs has three little tardigrades and a big hairy wolf spider.

Tardigrades(also known as “water bears” and “moss piglets”) are microscopic animals that can live in extreme conditions, including outer space. In this story, they live in a water droplet where Mother Tardigrade tells her sons, Gavin, Colin, and Doug, that it is time for them to move out and explore the world.

Each one goes to a different part of the world, but the big hairy wolf spider keeps appearing. Why does the arachnid keep appearing to the tardigrades?

Comments: The illustrations were created with watercolors and potato prints.

The back page has facts about tardigrades and the book’s scientific terms.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

The book cover for another Sandra Fay book titled The Very True Legend of the Mongolian Death worms which are pink with big teeth.

If you enjoyed this book, Sandra Fay also wrote The Very True Legend of the Mongolian Death Worms.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Bird Picture Book Recommendations for Kids
Children's Book Recommendations

Bird Picture Book Recommendations for Kids

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Bird picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Bird picture books can be found on my Amazon Storefront under Bird Picture Books–https://amzn.to/46aOOHU).)

❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗

The book cover to Fly Like a Bird with various birds in the sky.

Fly Like a Bird (Spectacular STEAM for Curious Readers (SSCR))

by Olga Ptashnik (Author)

Summary: This nonfiction picture book follows a baby chickadee as it prepares to fly, but is unsure how. Through a question-and-answer story, an adult chickadee explains all of the ways different birds fly, like penguins flying under the water, hummingbirds’ rapid wings buzzing, and starlings flying in murmuration.

Comments: The black ink is the voice of the young chickadee, while the blue ink is that of the adult chickadee, making a fun narrative text for readers to read aloud with one another.

The back has a “More About the Birds” section with brief information about the birds discussed in the story.

The illustrations were created digitally.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

*I received a free copy of this book.

A robin is beaming up at the star while in a tree. Cover of The Birds of Christmas.

The Birds of Christmas 

by Olivia Armstrong (Author), Mira Miroslavova (Illustrator)

Summary: Raven was flying home during a December night when a bright star shone down announcing that a child, the Prince of Peace, had been born and to tell all of the other birds.

Each bird contributes a gift to the child, except for one bird that thought she had nothing to contribute.

Readers will learn how the robin gets a red chest.

Comments: This is based on a European Folktale.

The illustrations were created with graphite pencils and colored digitally.

This is truly a lovely Christmas folktale about the gifts given to a baby by the birds. In return, Mary offers the robin a special gift, which is also given to the bird’s future children: a red breast that symbolizes a kind heart.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

*I received a free copy of this book.

book cover for Bird Girl with a young woman in the forest behind an stand up camera about to take a photo of the many birds around her

Bird Girl: Gene Stratton-Porter Shares Her Love of Nature with the World 

by Jill Esbaum (Author),  Rebecca Gibbon (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Geneva Grace loved the birds on their family farm and visited their 64 nests of various birds to watch them. Her father retired moving the family to a town where the girl found little joy. She married and moved back to the country, where she began writing about the birds in her area, learning to use a camera to take hundreds of photos in Limberlost Swamp.

Her books became so popular in 1924 that ten million copies were sold, and some were made into movies.

Her beloved Limberlost Swamp was being harvested, bulldozed, and drilled for gas, disrupting and killing the wildlife.

In the 1990s, decades after her death, Indiana conservation groups, inspired by her life and books, began buying up the land that once was Limberlost Swamp to bring back some of the wildlife.

Comments: The back sections include Author’s Note, More About Gene Stratton-Porter, and Bibliography.

The illustrations were created with acrylic ink and colored pencils.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

The book cover of Clever Crow has a black crow on the front looking down about.

Clever Crow 

by Chris Butterworth (Author), Olivia Lomenech Gill (Illustrator)

Brief summary: This nonfiction picture book teaches us about a crow’s intelligence, habitat, and how many different types there are of this amazing species.

Comments: This book is illustrated with mixed media and written in verse.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover for Fly with all sorts of birds with different colors flying or sitting in trees. The title is spelled with feathers.

Fly: A Family Guide to Birds and How to Spot Them (In Our Nature) 

by David Lindo (Author), Sara Boccaccini Meadows (Illustrator)

Brief summary: This nonfiction picture book contains details and facts using text boxes and labels. The fonts and sizes are varied to emphasize bird facts and main ideas.

Comments: The book is superbly illustrated with watercolors and gouache paints. Each bird is portrayed in great detail, showcasing its vibrant colors and unique markings. I enjoyed examining the details and interesting facts about the birds. It is very well done and a must for any library.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

For more details or to buy, click on this book’s page on Amazon.

