Picture Books
July 2025

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.
Oh, Olive!
by Lian Cho

Although her parents are serious painters devoted to minimalist precision, rambunctious and ultra-confident young Olive expresses herself through bold splashes of color. Can this family of artists learn to understand each other? 
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.
Runaway Blanket
by Nancy Deas

A toddler is told it's time for bed but he's not ready because he saw his blanket packing up a bag and running down the road, but luckily the child catches his blankie just in time for a goodnight snuggle.
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.
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