Little Melba and Her Big Trombone (Lee & Low), by Katheryn Russell-Brown, illustrated by Frank Morrison and Everything in its Place (Doubleday) by Pauline David-Sax, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow have both been named to Kirkus’s Best Books of the 21st Century (So Far). Congratulations Frank and Charnelle! See the complete list here
Living Bridges, The Hidden World of India’s Woven Trees (Beach Lane Books) by Sandhya Acharya, illustrated by Avani Dwivedi has been selected by the Junior Library Guild as part of a new category called Global Citizenship for grades K-2. The book will be published June 3, 2025. Pre order it here
Hello There, Sunshine (HarperCollins) by Tabitha Brown, illustrated by Olivia Duchess is #6 on the New York Times Best Seller List for March 30, 2025! Congratulations Olivia!
No More Gnomes! (CarolRhoda) by Beth Mills is a Junior Library Guild Selection! Herbert is the politest kid in town. He even has a medal to prove it! But his good manners are put to the test when his afterschool nanny, Ms. Goat, brings home a VERY RUDE garden gnome. Herbert tries to be polite about the inconsiderate imp. But then Ms. Goat gets another gnome . . . and another . . . and another! This is too much for Herbert. He can handle NO MORE GNOMES! But how can he tell that to Ms. Goat without being immensely, impossibly, inexcusably impolite? Find out in this laugh-out-loud story about good intentions and creepy lawn ornaments. No More Gnomes! will be published September 9, 2025. Pre-order it here
The Cool Code 2.0 The Switch Glitch (HarperCollins) by Deire Langeland, illustrated by Sarah Mai has been selected by the American Library Association for the 2024 Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List! Congratulations Sarah! See the full list here Get the book here
Rats to the Rescue (Millbrook Press) by Scott Riley and Sambat Meas, illustrated by Huy Voun Lee is getting noticed! It is a Junior Library Guild Selection, A CCBC Choices book, and now a 2026 Towner Award nominated book. The Towner Award is the Washington state award for nonfiction picture books written for 2nd-6th grade students. In the spring, all Washington State students in public and independent schools, from second through sixth grades, are invited to vote for their favorite book if they have listened to or read a minimum of two titles. Student votes can be submitted by school and public librarians only. In addition, we will recognize an Educators’ Choice. This is your chance to share with other educators which book you found most useful in the classroom. Learn more about it here Get the book here
