Picture Books
July 2025

Resources @ Your Library
Audiobooks & eBooks for Kids
Enjoy our collection of age-appropriate fiction and nonfiction eBooks and audiobooks just for kids. Titles can be checked out for 7 or 14 days (you choose!) and when the checkout period expires, they check themselves in so there are never any late fees!
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that will provide a FREE book each month for a child from the time they are born until their 5th birthday. Register your child to receive a free, age-appropriate, high-quality, personalized book mailed directly to their home each month.
Recent Releases
George & Lenny Are Always Together
by Jon Agee

Anxious brown bear George and curious gray rabbit Lenny are BFFs who do everything together. So what will happen when Lenny wants to try a bit of solitude? This sweet and simple story offers expressive art to explore a timeless question about friendship. Read-alikes: I Am Going! by Mo Willems; Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel.
My Friend May
by Julie Flett

Margaux, a young Cree girl, is upset that her nitôsis (auntie) is moving away. Then Margaux's beloved black cat May disappears, making the child even more distressed…until nitôsis comes through for her in an unexpected way. This gentle, thoughtful story is best shared one-on-one, and it includes a guide to the Plains Cree terms used.
Where the Deer Slip Through
by Katey Howes; illustrated by Beth Krommes

From sunrise to nightfall, various wild animals visit a woodland farmyard. Each creature is portrayed distinctly in rhyming words packed with alliteration and onomatopoeia, and kids can follow each delicious detail in the delicate, meticulous scratchboard-and-watercolor art by Caldecott Medalist Beth Krommes.
Pickle on Wheels
by Sylvie Kantorovitz

Practice makes progress -- eventually -- for Pickle, a pup who's frustrated that he can't immediately roller-skate like his hero, SuperDog. Good thing new friend Coco is on hand to help! Soothing art and large, easy-to-read panels make this graphic novel ideal for beginning readers who are building their confidence, just like Pickle.
You and Me, Anemone
by Rachel Vail; illustrated by Chris Raschka

Charming wordplay and enticingly textured embroidery art combine in this read-aloud ready tale of a kid and an anemone with a shared aversion to being "booped." Whether you're looking to share a fun story about sea creatures or start a kid-friendly discussion of boundaries, you'll want to check out this affirming book. 
Retro Reads
Check out these awesome books from the not-so-distant past.
 
I'm Afraid, Said the Leaf
by Danielle Daniel; illustrated by Matt James

Through the observations of one curious child, young readers (or listeners) can join in the appreciation of nature's interconnectedness, from the leaves supported by the tree to the creek that cools off the overheated bear. Inventive perspectives in the artwork heighten the quiet yet thought-provoking tone of this picture book. Read-alike: Monique Gray Smith's You Hold Me Up.
Do You Even Know Me?
by Reem Faruqi; illustrated by Ani Bushry

Adorable cartoon illustrations underscore the kid appeal of this story about Salma, a kindhearted Muslim American girl, and Luke, a bullying classmate who's heard misinformation on TV. Sensitively told, Do You Even Know Me? offers a message of peace, empathy, and living into your beliefs. Read-alike: The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad.
Emergency Quarters
by Carlos Matias; illustrated by Gracey Zhang

Beginning with a note about the pre-cellular days of pay phones, this detail-rich peek into the past follows city kid Ernesto, proud to be a "niño grande" allowed to walk to school on his own. His mom gives him a daily quarter in case he needs to make an emergency call -- but with a bustling neighborhood full of tempting treats, how's a kid supposed to resist?
Simone
by Viet Thanh Nguyen; illustrated by Minnie Phan

When a wildfire threatens their California home, art-loving Simone and her Má evacuate to a shelter at a school gym. There, remembering Má's story about fleeing floods in Vietnam with nothing but her crayons, Simone leads the other kids in a hopeful drawing project. This moving story provides kids with a portrait of resilience during hard times.
My Daddy Is a Cowboy
by Stephanie Seales; illustrated by C.G. Esperanza

A pre-dawn trip to the ranch means precious one-on-one time for a Panamanian American girl and her father. The sensory details of their ride through the nearby streets are captured in eye-popping, hyper-realistic colors and compositions that pulse with energy, creating a distinctive and indelible celebration of family.
Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 0-8!
Events @ Your Library
Children Reading to Dogs
Multiple Dates and Locations.
This event takes place at multiple libraries.
Want to be a more confident reader? Build "pawsitive" self-esteem and improve your reading skills while reading aloud to certified therapy dogs at the library.
Back to School!
Multiple Dates and Locations  
Do you have students at home gearing up to head back to school? Check out the back-to-school and learning events coming up at your local library this fall! From DIY Fidget Toys to Homeschool Resources to the Teen Back to School Bash, there's something for everyone at the Metro!
Friends of the Library Booksale
Join us at the Friends of the Library Summer Booksale at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds Sat, August 9th to Sunday, August 10th from 9am-5pm. 
Members who join online between July 1 and our Summer Sale event can enjoy an exclusive shop on August 8 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Members will show their membership receipt electronically or on a printed receipt at the Summer Sale member event, or check in by name.  

Volunteers will not have a pre-shop opportunity at this event, but will be invited to an after-sale take-away event.