Book cover of Free Bird: Flaco the Owl's Dreams Take Flight with a

Free Bird: Flaco the Owl’s Dreams Take Flight 

by Christine Mott (Author), Ofra Layla Isler (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Flaco, a Eurasian Eagle Owl, lived in a zoo in New York and dreamed of flying in the sky. One day, an opportunity to escape presented itself. Flaco learned about the city’s food sources, made new friends, and experienced the joys of living a life of freedom.

Comments: Details about owls can be found at the end of the book.

Flaco has passed away, but there are only gentle references to his departure that would not upset a child. An illustration shows him with a golden halo over his head, conveying that “his spirit is still flying free.”

Half of the proceeds from this book will be donated to the Wild Bird Fund.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

*I received a free copy of this book.

An old man with a cane following a boy running with his dog along a river with kingfisher sitting on a branch in the middle of cat tails

Grandpa and the Kingfisher

by Anna Wilson (Author), Sarah Massini (Illustrator)

Brief summary: A young boy and his grandpa visit the river in the spring and discover a kingfisher diving in the water to catch a fish. They come back in the summer to find two kingfishers building a nest.

The boy and his grandfather keep coming to the river over the seasons, watching the birds’ life cycle.

 The boy asks questions about the birds while the man answers, paralleling his life.

Comments: This story does talk about death and how nature continues but gently and matter-of-factly so that children can understand.

Wonderful watercolor illustrations.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

There is a small Sparrow and a bowl of water with a watercolor background of greens and the book cover of Zorro the Sparrow.

Kozo the Sparrow 

by Allen Say (Author, Illustrator)

Brief summary: A young Allen Say trades all of his treasures to save a sparrow hatchling from the hands of bullies. He takes it home and nurses it to adulthood, bonding with his bird, Kozo(Little Boy).

Allen takes the bird to school to share with his classmates. Will the bullies capture the sparrow again?

Comments: This is the true story of Allen Say and the bird he raised and loved while living in Japan as a child at age eight.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Lucky Duck cover with Susan, the duck, sitting in a large pot holding a wooden spoon with vegetables on the table. There is a yellow creature with antennas next to the pot.

Lucky Duck 

by Greg Pizzoli (Author)

Brief summary: Susan the Duck starts her day receiving roller skates two sizes too big and continues with many other unlucky occurrences throughout the day.

Susan answers the door to a wolf, who claims she has won a big pot. She began to feel lucky to win all of the vegetables the wolf kept bringing throughout the day.

Susan soon realizes her bad luck was lucky and her good luck was unlucky.

Comments: This is a humorous story that young readers will enjoy as it unravels and would make for a fun read-aloud. 

The illustrations are drawn with pencil, brush, and Photoshop.

Rating: 4/5 –📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Page when Susan is trying on her two sizes too big roller skates. Her insect friend is underneath the chair. The doorbell rings with the black wolf standing on the other side.

Book cover to To See an Owl with a girl holding binoculars and an owl standing back to back to her

To See an Owl

by Matthew Cordell (Author)

Summary: Janie wants to see an owl and looks where she will find one but does not until she takes a wintry walk with her mother.

Comments: A beautifully calming read-aloud for bedtime or a unit on nocturnal animals. I loved how the teacher shared his passion of birdwatching, encouraging her hobby.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Children's Book Recommendations

Journey of the Humpbacks

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Journey of the Humpbacks children’s book recommendation is by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.)

Book cover to Journey of the Humpbacks with a humpback whale in the ocean and krell swimming nearby

Journey of the Humpbacks

by Juliana Muñoz Toro (Author),  Dipacho (Illustrator), Lawrence Schimel (Translator)

Summary:

Let’s follow the humpback whales as they migrate from the Southern Ocean to the Pacific, stopping near Colombia.

Discover how these whales feed before heading to the warmer ocean, a journey that takes about two months. Young readers will learn all about these magnificent creatures, including their birthing process during migration, their family life, lifespan, and the ways they communicate with one another.

Comments:

The illustrations are created with mixed media and complement the text well.

Although this narrative nonfiction book is written in lyrical language, it includes many nonfiction text features, such as diagrams, labels, and maps. The illustrations are created using mixed media and complement the text beautifully.

