Our World is a Family, illustrated by Nomar Perez, and written by Miry Whitehill and Jennifer Jackson, hit the New York Times Bestseller list this week! The book, published by Sourcebooks in 2022, was recently featured on the instagram channel, MaiStoryBook (@maistorybooklibrary). She called it “one of the BEST picture books for teaching about HUMAN MIGRATION and ways to WELCOME REFUGEES and IMMIGRANTS into our communities.” Congratulations Nomar!
Charnelle Pinkney Barlow‘s Two Artists, Granddad and Me, released on January 20th, has received its fourth starred reviews from School Library Journal! Congratulations Charnelle! ★ “Readers can almost feel the love and affection radiating off the pages as the girl in the story draws, paints, and creates with her grandfather . . . This is an excellent book for any budding artist but also to convey how mentors and teachers help on the journey of learning and creating.” —School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW ★ “Pinkney Barlow pays homage to her late grandfather, illustrator Jerry Pinkney in a heartwarming reflection about artmaking’s improvisational process . . . It’s a portrait of ‘two artists’ at work that takes young creators seriously.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW ★ “This radiant, deeply personal picture book honors creativity, legacy, and love and shows how one generation’s generosity can not only inform but inspire imagination in another.” —Booklist, STARRED REVIEW ★ “The soothing narrative evokes the beloved bond between grandfather and granddaughter, while descriptive language has a vividness that fully captures the girl’s discovery of her inner artist.” —The Bulletin, STARRED REVIEW
When I Hear Spirituals, illustrated by London Ladd, was selected by The Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books for their 2025 Blue Ribbon Awards! They wrote, “In this beautifully crafted celebration of African American spirituals, a young narrator alludes to the significance of twelve spirituals within the larger historical, cultural, and religious context of her community; the girl’s welcoming, wondrous tone makes this both an informative and evocative read.” The book was also named a Notable Children’s Book by the ALSC Notable Children’s Books Committee. See the full list here. Congratulations London!
How Sweet the Sound, illustrated by Charly Palmer, was named a Boston Globe Best Book of the Year for 2025. See the full list here. Congratulations Charly!
Pushing Hope, the graphic memoir by Raymond Santana, a member of the Exonerated Five, and illustrated by Keith Henry Brown, was featured on The Innocence Project’s list, “Your Year-End Watch & Read Guide: 9 Books and Documentaries That Will Open Your Eyes About Our Criminal Legal System.” Check out the full list here.
We love counting down the end of the year with Betsy Bird’s 31 Days, 31 Lists. This year’s lists include a number of books by Painted Words authors and illustrators: Fairy Finds Her Song by Bea Jackson (Simon & Schuster) – “Easy Books“ Tate Tuber by Michael Slack (Holiday House) – “Easy Books” No More Gnomes by Beth Mills (Lerner) – “Funny Books“ Not A Dog, illustrated by Laura González (Charlesbridge) – “Bilingual Children’s Books“ Some of Us, illustrated by Huy Voun Lee (Little Brown) – “Books with a Message (Social & Emotional Learning)” A Song For Two Homes, illustrated by Charly Palmer (Random House Studio) – “Books with a Message (Social & Emotional Learning)” Lady of the Lines, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri (Astra) – “Unique Biographies for Kids“
