Picture Books
May 2026
Recent Releases
102
by Matthew Cordell

Sick with a fever of 102, young George goes on a surreal, imaginary adventure in a miniature world. Meticulously cross-hatched ballpoint pen illustrations from Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell provide texture and atmosphere, as well as a wealth of details that reward close reading. For fans of: David Wiesner, Chris Van Allsburg, and Henry Cole.
Put Your Records on by Corinne Bailey Rae
Put Your Records on
by Corinne Bailey Rae

Inspired by Corinne Bailey Rae's award-winning hit song, this picture book celebrates music's unique power to soothe or energize us when we need it most. Today I'd like to do something I've never done before, Bea tells her great aunt Portia during one of their Sunday visits. And before she knows it, she's being led upstairs to an attic room she didn't know existed--a wonderful haven full of Portia's cherished items, including shelf after shelf of records. There's a song here for every emotion--for the whole rainbow of feelings, Portia tells Bea. Then they listen together, dancing to a celebration song, laughing along with a circus-happy song, and feeling held by a song that comforts them during a thunderstorm. Bea heads home at the end of the day, excited to continue learning about herself and her world through music. Corinne Bailey Rae's Put Your Records On is a multi-platinum anthem about freedom and joy. Now, in this beautiful storybook, the Grammy Award-winning musician brings that empowerment and exuberance to children.  Read-alike:  Smelly Bill by Daniel Postgate. 
The Whale's Tale and the Otter's Side of the Story
by Kate Messner; illustrated by Brian Biggs

Whales or otters: which animal is "absolutely, positively cooler?" If you read this clever book front to back, whales are the clear winner, but otters triumph if you read from back to front. Funny and fact-filled, this unusual story highlights the power of perspective.
Hold
by Randy Ribay; illustrated by Zeke Peña

It's tough to get out the door with a toddler, and never more so than in this playful read. Daddy's request for his child to briefly hold a water bottle gets increasingly outlandish as the child asks to hold more items, from toys to the family cat to the rain in the sky. A twist ending and bold, stylized illustrations enhance this sweetly silly tale.
A Fish Like Me
by Jamie Sumner; illustrated by Devon Holzwarth

When using their wheelchair on land, the star of this picture book can zoom like a rocket. But in the pool, they experience a different kind of freedom, swimming like a variety of sea creatures. Fluid artwork buoys this inclusive, joyful story. Read-alike: I Hear the Snow, I Feel the Sea by Janice Milusich.
Dino Stories
Dino Poet
by Tom Angleberger

It's a classic Triassic tale: to avoid being eaten, a frog offers a Coelophysis...some notes on his poems? Scampering through various predicaments and poetry styles, the predator-prey duo in this goofy graphic novel make learning hilarious. Next in the series: Pen Pals.
Penny & Pip
by Candace Fleming; illustrated by Eric Rohmann

Compassionate Penny is the only person in the natural history museum who notices the dinosaur egg hatching -- which means that baby sauropod Pip immediately imprints on the girl. Sweet and simple illustrations keep the focus on these two small characters in a big museum. Read-alike: Mark Pett's Lizard from the Park.
Dinos That Drive
by Suzy Levinson; illustrated by Dustin Harbin

Combining two perennial kid favorites -- dinosaurs and vehicles -- this picture book in verse boasts giggle-inducing wordplay alongside bustling, imaginative depictions of dinosaurs operating cars, trains, helicopters, and lots more. For fans of: Richard Scarry's classic Busytown books.
Night Flight
by David Barclay Moore; illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu

When his dads go out for the evening, a little boy imagines himself flying off to find them on the back of a pterosaur. Soft-edged illustrations in luminous shades of blue vividly conjure the snowy setting of this heartfelt nocturnal fantasy. Read-alike: Kelly Zhang's Take Me to Lăolao.
The Iguanodon's Horn: How Artists and Scientists Put a Dinosaur Back Together...
by Sean Rubin

How do paleontologists use fossils to reconstruct what dinosaurs might have looked like? Readers get an insider's look at the process in this lively nonfiction picture book focused on the Iguanodon, whose appearance has been reimagined several times. Detailed illustrations add to the abundance of facts, making this book ideal for STEM-loving younger elementary school kids.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
NORTH KANSAS CITY LIBRARY
2251 Howell St
North Kansas City, Missouri 64116
816-221-3360

www.nkcpl.org/