The book is well-researched, involving a team of three marine biologists. More information about their credentials and bios can be found in the back of the book.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

*I received a free copy of this book.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Children's Book Recommendations

Sound: Discovering the Vibrations We Hear

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Sound children’s book recommendation is by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Sound: Discover the Vibrations We Hear can be found on my Amazon Storefront under Science–https://amzn.to/46aOOHU).)

Abstract city book cover of people crossing the street with all sorts of sounds around them

Sound: Discovering the Vibrations We Hear

by Olga Fadeeva (Author), Lena Traer (Translator)

Summary: This nonfiction picture book details the various types of sounds and how we perceive them. Various text features, such as diagrams, illustrations, photos, labeling, maps, headings, and others, help explain the topics.

Comments: This is a detailed and informative sound book that explains not only how we actually hear sound but also how sounds have evolved over the centuries. Learn the answers to “What is an echo? What is sound like under the water? Can sound influence our health? How has sound changed over time?”

The illustrations were created with acrylic paint and water.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

*I received a free copy of this book.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Children's Book Recommendations

2025 School-Themed Picture Books

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

2025 School-Themed Picture Books children’s book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.)

Book cover to Bid Kids with one boy much taller and bigger than the other

Big Kids 

by K. L. Going (Author), Reggie Brown (Illustrator)

Summary: A young boy describes his first day of school, highlighting all the activities the older kids participate in. It’s Buddy Day, when he gets paired with an older student. His new friend takes him on a tour of the school, helping to ease his fears of the older students.

Comments: I love how the perspective of the big kids and little kids is complemented by the illustrations, which show the physical contrasts.

This would be the perfect read-aloud for the start of the school year, just before introducing the buddy system. We paired kindergartners with fifth graders.

Rating: 4.5/5 🟩🟩🟩🟩1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover to Fish Don't Go to School with a boy dressed in a fish costume pulling a wagon with a fish in the bowl

Fish Don’t Go to School 

by Deb Pilutti (Author)

Summary: Henry wears his fish costume to school because it makes him feel safe and less anxious. Although everyone stared at him, as the day went on, Henry slowly felt more comfortable. Will he continue to wear his costume every day?

Comments: I think this would be a good book to read aloud to help those students who feel insecure at the beginning of the school year.

I remember several students dressing in Halloween costumes or like ballerinas at the beginning of the school year, and gradually shedding their fears as they got to know everyone in the classroom and the daily routine.

The illustrations were created with gouache and wax pastels on watercolor paper with a little digital painting.

Rating: 4/5 🟩🟩🟩🟩

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover to Maybe Just Ask Me with Mazie wearing a head scarf and eye patch with two students in the background gossiping about her

Maybe Just Ask Me! 

by Katie Mazeika (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: Mazie goes to school wearing her favorite head scarf and a pretty eye patch. Throughout the day, she hears her classmates speculating about the reasons behind her accessories. After listening to their whispers all day, she decides to confront them and share her story.

Comments: This text is based on the author’s personal story. She includes it at the back of the book, along with a list of ways to support individuals with disabilities.

The illustrations were created digitally.

Rating: 4/5 🟩🟩🟩🟩

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover to recess with one student standing and another one upside down, both are yelling

Recess

by Lane Smith (Author)

Summary: Everyone needs a break from learning, and that is when RECESS comes in. What happens when recess is already over but we still need a break?

Comments: This is a fun interactive book featuring a call-and-response format that will have students giggling and full of energy. It makes an excellent read-aloud option for a “recess” moment when the day feels dull and a mental break is needed.

I loved how the book alternates between boring gray and then a bright color for the recess activity.

The illustrations were created with oil paints, colored pencils, cold wax, gesso, sandpaper, and digital scribbling on 24″ x24″ wood panels.

Lane Smith never disappoints me with his books. Another masterpiece!

Rating: 5/5 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Sammy and Sunny's First day of School book cover with Sammy at school in the bottom of the cover and Sunny at puppy school on the top

Sammy and Sunny’s First Day of School 

by Nina LaCour (Author), Elizabeth Lilly (Illustrator)

Summary: Sammy and her dog, Sunny, both attend their first day of school. Sammy is dropped off at her kindergarten classroom, while Sunny goes to puppy school.

Readers see how their days parallel each other. They were both a bit nervous, but then learned the routine and made friends.

Comments: The illustrations were created with pen and ink and painted with watercolor.

Rating: 4/5 🟩🟩🟩🟩

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover for Sunnyside School with students, a teacher, and mom standing at the front of a school

Sunnyside School: A Community Helpers Book 

by Lindsay Ward

Summary: Ali, Matty, and Mila are new to Sunnyside School. Readers walk along with the students and learn about their classrooms, the school building, and all about the volunteers and staff members.

Comments: This book provides excellent details in both the text and the illustrations. It features traditional narrative, speech bubbles, and informative text boxes. As the day progresses, the book poses questions and includes a search-and-find activity at the end. This is a fantastic community helper book and would be a valuable addition to any library or classroom.

Rating: 4.5/5 🟩🟩🟩🟩1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Driver Dee and Trusty, a school bus are on the road helping students get inside of the bus. Book cover to Trusty Bus

Trusty Bus 

by Elizabeth Weiss Verdick (Author), Jeff Harter (Illustrator)

Summary: Driver Dee and Trusty, a school bus, get ready to go on their route to pick up the students for the first day of school, being mindful of safety as they go around town.

Comments: This is a darling little book for toddlers and preschoolers. The rhyming text and onomatopoeias make the book interesting and fun.

The illustrations were created digitally.

Rating: 4/5 🟩🟩🟩🟩

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

You Can Sit With Me book cover with a girl inviting another student to sit with her at her cafeteria seat

You Can Sit With Me

by Rachel Tawil Kenyon (Author), Tatiana Kamshilina (Illustrator)

Summary: A young child is new to the school and unsure of the routine. A girl kindly invites the newbie to sit with her throughout the story.

Comments: This would be a superb story to read aloud to promote kindness and inclusion. I think there could be some meaningful class discussions afterwards about ways everyone can be kind to one another.

Rating: 4/5 🟩🟩🟩🟩

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Fungi Picture Books
Children's Book Recommendations

Fungi Picture Books

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Fungi picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. These titles can be found under my Amazon Storefront under Fungi Picture Books– https://www.amazon.com/shop/mrs.ferraris/list/HI3P3S9Q1GEE?ref_=aipsflist .)

❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗

Book cover of Fairy Rings with a mushrooms with red caps in a circle on the grass.

Fairy Rings

by Lisa Owings (Author)

Summary: Various cultures have created folktales about fairy rings to explain these circles of fungi. This nonfiction book describes where, what, and how these rings grow.

Comments: Several text features are included, such as diagrams, labels, bold words, and so on. There is also a glossary at the back.

There is a glossary in the back.

I remember growing up with a fairy ring in our front yard and the tales our parents would tell about it. I wish there had been books like this when I was growing up so I could investigate further.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

*This book is one of the Mysterious Nature series and can be bought on their Amazon page.

Fungi Grow 

by Maria Gianferrari (Author), Diana Sudyka (Illustrator)

Summary: Young readers will learn how fungi grow above, on, and under the ground. Mushrooms can be edible, poisonous, or medicinal. There are mushroom details of how they multiply and what animals eat them. The underground fungi network helps the forest.

Comments: The gouache watercolors are detailed with two-paged spreads or small vignettes that move the nonfiction story along as we read the large print prose and the smaller informative text for more details.

This would be an excellent addition to the mushroom section in any children’s library collection.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Cover to Mushrooms & Fungi for Kids with several types of mushrooms on the cover and in different colors

Mushrooms & Fungi for Kids: An Introduction to Mycology

by Ariel Bonkoski (Author)

Summary: This nonfiction paperback serves as a beginner’s guide to the mushrooms and fungi of North America. It contains numerous diagrams, labels, and photos of various fungi, along with suggested activities.

Comments: I love field guides like this and especially for children. It shares the basics with many colored photos. Adults who are just learning about fungi and mushrooms will also appreciate this.

A glossary is included in the back.

Perfect size to fit in a pocket or backpack while hiking.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover to We Spy Fungi with a brown background and all sorts o different fungi in various shapes and colors

We Spy Fungi: Search and Find Mushrooms, Cacti, and Other Fascinating Plants 

by Rebecca Donnelly (Author), Francisco Fonseca (Illustrator)

Summary: This global nonfiction book explores mushrooms and other fascinating plants, focusing on fungi and their ecosystems.

Comments: This book illustrates and discusses fourteen different ecosystems, featuring short text squares with information about various plants and animals within each ecosystem.

This book illustrates and discusses 14 different ecosystems.

II did not see the medium used listed in this book. I would have liked photos of the fungi included, a map showing the location of each ecosystem, and a glossary at the back.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Children's Book Recommendations

Frank’s Red Hat

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Frank’s Red Hate children’s book recommendation is by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.)

Book cover for Frank's Red Hat with a group of penguins. One has on a little red hat.

Frank’s Red Hat 

by Sean E Avery (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: Frank is a penguin who likes to make hats. The penguins were a bit nervous because as soon as one of them tried on the hat, he was eaten by a killer whale. Just when Frank is about to give up on his hat-making endeavors, he discovers that seals love his creations. Frank continues to create other things, realizing that penguins may not be receptive to his creations.

Comments: A funny book to read to help students realize that they can be creative, but not always be around those who appreciate it. They need to find those who appreciate their art.

The illustrations were created using digital collage techniques and scanned fold/painted papers.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Children's Book Recommendations

Echo

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Echo children’s book recommendation is by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.)

Cover of Echo where Junior Junior is looking at an image of himself in the water.

Echo 

by Adam Rex (Author)

Summary: Junior Junior grew up on the side of a mountain and made friends with the echo. He loved that they agreed on everything he said. One day, a girl on the mountain across from him told him to stop shouting. She did not agree with everything he said. Junior Junior decides to run away to the valley to meet the echo and decides he doesn’t like someone who agrees with everything he says. Will he be friends with the girl on the hill even when she points out that he can be wrong at times?

Comments: I loved the humor in this book!

Great read aloud to emphasize manners, emotions, and how to agree to disagree.

The illustrations were created digitally in Procreate and Photoshop.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Children's Book Recommendations

Clara’s Big Discovery

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Clara’s Big Discovery children’s book recommendation is by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.)

Book cover of Clara's Big Discovery. Clara is looking in the mirror.

Clara’s Big Discovery 

by Don Tassone (Author), Jane Rytel (Illustrator) 

Summary: Clara was eating her lunch at school one day when Mia said four words that changed how she viewed herself and others–“Your nose is big.”

Clara began to question whether there was something wrong with her nose, which caused her to feel bad about herself. The next day at school, she felt self-conscious and observed the people around her, noticing that each person had something a little different about them that she had never really noticed before.

When Clara arrives home, she realizes that everyone has imperfections but is still okay. Will she think that way about herself again?

Comments: I loved how this book examined the imperfections of different students and emphasized that it was no big deal, not something that defined that person.

This would be a superb book to read aloud to elementary students at the beginning of the school year to help foster and embrace everyone’s differences. I would ask the students if they knew what Clara’s big discovery was at the end of the story.

Rating: 4.5/📗📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

*I received a free copy of this book.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Children's Book Recommendations

Swimming Picture Books

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Swimming children’s book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. All recommendations can be bought on Mrs. Ferraris’s Amazon Storefront. .)

A girl and boy cousin are splashing each other in the sea wearing bathing suits and laughing. Book cover to Big Family Beach Day

Big Family Beach Day 

by Nina Crews (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: Maya, her mother, and grandma drive to their annual family beach outing to meet their extended family. They play in the sand, swim in the water, and have a picnic.

Comments: A whimsical family story that everyone can relate to.

The illustrations were digitally drawn and collaged in Adobe Photoshop.

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover of Dawn Patrol with a girl wearing a wetsuit while surfing a wave while her father cheers her in the background.

Dawn Patrol: A Father and Daughter Surfing Story 

by Rob Sayegh Jr. (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: A father and daughter wake up at dawn and drive to the beach, where they put on wetsuits to swim and surf with other surfers, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Comments: Lovely story of a father and daughter bonding while enjoying the sea.

The illustrations were created with hand-marbled paper and digital collage.

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Maddie is swimming underneath the pool with two people floating nearby. Cover for Everybelly

Everybelly 

by Thao Lam (Author)

Summary: Maddie and her mom went to the local pool. As they walked or swam by the neighbors, Maddie shared funny stories about them, observing their bellies.

Comments: A funny and diverse book about the many bellies around the neighborhood.

The illustrations were created in cut-paper collage.

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Liam is floating in a lifesaver in the water waiting for a wave

Just One Wave

by Travis Jonker (Author)

Summary: Liam goes to the beach with his baby sibling, Sonja, and his mother, waiting for a wave to occur on the still water. It’s time to go when Liam realizes he can make one big wave, pleasing his little sister.

Comments: This is a lighthearted story that would be a humorous read-aloud for preschoolers or kindergartners.

The illustrations were created using a Pentel Color Brush and Procreate.

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

If you like this one, you may enjoy Travis Jonker’s Just One Flake.

Just One Flake

by Travis Jonker (Author)

My Dear Sea book cover with a girl wearing a bathing suit is standing at the shore of the sea taking one step in before swimming in it.

My Dear Sea 

by André Carrilho (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: A young girl is advised by her father to “respect the sea” just before she jumps in, meaning to be careful. She reflects on this advice as she shares her appreciation for the beauty of the sea creatures and emphasizes the importance of picking up litter. In doing so, she honors the sea.

Comments: These beautiful illustrations were created using watercolor, pencil, and digital editing and captured the colors and creatures of the sea.

This text is composed in rhyme.

This could be presented as a book focused on environmental themes, as well as on swimming or the sea.

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Our Lake book cover with two brothers in bathing trunks are standing on top of a cliff ready to jump into the lake to go swimming.

Our Lake 

by Angie Kang (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: Two brothers walk to the lake to go swimming without their father for the first time since he died. The older brother jumps into the water from the cliff and coaxes his brother to join him. Will he be able to jump without the help of his father?

Comments: A beautiful story of two brothers learning how to grieve while moving forward without their father beside them; only in spirit.

The illustrations were created using gouache with additional textures added in crayon and colored pencil.

This is an excellent story to share with students and children experiencing death of a relative. It is gentle and quiet and does not overly emphasize their feelings.

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Children's Book Recommendations

Father Picture Books

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Father Picture Books 2025 children’s book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.)

Book cover for The Best Daddy of All with Sebastian standing on top the shell of his father in the grass with leaves in the background of yellow

The Best Daddy of All 

by Peter Horn (Author), Jessica Meserve (Illustrator), Johanna McCalmont (Translator)

Brief summary: Sebastian spends the day with his father, walking through the meadow and around the pond, learning about what other dads do for their children. His father turns it into a game by describing what different daddy creatures do, and Sebastian has to guess which creature he is talking about.

Comments: This story is a cuddly, bedtime book.

The book was originally published in Switzerland. The book I looked at was in English and printed in Riga, Latvia.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover for Jollof Day with a young child and father. The boy is holding a large silver pot with jollof rice and stew.

Jollof Day 

by Bernard Mensah (Author), Annalise Barber-Opp (Illustrator)

Brief summary: A young boy and his dad wake up before the rest of the family on Jollof Day to prepare a special stew. They joyfully chop the ingredients and let the stew simmer. When the rest of the family wakes up, everyone sits down together for the special meal.

Comments: The recipe for the jollof rice dish is in the back of the book.

The bright and dynamic illustrations were created using watercolor paints, gouache, colored pencils, and digital edits in Photoshop.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Cover for Little big man with a young boy and his father brushing their teeth

Little Big Man 

by Varian Johnson (Author), Reggie Brown (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Elijah eagerly waits for his father’s return from work so they can fly his new kite together. However, his father has to work over the weekend. Instead, the two of them work together to clean the house and help his mother with the newborn baby. Following his father’s example, Elijah learns to do household chores.

Comments: I appreciate Elijah’s father’s patience and encouragement as his son learns to follow his lead and assist in the house and to also help others in the neighborhood.

The illustrations were created digitally using Adobe Photoshop.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover of Love, Dad: Inspiring Notes from Fathers to Kids with a girl giving her father a kiss on the nose as he holds her

Love, Dad: Inspiring Notes from Fathers to Kids 

by Dr. Joel Warsh (Author), Andrew Gardner (Author), David Cooper (Illustrator)

Brief summary: This book is a collection of 18 short notes from various fathers, each beginning with “I hope you…” to support their children’s growth.

Comments: The illustrations were created using digital media.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover of a boy and his father riding bikes with birds and hills in the background

Riding Through Rice Fields: A Trip to the Philippines 

by Michelle Sterling (Author), Bianca Austria (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Mateo and his father are struggling to connect until a family reunion in the Philippines helps strengthen their bond as they embark on an adventure together while bicycling across the country.

Comments: Mateo learns about bayanihan, the practice of people coming together to help those in need. I believe that reading this book aloud in the classroom and discussing bayanihan could be beneficial throughout the entire year.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Children's Book Recommendations

On the Last Day of School

The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

On the Last Day of School children’s book recommendation is by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.)

On the Last day of school book cover of students comin gout of a school throwing papers up in the air.

On the Last Day of School 

by Maggie C. Rudd (Author), Taia Morley (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Students reflect on their progress from the beginning to the end of the school year before heading home for the summer.

Comments: This could be shared as a read-aloud towards the end of the school year. It can prompt a discussion where students compare what they could do at the beginning of the school year with all the things they have learned or can now do by the end of the year.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a highly qualified retired elementary school librarian, who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.